Weddings and Receptions are A DJ TO GO's  Specialty!!!

When I started out as a Mobile DJ, I was thoroughly trained to perform at Wedding Receptions. Over the past 10 1/2 years, I have personally performed over 500 Wedding Receptions. Quality, Experience, and Dependability  are just a few  of the reasons why A DJ TO GO has become Pensacola's Wedding DJ of choice.

 There's no  greater celebration on earth than providing music that unites a man and a woman in holy matrimony and the ceremony that follows. In 2003,  I personally performed  83 events, including 38 Wedding Receptions, 37 Corporate Events, and 8 School Dances. Many, many more were turned away because of late planning. One of the first things you want to do when planning your wedding and reception is to book your entertainment immediately after reserving  your reception facility.  

Modern Bride Magazine recently had an article which stated "The entertainer you select will be taking on the responsibility of over 80% of the success of your reception and most likely is paid less than 5% of your total budget. If the DJ you hire is a poor performer or a no-show at your event, you have wasted your entertainment money. Don’t hire a cheap DJ. You will be sorry in the end".

Another article from the Pensacola Bridal Directory states "Choosing the DJ for your wedding reception can be one of the most important decisions you make to insure the success of your event. Everything else can be perfect, but if the music isn't good, the party can fizzle". It also goes on to state "While the cost is always a consideration, be sure to remember that sometimes the higher prices also reflects the experience of this DJ".

If It's Not Ron Ralph, It's Not A DJ TO GO

Be careful out there!!! There are a few other DJ services that have taken part of my company name and included it in theirs. This causes confusion with customers and other Wedding Vendors. I am the original A DJ TO GO.
I have never hired anyone else to work for me!!! I have always been a single system DJ from the very start of my company in 1996!!!

When you hire A DJ TO GO for your next event, it’s your insurance policy for an evening of fantastic entertainment. I have over 10 years of personal experience performing at weddings. Why take a chance and hire a friend or a cheap, inexperienced DJ? The entertainment is often the most important part of any special occasion but the most overlooked and  underpaid. The DJ is normally the last service chosen after much of your budget has been spent on the reception facility, food, clothing, flowers, photographer, and the limousine. This often leads Brides and Party Planners to shop for the cheapest DJ. Does it make more sense to pay for more for a wedding cake than for the entertainment? The flowers? The veggie platter? They are all necessities, but will do very little to get your guests up and dancing!!!

Personalized Service- Because I perform all events myself, I will work directly with you to make your reception memories last a lifetime!!! Where else can you work directly with the owner and DJ who will perform personally at your event? Not with most other DJ's in Pensacola!!! Would you trust hiring a Multi-Operation DJ service and take a chance on having a young, inexperienced DJ perform at your reception?

6 Page Wedding Pre-Event Planner- Once we contract, I will provide you with a 6 page Wedding Pre-Event Planner. This will help you and I customize a wedding reception to meet your particular wants and needs. The planner is designed to get you thinking about many traditions you may not be aware of and whether you want to incorporate them into your own reception.  I am a firm believer in the phrase "Pre Planning Prevents Poor Performance" Therefore, I spend countless hours before your reception to ensure the wedding reception has been meticulously planned and well coordinated.

Early Arrival- I will arrive at your chosen location at least an hour prior to scheduled play time. I do not charge for arriving early. I do not charge a setup fee like some of my competitors. I will be ready to play at your event at least 20-30 minutes prior to contracted time.

Tuxedo Dressed- I will dress in a full Tuxedo for all weddings and receptions. Professionalism and appearance have always been the cornerstone of my company. There's no reason on earth why a DJ should show up wearing anything less!!!

Wedding Reception Manager- At a Wedding Reception, it takes all of the wedding vendors to work cohesively as a team to ensure the success of the event. Therefore, I will provide all the other Wedding Vendors the Sequence of Events we have discussed in our pre-event planning meeting

Master Of Ceremonies- I will announce all of the wedding traditions so your guests will know exactly what is happening and when. "An uninformed guest is an unhappy guest" Think about the last time you went to a reception and the DJ never announced any of the formalities. Was it boring? Was it unorganized?

Common Courtesy-I will be courteous to all of your guests!!! During dinner, I will walk around table to table and introduce myself and speak to your guests. They will be encouraged to make requests, as long as it's within good taste and not on your Do Not Play List, which is a part of your Pre-Event Planning.

Continuous Music from Start to Finish- I will play a variety of good, clean music from the time contracted until the end of your reception without any musical breaks.  Unlike a band or some other DJ's, I do not personally take any breaks when I'm working. You won't find me outside taking a smoke break. You won't find me at the Bar. You will find me entertaining your guests as that's what I'm getting paid to do.

Volume Controlled Music- "You are attending a wedding, not a Rock Concert" Playing music at a comfortable level is crucial at weddings. One would not want to play music so blaringly loud, that it makes the ears hurt. I will play music at a lower level during  dinner and then increase the volume gradually for the Formal Dances and Open Dance Floor Time. A DJ should never play the music so loud that it that it makes guests nauseated  with the low Bass sound and high pitched decibels!!!

Ask anyone what they remember most about the last wedding reception they attended. They will either tell you the DJ was fantastic and they had the time of their life or the DJ was really bad and they went home early. That’s the difference between hiring a cheap DJ service and A DJ TO GO. I will do everything within my power to ensure appropriate music is played for all ages to enjoy. My goal is simply to exceed all of your expectations of what you perceive a Disc Jockey to be. I take my job seriously and it shows.

Common Mistakes In Budgeting Your Wedding Money

While they look nice, they are often expensive and are going to melt your dollars away. It's merely eye candy. Don't let your money melt away!!!

Order them from A DJ TO GO. I carry an exclusive line of Invitations from Carlson Craft. I will give you a discount when you book me and order invitations from me!!!

Instead of real flowers, rent or purchase artificial flowers for table decorations. They will not die and can be used again and again. Sure, you're going to need real flowers for the boutonnières, the bridesmaids, and your bouquet, but only purchase what you will need when it comes to real flowers. Don't let your money wilt away!!! You can also save money by using decorative candles as your table centerpieces instead of flower centerpieces.

Just like entertainment, the pictures are the next most important part of your reception. Hire a qualified photographer. Look at pictures in their studio. Make sure they are individually owned and operated. You, for sure, want to know exactly who your photographer is just as well as you DJ. Never hire the cheapest photographer.

Consider them a waste of money. Most often, the picture will not come out right. Mostly due to people hastily taking pictures, kids snapping shots, poor lighting conditions, and so one. You can save yourself a few hundred dollars on the cameras and film development and put the money to better use elsewhere.

Balloons have become popular for decorating wedding receptions. But considering how long they last, is it really worth spending that much money for just a few short hours they will stay afloat? At the end of the reception, they are going to get popped and your guests are going to suck the helium out of them. Do you want to take on the liability of someone getting brain damage because they thought it was "fun" to talk in a high squeal. Wouldn't it make more sense to spend a few dollars less on balloons and a few dollars more on entertainment?

Keep it simple, yet elegant. When it comes to cakes, don't overdo it.    Take into consideration that some of your guests may not eat cake because of their dietary restrictions. Just like the food, I have seen a great deal of cake go home because there was simply too much. 

Why hire a band to play and have "Dead Air" in between songs? I have the same classical music for wedding traditions as a band has.  I recently did the music for a bride and groom where they hired a quartet to play the ceremony music at the same location as the reception. The quartet had so much "Dead Air" in between songs, the bride was getting frantic and wanted to know if I could do something about it. Unfortunately, she learned the hard way. She spent over $600 for the quartet for less than 45 minutes worth of music. A total waste of money!!!

Consider a cash bar
 

Complimentary Beer and Wine is cheaper than a cash bar with a Bartender!!

Consider having a "cash bar" instead of a "hosted" or "open bar". You will save a tremendous amount of money. Alcohol is marked up quite a bit at an event. I recently did a wedding reception where the bride and groom had an open bar. At the end of the evening, the catering manager provided the bride and groom with an invoice for over $3500 worth of alcohol their guests drank!!! Do you want to take the responsibility of a guest driving home impaired? Again, your money can be better shuffled to help pay for the entertainment.

Stay away from it!!!

It's a money pit!!!