One of my last weddings of 2011 was at Estancia and now I am grateful to start off 2012 with the first wedding of the year at this great La Jolla wedding venue as well! The ceremony was held at a different location so our couple hired me as their La Jolla wedding DJ for the reception only. Cocktail hour kicked off just outside the ballroom on the patio. During this time guests were “signing” the tree guestbook with a signature & a thumbprint. I think our couple will enjoy this unique wedding idea much more than a book with a few signatures which typically gets tucked away in a closet.

Once guests entered the Grande Ballroom they were treated to lots of warm lighting. I provided amber uplighting throughout the room and over by the cake. I also used some atmospheric lighting up on the ceiling to create some interest. This all really made a huge difference in the look & feel of the ballroom. After dinner I was able to project the couple’s slide show up onto the wall with about a 15 foot image size. It looked really clean without having to use a screen.

After the meal & slide show we invited our couple out for their first dance. We started off dancing with a few slow songs which all of the couples enjoyed. We then moved into some “please all” type music to get dancing going. Guests were easing into party mode a little slower this evening. After the cake cutting & bouquet / garter toss they were ready to dance. The photo booth opened up and the party was underway…

Our couple wanted to keep a classy atmosphere but still wanted to add a little color & movement later on so once the formalities were done I switched the atmospheric lighting over to change colors. It gave it more of a party feeling without all the blinking and flashing lights. This was a perfect lighting option to add that interest. The crowd finished strong and we actually played about 30 minutes past our planned ending time.

Below are some professional photos from Teale Photography:

Click Here To View More Professional Photos From This Wedding.

San Diego Wedding Lighting & Extras Provided:  9 uplights,  atmospheric ceiling lighting,  & video projection equipment

LA JOLLA WEDDING DJ MUSIC:

Bridal Party Introductions – “Home” by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

First Dance – “The Way You Look Tonight ” by Tony Bennett

Father/Daughter Dance – “In the Midnight” by Van Morrison

Mother/Son Dance  – “You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You” by Dean Martin

Anniversary Dance – “Wonderful World’” by Louis Armstrong

SAN DIEGO WEDDING VENDORS:

Coordinator = Jennifer Destein

Photographer = Teale Photography

Cake = Flour Power Bakery

Photo Booth = Recorded Memories

For more information about this event or if you are looking for a La Jolla wedding DJ click here to contact Positive Energy Productions or call us at 858.490.0445.

Visit Us: POSITIVE ENERGY - SAN DIEGO WEDDING DJ BLOG - Professional San Diego Wedding DJ, Corporate DJ, MC, and Lighting Services

Cake Spotlighting

The Robert Paine Scripps Forum in La Jolla is one of my favorite San Diego wedding venue locations because of the modern architecture (which opens up many options for lighting) and the view!

The ceremony was held out on the grass at an angle facing the palm trees and ocean. The wooden birds at the base of the floral stands added a fun element to the design (these birds also showed up at the base of the cake table later on).

After the ceremony guests were greeted into the reception space by a fun place card display strung between two white ladders topped off with flowers and hanging photographs. Our coordinator Suzanne from Crown Weddings and her team really helped keep the schedule and events running on time.

I performed my main duties as their San Diego wedding DJ but they also were really interested in many of the lighting options I was able to show them. We added lots of uplighting throughout, projected a custom monogram gobo up above their sweetheart table, added in the cake spotlighting, as well as, some ambient dance floor lighting for later in the evening. I can really do quite a bit with this space to totally transform it into something special!

After the meal and toasts were finished their guests were ready to dance! I started off with a few slow songs and some older songs that worked for all ages. As you can see a few of the photo booth props made it out onto the dance floor.

As the evening progressed I played more and more of the current music to make sure the younger crowd was also having a great time.

I used some ambient dance floor lighting (in the photos above and below) to really throw some color into the area and to also set off the fun dancing photos. Guests danced until the end and our bride & groom had an excellent night!

Extras Provided:  Uplighting, Cake Spotlighting, Monogram Gobo Projection, Ambient Dance Floor Lights

MUSIC:

Ceremony Bridesmaid’s Entrance – The Frey “How To Save A Life Instrumental”

Ceremony Bride’s Processional - Norah Jones “Come Away With Me Instrumental”

Ceremony Recessional – Ingrid Michaelson “The Way I Am”

First Dance – Sade “By Your Side”

Mother/Son Dance  – Sarah McLachlin “Blackbird”

Last Dance - Tim McGraw “Tiny Dancer”

SAN DIEGO WEDDING VENDORS:

Coordinator =  Suzanne with Crown Weddings

Photographer =  Michael with True Photography

Caterer =  TK&A Custom Catering

Cake =  Michele Coulon Dessertier

Chairs & Linens =  Concepts Event Design

Transportation =  Avante-Garde Limousine

For more information about this event click here:  San Diego Wedding DJ

Positive Energy Productions  |  858.490.0445

Visit Us: POSITIVE ENERGY - SAN DIEGO WEDDING DJ BLOG - Professional San Diego Wedding DJ, Corporate DJ, MC, and Lighting Services

Tonight’s wedding was over at the Kona Kai Resort on Shelter Island. The bride’s sister’s hired me as their San Diego wedding DJ back in 2008 so it was great to see the family again! We started off the evening with a beautiful outdoor beach ceremony overlooking the docks and bay. Guests moved inside for cocktail hour while the bride & groom stayed behind for photos.

The reception room was framed out with yellow/amber uplighting that really played up the atmosphere of warmth and candles in the space. It is difficult to see in the photo below but I thought it was fun how they had two different chairs. A patterned chair for the bride & more of a bold solid chair for the groom.

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As you can see in the photo below (and at the top) the cake spotlighting I provided really placed some importance on the cake and made it stand out from across the room! You can also see in the center photo our groom is a Navy pilot so he had his dress uniform on for the reception.

Dancing was not a problem with this crowd! We played a huge variety of music tonight since there were quite a few older adults, as well as, younger kids at the wedding.

I also provided some atmospheric ambient lighting on the ceiling above. It really looked amazing hovering over the dance floor and added some fun color / movement in the photos! Excellent crowd that would not stop dancing.

Extras Provided:  Uplighting, Cake Spotlighting, Ambient Dance Floor Lights

Music:

Bridesmaids & Groomsmen Song:  Canon In D – Pachelbel

Processional:  Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Isreal Kamakawiwo’Ole

Unity Candle Lighting: You Raise Me Up­ – Josh Groban

Recessional Song: Can’t Help Falling In Love With You­ – Elvis

Grand Entrance:  Don’t Stop Believing – Journey

First Dance:  It’s Your Love – Tim McGraw & Faith Hill­

Father/Daughter Dance:  Butterfly Kisses – Bob Carlisle

Mother/Son Dance:  What a Wonderful World – ­Louis Armstrong

Cake Cutting:  Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leppard

Garter Toss:  Giving Him Something He Can Feel­ – En Vogue

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San Diego Wedding Vendors:

Photographers:  Susie Liquist Photography

For more information about this event click here:  San Diego Wedding DJ

Positive Energy Productions  |  858.490.0445

Visit Us: POSITIVE ENERGY - SAN DIEGO WEDDING DJ BLOG - Professional San Diego Wedding DJ, Corporate DJ, MC, and Lighting Services

The Scripps Forum is one of the best modern inside and outside La Jolla wedding venues in San Diego. The view isn’t too bad either… We started off with the ceremony out on the grass facing the ocean. At the end of the ceremony our couple released two white doves as a symbol of love since the white dove chooses one mate for life.

Guests moved to the side patio for cocktail hour.  The clear acrylic tables were illuminated by uplights and were a small taste of what was waiting for them inside. We were all treated to one of the best sunsets San Diego can offer!

Our couple is truly into electronic music and nightlife. Each table was named a different nightclub they have been to in the past. They primarily hired me as their San Diego wedding DJ but I also walked them through some excellent options for lighting that quickly caught their attention. They had clear acrylic tables inside that were also illuminated with blue uplights. We then placed purple uplights around the perimeter. This provided enough light so we didn’t have to use any of the ceiling lights. The whole room gave off a warm glow and really set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Lighting can make such a difference in a space!  The fun and personal slide show looked great on the large screen above their sweetheart table.

Dinner was amazing as you can see from the photo below. After the meal we moved into dancing. I projected their custom monogram gobo down onto the dance floor which looked great during their first dance.

After 30 to 45 minutes of dancing we cut the cake and tossed the bouquet and garter.

As I mentioned our couple and all of their friends are really into electronic music. We planned on playing progressive house and electro for the last hour. Their friends were waiting for this all night to say the least… The bride and groom broke out about 200 glow sticks and we turned the volume up!

The night would not have been complete without a formal glow stick sendoff. No bubbles or sparklers here! A truly perfect wedding.

This wedding was featured by San Diego Style Weddings Magazine. Click Here for photos & information.

Click Here to view professional video highlights from NR3 Video.

Click here to view a short video from the last hour…

Here are some professional photos from Felici Photography:

Click Here to view professional photos and slide show from Felici Photography.

Extras Provided: 18 Uplights, Custom Gobo Monogram Projection, Water Effect Lighting

MUSIC:

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SAN DIEGO WEDDING VENDORS:

Coordinator:  Melissa with I Do… Weddings!

Photographers:  Felici Photography

Videographers:  NR3 Video Productions

Catering:  Coast Catering

Rentals & Lounge Furniture:  Kool Party Rentals

Florist:  Jennifer Cole Florals

For more information about this event click here:  San Diego Wedding DJ

Positive Energy Productions  |  858.490.0445

Visit Us: POSITIVE ENERGY - SAN DIEGO WEDDING DJ BLOG - Professional San Diego Wedding DJ, Corporate DJ, MC, and Lighting Services

A very intimate wedding at the Rancho Bernardo Inn Grenada Room. This wedding was for around 40 of our bride and groom’s closest family and friends. The bride & groom are planning two weddings… one here in the United States and the other wedding back in Japan with the bride’s family. Since the wedding in Japan will mostly represent the bride’s heritage (with a few things mixed in for the groom) the wedding here in San Diego mostly represented the groom’s Scottish heritage (with a few elements to represent the bride).

The ceremony was held out on the Buena Vista Terrace overlooking the golf course. I played some bagpipe music they selected and the groom was dressed in a traditional kilt. Cocktail hour then moved to another outdoor patio/grass location just outside the reception room. Guests were invited into the Grenada Room for dinner and dancing. Once we kicked off dancing I was a little nervous because it didn’t start off with a bang like most larger receptions. I wasn’t expecting a huge wild party with only 40 people but I wasn’t sure if they would warm up throughout the evening. Let’s just say that was not a problem… Once we got into the music a little bit the guests were out there tearing it up. We not only kept things going until the end but actually extended the party for an extra hour (for a total of 7 hours which is fairly long for a ceremony & reception – especially for a smaller group). They were there to have a great time!

A few unique items tonight: The name cards and the cake cutting set representing the bride. Some excellent chocolate favors that looked like small purses… our bride’s favorite accessory. The water effect lighting added a cool visual effect on the dance floor and ceiling.

Extras Provided: Water Effect Lights

MUSIC:

Grand Entrance: “Scotland The Brave” – Bagpipes

First Dance: “It Had To Be You” – Harry Connick Jr.

Last Dance: “Closing Time” – Semisonic

For more information about this event click here:  San Diego Wedding DJ

Positive Energy Productions  |  858.490.0445

Visit Us: POSITIVE ENERGY - SAN DIEGO WEDDING DJ BLOG - Professional San Diego Wedding DJ, Corporate DJ, MC, and Lighting Services

Tonight was a rare Thursday night wedding downtown at the W Hotel San Diego. The ceremony and reception were scheduled to be held outside at their “beach” area (with a sand dance floor, fire pits, cabanas, etc.) but two days before the wedding it burnt down. We went into panic mode looking at options to move the venue if they still wanted an outside wedding. The W Hotel offered to close down the majority of their modern lounge style restaurant “RICE” and move the event inside. I think it actually turned out to be a better location because it was a cold evening in San Diego. Guests might not have stayed as long if they were outside.

I was hired to perform as their San Diego wedding DJ, as well as, provide music for the ceremony. The ceremony was held at the top of the stairs with guests gathered around. The candles on the back wall made for a nice backdrop. A great quote from the pastor during the ceremony: “The grass isn’t greener on the other side, it is greener where it gets the most water”. Did you water your relationship today?

Our couple wanted a fun, relaxed, playful wedding. There were a few elements that added to this atmosphere: At the entrance there was a tree with colorful bells on it for the guests to take to be used at the end of the ceremony as the exited. We projected a custom butterfly gobo image onto the ceiling. Their “cake” was actually one of their favorite desserts: a huge cookie. They had a “sexy french fry bar” with various dips and sauces. I used the water effect lights to fill the entire ceiling with moving and rippling water. I kept this set to a nice white light early on until dancing kicked in. Once things got going I switched them over to change color throughout the evening. They only had about 35 guests but they really had an excellent time. I played for about an extra half hour because I was also having a great time and they just kept going…

Extras Provided: Water Effect Lighting

Vendors:

Coordinator:  Jen from “Day Of” Love

Photographer: Sean from Resolusean Photography

For more information about this event click here:  San Diego Wedding DJ

Positive Energy Productions  |  858.490.0445

Below are a few photos from the Photographer: Sean from Resolusean Photography

Click here to view a picture slide show of the wedding.

Visit Us: POSITIVE ENERGY - SAN DIEGO WEDDING DJ BLOG - Professional San Diego Wedding DJ, Corporate DJ, MC, and Lighting Services

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and this weekend’s wedding was at the Grand Tradition Estate in Fallbrook. They have two locations at this site: the outdoor covered Arbor Terrace and the Beverly Mansion. Grand Tradition takes care of the music and microphones for the ceremony so I was inside the mansion tonight providing the reception DJ entertainment. This wedding was originally scheduled for late May but the groom received new orders that he was going to have to head over to Iraq early so they bumped the wedding up to February. Everyone was in a great mood and looking forward to the celebration despite these new orders. The ceremony was held outside by the lake. Guests moved into the mansion for the reception. I always think centerpieces that incorporate branches and candles that give the table some height look great. They went well with the room. The reception and events went extremely well.  One nice element was a special dedication to the bride’s parents. As a surprise I played their first dance song since they were celebrating their 30th anniversary. The cake looked tasty and I heard a few people commenting on how they could actually smell the chocolate from a distance. Dancing was consistent the entire evening and picked up as the evening went on. We ending with their last dance: Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye  which always creates a little laughter…

Extras Provided: Water Effect Lights

Vendors: Captured Forever Photography – Michele Terry

For more information click here:  San Diego Wedding DJ

Positive Energy Productions

858.490.0445

Visit Us: POSITIVE ENERGY - SAN DIEGO WEDDING DJ BLOG - Professional San Diego Wedding DJ, Corporate DJ, MC, and Lighting Services

The Marriott Downtown San Diego was the venue for tonight’s wedding. The Seaview Room is a unique room with many options for lighting! Tonight we had many uplights throughout the space. Three custom monogram projections were projected onto the walls. We had their names above the dance floor and then two other patterned images on the side walls to add some interest. Dancing went well for the entire evening and guests had a good time. We used the water effect lighting above the dance floor during open dancing for color and movement. A fun element was the ice martini luge where guests could select their custom flavored martini before it was chilled going down the ice luge. They also had a chocolate fountain with an assortment of fruits, brownies, rice krispies, and snacks to dip.

The Menu tonight looked amazing:
~Salad~
Mixed Field Greens Topped with Sliced Bartlet Pears, Candied Almonds and Crumbled Feta Cheese Served with Balsamic Vinaigrette
~Entree~
Petite Filet and Crab Stuffed Shrimp served with a Cabernet Reduction
Parmesan Mushroom Risotto
Patty Pan Squash, Asparagus, Baby Carrots, and Roasted Red Tomato with Bread Crumbs
Basket of Baked Breads to Include Mini Cheese Rolls and Cheese Sticks
~Dessert~
Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Starbucks Coffee, and Tea Service

Visit Us: POSITIVE ENERGY - SAN DIEGO WEDDING DJ BLOG - Professional San Diego Wedding DJ, Corporate DJ, MC, and Lighting Services

Tonight was a VIP only event at Arterra outdoor lounge at the Marriott Del Mar. I provided a “lighting only” job to enhance the space. All of the Marriott Hotels got together to throw an “end of the summer party” for the upper management, as well as, each hotels biggest clients. Arterra outdoor lounge is one of my favorite outdoor locations. Modern, clean, unlimited possibilities (not to mention some of the highest rated food in San Diego). I provided uplighting for all of the palm trees, rippling water effect lighting on the building, white “starry lights all over the space, along with 2 custom gobo projections with the “Arterra” logo on the wood lounge area and the “Marriott” logo down into the pool. It was a complete hit with the VIP guests. Throughout the night I noticed people pointing to certain lighting elements and talking about the atmosphere. I joined in on a few conversations and think I might have another lighting job or two from this event. If you are looking to host an event at an amazing outdoor venue call and ask for Stephanie. You will be well taken care of…

More information at Positive Energy Productions San Diego Wedding and Event Lighting Website

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Another amazing group tonight! You know you are at a great place when you pull up to the Grande Colonial in La Jolla and there are two Ferrari’s and a Lamborghini sitting out front. It was a smaller group of about 80 people. The Grande Colonial is an excellent place for this size of group because they have different areas to create interest. Cocktail hour and dinner were held outside on the balcony and patio area. Dancing moved inside later on. The bride and groom were very specific with their music requests. It was probably some of the most unique and unusual music I have ever played at a wedding. I wasn’t too sure how all of this music would play out at the event since many of the artists and songs were most likely unfamiliar to their guests (Sound Tribe Sector 9, Pnuma Trio, Nosaj Thing, etc.). I was pleasantly surprised because it really worked well for their group. Everyone had an open mind and enjoyed it (they didn’t have to hear the ultra cliche’ songs in order to dance which is normally difficult for Americans). Highlights included: refreshing/unique music with an electronic twist, I spotlighted the cake which really made it stand out once the sun went down (see photo above), the water effect lighting added some movement and color to the dance floor area, the bride had on a pair of excellent Christian Louboutin heels that the photographer Cary Pennington kept trying to sneak shots of, the coordinators from Red Letter Days helped keep the evening (and guests) on track! Excellent wedding!

Click here to view the blog post from the coordinators at Red Letter Days.

For more information click here:  San Diego Wedding DJ

Positive Energy Productions

858.490.0445

This wedding was also featured on the cover of the 2010 Ceremony Magazine!   Here you can view the cover shot that was used!

Extras Provided: Cake Spotlighting, Water Effect Lighting

Visit Us: POSITIVE ENERGY - SAN DIEGO WEDDING DJ BLOG - Professional San Diego Wedding DJ, Corporate DJ, MC, and Lighting Services