hipster wedding music, hipster wedding, non conformist wedding, offbeat bride

Wedding music for the non-conformist

Wedding music for the non-conformist couple.

Manly beards, craft beer, and daisies. Enter the hipster.

2015 was the year of the hipster. It was a non-conformists paradise. And with that came the rise in wedding music that was anything but typical. From childhood superhero theme songs like “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” to “Gold on the Ceiling” by the Black Keys, no stone was unturned and all bets were off.

Many wedding djs found themselves in a challenging position because we tend to play it safe with what wedding music we know works. But this past year, I loved the challenge. It really forces you think outside the box and really LISTEN to the music to find a place for it.

What we found was a treasure trove of ideas that really focused on a concert like experience rather than the chicken dance, electric slide, and YMCA which just proves… you don’t always need a knock down drag out dance party for the wedding to be successful. Maybe you really enjoy sing alongs and power ballads. Some of the most memorable music makes a cameo on a goof in a movie.

Here’s some non-conformist wedding music that we played this year. There are no rules to have a good time. Just let your wedding music move you.

Black Keys – Gold on the Ceiling

Foreigner – Juke Box Hero

Ben Folds – I am the Luckiest

Reel Big Fish – Beer

The Who – Teenage Wasteland

Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody

Dropkick Murphys – Shipping up to Boston

Hozier – Like Real People Do

Rose Ave. – You and Me

Tim McNorris – Overwhelmed

Annie Lenox – Walking on Broken Glass

Harry Belafonte – Banana Boat Song

St. Motel – My Type

February 8, 2016/by Aaron

Use Spotify for your Wedding and SAVE

Wedding

Use Spotify for your wedding and SAVE!!!

You’re probably asking yourself right now, “Ok, you’re an entertainment company that specializes in weddings. Why on earth would you promote a cheaper alternative?” Let’s begin.

Recently, Spotify has been promoting their ability to DJ your wedding for you with the use of custom playlists for your wedding. How awesome is that? Just hook up your iphone to a speaker and you’re good to go! It sounds too good to be true.

I understand the need to be budget conscious on some things. But knowing what to invest in and what to be frugal with are a matter of priority. If you want that 10,000 dollar dress and as a result, can’t afford a professional wedding photographer to capture you in your Vera Wang 5 digit dress, $800 Chris Louboutin heels, and designer necklace, what good is spending $10,000 on a dress? Same goes for your entertainment.

You’ve taken great care for making sure that every last detail is how you want it. The venue is exactly as you dreamed it would be, the centerpieces are just perfect, and every chair back comes wrapped in linen and decorated with a bow. A beautiful setting fit for a queen. And right near the dance floor is a speaker sitting on the floor with your iphone sitting on top and a cord draped over the speaker. Charming!

Now here it comes time for your introductions and first dance. Who announces you and your bridal party in? Who controls the iphone while you’re busy with introductions? Can they use them simultaneously to announce you in and change the music and or volume if it’s too loud or soft? Will spotify decide it’s a great time to let your 150 guests know that you can enjoy even more music by using Spotify premium for just $10 a month? Will the person using the microphone stand far enough away from the speaker to not let it feed back and squeal with delight during your introductions?

Phew! Now that we’ve got the intros and first dance out of the way, we’ve got to do a toast to the happy couple. Your besties head up to the lone speaker on the floor and grab the microphone and set their whiskey sour on the speaker. (Where else would they put it? They have 3 pages of stories to tell) In a moment of excitement, the best man bumps into the speaker knocking your $600 iphone to the floor and to add insult to injury, siri does a shot of whiskey sour to soften the blow when his drink crashes to the floor. Your iphone needs to be dried out to prevent it from shorting out so you run up and quickly dry it off with an expensive napkin from your table only to find out that the phone is toast. You quickly beg someone for their iphone to use and try to download spotify into their phone to get your music back but alas, it won’t be your account because the phone is assigned to it’s owner with an entirely different email address. Your wedding list is gone.

Thankfully, you can still stream regular spotify so you choose one of the safe playlists like jazz for dinner and like clockwork, every 3rd song has a commercial before it. Nice! You want to dance with your father following dinner but can’t seem to remember what song it was because it was in your whiskey soaked phone and you didn’t need to write it down because Spotify had you covered. So you pick a song quickly and grab your dad. Theres a long pause while the phone buffers a new song and finally begins to play. You and dad dance for 3.5 minutes and at the end you hear a round of applause followed by, “Did you know? Spotify Premium is just $10 a month!”

I don’t think I need to tell you that there is more to come.

It’s no secret. You can have spotify for your wedding, of course! But, what do you have to play it on? Are you going to invest in a pair of $600 powered speakers (That’s as cheap as they get. We are an authorized dealer for many brands of audio and lighting), speakers stands ($90/pair), a microphone, extension cables to plug it in and tape to ensure that your guests don’t trip over your thrifty investment? After all is said and done, you’re going to spend at least that much on a wedding DJ. Its your wedding. You deserve BETTER.

January 31, 2016/by Aaron

Halloween Wedding at Bill Millers Castle

Wedding

Halloween Wedding at Bill Millers Castle – Puttin on the Fritz

If you read the beInspired blog, you’ve probably heard the name Bill Fritz brought up a time or two. A little backstory…

I met Bill and his wife Colette in 2013 while at Allie & Aaron Stubbs wedding in Cheshire. Never meeting Bill before then, I had no idea what to expect from this wedding photographer. Bill looks like quite a badass with his dark black beard, dressed in black from head to toe. But after chatting with Bill for a while over dinner, I knew that he was a fantastic guy. And after seeing the photos of Allie & Aaron’s wedding, I also knew that he was one of the best wedding photographers I had ever seen or worked with. It was that very same day that Bill and Colette had decided on a DJ for their own wedding. Me.

Now when a fellow vendor asks you to help them with their celebration, it puts the fear of god into you. Although Bill and Colette are super awesome people and have become good friends, they are also colleagues. They see HUNDREDS of wedding DJs every year and out of the 400 listed DJs, they chose you. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill. The expectations are high and you want to do everything to put your best foot forward to ensure that their wedding will exceed expectations.

When Bill and Colette sat down with me to tell me about their plans for a Halloween Wedding at Bill Millers Castle in Branford, I was blown away. If you’ve ever been to a halloween party, you’ve probably seen some cool costumes on some of the more outgoing guests and the rest just kinda show up. The Monster Mash and Thriller will probably get played and thus is the common Halloween party. But this wedding was so much more. Every detail of Bill & Colette’s Halloween Wedding was carefully planned and thought out. It was hugely theatrical. In terms of costumed guests, they certainly didn’t dissapoint. We had zombies, walking pigs. scarecrows, demons, drag queens, ghostbusters, and everything in between. Even the staff at Bill Millers Castle got in on the fun! All of the vendors dressed up in character and we helped the modern day Morticia and Gomez Addams celebrate their special day.

The great thing about doing a fellow vendors wedding is that, because they see so much, they love to think outside the box and create amazing celebrations. As a HUGE fan of heavy metal, Bill and Colette incorporated some non-traditional tunes into their grand introduction. As a surprise to Colette, Bill, Colette’s mom, and I worked on getting a very old recording of her late father to play during the ceremony. It was a very beautiful and tender moment. Bill and Colette’s vows were some of the most genuine I have ever seen which proved to me that this was a super couple like the world has never seen. I guarantee, they will be sitting around the kitchen table in their 90’s still holding hands.

In addition to some of the cool audio work that we did for their wedding, the theatrical lighting was nothing short of extraordinary. We created a low lying haze to replicate an erie fog over a glowing green pond. While they were dancing on a cloud, 4 moving heads highlighted the happy couple during their first dance for a spotlight dance that was breathtaking. These lighting effects in combination with the rustic atmosphere of Bill Millers Castle were a perfect paring for their Halloween Wedding.

Thank you to Bill and Colette for trusting us with your one of a kind celebration and CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

You can read Colette & Bill’s review by visiting our weddingwire page!
Check out some of the AMAZING photos by visiting Stephen Wang Photography and check out Bill and Colettes Halloween Wedding Video by mebCinema below.

January 26, 2016/by Aaron

Negotiating with Wedding Vendors

Wedding

Negotiating with wedding vendors.

Emily writes:
“I was wondering whether people have tried to negotiate prices with wedding vendors and if so what have you been successful in negotiating? Also, what are your tactics? I’m not sure what is common practice. Thanks so much for the advice!”

Hey Emily.

People try to negotiate with wedding vendors all the time. Like purchasing a home or a car, negotiating is common practice. But this isn’t always the case when it comes to wedding vendors. Homes & Cars are commodities. The sellers have a pre-determined number they are willing to get to so that they are not losing money. They usually aim high and expect that they will bend a little on the price. How much exactly depends on you.

But when it comes to vendors like wedding photographers or djs for instance, you’re looking at services, not items. There is a lot to consider. We’ll use Wedding DJs as an example. Your wedding DJ is responsible for keeping the timeline in check and making sure that all of the events of the day are executed properly and efficiently to help you get the most out of your day. They are responsible for making sure that your guests are entertained and comfortable during your reception and taking special care to make sure that the room is not too quiet or loud as well as adapting to the changing environment. They’re responsible for handling special requests from you and your guests and fitting them in on the fly in the appropriate place. Wedding DJs are master multi-taskers.

If you’ve been to a wedding where it was orchestrated with no hiccups and another where things didn’t go as smoothly as they could have, you have a basis of comparison between 2 wedding djs. But what is that worth? It’s the difference between success and failure. Most wedding DJs in Connecticut charge between $1200-3000 for their services depending on their own financial needs to make those weddings happen, their experience, and service offerings.

In our case, Pryme Tyme Entertainment offers multiple services including entertainment, lighting, photo booths, and more. So if you’re looking for a great deal on wedding dj services, plan on $1300 being a good jumping off point. Where the savings come in for many wedding djs is the a-la-carte items and adding them as a package. The wedding dj knows that you are investing in your wedding and will more than likely offer some incentive if you choose combinations of service.

This is especially great for you because you’ll get everything that you are looking for without paying more than you have to. It’s a win win for both parties. And the best part is, you’ll get the wedding dj that you want because you didn’t base your decision on price and price alone.

January 21, 2016/by Aaron

Pryme Tyme Entertainment at 2016 Hawks Landing Bridal Show

Wedding

Pryme Tyme Entertainment at 2016 Hawks Landing Bridal Show

For the 4th year in a row, Pryme Tyme Entertainment has been invited to Hawks Landing for their bridal show. If you’re not familiar with Hawks Landing, you should really give it a look. Hawks Landing is a country club located in Southington, CT. The Bella Vista banquet facility is their reception hall. Located just 3 minutes off of Queen Street in Southington, it’s in the perfect central CT location for weddings and other events with easy access off of I84.

But more than just convenience, Hawks Landing offers a cozy atmosphere for up to 250 guests. The hardwood ceiling, regal white walls and french doors are very quaint and charming. Their 25X45 dance floor is great for weddings as you can get a ton of guests out on the floor without it feeling too cramped but still very cozy. The seating is very well laid out so that guests can comfortably sit and move around the room with ease. And let’s not forget about the food… Let’s just say, it’s deceptive at best. You wouldn’t expect this kind of flavor, variety, and quantity at a golf club but, your guests will LOVE the cuisine and noone will go home hungry.

Photographers LOVE the greens at Hawks for it’s rolling hills and beautifully landscaped greens and fountains and the sunsets are just gorgeous near the weeping willows down by the pond for pictures.

All in all, Hawks is one of our favorite venues to frequent and we have been on their preferred vendor list for 3 years. The staff is very warm and welcoming not only to guests but vendors as well and work as a well oiled machine to see to it that everyone is comfortable and enjoying themselves. You are going to love Hawks. But don’t take my word for it. Come visit us THIS SUNDAY and see for yourself! Meet with events manager Jaime and all of the vendors there. While you’re there, stop by and try out our FUNTASTIC Photo Booth!

We’ll see you at the show!

January 15, 2016/by Aaron

Ask your venue and photographers for referrals

Wedding

Ask your venue and photographer for wedding dj referrals. You’ll be glad you did.

The freedom of choice. We love having the independence of having choices at the tips of our fingers thanks to the internet. With over 400 listed DJs in CT, it’s over-saturated at best. But, with that many choices, there is something for everyone out there. But how does one choose a wedding DJ? The same way someone might choose their favorite bar, restaurant, or vacation spot. Sure you can spend a lot of time and money on trying everything but, when someone says to you, “You’ve GOT to check this out. You’re going to LOVE it!” it sets a precedent. If someone else was so passionate about their experience, wouldn’t you want to check it out?

Wedding DJs are no exception. You’ve got tons of choices out there and not all the time in the world to give each one a good look. That’s where the experience of your venues, photographers, really come in handy. These vendors see HUNDREDS of wedding djs every year. They have a huge basis of comparison. And because of their extensive experience, you are the ultimate benefactor of all of that experience.

What does a venue or photographer look for in a quality wedding dj? Based on what venues like Hawks Landing, Grand Oak Villa, Wood Acre Farms, & Tower Ridge tell us, they look for wedding djs who immerse themselves in the entire experience and put their best foot forward always. From their presentation when they show up to the venue to set up for a couple’s wedding to the efficiency of their departure once it is all over and most importantly, how well the wedding flows with their catering staff.

For photographers like Fritz Photography, Stephen Wang, & Get the Picture ; they have told us time and time again that they enjoy wedding djs who are understanding of their need to capture as many great moments as possible and give time to them to get their job done as well as create happy moments for them to shoot.

When you’ve got a team that works well together, it’s a well oiled machine that stops at nothing to give you the best experience you could possibly imagine.

January 14, 2016/by Aaron

10 things a smart bride never says

Wedding

10 things a smart bride never says:

“It’s all what you make of it.”

You’ve heard your parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends say that phrase before. It sounds like a meme you’d read on facebook but, it’s short, sweet and to the point. When it comes to weddings, this statement couldn’t be anything closer to the truth.

While many people will tell you that weddings typically cost 5 times more than the average party, they’d be correct. There’s a reason for that though. When you lay your money down on the table for something, does it meet your expectations? Was it everything you wanted and more? What is the most important feature that you want for your wedding? And how do you get the most value from it? It’s all a matter of priority.

We hear many stories from once bridesmaids turned bride on what their experiences and the experiences of their friend (the bride) had at their wedding. Some are full of happy memories and some not. Here are the 10 things a smart bride never says.

1. Aww man, I wish I could have done this instead of that.

2. I had a buddy of mine take care of (insert assorted wedding service here) because he was cheap and available.

3. We really wanted a photo booth for our wedding because they were so much fun but we figured, people are just gonna take selfies in the bathroom anyway so, what the hell.

4. Thank god we opted for the chair coverings and chocolate fountain. It really made the wedding more amazing than I had hoped.

5. I didn’t allow my DJ to stray from my playlist and as a result, I loved the music. Nobody was dancing though, that DJ sucks.

6. It’s my wedding. The guests are there for me. They should be happy to get a free meal.

7. I spent $10,000 my dress that I will wear for exactly 14 hours in my lifetime and now I don’t have enough money to buy all the things that Pinterest told me that I need for my wedding.

8. I am going to wear these 5 inch heels if it kills me.

9. My DJ never showed up and he kept the $300 we paid him even after he promised he’d do my wedding.

10. My wedding SUCKED!

January 13, 2016/by Aaron

Check out this DJ’s package.

Disc Jockeys, Wedding

Check out DJ Packages.

It’s the first line of nearly every email that we get. “HI I’m Samantha and I would like to know what your dj packages are. Thanks.”

Of course you do! You are trying to plan your budget for your wedding dj or event. It makes sense. The first question anyone asks when trying to get all of their ducks in a row is about price. And why shouldn’t you? It’s an important question. But think about this. If you’ve ever called a cable company or a satellite provider and set up service, you probably know their schtick by heart. And it probably sounds a lot like what you’d expect a DJ to say. So many DJs across the country are also programmed to respond with tantalizing packages to make the largest one seem appealing. But, what if you’re not looking for 100 uplights, two 90″ TVs with hip hop videos and a 2 man entertainment team? What if your wedding is supposed to be a laid back affair with family and friends? DO you really need all of that stuff? Or better yet, does the venue you chose for it’s beauty and charm really fit with the 2016 equivalent to Studio 54?

If not, that’s ok! But, if you did want to go for the gusto, you could always have those options. Ultimately, the choice is yours. If you look at our wedding dj prices page you’ll notice that there are just 4 things offered on that page. These are our most popular options that people ask for. You certainly aren’t limited to those four and there are many more enhancements to choose from depending on your preferences but, we don’t want to limit you to what you can or cannot have by forcing you into a decision that just doesn’t work. Much like the cable tiers that include the basic channels, about 40 more that you don’t care about, and if you act now, they’ll throw in a month of Starz and 20 home shopping channels if you sign a 3 year contract today, you know and I know that you’re probably going to watch about 10% of what they are offering. And if you did want just one channel that isn’t included in that tier, you’d have to upgrade to a lot more undesired channels to get the one you’re looking for and pay exponentially more. In that scenario, who comes out on top?

We have a simple philosophy that we work from. “Take care of the client and everything else takes care of itself.” That’s why we don’t offer vacuum sealed, pre-made, postage paid packages for the events that we do. When you sit down at your first meeting, we want to know what YOU want so that WE can help you reach your goals for getting the wedding dj, lighting, photo booth, and any other amenities that you’re looking for. And by forming that partnership with you, it allows us to create one of a kind experiences for you and your guests.

So grab a pencil and a pad, and dream away. It’s not the Pryme Tyme show, its all about you.

January 4, 2016/by Aaron

Typical wedding songs that you hate to love

Wedding

Typical wedding songs that you hate to love.

If you’ve ever been to a wedding, chances are you’ve probably heard some of the same songs at nearly every wedding Songs like the YMCA, Cha Cha Slide, Cupid Shuffle and the list rolls on. And if you’re thinking about tossing them on your do not play list, give it another thought before you banish group dances from your wedding.

Even though you might grow tired of those songs, imagine how your wedding DJ must feel. He hears them not once or twice per year but potentially 50-100+ times per year with each wedding they perform. But whether or not they are the DJs favorite songs or not, there’s a reason why he plays them. They work.

People gravitate towards familiarity. When you have a room full of introverts that don’t want to be the first person on the dance floor, a group dance is a great opportunity to break the ice. And once you get them to the floor, the goal is to keep them there. Because there are a group of people on the floor, none of the guests have to feel like they are the center of attention (unless they want to be). There’s nothing that says that these songs have to make it on the list but, when a guest request them as a motivator to get them to dance, it might just be the boost your reception needs.

Here are a list of typical wedding songs that you love to hate.

December 24, 2015/by Aaron

Do I really need lighting at my wedding?

Lighting, Wedding

Do I really need lighting at my wedding?

Weddings are a very personal experience for many couples. The majority of couples that we meet have the same goal when it comes to their entertainment. Make my guests dance.
But in 2015, the role of wedding djs has evolved into more of an events production approach and that’s where lighting comes in to play.

If you’ve been to a wedding at The Riverview, Waterview, Aqua Turf, or Aria this year, you’ve probably seen uplighitng in the ballroom. Come to think of it, the majority of Connecticut Wedding Venues has installed uplighting as an option for couples to take advantage of and give the room a dash of color. Because these wedding venues have installed permanent uplighting, you can rest assured that the lighting that they have installed will compliment the room and enhance what is already there. Uplighting is a great option as you have many different color combinations available to create a vibrant environment.

But what about other types of lighting?

If you’ve ever been to a wedding where the room is very bright, you notice that it is more difficult to get people to let their guard down and head to the dance floor. Nobody wants to be the only one out there and especially in plain view of the other 150 guests attending the wedding. So, when the house lights are dimmed, it helps to lose those inhibitions and head to the floor to move, shake, and sing. But turning the lights down only goes so far.

Intelligent lighting is an enhancement that excites as much as it’s soothes. We’re not talking about the type of lighting that you’d see at a roller rink or bowling alley but more like a theater, concert, or nightclub. Computer controlled and motorized lights (moving heads) are the tool of choice for professional entertainment companies like Pryme Tyme Entertainment. With these very powerful lights, you can add new dimensions to your wedding. Imagine for a moment dancing in the center of the dance floor for your first dance as a soft white light follows you around the floor. It’s an intimate moment that can turn your first dance from ordinary to extraordinary. And with the same type of lighting, it can also be used to enhance an otherwise blank ceiling during dinner service by projecting patterns and colors. During dancing, these moving heads will dazzle your guests and create an exciting environment to help them to the dance floor.

Pinspotting has become a very popular option as of late. By focusing a beam of light on certain objects such as centerpieces, the wedding cake, or sweetheart table where the couple sits, it creates a tasteful contrast in the room. When uplighting is used on the walls, the middle of the room becomes dark and everything turns into a silhouette. Especially if cool colors like the very common blue and purple uplighting you see at nearly every wedding. Pinspotting centerpieces ensures that your investment in wedding decor doesn’t get missed out on and makes them stand out.

Image projection is another very dramatic effect. From a simple monogram of the couple’s names in lights being projected to a fully patterned wall, image projection gives a 3 dimensional look to a plain wall, ceiling, or floor. Stencils or “gobos” are used in front of the light source to project just about any pattern or stencil of your choosing.

Dry ice or “Dancing on a cloud” is an old favorite. Some of the great features to using this theatrical effect are a bride’s white dress that seems to stretch to the far reaches of the dance floor during a first dance and paired with intelligent lighting makes for a very beautiful and dramatic effect. The other benefit is that the fog stays low to the ground and will not set off smoke detectors in the venue and is non-toxic.

Atmospheric haze is the best way to enhance all of these lighting effects. When a light is refracted (and reflected) off of a small amount of haze, it creates a beam. If you’ve ever driven through a fog and have seen headlights, you’ll see the beam. Although haze makes for an incredible lighting display and is safe to use, many venues do not allow this effect unless a fire marshal is hired to supervise and ensure that the venue’s smoke alarm won’t falsely alert the fire department.

When it comes to weddings, lighting is a great enhancement that can help you create an exciting and beautiful environment.

December 21, 2015/by Aaron