Spencer Weddings | Sacramento, Folsom, Roseville DJ Entertainment

Here is what Eden had to say in her 5-Star Review on WeddingWire.com:

Jason was terrific to work with. He was very professional and was in constant contact with us during the wedding planning process. Jason went the extra mile for us. He was helpful in offering suggestions based on his expertise and he worked amazingly well with our wedding coordinator to make sure that our wedding timeline flowed smoothly and was well organized. On the day of our wedding day, the ceremony music was great. We received numerous compliments from our guests. He also did a great job as our MC and when problems arose with our timeline he was flexible and stayed on top of it all so that no one noticed. He rocked it! He read the crowd well and kept people on the dance floor. Thanks Jason we had a great time!

Shoreline Amphitheater – August 9, 2010

I was just about fourteen years old when my my best friend introduced me to bass guitar…and Rush. Out from whatever rock I’d been living under, the first song I ever learned to play was “Dreamline” from their 1991 album Roll The Bones. To this day, it is still one of my favorites, but I didn’t get to hear it the evening of August 9, 2010 at Shoreline Amphitheater when Rush made their San Francisco stop along the Time Machine Tour.

As Max Mobley of Crawdaddy! Magazine wrote, “Everybody wants songs from whatever albums mark their entry into the world of Rush. And in spite of playing an entire album on this tour, Rush did pretty well with their song selection.”

I could not agree more. However, I was shocked that this was the first tour since Roll The Bones that they not only skipped over “Dreamline” but the entire album all together. This was the sixth time I’ve seen Rush live since 1994, and I was a little heartbroken at that omission.

After all, this is the Time Machine Tour. Even with the entire Moving Pictures set, the band managed to squeeze in tracks from 14 of their 19 studio albums. And all that was done in three hours time, but also includes numerous video bits, including a six minute closing skit with Paul Rudd and Jason Segel (from “I Love You, Man”). These intermission videos have become standard since they started performing shows with no supporting act, and they get better every year.

I can probably stop here. Anyone that’s ever seen a Rush show knows that the show is phenomenal, even when you don’t get to hear your favorite song. The sound is amazing. The lighting is amazing. The video is amazing (although we lost some after a shot in the dark during the song “Marathon”).

But wait, there’s more!

Typically, a Rush concert consists of middle aged guys playing air drums (or guitar) all night long. Not this show. From where I was, about thirteen rows back from the stage, there were men, women, and children of all ages. Full families were in attendance. Sitting directly next to me was a couple from Penn State University that was in San Francisco on vacation. This was their first Rush show.

There were no laser pointers. No one was throwing beer bottles onto the stage. Nobody I saw started any fights. Reminiscent of the older days, a large number of people got there early and tailgated in the parking lots, speakers blaring. It was actually some of the most fun at a rock concert I’ve had in a very long time.

Sneaky iPhone 4 Review

Another thing I liked about this show was that it gave me an opportunity to test out my new iPhone 4. About a year ago, I had tried to record some audio and video using the iPhone 3GS and failed miserably. Thankfully, Apple’s updates to the hardware kept the audio from clipping, and the video pretty much in focus (given the lighting conditions). All the images you see in this post were taken from the iPhone 4, though I have cropped and resized them to fit play nice on the blog. For those that may not get a chance to attend, this HD YouTube video of “YYZ” was originally shot using it. Some compression by YouTube has “softened” the quality a little, but overall it looks and sounds great!

The bottom line

Aside for the absence of the aforementioned “Dreamline” track, I was impressed with the show. I’m not sure it was my favorite, but it stood the test of time, and I look forward to the new album next year. Hearing the current singles “Caravan” and “BU2B” from the forthcoming Clockwork Angels means that there will most definitely be a show to attend in 2011.

The caravan thunders onward
To the distant dream of the city
The caravan carries me onward
On my way at last

From the song “Caravan” by Rush, 2010

For years the bridal magazines, wedding planning books, and wedding focused television programs have explored every facet of the weddings celebrations except for one…the FUN.

What It’s All About

The quote above comes from the back cover of Peter Merry’s book, The Best Wedding Reception…Ever! The unfortunate reality is that every word of it is true. Brides are taught to shop for “music” when that’s just a tiny portion of what makes today’s professional DJ and Master of Ceremonies a successful part of your wedding celebration. This book will explore all the parts of making your day memorable, including not just your entertainment choice, but understanding a realistic budget, tips on finding the perfect reception locations, timeline considerations, selecting other key vendors, and much more.

Get Your Copy of The Book

Did you know that every couple who reserves Spencer Weddings and Entertainment for their wedding celebration automatically receives a copy of the book. Of course, you can also head over to Amazon.com to pick up your very own copy of The Best Wedding Reception Ever! for around $24. You might even be able to find the author, Peter Merry, at an upcoming event (and he’ll sign it for you!).

Get Your Free Copy on October 24th

Spencer Weddings and Entertainment will be a vendor on display at the October 24th Central Coast Bride Fabulous Fall Bridal Show. As an extra bonus, every prospective client who takes the time to meet with me for the purpose of considering my DJ and MC services will receive a complimentary copy of the book, “The Best Wedding Reception…Ever!”  All you have to do is attend the show and stop by my booth.  While you are there, be sure to pick up a flyer with the special offer or swing by my booth and arrange for your complimentary meeting!

Kaemmerling Photography

Depending on who you ask, the tradition of a bride tossing a bouquet is one that goes back many centuries. Some say that before the bride carried flowers, she would carry bunches of garlic and herbs to ward off evil spirits. Eventually, the act of tossing the bouquet to a lucky single female guest would imply that she was next to wed.

When I started this post, I had planned to list several alternatives to the traditional bouquet toss. Many wonderful and creative ideas to keep the energy level going can be found in the book, The Best Wedding Reception…Ever! by Peter Merry. I’m going to leave them there. Why? Because there is one type that I have seen done so many different ways, I felt that it deserved its own spotlight.

Behold…The Breakaway Bouquet!

On average, less than half of my brides are familiar with this newish method of toss. It’s not really all that different, but it does hold a few surprises and can be performed in a great number of ways.

One thing they all have in common is that the bouquet is setup to look like an ordinary toss bouquet. However, as the bride is preparing to toss, and guest are distracted by your MC inviting ladies up to the dancefloor, she will pull a ribbon or binding to reveal anywhere from three to as many as ten small bouquets. The guests are unaware of this, so when the bride tosses it will “breakaway” into several smaller one to catch. Now several ladies have a chance to catch one – but why stop there?

Good Fortune Bouquets

I first saw this while doing a Chinese wedding many years ago. The bride had her florist attach small fortunes to the base of each smaller bouquet, five in all. Much the same way you might open a fortune cookie, the lucky catcher would receive a fortune such as “You will marry the man of your dreams.”

Lucky Money Bouquets

This one is similar to the good fortune, and could even be called the same. In the state of California, we have a lottery full of scratchers and super jackpots. One couple I performed for attached various types of lottery tickets to each of her bouquets so that everyone had a chance to win.

Single Rose

Rather than using small bouquets of flowers, use individual roses. Take it a step further and make them of different colors and sayings that represent those colors (colors and their meanings).

Involving Everyone

The best part about the breakaway style bouquet is the ability to involve all your guests. Change the wording on your fortune and invite all the ladies – not just the single ones – up to catch some good luck. And who doesn’t like the chance at a little free money (less taxes, of course)?

The Element Of Surprise

Part of the fun with a breakaway bouquet is certainly in the surprise. I would recommend letting as few individuals as possible know. In fact, the only people that probable need to know is you, your MC and DJ, photographer, videographer, and potentially the wedding coordinator (if you have chosen one).

Sources: Creative Memories Entertainment, The Best Wedding Reception…Ever!

This past Tuesday evening was unlike most. Around four o’clock in the afternoon, myself and several other members of Silicon Valley NACE (National Association of Catering Executives) hopped on a Bauer’s Worldwide Transportation Setra “bus” that for a ride from San Jose to San Francisco. Keep in mind, the seats were more plush than most first class flights, and the massive windows allowed for views riding up 280 like no other.
This was our annual gathering of both groups, though I’ll admit it seemed a little odd since most of these people attend many other networking mixer events throughout the greater Bay Area already, but I certainly did meet a few new faces and connected with several I’d not seen in a long time (I’m looking at you, Geoff White Photographers).

Hornblower Yachts & Cruises

I’ll admit, I’ve not been on a boat in the bay since my senior prom fifteen years ago. Though it was a different boat then, we managed to make the same trek around the bay, ultimately crossing under the Golden Gate Bridge where you can take some amazing photos. Play your cards right, and you can even have the most unsuspecting engagement too. Just be forewarned, if you are not used to boats, the choppy waters of the bay can take you for a spin, too!

These unique NACE events, which happen the second Tuesday of each month in Silicon Valley, offer up variety of sponsors to showcase their talents to the attending members and guests. This time around was no exception, with no single vendor taking the spotlight. While it was hard to miss theHornblower Yachts and Cruises (our sea vessel and catering), we also enjoyed some great wine from Terlato Wine Group. Beautiful menus were done by the fabulous Creative Designs by Mimi. Lots of photographers were there, including my new friend that sat across from me at dinner, Vasna Wilson of Vas Photography. A new up and coming lighting company, Victory Events, helped set the mood as the sun set past the Golden Gate.

Another great highlight to the evening was DJ Kevin O’Scanlon from Sound In Motion DJs. I first met Kevin when he started working for Sound In Motion many moons ago (when I was working there too), and I have to say that he has come a long way from his college days at UCSC. Excellent “chill” lounge style throughout most of the evening that segued into some pop and dance tunes at the end of the evening. I can certainly say that when I am all booked up for a weekend, I’d have no doubt referring this guy out for a fun party.

DJ Jason Spencer (That's Me!)

To recap, the evening was a huge success. Even though these events are generally for networking, they have the ability to become a dinner party and a whole lot of fun. If you are ever looking for a different way to experience San Francisco, a Hornblower cruise around San Francisco Bay might just be the way to go!

Special thanks to David Ethridge of AVR Films for the pictures on this page.  My iPhone shots just don’t do the evening justice.