I like to help those who need help. I do the majority of the events and I have a few other djs on my team. But for the most part I prep all the playlists for the crew since I know music and I like doing that. There are times where I cannot do an event or my team can not either since we are previously booked or they have different price points. When someone calls looking for a dj I make sure I know their budget and I guide them to djs I know in the local market. Although we will not make a dime from the transaction I am sending out texts and emails to my dj counterparts to make sure the client gets taken care of. Most djs would not do that. I am different. I want to make sure the client gets the best dj they can afford and ensures they have a good party. I want to reward them for being one of the ones they call first.

I had a bride call me for a wedding in June. She sounded really nice and she has a nice intimate wedding planned. Its around where my second child is going to be born so I wouldn’t feel right taking it since I will be with my family. A lot of djs are already booked for the summer but I was able to connect the bride with an experienced dj.

Recently we played at an elementary school in Saratoga. We were called less than a week before to be part of this Family fun event. I typically do high school events so the vibe has to be different. It was a family event so I had to gather songs for the little kids and have some for the parents. Also I was asked to be interactive. I had some ideas and I let the coordinator know to see if they good accommodate. 

  One idea I had was to have some line dances. So I thought of the Macarena and the YMCA. I had to think of what little kids like to do. I went with musical chairs. What was amusing was we were supposed to do one round but we went 4 rounds. Kids kept on coming to play. We had some hula hoops and we had contest on who can do it the longest. We again went a few rounds since kids wanted to be a part of this. We incorporated little prizes that the students liked. It was an extra bonus with winning. You should have seen the excitement when we got closer to the end of the game.

There were a few songs of the night that were big hits. People were familiar about We Don’t Talk About Bruno. It is based on a cartoon. But the song that got everyone to the front was Baby Shark. We saw toddlers and their parents waddle to the front with their shark moves. One song that was requested multiple times was Barbie Girl by Aqua. 

Djs can provide the ceremony sound for weddings if needed. They can provide the service of setting up the speakers and having the microphones to work correctly. They can also be behind the mixing board to adjust volumes and in case of feedback or if someone needs a boast or reduced in volume based on their voice is soft or too loud. The dj can also cue up the music for the pre-ceremony music and entrance music for everyone to come in. 

Or the couple can do it DIY. Some djs only bring one speaker but I always bring two for the ceremony. It has a good balanced sound to it. A smart phone or tablet can be connected to the speaker via Bluetooth or a cable. You would still need someone to man the music to push play at the appropriate times. If it’s a small gathering then you would not need microphones or if it’s a chapel that has their own microphones then you set. But if you want to diy microphones, its crucial to have someone overseeing the volumes. 

So, which is better between getting a dj to do your sound versus diy? A diy rental would run about 150 to 300 dollars and you would have to pick it up and set it up or you would have it set up for you. The question is who ever is working it are they going to know how to use the gear correctly. A dj will be using their own equipment so they know how to use it. The cost for a dj to do the ceremony can range 300 to 500 dollars. 

Some people have no idea what a dj cost these days since they never hired one before. Not everyone can dj a Spanish event. They have to really know the music to truly rock a party. 

For a wedding, in case they want a Spanish Emcee then it will cost more since you may have an Emcee plus a dj who would be mixer. It all depends on how well you want the Spanish Spoken. 

For me, my Spanish is ok. Like If I had to give it a rate, I give it a 4 out of 10. I can communicate and understand everything in Spanish but I would feel comfortable with bringing a Spanish Emcee to the event. I know Spanish music pretty well. How much more would it be to have a Spanish Emcee. It can range from 200 to 500 dollars more to have a Spanish Emcee. 

If you just wanted Spanish music and some basic Spanish Announcements it would cost way less. Hourly Spanish/ English  djs in California can change 150 to 300 per hour. They are unique since they have a music collection and they can usually rock a party in English or in Spanish.

All a dj need would be a basic set up of a controller and 2 speakers. So, a four-hour event would good from 600 to 1200 dollars. Of course, Spanish Weddings would cost more than there is way more preparation. 

Please call Black and White Affair for your latin party vibe.

I had a formal  private high school dance in February at the Hayes Mansion. The Hayes Mansion is a huge property right off Blossom Hill exit. It is pretty easy to get to. I was able to communicate with the coordinator pretty easy and she was able to let me know where to park to unload my gear. The party was in the main ballroom. They had me set up on a stage with a table so that was nice since it gave me less items to set up.

Students were having dinner buffet style. I was supposed to play good songs early but not the really good ones since we would need them for the dancing portion of the night. Students were so well behaved. I was playing off a list that I could not deviate from and with students wanted a song that wasn’t on that list they were not upset at all. They just said ok that’s alright. One student was like can you play shorter amounts of the song if you can. Basically he wanted a quick mix but due to being limited on the song selections for this dance I had to play longer songs.

This place would be good spot for a high school prom. I mean the name of the place is Hayes Mansion so that is pretty classy itself. They do have a nice outside area where I am sure they can host events too. The main ballroom was big itself and the room acoustics sounded good. I was able to fill up the room with sound with only 2 speakers.

Brides article 

1 Food 2 Music 3 Décor 4 Bar 5 Dances 6 Entertainment 7 Couples Entrance

 8 Reception Location

There was an article put on on brides.com which got their info from Wedding Wire about what the millennial guest love about wedding receptions. I will touch on ones that the dj has their mittens on during the celebration. 

Food is number one on the list. Of course, the dj has nothing to do with selecting the food but I always recommend to the couples to always eat at the wedding. Most time couples get caught up in the excitement of seeing family and friends and taking pictures that sometimes they forget to eat. Make sure you chow down!

Music was marked number 2. I also believe it’s one of the most important factors of a reception. It sets up the vibe for the celebration. During cocktail hour, you want a good atmosphere while your guests are socializing with some upbeat music. Dinner time is not the time to put everyone to sleep, the dj can actually mix feel good music to keep the party going. At times right before dancing the dj can tease with some sing along to get folks in the dancing mood. 

Next on the list are things djs have nothing to do with: Décor, bar and drinks. I can give my two cents on these since I have been to a lot of weddings. Decorations do make a huge difference and is important. Bar and Drinks I have mixed feelings. I have been to some weddings where there was no alcohol and we had a good time. There were other times where they had open bar and it was a crazy good time. If you have beliefs in not having alcohol at your event then do not do it. But if you are ok with a bar then it is a good investment.

Dances are on the list on what guests’ value. The first dance is a monumental as the first dance as husband and wife. I have seen fancy dances mixed in with some modern choreography with a special dj edit. I have seen just a slow dance with the couple slow dancing and enjoying every minute of it. A good dj would not have his dance floor lights on since it does not do the photographer justice to take a good picture of the first dance. Dances also include parents dancing with the bride and groom. 

Entertainment was on that list. Will there be a photobooth? Some djs have their own booth or can refer a trusted vendor to provide that fun wedding service. 

The Grand entrance one of the most important moments of the night. The guests are seated then stand up when the guests of honor come in. On the speakers is a fun song while they stroll in. A good dj will coordinate to make sure everyone walking out is in order then will announce their names. Then when the bride and groom the djs switches up the song. That is when everyone stands up to celebrate the bride and groom. 

A dj does not have any say about the location of the reception area. Most times the couple picks the venue and has a date picked for the wedding. But a good dj would have venues they like and could suggest to the couple in case they are having a hard time securing their event. Just a heads up, these times Saturdays in 2022 are filling up fast and probably already filled. Be open to having a Friday or Sunday wedding if you have not secured Saturday 2022 wedding by now. 

99 percent of the schools I do events for the student body provides of their songs they like to hear. I also recommend that it’s a combined effort from different students to make sure you get different types of music.  I try to find them and I make sure they are school appropriate then I put it in the playlist. If the song does have profanity, then I can edit it so the bad words cannot be heard but for the most part the songs I find are clean. The list that they give me is a good starting point. They may give me 50 to 60 songs. If you think about it, you can play around 25 songs per hour and you have 2 hours of music to choose from that list. Most school events are 3 to 4 hours and proms are like 5 hours. From the list you can get similar songs that fit the vibe that school is trying to have.

The small percentage of schools who provide a list of must plays and cannot play other songs can also work. The only difference is the school has to do most of the prep work to send the list and it has to be enough for 4 to 5 hours if it’s like for a 3-hour event. Some songs are really good to dance to while others may not be much of a hit. So the dj too has to prep to locate pretty much all the songs on the list so to keep the party going. The dj cannot rely on his/her crutch of other school’s playlists to help in a jam. The event I did this past fall it went pretty well. I just went by their list and made it work. Students were very respectful and it was a good time. 

What do I prefer? I can do both. When I have a playlist where I can stray from I can use prior school dance lists where students really enjoyed the music. It would take less time to prep. With only songs to be played on this list dances, it helps me focus on new songs I never considered and I can incorporate in my rotation. 

Please consider Black and White Affair DJ services for your High School Dance event. From August to November 2021 we did 5 high school dances and loved every minute of it. We have the experience and the sound to keep the dance floor packed and school officials content!

Are you thinking of having an office party? Please contact us!

If you are planning a Bay Area Corporate event in San Jose, Milpitas, Fremont, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Livermore, Sunnyvale or Mountain View, or Palo Alto, we are the go to!

We are able to beat match favorites and new chart tracks seamlessly and bring excitement to your team. We are all about being professional and classy.

The boss has given you the opportunity to throw an event. It can be a bit of stress. What happens if the vendors are not good? I believe in surrounding myself with like minded folks so I can recommend folks to are a master of their craft and I know a lot of nice venues to throw events. Let me help you make this event stress free as possible. 

I am a firm believer of showing employees that they are appreciated for what they do. Don’t let them down by not getting the right entertainment for the event. The right dj will provide the right atmosphere for the event.

What do we bring? We bring enough sound for the event. Do you need 2 speakers or 6? We have enough to make sure there is enough sound for the event. Do you need an Emcee to host the event? That is easy as Sunday Morning! We can play music to fit the mood whatever you want for the event. We also work with all sorts of talent so we can recommend anyone locally in case you need those referrals.

Ideas in case you want to have a dj at your company events:

Holiday parties

Celebration of a good quarter 

Galas

Outdoor socials

Network events

Charity Events

Please contact Black and White Affair Dj Services for you next corporate event. We believe in making everything like our mixes seamless and enjoyable. Events are our thing and come second nature. We worked with different corporations and no two are the same and we make sure we make each event custom as can be.