TJ the DJ, Red Deer DJ Service

Supporting Our Community

TJ the DJ, a Red Deer DJ has once again participated in two very fun and beneficial charity events. The first event was held on St. Patricks Day March 17th at the Poplar Ridge Hall just out side of Red Deer. The Passionate Forward Fundraiser was the second time I have participated. This year I [...]

TJ the DJ Featured Speaker at Red Deer College Workshop

I DO!… Now What? Plan your Special Day in a Day. Join me TJ the DJ W.P.I.C.C. and several other speakers at the Red Deer College on January 21st for a workshop all about your wedding. We will share with you tips on planning some of the more difficult parts of your wedding. The cost [...]

Red Deer DJ Service TJ the DJ Published again.

For the second time TJ the DJ your local Red Deer DJ service has been published in the DJ Pulse Magazine for Djs. You can find the article on the last page as it sumsup many of the points that make up the CDJA and netwoking in general. The article is Titles. Becoming a better [...]

A 50th Birthday Party Nov 11

It is about once or twice a year TJ the DJ, a Red Deer DJ Service, is hired for a birthday. I think people still have not seen the value of hiring a professional who can help keep it light, fun and looking/feeling casual. The more casual you want an event to feel, the more [...]

What do I do…

As the owner of TJ the DJ here in Red Deer, I realize I don’t have the same population to work with in as those in Edmonton or Calgary, this could mean I would not ordinarily be as busy because the number of DJ’s for the Red Deer Area is actually quite high. So when [...]

Shaun & Miranda October 1, 2011

Posted by TJ the DJ on October 7th, 2011

One of the last weddings I had left this year Shaun and Miranda got Married at the Canyon Ski Lodge just out side of Red Deer. As their Red Deer DJ I felt privileged to work with such a fun couple. The rich fall colors and setting sun filled the room though the wall made of glass. It was picturesque to be sure.

Miranda is the Brother of Dustin Metz, who I had the privilege of being the Entertainer for his wedding as well. Infact, it is because of the great time at Dustin’s Wedding that both his sisters hired me for their weddings. Natasha, the next sister, is getting married next June.

Marvin from To Tie The Knot was their J.P. at their ceremony. The rentals were supplied by Green County Rentals (GCR) and my good friend Heather, as you can see in the pictures it looked beautiful. For additional entertainment they had Memory Lane Booths as well supplying a fun photo booth.

Miranda and Shaun had some really neat ideas. We did Minute To Win It head to head competitions to determine in what order the guests tables were to eat and rather than the classic tapping of the glasses to make them kiss, they had their sons tricycle out and wanted their to ride it across the dance floor wearing a sombrero. You can bet they got a ton of fun pictures to remember their wedding.

I met with them a couple of times, one evening turned into 3 hours of Minute to Win it with them and one of their friends picking out the best games. We got carried away in a good way and had a lot of fun. I also prepared a slide show for their ceremony because they had a couple of hymns and rather than playing just the sheet music I dressed it up a little bit with some of their engagement photo’s. I also made a power point for the game including the blue prints and timer from the game show to really add to the experience.

Because of the location and the strict time limits set by the venue it was an earlier night than I am used to. I think I was packed up by 1:30am or so.

Shaun & Miranda also took my recording service and projector rental and got a CD of their recorded ceremony and their reception formal, the speeches and toasts as well as pictures I took of people having a great time all ready before they left on their honeymoon on Monday Morning.

You can see the pictures below of the room, some form the party and courtesy of Memory Lane Booths as well.

You can hear their thanks and appreciation for my services here from Miranda’s Father Ray, and Shaun the Groom Oct 1 2011, Shaun & Miranda Thank you

Tyler & Kathryn, Sept 17, 2011 @ Drayton Valley

Posted by TJ the DJ on September 22nd, 2011

Once again a Red Deer DJ goes north, and TJ the DJ was his name. I was booked on November 24th 2010 for September 17th 2011. In that time we communicated though Email and passed ideas back and forth to help them find the right ideas.

I first met with Tyler in Rimbey. We sat across from each other at an A&W for about two hours talking about different ideas and going though some of the planning worksheets I offer to all my clients. We also had a lot of regular conversation about whatever and had a great time. Tyler and Kathryn are both Hockey fans, but their taste in teams is anything but complementary. Flames and Oilers together in Marriage. That is true team work.

I met with Kathryn later that night just before they left town, she was playing hockey and we had a few minutes to chat. They are both a great couple and very open and fun with their ideas which covered a lot of possibilities though out our communications.

I managed to make it to Drayton valley a couple of times before their wedding to meet with them in person. It’s just under a two hour drive and fortunately I also grew up in that area and have some family nearby and was able to combine the meetings which lasted more than a couple hours each. I really enjoyed their company.

I was booked for their ceremony, which included their rehearsal the day before as well as the full reception. We did the full sound check with the music. Tyler was even gracious enough to put me up for an extra night, so I stayed and played off their request list till around 2 am or so just hanging out and watching people drink because I myself am not much of a drinker. It was a great chance to get to meet people.

Tyler’s Emcee backed out a few days before their wedding, he was unable to get out of work that day and I was asked to step in and fill the roll. I managed to work out a script based on the copy they had for their emcee that was better suited to my personality. Because they had a good script already I was able to work with that fairly quickly and I was already there for the reception so I didn’t charge them for the emcee work as I try to bill for my time and it seemed to me not really worth it to send them a bill for a few extra dollars since they already gave me an extra night in a local hotel. I felt it was a good trade.

Their Pastor, Dan, was a great guy, very tall… Gave a very good reading and even included an hymn in the ceremony. Was about 45 minutes long and I managed to record the whole thing including the receiving line.

There were some great toasts, plenty of tears of joy and laughs.

The drinking was more popular than dancing, the night was 90% requests and the hall got quite warm and humid as the sun started to go down which never helps.I also had my photo booth out from Memory Lane Booths which was a huge hit.

The party went into the early morning, somewhere around 3:15 am. I was even invited to join in the Sunday brunch where many of their friends and family commented about how much fun they had.

Tyler’s thank you audio to TJ the DJ.

Common Wedding Planning Mistakes

Posted by TJ the DJ on September 12th, 2011

This is an article shared from multiple source such as theknot.com and experiences related from many wedding professionals I have worked with locally.

1. Booking anything before the Officiate.

It is not uncommon for a couple to get so excited about their big day they forget to confirm the person who will make it all legal. I have had several brides call me in a panic looking for names and numbers of local J.P.’s looking to fill that big position just a week or two before their event.

Solution: Make hiring your wedding officiator your #1 priority, followed by venue, along with your guest list.

2. Doing Anything Else…Before the Guest List

You’re engaged! You’re excited! You’re ready to send out save-the-dates, book that great entertainer, choose those flowers — now! Well hang on a second, because we’re afraid you’re forgetting something. Who’s coming to this affair, exactly?

The solution:It’s not the most fun part of planning (and we’ll be honest, it’s one of the most likely to lead to a fight or two or twelve), but you shouldn’t make any wed-day decisions before you have your wedding guest list somewhat firmly in place. Why, you ask? Well, do you want to have a nonrefundable deposit down on that cozy restaurant room that fits 75 when your mother-in-law’s additions bump your list up over 200? Exactly. Once everyone’s in agreement, then you can move forward. That said, this means that one of the parts of your wedding you can plan immediately (or at least talk over with your fiance) is what kind of atmosphere you’d like for your wedding. Do you want an intimate, close friends and family-only affair, or do you want to throw the event of the season for 300-plus people? Later, when you’re in the guest-list trenches, this bit of planning will help back up your gut instinct about whether to say yes (or no) to guest-list additions.

3. Reading Aloud to Your Fiance … From Bridal Magazines

We know it’s not the Stone Age, and there are plenty of guys out there who want to see their wedding as an event that reflects their style too (or at least one that isn’t dripping with pink froufrou). But there’s likely to be a limit to your fiance’s ability to cope with an infinite array of invitation choices.The solution:Here’s how to defuse a potentially sticky situation (and a minefield of fights you don’t want to have). Take a night off to go out to dinner and talk with him about all the different parts of the wedding, and try to get a concrete idea of his interest in the various details. Does it sound like flowers are flowers in his book? Okay, then you can more or less leave him out of that decision. And if he’s cramming lettuce leaves in his ears to block sound, you definitely don’t want to drag him into it.

Moving forward, save his sanity (and yours) by designating one night a week as wedding-free. Talk about the weather, your friends, the dog — whatever you want. He’ll be psyched to see that the girl he fell in love with still lives there, and you’ll appreciate the breather yourself. And who knows? Left to his own devices, your fiance just might surprise you with a great idea for your cocktail hour or the perfect solution to a guest-list dilemma. Don’t be afraid to ask the opinions of your professional vendors as well, they have a wealth of knowledge and experience, use it.

4. Freaking Out Because Someone Else Has Your Gown

These days, to-be-weds spend so much time personalizing their weddings and trying to find really unique big-day details that it does seem reasonable to freak if another couple chooses the same favors or flowers or food. Before you decide to arm-wrestle for it, let us suggest a different way of dealing.

The solution: If someone else steals one of your ideas, you’ll probably hear a lot of imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and It will be at your wedding, not theirs, so it’ll be totally different. Whether these statements are true or not (they are), they’re probably not going to make you feel better — but neither will stewing over it. Instead of worrying about someone else’s wedding looking the same as yours, think about how you can make the copied detail different. If a friend chooses the same gown as you, add details to make yours unique: Accessorize with a brooch, add a sash, accent the train with some embroidery (you get the idea). Has someone else swiped your fun favor idea? Find a way you can package yours to set them apart. And if you’re really that worried about copycats, here’s a thought — just keep mum. If you don’t divulge every last big-day detail, you won’t have to worry about your bride friends snatching them. Don’t forget to use your biggest asset, those vendors who can help you make those little alterations or suggest alternatives that meet your needs and taste and will still help your big day feel uniquely you.

5. Realizing That Grape isn’t Your Color … With Two Months to Go

When you started planning your wedding, you knew just what you wanted: pink bridesmaid dresses, peonies, and classic, engraved invites. Now that you’ve been hard at work for a few months, you know just what wedding colors you want: jewel tones, orchids, and funky, bold invites. Too bad — you’re stuck with the wedding style you first chose … or are you?

The solution: You should feel free to rethink, redo, and revamp any element of your wedding that you want — unless you’ve accepted a ring from it (just kidding). This doesn’t have to mean yet another huge investment or reneging on a bunch of contracts — you’ll be surprised how easy it is to make simple additions or subtractions and change your whole style. Already ordered those pastel bridesmaid dresses? Think about adding a bold sash or accessorizing with chandelier earrings to liven them up a bit. Unsure about the color scheme you chose? Pay an extra visit to your florist and work out changes to your bouquets and centerpieces — adding new blooms in all of your arrangements will introduce a new color throughout the room. Same thing if you’ve already ordered the linens — spice them up with bright table runners or overlays.Does your entertainment use up-lighting? You could have your colors displayed with up lighting. If you decide you really can’t live with it, chances are you can go back on your first choice — just remember that it will have a cost. A good rule of thumb is that if you’ve already signed a contract or seen a proof, you will have to pay extra for any changes or additions you make. But if it’s still relatively early in your planning process, don’t be afraid to make the change. Remember, you’re getting married to your husband, not your centerpiece.

6. Trying to Drop Two Sizes Before Your Final Fitting

You’ve found the wedding dress of your dreams — though it’s not exactly a perfect fit on the real-life you. Your plan: Order the dress two sizes too small, and then do whatever it takes to make it fit. Or so you think.

The solution: Making a commitment to eat right and exercise is great whether you’re planning your wedding or trying to stave off the newlywed nine. On the other hand, crash-dieting and chaining yourself to the StairMaster is a course likely to end in disaster — and a gown that doesn’t fit.

Instead of losing more sleep than weight, find a gown you love and order it in your current size. If you want to work on your body during your engagement, that’s great — go ahead, but be sure to make your goals are manageable (toning up but not dropping 20 pounds, for instance). You’re more likely to stick with a routine that doesn’t require superhuman willpower. And if you still find that you are freaking about your figure, just remember that you’re about to get hitched to someone who can’t get enough of the way you look (really, truly) right now.

If you do drop some weight, this slow-and-steady approach will help you big time (and help you keep it off long-term). You’ll want to lose those extra pounds before your second fitting — any big changes after that, and though you might be lighter, your alterations bill will be pretty hefty. Your final fitting should be for last-minute tweaks, not a total overhaul.

7. Doing it All Yourself

We love nothing better than seeing the clever projects that couples come up with to make their weddings unique. But even we have to draw the line somewhere. There’s doing it yourself, and then there’s overdoing it yourself. After all, there are plenty of benefits to DIY. You can be sure no one else has the exact same thing, you might keep your budget in check, and (before you actually sit down to hand-tie 200 tiny ribbons) you probably think that it will make a fun story.

The solution: Rather than taking on too many projects, pick the one (or two) that you’re really in love with and put your resources (both mental and monetary) into working on those. For the others, do a little research and try to find a ready-made version that makes you happy. With so many great prefab goodies out there, chances are you’ll find one that fits your style — and saves you a whole lot of time! So ask the experts for some ideas as well. Many professionals would love to share some of the work and it also gives you a back up if you do find time becomes a premium. It might cost you a little extra, but in the end you will have one less thing to panic about and everything will look finished and complete on your big day.

8. Overloading Your Mom’s Big Day To-do List

So you can’t do it all yourself — fine — but you’ve got to have someone you trust double-checking with the caterer and the florist, steaming your veil, or making sure the limo company’s got directions. Most brides turn to good ol’ Mom (or their sister or their maid of honor) to make sure things go as planned on the big day. These folks are usually happy to help in any way they can — but hey, didn’t they come here to party too?

The solution: No matter how worried you are, most wedding-day (and day-before) chores can be trusted to any competent adult, and aren’t there a slew of them coming into town just for your wedding? Before you hand your mom or MOH a mega-task list, consider splitting jobs among a larger group of people — friends, cousins, aunts. They’ll be glad to lend a hand (and likely flattered that you asked), and it’s a great way to include more people in your celebration. If you’re worried about losing track, simply take the to-do list you already have and note who’s who next to each task. Check in with each person at some point, then check off the chore from the list.

Another option: Hire a professional wedding coordinator for the final weeks before the wedding. They’re experts at making sure those last-minute details get done, and having the extra hands around will help you (and mom) decide what you really want to be in charge of and what you can happily hand off. Talk with your hired professionals, a good vendor will also have their own check lists and will be more than happy to work with you to confirm details relevant to them. It’s more affordable than you might think — and really, can you put a price tag on alleviating that kind of stress?

9. Blowing Your Budget

You came up with a number. You did some research. You revised the number. You started planning … and now that number’s not going to cut it. Budgeting for a wedding can be the stuff of nuptial nightmares — but that doesn’t mean you should elope.

The solution: If you find you’ve underestimated some expenses, don’t panic. Instead, sit down with your fiance and try to reach a constructive solution. Maybe you can give up an item or trade one for another (for example, dahlias over Black Magic roses saves about $4 per stem). If you’re coming up short overall, you may have to take on some debt. To make it as minimal as possible, consider obtaining a low-interest loan or using a low-interest credit card. And to keep it from becoming a source of tension between the two of you, make a plan to deal with the debt and a deadline for paying it off so it won’t hang over your heads.

Talk with your vendors about what cuts you can make that wont lead to major changes but save you a few dollars which can add up or they have some alternatives to help you save in other areas.

10. Saving Your Place Cards for the Morning Of

Right now, it might seem weird to have a basic sketch of your seating plan or all of your favors tagged and ready to go. But other than taking up a little extra space in your closet, they’re not causing any harm — and they will actually save you a ton of stress a month or two down the line. The closer the wedding gets, the busier you’ll be, so making (and sticking to) your timeline is essential.

The solution: Worried you’re jumping ahead on the wedding planning timeline? Don’t be. You’re in the best possible situation. If you’re set on saving tasks until the appointed time (rather than going ahead and doing a little of this or that when you’ve got the time), you may wind up with way too much to accomplish in the last month (or week) before the wedding. That’s exactly the time when anything (and everything) can happen, when everyone will have demands on your time, and you’ll — well, you’ll just want to take a hot bath and dream about your honeymoon. With check marks beside all your biggest to-dos, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your wedding — and the days leading up to it. Make no mistake about it.

Hiring credible professionals

If the vendors you hire are professional, experienced and have expressed their commitment to you and the success of your event many of the potential Wedding Planning Mistakes can be easily managed or avoided altogether. What you might save on money up front with a cheaper service could hamper the results you are looking for and expecting at your event. From simple suggestions and ideas that cost you nothing, to making changes in the months or weeks before your wedding their experience could be priceless in the end.

Michele & Blaise Sept 3, 2011 Little Church on the Pararies

Posted by TJ the DJ on September 10th, 2011

It’s been a busy summer and September Long Weekend is typically the end of Red Deer DJ Season. But not for TJ the DJ. Still a few more weddings in the books and Michele and Blaise were not exception to the many fun parties I have had the privilege to help host as the professional entertainer.

Their ceremony was at the Historic Lutheran church in Markerville, as you can see in the photo’s below it is a cozy little church. It is a tight fit at close to a 100 people with a high vaulted ceiling which posed some challenges with recording as the echo was very evident in the audio. The church is over a hundred years old, and from speaking with the curator it has survived a fire that burnt down most of the town in the past and a tornado that swept though at about the same time as the pine lake tornado.

The ceremony was conducted by my good friend Marvin Pickering, who I will be working with again in October. I also had the privilege of being assisted by Laure from Lone Wolf DJ & Karaoke who is taking over her fathers business and wanted to see what a Professional DJ can do. She was a pleasure to have out and a great help.

From the ceremony we moved to Duffer’s Den at the Sylvan Lake Golf & Country Club. Michele and her brides maids and friends started a Pool Team together and Pool was a noticeable theme of their reception. I had the honor and privilege of being their Emcee as well as their entertainer.

The dance went well into the evening. The last song was at about 2:25am and Michele and Blaise gifted me with a generous gratuity for my efforts which I appreciated. I always try my best to give people what they want, and exceed their expectations.

I met with Michele and Blaise a number of times before their wedding and was also at their rehearsal as part of the ceremony package. I spent roughly 28 hours on their event from start to finish.

Feel free to listen to the thank you audio.

Ashley & Kody Aug 27th Late Night Fun

Posted by TJ the DJ on September 8th, 2011

I really earned my clams this night and it was a ton of fun to boot. For as long as I have been TJ the DJ this was my latest night ever. In all my years as a Professional DJ this was my second longest. In recent years it is not as easy as it used to be to play past 1am (or so I am told). My average party ends about 2am or so.

As a Red Deer DJ I don’t charge for the first hour of over time and most often leave it up to the couple to decide if the extra time was worth anything to them, though I do have a $120 charge listed on my contract for extra hours. But why stop a party to beg for money when people have spent most of it on booze or given it up to the happy couple for their honeymoon via the hat or boot. Though I wouldn’t expect anyone else to stay at their jobs for free, most peoples jobs are not as fun as mine.

The location was tucked just off the main road and have a nice little creek that flowed though out the site. There was plenty of room for camping and the ceremony couldn’t have had better weather. It was warm and calm and Ashley looked radiant walking down the isle. You could hear the creek babbling in the back ground though out the ceremony.

The location is called The Oscar Caron Spread, about 16km west of Spruceview. There is a nice little round house that was beautifully decorated for an elegant yet rustic look. It was very cozy for all the guests but once the dance started it was a perfect fit. I rented a special screen as Ashley and Kody wanted to have their slide show played while they danced to their first song and the conventional means would have meant them dancing around the projector or the image being too small. I also tried to build a low level fog box, but someone accidentally fell on it crushing the dry ice container so we tried to improvise but it didn’t have the same effect. I only mention this to show that I will go above and beyond when I feel it is necessary and I didn’t charge for the screen or the dry ice hoping the WoW effect would be a great referral generator.

I also brought out the Memory Lane Booth photo station which was a huge hit as well. All in all the night ended somewhere south of 5am. Ashley & Kody danced the night away and even dragged me up a few times.

I wish them both the best. I met with them 3 or 4 times before their wedding, took a drive out to the location with Ashely & her dad the week before the wedding to see what I would need and then was also out again for the rehearsal the night before. Barb Fenske was their officiate who I gladly recommended and I rented some Pipe and Stands from Heather at Green County Rentals for my lights because the roof was too low for my stand. Ken from Pulse Entertainment even lent me a lighting fixture but there wasn’t enough power for me to use it. But these are the professional vendors I worked with to make this all happen.

I hope you will enjoy some of the pictures from this great party.

Ryan & Dawn Aug 20, 2011 Stave Falls B.C.

Posted by TJ the DJ on September 8th, 2011

One of my more interesting shows. Not only did it involve two flights, 2 and 3 of my life, the first when I was about 3 years old, but this Red Deer DJ, also had to work almost exclusively via phone and e-mail. I managed to pack up everything I needed to bring other than speakers and light effects. Because of the location and being an out door event and the surrounding light effects were seen as more of a detractor and only speakers were needed.

I took the August 13th weekend off so I could concentrate on making sure all my gear worked and packing everything I would need and what ever back ups I could bring as well. I did spend the night of the 13th with my friend Ken from Pulse Entertainment and seen how he does things and helped set up and generally have a lot of fun.

So with bags packed to the weight limits and a great flight my trip was more than just a wedding. Stave Falls is out near Mission B.C. which is about 30 min or so out from Abbotsford. I was able to save my client some money by staying with my Grandma who put me up and I made it a 5 day stay total. This extra time afforded me to be available to meet personally with Ryan & Dawn before their wedding.

There were a few hiccups as can be expected but the day ended with everyone having a lot of fun in a beautiful setting. One of the highlights was the Emcee Leanne who had never done it before and did a great job with all the last minute changes and having no idea what the format is. I was very busy trying to keep things organized and on time so I didn’t get to take as many pictures as usual but I have included some from my flights as well.

This was my first Event in B.C. and I have had a couple in Saskatchewan making me officially a Western Canadian business and providing services though out the west.

Here is some Ryan’s Thank You (You were right mix) Aug 20.

Brett & Ryan Aug 6, 2011

Posted by TJ the DJ on August 30th, 2011

Another great evening and a lit of fun with a Red Deer DJ service TJ the DJ. Brett and Ryan went for a more medieval theme for their decorations, which were supplied by Green County Rentals. I also want to give props to Cheryl Barker of Photographic Art by Cheryl for the great pictures she took as well as being very easy to work with to get those great shots.

I have the pleasure of working with many great vendors and I know from the couples that they appreciate the hard work of professional wedding vendors.

Their reception was held at the Chalet at the Westerner Grounds in Red Deer. Guests walked in and through castle ramparts into the dining hall. The head table was adorned with goblets and two large pillars rested behind the head table with some candelabras at the base of each staircase.The log cabin feel of the Chalet lent to the Norwegian feel of old vikings.

Brett & Ryan danced the night away with their friends and family.

It was a lively party with many people taking advantage of the Memorylane Photo booth station.

Here is some Audio of TJ the DJ being thanked.

Everyone had a great time and I look forward to seeing Brett and Ryan again.

Remona & Doug July 31, 2011

Posted by TJ the DJ on August 29th, 2011

Doing two weddings in a row had me a little worried, but this Red Deer DJ is a pro and I had no problems pulling it off. This is my gig report for a Sunday Wedding.

Remona & Dougs wedding was held on her fathers farm. Her dad Glen is a pretty industrious man, he built a waterfall, short small stream and a coy fish pond with a bridge. The “out house” even had running water. It was a beautiful setting for an out door wedding. I even have Glen’s number handy just in case anyone else would like to use his setting. You can see it in the photo’s below.

The setting wasn’t the only thing unique, there was a Caribbean steel drum band The Trincan Steel Orchestra played thought the guests seating and after the reception. I recorded the ceremony and was on hand to play during the spice (like sand) ceremony and signing.

TJ the DJ played though the cocktail/dinner portion and then rotated on and off with the Steel Drum Band though the rest of the evening. There was a bit of a storm and the reception was held under a tent. My good friend from Bittersweet Bar tending Theresa and her staff did a great job keeping food dry and providing a lot of organization.

It was a fun upbeat evening and everyone had a great time.

Mary Anne & Joe July 30 in Olds

Posted by TJ the DJ on August 11th, 2011

This is a gig report for Mary Anne and Joseph over waters wedding which I did on July 30, 2011

I first met Mary Anne at Kipp Scott in Red Deer at about 8:00 AM, she had her truck in for some repairs and it was the most convenient to meet her there are at that time. We sat and talked in the service areas waiting room where she explained her wants and needs, their expectations and we worked out some of the basic details. Mary Anne hired me for their ceremony as well as their reception which was going to be held in Olds with their ceremony being in their backyard and the reception at the Olds evergreen center. Mary Anne and Joe are an older couple in or near their sixties and a lot of fun.

Joe has a passion for the color red, from his truck, his tool boxes, his awning, his door, to the socks, ties and suspenders he and his groom’s men wore on his wedding day. Mary Anne was also dressed as the lady in red. Their hall was beautifully decorated by Krystals, which is in red deer, and they did an outstanding job as you’ll note in the pictures below.

Thankfully the weather cooperated with us on their wedding day because at their rehearsal, which was outside, we did get a little wet and a little hail which is not a lot of fun for me because my equipment was exposed to the elements. I came prepared with umbrellas and there was never any worry. We had a lot of fun coordinating the ceremony and getting the timing down just right. Once we got to the hall guests were provided with appetizers and no formal dinner was had; we got straight to the toasts and onto the dancing which went late into the night, proving that just because you have some gray hairs you don’t need to be in bed by ten.
Joe and Mary Anne were very gracious and welcoming at their home and always thought of their guests before themselves; being true hosts it was a pleasure to have gotten to know them and to work with them and I most certainly wish them the best together and many more years of happiness.

Natalie & Thomas July 16 @ Morris Meadows

Posted by TJ the DJ on July 21st, 2011

This is my gig report from July 16. I would have written it sooner but I try to get the CD and Pictures to the happy couple before I post any online.

This couple is really down to earth, friendly, good natured and just wanted to have fun. They hired me for their ceremony and reception. Everything was held at Morris Meadows, a bed and breakfast with a large beautiful house, cabins, which also include some that on the out side look like an old western town.

We had the rehearsal the night before and had a little visit while everything was being set up. There is a Quonset like tent on site as well where he had the reception.

The out door ceremony was very nice, it was hot with a good breeze, a welcome change from the rain and storms which seem to be typical this year. It was about 30 minutes long then immediately went into a receiving line before guests headed up the hill and the couple off for photo’s.

Natalie and Thomas had two Emcees and some very entertaining speeches which helped keep people entertained though dinner and before the dance. The afternoon heat wasn’t too bad in the “hall” the canvas covering let plenty of light in, but not too much of the heat with lots of open spaces for the wind to circulate the air with out blowing anything around.

I brought out my work in progress upgraded Photobooth, which is everything but the printer and the cabinet that houses everything, as a test to see if the camera, software and other equipment worked for higher quality images and video. I am happy to say it worked flawlessly and even as a digital only booth for this wedding it was a lot of fun as you can see below from the few photo’s I have included from my sister company Memory Lane Booths.

The party went on late into the night, wrapping up at 3am. It could have gone on but the gift opening was in the same place at about 10 or 11 am so everyone elected to get some sleep, a few couples enjoyed the warm night and open sky with the grass on their backs.

It was a long day for me as well, it is almost an hour drive from Red Deer with an 11am set up time for the ceremony. An easily 16-17 hour day of a lot of fun with a great couple. With the rehearsal (about 5 hours) and meetings, and other work was an easy 30+ hours of my time invested in making this a fun memorable day for Natalie and Thomas.

You can hear their personal July 16 2011 thank you TJ.

Here are some of the pictures of the location, and the fun everyone was having.