Sunday, Sept. 4, 2011 was a picture perfect evening for Ryan & Jen at Brewster Academy.  Photographer, Robert Ortiz was very kind & recommended us to this great couple.    When we asked Jen & Ryan to describe their desired DJ style, they told us they loved a wide range of music, didn’t want too many formalities, no chicken dance, they didn’t want the music to be too loud, but not too soft, they wanted their DJ to keep the party alive and fun, play their requests, take requests from their guests and not do a lot of talking.  It was clear we were a great match.

 Lake Winnipesaukee is very significant to Ryan’s family – they have vacationed on an island at the lake since he was a boy.  His family still spends an enormous amount of time at their lake house.  Jen is originally from Texas and Ryan from Rhode Island.

It was so evident that an enormous amount of time went into planning this phenomenal day.  Every detail was perfect, the colors, the decore’, the food, the cakes – everything!   It all came together, a 6 PM ceremony by the water, cocktails in the Boat House and Reception outside under the tent, so everyone could enjoy the views of the lake.   We set up two sound systems, to accomodate their entertiainment needs. 

The two wedding cakes had significant  meaning – Ryan’s was all about the Red Sox and Jen’s was all about the Wizard of Oz.  They were not only a beautiful display, they tasted fantastic. 

Wizard of Oz cake

Close to 150 family and friends enjoyed an evening of great food, fantastic music, fun & dancing.    Ryan & Jen, you are great together:  “To have, to hold, to love, to cherish”… Thank you for choosing Music Fantasy Weddings as your wedding entertainment!

Sept. 3rd was Brad & Victoria’s big day at Alpine Grove.  They hired us last minute, and we were thrilled we were available to be their entertainment specialists. Brad & Vicki’s original plans were to have an iPod wedding, but as time grew near, they began to panic and wonder if that was a wise decision. Questions began to fill their minds: who would handle their introductions, coordinate the timing of the toasts, first dance, parent dances, etc.? Who would tastefully interact with their guests, feel out the crowd, make sure the reception was FUN and play the perfect mix of music? They wanted it to be memorable.

Brad loves Star Trek (as do many of his friends) and both of them enjoy listening to a vast mix of bands like Guster, Keane, Snow Patrol, Maroon 5, Death Cab for Cutie, Smashing Pumpkins, The Flaming Lips along with The Beatles, Etta James, Tom Waits, 311, Rascal Flatts – just to name a few.

We’ve heard many horror stories when it comes to iPod weddings, we were so honored that Brad & Vicki trusted us with their event!

Brad & Victoria Stamp

It was great working with you. We hope you are living life by your favorite quote: “Together we can rule the galaxy as husband and wife”.

So you’re engaged… here’s the first few steps of planning your wedding

You’re so excited, your partner just popped the question… it’s perfectly normal to wonder what you do next.  You’ll find lots of wedding planning checklists, but they don’t really help you figure out where to begin.  Don’t let the stress and anxiety of planning, ruin your excitement and anticipation.

We’re excited to help you, so after you’ve announced your engagement to everyone and the reality finally hits… here are the first few items you should take care of.

1)       Time to determine your budget.  All your decisions will be based on your wedding budget.  If you know how much you can spend and who plans to contribute with the expenses, then you will be able to figure out the type of wedding you can have (including how many guests, when and where you’ll host your wedding, what professional DJ and photographer you can afford etc.  Most couples talk to their families about who will pay for what and then arrive at a total wedding budget.

2)      Putting together your Guest List.  This is a crucial step because capacity is very important information in finding a suitable venue.  You must secure your location before you can successfully plan anything else.  You don’t need to finalize the list, but you do need an estimate from both sides of the family (and yourselves) right away, to avoid lots of planning headaches during the process.  Think about it, you don’t want to try to fit 300 people into a facility that only seats 150 people.

3)      Decide on your venue and your date.  It’s best to have an estimated budget and a headcount of your guests before you begin looking for a place to hold your event.  Most reception venues book out over a year in advance, so you can’t decide on a date until after you have booked your facility and have given a deposit and received a signed contract.  You should research and find as many places as possible that are within your budget, can handle your guests, and meet your style and atmosphere desires.  You’ll want to schedule some appointments to view each venue and meet with the facility managers.  Once this is done, you’ll sit down and make a decision.

4)      The next two most important wedding professionals you’ll want to book are your DJ and your photographer.  DJs and photographers also often book sometimes a year in advance, so it’s best to research, meet and secure these next.

You’ll find if you secure as many services, as early as possible, you’ll really be able to enjoy the process and the journey.  You’ll truly be able to look forward to your wedding day, as the months go by, thus eliminating lots of anxiety and stress.

Music Fantasy Weddings is a full time professional wedding DJ service.

Jenny & Glenn were married on her parents’ farm in Eliot on Saturday, August 6^th. 

The first time as a married couple..

We’ve known the Goransson family for quite a few years and were honored to be part of this amazing day.    Nancy was hired as the week of and day of wedding coordinator, for this huge event and put her amazing organizational skills to work to deal with details & alleviate last minute stress for this special family. 

As with any outside event on private property, there are many important people to work with… rental company (for tent, tables, chairs, linens, plates, silverware, portable bars), caterer, baker, florist, VIP trailer/bathroom facilities, lighting, electricity, etc. etc. Reflections Salon in Somersworth and Face First/Lisa Lawrence, members of the Seacoast Wedding Group (a networking group we belong to), were also involved in this great day – doing  a beautiful job with everyone’s hair and makeup.   Ann Barbi, also of the Seacoast Wedding Group coordinated their honeymoon trip to Hawaii.

The wedding colors were navy blue & yellow (colors of the Swedish flag).  Jenny’s brother Peter was one of her attendants and Glenn’s best friend, Leslie was one of his attendants.    Jenny’s Aunt Leslie performed a beautiful, meaningful ceremony as the cows and bulls casually grazed in the back field.

Almost 200 of their closest friends and family joined them in the fabulous celebration.  A couple highlights of the evening were a surprise Flash Mob, Jenny’s mom, Helen, organized and a sing along to an old Swedish lullabye Jenny’s grandfather used to sing to her Dad, Paul; followed by a traditional Swedish dance.  Jenny’s request for her special Father/Daughter dance was “Lullabye” by Billy Joel which I blended into “El Africano” by Wilfrido Vargas.

Dancing the night away, oh what a night !

Once the dancing started, there was no stopping the FUN, the dance floor never seemed to be big enough.  The energy level was over the top, you could gauge how much people were dancing, by how soaked their clothes were.   There were some wild requests and crazy dance routines; it was a night filled with making great memories.  As we ended the evening, so many of the guests kept coming by to thank us for creating a wonderful, unique evening they would remember for years to come.   When we hear these comments, we are reminded of why we love to DJ & why we specialize in weddings!

We can’t wait to see the video that Sara McCormick of McCormick Media will be putting together.

Shonda ‘s most important request was to surprise her father after their traditional Father/Daughter dance (My Little Girl, by Tim McGraw)  – and break into a Polka.   Let’s just say – you should have seen his face when he heard the words “I Don’t Want her, she’s too fat for me”! 

Purple & Silver were the predominant colors for Michael & Shonda’s wedding  on June 25^th at Candia Woods– they felt very blessed that the weather cleared just in time for their 5 PM ceremony, especially after a full week of nothing but rain. 

Shonda & Michael were two very busy students away at school in the mid-west, we had dealt strictly with Shonda’s Dad, Jeff, throughout the planning process.   The first time we met our special bride & groom to be in person, was 2 weeks before their wedding, just to tweak all the final details.   

As we talked about how they envisioned their evening the words family, FUN and dancing kept coming up.  There would be no alcohol, but they did want a lot of fun music including the Cupid Shuffle, the Cha Cha slide and a few other  group dances.  They had relatives coming from Pennsylvania, New York and lots of other places – many hadn’t seen each other for a long time, this was sure to be a great party!

The dance floor was packed from beginning to end, and it was indeed a fantastic celebration.   We played everything from “New York, New York” to “Like a G6” – and it was awesome seeing guests of all ages on the dance floor – together.

Rick Boutheiett Phototgraphy -this couple was great to work with… a husband & wife team!   Kudos to Christina & her staff at Candia Woods  – they were right on top of things all day.

God Bless you Shonda & Michael, we wish you all the best, thanks for choosing us to be part of your wedding day.

A record number of DJs attended the DJ Times expo this year.  The Promo Only party Tuesday night was a huge hit.  The line up was amazing at the House of Blues in the Showboat Hotel:  50 Cent, Jeremih, Jason Derulo, Wynter Gordon, Pete Wentz & Black Cards, Crystal Waters, Rockell with Joe Zangie, Kreayshawn, Neon Hitch, Jessica Sutta (Pussycat Dolls), Blush, Kerli, Dev, Iyaz, Eva, DaCav 5  & Alyssa Reid.

The 3 days of seminars were full of valuable information and we were thrilled to see Randy Bartlett return this year.  He presented two seminars and, as usual, he gave some great tips.

It was awesome to see all the newest equipment and lighting, over 80  industry vendors had booths in the Exhibit hall.

We saw tons of our DJ friends from all over the US,  including Sid & Paige Vanderpool - who had a booth for their DJ Zone Network. 

We were excited to see our friends at Top Hits USA (our music & video supplier), – their booth was buzzing with DJs looking to know more about their service.  Ara, Lauren & Nicole all did a fantastic job sharing info on all the great music they offer.

Thanks to everyone at DJ Times for putting together another fantastic expo.

The beautiful coastline of York, Maine was the perfect backdrop for Ben & Courtney’s wedding on May 28th.  Friends and family came from near & far, including Ben’s family from Tennessee.  Courtney’s Aunt from New York made their fantastic cake and their decore’ incorporated beautiful ocean colors, seashells, sand and blue candles  – which were perfectly placed everywhere in the room.

I remember our first conversation with Courtney & Ben, they loved current music, but didn’t want a Dance Club atmosphere.  They wanted their Disc Jockey to be friendly and outgoing and were looking for someone to orchestrate and coordinate all the details and formalties.   When we asked them to describe how they envisioned their reception, they said:  a fun, upbeat, classy, welcoming party fit for all ages and one that respected their Christian religion.   They didn’t have a lot of time to choose music & compile a request list because of their very busy schedules, so they told us they trusted our experience and knowledge & were confident we would deliver a wonderful party.

Our flower girl, Sophia was quite the dancer and her special request:  Dynamite, was a big hit on the dance floor!  Other requests were Walking In Memphis, Sweet Home Alabama, Marry Me, Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough – just to name a few.

Thanks to Gwen from Gwen Pham Photography – we can’t wait to see some of her photos – which are sure to be gorgeous (we saw some of the fun poses)!

The staff and food at the Dockside were wonderful.  A special thanks to the coordinator, Phil Landry.  Paul the bartender, was very personable and made everyone feel welcome.

We are grateful that we met Courtney’s parents years ago – so when Courtney’s Dad, Fred recently bumped into Bob, he took our business card (since he was planning his daughter’s wedding).  We were thrilled to be part of this amazing celebration.  God Bless you Courtney & Ben, we wish you a wonderful future together (you are a very special couple).

Taking their romantic vows

What a gorgeous day May 21 turned out to be for Patrice & Aaron at Clay Hill Farm.  I think everyone that was a part of their wedding day, said a lot of prayers for good weather – after over a week straight of rain.  It was like a miracle, the sun finally came shining through the second Patrice and her Dad walked down the aisle.

It was sad and unfortunate that Patrice’s Uncle was unable to travel to Maine for their wedding… and to perform their ceremony, as originally planned, but I was honored they asked me to be their officiant at the last minute. 

It was truly a day of so many emotions.. laughter, tears, joy & celebration.  Clay Hill Farm was the perfect location for their wedding day - it was a favorite dining spot of theirs. 

Patrice & Aaron - a most special day!

The grounds were perfectly manicured, the flowers were in bloom, the birds were singing with excitement.  Rachel, Jen and all the staff were so accomodating – it was perfect and the food was amazing too! We really look forward to working a lot more at Clay Hill Farm.

From their “Love you Madly” by Cake intro music, to their Ben Harper “By My Side” first dance… to “Only You Can Love Me This Way”, by Keith Urban for their final slow song – every dance was special. 

Everybody Dance now!

We’ve never seen such great props for the Chicken Dance – it’s a Wiles family tradition at every wedding, so they danced in honor of Patrice’s grandmother (who passed just a year or so ago).

We had the pleasure of working with Suzanne Simmons Photography for the first time & that was a treat.  Her enthusiasm and passion were contagious. 

The Beautiful Wedding Party

Aaron & Patrice’s Dad did a simply unbelievable job with the bird house centerpieces.  

Fabulous hand made Wiles Birdhouse centerpieces

It was exciting to hear Clay Hill will hang a birdhouse in the gardens, so Patrice & Aaron can come back to visit and see what beautiful family of birds has taken up residency in the very special home..

I read a great article the other day on researching reception sites.  It seems many facilities break down their costs differently.   Sometimes what seems to be less expensive, may wind up more costly once all of the figures are totaled.   The experts say you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for an itemized list of fees.

When you’re trying to figure the costs to host your wedding reception, here are some questions to ask your reception site:

What is the facility rental fee?

What is the cost—for food? (sites typically offer more than one menu package; determine which menu package you will most likely utilize for your wedding reception—and use that amount in determining your estimate.)

What is the cost—for beverages? (save time by having an idea of what beverage package you would like to serve, whether a full bar, limited bar or non-alcoholic bar)

If you can hold your ceremony on site, what is the ceremony fee?

What is the set-up/break-down fee? (some sites charge per chair, others charge a lump sum)

What is the staffing fee? (including bartenders, waiters etc.)

What is the overtime fee?

Is there a fee for security personnel?

Is there a fee for parking or valets?

It’s always such a thrill when we get to DJ an event for relatives of past clients – families we’ve become a part of. We remember fondly back to the fall of 2008, when Nate & Katie (Hebert) Batchelor chose us as their wedding entertainment and Justice of the Peace for their wedding in Jackson, NH. February 19th was another very special day for us. Katie’s brother, Keith gave us the honor of being part of his special day – when he married his sweetheart, Amanda at Harris Pelham Inn.

"Their romantic first dance"

I was so excited to perform their romantic ceremony downstairs in front of the fireplace.  Keith & Amanda wanted to involve Candin (Amanda’s son) in the ceremony, it was heartwarming.

We loved the routine everyone did to “Hillbilly Bone”, it was a BLAST.   The Esposito family traditional “hop dance”, was entertaining to say the least.

"Amanda & Keith, so in love"

It was a pleasure working with Lauren & her assistant of Lauren Fagone Photography and all our friends at The Harris Pelham Inn.  It’s always great to work with other wedding professionals who share the same passion for weddings.  The staff at the Inn go above & beyond at all their functions & they’re such a pleasure to work with!