View from Behind the Squared Booth

Now That's What I Call.... Ummm

2011-06-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

In my search for music for an event I came across this CD set from the folks that brought us "Now That's What I Call Music", the glorious title that made me did a double take, "Now That's What I Call a Wedding". You don't say. Here is the track listing of the CD set:
CD 1

1. Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes - (I've Had) The Time Of My Life
2. Wet Wet Wet - Love Is All Around
3. Robbie Williams - Angels
4. The Temptations - My Girl
5. The Dixie Cups - Chapel Of Love
6. Elvis - Can’t Help Falling In Love
7. Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World
8. Dusty Springfield - The Look Of Love
9. Nina Simone - My Baby Just Cares For Me
10. Frank Sinatra - Love And Marriage
11. Nat ‘King’ Cole - L.O.V.E.
12. Etta James - At Last
13. Lionel Richie & Diana Ross - Endless Love
14. Bangles - Eternal Flame
15. Angry Anderson - Suddenly
16. Shania Twain - From This Moment On
17. Boyzone - No Matter What
18. Spandau Ballet - True
19. Marvin Gaye - Let’s Get It On
20. Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack - Tonight, I Celebrate My Love

CD 2

1. Barry White - You're The First, The Last, My Everything
2. Andy Williams - Can’t Take My Eyes Off You
3. Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
4. Chuck Berry - You Never Can Tell
5. Tina Turner - The Best
6. Mary Wells - My Guy
7. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - Third Finger, Left Hand
8. John Paul Young - Love Is In The Air
9. The Real Thing - You To Me Are Everything
10. UB40 feat. Chrissie Hynde - I Got You Babe
11. Jason Mraz - I’m Yours
12. The Proclaimers - Let’s Get Married
13. Cliff Richard - Congratulations
14. Abba - Dancing Queen
15. Kool & The Gang - Celebration
16. Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is A Place On Earth
17. Huey Lewis & The News - The Power Of Love
18. Robert Palme - Addicted To Love
19. Billy Idol - White Wedding
20. Katrina & The Waves - Walking On Sunshine
21. Duran Duran - Rio

CD 3

1. The Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
2. Take That - Shine
3. Eliza Doolittle - Pack Up
4. Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
5. Katy Perry - Hot N Cold
6. Lady Gaga - Poker Face
7. Bodyrockers - I Like The Way You Move
8. Kylie Minogue - Can’t Get You Out Of My Head
9. Tom Jones with Mousse T. - Sexbomb
10. The Mavericks - Dance The Night Away
11. Elton John - Crocodile Rock
12. The Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
13. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - December ‘63 (Oh What A Night)
14. Soft Cell - Tainted Love
15. James Brown - I Got You (I Feel Good)
16. Little Eva - The Locomotion
17. Manfred Mann - Do Wah Diddy Diddy
18. The Monkees - Daydream Believer
19. Jeff Beck - Hi Ho Silver Lining
20. Tony Christie - (Is This The Way To) Amarillo
21. Blondie - The Tide Is High
22. Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan - Especially For You

I can't tell if your supposed to play these in order or not.

Words cannot describe this, at all. So I will just open it up for comments.

A great weekend

2011-06-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

I know, I know this page sometimes gets lonely waiting for me to update it. Facebook is just so easy that sometimes I forget that it is nice to stretch my literary legs (would those be fingers) and use the space that the blog allows to really tell a story.

So here we go.

This past weekend was a very good one for C Squared Events. I was setting up for an event at Green River Golf Course, when I got a notification that I had an email. I was mostly finished with my set up, so I curiously gave my phone a peek. I had just received a review from a past client on my Wedding Wire page. Ooooh, how exciting I wonder what they had to say about me, I wonder who it was. I quickly jumped on the site to read the review from Lisa and Mark (May 21^st, 2011). Not only was that a fun event at Tustin Ranch Golf Club, it also had me working with Frank Salas. Frank shot my Wedding Wire and is a great talented photographer. Here is a snapshot of what Lisa had to say:

Mike is an awesome DJ! He really gets to know you and makes you feel like more than just another client. I love how he asked what we wanted out of our wedding right off the bat. Our reception was amazing and everyone had a great time. I would recommend him to anyone looking for a DJ for their event.

Thanks Lisa.

Now it was time to start on the next review with Scott and Lacie.

The event was `a small intimate reception with 90 of their closest friends and family. Included in that list was Adam and Patricia, who I dj’ed for back in 2009. Adam and Patricia’s wedding is famous for having two toasts take a really long time. How long, Adam said one toast was 30 minutes, I don’t know bout that but the best man was texted in the middle of his toast to wrap it up. Adam brought this up in his speech as he told the guests that the 12 pages he had were mostly notes, his speech was one page. Not texting necessary.

The event ran smoothly and on time and the crowd danced the night away. I didn’t count, but I know very few guests left.

I also got to work with Lori and Keith from Lori AndersonPhotographers. I enjoyed meeting them and getting to work.

A great time was had by all.

On a social media note if you haven’t yet check out our DJ Facebook page and go ahead and “Like” us for good measure.

Wedding Trends

2010-10-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

From time to time I will share with you some of the latest trends in weddings, straight from the front lines. In the years that I have been doing this I have seen trends explode, diminish, change and even a few born. As fashion, style and technology change they all seem to bring about new concepts in weddings, some take off while others never really gain any traction.

Does anyone remember sponsored weddings? Probably not, yet at one point in time Brides would try and get vendors, and even non wedding companies to donate services or money in exchange for being allowed to advertise to guests. There are even web sites that will show you how to do this, but ask yourself is a four hour commercial for a reception really what you want.

Then there are trends such as Photo Booths (Which by the way we offer) that spring up, take some time and then really hit it big.

I saw my first photo booth at a reception almost 7 years ago. It was an honest to goodness carnival style photo booth that a company in Arizona started renting out for social events. In talking to the owner he said he hadn't seen another company doing it on the west coast and that he regularly traveled from AZ to CA. Flash forward to 2010 and these pieces of nostalgia are offered in many different configurations of size shape and picture output.

Another trend that has been around for a while is Candy Buffets.

Candy Buffets which range anywhere to the cost of the candy to $5 per person offer a great way to continue your colors through the reception. This wedding which took place at The Reef in Long Beach, featured a fall color theme so all the candies offered were either orange, black, red, yellow or brown, a huge hit with Reeses' Pieces fans.

This past weekend I think I may have captured the latest wedding trend in it's beginning stage, at least I hope I did. A 10/10/10 reception at South Coast Winery in Temecula featured "Cake Balls".

These way too good to be true treats are balls of cake dipped in some form of chocolate. These treats made by Adair Weddings are a must try. The compact size means that guests can enjoy a sampling of different flavors and still have room for the cake you will be serving. If you prefer to forgo the cake cut or get a small cake just to serve pictures, you could serve your guests three different cake balls instead. As a DJ I also enjoy not having to wait for guests to finish their cake in order to get back to dancing. As I sampled my first one I was told it was an experience and let me tell you it was.

Congratulations to Cassia and Michael. I will tell you about their wedding later.

A View from Behind the Squared Booth - The Series

2010-09-09T18:47:00.000-07:00

Last post introduced a new feature the video blog series "A View from Behind the Squared Booth". This series gives people a view very few see, the DJ's view of a wedding reception. The series will highlight different aspects of a reception, the venue, ceremony, dancing and anything else that catches our fancy.

The entire series can be seen at C Squared Events You Tube Channel. Some of the video's will be edited by a professional, some will be taken from the videographer and edited ourselves. Thus explaining some of the rough transitions and lack of digital enhancing.

Our latest episode highlights Coyote Hills Golf Course, one of our favorite locations. It is one of our favs for two reasons, first we are right at the top of their referral list, and second is because our Director of Entertainment, Mike, got married there. Not only does Coyote Hills have one of the hardest working staff, they also offer stunning views. The ceremony site (which will be highlighted in a future episode) is one of the best in Orange County.

The views this club offers can be seen as Stephanie and Brent share their first dance to the timeless classic, Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight".

8/21/10 Historic Cottage San Clemente, Jessica and Scott

2010-08-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

I have been in this business for a while now and I have seen my share of gorgeous spots to have a wedding and reception, but Historic Cottage in San Clemente is right up their in terms of view it offers. Jessica and Scott said their "I Do's" on a bluff overlooking the ocean. Once the ceremony was finished the guests already at their tables got to enjoy a delicious taco bar that was serving up some great food all night. No scheduled dinner here, if you're hungry eat.

Another great aspect of Historic Cottage is you get the same backdrop for your first dance.

Jessica is a dance instructor for Arthur Murray Dance Studio and wanted her guests to have as much dance time as possible, so as soon as we completed the formal events, the dance floor was open, and her friends and family took advantage of it.

Here is my view for most of the event.

Sometimes I have a rough job.

In further news, C Squared Events now offers fun Photo Booths for your event. If you are interested in more information contact us today.

Next week we will be showcasing our talents at the Bi-Annual Kiss the Bride Bridal Show at Pala Resort. Should you be in the area and are trying to lock in any last minute items, stop by and say hi.

This has been quite the Summer for us, but Rocking Ricky is still on the air!

2010-08-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

The summer has been so busy I know my readers have felt like I have been neglecting them. Well, they are right.

This past weekend I had two events that absolutely demanded me telling the world about them.

The weekend started Friday at Rancho Las Lomas for Jenni and Tom Prouty's reception. Tom and Jenni are a great couple that had an eclectic taste in music. Even more so than mine and I love clients that love music. Their request list featured songs from groups like "She and Him" (Zooey Daschanel's band, "Vhs and Beta" and "The Grouch and Eligh" song "All In".

They also were not interested in very many traditional events, they did a first dance and that was it. The night was all about music and dancing. As the evening got to the end, some of their friends wanted some newer music. After confirming with Jenni, I gave the crowd what it wanted.

Jenni at one point came up to me and told me she had to ask her friend what song I was playing, that song was "Poker Face". She like it. I am thrilled that I could be the DJ who introduced Jenni to the phenomenon that is Lady Gaga.

In the end a good time was had by all.

As the day turned to Saturday, I turned my attention to Taryne and Jeff and their reception at Keyways Winery in Temecula. This event can be summed up by Jeff, when asked if he was ready to marry Taryne he proudly exclaimed "Oh Hell Yeah". The crowd erupted with laughter, the minister was speechless. Taryne when asked the same question exclaimed "Hell Yeah" herself. I declared that was the catchphrase for the evening.

Taryne and Jeff have a great family, in fact Taryne's proud father delivered a toast that had to be heard to believed. Not to be outdone, Jeff's best man, Mike, also gave a great speech.

This wedding will go down as one of the few where every event happened on time. Why? Taryne and Jeff had not only yours truly keeping an eye on things, but also Annette, the great coordinator at Keyways Winery. The two of us had that event running like a well oiled machine, meaning the crowd got to maximize the dance time. Young and Young at heart danced the night away.

My first time at Keyways was a ton of fun. The staff there was on top of their game, Annette asked for my card so I hope that I can make their referral list as Keyways is a venue I would love to see more of.

In non event news, C Squared Events is now offering fun photo booths for any event. For more information go to http://csquaredevents.com.

Busy Open to Wedding Season and new Video

2010-04-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy couple of months. I have been busy meeting with couples and getting ready for some great events.

The Bridal Show season is winding down, I have one more at Los Coyotes Country club on April 18th. Los Coyotes is a fabulous venue in Buena Park and is without a doubt one of my favorites. I am excited to be on their list and to be serving as Master of Ceremonies for their show.

Despite being busy I have found the time to finally get a Video together. I hope you enjoy it.

It's Been a Long Time

2010-01-27T20:07:00.001-08:00

It has been a long time since I posted. Seems like ages ago. I had a good reason, Heather and I have moved to Canyon Lake. The past few months I have been busy getting a house unpacked and trying to build up my business in Riverside County. I still continue to serve Orange County, but have now expanded my roots to include Riverside and San Diego County. 2009 saw me achieving firsts, I recieved the first Bride's Choice award from Wedding Wire, I DJ'd in two different states at once, thanks to Skype's video conferencing technology, I showcased my services for the first time in San Diego County and countless other firsts.
Now 2010 has rolled around and business is booming. I have had to adjust my marketing to meet with the times, but it has paid off in my busiest January in a few years. 2010 is off to a great start and so far has me performing at brand new venues like Cottonwood Golf Club and returning to favorites such as Wyndham Costa Mesa and Ponte Winery.
2010 also saw me finally embrace Twitter. I am going to try something new with it though. At certain Bridal Shows I will be offering discounts to followers. At some point I will offer say an additional $100 off to the first person that comes up to me and tells me they saw my Tweet. You can follow me at twitter.com/csquaredevents. Also you can follow C Squared Events on face book by clicking on the link on the side of the page.
This Sunday I will be at Coyote Hills Golf Course annual Bridal Open House. I will be Emceeing the event. If you are still looking for a venue I recommend you check the show out. If you do, check out Twitter as I might be tweeting during the show.
I promise this year to be more active in the blog world. I hope to have my latest award up soon. Check back often.

Hilary and Neal - April 18, 2009

2009-05-29T01:14:00.000-07:00

Has it really been since February since I last posted. It has been a busy past couple of months at C Squared Events. I decided to start back up with Hilary because this was a good old fashioned dance party at the Centre Club in Costa Mesa.

Hilary met us in New York, at Mickey and Alyssa's wedding and while I was in California my wife was handling the event design for the Mickey and Alyssa and Hilary was a guest there and got to know Heather. When it came time for her to book have her reception in California she called me and after meeting we connected. Music was very important to her and Neal. Since I joined the group in New York (just missing Hilary and Neal) I knew a good number of people at the reception, including Mickey and Alyssa. It is a tad nerve wracking performing for a group that you know have a friendship with. I was in California so I didn't DJ Mickey and Alyssa, but helped plan a good portion of their wedding with them, and now they were getting to see me in action.

Well once the event got going, it got going and the dance floor was packed. It was an 80's crowd and I got to play classics such as "Heat of the Moment" by Asia and "Peter Piper" by Run DMC. As the event ended the dance floor was packed and my new friends saw me poor everything I have into my event.

I got home and was so amped I could not go to sleep. Luckily when I got home my family was waiting for me. The Long Beach Grand Prix was the next day and this is a Carroll family tradition. I believe this was LBGP number 15 for me all in a row (haven't missed one since 1994) and Grand Prix number 9 for my nephew, it would have been number 10 for Marco but he was born 2 days before the Grand Prix in 1999. I remember my dad and I leaving the Long Beach to go see my first nephew in the Hospital. I have a picture of him at his first Grand Prix and he has been hooked ever since. It was a great day to follow a great event.

I would like to thank Hilary and Neal for allowing me the honor to serves as their reception host.

You can now follow C Squared Events here and on Facebook.

Thank You

2009-02-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

C Squared Events has been voted to receive the Brides Choice Award for 2009 from Wedding Wire.

BETHESDA, MD – January 28, 2009 – WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is excited to announce the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards(TM). This year’s winners represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which consists of over 100,000 local wedding professionals nationwide.

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry. WeddingWire would like to congratulate this year’s winners!“

Recipients of the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards will be notified via email during the first week of February. A list of the winners from each region will be available directly from the WeddingWire homepage for all visitors to view. Award recipients will receive a badge to place on their business websites and blogs to showcase this honor.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.
WeddingWire is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding vendors. WeddingWire enables engaged couples to search, compare and book over 100,000 wedding vendors nationwide, from wedding venues to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools, including wedding websites, all at no charge. For wedding vendors, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. In addition, WeddingWire has partnered with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) to provide its network of local vendors and online wedding-planning tools in the Weddings section of www.MarthaStewartWeddings.com. For additional information, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

Here is a copy of the press release being sent out specifically for C Squared Events:

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that C Squared Events has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means C Squared Events is one of the very best Disc Jockey.

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

C Squared Events would like to thank our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award!

I would like to offer my own Thanks to every one who made this possible, from Jessica and Ryan who first reviewed me on Wedding Wire, to Coyote Hills for supporting me when I started my own Company, to every client both past and present and to my Wife for always supporting me in whatever I do.

1/10/09 Johnelle and Scott Opal

2009-02-09T12:11:00.000-08:00

Waaay behind in the blogging duties but this story needs to be told.

Johnelle found me online at weddingcompass.com while she was stationed in Iraq. I have dealt with brides that were planning their wedding out of town but this takes the prize for longest distance. Her wedding was in Simi Valley which is so close to my home town of Oxnard. Since New York wasn't too far away Simi Valley isn't too far away. Most of Johnelle's wedding was planned online, I think she definitely liked my online planning site.

I finally got to meet Johnelle and Scott a couple weeks before the wedding and I instantly fell in love with both of them. They are just this couple that you feel good knowing that they are together. They are High School sweethearts that followed each other into the Army, Scott is in Intelligence and Johnelle is in the medical corps. Johnelle has a good portion of her family with Latin heritage which means a lot of people dancing to Elvis Crespo. I love Suavemente, so much in fact that when Johnelle's mom asked me to play it again at the end of the night I was more than happy to oblige.

At the end both Scott and Johnelle were extremely happy and that makes it all worthwhile. Scott and Johnelle are being transferred to Washington so they won't be going back to Iraq. I don't know if I ever thanked them for risking there lives so I could keep the profession I have chosen.

To December... And Beyond

2009-01-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

I used to work retail and learned December was the craziest time of Year and Christmas meant it was now safe to breathe.

Well the DJ world is kind of the same. See Holiday parties have no rhyme or reason to when they are scheduled, usually they are planned around getting the best bang for the corporate buck. This year with the Economy things were crazier than usual. Parties on Tuesdays, Thursday's even Sunday's meant that I had Saturdays off while still working a full week. I love December.
With the craziness that is December, which is followed by the equally crazy Bridal Show season, the blog had to take back seat for a time... Well VFBSB (View from Behind the Squared Booth, clever huh) takes a back seat to nothing... Well except December and Bridal Show season. In an attempt to make up for this I will fill in my December in one post.

December 4th - Ricoh Holiday Party.
Great group, probably the only event where I got to follow More than a Feeling with La Vida Es Un Carnaval and then Stronger.

December 5th - Kaiser Permanente Nurses Group
Nominee for Holiday Party of the Year! I did this one as a favor and I am 100% glad I did. These nurses cut loose and as the party wrapped I had to kick them out of Yorba Linda Country Club. I think they left, they may still be there. I am Friends with Julie, the Director of Catering, over at YLCC and she told me a week later they loved everything and are looking to book the same package (me included) again.

December 13th - Jessica's Mitzvah
I did her older sisters Mitzvah so it was cool to return to do Jessica's.

December 16 - Yorba Linda Country Club Holiday Party
The food was great and the GM did a great Job of Emceeing as I played the hits.

December 18th - Presbyterian Hospital Neo Care Unit
Nurses love to party and I love to DJ for them. This one was at Coyote Hills Country Club, which I still owe a top ten moments post, there Bartender Matt telling me "You get tired of hearing this but you are the best DJ we get here". Matt I never get tired of hearing that and your check is in the mail.

Then I got the rest of the month off. I used that time to... get ready for Bridal Show season, and that is a post for another day.

9/27/08 - Kristy and Eric

2008-10-28T13:13:00.001-07:00

First off, I love Dove Canyon. I love working there, I love the look of the club, I love the food I just really love it there. I also love working with Melody Walker. So you can imagine my excitement when I got to do both in the same night. Add that to getting to work with Bleu Cotton and you have some very talented vendor working for a great couple and that leads to some very good work.

Kristy and Eric were constantly smiling and that was contagious. As we got a Vendor Break, Bleu commented how he wished all couples were that easy to work with. I agree.

On a funny side note, when I had my final meeting with Kristy she mentioned that her mom worked at a Barnes and Nobles near where I live and I just happened to be in that store one day hearing two workers talk about a wedding at Dove Canyon, I asked if she was Kristy's mom, then I got a funny look that was both worry and curiosity. I informed her I was the DJ for Kirsty's wedding and she no longer felt the need to call the cops. I love meeting as many people involved in the wedding as possible, when people feel they know you, they are more comfortable approaching you for things.

The event went very well and people were dancing the whole night. Sometimes this job doesn't even seem like work. Melody handled all the coordination details so I had to only focus on keeping things lively.

As the year closes I get busier, corporate events as well as meeting with Clients that are trying ti book their DJ before the end of the year, I am trying to keep things up to date so keep checking back.

Also C Squared Events is now rated by WeddingWire.com. I have to thank my new friends Jessica and Ryan for getting me started. I didn't even know I was on there till after a Bridal Show I did a search and low and behold there I was. So check out my page and if you are a former client leave a review, if you review five or more vendors weddingwire.com will even send you a gift card.

8/16/08 2 States 2 Weddings 2 Much Fun

2008-09-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

You read it right C Squared Events had two weddings in two states on that day. I will start off with the first, Mickey and Alyssa. Mickey and Alyssa are friends of my wife and were getting married in Upstate New York. I was already booked to DJ a reception but they were more interested in the Event Design service we offered. Our design team met with them, and I consulted on Timeline and Music suggestions, helping them plan this wedding from Southern California.

Weddings are my life and I tend to forget that this is not the case for everyone else. When I showed up and asked "What do you want to do?", I found they needed some guidance in this area. I was more than happy to help. The star of this show was the Reception site a converted barn in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Our designers were able to offer suggestions to Mickey and Alyssa and then our team made it all a reality. Mickey and Alyssa wanted to create a Simple Elegance while maintaining the quaint charm that the location allowed.
Now I don't speak design, and this blog is a View Behind the Squared Booth, not a View Into Design, so I will wait til we get some pictures back from the photographer and let them tell the full story.

I am a Wedding entertainer and that was just what I was doing that same night at Coyote Hills Country Club. Jessica and Ryan were a couple that met me at the company I used to work for. When they found out I had went out on my own, they told me they wanted me and not some replacement DJ to serve as host for the event. I was very honored. I immediately connected with Ryan and Jessica and was very happy to be there for them on their big day. Both Ryan and Jessica graduated from Long Beach State University and Jessica is continuing her education at Cal State Fullerton as she is getting her masters in Education.

I personally think Coyote Hills was made to have decor lights used in reception there. Ryan and Jessica agreed and went with our Decor lighting package. The room absolutely sparkled. Their colors were Eggplant and Green, no I never made any Mighty Ducks comments, I utilized the eggplant and added some amber tones to give the room an elegant feel. The centerpiece was the monogram shined on the dance floor.

Once the party got started I had everyone dancing, young and old alike. Jessica's mom came up to me after the first dance set proclaiming I was doing a fantastic job and she had never seen a DJ get everyone involved like I was. I told her "I'm just getting started". At the end of the night the dance floor was just as packed. The limo arrived and whisked Ryan and Jessica away and they didn't want to leave. I did my farewell to them and most the guests turned and waved and then went back to dancing.
Fast forward to this past Sunday when I learned about a website called Wedding Wire kind of a Resource and Social Network site. It allows Vendors to create a profile page advertising the services they offer, as well as allows clients to review the services they received. After finding out about it, I went online to check it out, to my surprise Ryan and Jessica had already created a profile for me and left my first review.

Amanda and Tony... A Wedding Over 3000 Miles in the Making

2008-09-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

The C Squared Events World Tour continued Monday August 4th at the beautiful Mission Inn in Riverside. The details leading up to this wedding are quite interesting. Tony and Amanda met in Ireland, where Tony was born and lives, while Amanda was going to school. Amanda fell in love with a little more than just the country and thus began the journey that would culminate in the "I Do's" at a venue on the other side of the world.
Doing business in Orange County, it is not uncommon for a story like this to be told, Girl grows up in Sunny Southern Cal, moves away for College, meets boy, comes back to Orange County to take advantage of some of the best wedding venues in the world. Well this story is a little different because Amanda isn't from Sunny California, nope she called Pennsylvania home. So how did this East Coast girl and Irish Lad, come to end up at the Mission Inn, they were guided there by a well known traveler Samantha Brown. That's right anyone who watches the travel channel is familiar with Samantha Brown and her many shows, highlighting travel destinations and the places to see and stay within those destinations. One night as Amanda is watching this show, IN IRELAND, she sees Samantha showing off the hidden treasure that is the Mission Inn, Riverside, CA, she called her mom and told her I found our wedding site.
Planning a wedding ling distance isn't unusual, but planning a wedding with parents on the East Coast and bride on the Irish Coast, does present it's challenges. The mother of the Bride handled most of the back and fourth with myself, and the online planing site allowed Amanda and Tony to get details picked out without having to meet with me face to face. We spoke a few times the week of the wedding and that was all it took to get a flawless reception planned from three locations in three different parts of the world.
This destination wedding got things literally rolling early on. As family arrived in California, they were treated to a Earthquake as the plane sat on the runway waiting to pull to the gate. I was told no one from Ireland was in town yet, so they missed the show that day, but were in great spirits that Monday Evening. Everyone arrived ready to have a good time, except Tony's daughter Ciara, who told anyone who would listen she was not dancing. Well this made most of the Bridesmaids determined to get her to dance. They succeeded, and well let's just say there is a reason I put in my contract that I am not responsible for any therapy bills that are needed, eventually Ciara will realise she had the time of her life, until then....
The event ended at Midnight and one family was headed back to Pennsylvania and another was headed to Ireland, yet all of them enjoyed there time in California.
The month of August has been busy for us here at C Squared events, I have some great events to get to within the coming days and weeks. The next blog will cover events in two states on the same day.

Danette Koharchik... We Will Miss You

2008-08-15T23:39:00.000-07:00

The DJ community lost one of it's own this past week. Danette Koharchik passed away earlier in the week and the ripples were felt all over the community. While the DJ world is not an all boys club, there are very few females that have been able to make a living as a DJ and Danette was one of the best. She was somewhat of a pioneer for female DJ's. She was named Female Entertainer of the Year and was second DJ of the Year.
I met Danette almost as soon as I entered the industry in 2001, I always looked forward to seeing her at Different shows. She had an infectious personality and I don't think I ever saw her without a smile on her face.
She will be missed by everyone who was lucky enough to have gotten to know her.
To her family, friends C Squared Events offers our deepest condolances. \

Monica and Brandon - or - Stop 3 on C Squared Events World Tour 7/20

2008-08-05T10:22:00.000-07:00

First the Peruvians at Coyote Hills.
Then came the Armenians at the Irvine Marriott.
This time it was a very mixed multi cultural event, but there was a definite Swedish flavor to the evening.
Monica and Brandon tied the knot at Lantern Bay Park in Dana Point, and then the fun continued at The Beach House restaurant just down the street from the ceremony. Monica was a member of Gamma Phi Beta at UC Irvine and I have had the pleasure to meet and get to know many of her sisters and even performed for them a time or two, and the did not disappoint. As you couples start planning your wedding you might be tempted to pick a Friday or Sunday as the date for your reception, those dates are usually cheaper but some will tell you that your guests will not be able to let loose on a Sunday.... Survey says.... Wrong. Monica and Brandon's guests embraced the Sunday evening and after very little nudging was ready to go. They danced the night away and at 11pm, when the venue said "Umm your done" they wanted more, and I was glad to deliver.
Monica and Brandon are a great couple, something I have been blessed with this year, I have thoroughly enjoyed working for all my Brides and Grooms. I end up getting caught up in the emotion of the evening. When 1/2 of Monica's Maid's of Honor Natalia started telling the story of how the night Brandon met Monica he had to buy her a number of drinks to keep her occupied, I laughed, when Brandon with tears in his eyes started to thank his bride, well, I didn't cry cause I'm a man and we don't cry. I merely got something in my eye, which caused it to water, that's all.
Monica, who could be the poster girl for the C Squared Events world tour, has a father who hails from Sweden and her mother is from Latin America so this is the first event where I have had the chance to play yodeling and Celia Cruz in the same event. Monica's dad had several relatives who flew in for the Wedding, which lead to some very humorous moments.
Then there was Wendy....... Need I say more.
The next stop on the C Squared Events World Tour is another dual stop. The bride is from Pennsylvania but lives in Ireland which just happens to be where her Fiance is from.

7/12/08 Kristin and Gary

2008-07-22T13:41:00.000-07:00

Almost two months after performing for a large Peruvian crowd, this night I got to perform for another group that likes to have a good time, Armenians.
First off let me tell you Kristin and Gary were two very great people. I loved working with them from the very start. Both very athletic, their relationship actually started as a Triathlon partnership and well as they say the rest is history. The thing that I liked most about them was how important family was to them. Gary and Kristin both have children and they wanted to focus the evening not only on there union in marriage but also them joining there new families. They even did a special family dance that had Bride and Groom with all their kids in "The New Family Dance". Now before you start wiping that tear from your eye, Gary and Kristin have a fun side to them, so the song started out with Jack Johnson's "Better Together" and finished with "I Like to Move It", then they wanted me to bring everyone out to the dance floor. That was all anyone needed to get going.
Gary's family is Armenian with some Greek sprinkled in for good flavor, so the guests were treated to a dancing demonstration, done to Gypsy Kings "Zorba the Greek".
It was a great night at a great venue, The Tuscany Ballroom at the Irvine Marriott and I got to meet a new friend in Aaron Wilbert, their talented photographer. I enjoyed working with him as well as Valli the coordinator from the Marriott. Aaron took some great photos that I cannot wait to show off not only here but also at the Homepage.
I will be getting more of these posts in as time permits, but I have been very busy, not only DJing but also keeping Friendly Hills bathed in the warm glow of our Ceiling Swag. The Next Post will tell you all about my Sunday night with Monica and Brandon and some of the Gamma Phi Betta girls.

Will the last Peruvian to leave Coyote Hills turn out the Lights! Kathleen and Renzo 5/17/08

2008-05-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I had an honor that I have been looking forward to for some time, I was serving as Host for Kathleen Price's wedding. She is the Director of Catering at Coyote Hills Golf Club. This was the place I had my wedding and a venue that has been very good to me in my entire DJ career. When she asked if I would DJ for her I immediately said yes.
Kathleen and her Husband have been together for 6 years, when I first met Kat, I was hearing stories about Renzo and how she knew they were gonna get married it was just a matter of when. When we met with her to book my wedding I believe she mentioned she was expecting it soon. Then when I was at the club setting up she told me to hold May 17th and then she sheepishly said "for my wedding".
I got meet Renzo in late March and learned he was born in Peru and that there would be a large contingent of Peruvians at the wedding. Kathleen told me I would have no problem getting people on the dance floor and this was an understatement. Peruvians love to dance and have a good time. I spotted one guy off the dance floor with his shirt covered in sweat. The air condition worked perfectly. Funny thing is I was making sure most my choices had some kind of Latin flair, when one lady who only spoke Spanish asked for YMCA, she even made the arm gestures. I played it and it was a hit. So I threw on a quick Disco set that brought the dance floor alive. This is unique to note cause this was at 11:20 after almost 3 hours of open dancing. I finished the night with a Salsa set that lasted 3o minutes. When the night was over they wanted more. I guess in Peru the nightlife doesn't start until 1 and here it was only 12:30. As I was just about finished tearing down at 1:15 or so, there were still people on the balcony talking having a good time. I however was off to Friendly Hills to tear down ceiling swag I set up that morning. It was the end of a long day that was fun and provided two of my top Coyote Hills memories, the ducks walking up the aisle during the ceremony and the guy who almost walked right through a large window wanting so badly to get back on the dance floor.
After catching up on some much needed rest I will compile a top ten Coyote Hills Memory list. This list will include favorites as fights that get the cops called, guns being pulled, cakes that almost never made it to being cut and the banquet captain and I having to hunt down the groom in the parking lost so we could do the money dance.
Congratulations Kat and Renzo, enjoy your honeymoon!

4/12/08 Angels Stadium

2008-04-13T02:09:00.000-07:00

So I was helping out a friend today and did an audio setup at Angels Stadium. It was an auction and I was setting up mics', speakers and then babysitting them all. As I was loading in I forgot how much I hate wheeling my equipment up the slight slope that leads to main entrance of Angels Stadium. Once I'm in I quickly forget all of that. There is no glorious sight that a baseball field. Even to this day a hockey rink can't compare to a pro baseball stadium. The group was using both the inside of the club and the area directly behind Home plate. As I took my seat in the front row, I got a view that I can only imagine is spectacular for a baseball game. As a kid I used to sit 8 or 9 rows back of the dugout at Dodger stadium but those seats have nothing on the one I sat in tonight...err yesterday.

The group also also had VIP tours led by Former Angel great Clyde Wright. This was interesting as I had met Clyde when I did his daughter Devon's wedding. When we chatted I mentioned this. I remember Devon and Chris's wedding , it was fun. The thing I remember most is when I was meeting with Devon and Chris for the first time, she mentions that her brother plays baseball. She is a friend of another Bride, Krista May(Wirthgen) so I had no clue of her connection to Baseball. So I ask, oh does he play minor or Majors, she responded majors and I pause... "Are you Jaret Wright's sister. Yup.They then tell me about Clyde and his exploits in the major. Then Chris added what I will never forget, "Yeah but who cares about Clyde", Devon added, "well he's only paying for most of this" then we all laughed. So to this day every time I see the intro at Angels Stadium where they show clips of Clyde's no hitter, I always think about Chris and him saying "Who cares about Clyde"

On a side note when I told my dad I was DJing Jaret Wrights sisters wedding he said you mean Clyde Wright's daughter. See Chris, someone cared.

Now I am home and as usual I cannot sleep, the best part about being a DJ is I really am a night owl. I get home and find out that Discovery Channel is in the middle of a Deadliest Catch marathon. Why do I like shows about Crab fishing in Alaska. Is it the drama, the struggle against the elements, the macho ness of these rugged fishermen, no I'm pretty sure it is Mike Rowe, he is the narrator of the show. My sister Jenny says she could listen to him read a phone book. I wouldn't go that far but he sure could make me buy a Ford.

Also for those keeping score at home, C Squared Events new office number is (714)656-4132.

Two in One Day.. WOW

2008-03-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

I know two posts in one day.

Well I just noticed that when I relaunched my web page I forgot to put the testimonials back up. I just put it back up and even updated some.

Enjoy.

Happy Easter and the Newest Member of ABC

2008-03-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

First off ABC is not the American Broadcasting Company, and no I am not getting my own show. ABC stands for the Association of Bridal Consultants and in my eyes just about the best networking group around. I was a member when I was with my other company and have finally joined with C Squared Events. We will even have a booth at their upcoming Vendor Fair.

Now if I could get on my soap box for a little bit! I love coordinators. I am not a coordinator. If a coordinator is not hired I will do my best to make sure everything is running smoothly and that all elements are taken care of but that is where my duties end. I am not at the venue making sure everything is getting setup on time I don't know that one of your guests got chicken when you ordered them a Vegetarian meal. I also do not help load up the presents at the end of the night. Those reasons and a handful of others are why I hired a coordinator. I am friends with a ton of coordinators so I won't mention her name here I will just say that she is in my links section on this blog. Ok I have two coordinators in my links section, If I hadn't used one I would have used the other. A coordinator is just like a DJ when you hire one you want to make sure that your personality meshes well with theirs, otherwise you are in for a long night.

I am looking forward to being involved with such a prestigious group.
Now last Sunday was Easter and it was a time for the Holte and Carroll families to get together for some fun and food. Whenever I go visit my in-laws my father in-law, my wife and I all go play golf. Well this past weekend I emerged victorious for the first time. Yeah I am not ashamed to admit my wife has beaten me every time we play, until now. I golfed the round of my life, and she looked like she had every bit of rust that would accumulate after not having swung a club since Christmas. Her not playing up to par did take some joy out of my accomplishment but I will take it none the less.

I hope you and your families Easter was as enjoyable as mine.

Finally, May 18th is a Bridal Show at the Wyndham Costa Mesa. If you are still in need of a venue I recommend stopping by. They will have the room decorated and even have food. If you are there stop by and say hi.

New Look, New Experiences

2008-03-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

I know a thing or two about coding webpages, so I have always done csquaredevents.com myself. I liked the way it looked but frames were causing Google a problem so I decided to redo the site and after a long night I am proud to display the new C Squared Events Homepage! I think I like the new site even better. I always liked the frame look and this gives me that look while allowing the versatility that a non framed site allows. The gallery is still being tweaked but we do have new pictures up for you to take a look at.

We have been doing swag for a while but this past weekend was the first time I set it up at an event by myself. The thing I noticed is the huge difference it makes. Everyone who walked in the room stopped and commented on how good it looks. I see a trending towards more ambiance lighting as opposed to special affect lighting. I got my start in FX lighting so I am not sure how I feel about this, I do know that brides are now able to make a dramatic difference in the look and feel of their reception without having to break the budget. If you are curious about any of this or interested in seeing if this is the right solution for you give us a call.

On a personal note, my friends have had there baby and it is interesting to see my friends go baby crazy. It is funny how guys can even get gaga when someone close to them has a child. Congratulations to Cori, Nathan and now Drew Vanderbeek, the new family is doing well. Course you can see for yourself if you view their blog, the link is on the links side of this blog.

2008 is off to a great start.

2008-02-12T17:36:00.000-08:00

January has passed and February is rapidly fading in the rear view mirror and C Squared Events is off to a better start to the year than even I expected. I have done two bridal shows so far and am looking forward to three more before the season ends. I will be attending the Shows at Wyndham Costa Mesa and Friendly Hills Country Club . Now if you have never been to either of these places, I recommend checking them out. Both locations offer a beautiful setting that isn't your everyday banquet facility, while offering a great ceremony location.

C Squared Events is also expanding it's design center, with swag offered at select venues through out the area and will very soon be adding more items and quickly becoming a full service Event Design Company. Don't worry about the entertainment division going away, we are having too much fun doing both. C'mon could I ever give up DJing.

On the entertainment front C Squared Events now offers "Online Planning" now you and your fiancé can plan your reception from the comfort of your own home. Online Planning is a convenience and in no way replaces face-to-face meetings, it simply makes them more productive. It also let's me keep track of where you are at in the process. As clients book they will be given a password to check out the features offered to them. If you want to take test drive e-mail me and let me know where you are in the process of hiring a DJ and II can give you a look see of everything Online Planning has to offer.

As the months progress check back here for more adventures and stories.

Why not, Everyone's Doing It

2008-01-21T23:24:00.000-08:00

So after years in the business and seeing these blogs jump up all over the place, I have decided to get one of my own. My own little area to let you know what is going on and who we are serving. I might also posts some tips and stuff for you to really sink your teeth into.

We are just weeks into 2008 and it is already an exciting time at C Squared Events and the fun is just beginning.

Check back here often as I will be updating as often as I can also if you are looking for a DJ and didn't come here via my main web site feel free to check out C Squared Events