Ceremony and Reception Venue:  Whitehall House & Gardens

Photographer:  Amy Shepherd Photography

Videographer:  ICVideo

Daniel and Stacey were married in the Gardens of Whitehall on a gorgeous hot Saturday in June.  The bride and wedding planner (Lauren Chitwood) designed a beautiful alter decorated with flowers adorning two large iron gates that framed the bridal party.  It was a blistering hot day, but the couple was well prepared with huge industrial fans to cool the tent, buckets of iced water, programs that were paper fans for their guests, and they even provided sunscreen.  The record breaking heat was easily tolerated.

Amy Shepherd provided these amazing images that display all of the elegance of the day beautifully.  Please enjoy this glimpse into Stacy and Daniel's wedding and check back for (Part 2) when ICVideo will have their video edited to post on the blog.

Kenny Sauters with Master's of Music DJ Service has been providing entertainment since 1985 and recently gave Blue Envy Weddings this great interview.  Please enjoy and then visit his website (click here) to learn more about Masters of Music's services.   

In addition to DJ services Kenny produces some of Louisville best bridal shows.  Mark your calendars for this upcoming show.

Fern Valley Hotel Bridal Show

Sunday, September 12, 2010
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Fern Valley Hotel & Conference Center
2715 Fern Valley Rd.
Louisville,, KY 40213

Win A Photo Booth rental for your wedding reception from the 

FUN TIME PHOTO BOOTH 

Meet with Kentuckiana's wedding professionals to help make your wedding special

FREE Parking

Food tasting

FREE soft drinks from Fern Valley Hotel

Registered Brides FREE.

All other guests are $4.00

SBC: What is your favorite CD at this time?

Kenny:  Earth, Wind and Fire’s Greatest Hits

SBC:  How many years have you been a wedding DJ?  

Kenny:  25

SBC:  What are your top five recommendations for songs to be played during cocktail hour?

Kenny:  Dancing in the Moonlight – King Harvest   Banana Split for My Baby – Louis Prima   Having a Party – Rod Stewart   Lady Soul – Temptations    Love’s Theme – Barry White   

SBC: Rumor is that you now have photo booths, what is included in the rental?

Kenny: Unlimited pictures for their guests. An attendant to work the Photo Booth. Add ons. Flash drive of all pictures taken at the event.  Props and Scrapbooks are also available.

SBC:  Any tips for brides and groom on how to get their guest dancing once the dance floor opens?

Kenny:  If the bride and groom are dancing more of their guests will join them.

SBC:  Describe one of your most memorable receptions?

Kenny:  This one is tough.  I have a lot of them.  I have done two of my niece’s wedding receptions in the past couple of years.  They are very special to me.  I put a lot of time in their wedding receptions like I do with all my brides and grooms to make it personal and memorable.  Giving them the wedding reception they always dreamed is why I love what I do.

SBC: What is your favorite underplayed first dance song?

Kenny:  Feels Like Home – Chantal Kreviazuk

SBC:  What options do you offer for sound reinforcement for ceremonies?

Kenny:  We can do recorded music for ceremony.  We also have lavaliere microphones for the groom and officant.  We also provide a microphone on a stand for readings.

SBC:  What is your best advice for brides and grooms on how to choose their DJ?

Kenny:  It has been said that 80% of the success of your wedding reception will depend on the entertainment you hire.  The hiring of your DJ entertainment is something you do not want to make a mistake on.

 Five tips you should ALWAYS do before hiring entertainment

 1.       Meet with the DJ who will be doing your wedding reception.

 2.       Get references on wedding receptions that were done by the DJ you met with.

 3.  Make sure you have the DJ company put in the contract that the person you met with will be the person that actually does your wedding reception.  Will this person be there for the entire reception or just part of it?  This one is the very important.  If the person’s name is not part of the contract, the company can legally send ANYONE they want.  They could send someone with NO experience.   Don’t take that chance with your wedding reception.

 4. Get references from other wedding professionals (wedding coordinators, Reception Facilities, Photographers, Videographers, etc.)  Make sure you ask  the wedding professional why they recommend this DJ Company.  Do they recommend the DJ company because they provide a good service or because the DJ pays them with candy, cash or gift cards to recommend their DJ Company.  The true wedding professionals do not get paid or compensated for referring other wedding professionals.

 5.  Make sure whoever is paying for the DJ attends the first meeting.  They need to see the value of service that they are paying for.  A big mistake made by past brides and grooms is hiring a DJ just on price.   

 Over 95% of brides that were dissatisfied with their DJ at their wedding reception NEVER met the DJ in advance

Erin and Brian, Married May 15, 2010



This week Stephen Crandall with Sound Specialist DJ Entertainment has graciously taken a time out to answer a few questions for Something Blue Collective's Blog, Blue Envy Weddings. Sound Specialist DJ Entertainment & Event Lighting is a boutique style entertainment and production firm. They pride themselves on working one on one with their clients to design their entertainment approach around their clients styles, tastes and vision. At Sound Specialist, there is no average, they constantly look to deliver the finest and most well rounded entertainment service in the Kentuckiana area.

Thanks Stephen!!

Sound Specialist DJ Entertainment & Event Lighting

502.541.5015 – 1.888.209.8014

www.SoundSpecialistDJs.com

SBC:  How did you get your start in the DJ profession?

Stephen:  I've always been involved in music, even from a young age, playing instruments in band in middle & high school, etc. Having a passion for music and entertaining; in 1992 I sought out professional entertainers to learn from and it all progressed from there.

SBC:  What are some of your favorite reception venues to work?

Stephen:  There are so many great venues in Kentuckiana it's hard to choose really. A couple of traits that make a great reception venue is uniqueness and a great staff. A few that come to mind are:

The Olmstead,  The Seelbach, The Brown

SBC:  What are the top five songs clients are currently requesting?

I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas

Don't Stop Believing by Journey

Single Ladies by Beyonce

Sexyback by Justin Timberlake

Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi.

SBC:  What are three songs that are great for the cocktail hour?

Stephen:  There are so many great choices for the Cocktail Hour. I like to keep things a little more upbeat for the cocktail hour as the cocktail hour sets the mood for the entire event. I like to keep things cross-generational; a little old, a little new, nothing but great tracks.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Michael Buble

Waiting On the World to Change by John MayerI

Get a Kick Out of You by Frank Sinatra

SBC:  What three “first dance” songs would be a good choice for couples wanting a unique song that is not overplayed?

That's How Strong My Love Is by Otis Redding

God Only Knows by the Beach Boys

Someone Like You by Van Morrison

SBC:  What songs do you suggest to open the dance floor with to entice all the guests to dance?

Stephen:  I typically recommend to open the dance floor with something that is cross-generational, something that will be recognized and popular with all the guests no matter their age. Every Reception is different; I may open with an upbeat song, a slow song, a new or an older song. It just depends upon the crowd. This is where the ability of your DJ to understand what your guests will react the best to is so important.

SBC:  What options do you provide for décor lighting?

Up Lighting

Wall/Ceiling Washes

Custom Monograms

Table Pin Spotting

Paper Lanterns

Italian String Lights

Dancing Under the Stars

SBC:  Each wedding reception is unique and there are many different choices for organizing the timeline of events. In your experience, what order of key reception events make the reception flow smoothly?

Stephen: Cocktail Hour, Introduction of the Bridal Party, Introduction of the Bride & Groom, First Dance, Welcome by Bride/Groom or Parents, Dinner, Toast, Cake Cutting, Father/Daughter Dance, Mother/Son Dance, Bouquet/Garter Toss, Open Dancing, Last Dance.

SBC:  What are three questions a couple should ask when interviewing a wedding DJ?

Will you be my DJ? If not, why is my DJ not present at this meeting?

Can you show me videos & photos of recent Weddings you have done?

Are you insured?

SBC:  Sound Specialist DJs is one of the most popular DJs in Louisville. How far in advance should couples contact you to increase their chances of their wedding date being available?

Stephen: The sooner you can reserve our services the better. Prime dates are usually booked a year or more in advance. At the minimum prospective clients should look to reserve our services 6 months in advance.

Jessie with Kriech-Higdon Photography took time out of her busy wedding season to answer a few questions for Blue Envy Weddings.  Jessie and her husband Chris own a photography studio in Louisville at The Pointe.  Together they specialize in non-traditional wedding photography.  After reading Jessie's interview visit their new website to view their portfolio (click here).

SBC:  How did you become interested in becoming a wedding photographer?

Jessie:  I worked under someone who did a lot of weddings and thought it would be fun to put my own style to something has always been stereotyped as 'cheesy' or 'boring'

SBC:  In a few words how would you describe your photography style?

Jessie:  We like to think of ourselves as part documentary/ part artistic posing... ideally we want our clients to look like themselvesSBC:  What are a few of your favorite wedding venues to photograph?

SBC:  What are some of your favorite moments to capture during the wedding day?

Jessie:  I love when people see each other before the ceremony- that moment is always amazing and not always possible to capture when there is an aisle involved

SBC:  What are a few of your favorite wedding venues to photograph?

Jessie:  We LOVE farm weddings-- easily our favorite spots

SBC:  Besides wedding day coverage, what other services do you offer your couples?

Jessie:  We offer engagement photos/trash the dress photos/ albums/photo mounting/canvas and on and on :)

SBC:  What advice do you have for brides and grooms for choosing the perfect photographer?

Jessie:  Look around-- and meet with lots of photographers.  It's so important that you click personality and style-wise with your photog. You spend a good deal of time with them on you wedding day and you want someone who fits into the flow of things.

SBC:  Formal pictures are a must.  Do you have any suggestions on how the photo session can be expedited so the couple can join their guests sooner?

Jessie:  For formals I will probably always suggest getting them all done before for fastest results.... however I do completely understand not wanting to see each other... sooooo.... just make sure everyone who needs to be in those is close by and ready to jump in a shot.  Time usually gets eaten up by looking for one relative or another.

SBC:  What are a few of your favorite wedding image of this season? 

SBC:  And just because you have the cutest little boy, can we please see Ewan’s latest pic?