On Her Day

In December my first child stood facing a man I barely knew and pledged her future to be bound to his. In four weeks time, I give away my second child to the man she wants to share her life with and in six months my third child, will take another man's daughter to be his soul mate for life. My job will be done. I could have done so much better for the three of them, I hope it's enough.

Its come in to a sharper focus, that term, "Giving her away", I get it now. I will hold her hand for a moment as we take that slow sweet walk and when I place it in his, she will no longer be mine. It is as it should be, but it's bitter sweet.

I will spend the day taking care of her needs, doing every thing I can to ward off tears and fears. I will do for her what I done for every client I have had the honour to MC and DJ for; I will watch over her while she is by my side and when she is across the room, I will do my absolute best. I will guide her through the day, and shoulder any of the burdens that may arise so that she will not have to, and I will do so quietly and discreetly so that she will have no stress. I want only joy on her face on that day. I will give her a party that will make her heart sing, and will bring a smile to her, and her guest's face, every time they think back on it. Then when the lights come back on, and the last of the guests have gone, and I'm alone in the hall packing up my equipment. I think I might just cry.


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Twitter @PerthWeddingDJ

The Passion Blog

A lot of you who have been following my posts, my blogs, my presence on facebook will know I have a favourite word when it comes to DJing. 

I’ve been looking at what some of my fellow DJs have been writing and some of the serious and light hearted arguments that spring up across the boards as to what is real DJing and what is fake DJing. 

What is at the heart of it? What matters and what doesn’t matter. Honestly, whether you use the sync button, or you don’t. Whether you use vinyl, CDs or mp3s, doesn’t matter. Whether you DJ in your bedroom, or you DJ at weddings, whether you’re a club DJ or a mobile DJ, doesn’t matter. Whether you’re a single operator or a multi op, doesn’t matter, as long as, and here it comes, YOU HAVE PASSION, that’s all that matters. 

I’ve heard it said that it’s all about the music, well no its not all about the music, that’s an understatement, it’s all about what the music does! How it makes you and those listening to your performance feel. If you are playing in your bedroom with your headphones on and your skin is tingling, and your heart is racing, and your head is nodding and your foot is thumping down on the beat, and you are riding on the passion you have for the music, You Are A DJ.

If you are playing music to a crowd of 120 family and friends on the most special occasion in a couples life, and people are dancing to the music you are playing, and people are laughing and people are smiling and the room is humming and every song you play has a direct and positive effect on the crowd and on you, You Are A DJ. 

It’s not about Denon vs Pioneer, it’s not about vinyl vs digital, it’s not about old school vs new cool, it’s about the Passion. The passion you feel when you perform and if you’re lucky enough to perform for others, the passion you make them feel. 

You don’t have the passion then you should not be calling yourself a DJ. Practice and enjoy.

You can follow me on: 
web: http://www.partysounds.com.au/
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Twitter @PerthWeddingDJ

KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS

Right off the bat I have to say that this is not my own material. I'd love to credit the original composer of this piece if anyone knows who that is.

1. HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? (written by kids) 

-You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. 
-- Alan, age 10

-No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
-- Kristen, age 10

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2. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
-- Camille, age 10

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3. HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
-- Derrick, age 8

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4. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MUM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.
-- Lori, age 8

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5. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
-Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
-- Lynnette, age 8
(isn't she a treasure)

-On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
-- Martin, age 10

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6. WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
-When they're rich.
-- Pam, age 7

-The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- - Curt, age 7

-The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- - Howard, age 8

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7. IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
-- Anita, age 9 (bless you child )

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8. HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
-- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favorite is .......

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9. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
-- Ricky, age 10


If you would like to discuss YOUR wedding, I can't promise the wit and charm of some of those little tykes, but I will listen. 

web: http://www.partysounds.com.au/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Party.Sounds.Professional.DJs
G+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/107573645364338680071/posts
Twitter @PerthWeddingDJ

Your Wedding Budget; where do YOU start?

The Wedding Budget

The word Budget comes up a lot when planning a wedding. Some couples don't have one, they get what they need, no more no less. Others without a budget get everything they want, and deal with the expense later.

Most of us however work to a budget, realistic or not, changing plans as we go, we fit within the amount allocated, or we change the amount, and increase the budget :) 

But what is a realistic wedding budget? After all this time assisting with weddings, I still don't have an answer. BUT I do have an approach. There are a myriad of sites online that suggest that you should put aside X% for this and Y% for that. None of which address YOUR wedding, just weddings in general.

So consider looking at Your wedding from the view point of what aspects are the most important to you, down through to those that are the least important. Is the Venue the paramount part of your celebration? Or the photographic/videographic memories? the Gown? the decoration? the entertainment? the Cars or the Cake? What will add the greatest contribution to the overall result you wish to achieve?

That, is where your budget should start being spent. As you work your way down your list, from those vital items to those that you have deemed as having lesser direct impact upon the day you want to achieve. Then those things can be decreased in expense. Invest well in the parts of the wedding YOU see as being important, get quality where it counts, and be frugal on the items that have less impact on your scale.

You do NOT always get what you pay for, but its a pretty good place to start.

You can follow me on: 
web: http://www.partysounds.com.au/
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Twitter @PerthWeddingDJ

NYE 2012 message, this time its personal.

Well it’s 3 o'clock in the am, on the 1st of January 2013 and I've just got home from a function. A NYE wedding, so I guess the first order of business is to wish you all, all the best for the New Year. I've been doing that a lot tonight; generically wishing family, friends, acquaintances and even total strangers "the Best" for the coming New Year. Although I did spend some time drafting a NYE message, that I sent to all my close friends and family, something that I really did want to pass on to them, a message that said more than just the cookie cutter standard all the best for the new year.

It got me thinking; I make a point of messaging my children at some stage during every function, a simple text telling them I love them. I want them to know that it is not just a generic, bland message. I want them to know that it is sent with definite intent. Think about it, how many times do we tell those around us something that important, purely out of habit?

So now that I have the opportunity, the means, and the motivation, I want to tell my three children that I love them and that I am so very proud of them.

My eldest daughter, Shannon, honey I love you so very much, you have grown into a beautiful person. And you are so very strong my girl, much stronger than you give yourself credit for. It makes me so very proud to see you grown from the girl you once were to the Mother and Wife you now are. Those three wonderful children have helped you blossom into someone so very different than the girl you used to be. You are butterfly now, bright, colourful and full of life.

Kimberley, the middle, forgotten one, you are my rock, always there for me and always the first to reply to my daily messages. You just naturally want help those around you, adopting sisters at the drop of a hat, and running around after them even to your own detriment at times. You need to watch that bub, not everyone is as kind natured as you are and sometimes, those you are helping are taking advantage of you. Very very soon now my daughter, you will be a mother yourself, and your world will change, I know your scared, but trust in yourself, your body knows what its doing. Your caring heart will find a very special focus then. Oh yes, give more love to the boy, he is confused and he needs it.

And now to my Son, Shaun, Boy you never stop amazing me. You have such a strong work ethic and life ethic, and you’re a damn sight smarter than I was at your age. I am proud of you son, you have a good job that your good at, and a solid long term relationship that other men your age should envy. While you will always be my boy, it is more and more apparent everyday that you are a man, and a good man at that.

I love how all three of you have a strong relationship with your grandparents, and I am so very happy that each of you has found someone special to stand beside you.

Always remember, I love yous.

My most important wedding to date

Its been a while, I know, and I really have no excuse, I've been busy, just like everyone else. But to help make up for it, I want to tell you about the most important wedding I've ever been asked to be part of.

I started to DJ for functions and Wedding receptions way back in the dark ages according to my children, heading off to events after carefully loading my rig into my cart and hitching it up to my dinosaur. It was after all 1989.

Since picking up my first set of headphones, and dropping that first needle on the vinyl, I've done hundreds and hundreds of events. Some of them have been very spectacular and others have been simple backyard affairs. I've worked in tents and embassies, Grand 5 star hotels and on the back of boats. It's hard, after all those clients, all those guests and all that music to zero in on one event as being my most important. If you've read along with me for a while, you'll know of my young lady with juvenile arthritis. You would have caught a glimpse of the Bride with a terminally ill mother, and you will know of my love for the Make-A-Wish foundation and the very brave children they help. But what is the most important function I've been involved with? Can I as a service provider even make that distinction? Each function I do is very important, to the Guests of honor, their family and friends, to their supporters, but what about to me. I get emotionally invested in every event I do, particularly weddings, where I spend far more time with the Bride and Groom building a relationship and learning about their goals and aspirations for the event, than I do with other clients.

What is my most important wedding?

Right now some are thinking to themselves, "I bet he gets mushy and says his own" it should have been, but it wasn't, and I'm going to digress here a little. Gentlemen, you must do everything you can for your family, but not at the cost if it.

Back on track. There is a young couple I'm helping at the moment, much like most young couples these days. She's a stay at home mum, who has just had their third child, considering part time work soon to help make ends meet. He's a bit of a jack of all trades, working hard to pay the bills and provide for his lady and their three little ones. Their wedding is coming up and I have the honor of being part of it. They're paying for most of it themselves, their parents are unable to help out financially, so these guys got a bank loan to replace their old bomb and pay for much of the wedding, still they are cutting back on the things they don't need. Tweaking guest lists and menus, arranging seating plans and learning their vows. We have spoken at length about their vision of their day and they have changed the theme once already to make some family members more comfortable. They have a very eclectic taste in music and some fantastic ideas for the first dance, and some fun moments through the night. Thankfully they are all healthy and there are no ailing relatives that make this a wedding with a compassionate time line, so what is it about this wedding.

Why is it my most important wedding?

The bride is my eldest daughter, my first born and the first one to wed. So proud to be asked to be part of her day.

You can follow me on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Party.Sounds.Professional.DJs or you can pop over to my website: http://www.partysounds.com.au/ and bounce to any of my social media sites from there.

It's been a great week.

Despite the wedding season still being a few weeks away, this week has been really eventful and wedding focused. I've had four meetings with couples, three of those have been with future brides and grooms who have been looking for their wedding entertainment and the fourth meeting was with existing clients to do some more work on their planning, memorable moments and music selection. And on tomorrow night, for another couple, it all comes together at their wedding. Really looking forward to getting out from behind the desk and getting back behind the decks.

Yesterday's meeting was the cherry on the pie when it comes to those meetings though. I've know and worked with the Groom to be, for around two years, so building a rapport with him was never going to be an issue. But the Bride to be was an unknown, we had never meet before, and worst still shes in the wedding industry too. So I half expected her to be a little distant and maybe even a bit skeptical. Still if I let a little trepidation get in the way, I'd never get anything done.

I needn't have worried, we hit it off. Together these guys were so easy to work with, giving me a vision of their day in broad strokes, thoughtfully answering my questions, and allowing me to place highlights and splashes of color where I thought they would enhance the painting that will be their day.

We started off by first establishing the type of Wedding reception they want, with a little visualization. I asked both of them to give me a few key words that come to mind when they think of their reception as being a success. Those key words become our focus and reference point for the rest of the discussion and also our future planning meetings. They help us to decide almost every aspect of the reception that I will be involved in, and also help them keep on track with many other parts of the night as well.

I try to get a real feeling for what they want to achieve of the night, and they get to decide if I'm the guy they want to trust the night to. That's what the first meeting is all about, at least it is for me. I'm not one for closing the sale or asking for their commitment to use my services on our first date. It's about building a connection with my couples, and getting to know them well enough to decide if they want to work with me, and me with them. I will work for couples on occasion, but spectacular things can really happen when I get to work with them instead.

Oh yes, the cherry on top couple, they don't get married until the middle of 2014, so I expect they maybe the subject of a few more posts here as that painting of theirs takes on more definition, highlights and depth. Stay tuned.

You can follow me on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Party.Sounds.Professional.DJs

or you can pop over to my website: http://www.partysounds.com.au/ 

and bounce to any of my social media sites from there.