There is so much to do in the Bay Area and there are many planners out there that can find you the right event space and vendors to make it stress-free for everyone. The planner’s job is to be organized and create the event based on your vision.

First and foremost, the company needs to know how much money can they spend on the event and it will help determine if they can afford the planner or not. Sometimes the company elects to have someone from their site with little or no experience secure a venue and also the vendors and hope everything goes well! But if budget allows then it is best to hire a professional who knows the field and knows which vendors can be trusted.

Do some online searches for Bay Area planners who have corporate experience. Pick 3 to 5 that stand out from the searches that you have done. Then it is good to reach out to them and find out if they have done similar events before recently and their level of experience. It would be good to connect with their reviews to see how good their prior work has been. Talk with the planner to see what ideas they have for your event and that would be a good way to see how experienced the planner is.

Once a planner has been selected then have them start on the planning right away since with more time often times equals better results with nothing being rushed. Working with planners, communication is key and check on the progress of your event since it is the company’s manager’s job to worry but the planner will keep him/her at ease!

One of the most common questions we get is what is the cost to do a school dance. This question is a hard one to answer since there are many answers. In the San Jose area, there is a saturation of Djs. Silicon Valley is the mecca of tech so many folks dive in the technology functions of a dj. Long gone are the record players (Technics) that play 12 inch vinyl which took way more skill and more of a financial responsibility. These days it is so much easier to mix music with the sync button and downloadable music. This makes it easier for the buyer since they have so many djs to choose from.

Find out with the dj is legit. It may be hard to see which djs are professional when you first speak with them. Just be aware of djs who undercharge since they are cutting corners and why are they under valuing their service. A good way to detect the quality of the dj is to look up their online reviews. It proves what quality or lack there of service they have and the customer can feel confident in their pick.

Costs of Prom DJs

Since proms due have budget constraints, it is best to let the dj know to see if the dj can work with it or they can recommend somebody who can do it that that price. Since proms can be extravagant events I have seen ranges of 600 to 1200 for the 4 to 6 hour event. In different parts of the country they have different rates but when it comes to the Bay Area it is on the higher end.

Menlo Park Wedding Venue Holbrook Palmer Park

Up the 101 there is a pretty park that can hold weddings and private functions. Included is a ceremony area that includes trees and stairs great for pictures. One can hold a small intimate wedding at the venue. Then they can walk about a 150 steps to get to the dinner slash cocktail area which is an outside area. It would be an ideal for a summer gathering. There is shade for the outside the dinner slash cocktail area. 

I was part of a beautiful wedding celebration this past Saturday. I set up in the corner of the ceremony in the shade which I was so grateful. Classical music from Bach and Beethoven was the pre-ceremony music but the rest of the music was so unique. It was by far a very custom event and not your cookie cutter ceremony.  In the procession, a dancer gave her interpretation of a catchy muppet song. The officiant was a friend of the bride and groom and he said great insights about the couple. The couple had touching vows that they shared with their guests. 

There were many highlights of the night but one that stuck out was the bride wanted to dedicate a song to her new husband. She was able to arrange an instrumental and sing a beautiful song in front of everyone right after the thank you speech. It was a big surprise for everyone. Everyone knew the bride can sing but no one knew she was going to give them this treat.

The idea of a corporate event is to step away from the office and create an atmosphere for coworker bonding and building company culture. Often times the party is held outside of work hours and workers are encouraged to participate in the festivities.

 Being part of the Bay Area, there are so many choices to find a rare location. The first step is to book the venue then select the theme for your corporate event.

After the venue has been secured it is best to search for the vendors quickly. The good vendors may have an event so it is good to secure.  The longer you procrastinate the higher chance the vendor may not be available.

Also consider the theme of the event and the message that you want to share at the event.

Finally, you may think about the add ons such as food, and drinks and transportation for your guests. Providing transportation to the event and back will make it convenient for the guests in case they do not like driving to San Francisco for example or deal with parking situation.

Some Corporate events are similar to the year before and change is good. With the Bay Area as your venue to choose from, there are many options for cool activities.  A lot of time the major of the responsibilities is bestowed on one person which can be a bit stressful but with a team it can be easier to handle. Some venues can be all inclusive which can include a coordinator who can secure fun activities for your company to do.

Trivia: Everyone loves trivia. A Trivia host would need a PA system and a projector to display their questions. Different departments will face off with other departments to show their intelligence. Or better yet mix up the teams so different staff members can work with other members they would not typically work with. (www.Brainstormer.com)

DJ: The Dj can bring the party to the corporate event. They can include the lights for the dancing portion and also provide the music for the soundtrack of the night. Also they can provide the PA system for the host of the corporate event. (www.bwadj.com)

Karaoke Set Up: Some Djs have a Karaoke add on and can host the Karaoke event. Send the dj your list of retro hits so they are prepared. Team members can sing duets or in bigger groups. Make sure your dj brings multiple microphones for the karaoke singing.

Karaoke on Roids! Rockaroke: A basic Karaoke set up may not be enough. In the South bay, die hard Karaoke singers will get on stage and sing with a band behind them. (www.eventyoda.com/bay-area/events/rockaroke)

Escape Room: Groups of Coworkers are locked up in the room and they have to put their minds together to solve puzzles that help them escape the room. No man is an island and this activity gets everyone engaged since there is a time limit and puzzles to figure out.

Winchester Mystery House Scavenger Hunt and tour: Located in the heart of San Jose is the Winchester Mystery House. Garden Scavenger Hunt. The team look for clues on the grounds. It also includes a tour of the mansion. (www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/group-tours-team-building/)

Best load in in the business! It is so easy for outside vendors to park in 20 feet way you can unload everything. Staff is on it and make sure they get the door open and they are always readily available in case I needed anything. Recently we had a birthday celebration. The Birthday girl wanted the night club theme with karaoke. Dave and Busters catered the event buffet style. The main venue area had a nice bar area also The karaoke was available the whole night and folks were able to partake on it. Behind the Dj area there is a huge screen with a projector up high so in case the dj wanted to mix videos or show the karaoke above that could be an option. There is a good size stage and a good sized dance floor. They had these tall round tables on the side of the dance floor so guests can leave their drinks there and they did have some party games they can get involved in. What was cool was the tables were not there then someone told staff in within in 3 minutes all the tables were out. That is what I call service.

This is a great place to throw a party. You have you own private area then guests can go outside to the main arcade area and shoot free-throws, take out zombies, or race your fellow party goer in a race car. It is the best of both worlds.

Great staff and many options for fun at Dave and Busters in Milpitas.

Deep in South South San Jose is a beautiful golf course, Cinnabar Golf Course but it is more than a golf course. They have an event area to throw elegant parties. Last Saturday, I was at a wedding that was pleasant to the eye. The staff really did a good job setting up the tables and the décor. The wait staff was so on it. They were serving appetizers and made sure everyone had water at the table. It was a big wedding so they had a lot of work and handled it perfectly.  Cinanabar has an outside area where they can hold weddings or it can be the cocktail area. During the party they had managers to make sure the buffet line was not too long and they communicated to make sure the tables were released at their appropriate time. It was very efficient. Managers also introduced themselves to me and kept me in the loop of change of events. Cinnabar has a nice long bar to serve their guests. My favorite perk of the bar is they have fruit infused water that is self served in case the bartenders are serving others and you just want some water.

Cinnabar has had some new upgrades to the event area. They have a new white dance floor which stands out. It does feel more spacious than before. I was there last February and It has a fresh look. What I like about Cinnabar are the windows. They have windows everywhere so you can see wonderful expansive greens outside. I have done 2 weddings and a private party here and it has been phenomenal experiences. I look forward in playing her again soon.

One of the most important aspects of a Quince is finding the right dj to provide the soundtrack for your big event.  There are many items to make the party a success but the music sets the vibe for the whole event. In the Bay Area there are so many djs to choose from and we make it easy to help you decide.

Key Factors to Look For:

Dj will have social proof that they are good at what they do. Clients can look up google reviews and yelp reviews to get the gist of what kind of work the dj does. Ideally you want to select someone who has 5 stars. You would also want to see if the dj has experience with Spanish music if you are going to have Spanish music played at your party.

Dj will promptly respond to their clients via phone or email. Fast responses show professionalism.

Dj will be a professional and not a friend who has a laptop with rented speakers. A Quinceanera party is so similar to a wedding that it needs a time keeper to keep everything on track. Also you want someone how has experience with doing multiple events.

Dj will understand the playlist given and generate more songs that go with it

Dj will have Microphones, speakers, and lights.

Black and White Affair Dj Services (www.bwadj.com) has been in the business since 2004. We keep up with the latest music by doing numerous school events per year.  We make your event as smooth as possible with all our event experience. Let us provide the soundtrack for your big event.

Your dj search is over! Contact bwadj for your Quinceañera! Get your Spanish and music on! 408. 768 .4904