Your DJ can make or break your party, it's just that simple. Playing the music is really a minor part of his job. The DJ is the "Master of Ceremonies" for your event. He keeps your guests informed of what is going on and where they need to be, he keeps the events of the evening (cake cutting, toasts, formal dances etc.) on track and timely. Think about it, when you have 200 people in a very large room, how are you going to make anything happen?
I had to testify in court against a DJ a few years ago who had totally ruined a reception at Aberdeen Manor. It broke my heart. He didn't have the right music for the formal dances, he delayed the dancing for over an hour and a half, and he then argued with the bride that she hadn't sent him the names of the songs (she had emailed him and had the hard copy to prove it!) Then at the end of the evening, he argued again with the bride that she should pay him the full amount due because he thought he had done his job. It was pathetic.
Needless to say, this DJ was never on our recommended list and he is one of the DJ's that I try to protect people from by asking them to CALL ME before they hire any DJ other than Transaudio!! It isn't that I am some sort of control freak, I just want to protect our clients from a couple of DJ's and a couple of photographers that are really awful. The guests at the above reception would unfortunately remember that reception as "the one where the DJ was so bad and ruined everything". That's not how we want guests to remember receptions!
So we started out with a list of DJ's that we felt we could recommend. Then we started having little problems here and there. Nothing huge, just little irritating things--a DJ that showed up with contacts that looked like goat eyes (really creepy!!) DJ's that were late arriving and ended up setting up their equipment when the guests were already arriving--DJ's that behaved in an inappropriate manner--DJ's that wouldn't listen to us when we told them we needed to let them know when we were done pouring champagne and consequently they would start the toasts and we would still be pouring! The only DJ that we NEVER had any issues with was Transaudio. They were consistently professional, cooperative, on time, efficient, and totally prepared. Mark even keeps one DJ always on reserve so that if one of the other DJ's becomes ill or has an emergency, you are not without a DJ! Think about it, what happens if you have a DJ that works alone, just for himself, and he gets sick? You are without a DJ! After a couple years of beating our heads against the wall over other DJ's we finally decided that we were crazy to recommend anyone else other than Transaudio.
We had always had an excellent relationship with Transaudio. And by the way, we have never accepted any kickbacks or commissions from ANY vendors, Transaudio included. We don't believe in that. There are many banquet facilities that have "recommendations" that are simply people that have agreed to pay them a percentage for being recommended! How would you know that they are any good? Maybe they are just giving the hall a big percentage in order to work there, and the folks at the hall really don't care if they are good or not because they are getting a nice fat check every time that DJ works there. Think about it. This is a question that you should ask any vendor who recommends other vendors. Are they doing it because they are good and they want to see you have a fabulous reception, or are they getting some sort of financial reward for recommending them? We work only for YOU the BRIDE and GROOM, no one else. Your best interests are our most important consideration.
Because we only recommend Transaudio, Mark has installed speakers in the center tray of our ceiling on the four corners of the dance floor. This makes for some really nice "surround sound" rather than the somewhat flat blaring sound that comes from speakers that are just around the DJ. It makes such a difference. His system is small and compact, and it doesn't take up half the dancefloor. They have also installed special lighting on top of the wall behind the DJ for spotlights and dance lighting.
Transaudio also has a separate small system that they bring out for garden weddings. This is SO important! We have had other DJ's come in and try to provide music and microphones for garden weddings, and it is always a piecemeal, patched together, inadequate mess. They are simply not set up for it. When Transaudio does the wedding music, they have a totally separate system, so the dinner music is playing in the ballroom and the wedding music is playing in the garden, it's seamless. There is no schlepping speakers back in to the dancefloor after the wedding--the guests are walking into a room that is ready for a party, not dead silence. It makes such a difference!
I guess I need to qualify this by saying that I know there are other good DJ's out there. I'm not trying to say that Transaudio is the only good DJ in the country. BUT what I am saying is that Transaudio is uniquely positioned to provide the BEST service for your wedding and reception at Aberdeen Manor.
I often compare a wedding to an orchestra. I am the conductor and all the vendors are the various sections of the orchestra. When we have all worked and practiced together many times before, we make beautiful music together. But when you put a violin section (i.e. a vendor who isn't on our referral list) in our orchestra that has never practiced with us, the music gets all messed up because the violins aren't on the same page and don't know the music! Just as there are lots of good violinists, that still doesn't mean that they can just walk in and sit down and play with an orchestra without practice! Even great musicians practice with their orchestra before a performance, and that is what I am saying--Transaudio has practiced and practiced and practiced! We work together so closely, and so well. Isn't that the way you want your team to be?
What it all comes down to folks is this--we want your wedding and reception to be the very best that it can be. We know how important the DJ is, and we also know how important it is that we all work together. We call them A-Team Weddings when all the vendors are off of our Favorites List, because everything goes like clockwork. Everyone works together, the bride and groom have a fabulous evening! They don't have vendors asking them questions every five minutes, they don't need to worry because they know that they have great vendors, and everything comes off without a hitch.
We really shy away from telling someone who they HAVE TO use, but when it comes to your DJ, especially if your ceremony is at Aberdeen as well as the reception, we really feel that if you want a perfect event, you MUST have Transaudio. And after all, you only get one chance, so let's make sure your orchestra is all tuned up!
