Was at my first N.Y. wedding on Saturday night

dunlopj said:

I was in Queen's N.Y. at the "Terrace On The Park:" for my niece's wedding on Saturday night.

I was anticipating a Taso" like event with the local way things go per his past videos, and that's pretty much what I saw and heard.

The appetizers were amazing and LOTS of choices AND had waiters walking around with MORE choices! I was full before dinner even started.

They had a DJ (nice white padded facade, 2 white JBL 15's on scrimbed totems for tops, a white large sub on it's side (wheels on one side) and a and a separate MC / hype man who talked a little too much for my taste, but he was very good.

Order of events was intro's, 1st dance, toasts and about 20 minutes of open dancing, served dinner, 2 parent dances, then the only open slow dance (advertised as such) then nothing but open dancing with a lot of hype by the MC who was dressed in a nice black suit.

My phone had died, so I have no pics to show.

But the DJ had some amazing transitions, and like Taso always does, mixed out of each song after 2 minutes top. He had once mix from "Poision" by Bel Biv Devoe into "Fresh Prince of Belair" that was unreal and the groom sang out all the words to the 1st chorus.

Lots of bass and at times a pinch too loud, but I didn't care as I was having too much fun. And yes I was able to let go and not critique much of anything...surprise!

It was an amazing reception! The energy level was UP the entire night. So different (and better) than I'm used to down here in MD.!

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Terrace on The Park is a really nice venue... has been around for decades, and has a cool location too! But everything you said sounds about right. Cocktail hour is what separates one venue from the next (everyone serves chicken, beef, and fish for main course)... some are so big that they give you 1.5hrs for cocktail hour instead of the normal 1. At my sisters wedding, many came from VA and MD (her and her husband live in DC), and they were mindblown by the cocktail hour... and then mind blown again by the dessert, which had an entire room dedicated for all the dessert options.

As far as the separate mc... I hate it, bc their whole purpose is to talk, and many do find it overbearing, which is one of the reasons why I chose to never go down that route. There are 2 different types of wedding clientele in the NJ/NYC area... the ones that love an mc that does a lot of interacting and hyping, and the ones that focus more on the music and letting it do the talking, and believe the mcing is generally more appropriate for the formality aspects. NYC tends to lean more towards the interactive mc, whereas jersey tends to lean more towards the more reserved mcing style.

And yes... the slow dances are not as popular here. I'd say just over 50% of my weddings have 1 slow song for open dancing, about 25% have 2, 20% have NONE, and 5% have 3 or more. We just want high energy lol.

Every part of the night though plays a role in allowing this format to work. If there wasn't a big cocktail hour, guests wouldn't be as primed and ready to party in that early 20 minute dance set. If there wasn't that 20 min dance set early on, which I call a warm up set, the main dancing after dinner wouldn't be as high energy from the get go and might have taken a little longer to reach its max potential. In MD, when I've been, cocktail hour was primarily cheese and cracker type of stuff and maybe a few basic passed appetizers. If you did an early dance set there, perhaps it would get some up, but I can also imagine many wondering "are we gonna eat at all" and therefore make dancing a secondary thought. It's also why I'm so involved with the timeline planning at my events, so that I can best guide couples as to how to maximize the energy at their event in the way they envision... so for example, when I'm in PA or other parts, and the couples say they wanna get the party going ASAP, I often recommend having salad preplated so they got some food right from the start, and a 20 min dance set will be more effective.

Glad you enjoyed yourself, hope you're back for another soon!

djtaso said:

Terrace on The Park is a really nice venue... has been around for decades, and has a cool location too! But everything you said sounds about right. Cocktail hour is what separates one venue from the next (everyone serves chicken, beef, and fish for main course)... some are so big that they give you 1.5hrs for cocktail hour instead of the normal 1. At my sisters wedding, many came from VA and MD (her and her husband live in DC), and they were mindblown by the cocktail hour... and then mind blown again by the dessert, which had an entire room dedicated for all the dessert options.

As far as the separate mc... I hate it, bc their whole purpose is to talk, and many do find it overbearing, which is one of the reasons why I chose to never go down that route. There are 2 different types of wedding clientele in the NJ/NYC area... the ones that love an mc that does a lot of interacting and hyping, and the ones that focus more on the music and letting it do the talking, and believe the mcing is generally more appropriate for the formality aspects. NYC tends to lean more towards the interactive mc, whereas jersey tends to lean more towards the more reserved mcing style.

And yes... the slow dances are not as popular here. I'd say just over 50% of my weddings have 1 slow song for open dancing, about 25% have 2, 20% have NONE, and 5% have 3 or more. We just want high energy lol.

Every part of the night though plays a role in allowing this format to work. If there wasn't a big cocktail hour, guests wouldn't be as primed and ready to party in that early 20 minute dance set. If there wasn't that 20 min dance set early on, which I call a warm up set, the main dancing after dinner wouldn't be as high energy from the get go and might have taken a little longer to reach its max potential. In MD, when I've been, cocktail hour was primarily cheese and cracker type of stuff and maybe a few basic passed appetizers. If you did an early dance set there, perhaps it would get some up, but I can also imagine many wondering "are we gonna eat at all" and therefore make dancing a secondary thought. It's also why I'm so involved with the timeline planning at my events, so that I can best guide couples as to how to maximize the energy at their event in the way they envision... so for example, when I'm in PA or other parts, and the couples say they wanna get the party going ASAP, I often recommend having salad preplated so they got some food right from the start, and a 20 min dance set will be more effective.

Glad you enjoyed yourself, hope you're back for another soon!

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I personally hate a DJ who doesn't know when to shut up. Let the music play and make announcements when needed.

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:

I personally hate a DJ who doesn't know when to shut up. Let the music play and make announcements when needed.

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I dislike a few things but don't hate!

dunlopj said:

Taso, that 1st 20 minute set was all classic disco which my family goes nuts over, and the dance floor was packed! The groom's side were all from Jamaica and Cuba (Coooba), so there was some of that later on and they know how to have fun!

There was rarely a slow/dull moment on the dancefloor, but I disagree with what happened after the cake was cut and a separate dessert buffet opened...literally a 20 minute "cocktail music" portion while the cake was being served. What a waste of dance music time!

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That might’ve been the venues request. Some like to show off their dessert, especially if they have a lot of options or have a separate dessert room. I try to avoid it, but there are some venues where you know you’re gonna lose em all to the desserts… so we switch it up. Maybe 5 or 6 venues like that total.

djtaso said:

Terrace on The Park is a really nice venue... has been around for decades, and has a cool location too! But everything you said sounds about right. Cocktail hour is what separates one venue from the next (everyone serves chicken, beef, and fish for main course)... some are so big that they give you 1.5hrs for cocktail hour instead of the normal 1. At my sisters wedding, many came from VA and MD (her and her husband live in DC), and they were mindblown by the cocktail hour... and then mind blown again by the dessert, which had an entire room dedicated for all the dessert options.

As far as the separate mc... I hate it, bc their whole purpose is to talk, and many do find it overbearing, which is one of the reasons why I chose to never go down that route. There are 2 different types of wedding clientele in the NJ/NYC area... the ones that love an mc that does a lot of interacting and hyping, and the ones that focus more on the music and letting it do the talking, and believe the mcing is generally more appropriate for the formality aspects. NYC tends to lean more towards the interactive mc, whereas jersey tends to lean more towards the more reserved mcing style.

And yes... the slow dances are not as popular here. I'd say just over 50% of my weddings have 1 slow song for open dancing, about 25% have 2, 20% have NONE, and 5% have 3 or more. We just want high energy lol.

Every part of the night though plays a role in allowing this format to work. If there wasn't a big cocktail hour, guests wouldn't be as primed and ready to party in that early 20 minute dance set. If there wasn't that 20 min dance set early on, which I call a warm up set, the main dancing after dinner wouldn't be as high energy from the get go and might have taken a little longer to reach its max potential. In MD, when I've been, cocktail hour was primarily cheese and cracker type of stuff and maybe a few basic passed appetizers. If you did an early dance set there, perhaps it would get some up, but I can also imagine many wondering "are we gonna eat at all" and therefore make dancing a secondary thought. It's also why I'm so involved with the timeline planning at my events, so that I can best guide couples as to how to maximize the energy at their event in the way they envision... so for example, when I'm in PA or other parts, and the couples say they wanna get the party going ASAP, I often recommend having salad preplated so they got some food right from the start, and a 20 min dance set will be more effective.

Glad you enjoyed yourself, hope you're back for another soon!

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I never cared for the two man DJ Team with interactive MC. I dislike it when there is a "Hype" DJ on the mic through out the songs as well. I tend to say to myself "Will this guy please just shut up?!?!?!"

I think an interactive DJ who is out there to facilitate a really hyped up Bridal Party intro is cool, and/or a game or two if a couple wants them. But a MC through out the night is not something I like. I prefer for there to just be great music playing after dinner and the formalities.

I once went to a wedding where there was a DJ man and wife team who were country DJs. They played hip hop as well at the wedding, BUT the wife was on the microphone between almost every song! SHe would announce the song artists and title most of the time, and I hated it. No real mixing either. I think they never got more than 2 songs played without one of them talking on the microphone between songs.

dunlopj said:

Taso, I was wondering why the duo DJ + MC/hype guy isn't popular or even tried in other regions.

I've NEVER seen it live before my N.Y. visit and it really added to the atmosphere!

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It just depends on the area... for example, NYC t's a 50/50 thing. Some like the "over the top" aspect that a dedicated MC brings and value they add to the dancefloor and interactiveness, more than the DJ itself, especially in the MItzvah world, whereas just an equal amount, if not more for weddings, view "hype men" as a distraction, too over the top, or takes away from what they're really seeking, which is someone that will play the right music for that crowd and let them have a good time in the manner they wish.

For example... when you have 2 man team like that... and it is time for the finalization... who do you meet with? The DJ or the MC... if you meet with the DJ, how will you knwo the MC has the pronunciations of names perfectly, how do you know if the MC has a good understanding of the hype you're looking for... for example if it's a black tie affair, you may be looking for a more polished and proper sounding MC as opposed to another wedding that wants more of a club like vibe. If you meet with the MC, how do you know the Dj really understands the vibe that you seek and an understanding of the dynamics of the crowd. Can they read the crowd, yes... but that tends to be more of a generic approach, as opposed to the personalized approach. The reality is that 80% of the time you actually meet with the MC in these scenarios, and they tend to do more generic performances with the same routines and playlists from one party to the next to have decent results. If they give the couple too much control and customization, it can lead to miscommunication issues or errors made. A common example I still continue to see to this day is companies giving clients a preset list of songs to choose from for things like cake cutting, parent dances, or bouquet and garter moments, and for dancing requests they have to pick from a billboard list or something generic, as it's the only way to ensure the dj for that event will have the songs in the library (this way he has nothing to prepare outside of maybe the first dance song).

In NJ, at least for weddings, "Event Hosts" or a person that is equally skilled as a DJ and MC are more and more preferred. They accomplish both jobs well, and the couple has a single point of contact, and less is lost in translation. The only downside some may see is that you don't have an MC on the dancefloor interacting with guests... but at weddings that isn't as appreciated. An example that I use to describe my crowds is that, they know how to party, they want to party, they don't need anyone telling them what to do or how to dance, they just want an awesome dj that will play the music they enjoy in the format they enjoy and is reactive to what is happening in the moment. They want an MC that will grab the crowds attention, direct their attention to anything that is happening such as a formality, and not take away from the natural atmosphere being created. For mitzvahs, and some other types of events, there is a greater need for motivation to get people to dance and have a good time... they will value the dedicated Hype MC. The clubs that I go to have no on on the mic... yet there are just as many bars/clubs that have someone talking very 30 seconds. Personal preferences drive different business models.

As far as other areas go... on top of what I said, it may also be a cost thing. These types of teams/combinations are often an upcharge of a minimum $500-$1000+ on top of the normal option where it's a single person as the DJ/MC. Here I see many talk about the issue of getting people to pay a few hundred for lights, so I can easily see clients having an issue with spending almost $1000 for this if their budgets are limited.

dunlopj said:

I was in Queen's N.Y. at the "Terrace On The Park:" for my niece's wedding on Saturday night.

I was anticipating a Taso" like event with the local way things go per his past videos, and that's pretty much what I saw and heard.

The appetizers were amazing and LOTS of choices AND had waiters walking around with MORE choices! I was full before dinner even started.

They had a DJ (nice white padded facade, 2 white JBL 15's on scrimbed totems for tops, a white large sub on it's side (wheels on one side) and a and a separate MC / hype man who talked a little too much for my taste, but he was very good.

Order of events was intro's, 1st dance, toasts and about 20 minutes of open dancing, served dinner, 2 parent dances, then the only open slow dance (advertised as such) then nothing but open dancing with a lot of hype by the MC who was dressed in a nice black suit.

My phone had died, so I have no pics to show.

But the DJ had some amazing transitions, and like Taso always does, mixed out of each song after 2 minutes top. He had once mix from "Poision" by Bel Biv Devoe into "Fresh Prince of Belair" that was unreal and the groom sang out all the words to the 1st chorus.

Lots of bass and at times a pinch too loud, but I didn't care as I was having too much fun. And yes I was able to let go and not critique much of anything...surprise!

It was an amazing reception! The energy level was UP the entire night. So different (and better) than I'm used to down here in MD.!

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Thanks for bringing back some memories. I had the privilege to DJ/MC at a few wedding at that venue. I lived only a few minutes from it and I remember how difficult it was to get the gear to the main room. This was in the 90s and 2000s. I was still using my turntables and records. It's one of those venues that I tried to avoid. Today, with a laptop, controller, and powered speakers, probably much easier on labor.

Growing up in NY and attending weddings there i was blown away when i moved to Denver and attended one here. MAJOR differences - crazy how the culture is so different.

AVG wedding in NY: $50,000 to $75,000. And this is for the average (not loaded) couple!
AVG wedding in CO: $10,000 to $30,000.

In NY everyone brings an envelope with a few hundred $ per person and throws it in the box they always have setup. Usually this more than pays the couple back for the wedding costs. In CO people go to target/walmart and bring things like toasters and cutlery wrapped like christmas gifts. The first wedding i went to in CO i was told to go to target and look at the registry. I noticed everything was under $40, i figured this was because i was late to pickup a gift. They had a TV on it that was $400, so i picked that up, hopeing that it was good enough since it was me and my GF going. After the wedding the couple couldnt stop calling me and thanking us. Then the GF at the time told me, we had bought the most expensive gift on the entire registry. Wow!

Music is of course different in both areas, but the cultural differences are crazy!

--John

johndjmix said:

Growing up in NY and attending weddings there i was blown away when i moved to Denver and attended one here. MAJOR differences - crazy how the culture is so different.

AVG wedding in NY: $50,000 to $75,000. And this is for the average (not loaded) couple!
AVG wedding in CO: $10,000 to $30,000.

In NY everyone brings an envelope with a few hundred $ per person and throws it in the box they always have setup. Usually this more than pays the couple back for the wedding costs. In CO people go to target/walmart and bring things like toasters and cutlery wrapped like christmas gifts. The first wedding i went to in CO i was told to go to target and look at the registry. I noticed everything was under $40, i figured this was because i was late to pickup a gift. They had a TV on it that was $400, so i picked that up, hopeing that it was good enough since it was me and my GF going. After the wedding the couple couldnt stop calling me and thanking us. Then the GF at the time told me, we had bought the most expensive gift on the entire registry. Wow!

Music is of course different in both areas, but the cultural differences are crazy!

--John

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What is the difference in the music between the two?

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:

What is the difference in the music between the two?

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If I had to guess... the last thread I made an hour ago highlights what the differences could be. One party/area has more high energy, remixed, quick mixed music... other is more familiar favorites that you hear at most weddings.

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:

What is the difference in the music between the two?

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djtaso summed it up. In NY the dance songs were what you would hear at a popular top40 club. A lot of ultimix, and house stuff, all beatmatched and mixed. In CO, there was a large variety of music, from country, to Rock, to some Dance and hip-hop.

I do see this changing here at we have a very large migration of californians to Colorado...

--John

I simply say it's about what the client wants and sometimes their guests. The question is can you deliver what the client wants?

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:

I simply say it's about what the client wants and sometimes their guests. The question is can you deliver what the client wants?

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Exactly. I don't do weddings, but i purposely only do events/bars/clubs where i will be able to play the format i play, and do a good job at it. I turned down an event last week just because i knew I wouldnt be a good fit for it. A wedding is a big deal for the couple, if your doing it you make sure you can cater to them.

--John

johndjmix said:

Exactly. I don't do weddings, but i purposely only do events/bars/clubs where i will be able to play the format i play, and do a good job at it. I turned down an event last week just because i knew I wouldnt be a good fit for it. A wedding is a big deal for the couple, if your doing it you make sure you can cater to them.

--John

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You do what I do. If I feel I'm not the right DJ for the job, I will pass on the job.