We are up for anything. We had a last minute event (anything 2 weeks or less is considered a last minute event) and we had a dj available and what made it perfect was it was our latin dj so it was a latin party in Gilroy.  The weather has not been the greatest so we had to figure out if we needed a tent or if the party was going to be inside. We kept in communication with the client to see what the status was going to be.  The party was at a ranch with a lot of room but it was outside inside a tent. When the dj got there there was a mariachi playing and the dj was the dessert of the evening.  There was a lot of Ozuna and Maluma on the playlist. Definitely a lot of reggaeton. It was like 95 percent Spanish and 5 percent English.  It was a lot of   dance music that did a good job of covering the aspect that it was raining. It just proves that when enough planning you can still have an event or a plan B.

 They did have a piñata there too. The kids and adults had a shot at it! Even though there was rain it still was a happening party. It was so fun the police came to visit. So there was loud music going on with mariachi and early on the police did visit but they did not come again once we adjusted the volume. I did speak with the client and he was happy with the night. 

  We had a Corporate function at Dr. Funk in downtown San Jose in San Pedro Square. San Pedro Square is one of the most happening spots in the area.  There is so much to do there and its in a close vicinity. There is plenty of parking and you can literally hop from spot to spot in that area. 

Dr. Funk is a new tiki bar that can host private parties. We djed a private party last weekend and we had a ball. It was the second year we did an event for this company. Last year we were at Dave and Busters in Milpitas and now this year we were at San Pedro Square.

We loved their fun playlist.  They had Beyoncé, Dua  Lipa  then the classics from Mac Drew, Too Short, E-40  Keak da Sneak. A truly bay area party with those bay area legends and then some Ice Cube,Tupac, Biggie, Lil Kim, Mace, Faith Evans,  Eminem and Mary  J Blige.  Then they did request some pop hits from Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Nsync and Bruno Mars.

  We love these kind of lists. It gives us the ability to create a fun dance vibe on the dance floor. The party was on a Sunday and the next day was a holiday. It was smart of the company to rent out the place on a Sunday instead of a Saturday since it would cost more. The next day was a holiday so they can party like it is a Saturday. Love the fact that they had food there then it was dance time. The perfect party with a perfect  playlist!

Venue! This has to be the most important decision of prom. You have to make sure the venue an accommodate your guest count.

Theme and Decorations! Make sure the leadership team agree on the theme and how to decorate. A prom is made great by a great leadership collaboration. They have to decorate the venue or hire a company that will abide by they taste.

Entertainment! Gone are the days that schools hire bands. They go with djs since they can play all sorts of genres. It is always risky to hire a dj that never played for your school before. Make sure the dj played for you during homecoming and if you never had them play for you then ask the neighboring schools for recommendations. A lot of the same music is played in certain areas of the city so you want someone who knows the crowd. Why not add a photobooth to the mix!

Catering! Often times the venues can provide their own catering but as a class you should look at their menu and see if there are other 3rd party options. Also keep in mind not everyone can get everything. There are vegans and folks who cannot eat diary or bread. It is good to have alternative options.

Promotion! Offer a discount on early ticket sales and increase the ticket prices as it gets closer.

Safety Measures: You want to make sure kids are sober and ready to have a good time and you do not want to deal with drunk party goers so its good to have plenty of chaperones around.

We are part of the Levi’s experience this past weekend and will be part of it next weekend. There will be a Black and White Affair dj Saturday and Sunday doing a marathon set. We will be providing the vibe while folks look at the fresh Levi Gear. On Saturday we will be doing a 12 to 8 set then Sunday we will be doing a 12 to 7 set. Last year Levi did a few stores with music then this year they had more stores do it. Levi’s posted it on their social media and people knew about it. There is always something special when a do is playing at a retail store. Usually when I go to stores the music is easy listening. I remember I went to a grocery store one time and the music was super funky and I’m like wow it makes a huge difference in the store experience.

   Music wise we go with the top 40 then we also include old school plus some mass songs. Old school would include 80s. 90s, and 00s.  Its crazy to believe that 2000s is considered old school. How time flies! But the good thing about music is the younger generations are appreciating the music that their parents listened to. I am noticing that more and more at teen events when they make their requests. There are so much  new music coming   out that  some of it falls through  the cracks but the old school classics still stick around and make  the  shopping  experience a bit more enjoyable. Please go visit Levis and say what’s up to the dj! Happy Holidays!

This has to be the best homecoming season for us this year. We did proms for schools and they invited us back to do their homecoming.  We love really love doing high school dances. They give us songs that fuel the dance floor and what we do is we build off each list so the playlist is full of energy. We have 6 high school lists to work off when we step into prom season. Each school is different. Typically, someone from the school body will send us a playlist via Spotify or google doc. Then we add their songs to our playlist and we make sure we have clean versions.

Los Gatos told us not to worry about the lights. We just showed up with our sound and their light show was amazing. Our dj said it felt like he was doing a festival. Los Gatos did bring their energy.

Evergreen had an outside event and it was very festive. A lot of kids showed up and it was a huge party. Evergreen always comes to play hard!

The Kings Academy had their homecoming after their football game and we rocked it in the gym.

Independence had their homecoming in the middle of the school outside and they provided a playlist that bumped and the students loved the vibe.

Yerba Buena is happening  next  week and we always have a blast with them.

James Lick is having their homecoming this Saturday and the Saturday before Halloween is always a good time.

Thank you high schools for helping us providing the soundtrack of your memorable events!

Saratoga Elementary family night 2023 is always a blast! Kids running and dancing everywhere with many food trucks to choose from. We enjoyed many family friendly hits including some kid favorites like Gummy bear, old school hits from Michael Jackson, baby shark, 24k magic by Bruno mars, and many more!

What makes it fun is the music for the whole families and how competitive it is with all the games we play. We do set up musical chairs and the students can not get enough of that. We also hold a hula hoop contest for the boys and girls.  Seems like with every event we do there they do something bigger. This time they had food trucks and even the fire station was representing.  The whole family comes to the event and everyone truly enjoyed themselves. Mom and dad are there with siblings were there and it was the place to be.

One of the best ways to have a memorable wedding is to plan a destination wedding. It combines the joy of getting married with the chance of exploring a new destination across your country or even abroad! But, planning a destination wedding requires careful consideration and planning in the aspects of choosing a location, setting a sound budget, and making it easy for guests to travel and enjoy the event. In this article by BWADJ, we’ll explore the step-by-step process couples can take for planning a successful destination wedding.

Choose a Great Location

The whole point of a destination wedding is to host it at a great location. Hence, the first step will be to brainstorm the best locations and then rank them based on feasibility, cost, and preference.

• Weather: For those planning to host the ceremony outdoors, weather should be one of the first factors to consider. Research your destinations’ average weather patterns and temperature during your preferred dates. Additionally, it’s best to steer clear of locations that are prone to extreme weather conditions.

• Accessibility: Hosting a wedding on an island or mountain top are great ideas, however as the host, it’s important to ensure that all guests including seniors and those requiring health accommodations can attend your wedding. For this reason, it’s best to choose locations that are easily reachable by cars or public transportation.

• Preference: At the end of the day, it is your wedding and you have the freedom to choose the location that best meets your needs. Whether it be a place with which you have a personal connection or a destination inspired by your favorite movie, your preference should take priority while making a decision.

Set a Budget

Setting a clear budget is crucial for any wedding, but it becomes even more critical for a destination wedding, where expenses can quickly add up. As reported by Bankrate, the average cost of a wedding and reception as of 2022 stood at $30,000. Consider the following steps to establish a realistic budget:

• Research Local Costs: The cost of decorations, catering, and other wedding-related activities vary across locations. Conduct online research to ascertain how much you’ll be paying based on the location(s) you shortlist.

• Include Travel Expenses: Remember to account for the travel expenses of you and your immediate family, given that there is a high chance you will be traveling together. Additionally, flight and train fares constantly fluctuate, hence it’s best to book well in advance and take advantage of group discounts to keep costs low.

• Create an Emergency Fund: Unexpected costs and last-minute charges are more common than you think, as reported by Brides. Hence, it’s best to set aside an emergency fund of 10-20% of your total budget to safeguard yourself from surprise costs.

Save Money with DIY Invitations

While decorations, catering, and other big-ticket items are best left to the professionals, you can save a considerable amount of money by designing your own invitations. 

• Use Online Design Tools: There are various great online design tools using which you can create a great wedding invitation within a few clicks. You can also personalize it based on your theme, location, and other preferences. Click here to try one of the best tools for designing wedding invitations. 

• Share Invitations Digitally: Additionally, instead of spending hundreds of dollars on printing cards, consider sharing them via email or messaging apps. 

Help Guests With Accommodations & Travel Plans

Helping your guests with planning accommodations and travel will result in a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. 

• Negotiate Group Bookings: For close friends and family, consider getting buy-in from everyone to purchase a group package. This will result in considerable savings and an organized travel schedule. 

• Provide a Wedding Guide: Once your wedding plans have been finalized, consider creating a guide that encompasses all the information things guests should know, such as the date, ceremony schedule, best accommodation options, and more to keep everyone informed and on the same page.

When it comes to hosting a destination wedding, planning will be key. In addition to choosing a location, you'll need to create a sound budget and utilize the best ways to keep costs in check, by creating your own invitations and making group bookings.

Recently we did a backyard gathering in South San Jose. I knew it was going to be special since the birthday girl was so excited about it. She mentioned she felt like a kid at a candy store and wanted everything to be perfect. She called me months in advance to share her vision of her party. I was able to sit down and make a list of all her favorite songs. She also wanted rare Brazilian songs that she was able to make sure we had them. There are different ways to get song ideas from folks. You can have them just email you a list or you can send them a list of popular songs and they can highlight the songs that they like. When a dj can get a sample playlist it makes it easier to get the vibe right. I remember getting a list of 7 songs from a client and it was difficult to determine what the client actually wanted. But it was a wedding so there are different parts that require different kinds of music.  She was very excited sharing her playlist.  She mentioned she would have about 30 of her closest friends at her function. She had a taco catering company supply the food. There is nothing like a dj playing hits for the 90s and todays tracks. Some of the tracks included Dynamite by Taio Cruz, Beat It by MJ, Please Don’t Stop the Music by Rihanna, Disco Inferno by the Trammps, Treasure by Bruno Mars. There was two hours of cocktails and dinner and the last two hours was nonstop dancing.