Streetlife mobile disco Wedding & Civil Partnerships Information

Wedding & Civil Partnership Information...

AFTER THE VOWS...

72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer - reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities.
Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority!
When asked 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
65% of all couples that chose a band to entertain at their wedding, said, if they had it to do over again, they would have chosen a disc jockey.

* Source: Bride & Groom magazine

CONTRACT & TESTIMONIALS
EQUIPMENT
RELIABILITY & PROFESSIONALISM
TIMEKEEPING
ENTERTAINMENT AGENCIES
MUSIC REQUESTS
EXTRA'S
SUMMARY

As you probably know (or will soon find out), planning a wedding or a Civil Partnership ceremony is a big job. Many hours can be spent discussing and planning even the smallest of details. You want everything to be perfect. And it should be.
Too often when making a decision about the single longest event of a wedding day; the reception; only passing consideration is given to the disc jockey. Your wedding reception is a celebration of your special day. Take the appropriate time to ensure your choice of a DJ reflects its importance.
The music you select for your wedding day will have an impact on each and every one of your guests. From the time before the ceremony begins until the last guest leaves your party, the music will be present. Selecting the right performer to represent you will make your special day one of the most memorable events in your guest's lives. Select poorly and that image will be forever in their minds. Remember, if a guest gets a bad meal or a watered down drink, they will be the only one who knows. If a DJ or band plays the wrong tunes or if a singer during your ceremony performs badly, every one knows. You're planning to spend a lot on your cake, dress, venue, invitations all to look great. Don't skimp when it comes to the talent! The music is one of THE most important elements of your big day.

The cost of entertainment at your reception is only a small portion of your overall budget. According to Modern Bride Magazine, only 5% of your overall budget will be spent on entertainment, yet over twice as many guests will remember the performance of your DJ, over any other aspect of your reception.
What's the bottom line? When you're spending thousands of pounds on a once-in-a-lifetime event, does it make sense to save a few pounds by hiring second-rate entertainment?
The question of price can sometimes be what many couples are initially focused upon when they contact me. Understandably so, since the Wedding budget must have some limitation. The question must be pondered with regards to priority. How important is the entertainment and how much shall be spent on such?
The last thing you want are surprises. You can find many part time DJs with sound systems and music, but lack the credibility of a full time service with the years of wedding experience necessary to take charge and run a flawless presentation specifically set to your expectations. Beware...don't allow a wannabe DJ or a friend of the family (no matter how sincere his heartfelt intentions) to jeopardize something so special. In the worst cases this has even led to real family tensions long after the wedding day!
Every wedding dance deserves a disc jockey that has the experience and professionalism to handle the multiple demands of such an occasion. You should look for someone who is professional, experienced, and who plays for the crowd and not from a pre-determined play list. The DJ should also dress for the occasion, use the microphone only when and where appropriate, and use volume control to ensure that the music is loud enough to make dancing comfortable, yet not so loud as to discourage conversation.
An unfortunate reality in the DJ business is that anyone with a few CD’s and a sound system can call themselves a DJ. While every DJ is unique in what they bring to your event, it is a fact that many an expensive wedding reception or corporate party has been ruined by blindly hiring a DJ who turns out to be clueless and inexperienced. Anybody can make promises. It is the ability to deliver on those promises that will make or break your event. With Streetlife, you are getting a professional, mature, well groomed, fun DJ with over 20 years entertaining at special events.

The following are a few suggestions and informative questions (extracted from Weddings magazine) worth asking
before you make your final decision on choice of entertainment.
You will find my stance on each of the issues raised from this article written in italics at the end of each topic.

Can your DJ provide a written contract and testimonials from previous clients?

It is extremely important to have your booking confirmed in writing. All terms of the agreement should be in writing to avoid any complications at a later date. Testimonials are an important part of any business and an experienced professional DJ should be able to provide you with current names and addresses of satisfied clients.

When booking Streetlife a booking form is sent which contains full terms & conditions. Some recent testimonials are shown here.

Does your DJ use professional equipment?

There is a big difference between the audio equipment you have at home and the equipment a professional DJ uses. Professional audio equipment is built to go on the road day in and day out. Make sure your prospective choices use only professional equipment to insure the music sounds as good as possible for all of your guest's enjoyment.

All the equipment used by Streetlife is state of the art professional DJ gear, further details here.

Can your DJ provide backup equipment and personnel in case of emergency?

Even professional equipment can fail on occasion, so it is important to know whether your DJ has spare equipment available to them. Any number of circumstances may arise between the time you book your DJ and the date of your event. It is important to know if the DJ has a backup plan in case of illness or accident.

I bring spare equipment to every function in the event of equipment failure. I am a member of the NADJ (National Association of DJs), so in the very unlikely scenario of illness the NADJ will provide an experienced professional replacement DJ .I also run an Entertainment Company (Euan Anthony Entertainment) and we have many good DJs, so between the NADJ & Euan Anthony that covers a LOT of DJs meaning that I am able to get in contact with hundreds of DJs should the worst happen.

Does your DJ belong to an organized DJ association?

Booking a reliable DJ is a very important decision for the success of your wedding or event. Selecting a DJ who is an active member of a DJ association will provide you with the confidence that you have selected a professional.

This is answered above.

Will your DJ be suitably dressed for the occasion?

It is important that your DJ looks the part by dressing in formal or semiformal attire. Be sure to specify the type of apparel that your DJ should use. There should be no added fee charged for formal attire.

When completing an enquiry form, there is an option to select the DJ attire that you would prefer, you can see examples of the usual attire I wear for events here and here.

Does your DJ know the proper procedure and etiquette for your type of wedding?

A professional DJ will be prepared to handle all announcements and special events on the day of your wedding.

On average I perform at over 70 weddings per year and have performed at over 1,000 weddings in my DJ career.

Is your DJ registered and/or insured, and is their equipment tested regularly?

A DJ who has taken the time to register their business, arrange adequate Public Liability Insurance (PLI) and regularly has all electrical equipment tested to ensure that they comply with the standards required for Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) demonstrates that they are serious business men and women.

I am a member of the NADJ and have £10 million PLI cover as one of the benefits of the membership; additionally all of my equipment has PAT certificates.

Will your DJ arrive on time?

Punctuality is an ultimate necessity, and as professionals they should be aware of their responsibilities to their clients. Normal time spent setting up and removing equipment should not be part of the entertainment fee.

I am extremely punctual and will usually arrive at least one hour before the scheduled start time. It takes me around 40 minutes usually to set-up my equipment, depending on access to the function room, staircases, elevators etc. The set-up time is seperate to any hours that I quote you and is not part of the fee.

Will it be the DJ you were expecting?

When booking a DJ through an entertainment agency you usually will not know for definite which DJ will be performing at your special event. If the agency has a lot of events booked on the same day as yours, you may end up with a very inexperienced DJ because all the experienced guys went to the highest paying events!

Streetlife is not an agency; when you book Streetlife the DJ you will get is myself; Tony Winyard, one of the most experienced DJ’s in the UK.

Is your DJ willing to discuss musical selections ahead of time, and be willing to play requests, particularly if they are suitable for dancing?

A professional DJ is aware that they cannot possibly know everything there is to know about your musical preferences and entertainment needs. They should be willing to listen to your ideas and suggestions. They should make themselves available prior to your wedding to discuss selections. They should never play the songs you have asked them not to play. Special requests should never be a problem and your DJ should be willing to play them where they are appropriate.
When guests request music, remember, it is not possible for a DJ to have every song, or for a band to know every song that could be requested; however, DJs do have greater flexibility in handling requests because they don't have to learn the songs.
People often request songs that do not "fit-in" with the music programming. Some may request inappropriate songs. Professional entertainers know when it is acceptable to honour requests. If inappropriate requests are played, they will make you look bad. If you, the bride or groom insist on a song being played that is against the better judgment of the DJ or band, they have every right to let your audience know that the song choice is yours and not his. He has a reputation to protect and he should inform the audience why a poor song choice is being played.

Upon confirmation of a booking, I will send an email with a password which gives you access to a special client area of my site. This gives you access to Planning Forms and to browse through my music collection to create your request list.

For those of you that have trouble remembering names of tracks and/or artists
the following page may be useful.

How much music should a DJ bring?

Some DJ services brag about a huge music library. Ask them if they bring the entire library and if it is in a database. If they can’t find a song, then it does no good to have that many songs. On the other hand, some only bring about 300 to 500 of the most requested songs. These DJs can not really honour requests of a truly diverse audience that most receptions are composed of.
Remember that for a 4-hour reception, the maximum amount of songs that could be played is around 60! (Average of 4 minutes per song played back to back).

My entire database comprises of over 90,000 tracks, at any function I will have at least 12,000 tracks with me covering a huge range of music genre's & era's. As long as I am given at least 4 days notice I can ensure that any song listed on my database is with me for your event. You are of course welcome to supply your own CD for any real rarities. When searching through my huge collection to create the request list, previously some couples became very excited and drew up very lengthy request lists of over 70 songs! It is virtually impossible for me to play such a request list and also makes it very restrictive for me on the night and less able to react to what is happening on the dancefloor.
You will see that when you search for a track, next to the each track are 3 coloured buttons; Green, Yellow & Red. The Green button adds it to a "Must Play List", the Yellow button adds it to a "Play If Possible" list & the Red button adds it to "Do Not Play" list.
Please add songs that are very very special to you to the "Must Play" list.
The "Play If Possible" list is to give me an idea of the types of music you like.
Both of these lists have a maximum number of entries because as mentioned above, there are only so many songs that can be played in one night!

What kinds of music styles should the DJ’s library contain?

A DJ should have all types of music with them at the reception in order to please a diverse audience. The DJ should be able to play music from the big band, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, right up through today’s hottest hits. Your DJ should be able to provide even ethnic music and many other more obscure genre’s to suit your event. DJs have an advantage over bands in this case because they have a broader selection of musical styles at their disposal.
Some music types and songs are unsuitable to play at wedding receptions. Playing heavy metal or gangsta rap, for example, might upset or displease some of your guests. Also, songs containing objectionable language should not be played.

I have an extremely wide music knowledge covering many genre's and going way back to the 1940's, but still buy the upto date sounds and am very much in touch with the current scene.

Should the DJ provide you with a music guide or list to assist you?

Yes. Your DJ should arrange a meeting with you to go over all the details. A DJ should take the time to find out your musical tastes and be open to your needs. By the same token, an experienced DJ also knows what works and what does not work. Listen to their advice. A classic example is one where the bride and groom insisted on House & Trance music for the entire reception! They chose their favourite music even though the guest list included many people from different backgrounds and age-groups! Common sense dictates that you might want to listen to your DJ in this case.

If you would like to meet me before the day to discuss your special event this can easily be arranged. Either at your home or at a public place such as a bar, restaurant or the venue itself. This is best done within a few weeks of the big day.

Will the DJ play cheesy songs such as the Birdie Dance & Agadoo all night?

The stereotypical image of a wedding disco in the UK is of a guy that will only play the very cheesy hits all night long. It is important that you emphasise whether you do/don't like this sort of style.

I find now that the vast majority of people who book me, state that they do NOT want the very cheesy stuff like Agadoo & Jive Bunny played and it is becoming increasingly common for couples to insist on NO cheese or boy band stuff whatsoever. I have no problem with this whatsoever; just let me know your preferences.

Will the music be too loud?

Music volume should be kept at an appropriate level so it doesn't "interfere" with the event. Throughout all segments of the reception, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing, the music should add to, or help create the proper atmosphere. During dinner the music should be loud enough to fill in any "dead" air that may occur while people are enjoying their meal. The music level shouldn't be so loud that it is distracting when you are engaged in conversation. As the event progresses towards the dancing portion of the event, the volume should increase. The increase should be mainly concentrated on the dance floor. This will add to the excitement of the party. The volume increase should not take away from the enjoyment of any guest as it moves to the foreground. Some people may prefer conversation over dancing. They should be able to find quieter areas away from the dance floor.

If you are booking me to also provide music during the meal, when creating your table plans, it is advisable when possible to place elderly people at the opposite end of the room to the stage area where the speakers will be located. My attitude to the volume level can be seen here.

Are compact discs better than records?

In many ways yes. Records show wear that you can hear. They also skip on the best of turntables because the dance floors sometimes vibrate from people dancing. CD’s can skip too if the reception hall is old or has a very bouncy dance floor. You should consider this when you check out a reception hall.

With the majority of DJ CD players a bouncy floor would be a problem; however this is not an issue with the state-of-the-art equipment that I use.

If the contract states for five hours but everyone is having a great time how should I handle the overtime?

Your DJ should have discussed that with you prior to your reception and at contract signing. It should also be part of your contract. However, you alone must authorize it. If the cheque you have prepared for the DJ does not cover the overtime then the DJ has the option of accepting cash or check. Usually, it is best to have the cash available and to pay the DJ when services are rendered.

The rates for additional hours are clearly stated on the contract that I send to you.

Do you tip a DJ and when do I pay them?

The answer to tipping is up to you. If you know the DJ gave you a fair price and a great performance then it is always nice to say thanks. Payments can be made either on the night of the performance, it is usually better to arrange this for near the start of the event, because otherwise once the drink starts flowing it can easily be forgotten if left till the end. Some people prefer to pay in advance and this can be done by posting a cheque.

On the contracts that I will send to you, the terms & conditions state that full payment must be made either 10 working days before the wedding date if paying by cheque or cash at the start of the night.

Am I obligated to provide the DJ with food & drink?

No, you are not obligated to feed the DJ; however, it is a nice gesture to offer a meal of some sort while everyone else is eating. Often your DJ set up several hours before your actual reception, plays for a minimum of four hours, and will be there quite a while after your reception taking equipment down. All in all, a kind gesture is often returned many times over.
Most professional DJ's are reliant on their vehicle in order to transport their equipment and for this reason do not drink when working.

When working I usually drink still water or fruit juice.

Do u want a wedding arch/circle?

If you are thinking of doing this you need to take into account whether you are staying till the end and the start & end time of the whole day.
If for example the day starts at around mid-day for all your guests and the disco will be finishing at midnight but you want to do the arch at the very end of the night, you’ll sometimes find that many of the guests, especially the older ones, will have left before the end because they were tired, meaning fewer people to do the arch.
If you plan to leave before the end; a common scenario is that all the guests will follow the B&G out to the limo to say goodbye, leaving the dancefloor empty for 5 or 10 minutes and by then many of them will decide it’s time to go home, so it’s often pointless for example to leave at 10.30, but arrange for the event to go on until midnight!

Extra's:

Lighting: I do not use strobe lights or smoke machines (unless requested) as they generally will cause problems for at least one guest. One of the lighting effects that I do use in my show is called an iBall.
It is a very unique effect and always seems to mesmerise many guests at the majority of events that I do. Even from looking at the above website it can be difficult to get an idea of how it can be used in an event such as a wedding. An important thing to put across is that it doesn't look cheap and tacky in any way whatsoever, and it's not anything like an LED message display or any such unit. The above website places emphasis on how it can be used for sales/marketing purposes, but it can also be used very effectively for entertainment purposes.

I am able to add messages to it and at many weddings that I have performed at the bride & groom have given me a list of messages thanking the best man, bridesmaids, and parents etc which have added a little something to the night.

Apart from any messages you add, the iBall will also display animations, images & humorous quotations. There's no extra charge for this service. If you would like me to add some messages for you please send me a list of up to 20 messages.
Tip: it is best to keep them as short as possible; if they are too long they lose their effectiveness. I program the iBall before I leave my house and I am not able to add any messages during the night.

You may wish to include messages for the following people:
Best Man, Bridesmaids, Page Boys, Parents, relatives/friends celebrating birthdays/anniversaries, people who have travelled a long distance to attend your wedding, work mates etc.

Here are a few examples of messages that I've been given recently:
A big thanks to Jack the best man for being such a great help.
Special mentions go out to the beautiful bridesmaids Cheryl, Diane & Carol.
Happy 35th anniversary to Sandra & Ted.
Big up to the page boys Dan & Charlie, the coolest dudes around.
Well Andy has finally reached the top of that hill; now he's on his way down it.
Be careful giving Susie the bumps... at her age she may never recover!
A big shout to the Booyah boys for a great stag in Prague.
The Pig & The Cake get it together!
Thanks to our little helpers Harry & Georgia.
Stick around; we all know what usually happens when Tom & Rachel get drunk!?
Special thanks to mum & dad AND mum & dad!
Happy birthday auntie Sue.
Thanks everyone for your very generous wedding gifts, lots of love Dan & Cheryl xxx.
A warm welcome to all the ‘Campbell’ family and hi to all the ‘Allen’ family.
Muchos gracias to Paul & Clive the ushers for telling everyone where to go!
Lots of love to Charlotte & Carl for their beautiful readings xxx.
Didn't think we'd ever see Bob wearing a suit!!!
Michael you are a star MC... you may have found your true vocation!

The choice is yours!

How important should price be?

When compared to other party related expenses, a mobile disc jockey is a bargain. The national estimated cost of a wedding reception is well over £12,000. Photographers can cost as much as £4,000; high-quality digital video £800-£3,000; your wedding cake £500-£1,200, basic meal service (chicken) for 150 guests £5,000. Don't forget flowers, invitations, dresses and tuxedo rentals, limo's and even postage. Ask yourself these question's; is the entertainment less than 5% responsible for the success of your reception? Is price important? Yes, it is. But no price is a good price if you do not like the quality of your entertainment! I realize what an important day your wedding is and how much you want everything to be perfect. My business is built on referrals from my very satisfied customers.