In the past, many have thought that hiring an event planner was an extravagance only meant for the elite. After all, why spend money for something you could “do yourself”? Today, however, times have changed. The costs and complexity of planning any event, but most especially Bar/Bat Mitzvah's and Weddings have many people turning to an event planner. An event professional not only saves time and emotional stress, but it can actually save money. This is possible because:
* What is your time worth? Do you have XX amount of hours per week to devote to planning your event? Think of it in dollars. How much do you make hourly at work? Now, multiply that with the mass amount of hours you’ll need to spend researching, planning, and working to make your event happen. It adds up, and it will likely be a high enough figure to enlist someone else to plan your event, so you can spend those hours doing something else.
* Professional event planners have already done this hundreds, if not thousands, of times. They know the best vendors in the area that will best meet your vision and your budget. Therefore, it will take them far less time to gather the information you need to make your decisions.
* Emotional stress is impossible to escape when you’re planning an important event all on your own. You have to juggle a lot of balls, all at once, and keep everything else in your life going at the same pace. However, when you hire an event planner – they take all those balls from you, so you can focus on your job, your family, or whatever else you have going on. This means you’ll be calmer, more focused, and able to really enjoy the event when it finally arrives.
Do You Think You Can Plan Your Event?
We realize that everyone’s needs and visions are different. Event Planners custom design your event to fit your needs, style, and budget. For example, you may find along the way that with your busy schedule, and never ending commitments, you don’t have the time, and you need an event planner to step in and assist you with partial planning, researching specific information for you, or full event planning.
Link to some great Southern California Event Planners:
Mitzvah Event Productions
The Party Link
Red Letter Days
Once Upon A Time Wedding
Pacific Events
ZG Productions is San Diego's top rated special events company. If you are looking for a San Diego Bar Mitzvah DJ, San Diego Bat Mitvzah DJ,San Diego Bar MItzvah Disc Jockey, San Diego Bat Mitzvah Disc Jockey, San Diego Wedding DJ, San Diego Wedding Disc Jockey, San Diego School Dance DJ, San Diego Bar Mitzvah Event Lighting, San Diego Bat Mitvzah Event Lighting, San Diego Wedding Event Lighting, San Diego School Dance Event Lighting, look no further.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Uplighting or Special Event Lighting for your San Diego Bar/Bat Mitzvah, San Diego Wedding or San Diego Private Event.
So what is uplighting?
Quite simply, it's a series of lights, set up around a room (or outside a building), placed on or near the floor, shining up toward the walls. The lights could be any color, from a white to a red to green (or whatever else). When they're implemented, the house lights at the venue can be dimmed. When used properly, uplighting can greatly enhance the ambiance of the room in a very elegant way.
I should also note that there are two different "schools of thought" regarding uplighting. The first is to focus on subtlety. In this way of applying up lighting, the focus is on having the lighting complement the venue/event, but not allowing it to distract. One of the characteristics of this is that there will just be one color at a time. Although, potentially someone may decide that they periodically want the color of the uplighting changed (for example, red uplights during dinner, and blue uplights during dancing). Personally, when I provide uplighting, I fall into this first way of approaching uplighting, by putting my focus on applying it tastefully and in a subtle way.
While most A/V professionals share a similar philosophy, others shun subtlety and prefer to use up lighting in a way that that is completely opposite. Those that fall into this second uplighting "school of thought" will apply uplighting in a more flamboyant manor, programming the up lights to constantly change colors, and sometimes even using them to act like a strobe light (I'll include a video further down on this page to show you what I'm talking about). I'm not saying that one way is wrong and the other is right-but it's something to keep in mind, as the results between these methods will vary dramatically.
At this point, I'm going to post some pictures for you to look at. After you view them, you can scroll down and I will further discuss uplighting.
So, is uplighting for me?
At best it can greatly enhance your event, helping to make it more lively, elegant, and visually stunning. At worse, it can potentially look tacky and essentially cheapen your event.
First off, no matter what any one says, uplighting is never absolutely necessary. It's a personal decision to make, as to whether or not you want it.
If you're in the decision making process, the first thing you'll probably end up considering, is whether or not you can fit uplighting into your budget. If you don't have it in your budget, well, it's not the end of the world.
Like many people, though, maybe you're a perfectionist and you want every aspect of your event to be wonderful on your special day. So in that case, my first recommendation is to consider what the character of the room is-does the room have character to it or is it a plain room. If its a plain room, than almost definitely up lighting would be an improvement. If you room already looks excellent as is-uplighting could potentially make it even more stunning (but at the same time might not be a big improvement, or might be a bad thing, especially if the color of the up lights clashed with the natural color balance of the room).
Should you trust your intuition? Yes, I don't see why not. If you have a gut feeling one way or another, it might not be a bad idea to go with it. Otherwise it's probably a good idea to consult with the venue manager (they'll surely have an opinion and also will be able to provide you with some perspective about whether or not their clients usually opt for uplighting). Of course you can get some good (but potentially biased) advice/perspective from a DJ, Audio Visual, or up lighting company too.
Regardless, don't rush into make a decision. Think it over and figure out whats feels right to you.
Another great lighting effect if the Gobo projection light. This effect can be used at Bar & Bat Mitzvah's Wedding, Reception, School Dances, Private Parties, Corporate Events and more. A gobo is a template that is cut out of thin metal and placed inside a special lighting ficture that is designed to shine a light beam through the template to project the image of the template to a dance floor, wall, side of a building or the clouds (remember Batman)...
The effect can be dramatic and very memorable. The templates (gobos) can be your monogrammed initials, specific words, company names, sayings, stars, or even basic pictures.
Here are some examples.
As you can see these Gobo lights can make a dramatic difference in your events look. These special event lights are not for everyone but they will make a huge difference in the way that your hall, facility of room looks. I provide uplighting and Gobo lights, lasers, smoke, bubles and dance floor lighting at VERY resonable rates.
Quite simply, it's a series of lights, set up around a room (or outside a building), placed on or near the floor, shining up toward the walls. The lights could be any color, from a white to a red to green (or whatever else). When they're implemented, the house lights at the venue can be dimmed. When used properly, uplighting can greatly enhance the ambiance of the room in a very elegant way.
I should also note that there are two different "schools of thought" regarding uplighting. The first is to focus on subtlety. In this way of applying up lighting, the focus is on having the lighting complement the venue/event, but not allowing it to distract. One of the characteristics of this is that there will just be one color at a time. Although, potentially someone may decide that they periodically want the color of the uplighting changed (for example, red uplights during dinner, and blue uplights during dancing). Personally, when I provide uplighting, I fall into this first way of approaching uplighting, by putting my focus on applying it tastefully and in a subtle way.
While most A/V professionals share a similar philosophy, others shun subtlety and prefer to use up lighting in a way that that is completely opposite. Those that fall into this second uplighting "school of thought" will apply uplighting in a more flamboyant manor, programming the up lights to constantly change colors, and sometimes even using them to act like a strobe light (I'll include a video further down on this page to show you what I'm talking about). I'm not saying that one way is wrong and the other is right-but it's something to keep in mind, as the results between these methods will vary dramatically.
At this point, I'm going to post some pictures for you to look at. After you view them, you can scroll down and I will further discuss uplighting.
So, is uplighting for me?
At best it can greatly enhance your event, helping to make it more lively, elegant, and visually stunning. At worse, it can potentially look tacky and essentially cheapen your event.
First off, no matter what any one says, uplighting is never absolutely necessary. It's a personal decision to make, as to whether or not you want it.
If you're in the decision making process, the first thing you'll probably end up considering, is whether or not you can fit uplighting into your budget. If you don't have it in your budget, well, it's not the end of the world.
Like many people, though, maybe you're a perfectionist and you want every aspect of your event to be wonderful on your special day. So in that case, my first recommendation is to consider what the character of the room is-does the room have character to it or is it a plain room. If its a plain room, than almost definitely up lighting would be an improvement. If you room already looks excellent as is-uplighting could potentially make it even more stunning (but at the same time might not be a big improvement, or might be a bad thing, especially if the color of the up lights clashed with the natural color balance of the room).
Should you trust your intuition? Yes, I don't see why not. If you have a gut feeling one way or another, it might not be a bad idea to go with it. Otherwise it's probably a good idea to consult with the venue manager (they'll surely have an opinion and also will be able to provide you with some perspective about whether or not their clients usually opt for uplighting). Of course you can get some good (but potentially biased) advice/perspective from a DJ, Audio Visual, or up lighting company too.
Regardless, don't rush into make a decision. Think it over and figure out whats feels right to you.
Another great lighting effect if the Gobo projection light. This effect can be used at Bar & Bat Mitzvah's Wedding, Reception, School Dances, Private Parties, Corporate Events and more. A gobo is a template that is cut out of thin metal and placed inside a special lighting ficture that is designed to shine a light beam through the template to project the image of the template to a dance floor, wall, side of a building or the clouds (remember Batman)...
The effect can be dramatic and very memorable. The templates (gobos) can be your monogrammed initials, specific words, company names, sayings, stars, or even basic pictures.
Here are some examples.
As you can see these Gobo lights can make a dramatic difference in your events look. These special event lights are not for everyone but they will make a huge difference in the way that your hall, facility of room looks. I provide uplighting and Gobo lights, lasers, smoke, bubles and dance floor lighting at VERY resonable rates.
ZG Productions is San Diego's top rated special events company. If you are looking for a San Diego Bar Mitzvah DJ, San Diego Bat Mitvzah DJ,San Diego Bar MItzvah Disc Jockey, San Diego Bat Mitzvah Disc Jockey, San Diego Wedding DJ, San Diego Wedding Disc Jockey, San Diego School Dance DJ, San Diego Bar Mitzvah Event Lighting, San Diego Bat Mitvzah Event Lighting, San Diego Wedding Event Lighting, San Diego School Dance Event Lighting, look no further.
Monday, March 14, 2011
DJ vs. Live Music
ZG Productions knows that music is the lifeblood of any party. It is the one thing that will get people to get out of their chairs and dance or just sit back, relax and set the mood for a really good time. There are many ways to have music playing in the background. The setting is important when determining how you will be presenting the music. For example, if you are planning a bar mitzvah, an engagement party, a wedding or a school dance, the decision has to be made as to how the party with have the music presented.
There are many options to choose from, you can have a DJ perform at your special function, be it a wedding, a school dance, corporate or a bar/bat mitzvah. Another option is to choose a band to play live music. Both options are good, but some options are better than others, and below we are here to point them out.
When deciding between the 2, some things to consider are, cost. A live band can be very expensive depending on the notoriety on the band within the community or status, and that might not include a singer, that might be a separate charge that will have to be added on. A DJ on the other hand can be a lot less expensive depending on what packages you choose from the DJ and depending on the event, however, the general difference is about half the price.
A second option between a live band and a DJ is dealing with a individuals, with a live band there maybe a manager or you may have to deal with the entire band depending on the setup, whereas a DJ tends to represent themselves. With this setup, there is no need to have to worry about having “too many chefs in the kitchen” which might cause some problems.
So it is with that thought in mind, that ZG Productions understands that a decision like that might come up, and as a San Diego based special events company, will strive in every which way to make sure that the decision you make, if it is a DJ, to make you feel like you have made the right decision. We understand the cost difference, but that does not guarantee making a final decision easier, and we are always willing to work with live bands in case you want to choose both.
ZG Productions is San Diego's top rated special events company. If you are looking for a San Diego Bar Mitzvah DJ, San Diego Bat Mitvzah DJ,San Diego Bar MItzvah Disc Jockey, San Diego Bat Mitzvah Disc Jockey, San Diego Wedding DJ, San Diego Wedding Disc Jockey, San Diego School Dance DJ, San Diego Bar Mitzvah Event Lighting, San Diego Bat Mitvzah Event Lighting, San Diego Wedding Event Lighting, San Diego School Dance Event Lighting, look no further. ZG Productions is a Bar and Bat Mitzvah, Wedding, School Dance and Corporate Entertainment company that has created its reputation by offering new and unique ideas to help your event standout from the rest.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Besa Expo, March 13th, 2011 @ La Jolla Hyatt
ZG Productions is getting very excited for this years BESA Expo at the La Jolla Hyatt. The event start at 12pm and ends at 4pm. If you are looking for any kind of entertainment for your upcoming Bar or Bat Mitvzah than you should be attending this event!
BESA EXPO LINK
(Zack & Jess @ BESA Meeting)
BESA EXPO LINK
(Zack & Jess @ BESA Meeting)
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
San Diego ZG Productions Bar Mitzvah Video Screens & Lighting March 5th, 2011
ZG Productions was proud to be a part of another San Diego Bar Mitzvah event! Having the night off from being the DJ/MC was a nice break but that doesn't mean there was no work involved. Starting the day out at 2pm to load in (2) 9ft by 12ft Big Screens, Dance Floor Lighting and 20 LED Uplgihts at the La Jolla Hyatt.
We had custom digital gobos created just for the event and they looked great. I was supposed to DJ/MC this event but a lot of guests at the event were Persian so the client wanted a Persian DJ/MC. The event started around 7pm and when the doors open to the guests you could see the wow factor in everybody's eyes. For the grand entrance the Bar Mitzvah Boy was accompanied by the "BODY POETS" who are an awesome San Diego based B-Boy / Break dance Troop. The room looked awesome and the room was packed for the DJ to rock it out!
ZG Productions is San Diego's top rated special events company. If you are looking for a San Diego Bar Mitzvah DJ, San Diego Bat Mitvzah DJ,San Diego Bar MItzvah Disc Jockey, San Diego Bat Mitzvah Disc Jockey, San Diego Wedding DJ, San Diego Wedding Disc Jockey, San Diego School Dance DJ, San Diego Bar Mitzvah Event Lighting, San Diego Bat Mitvzah Event Lighting, San Diego Wedding Event Lighting, San Diego School Dance Event Lighting, look no further. ZG Productions is a Bar and Bat Mitzvah, Wedding, School Dance and Corporate Entertainment company that has created its reputation by offering new and unique ideas to help your event standout from the rest.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Why do DJ's & MC's costs vary so much?
There are a lot of factors as to why one DJ will cost differently than another. You can put them into the following primary categories.
* 1. Experience
* 2. Overhead
* 3. Professional vs. Part-time vs. Hobbyist
* 4. The Nature of the Business
EXPERIENCE:
With a tons of events under ZG Productions under our belt, years of experience and many enthusiastically satisfied clients we are confident in the services we provide and know without a doubt that we will do a fantastic job for any client. If we weren't so sure of our services we would not charge as much as we do today. Why else would a true professional continue to be a mobile DJ if he or she would not be able to raise his or her rates from when they first started? There would be no money and incentive for that DJ to continue so longevity as a mobile DJ would be extremely hard to come by.
OVERHEAD:
Starting off I we didn’t have a web site, our equipment was lower grade, we didn’t have liability insurance, we didn’t invest in back-up equipment, we didn’t have a dedicated van for my business, we didn’t have a business license, we had another part-time job and so on. Now that I have been doing this for over 10 years I have made this a full time career and invested in everything I should have when I first started out. With true professionalism comes costs. My overhead is now greater with the costs of more professional equipment, business licensing, taxes, music royalty fees, replacing/repairing equipment, insurance costs, web site development and more. If we did not invest in these things we would not be found for people to hire us or people would not want to hire us after they found me.
PROFESSIONAL VS. PART-TIME VS. HOBBYIST
This makes up another good portion of why some DJs cost less than others. As I mentioned in the EXPERIENCE category of this article I used to charge a lot less when I first started than I do now as a true professional. Most DJs you find will probably fall into the part-time category. By the nature of this business over 90% of the work a DJ receives is on the weekend making it easy for someone to hold a weekday job Monday – Friday and still be available part-time for Saturday and Sunday gigs. This also means they don’t need to charge as much since this is not their only source of income. However part-time DJs usually don’t offer as many of the reassurances and are not able to perform as many events per year as a full-time DJ. The flip side for a full time DJ however is that we only have a limited number of days each week to perform and to make a living. How many weddings have you been to on a Tuesday? In addition, out of that 90% of the work we receive on the weekend, over 65% of that is for Saturday alone. This is why you will notice prices highest on Saturday. Most people and their friends and family have a regular weekday job so Saturday’s make the most sense to hold a party. This way they are not tired from working all day Friday and can stay up later since they don’t have to go to bed earlier on Sunday. Hobbyist DJs typically charge the least but they also tend to perform less events per year than any other DJ and don’t typically offer any (if at all) reassurances such as a back-up DJ, liability insurance, web site, back-up equipment, etc.
NATURE OF THE BUSINESS:
By the nature of this business over 90% of the work a DJ receives is on the weekend and over 65% of that is for Saturday alone. This is why you will notice prices highest on Saturday. Most people and their friends and family have a regular weekday job so Saturday’s make the most sense to hold a party. This way they are not tired from working all day Friday and can stay up later since they don’t have to go to bed earlier on Sunday. How many weddings have you been to on a Tuesday?
BOTTOM LINE:
Not all DJs are created equal and shopping around for a DJ should never be based on price alone. With just price you are never comparing apples to apples. As the old saying goes, it’s not a great deal if it’s not a great service. Spend a little extra time and do some research, it will pay off for you in the end.
ZG Productions is a Southern California based DJ/MC Company providing services Bar Mitzvah's, Bat Mitzvah's, Weddings, School Dances, Corporate and Private Parties!
* 1. Experience
* 2. Overhead
* 3. Professional vs. Part-time vs. Hobbyist
* 4. The Nature of the Business
EXPERIENCE:
With a tons of events under ZG Productions under our belt, years of experience and many enthusiastically satisfied clients we are confident in the services we provide and know without a doubt that we will do a fantastic job for any client. If we weren't so sure of our services we would not charge as much as we do today. Why else would a true professional continue to be a mobile DJ if he or she would not be able to raise his or her rates from when they first started? There would be no money and incentive for that DJ to continue so longevity as a mobile DJ would be extremely hard to come by.
OVERHEAD:
Starting off I we didn’t have a web site, our equipment was lower grade, we didn’t have liability insurance, we didn’t invest in back-up equipment, we didn’t have a dedicated van for my business, we didn’t have a business license, we had another part-time job and so on. Now that I have been doing this for over 10 years I have made this a full time career and invested in everything I should have when I first started out. With true professionalism comes costs. My overhead is now greater with the costs of more professional equipment, business licensing, taxes, music royalty fees, replacing/repairing equipment, insurance costs, web site development and more. If we did not invest in these things we would not be found for people to hire us or people would not want to hire us after they found me.
PROFESSIONAL VS. PART-TIME VS. HOBBYIST
This makes up another good portion of why some DJs cost less than others. As I mentioned in the EXPERIENCE category of this article I used to charge a lot less when I first started than I do now as a true professional. Most DJs you find will probably fall into the part-time category. By the nature of this business over 90% of the work a DJ receives is on the weekend making it easy for someone to hold a weekday job Monday – Friday and still be available part-time for Saturday and Sunday gigs. This also means they don’t need to charge as much since this is not their only source of income. However part-time DJs usually don’t offer as many of the reassurances and are not able to perform as many events per year as a full-time DJ. The flip side for a full time DJ however is that we only have a limited number of days each week to perform and to make a living. How many weddings have you been to on a Tuesday? In addition, out of that 90% of the work we receive on the weekend, over 65% of that is for Saturday alone. This is why you will notice prices highest on Saturday. Most people and their friends and family have a regular weekday job so Saturday’s make the most sense to hold a party. This way they are not tired from working all day Friday and can stay up later since they don’t have to go to bed earlier on Sunday. Hobbyist DJs typically charge the least but they also tend to perform less events per year than any other DJ and don’t typically offer any (if at all) reassurances such as a back-up DJ, liability insurance, web site, back-up equipment, etc.
NATURE OF THE BUSINESS:
By the nature of this business over 90% of the work a DJ receives is on the weekend and over 65% of that is for Saturday alone. This is why you will notice prices highest on Saturday. Most people and their friends and family have a regular weekday job so Saturday’s make the most sense to hold a party. This way they are not tired from working all day Friday and can stay up later since they don’t have to go to bed earlier on Sunday. How many weddings have you been to on a Tuesday?
BOTTOM LINE:
Not all DJs are created equal and shopping around for a DJ should never be based on price alone. With just price you are never comparing apples to apples. As the old saying goes, it’s not a great deal if it’s not a great service. Spend a little extra time and do some research, it will pay off for you in the end.
ZG Productions is a Southern California based DJ/MC Company providing services Bar Mitzvah's, Bat Mitzvah's, Weddings, School Dances, Corporate and Private Parties!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Should I give my Bar/Bat MItzvah DJ a Playlist?
Should I give my Wedding DJ & Bar MItzvah DJ a Playlist?
Planning a San Diego Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah can be a daunting task with details abounding everywhere. To make it worse everyone has an opinion about how things should be handled. It can be a very tense time so it’s of the up most importance to hire competent professionals who can help you plan your event. Good advice doesn’t cost; it pays.
Every Bar Mitzvah and Bar Mitzvah understandably wants their party to be perfect and, most realize or at least should, that the DJ is a critical choice that will shape the entire event. The DJ will make or break your party.
He is the front person at your Bar or Bat Mitzvah. They generally attend to the announcements and the special events at the event. It’s his job to keep the focus and spotlight on the kid … after all, it’s their special day. The music that’s chosen will greatly impact the success of the celebration.
First realize people’s goals and desires are different. Not everyone envisions a Bar / Bat Mitzvah event where all guests are up partying and dancing up a storm while for others the party is paramount. It all depends on what you want and what your vision is for your Bar / Bat Mitzvah Event. That’s why it’s important to choose a DJ who both understands what you want and whose personal style is able to deliver it.
Because of the importance of choosing the right music for the right event to set the right mood, many kids decide they want to give their DJ a complete playlist of tunes that will be played throughout the evening. Now, as far as DJ’s go, there are two schools of thought on this. I subscribe to the latter.
The first says that since the kids (I mean kids parents) are paying the bill they should be able to choose all the music if they so desire. These DJ’s say, “Sure, I’ll play whatever music you choose. Just make a list and I’ll play through it.” While less confrontational and seemingly more helpful, they’ve just transferred the job of running the party to the kids, which is, ostensibly, what they seem to be asking for.
The second school of thought goes like this: I’ve been a DJ for 15 years and because every event is different with a unique blend of guests and musical tastes, even with my extensive experience I wouldn’t feel confident choosing all the music prior to the event. There’s just no way to predict how a party will go before it begins.
While I have worked with a few clients who asserted that, “this is our party, we’re paying for it and we want to hear the music we like,” most often kids want their guests to have input into the party also and want a DJ who can nurture a tiny seed of a party until it breaks out into a mighty celebration.
You probably wouldn’t go to your attorney, doctor or auto mechanic and tell them in advance exactly what you want them to do because, hopefully, you’re dealing with people you trust and whose advice you value and want to follow. When you give your DJ a complete playlist for the evening you’re really saying, “I don’t think I trust you enough to choose good music for my party.” Hmmm. Maybe it’s time to find someone else to work with whom you do trust.
What a DJ brings to the table is the experience of having presided over hundreds, maybe thousands, of similar parties and has developed the unique ability to read the crowd, gauge the direction they’re moving in and help lead them happily down the path they’ve chosen. Most times having the flexibility to guide the party by letting the guests guide the DJ worked best. To do otherwise might be like trying to fit a size nine foot into a size six shoe.
So, what should you do? Doesn’t the Bar & Bat Mitzvah kids have the right to help choose the music? Of course they do.
I’d never suggest that the client should have no input into the music played at their own party. But I would suggest they choose seven or eight of their personal favorites and then give the DJ some guidelines to follow such as don’t play rap, country or hip-hop at our event or, perhaps, play hip-hop or rap only if family members ask and then do so only sparingly. Guidelines are extremely helpful in that a DJ knows the limits and can choose the very best music within them.
Another quick suggestion while I’m still on my crazed rant. Try to keep your “Do Not Play” list as tiny as possible. I’ve seen couples literally suck the life out of their own parties, parties they desperately want to be successful, by banning the very songs people expect at a wedding.
Remember, Aunt Sally and Uncle Joe may not be the hip nightclub set you’re used to hanging out with. For them, the YMCA may be the height of a great time. If it’s on the banned list, the party suffers when they don’t participate. It’s really about a compromise between what seems corny and what keeps the party going.
Several of the best bar & Bat Mitzvah parties I’ve done had the least likely people dancing wildly to such unsavory tunes. My choices? No way. But they loved it. Afterward, in each case, the client wrote to tell me how pleased she was that so many of her guests had called to tell her they thought their Bar/Bat Mitzvah party was one of the best they had ever attended. Go figure.
Planning a San Diego Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah can be a daunting task with details abounding everywhere. To make it worse everyone has an opinion about how things should be handled. It can be a very tense time so it’s of the up most importance to hire competent professionals who can help you plan your event. Good advice doesn’t cost; it pays.
Every Bar Mitzvah and Bar Mitzvah understandably wants their party to be perfect and, most realize or at least should, that the DJ is a critical choice that will shape the entire event. The DJ will make or break your party.
He is the front person at your Bar or Bat Mitzvah. They generally attend to the announcements and the special events at the event. It’s his job to keep the focus and spotlight on the kid … after all, it’s their special day. The music that’s chosen will greatly impact the success of the celebration.
First realize people’s goals and desires are different. Not everyone envisions a Bar / Bat Mitzvah event where all guests are up partying and dancing up a storm while for others the party is paramount. It all depends on what you want and what your vision is for your Bar / Bat Mitzvah Event. That’s why it’s important to choose a DJ who both understands what you want and whose personal style is able to deliver it.
Because of the importance of choosing the right music for the right event to set the right mood, many kids decide they want to give their DJ a complete playlist of tunes that will be played throughout the evening. Now, as far as DJ’s go, there are two schools of thought on this. I subscribe to the latter.
The first says that since the kids (I mean kids parents) are paying the bill they should be able to choose all the music if they so desire. These DJ’s say, “Sure, I’ll play whatever music you choose. Just make a list and I’ll play through it.” While less confrontational and seemingly more helpful, they’ve just transferred the job of running the party to the kids, which is, ostensibly, what they seem to be asking for.
The second school of thought goes like this: I’ve been a DJ for 15 years and because every event is different with a unique blend of guests and musical tastes, even with my extensive experience I wouldn’t feel confident choosing all the music prior to the event. There’s just no way to predict how a party will go before it begins.
While I have worked with a few clients who asserted that, “this is our party, we’re paying for it and we want to hear the music we like,” most often kids want their guests to have input into the party also and want a DJ who can nurture a tiny seed of a party until it breaks out into a mighty celebration.
You probably wouldn’t go to your attorney, doctor or auto mechanic and tell them in advance exactly what you want them to do because, hopefully, you’re dealing with people you trust and whose advice you value and want to follow. When you give your DJ a complete playlist for the evening you’re really saying, “I don’t think I trust you enough to choose good music for my party.” Hmmm. Maybe it’s time to find someone else to work with whom you do trust.
What a DJ brings to the table is the experience of having presided over hundreds, maybe thousands, of similar parties and has developed the unique ability to read the crowd, gauge the direction they’re moving in and help lead them happily down the path they’ve chosen. Most times having the flexibility to guide the party by letting the guests guide the DJ worked best. To do otherwise might be like trying to fit a size nine foot into a size six shoe.
So, what should you do? Doesn’t the Bar & Bat Mitzvah kids have the right to help choose the music? Of course they do.
I’d never suggest that the client should have no input into the music played at their own party. But I would suggest they choose seven or eight of their personal favorites and then give the DJ some guidelines to follow such as don’t play rap, country or hip-hop at our event or, perhaps, play hip-hop or rap only if family members ask and then do so only sparingly. Guidelines are extremely helpful in that a DJ knows the limits and can choose the very best music within them.
Another quick suggestion while I’m still on my crazed rant. Try to keep your “Do Not Play” list as tiny as possible. I’ve seen couples literally suck the life out of their own parties, parties they desperately want to be successful, by banning the very songs people expect at a wedding.
Remember, Aunt Sally and Uncle Joe may not be the hip nightclub set you’re used to hanging out with. For them, the YMCA may be the height of a great time. If it’s on the banned list, the party suffers when they don’t participate. It’s really about a compromise between what seems corny and what keeps the party going.
Several of the best bar & Bat Mitzvah parties I’ve done had the least likely people dancing wildly to such unsavory tunes. My choices? No way. But they loved it. Afterward, in each case, the client wrote to tell me how pleased she was that so many of her guests had called to tell her they thought their Bar/Bat Mitzvah party was one of the best they had ever attended. Go figure.
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