Spencer Weddings | Sacramento, Folsom, Roseville DJ Entertainment

Changing lives for a better world

A lot of people have charities they support. My good friend Stacie Tamaki works with Helping Tami and Bone Marrow Drives. Another friend of mine, Liz Guthrie, launched the hugely successful Wish Upon A Wedding just this year.  All my years of experience has allowed me to perform events for national organizations such as Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, American Heart Association, and All Stars Helping Kids.

Music changes lives too

Growing up, I had the privilege of learning to play violin during 6th-8th grade middle school. I remember in elementary school we played a variety of instruments, including the recorder, xylophone, and piano. This was all in public school. Thanks to budget constraints, No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, standardized testing, and much more, music and arts are being removed from our schools. That just is not fair to today’s children.

My experience while earning my Master of Science in Education Media Design & Technology opened up my eyes to how valuable music is to not just creativity, but learning as a whole. We actually had an entire class that explores how the musical components of tone, melody, harmony, rhythm, composition, performance, and listening can connect students to a more authentic learning experience, regardless of the curriculum focus.

This December, I have made the decision to support a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education in America’s public schools. The VH1 Save The Music Foundation was originally founded in 1997, and to date has provided more than $47 million in new musical instruments to 1,750 public schools in over 100 cities nationwide. They have impacted the lives of more than 1.6 million children.

My 5% pledge to support music in education

I will donate 5% of the total event wage from all events that reserve with Spencer Weddings and Entertainment in the month of December. That’s thirty-one days to support VH1 Save The Music by simply hiring my DJ, Master of Ceremonies, Lighting, or PA Support for your event. This is not just limited to weddings, but also includes any corporate, holiday and private parties as well.

So what are you waiting for?  Head over to the Request For Information page or call me at (408) 426-8117 right now to support VH1 Save The Music and have fun doing it at the same time!

Save 25% on Nov 27th through Nov 30th with Small Business Saturday!

In celebration of the holidays, Spencer Weddings and Entertainment will be participating in Small Business Saturday this weekend. Because I know that many of you want to get in line early for Black Friday, and perhaps support other locals on Small Business Saturday, and perhaps sit around home and shop on Cyber Monday, this deal will last through the close of business on Tuesday, November 30th!

All you have to do is give me a call at (408) 426-8117 or (831) 531-7008, head over to the Request Information page, or check the date of your event on the right column from this page.  We’ll get a free consultation meeting scheduled over a hot cup of coffee or tea supporting my favorite local coffee shop, Mission City Coffee Roasting Co. in Santa Clara.

What happens at this meeting?

During this free appointment we will be discussing the overall details of your wedding. Pricing of packages, system requirements, and a run though of how you envision your ceremony and reception. I will walk-through all of my planning materials, how I structure additional planning sessions, and discuss additional services, such as event lighting.

This meeting usually takes about an hour while we get to know each other and you determine if I am the right style of entertainment to make your special day memorable.

But hurry!!  You must meet with me and reserve my services before the end of November!

Get an added 5% BONUS

Because this really is the celebration of Small Business Saturday, you’ll receive an additional 5% off if you meet me and reserve services on Saturday, November 27th. That’s a chance to save a total of 30%* off you Master of Ceremonies, Disc Jockey, Event Direction, and Event Lighting – all for taking an hour out of your day to meet with me!

*You have a chance to save over $1000 on wedding DJ services if you reserve everything I have to offer!

Studio MSV - Artisan Wedding Films for the Couture Bride

The last two decades of wedding videography has left a bad taste in the mouths of most wedding consumers. If there was anything worse than a cheesy disc jockey, it was the super bright light of a bulky camera on the shoulders of a video guy running around and blinding everyone on your dance floor. The good news, those days are over.

How it all began…

Last week, I was shared a video produced by one of the best in the wedding industry, Andrew Hsu of Studio MSV in San Francisco. When I first clicked on the link, I naturally assumed this was going to be a wedding video. Technically I was right, but it was far from what I ever expected. We all know of engagement photo sessions – now imagine the same done in video format.

Unlike those prior decades of video, where it was a lot of point-n-shoot with minimal editing, Studio MSV rivals some of Hollywood’s elite for telling a story. The best part, it’s a true story that involves the bride and groom.

Take something big and make it small again

AVR Films - avrweddingvideo.com

There are new options on the market for videographers that will alter some of your worst fears. Not exactly new on the market, but gaining traction is the Canon 5DM2 and 7D Digital SLR cameras with the ability to shoot in full 1080HD video. I know that sounds like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo to some of you, but in simplified terms it means that your videographer can now look more like your photographer at the wedding.

My initial introduction to this wonderful camera came at a Silicon Valley NACE meeting when my good friend David Ethridge (AVR Films) was filming our monthly gathering. At first glance, I just thought that he was shooting photos, but on our bus ride from San Jose to San Francisco, he started to show me the ins-and-outs of the 5DM2. Perhaps my favorite feature (and his too) is that, since it’s the body of a DSLR, you can interchange the lenses. Now he’s easily shooting video with 24-70mm, 70-200mm, 16-35mm, 50mm and fisheye lenses, and changing them is fast and easy. See what video shot with these cameras look like over at his blog.

Did that just happen?

Lumitone.com - Same Day Edit

Another video trend gaining momentum is the Same Day Edit. Each company has their own take on this, but it basically boils down to a 4-6 minute video (one song) that covers the events of the day leading up to the Grand Entrance at the reception or even the First Dance. Later in the evening, this video is shown to your guests.

A good example of a Same Day Edit is from a wedding I recently performed at Cinnabar Hills with Alex Tomek of Lumitone.

The Same Day Edit does present a few technical hurdles, including editing space for your videographer team, projection equipment and audio hook-up, as well ensuring that your DJ is aware of the music selection. You don’t want him or her playing this song prior to the video being shown to your guests. Proper planning is crucial for the success of this unique service.

What this means for you

Finding the right team of wedding vendors can be difficult. The truth is, they need to match your style and take the time to understand your desires. As a wedding DJ and MC, part of my duties* are to help keep the event flow under control. Behind the scenes I’m checking with your other vendors before even getting on the microphone to announce the next event. I don’t want them to miss anything special.

That’s why one of the first questions I ask at both the initial consultation and our first planning session is “Who are your other vendors (and their contact info)?” Being in contact with the team well in advance of your wedding allows for a proper itinerary of events that allows each vendor to shine. In many cases, we may decide to incorporate a creative twist on your wedding day. I will usually walk photo and video through this twist as well, so they have freedom to capture it in the way they feel is best.

* The best wedding coordinators and master of ceremonies work in harmony on event flow

Sears taps into a trending market

Halloween is approaching, and a friend sent me a link to Sears. But this wasn’t any link, it was a special link that showed a transformation on the Sears website. Everything had been zombie-fied. From the “Blue Zombie Crew” to the “Undead Twitter Feed,” it was a visual stimulus for anyone who thinks zombies are cooler than vampires.

They did an excellent job of keeping it fun and functional at the same time. Their advertisement for clothes washers read “brain stains be gone.” They even have a “dislike” button next to an ad for a chainsaw. A lot of thought went into this transformation, and I’m sure the Sears web and ad department didn’t put it together overnight.

What this means for your wedding

I recently introduced my own new marketing initiative – Fun Couples With Style Only. Since going solo at the end of 2008, my focus has been on what makes the event fun, different, and unique. There is a lot of thought and effort that goes into the excitement of the special events I work. Whether planning out an entertainment itinerary, remixing a first dance, or narrating a unique love story of how the bride and groom met — or all of the above — the end result is usually a party in a style that guests have never experienced before.

This year I had the ability to work with three couples referred to me by a bride I worked with over two years ago, and I’ve still got one more coming next year (have to love the Santa Clara County Sheriff Deputies!). While most of these events happened relatively close to each other in their dates, they all managed to be very different events. Each had their own style of introductions, personal touches, and even genres of dance music. Yet, at the end of the day they all were a huge success in their own special way.

This is what my goal is for your wedding too. Come to the table with what you want. Whether it’s hip and current (like zombies), retro and funky, a throwback to the roaring twenties…it doesn’t matter as long as it fits your style. I’ve had several sports themed weddings in recent years, notably San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks. Even though I only supply the music and maybe the lighting, we can still discuss special touches like the toss bouquet or garter removal, funny toast/speech options, or maybe an appearance by SJ Sharkie. Some couples choose to wear Chuck Taylor All-Stars.

We will explore your style, your idea of fun, and your desires. I’ll help you make them a reality.  There are no “five hour wedding” packages here. Time and effort go into creating an unforgettable wedding day. Contact me today to schedule your free consultation and see if I’m the entertainment choice for your style.

Over the years, I have seen many different songs of love used for the bride and groom’s first dance at a wedding.  I thought I’d post some of what my clients chose over the last year:

• Ray Lamontagne – “You Are The Best Thing”
• Bruno Mars – “Just The Way You Are”
• Keane – “Only Somewhere We Know”
• Reverend Horton Heat – “We Belong Forever”
• Otis Redding – “These Arms Of Mine”
• Frankie Valli – “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”
• Pussycat Dolls – “Sway”
• Adam Sandler – “Grow Old With You”
• Michael Buble – “Hold On”
• Keith Urban – “Only You Can Love Me This Way”
• John Legend – “Stay With You”
• Depeche Mode – “Somebody”