Fort Wayne Indiana:

Jody,
Thank you so much for working with us. You were wonderful. We will gladly recommend you to our friends and family. You were very accommodating and flexible to our requests and needs. Thank you so much for working with us.

Mark and Lindsey

1. Jody Said,

   Thank you guys for having me, I had a great time!
   This was a fun gig, we had slide shows of their Jamaica wedding and vacation, a joke slide show and lots of good requests from great guests and lots of dancing. The joke slide show was cool, I took the best man to the dance floor for the toast, he did not see the screen behind him, nor did he see the slide show start as I broke in on his toast and did some mic work, directing his attention to the screen. The crowd was great as they giggled and laughed (he had no idea what was going on behind him). It really worked out nice, something for other Brides to consider (always fun to have “other” stuff thrown in).

   Keep in touch!

You are enjoying your event, everything is running smooth.

The emcee is friendly, polite and very understandable and is keeping the crowd informed and moving them just where they need to be to see the Bride and Groom doing their thing.

The coordinator has spoke to all involved, everything is organized running smooth and has the bride and grooms back.

The music is fun yet proper, wild yet classy not crude. The Dj seems to know just how to work and move the crowd (a kind of psychology to it all).

Your good friend is there to listen, advise and understand.

All these people could and should be wrapped up into one person, if you hire the right Dj. Yes thats right, Dj. It’s not all about the music, believe me, my Bride and Grooms are more than just clients, and I am more than just a Dj, and so should your Dj.

Every Event and Bride & Groom is special and unique!

Enjoy this Blog, I hope you learn, participate and I hope through this blog or live and in person that we can make your event the best It can possibly be, and have fun doing it.
  

 

Welcome to my Wedding blog! Hopefully we'll stay on track and chat about everything to do with weddings, receptions and djs ( disc jockey ). We should be chatting about more than just music, because a good Dj does so much more! And not just in Fort Wayne, Indiana but everywhere and for everyone. We (this community) are gonna help you make your event the best it can be! So, leave comments. You can get some great discussions going and add some good ideas and this can be very helpful! Please check back soon for new entries. If you need more help, feel free to contact me (there should be a link at the top of this page "Contact Us")

There are lots of Dj's in Fort Wayne Indiana and around the US. However, when you are trying to find a Fort Wayne Dj, do take care. And not just in Ft. Wayne IN but anyplace, this advice can be helpful to anyone located anywhere. I have heard many a Bride say "oh my... (brother, brother in law or friend) has a lot music". Do not fall for a Dj (disc jockey) that only talks about music, and has a wonderfully low price. The old adage is true in this case "you get what you pay for". Actually, will you let me revise that just a bit - "sometimes even though you pay well, you do not get what you paid for" I think you get the point - Do not go cheap on a Fort Wayne Dj or any Disc Jockey. And don't fall for the Dj that only talks about the music (there is more to a wedding and the Dj should be a part of it all), the Dj can make or break the reception! The flow of the event, announcements, the feel of the room, coordination, and most importantly focusing all the attention from "the bar" back over to the Bride and Groom. I'll try and cover more about why in later blogs, feel free to comment, share or ask direct questions - I'd love to help! I'm not sure anyone wants to see this (picture below) in Fort Wayne Indiana, or any where really WELL unless you really really want this.....hummm, we'll talk! Don't forget as a Fort Wayne Dj I'm there every weekend and there are tons of "small details" that you just don't think about - But I Do! Its my job to, after all I'm there to watch out for "my" Bride and Groom!

Okay, I'm located in Ft. Wayne, IN and had a question regarding what song to have for the Father/Daughter and Mother/Son dances. I've played way to many songs that have neat titles and seem to fit well, however when you play them and or listen to them, its just a bit out of place. The title is good but the words or meaning of the song is for lovers, or maybe just not for your parents. Make sure you listen to the words of the songs, and really listen for the meaning of the song. I hope this will narrow the choices for you. Don't be afraid to pick some of the popular ones that are played all the time, if they get your message to your loved one then play it. Remember this is for your Mom or Dad not to entertain the crowd. Some of Fort Wayne Dj's, and any disc jockeys not just Indiana, will recommend songs for you but its really up to you to make sure the message is right.

Look for an up coming post on how to keep the attention of the crowd and still getting a message of love and respect to Mom and Dad.

I did a wedding last weekend, well.... I didn't officiate it, just played the music and helped coordinate it

Anyways, it's always interesting (not sure if interesting is good or bad) when the Bride picks out alternative music to walk down the aisle.

This Bride had a song for the Family to be seated and for the Groom and Pastor to move into place, she had music for the Bridal Party to walk down to (guys walking the girls down), and no song for the Bride and her Dad and finally a song for the recessional.

No song for her to walk down too???

She wanted to have me keep the Bridal Party music going for her and her Dad, she didn't want to make a big thing out of it. Well the Bridal Party went down and the curtain closed behind them to hide the Bride and her Dad as they stepped into place. I faded the music down a bit in order to cause a bit of suspense, the room got quiet .... And just then the curtain opened and the music kept going like she wanted but rose as she entered and everyone stood up and WoW it really came off great! She was so happy with how it came off!

Now the whole thing was caped off with the recessional song! It was truly a goose bump moment! She had chose a Natalie Cole song - "This will be", it is from a movie. The Pastor asked them to kiss (with hoots and hollers), then introduced the as man and wife and then bam! the music hit (I always check with the Pastor to know just when he is done and when to hit the music). I have to tell you I highly recommend this song, it was; fun, meaningful, creates and atmosphere of join, upbeat, and for all ages. It came off like a movie seen, and I wish they had video, I would have posted it.

Anyways, take a listen to that song. Build it in your imagination and then hit that song. Imagine the applause too

Have fun with the music - it's Your day!!!

Just another wedding in Fort Wayne, Inidiana... I think not.

This is a new website, and we are just now trying to compile our over 20 years of experience. Please add a Comment (share your experiences) below or simply ask a question! Comments can help other Bride and Grooms and your questions will be answered. A big Thank You to everyone!

Reception at The Armory located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Dj, Emcee and Coordinating: Hi Jody, You did a very good job coordinating the reception. We were pleased with how well you communicated with us during it all, keeping us informed as to what was coming up next. We appreciated you playing 80's music. You did an awesome job! Adam & Katie June 10, 2010 Thanks to Picture Perfect for the photo ( Fort Wayne, IN)

I had someone ask me just what that meant and what the heck it had to do with Djing a wedding reception in Fort Wayne. Well, as any quality Dj will tell you "There is so much more to a Dj than just the music". And if you want your event to come off well, look into why! For me its all in the details, its the small things that really matter and can make the event run seamlessly! One thing is offer the Bride and Groom our services in releasing the tables for dinner. A really skilled Dj, yes even a Fort Wayne Dj, can really have fun with this and warm up the crowd at the same time. Yes, it is really about managing the flow of the dinner line so the guests do not have to stand for long periods of time (this alone can have people talking about how nice your wedding reception was). But, with each table comes the opportunity to interact with My Bride and Grooms family and friends, warm them up if you will. A certain about of humor and class is called for, using tasteful words like "invited", "thank you" and "Please", basically making friends. I know just letting people go eat can make them your friend, however I try and put a special touch on things for My Bride and Groom. LineJumpers: You can make an announcement over the mic, several times and let everyone know that they will be released table by table and that you will personally come around and you can thank them for being patient in advance (right after the prayer is a great quiet time to make this announcement), but it never fails, you always have line jumpers. A line jumper is a person or table, or tables that will bolt for the food line before being "invited". You know they heard the announcements (made more than once), and they see whats going on, but for some reason they just can't help them selves Have you ever thought the servers at restaurants are not looking your way on purpose. You need something from them, but they will just not look over. Well, it is on purpose. When I release tables, even though its for their benefit of not having to stand for a long time, all the tables are eyeing you as you walk the room. They are wanting to be next, I do have a plan and I try and work it. And to anyone that has been to a wedding reception and waited patiently - I Thank You, and I'm sure the Bride and Groom do also!

I have specialize in Weddings for over 20 years. I try to fit in other dance parties or events besides weddings. Even if you just need a coordinator please contact me, lets see if I can Help: Jody Feasel, professional Disc Jockey, Emcee and Coordinator proDj.me 2916 Engle Rd. Fort Wayne, IN 46809 260.450.3615 cell * 260.493.9888 res 260-747-7408 ofc (Airomat corp) (9:30am - 4:30pm) jody@prodj.me http://www.proDj.me

20 years of professional entertainment and coordination, specializing in Wedding Reception here in Fort Wayne and surrounding areas. The most up to date technology and equipment with the highest quality of Dj’s (training and personal excellence) . Our Professional Coordinators are highly trained in handling every aspect of your event, from emceeing (being heard and understood with the highest professionalism) to keeping our Bride and Grooms the focus of the event (from working with the photographer to working with the hall and caterer). Don’t forget the music, thousands of songs and the knowledge on how to use it in a fun wild manner without crossing that line and becoming obnoxious. We have provided worry free events for all of our Bride and Grooms, you are more than just a client here. Make the time to talk with us before a decision is made, you would be surprised at all the small details and knowledge it takes to pull of that special event. Please know that we are here to help! jody@prodj.me

It's always nice to have other "stuff" added to the gig. What do I mean by "stuff"? Well, it could be lots of things, mainly it breaks up the night and adds to the event. Normally you have dinner then the Bride and Grooms special things like toast, cake cutting, slow dances, garter and bouquet, and sometimes the dollar dance, then opening dancing. I've had Bride and Grooms add stuff to the event and I'll pass some on and maybe they can inspire you. Most common thing that I see added is the Anniversary Dance; this is a dance for all the married couples. - see more about this in the Anniversary Dance post. Others would be: Gifts for people who came the furthest, and who traveled the least (gag gift). Birthdays (we make, or should I say Invite, everyone sing). More toasts other than the maid of honor and best man, (Dad's, Mom's, other bridal party, even opening it up to the crowd. That can get very interesting, and you want a pro dj to be handling the mic or it can go on and on). Ethnic music; Music from other countries and in other languages. I love it when they hand me a cd and I have no clue what I'm playing, they tell me the tracks to play and off we go. It usually works out great, everyone joins in. Dance lessons, by professionals or really anyone. Just had some Irish dances taught by Irish relatives. Special singers, and or songs for the Bride and Groom. Fireworks, I've had some people that have had fireworks and we send everyone out to see them. One of these was downtown and we had them go out to see the fireworks after the Tin Caps game. This was a hard one, I had an assistant head outside and down the sidewalk to see the scoreboard so he could text me when it was over. I even remembered I had someone in the game and was texting with them. I tell you, wow, the thing we do for our Bride and Grooms. I love it. Opening Presents; Yes, the Bride and Groom would pull up a couple of chairs on the dance floor and open their gifts. They got to personally thank people right then and there. Sometimes it was really funny because there was an inside gag to the gift, or something that you wouldn't think would be a great gift - like a cooler or something, but it is very meaningful and personal to the Bride and Groom. Early Exits; I don't see this much anymore, but it used to be a big event. Everyone would head outside to clap, chear and wave as our Bride and Groom made there big exit. I will keep adding to this as I think of more or actually do more!

Wedding Reception, Fort Wayne. Dj, Emcee and Coordination. Very fun crowd, the groomsmen were crazy! In a good way though, they made the party Everything was great! Thank you for making things go so smooth! Joseph and Jessica

DJ in Fort Wayne, IN Indiana DJ ProDj.me

As Fort Wayne Dj s, we have played at almost every wedding reception hall here in Fort Wayne (over 20 years of experience). There is so much to think about when picking a reception hall in Fort Wayne for your wedding. Can you bring food in? The bar, do you need to hire a bar tender, what do you have to know to protect you and your guests or can you just leave it up to the hall? How to decorate, and how to set up the room (the layout). Parking, and out door facilities? Where is the head table, the dance floor and the Dj area. Pictures, are you doing pictures at the hall (where and any extra costs)? And so much more... Thanks for your time and for helping others!

Being a Fort Wayne dJ we get to work with some really great people, I know we've made a lot of good business contacts and made some great friends. Photography is really one the most important aspects of your wedding and your reception. Thirty years from now you will have these to look back on and what a treasurer. This one is important Bride and Grooms, so do take the time to come back after you get your pictures and share some advice and maybe a few pictures with us all!

Bride and Grooms ask for referrals and what better place to get them from than other Bride and Grooms. Whether its the wedding or the wedding reception, there is just so much to consider. Sure we've be dj in Fort Wayne for years and have worked with just about everyone, but sometimes its just nice to share with others in the same situation, sometimes there is a different point of view. This page was created for Bride and Grooms to help each other out. If you have any comments, good or constructively critical (lets not be mean), please share with our other Bride and Grooms. We hope these community reviews will be helpful. When your reception is over please take time to come back and leave comments. Thanks for being part of our community and for helping others!

Any Dj worth anything will have an agenda, and will have everything preplanned! However, this does not mean that you are all set and ready to roll. Can your Dj pull this off? Well, he is an Emcee too, so that makes you feel a bit more comfortable. Still there is an art to being an Emcee, and not just an art to pulling it off without "dead air". Can he or she be "heard" and "under stood"? Just somethings to think about - go see them in action! And listen. One place its hard to pull off a "non-awkward" moment without that dreaded "dead air" time - the Garter and Bouquet toss. It's not just throwing the Bouquet and taking the Garter off. No, there is more to it. You have to announce the Bouquet toss, ask the Bride to find the Bouquet, then invite (not tell, but "invite") the single ladies to the dance floor. Emceeing is all about "how" you say things. It takes awhile for the single ladies to make it up there, a good chance for "dead air", what now, more talking? Please do not let the Dj talk to much, it can get irritating. Same thing happens with the garter, there are a lot of opportunities for a Dj/Emcee to over do the talking or have "dead air". You want to entertain not irritate. A Possible Solution: Music - yes, music can be added into the mix. Again there is a right way and many wrong ways, mic work with music is an art form all to itself. Some songs to use - Pretty Woman - when calling the single woman to dance floor, everyone loves this song and you know right way what it is. Chapel of Love - when throwing the bouquet, tradition says the woman that catches the bouquet is the next to be "married". It's Raining Men - when you call the single men to the dance floor, you must cue it just right. Again everyone knows this song right away and its very upbeat. Stripper Song - when the Groom takes the garter off, people of all ages get it right away and it is very upbeat. The crowd really gets into this one. Oh Yeah - when throwing the garter, a very "guy" tune and people get it right away. Please, when considering a song for one of these, keep in mind what you are after! These are not my favorite songs listed above, they just work for what you need. You need the crowd to get the idea of what you are doing right away and to get into it, young or old! And, when you listen to the song note that the song does and says what it needs to right away! Sometimes the garter and bouquet can be over in seconds! Again, the song needs to do its job fast and be known by all age groups. We've just touched on a lot of different things here, the main thought with this blog is picking the songs. We will touch all the other stuff in much more detail later in other blogs, but it makes you think huh! Contact me if you want too! jody@prodj.me

Okay, this may be over simplifying things a bit, and it may sound mean, but...
If you don't want someones opinion, and all that comes with it - Don't ask!

Now, whether it's Mom or Dad or someone else (maybe the Groom, lol if you are going to ask their opinion please keep in mind you are opening the door to them being involved! Not just in the question you are posing but the whole wedding. Touchy subject huh!
Not such a tough one really, pick neutral people to ask questions of, like Here, co-workers, friends, hey that woman walking down the street
If you want to ask someone in the wedding or close to you, then don't leave it an open ended question. "Do you think the red or the blue ribbon", keep control of it. See how you stay in control if you keep it to just a few choices, if you get to many choices then they will have to engage more and become more of the process.
Keep it light, right after asking your posing only two option question, go right on to something that doesn't have to do with the wedding - the weather maybe

Example:
Had a Bride just beside her self because her Dad was driving her nuts about the Bride and Father dance. She wanted him to sit down and pick a song with her. Sounds so very nice, however after like one hundred songs they still had not picked one.
She could have picked a few songs and given Dad a choice - this one or that one! Believe me Dad will love you for this, keep it simple. Play the two song on the way to a special dinner with just him and you. See it can be simple and very special too.


You choose, dinner with Dad and a song picked and done
or
hours and hours of listening to song and picking each word and phrase apart with pen and paper?

Oh, don't go by the titles of songs, actually listen to them before you narrow it down for Dad to choose (a lot of songs have a great title but then get into making love and stuff like that, and that won't work for you and Dad or Groom and Mom).

Please share about how you over came this situation, lets help others!

Bride and Grooms want to have a special song for that special person, a way to honor them maybe. The normal list of dances at the reception are as follows:
First Dance (Bride and Grooms first dance as Husband and Wife)
Bride and Father Dance
Groom and Mother Dance
Parents Dance
Bridal Party Dance


Keep in mind you do not have to do all these dances. If the Bride cares at all about the focus on her, please think of the crowds attention span. Think about it, each song is most likely about 4 - 5 minutes. If you do all the songs, that means you need to keep the crowd interested for up to 25 minutes. I'm telling you this will not happen, crowds are like children, I can focus them on you at the beginning but after that, they will wonder of to the bar, bathroom, outside for smoke, leave, or just start gabbing at the table.
 
I recommend keeping it to 3 songs at the most, we will have a better chance at keeping the audience focused and honoring your loved one. You have to have the First Dance! Some options from there could be combining the Bride and Father Dance with the Groom and Mother Dance, the Parents Dance and Bridal Party Dances can be combined too.

There are all kinds of ways to honor someone, a toast, special gift given with attention and focus on the event, again open your mind to theidea of honoring someone in different ways.
The traditional songs to be played would be:
First Dance (Bride and Grooms first dance as Husband and Wife)
Bride and Father Dance
Bridal Party Dance

Don't forget that, it is your night and you do want the focus, but you can not forget about how the crowd will react.
Oh.... and listen to the words of the song you choose, make sure they say what you want. See my other post - "Father or Mother songs / dance"