A Bride's Interview with Weddings of Distinction

Please take a moment to read this before hiring Weddings of Distinction. This interview will likely share insights as to whether my service is right for you.

How long have you been a DJ?
I tinkered around with music mixing since I got my first turntable for Christmas as a young boy. But I have been in business as a professional DJ and entertainer since 1988.

What made you want to become a wedding DJ?
Well, that is actually two questions. I took many years of drama and theater as a youth and became a DJ as a way to express my creativity with entertaining a crowd. Many years later I specialized and became a wedding DJ because it was far more challenging, offered infinite ways of expressing creativity, and most importantly I felt brides and grooms really needed a higher level of professionalism than what they were getting with typical DJs.


On your website you are listed as a Wedding DJ, Master of Ceremonies and an Entertainment Director. I know what a DJ is but I am not sure about the other roles you play and whether I need them or not. Can you please tell me more about those roles and how they apply my wedding?
A DJ does primarily what the title implies, they play music. They will make announcements when asked and lead typical events as directed but someone will likely still have to guide a DJ as to the who, what, when, where and why. And since their role centers primarily on the dance floor they are typically not exceptionally polished with running the other events and activities.

Dancing is typically only about 30% of what will take place at your wedding and reception. What do we do with the other 70%? This is where a Master of Ceremonies and Entertainment Director come in. The Master of Ceremonies focuses on the technical aspects of the other 70% making sure that the event flow is smooth and polished. And the role of the Entertainment Director is about personalizing and adding "Magic Moments" to the entertainment timeline.


We love your services and your website is very informative, but can you tell me what sets you apart from other wedding DJs in your area?
Absolutely, I think what sets me apart from others is my extreme passion for what I do and my versatility to incorporate music, video, theater, comedy and event coordination together  to create an overall event experience that has often been referred to as "magic".

Walt Disney is my entertainment hero and mentor and I have studied for years the art and science behind "entertainment magic" and how to apply it at weddings. Contact some of my past clients and they will likely share with you just how effective having a great entertainment plan can be.

You’re like an open book sharing all of your “magic” secrets on your website. Aren't you concerned that your competitors will use this information to do the same thing?
Well, I don't list them all on my website. However, the secret for creating entertainment magic has been around since Shakespeare. Everything I do has always been available to my competitors; quite simply, very few are committed to learning the techniques and applying them for their clients.

I hope you understand that I'm asking these questions in order to compare your service with other services.
I highly encourage it. I offer a remarkable service, however, that does not necessarily mean that what I do is the best fit for your needs. That is something you will have to determine for yourself.

When comparing services can you offer a tip on how to differentiate the smooth talking salesperson from a real quality service?
Actions speak louder than words! The quality of their website is a visual representation of their level of commitment to the service they are likely to provide. Just as the secrets of entertainment magic are available to all, the tools for creating a quality website are even more readily available.

If they are not concerned about how well they represent themselves, it is very likely that they will not be concerned about how they will represent you.

What type of training have you had?
I have trained and continue to train in all aspects of DJ, music, theater, lighting and wedding entertainmentand I travel routinely taking courses and learning the latest techniques. As a professional DJ and entertainer I am constantly striving to improve because online media has allowed brides and grooms to expand their own visions, goals and expectations. Wedding guests are no longer entertained by the same old routines they have seen at every wedding theyhave been to. In order to keep my clients happy … Training never ends!



Do you have backup equipment?
Yes I do, it is a must! Even with a great entertainment plan of action equipment can fail. I minimize that risk by using only the very best concert quality sound equipment designed to be used by professional touring groups. But even then there can be failures. I set up multiple computers with redundant music drives and cloned backups, and I have a backup for each piece of equipment that I use. There can be no excuses on wedding day!



As an owner operator do you have a backup plan in case something happens to you?
As much as I possibly can; I am the founder and director of the Tucson Wedding Network and I have a pool of DJs within my group whom we all work together and agree to back one another up. Would it be the same if I could not be there? Absolutely not! There is simply no way around it as what I do is very unique and cannot be replaced. But the show would go on! With that said, I can tell you that I have never missed a wedding since I began my business in 1988, so the odds are pretty good that I will be there.

Will you work well with my other vendors?
I am the founder and director of the Tucson Wedding Network currently with over 180 members, so it is very likely that your vendors may well already be part of my group, and if they are not part of my group hopefully they will be after your wedding. Working well with other vendors is what our group is all about.

Do you book more than one wedding per day?
No way! There should be absolutely nothing on my mind on your wedding day other than your wedding. If the venue allows I arrive typically 4 or 5 hours before your event begins in order to make sure that everything is perfect, wires are hidden or tucked away neatly and to make sure all is in order. I like to have an hour or more before guest arrival to rehearse, focus and get in the right state of mind.

May we contact some of your former clients to see what it is like to work with you?
Certainly, I recommend it. You can also see what my clients are saying about me as well as view detail evaluations of my performances on my testimonials page.

This all sounds wonderful but it also sounds very expensive. Are we going to be able to afford this?
In all honesty, if you are committed to having a nice reception where guests leave feeling as though it was worth every bit of their time and investment in order to be there, then you can’t afford not to have this type of entertainment.

Surveys in New England Brides & Grooms Magazine report that nearly 80% of all brides and grooms following their wedding were unhappy with the entertainment they had chosen. Without a highly trained dedicated professional who has a solid entertainment plan for your wedding reception it is very likely that you too will be very unhappy with the results. I certainly wouldn't take that type of gamble.

You sound wonderful, but do you charge a whole lot more than other less professional DJ's?
Not at all... You will likely be surprised as I actually charge less by the hour than most of the extreme low-budget DJs. Even low-budget DJs who charge $500-$800 for a five hour wedding reception are effectively charging you $100 or more per hour, and you'll still end up with the lowest quality amateur entertainment.
I don't make near that kind of money per hour, but my packages typically consist of more hours.

If my wedding reception is only 6 hours why would I need you for more hours than that?
If you were going to deliver a very important presentation to your bosses and coworkers would you attempt it without careful preparation first? Of course you wouldn't. But that is exactly why nearly 80% of brides are unhappy with the entertainment they had chosen for their wedding. They hired low-budget entertainment that delivered the same generic and unpolished performance that they provide for every wedding they do. Depending upon your ultimate goals I could easily have as much as 40 hours or more in preparation for your event in order to create a unique high quality and memorable experience.

Those of 80% of unhappy brides and grooms that you referred to probably thought they were getting good entertainment. How will we know if you can truly create magic for us?
You will know before you ever book me. “Magic” is often contained in the little details and together we will carefully evaluate what magic means to you. Then we will go over every aspect of your wedding start to finish and I will share with you options you probably never knew you had. By the end of our consultation you will begin to have a clear vision of your entertainment experience and what we will need to accomplish in order to make your goals and visions a reality.

Other DJ’s offer a variety packages whereas you offer “experiences”... is there a difference? That’s a very good observation, and yes, there is a HUGE difference! Packages are based upon “things” and “size”, and come in small, medium and large, but truthfully the success of your wedding will not be a matter of “supersizing” the DJ’s light show.

My plans are based upon the type of “experience” you would like to share with your guests and the type of memories you would like to create and include the tools and preparation necessary in order to make that happen. My plans are based upon providing a certain degree of entertainment value, rather than just adding more “stuff”.

Are most of your plans more of a luxury for people planning extravagant weddings?
Absolutely not! "Magic" is for everybody! Regardless of whether you are planning a wedding for 50 in your backyard or for 500 at a luxury resort, if your ultimate goal is for you and your guests to remember your wedding for the great time everybody had, then creating that type of experience for you and your guests will require a solid entertainment plan of action filled with personalized events and activities designed to create a connection between you and your guests.

Why don't you list all of your entertainment plans and prices on your website?
Every bride and groom that I work with is very unique with individual needs and goals. My entertainment plans must therfore be unique and individual as well. When you choose your wedding cake you can see in advance what you are getting for what you pay. However, when you hire a Wedding DJ, you will not see the results until your wedding is over... and perhaps too late!

You may need for your Wedding DJ to do much more than just play music. I make certain that my plans contain what you need in order to achieve your intended goal.

For example; You may need for your DJ to... guide and direct all events and activities, create interative games, produce video montages, write "love story" introductions, coordinate your ceremony, show onscreen trivia, setup projectors and video screens, etc., and the list can go on and on.

Can you see how a simple list of packages filled with more stuff is really not the best way to create a great wedding reception? OPTIONS ARE BETTER!


So that we know if it's even possible to have you at our wedding, can you give us a ballpark range of your services?
My most expensive entertainment experience for those looking to create something truly remarkable is $3000. My Basic Experience is $795. And I have a couple of entertainment plans in between.

Do you take credit cards and can we have a payment plan?
I do accept credit cards, personal checks, cash, gold and silver (I like it because it's shiny). In other words I am very flexible and in am happy to work with you in any way that I can.

If we have additional questions can we call you to discuss them with you?
Absolutely, I highly encourage and in fact require a personal meeting before I will accept any new client.

This sounds like everything we're looking for, what happens next in order to get started?
The next step is to contact me and set up an in-depth consultation. I want to hear about your needs, goals and values and make certain that we are a good match.