Maverick Event Center in Half Moon Bay (https://maverickseventcenter.com)

This is one of the most beautiful ceremonies visually I ever been a part of.  The ceremony area is close to the reception area. The grass is well kept. You can actually hear the cute otters in the ocean. From the looks of it, one can have a wedding with 60 to 80 guests in the grass area. 

It was a wee bit windy so we opted to use the wireless microphone since the lapel would pick up too much of it.  I also included a wired microphone next to the officiant. Two days early I got my hands on QSC CP speakers. They are way lighter than the other qsc speakers I have but makes it convenient for ceremonies since it does not require super loud music. I like having two speakers than one in ceremonies. I know it is not necessary but it just sounds so much better.  The officiant did an excellent job with the ceremony. Alison (www.ceremoniesbyalison.com) was an awesome storyteller and it seemed like she knew the bride and groom personally from how well she told their story. 

The reception area was well decorated. They had a candy area for guests to stock up on sweets. The staff was nice. We were able to play music at a good volume. It is good to watch the volume because to be considerate of neighbors. 

Overall, Mavericks Event Center is a nice venue to have events at in Half Moon Bay. Keep in mind during the summer months beware of beach goers so allow yourself more time to get to the destination. But the view of the ocean and the ambiance is worth the extra drive. 

The Sea by Alexander Steakhouse in Palo Alto (https://theseausa.com/home/)

Last Wednesday, I had a corporate event at the Sea by Alexander Steakhouse. This restaurant can hold multiple events at one time. (https://theseausa.com/privatedining/) My group were able to hang out in the outside patio then came in to our room. They also had a trivia team that led the group with a trivia session. I was able to hook up the trivia team into my system so everyone could hear their questions and their music. Once they were done with their trivia session, I had a karaoke machine hooked up to my system. I made sure I brought my 14 channel mixer to plug in my dj controller, two wireless microphones, two wired microphones and a channel for the trivia music.

Let me talk about the beauty of this location. I was able to have dinner during the trivia session and the food was the best I had at any venue. The food just melted in my mouth. The salmon and the roast beef were so perfect. The dessert was picture perfect and it was as good as it looked. At the end of the night a staff member helped me load up my suv with my dj equipment. We even had to take a flight of stairs! The best food and the most helpful staff at the Sea by Alexander Steakhouse in Palo Alto make it an easy choice in the peninsula area. It is a no brainer to have your corporate event (in house sound system and a built in projector) or private event at this venue. 

Sycamore Vineyards in Morgan Hill

I was fortunate enough to play at Sycamore Vineyards in Morgan Hill. They are able to host ceremonies, receptions and private events. They were able to accommodate an inside ceremony or an outside in no time. I was set up inside then the weather cleared and within 15 minutes they were able to make the outside area ready and they were professional and made it happen!

The staff was very helpful. They did everything to make the event as enjoyable as possible. They let me know if there was anything I needed be sure to ask. They were easy to work with and kept me in contact before the wedding. During the wedding we were in constant communication to make sure the wedding went smooth as possible.

The outside ceremony area has a view of pretty vineyards. For the cocktail area people can play bocce ball that they offer at no cost while other venues charge to play the game. Inside the reception area was many wine barrels to give a nice touch. The venue offers their own food menu and I give it two thumbs up. The place offers their own djs and if other djs are brought it they have to have insurance and have to sign an agreement to follow the venues rules (such as professional attire and not having subwoofers). The manager was helpful with helping me find the right insurance.

Overall a very beautiful venue to have an event. They have everything inhouse and it best to go that route to keep it nice and easy. It is a good  all in one venue.

The wedding is full of special songs for specific events. A romantic song is played for the first dance and Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” is played for the bouquet toss. After all the selected songs are played it is time for the Open Dance. At that time, I would throw on Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” to get everyone to the dance floor. That song would get everyone in the party mood.

Recently HBO started streaming Leaving Neverland which talks about the allegations of Jackson’s misconduct. So, the question for djs is : Should MJ be played at weddings or events?

About two weeks ago, I did a school fundraiser with just adults. I asked one of the hosts if it would be ok to play Michael Jackson it was a quick no. I always play Michael Jackson. There was a point of the night where I felt I could have thrown in some PYT and one guest asked for Thriller but I did not play it for that event.

He has been an icon and a staple for years. I believe that since the show was recent there has been some folks who feel strongly about MJ not being played. I have asked some people if they have seen the documentary but not many have seen it. There has been debate in Dj circles and both sides have valid points. After hearing both sides and putting in more thought, I do agree with the djs who say that it is up to the clients who hire you and they can tell you if that are comfortable with playing MJ.

The First Dance of the wedding is monumental. There is debate that folks say the couple should dance the whole song so they couple can relish the moment and the videographer and cameraman can get different angles of the couple during the dance.

I do not believe in should. All weddings are a product of the couple so they can choose how long their song and dance can be. If the couple wants to dance for a few minutes and the dj can fade the song away can be an option. If a couple cannot decide on one song, the dj can premix two songs into one and couples can be creative with their dance. The first song can be a slow song then it can turn into a salsa song to add some spice to the dance. Speaking of being creative, the couple can hire a dance instructor for their first dance. Also communicate with your dj so he can play the song when the couple are on the dance floor since it may be choreographed. It would be good to get the right song version. Best advice, that I can give is to practice the first dance with the music before the wedding. Practice the moves and also smiling. Some people get nervous and forget to smile. 

When does the first dance happen? When I help set up weddings, I do suggest having it right after the grand entrance. All the attention is on the couple so why not grab their attention for a few minutes more. There is no food in front of the guests so there have less distraction during the first dance. 

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A wireless microphone relies on a receiver and looks nice. They can be place on a microphone stand next to the officicant and one can be placed close to the couple so you can hear their vowels. A concern for wireless microphones is it may drop the signal. Wireless microphones can work well but there is always a slight chance of the signal dropping or the battery running out of juice. It can be tested before the ceremony and work well but with wireless technology it can drop at any moment. 

A lapel microphone is placed near the collar. One does not need to hold it with the hands so the hands can be holding a book or other objects. The speaker can talk normally and the sound is sent to the speaker. Since the lapel is wireless there is a slight chance that that the signal may drop. Also if the lapel is turned on early, guest may hear the groom say something before the wedding starts that can be embarrassing. With the wind, it can be heard on the speaker since the lapel is sensitive and there is a slight chance of feedback. 

A corded microphone may not look as fancy as a wireless microphone or a lapel but one does not have to worry about it dropping any signal. It can be put on a microphone stand so it does not need to be held. 

It does not matter what microphone you chose there is always a chance of feedback. It happens when the speaker moves in front of the speaker or standing in certain areas. It is the dj’s job is lower the volume of the microphone and gradually increase the volume.