What a week!

It's been quite a busy week, which is why I haven't been able to post anything recently. If anything, it has been quite eventful!

Last weekend was spent in Hilo, for a meeting with ROB & KEHAU, as well as some much deserved rest & relaxation. I met their families in Pahoa, talked about their celebration (to be held in Volcano), and gave them a bunch of ideas to make their party very fun and engaging for their guests. Most of them will be flying in from the mainland and Oahu, so it was important for ROB & KEHAU to create a party that really made it worth their guests' time and money to travel for the wedding.

Then I spent the night with my nieces and family in Volcano.

The next day was shopping, eating, shopping, and more eating in Hilo. Visited the Big Island Candy Factory, bought some new clothes at Macy's, went back for more stuff at the Big Island Candy Factory, went shopping at Ross', and ate some more at the local food court. Lots of eating and shopping...

Monday was spent eating, and hanging out with friends in Hilo. I finally flew back Monday evening, and it was right back to work!

Tuesday and the rest of the week was spent "rebuilding" my computer. Before I left for my trip, my trusty main computer finally had its last breaths after faithfully serving me for over seven years; it was time for an upgrade. Before I left, I bought a new computer, so I spent this week installing all of the software and files I need. There's one thing I learned during this whole process: I hate Windows Vista. Not only did I have to upgrade most of the applications (since most of them required an upgrade to be Vista-compatible), but this system runs soooo slow. Bring back Windows XP!

I'm about 95% done with the install, and I'm back to full efficiency. Only a few video editting programs to go, and I'll be back to where I was pre-crash.

So that's where I'm at today. Like I said, it's been busy...

Today's Wedding Tip of the Day falls under the stress-free and unique categories.

Planning to have a band play during cocktail hour and the meal at your reception? In addition to start time, make sure you specify what time you want them for setup and soundcheck. I've worked with some bands that are told by the newlyweds to start playing at 6:30pm, for example, and they don't show up until 6:30pm. This means that they are setting up and doing the whole "check, 1, 2" while the guests are trying to enjoy their cocktails and dinner. Not only is it embarrassing to you, but it really detracts from the smooth presentation you have planned. So when dealing with the band, make sure you tell them to arrive before doors open so that they can have enough to set up, run through all their soundchecks, and be ready to rock when doors open to your audience!

Planning on having the band play at the end of the night, for dancing? Make sure you tell them to set up and soundcheck before doors open, and then send them on break until right around the time they are supposed to start. This is important because some bands will show up in the middle of your presentation and conduct their setup and soundcheck while everything is going on! Imagine this: your maid of honor is trying to tell a story about how you two met, but in the background, their lead singer is going "check one two one two one two louder please in my monitor one two turn it up more," the guitarist is playing some licks, and the drummer is just banging away at the bass drum trying to find a good tone for the sound guy. Your maid of honor's toast just lost all of its impact. Most professional bands will arrive before doors open, set everything up, do their soundcheck, leave for dinner, and come back just in time for dancing. But some bands will pop in during your program and rudely create a ruckus. Make sure you make it clear to them that you would prefer them to setup and soundcheck before your doors open!

Have an awesome weekend!

All the best,

Marino M. Regalado
Ninja Entertainment
Honolulu, HI

One fun weekend, two great celebrations!

It's very rare that we have two weddings on one weekend, but this weekend was an exceptional case. With both MISTY & DON'S wedding on Friday night and JENNIFER & SCOTT'S wedding on Sunday evening, we were able to help both of them create very different, yet fun celebrations!



I first heard from Don & Misty last month. They had a unique situation with the venue they were having their celebration: because of the number of guests they were having, the room they were having their reception in, and space restraints, the floorplan dictated that the area where we would have dancing later on would be the same area the caterer would set up the buffet beforehand. With the food in place, there would be no space to set up a typical sound system before dinner. But after meeting with Misty & Don, and visiting the Hale Koa to talk to EILEEN (one of the catering executives there), we were able to strike an effective compromise. During cocktails, dinner, and the program, I would bring a small sound system to provide music and run the presentation with, and it would be set up in place of a podium. Sometime during the presentation, the airwall dividing the buffet area and the main reception would be closed, and my friend David from Dynamic Sounds would come in and set up the DJ system as the banquet staff cleared the buffet. Timing was very critical: we didn't want any dead air time between the program ending, and the dancefloor opening, so getting all elements coordinated was key.

Fortunately, everything worked out as planned! Misty & Don arrived early, so they were able to greet their guests as they arrived. Feeling stress-free and relaxed, they entrusted the presentation to me and didn't worry about what was happening next. When most of their guests arrived, I took them outside of the room, reminded them of what's happening next, and then went in to warm the guests up.

With the introduction of the newlyweds, the guests realized they were in for a treat: this was not just some formal eat-and-run deal, this was going to be a party!

Working closely with the Hale Koa staff, we moved the presentation smoothly. During dinner, Misty asked if her friend ERICA could speak earlier, rather than after dinner as originally planned. Not a problem! With Erica ready to go, we introduced her, and she delivered some funny stories about growing up with Misty, working with Don, and how the Misty & Don met. The program continued with more stories from Misty's father MIKE, and a few of Misty's longtime friends.

For the bouquet toss, instead of simply tossing the bouquet, Misty & Don did the Anniversary Game, in which we included all of the guests and ultimately honored the longest married couple. During our meetings beforehand, Misty & Don thought that the longest married couple would be Misty's parents. So it became a very pleasant surprise when the longest married couple turned out to be Misty's aunt & uncle! The bouquet was presented to them, which made them and their family very happy.

As this was going on, the airwall to the buffet room was closed, and Dave and his team came in to set up the DJ dance system. Following the centerpiece giveaway, we did the formal dances (Father/Daughter, Mother/Son, First Dance, Money Dance) near the head table, and at the end of the Money Dance, the dancefloor was ready, so we opened the airwall and moved the party over to the dancefloor. By Don's request, the first song to kick off open dancing was the Chicken Dance!

For the rest of the night, Dave mixed it up, playing a good mix of today's music, some oldies, reggae, and more, keeping the groove going and the guests dancing. By the last dance of the night, we still had a good crowd, and I invited them back to the dancefloor for the last dance of the evening. The crowd celebrated and cheered as the last dance came to a close--a fitting way to end Don & Misty's celebration.

---

When I first spoke to JENNIFER & SCOTT for their wedding on November 4, they mentioned that tradition was very important to them. Since most of their guests were family, tradition was something that they wished to emphasize at their party. At the same time, they wanted it to be fun and memorable. So we helped them create a very fun and memorable celebration with an emphasis on tradition!

For the bouquet & garter tosses, we did the traditional bouquet & garter tosses, but what made it fun were the people involved. For the bouquet toss, the bouquet was actually caught between TRACEY (the maid of honor) and a good friend of the bride, and neither wanted to lose! For a while, they played tug-of-war with the bouquet, with the flowers finally going to Jennifer's friend!

The garter was exciting as well: Jennifer's cousin caught it in a display of skill. You know how they say that "White Men Can't Jump?" Well, it's apparent that Korean men CAN!

The party that started at the tables carried over to the dancefloor, where the guests danced and sang karaoke until they were exhausted.





Having a wonderful time dancing!



Jennifer & Scott at the end of the night, feeling very happy & stress-free


All in all, it was a great weekend to get married! To Misty, Don, Jennifer, & Scott, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your celebration. I'm glad that you had such a fun, stress-free time, and I hope the memories you created will stay with you forever!

Warmly,

Marino M. Regalado
Entertainment Director
Ninja Entertainment

HALLLLLOOOOOOOOWEEEEEENN!

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I get to dress up and be goofy without people looking at me funny, because everyone else is dressing up and being goofy as well.

So I spent the evening with my nieces & family, and we went trick or treating at Ala Moana Center. One of my nieces went as a playing card:



Awww, so cyuuuuuuuuuttte...

The other went as a zookeeper:



And of course, I went as a tourist:



The only thing missing from my costume in the picture is the big digital SLR camera I was carrying around, snapping pictures for posterity and to fit into character.

Overall, the experience was fun, and it was a great opportunity to spend quality time with family.

Today, I spent prepping for MISTY & DON'S wedding on Friday, and for JENNIFER & SCOTT'S wedding on Sunday.

MISTY & DON's wedding want their celebration to be simple yet fun. They actually are already married; this is the party they didn't have when they tied the knot! This is what their timeline looks like:

Sequence	Time	Event
0	4:30pm	Wedding Ceremony
1	6:30pm	Cocktail Hour; Doors Open to the Guests (no receiving line)
2	6:50pm	Welcoming of Guests, Grand Entrance
3		Greetings, Welcome, & Acknowledgements by the Newlyweds
4		Announcements (e.g., parking validations, restrooms, bar limit, etc.)
5		Invocation/Prayer Before The Meal by Misty’s godparents AUNTIE BENING & UNCLE FRANCIS
6	7:00pm	Meal (Song Serenade throughout dinner to get the newlyweds to kiss)
7	8:00pm	Recognition of Family & Out-Of-Town Guests
8		Cake Cutting
9		Toasts & Speeches by Misty’s friend ERICA, Misty’s aunt LEINA; and Misty’s father MIKE; followed by open mic for a few speakers (if at all)
10		Anniversary Game (bouquet & garter presentation)
11		Centerpiece Giveaway (Hot Centerpiece Time)
12		Combined Father/Daughter & Mother/Son Dance
13		First Dance, into Money Dance
14		Open Dancing
15		Grand Finale

Some unique elements of their celebration:

MISTY had mentioned that many of her guests like to sing, so we're going to use this to our advantage as a way of involving the guests and entertaining everyone at the same time. If guests want to see the newlyweds kiss, they must convince all of the people at their table to join them in serenading the bride & groom with a song. If Don & Misty like the guests' rendition, the newlyweds will kiss! Things could get pretty interesting, since many of the guests like to sing.

Instead of a typical bouquet toss, we're going to do the Anniversary Game to involve everybody (not just the unmarried women), and ultimately Misty will present the bouquet to two very very special people to her. Any guesses?

Dancing at their reception will be a unique situation. Because they are in the Laulima Rooms at the Hale Koa Hotel, the hotel won't allow us to pre-set a DJ dance music sound system until after the buffet is closed. Yikes! So the way things will work out is that I will bring in a small cocktail system to entertain the guests and to emcee the formal program. When the buffet closes, my good friend DAVID from Dynamic Sounds will come in and set up the dance music system (the buffet room will be closed to the guests, allowing Dave to set up without interrupting the presentation). When the dancefloor room is reopened, Dave should be all set and ready to rock the party! It should be a treat working with him.

I'll try to get pictures to post by Tuesday! And if I have time on Saturday, I'll try to write an overview of JENNIFER & SCOTT'S wedding on Sunday. Until then, have a fantastic weekend!

All the best,

Marino M. Regalado
Emcee & Interactive Entertainment Specialist
Ninja Entertainment

November E-Newsletter is almost ready!

For the most part, the November Ninja Wedding E-Newsletter is done and soon will be ready for distribution. If you're in the network, look for it in your inboxes within the next week or so. If it doesn't come in, check your bulk mail boxes, as the file may sometimes get accidentally sent there by your spam filter.

For those of you who aren't on the VIP list...what are you waiting for? :) Shoot me an email that you wish to subscribe, and I'll send you instructions on how to get onboard. The e-newsletter is a FREE resource that is filled with ideas and tips to make your wedding more FUN, STRESS-FREE, UNIQUE, and MEMORABLE. This month's content is going to be awesome! I'm excited about it!

For those of you still planning your wedding, there is a list of "Five Ways to Get Your Guests Up To Dance." Ever been to a wedding where the party died when dancing started? You know, when the lights go down, the DJ starts playing, but the guests start leaving, so by the time you get to the end, there's only about 10 people or so left. This list will give you ideas on how to prevent that mass exodus of people heading for the door at the end of the program.

For my married clients, there's an awesome article written by David Zinczenko entitled "Five Ways To Keep Your Man From Straying". These are awesome ideas on how to keep the passion alive in your marriage. It's definitely a must-read.

I can't forget the guys! There's a section just for you, and in this issue, I give you great ideas on how to have a really romantic date that will score you a lot of brownie points. Best of all, it's simple, easy, and affordable!

And of course, we must celebrate the most recent additions to the Ninja Entertainment "family" of married couples, as well as those celebrating recent anniversaries. Congratulations!

Erin & Mike, happily married September 16, 2007, Hale Koa Hotel

It's an exciting issue that shouldn't be missed! So if you aren't on the VIP list yet, shoot me an email and we'll get you going!




Excitedly,





Marino M. Regalado
Interactive Entertainment Specialist & MC
Ninja Entertainment

Let's take it back to the old school

One of the neat things about participating in a wedding expo is I run into friends I haven't seen in ages. At this most recent show, I ran into several friends & former classmates from college days at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. It was fun catching up with many of them, seeing what they have done with their lives since graduation, and how they have changed. Some of them were still very much single but had come along in support of their friends. Others had found love and were ready to settle down with the right person. Some had found careers in their majors (I spoke to A LOT of music teachers who I took the same music classes with--I was a music major). Others had found a different calling. A few served our country in the military. What was amazing was the fond nostalgia we had about "the good old days"...even though we graduated just a few years ago. Yikes! It's amazing how much things change, they still stay the same...

To all who dropped by my booth to chat, say hello, and catch up: thank you. Hopefully we can continue the conversation we started at the expo!

And now, for today's Wedding Tip For The Day: If you're having over 200 guests at your celebration, you may want to consider having TWO OR MORE guestbooks available at the registration table for when your guests check in. Sometimes the guestbook becomes the bottleneck that causes your guests to wait in an unappealing long line, and in some cases may even delay the start of your presentation. We did one wedding where the bride invited 750 guests (at the Sheraton Waikiki), but only had one guestbook to register them. The line stretched around the foyer area, outside on the lanai, down the Grand Staircase, and into part of the lobby downstairs, and it nearly delayed the start of the program by 30 minutes. Fortunately, we had an extra guestbook in our "Wedding Emergency Kit", and we were able to get most of the guests checked in within 15 minutes.

Alternatively, you could leave scrapbook pages on each table, and during the program, have your emcee ask your guests to fill in some pages with their names, addresses, and words of advice or wisdom for you and your new spouse. Your emcee will also mention that these pages will be collected at the end of the night and binded into a scrapbook/guestbook. Think about how original and unique your guestbook will be! And if you are a scrapbooker, think about how much fun you are going to have putting this ultimate wedding scrapbook together!

Have a fabulous week!

Warmly,





Marino M. Regalado
Emcee & Interactive Entertainment Specialist
Ninja Entertainment

Thank you for dropping by my booth!

We had a splendid time at the Bridal Expo this weekend! To the many brides & grooms who dropped by my booth, thank you for meeting me and saying "Hi!" It was great finding out a little about your wedding day. I look forward to meeting you personally and hearing more about your plans, as well as sharing some ideas to make your wedding more FUN, STRESS-FREE, UNIQUE, and MEMORABLE!

One thing I noticed: there's a lot more neighbor island brides inquiring about my services. Yes, I do emcee at neighbor island events! Whether it be Kauai, Maui, Hilo, or Kona, I can help you make your "destination wedding" very memorable and fun for you and your guests!

Thank you again for dropping by my booth. I look forward to serving you!

Warmly,

Marino
Emcee & Interactive Entertainment Specialist (tm)
Ninja Entertainment

Expoooooo!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is the World Class Wedding Expo at the Convention Center, and YOU are invited! Come on down and check out the latest in bridal fashions & trends, sample the menus from various locations and cakes from many wonderful cake artists, and most importantly, drop by and say hello! I'll be there on both days (Friday and Saturday), so if you've got some free time and still need to find stuff for your wedding, now's a good time to come by.

The expo starts at 6pm on Friday and goes to 10pm. On Saturday, it starts at 11am and goes to about 4pm. I'll be in booth 112, right near the entrance. Look for the guy in the tux showing some pretty funny videos from past wedding receptions!

Today's Wedding Tip for the Day is expo-related: Guys: if you have not found your tuxes for your wedding yet, the best place to get awesome deals are at a wedding expo! Usually there's some sort of discount involved; simply ask the tux experts there and see what they can do for you!

Please welcome DON & MISTY to our "family" of brides & grooms! We met last night to talk about their wedding next Friday, and it sounded like they wanted something really simple, but fun and interactive at the same time. So we're helping them create a really unique party that will include a lot of personalization. For instance, because many of their guests like to sing, we're going to invite the guests to serenade the newlyweds if they wish to see Don & Misty kiss. It should be interesting to see what songs the guests will choose! And because many of Misty & Don's guests are already married, instead of doing a typical bouquet toss, we're going to do the Anniversary Game and present the bouquet & garter to two very special people to them...It should certainly be a very pleasant surprise for the two people when they find out they're being honored that night.

Last but not least: if you haven't been following the local news lately, the good news is that the Hawaii Superferry finally got approved to sail. With service hopefully starting early next month, it will allow me to better serve my neighbor island clients. Planning to get married on the Big Island, Maui, or Kauai? Call me. Instead of simply emceeing the event, I now can provide DJ dance music for entire evening, meaning a more awesome, fun-filled celebration from beginning to end! I'm excited!

Have a great weekend!

All the best,

Marino M. Regalado
Entertainment Director
Ninja Entertainment

What's more important: One hour of dancing, or five hours of fun?

Randy Bartlett, a good friend of mine from Sacramento, posted this on an online chatboard I frequent:

DJs (and MCs) need to understand that a wedding reception is not a dance. It's a social event, a major life-cycle occasion at which there will dining, dancing, photography, videography and socializing. Most of all, almost without exception, our clients tell us they want their reception to be fun. The word fun comes in front of dancing almost every time. They may see dancing as a way to have fun, but it's only one way.

I'd prefer to look from the perspective of how many minutes are available to the clients, and then find out how they would most like to spend those minutes. I would say that three minutes spent laughing is much better than a minute spent enduring a meaningless string of names being recited by a guy on a microphone.

So when you begin your search for your wedding MC and DJ, what's more important to you: having one hour of good dancing at the end of the night, or five hours of the most fun, memorable PARTY you and your guests have ever experienced?

And how would you want those five hours spent? Do you want your guests participating and feeling involved in your celebration, or do you want them to just painfully sit through an emcee that talks and talks and talks forever?

Profoundly,

Marino
Entertainment Director
Ninja Entertainment

It's been busy...

To my faithful readers: my apologies for not writing in a LOOOOOOOONNNGG time...I expected summertime to be busy with weddings, but I had no idea it would be this busy. I was very very fortunate to be part of many very happy wedding celebrations over the last four months, many of them quite memorable. I am very thankful and appreciative to all of the brides & grooms who decided to have me emcee their celebrations and help them create a really FUN and OUTSTANDING party that their guests will talk about for years to come. So to my brides & grooms...

Thank You.

There are so many pictures to post, but in the meantime, to whet your appetites, here's are photos from the most recent wedding: JENNIFER & KEVIN at the Mauna Lani Resort on the Big Island! (Yes, I DO EVENTS ON NEIGHBOR ISLANDS AND ON THE MAINLAND!) I'll have a full write-up on their wedding soon.

Marino with JENNIFER & KEVIN: Awesome MC, gorgeous bride, easygoing groom.



Kevin, Jennifer, LAUREN (Super-awesome Wedding Coordinator at the Mauna Lani), and me.



Jennifer's "Tiffany's-inspired" cake



Kevin's baseball-themed cake

Enjoy the images!

Warmly,

Marino
MC & Interactive Entertainment Specialist
Ninja Entertainment

The following post was written last Thursday, May 17, but only posted now because I've been busy:

=======================================

One of the things I do for my clients to make their day ultimately STRESS-FREE is to visit the venue at least a week before the wedding, to meet their catering executive in person and to visit the actual ballroom/location where their party will be held. I do this to see see the room and get a mental picture of the layout of the event (where to direct guests for the restrooms, buffet, and to see how the "traffic patterns" in the room will be like), as well as to go over the timeline with the catering executive and explain all of the intricate and unique plans that the bride & groom may have planned. This ensures that:

I am prepared for any logistical/physical challenges that may make the load-in, setup, and the presentation difficult;

And to make sure that the caterer is on the same page as I am in regards to the flow events. If we're all on the same page, it means a smooth-flowing STRESS-FREE celebration for our client.

So here I am, on the North Shore of beautiful Oahu, Hawaii, at the Turtle Bay Resort. I just met with SHERI, the catering executive assigned to ROBYN & GREG'S wedding at the end of the month. Sheri just gave me a grand tour of the facilities, showing me not just the Sunset Room where Greg & Robyn will have their reception, but also the other ballrooms and load-in areas. It was awesome to see the changes on the property since I was last here. Sheri was even so kind as to point out where the electrical outlets were! It was a good thing I visited: Greg & Robyn have planned a unique floorplan for their unique presentation, so knowledge of this in advance of the party will really help! It also became known that there is a major motion picture shooting on property that weekend, so traffic patterns may be different, so I need to take that into account when scheduling my arrival time. After such a thorough site visit, I am very confident in helping Robyn & Greg have a very stress-free and memorable celebration at the end of the month!

After the site visit, I went down to the beachside bar to do a little strategic thinking and to compose this entry. As I write this, the weather is simply gorgeous and unparalleled. It truly is a blessing to live here in Hawaii, and it is even more of a blessing that I am able to enjoy it. I'm enjoying a pretty good pina colada too!

Yesterday evening, I hung out with the guys of the Hawaii chapter of the American Disc Jockey Association. Every month, we get together at Pipeline Cafe to talk story, share ideas, network, and have a great time. I picked up some great ideas to introduce some "Latin spice" into my weddings from two awesome Latin music DJs, DJ Alberto & DJ Margarita. So if you want to do something different and include some Latin culture into your celebration, email me, and I'll share with you some of those ideas! Ultimately, all of this idea-sharing improves my presentation, allowing me to better serve you and to constantly provide you with a fresh, unique experience!

Having said all of that, here are a couple of Tips of the Day.

1. When hiring your MC, ask them what they have done recently to provide you with a unique, fresh experience. Many MCs have a "Know-It-All" mentality which keeps them from learning any new jokes or activities to make their events fresh. Unfortunately, this creates a "cookie-cutter" effect in which every wedding that person does begins to look the same. I've spoken to brides who have had their families hire the same MCs for past parties, so by the time they begin planning their weddings, they know all of the jokes, routines, and schtick. That's why they end up hiring me...because I give them something original & fresh. So when hiring your MC or asking a friend to host your party, ask them what they have done in the past six months to learn something new and to give you a unique presentation.

2. When hiring your DJ, ask them if they will be visiting the venue to see how the room will be laid out for your particular event, and to see if there may be any challenges that may arise. Will there be a movie shooting on property that weekend? Will there be a parade going through the area? Will the loading zone and pathway to the ballroom be under construction? Will the room be laid out in a unique way that's different compared to the norm? It helps to know all of this in advance. If your DJ will not be visiting the site ahead of time, ask them why. Are they so confident that they will know what to do if the unexpected arises? Will you be confident in them? If they leave their house at the usual time but get stuck in traffic because of the surf meet that they should have known about, will you be okay if they arrive at your party late?

3. Here's an idea called "Bowling For Kisses." It comes from SHANNON & FE'S wedding in February 2005. Shannon & Fe first met casually met bowling with some friends. Many of their friends & family were bowlers (some of them professional or semi-pro), so bowling was a big thing among their friends & family. To personalize their wedding and make it more fun and involving for their guests, we helped them create something called "Bowling for Kisses." This is how it works:

We first went to WalMart and bought those kiddie bowling sets--the type with the plastic bowling pins and plastic bowling ball (weighing almost nothing). At the reception, we set it up on the dancefloor and told the guests that "Because Shannon & Fe met in a bowling alley, and since many of you are professional or semi-pro bowlers, we wanted to incoporate this into the wedding. I know that many of you want to see them kiss. Well, to get them to kiss, you need to earn it. Since there are so many good bowlers here, we'd like to also give you a challenge. In order to get Shannon & Fe to kiss, you need to come to the dancefloor, where we have set up a mini bowling lane. You MUST hit a strike--not a spare, not a split--but a strike, and if you get a strike, they will kiss."

Sounds easy, right?

Not if you're used to a twelve pound resin ball striking oak pins 60 feet away. Now all of a sudden, you are rolling a five-ounce plastic ball 7-10 feet away to a bunch of multicolored plastic pins. Needless to say, the bowlers had fun trying to readjust their approach, and the guests enjoyed watching the professional bowlers miss. When the first strike was finally hit by the bride's uncle, the room exploded with applause! Instead of the guests sitting around and being bored while waiting for their turn to the buffet, they were treated to such a fun, exciting time! It got to the point where some guests did not even go to the buffet right away because they did not want to miss the action on the "bowling lane" at the moment!

Meeting lots of people, getting lots of ideas

Has it really been two weeks since the last post? My apologies to my faithful readers. It's been busy. There was a lot of followup after the expo, calling back many of you to set up appointments, as well as following up with vendors I met.

Went to the NACE meeting on Wednesday and met a lot of great people.

One of them was Vicki Liao of Fairy Princess Affair. She's an awesome person with a great idea. If you have a niece or daughter that wants to be treated like a princess on her birthday, give Vicki a call. She can help you create a really nice "fairy tale" presentation for the child's birthday, complete with costumes for the kids, finger-nail painting, children's makeup, etc. Basically, the kids get treated like princesses. And if your daughter/niece likes the costumes, Vicki also offers the dresses and accessories for purchase, so that your daughter/niece can be a princess 365 days of the year. Check them out on their website here. Don't forget to mention that Marino with Ninja Entertainment sent you!


Another vendor I met was Claire from Edible Arrangements. If you are looking for something original for your centerpieces, or if you are looking for something unique to give as gifts, check them out. They make gorgeous and tasty bouquets of fruits. They will be opening a retail store in downtown very soon, but you can order items online now, so if you still haven't found something to give Mom for Mother's Day, this may be something unique and special that Mom will definitely enjoy. When you contact them, mention that Marino from Ninja Entertainment sent you!

Finally, I met Cassandra, David, & Brook from Cassandra Dieterle Photography yesterday before meeting with JAMES & CHARLENE (getting married on June 23). What a great person to know! If you know me, you know I am very passionate about helping my clients create really FUN, STRESS-FREE, UNIQUE, and MEMORABLE celebrations that they and their guests will remember forever. Cassandra shares the same passion in capturing those moments and encouraging her clients to relax, have fun, and enjoy their wedding day! One of the things that impressed me about her was her willingness to offer engagement photos to the bride & groom as part of her service, not just to provide additional value to the client, but also to get to know the bride & groom in advance and to make them feel comfortable in front of a camera! Wow! I haven't met a photographer yet that does this (other than her), but it really did impress me that she goes above and beyond to simply make her clients very relaxed and happy on their wedding day. If you haven't found your photographer yet, please really do consider Cassandra. Check out her website here, and when you call, mention that I sent you.

In terms of clients, I met with JENNA and her mother NANI last week regarding Jenna's wedding in September 2008. Yes, you read right, 2008. Because of the uniqueness of my service, I do get inquiries as far out as 2009, so it really does pay off to reserve my services in advance. Jenna is coming in at current (2007) investment levels, so she won't have to worry about prices going up! We are planning a very exciting and high-energy presentation for her and BILL. From what Jenna told me, both families are really outgoing and full of energy, and all they need is someone to help them "focus" that energy into a very fun and productive party! Nothing has been set in stone yet, but I can tell you that there event will have a lot of unique activities that have not been seen in Hawaii yet!

Yesterday I met with JAMES & CHARLENE. They are planning a wedding next month. Fortunately, they are almost done with the planning and only have a handful of items to wrap up. For this event, I am being brought on board to host the party and to suggest creative ways to personalize their wedding and add entertainment value to the celebration. Both of them are really personable and full of love and positive vibes, so I really am looking forward to creating something magical with them. What's neat about their wedding, too, is that they already have a DJ! Victor with Rhythm Creations is a good friend of mine, and I'm looking forward to working with him again. Should be an exciting presentation!

Lastly, on Monday I met with ROBYN & GREG for their upcoming wedding. With a Sunday evening wedding at the Turtle Bay, you may think that their guests would go home after dinner. Think again! They have planned a unique and original presentation that reflects Greg's love of country music and Robyn's love of the sea. Let's talk about the centerpiece giveaway as an example (and this is your Wedding Tip Of The Day). On each table next to the centerpiece will be a "message in a bottle," which is a piece of parchment paper in a tiny champagne bottle--very fitting for the "seashore" theme that Robyn is shooting for. When it is time to give away the centerpieces, I'm going to ask one person on each table to pull out the message and to read it aloud to the people on that table. The message will reveal some sort of trait for one person on each table (e.g., tallest person, youngest person, etc.). The winner of the centerpiece is the person who best fits that trait! So instead of the guests randomly having to win the centerpiece, the centerpiece will be presented to someone special on each table, but everyone was involved in the presentation, making it much more fun and entertaining for all of the guests!

Greg & Robyn really put together something fun for everyone to enjoy, and in the following weeks, I will gradually reveal some of their unique plans. In either case, their celebration will be fun. I'm excited and really looking forward to it!

Until the next time, stay safe and keep smiling!

All the best,

Marino
Ninja Entertainment

Lots to follow up on

This past weekend's bridal expo was quite the success! Met a lot of prospective brides & grooms and really got to tell a lot of people about the unique opportunity that I provide! The big screen LCD TV helped deliver that message much more clearly! It was one of the best investments I've made, and it didn't cost me that much too.

Did some networking too, and talked to a bunch of videographers and photographers who promised to get me some of their work from weddings we did together. I just have to remember to get them the dates, and they will go back into their archives and grab what they have.

The banner was also a big hit. I got a lot of positive comments from other vendors, and I feel it made my booth stand out compared to other entertainers at the show. To make sure that the banner stays nice for a VERY long time, I bought a case for it.

With everything set up nicely beforehand, load-in was a breeze, and I was set up in no time at all. The only thing I forgot was the legs for the cocktail table! Instead, I put the laptop (which would display the short slideshow) on the table next to the TV, and the plan was to go to my storage after the first day to assemble the cocktail table and to bring it for the second day. In the end, though, I didn't need it, so it was one less thing to pack up!

The challenge this week is to follow through with everyone that I met. Yesterday, I spent emailing almost all of the brides that I connected with. A few have replied, which is a great sign. Tomorrow, I begin the phone call followups. Let's just hope that I'll be blessed to help them with their celebration; it's always great when I get to work with a bride & groom who truly want to have a memorable and fun celebration!

Warmly,

Marino
Ninja Entertainment

The Best Buy/Guitar Hero incident

Okay, so a few of you have emailed me regarding the Best Buy/Guitar Hero Incident I keep referring to. For the sake of full disclosure, let me tell you about what happened, and why it made me listen to some hair bands and buy a bass guitar recently.

Back in high school and college, I was into that "scene." In college, I played in a few bands, nothing serious or profitable, just did it to have fun and relieve stress. Especially during midterms and finals week, but I digress. Back then, I was pretty handy with a guitar & bass guitar, and while I wasn't Kirk Hammett-good (guy from Metallica) or Slash-good (guy from Guns N' Roses), I still could play well enough to keep the band and our audience happy.

But upon graduation from college and entry into the full-time passion of running my own entertainment company, I no longer had time to practice playing, and so that part of me fell by the wayside.

Fast forward to sometime in January 2007. I'm in Best Buy looking for an MP3 player adapter, and I come across a display of Guitar Hero II. One of the songs in the game is Sweet Child of Mine by Guns N' Roses. In college, I could play that opening lick and the guitar solo pretty well. So I figured that playing it again on a toy guitar shouldn't be that much different, right?

Wrong.

All the fingerings I was used to pressing on a standard guitar did not apply on the GH2 toy guitar. Needless to say, I ended up with a pretty bad score, not to mention feeling a little embarrassed. What made it worse was, right after me, these two college students walked up, picked up the guitars, chose the same song, and ripped right through it--with the difficulty set on expert and hitting every single note.

I knew I hadn't been playing in eight years, but I didn't think I was this bad. So a few days later while visiting my parents, I pulled out an old guitar that I still keep there, tried the same lick...and realized I still had some of it on a real guitar. A little rusty (ok, A LOT rusty), but still had potential.

So that's the Best Buy/Guitar Hero Incident story. It's a good thing that the game was Guitar Hero. Can you imagine if it was some game like Drum Hero? My housemates would totally be unhappy if I brought home a drumkit...but I digress.

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you at the expo!

Fondly,
Marino
Ninja Entertainment

Been busy...but not...

It's a strange feeling, not having anything important to do.

Over the last few days, there was a lot of prep work for the upcoming wedding expo this weekend. (Come by & visit my booth!) But it seems like all is finished, and aside from equipment checks that will happen tomorrow, everything is in order. So it's sort of cool to have everything all ready, ordered, and waiting to happen.

I ordered a new banner for my booth. The old one was still good, but it was a simple banner with the name of the company; it did not really convey what I did. Consequently, a lot of people came up during these tradeshows and sometimes asked, "Do you do video?" Or, "so what is this, photography?"

The new banner should convey what I do quite clearly. Here's the design for it:



Thank you to Dave Miyamoto for the image of JESSE & JESSICA which serves as the focal point of the piece. And yes, I did perform at their wedding!

The banner matches the postcards that I send to prospects, creating a unified "theme" among my marketing pieces. It's being printed by the wonderful people at Fast Signs and should be ready by Thursday or early Friday.

I also redesigned the business cards:

These were printed by RushFlyers.Com and should arrive by Thursday or Friday as well.

As for the other paperwork that I'm handing out, they are all printed as well. Since it will be a shorter show (two days), I only printed a limited run on my home all-in-one printer.

So it's good to be ready for this thing. If anything, I may need to pick up a video cable or two (to connect the computer to the LCD TV); otherwise, everything's all set!

Last Sunday was another Hawaii Bride & Groom event, this time at the Willows Restaurant. As a "mini-expo," it was a great way to meet brides-to-be, to network with some of my favorite vendors, and to eat some fabulous food! I had a great time, and it was really awesome to hang out and talk story with the vendors there. I had a great time!

In other news, after much agonizing over whether to buy it or not, I ended up getting a bass guitar. I've been itching to play again after the whole Best Buy/Guitar Hero Incident (that story for another post later on), and with last month's visit to the Music Room and the "rediscovery" of hair band music, I got the itch to play guitar again. I've always enjoyed playing bass more than a regular guitar, but when I started my entertainment company, I really didn't get a chance to play anymore. So the other day, while in town running some miscellaneous errands, I stopped by Easy Music Center to pick up some microphone clips...and there she was. Ahhh, beautiful in black, with steel strings, calling out my name. After much debating on whether or not I really wanted her or not, I finally did it: I bought the guitar. Now I'm not crazy about Hello Kitty or Badz-whatever, but the design of the guitar was just appealing. Now I just have to find a band to play with...

If you're ever in Liliha and hear a bass guitar jamming away to some Stone Temple Pilots, Guns N' Roses, or Nirvana, you will know who it is...

Have a great week, and I'll see you this weekend at the expo!

Warmly,

Marino
Ninja Entertainment

Three awesome weddings this past weekend!

Talk about a busy weekend! Two weddings on Saturday (fortunately at the same location), and one on Sunday night made for a busy weekend. And of course, that meant that the week before was reserved for preparation and rehearsals to ensure a successful trio of events! (And THAT'S why I haven't posted in a while!)

During the week, last minute changes occurred for the weddings, which is usually uncharacteristic but not totally unexpected. For one wedding, changes were made right up to the night before! But it worked out well.

The morning wedding on Saturday for SHERYL & TATE ran a little long, with some things occurring beyond our control that made the party run longer than expected. Then again, with a live presentation, the show must go on, and we managed to get everything in except for the money dance. The reception ended on a positive note, with a beautifully crafted video slideshow presented by IMF Visions capping off a good wedding celebration. It was great working with JANICE at Wedding Planner 808 as well; with her coordinating the presentation, it made my job as host and entertainment director much easier!

The evening affair was more laidback and fun. While most of our clients hire us for the interactive presentations we create, JODI & MIKE hired us for the music we play. When we met them, they had already hired a local comedian for their host, but they were having a difficult time communicating with the DJ they originally hired. By this point, JODI was upset by the poor treatment from this other company, and they were worried that their original DJ would not show up at their wedding. With their event only DAYS away (yes, DAYS) and since it was in the same location as SHERYL & TATE'S wedding, I decided to help them out. (Normally I only do one wedding per day, but in this situation, it worked out beneficially for everybody.)

In the end, the local comedian made the program entertaining without offending too many people, and when the dancefloor opened, we managed to keep a sizeable crowd going for a while. It's not everyday I get to simply spin at a wedding and not have to worry about presenting the formal program, so in this case, I was grateful. We ended the party with our Top Secret Grand Finale ending, which meant at the end of the last dance, the guests were applauding and hugging the newlyweds. Success!

Here's me at the end of the night with JODI & MIKE:



Sunday's wedding for CINDY & AARON meant a fun and elegant presentation, rather than a wild and crazy one. After two weeks of helping them create their presentation, it all came together Sunday night. After a nice receiving line and cocktail hour, we introduced the wedding party to Oliver James' "The Greatest Story Ever Told," and as each couple arrived on the dancefloor, they did a very smooth and elegant ballroom dance move. Very nice! The first surprise happened after the Best Man & Maid of Honor were introduced: after they had done their little ballroom dance move, the music was changed to Sir Mix A Lot's "Jump On It", and the wedding party did something similar to this:

Picture this: instead of Will Smith and the other guy, you have three guys in tuxes and three beautiful women in gorgeous dresses doing this dance. The guests went nuts!

And that wasn't the end of the surprises. When we introduced AARON & CINDY, instead of simply walking to the head table, they went to the dancefloor and straight into their First Dance, to the elegant sound of Tony Bennett's "The Way You Look Tonight." As the song ended, everyone could feel the love in the room.

The remainder of the reception was just as fun and full of surprises. PAUL the best man delivered a very inspirational and rousing speech. JENNIFER the maid of honor presented a heartfelt yet funny speech. RYAN (a friend of the groom and my co-host for the evening, who handled all of the "personal" moments of the reception [while I handled all of the formal parts of the presentation]) added a touch of comedy in telling stories about the bride, groom, and wedding party. During their Gratitude Speech, AARON showed his sentimental side as he thanked his parents. (Talk about an emotionally charged moment! Not a dry eye in the house.) The ladies enjoyed The Circle Dance to give away the bouquet. Aaron had planned to do a traditional garter removal & toss, but the twist was that he would throw five garters, giving us five winners! What made the event even more funny was that the most important garter (the one to signify who would participate in the Reverse Garter) got stuck in the ceiling! But we kept the party going, had one of the other garter catchers volunteer, and we had a very fun Reverse Garter! CHRIS, the person who Aaron & Cindy chose to be "The Leg," played the part perfectly. And although there was no dancing at the end of the night (Cindy & Aaron's choice, decided in our planning meetings long before wedding day, for a variety of reasons), many of the guests stuck around to hang out, talk story, socialize, and take photos with the newlyweds. We were contracted to play music until 10:30pm that night, and not surprisingly, we still had a good crowd of well-wishers when the time arrived. For a reception with no dancing on a Sunday night, how many people can say that?

Here's Brandon & I with CINDY & AARON:

Overall, it was a great weekend filled with three great weddings. Thank you to SHERYL, TATE, JODI, MIKE, CINDY, and AARON for trusting us with your special day. I am so honored to be a part of the magic that was created. May you all be successful in your marriage and in life!

With much love,

Marino M. Regalado
Entertainment Director
Ninja Entertainment

An update to the 80's hair band post

Last week I had written a post about 80's hair band music and the nostalgia it brings, both to me personally and to my clients whenever I play that sort of music at weddings. I had mentioned that I would post a list of popular hair band music to play at weddings. Well, I did...and I used it as the first in a monthly series of visits to "Marino's Music Room." Each month, I will "Top 10" list of music from a particular genre. The music on the list would be a good addition to any wedding reception soundtrack, so it is something for the couple to consider.

If you wish to receive these monthly lists (available exclusively to my subscribers), shoot me an email at website01@ninjaentertainment.com , and I will send you the invitation and instructions to get on to the mailing list.

This month's list was about hair bands...next month will be something quite fun!

Keep rockin',

Marino
Ninja Entertainment

It's going to be a busy couple of weeks

It's going to be a very busy couple of weeks coming up--very nonstop. This weekend brings DUSTIN & ASHLEY's wedding; with ALL of their guests flying in from the mainland (mainly from SoCal), this is going to be one fun celebration! Then the week after, we've got two: SHERYL & TATE on Saturday morning, then CINDY & AARON on Sunday night! The weekend after is wedding expo weekend, so stop by and say hello to us then. I'll have my first weekend to breathe after that!

A little about ASHLEY & DUSTIN'S celebration. They are going with a very "mainland" feel for their party, with the First Dance right after a very high-energy "ESPN SportsCenter"-style Grand Entrance! After the First Dance, we put in the toasts, we a few surprises planned for one of the newlyweds! Then for dinner, we're going to be releasing the tables to the buffet with a neat little trivia game that celebrates the many milestones of Ashley & Dustin's relationship--should be both fun and a learning experience for the guests! Every element of Ashley & Dustin's celebration has been personalized--from the bouquet presentation to two very special people, to the final last dance of the night--their party is a total reflection of Ashley & Dustin's personalities. It should be quite fun and original! As we get closer to the date, I'll post more info on their presentation as well as the soundtrack we will use for the night!

For our Tip of the Day, let me share the table-release idea that we're using for Ashley & Dustin's celebration. Instead of simply numbering each table 1-5, the newlyweds have numbered each table based on a year that is important to them. Thus the tables are numbered 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2005. To release each table, I will read trivia from each of these years, and the guests will guess which year I am talking about. When that year is guessed, the corresponding table gets to go to the buffet! And as that table is released, I reveal the personal connection to that year.

For example:
One table will be named 1999. To release this table, I read some trivia about that year:

• 1/1: Europe begins using the Euro as the common currency.
• 1/12: A very young and innocent Britney Spears releases her first single, "Baby One More Time"
• 1/13: Michael Jordan officially retires as an NBA player...again.
• 1/31: Super Bowl 33: The Denver Broncos win their second consecutive NFL championship by beating the Atlanta FAlcons 34-19.
• 5/19: Sith lords rejoice as the first part of Darth Vader's story is told, with the release of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

When "1999" is guessed, that table gets to go the buffet! Then I reveal the connection: this was the year the newlyweds graduated from high school.

It's a fun way to entertain your guests during dinner, and the best part about it is that your guests find out something new about you!

Warmly,

Marino
Ninja Entertainment

80s hair band music rawks!

I've been nostalgic lately. Guns N' Roses' Sweet Child of Mine on replay on the MP3 player. I have a feeling it goes back to the time I went to Best Buy and got hooked on Guitar Hero, in which that song is one of the tracks. But the Best Buy Sweet Child story is for another time...

This post is about 80's hair bands. Whether you admit it or not, you have at least liked one song from that genre. Looking through my recent playlists, I realized that I hadn't played a good hair band song at a wedding in a while, but the last few times I did, it really went well. As in, the crowd singing/screaming along to the words (and many of them did know all of the words) and doing the whole air-guitar motions. I guess many of my clients grew up listening to it, so it would certainly be pleasurable and nostalgic to hear those songs again, particularly at a family gathering like a wedding. And although we don't hear the stuff daily anymore (unless you can find a really good rock station that isn't controlled by Clear Channel), it's refreshing to hear it again at a special event.

In an upcoming post, I will list some of the more popular hair band songs that have worked well at weddings. If you would like to include your choices, email me at website01@ninjaentertainment.com !

Warmly,
Marino
Ninja Entertainment

New Ideas

Had a great meeting with Brandon (my assistant at weddings) today, and it was a fantastic strategy session about our presentation and other details. Lot of wonderful new ideas flowed back and forth, and needless to say, it got me very excited about some new directions I'm going to take our presentations.

For one, we developed several new activities to give away the bouquet, garter, and centerpieces. We thought up some ideas to involve children at the reception, should we do a wedding that had many children.

We talked about ideas to follow up with current and past clients, just to stay in touch with them and keep us fresh in their minds.

There's a lot of potential, and it's going to be quite an awesome year! This blog, the e-newsletter, the podcast that we'll be rolling out in a few months..this is simply the tip of the iceberg...

The whole goal of all of this is to be able to provide even greater service to our clients and community. After all, if there's anything I can do to make a bride's wedding day as FUN, STRESS-FREE, MEMORABLE, and UNIQUE as possible, it would most certainly be worth it.

With much love,

Marino
Ninja Entertainment

Busy...again.

Yes, it's been busy the last few days, which is why I haven't really posted anything new.

Monday was supposed to be a busy day at work, but I kept getting distracted by youtube...that thing can be addicting...

Yesterday (Tuesday) was filled with meetings. In the morning, I attended the 16th Anniversary Party for Hawaii Bride & Groom Magazine, and it was a lot of fun! JULIE, the owner of the magazine, really knows how to throw a very elegant and fun bash! Held at the Tiffany's store in Waikiki, it truly was a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" event, full of sharply dressed people, great food, and a fabulous ambiance. I got to meet many wedding professionals I had heard about but never formally met, as well as to hang out with good friends who I haven't seen and worked with in a while. Great party!

In the afternoon, I met with LYNDY & BEN regarding their wedding in the Fall of 2007. They are planning a really simple and elegant party, with an emphasis on good music and dancing. Should be a fun party.

Ran into DIANNA with Hawaii Weddings and Events and LARRY from Live Internet Weddings at the Moana Surfrider. Dianna was coordinating a small destination wedding on property, and Larry was videotaping the event. It was great to see both of them in action!

Later that afternoon, I got to know PHIL and LORI. Their wedding is also in the Fall of 2007, and like many of my clients, they are a destination bride & groom. She was originally from here but moved to the mainland to attend college, and has stayed their ever since. He was originally from Montana, but now they both live together in San Diego. This will be a homecoming for Lori, and for Phil's family, this will be a vacation! They asked me to help them create a really fun, energetic party that will cap off their guests' vacation and make their wedding much more memorable. We tossed around a bunch of ideas, but the one idea that got everybody excited was the "Surfin' USA" idea! They are both avid surfers, so this entrance totally matches their personality! It still is very very preliminary, but this is the gist of how the entrance will work:

I first introduce the bridesmaids & groomsmen, as is customarily done, but with the song "Wipeout" playing for their introduction. As they get to the dancefloor, each groomsman quietly slips out the side door (since everyone will be focusing on the next couple coming in) and make their way back to the entrance. The fun begins when I introduce the bride & groom...because when I do, the bride will enter ON A SURFBOARD carried by the groom and groomsmen! The music that will be playing will be "Surfin' USA" by the Beach Boys. Imagine how much fun it would be when the bride "surfs in" under a "wave" of the groomsmen and her husband! And the best part of it is is that it totally matches the bride & groom's personality, being that they are avid surfers! The idea is still in its early stages, but we've got a long time to work out the details, and I'm certain the final presentation will be very entertaining and worthwhile!

So that's what I've been up to lately. How about you? Drop me a line to tell me what's going on, what you think of this blog so far, and what I can do to better serve you. And of course, if you haven't subscribed to the Ninja Entertainment Wedding E-Newsletter, email me, and I'll send you the opt-in!

At your service,

Marino
Ninja Entertainment

Yes, it is more than five hours that I work.

Many people I meet tell me that my job is the easiest in the world. After all, I allegedly work "only five hours", right? Five to six hours of the actual party itself, right?


Well, it's a little more complicated than that. I put in 20-40 hours in preparing for every wedding, with the goal of ensuring that the five hours of the party are the best five hours in my clients' and guests' lives. A lot of that time is invested in putting together the soundtrack, organizing the script and timeline, connecting with the other vendors to make sure that we are all on the same page, and other things in preparation of the celebration. On the day of the wedding, there's more than just "show up and perform." There's the setup and soundcheck before the presentation even begins. Let's use a recent example: JEN & MARK'S wedding.


This is me two hours before the doors open to the guests. Notice how messy everything is as my staff and I are busy setting up the sound system and lighting.

In those two hours, the sound system and light show are set up, soundchecked and lit, and finally tidied up, so by the time the guests arrive, this is what they see:

Neat and tidy, no?

In that time, too, my staff and I get ready, so when your guests arrive, we are smartly dressed in our tuxes/suits/aloha shirts/referee uniforms/whatever.

Our goal is to offer you and your guests more than just a DJ to play music and an MC to tell jokes. Our goal is to give you and your guests a fun and elegant EXPERIENCE that they will remember forever. On your wedding day, one of the most important days in your life, isn't that worth something?

Jen & Mark's Totally Awesome Reception!

Awesome and fun best describes the party that JEN & MARK had last night! After months of planning and preparing for their big day, it finally came, and the results were quite spectacular! From the moment the first guests arrived, we created a very positive energy in the room that grew as the night progressed, and when the dancefloor opened, we had a full floor of dancers all the way to closing time!

With a personalized Grand Entrance based on Sportscenter and the NCAA Final Four, the reception's tone was set, and it meant that it was going to be a celebration! With dinner's unique table release, the energy remained high, with guests shouting out answers and cheering as they tried to win the right to eat next!

One of the highlights had to be watching everyone scream through "Sweet Caroline" during the dancing portion of the night. With everyone still on the dancefloor, the sound from them was deafening!

There's so much memories from last night and not enough room here to go over them, but the validation of the work came when Jen & Mark came up to me to thank me and tell me all of the positive comments that their guests had for them. Wow! That really made my night!

Thank you again to JEN & MARK for trusting me with their wedding celebration. I was so honored to be chosen for this special role, and I am happy that it turned out way beyond expectations.

Tonight's the big night!

It's finally here! For JEN & MARK, this is what months of planning and preparation comes down to. It's exciting to know that everything's all set and in place!

Over the last few nights, I spent much time putting the final touches on the program details, organizing everything, putting together the soundtrack, and rehearsing for this big day. Went to bed at 2am after rehearsing the custom "Sports Jam" Entrance that we're announcing the wedding party to. And as I type this, I have the other computer finalizing the soundtrack CDs. The printer is printing the final timeline and scripts for the night, and after this, I will neatly bind the paperwork into several black binders for a nice presentation.

Once that's all done, I head off to my storage site, load the equipment, then go home for a fast shower. Then it's out the door, to the venue, load-in, soundcheck, and give JEN, MARK, and their guests the time of their lives!

Here's what the final timeline for their unique party looks like:

Sequence	Time	Event
0	4:30pm	Wedding Ceremony
1	5:00pm	Cocktail Hour; Doors Open to the Guests (no receiving line)
2	6:00pm	Welcoming of Guests, Grand Entrance (Sports Jam Grand Entrance)
3		First Dance
4		Greetings & Welcome by the Newlyweds
5		Announcements (e.g., restrooms, signing of portrait matte, words of wisdom scrolls, etc.)
6	6:15pm	Meal (University Trivia Table Release, Tippy Cup Contest)
7	7:15pm	Recognition of Family
8		Zippy’s Apple Pie Cutting
9		Toasts & Speeches by Best Man GRANT; Maid of Honor ADRIENNE; bridesmaids JEN E., JEN Y., & JOS; banzais by Jen’s friend CHRISTY & Jen’s uncle JIM
10		Appreciation/Gratitude Speech by MARK & JEN
11		Anniversary Dance bouquet presentation
12		Traditional Garter Removal & Toss
13		Video Slideshow Presentation
14		Father/Daughter Dance
15		Mother/Son Dance
16		Money Dance (3-4 songs)
17		Open Dancing
18		Grand Finale
		Note: Party must end by 10pm, and all of the guests must be out of the venue by 10:30pm.

And the soundtrack for their celebration looks like this:

1. ESPN Sportscenter Theme (guest welcome)
2. Eye of the Tiger [Survivor] (Wedding Party Grand Entrance)
3. We Will Rock You [Queen] (Bride & Groom Entrance)
4. You Are The Love Of My Life [Sammy Kershaw] (First Dance)
5. Save Room [John Legend] (cake cutting)
6. What A Man [Salt N Pepa] (Best Man Toast intro)
7. 808 remix [Blaque] (Maid of Honor toast intro)
8. Don't Cha [Pussycat Dolls] (Bridesmaids toast intro)
9. Thank You [Dido] (Jen & Mark's Appreciation Speech intro)
10. Through The Years [Kenny Rogers] (Anniversary Dance bouquet presentation)
11. Let's Get It On [Marvin Gaye] (garter removal)
12. Another One Bites The Dust [Queen] (garter toss)
13. My Girl [Temptations] (Father/Daughter Dance)
14. What A Wonderful World [Louis Armstrong] (Mother/Son Dance)
15. This Guy's In Love With You [Harry Connick Jr] (Money Dance)
16. That's All [Michael Buble] (Money Dance)
17. Fly Me To The Moon [Frank Sinatra] (Money Dance)
18. When You Say Nothing At All [Ronan Keating] (Money Dance)

Cocktail & dinner music will be light jazz and easy listening music, e.g., Michael Buble, Jack Johnson, Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr., etc.

Dance music will be a wide mix, with special requests and dedications to some of the guests. Requests will be honored. No techno.

Grand Finale will be Canned Heat [Jamiroquai, from the Napoleon Dynamite soundtrack].

"Pack up song" will be So Long Farewell [Julie Andrews, from the Sound of Music soundtrack].

Tonight should be fun! I will have a full report, and hopefully even pictures tomorrow!