VENUE NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2015
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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S 3 Letter From Matt 4 Featured Event Site 10 What’s New | Disc Jockey Equipment 12 Featured Artist Reviews
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Ok, before you just shout out your answer, stop and think about this question for a minute – what separates a bad DJ from a good DJ, or a good DJ from a great DJ? Is it a cool DJ look? A great DJ voice? A booming sound system? No, no and no. What makes a truly great DJ can only be seen through their actions – a serving heart. Being a successful wedding DJ is much like being a day of coordinator. You have to be aware of the various schedules in play – the venue’s, the photographer’s, the wedding planner’s – and navigate the waters of making them all work with the clients’ vision and desires in mind. The DJ is the voice that brings action to the vision. It’s the DJ that will be responsible for moving the wedding guests from cocktails to dinner, gets the attention of the group for a welcome or prayer, or again when it comes time for toasts. It’s the DJ that keeps a group informed, and in doing so, connected. A connected group stays and celebrates longer. A disconnected group goes home. A DJ that has a clear understanding of the newlyweds’ vision, and acts in such a manner that supports that vision, is serving their client. Sadly, far too many DJs don’t understand this basic principle. Those that do are often lauded for doing things above and beyond, when actually they’re just doing their job – the job of serving their client. Knowing what music to play, or not to play, is part of serving your client. Knowing how to communicate with the guests, all of them, is part of serving your client. Helping a catering staff with the clearing process of tables from the dance floor is part of serving your clients. Working with the photographer to get those sunset shots, without blowing the timetable out of the water is part of serving your clients. Being a successful wedding DJ has to do with everything that is within their power to serve the client and their vision, whether it technically falls under “a DJ’s responsibility” or not. This is how all Bellagala DJs are taught. It’s not about the DJ, it’s about the wedding couple. Great DJs get that. Bad DJs, well …. When you see the next Bellagala DJ you will see this type of servant approach in play. If you don’t, please let me know. This is an ongoing learning process, and we can’t change or improve where we don’t know it is needed. So the next time someone asks you what separates a good DJ from a bad, answer them by keeping a DJ’s heart at the forefront of your reply.
Matt Rush Disc Jockey Manager
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featured event site
H O P E G L E N FA R M K I M & J O N | M AY 2 3 , 2 0 1 5
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We have something to admit—we have a
“We knew we liked the farm style, and we
soft spot for a barn wedding. And Historic
just loved that Hope Glen was so authen-
Hope Glen Farm is the quintessential out-
tic,” the couple says of their venue deci-
door venue. With its beautiful heated and
sion, “It’s not a ‘barn’ built for events, this
air-conditioned dance hall, 300-person
truly was a working farm in its day and is
pavilion, and 500 acres of land, Hope Glen
well over a hundred years old. ” Located
Farm provides ample space for all your
just 15 minutes south of St. Paul, this histor-
family and friends on your special day.
ic farm is the perfect location for couples looking for something with a lot of charm
Kim and Jon didn’t miss one detail when it
that’s off the beaten path.
came to their rustic September wedding. Using a bold color palette, the couple decorated their wedding to perfection with vintage decor and an abundance of fresh flowers. Their reception included lawn games, a corral with sheep and goats for the children, and catering by Gastrotruck.
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featured event site
C A L H O U N B E AC H C LU B S A R A H & C H R I S | J U LY 2 6 , 2 0 1 3
One of the greatest things about the Calhoun Beach Club is that it is a timeless venue that can be designed to reflect any couple’s taste. For Sarah and Chris, the simplicity and elegance of the location provided the perfect backdrop to their sleek and modern wedding day. The pair chose a mix of pinks, navy and gold for their florals and table settings that adorned the otherwise clean and simple white space. For a vintage touch, darling succulents were planted in antique silver teapots and vases.
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Built in the early 20th century, this restored club is just a short distance from the vibrant Uptown district of Minneapolis. With its elegant curved staircase, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a signature view of the lake, the Calhoun Beach Club continues to be one of most sought after wedding venues in the Twin Cities.
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featured event site
S T. PAU L H O T E L M O N I C A & PA B L O | S E P T E M B E R 2 7 , 2 0 1 4
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Since 1910, The Saint Paul Hotel has held countless weddings. Armed with expert wedding organizers and catering staff, this historic hotel is the perfect location for an unforgettable celebration. Everything about Monica and Pablo’s reception mirrored their love of classic details, from the romantic floral centerpieces to the table linens in shades of blush and gold. The groom was dressed in a timeless black tuxedo, while the bride wore a white Vera Wang ball gown. The couple wanted their day to be sophisticated and chic, with a touch of vintage. With the help of The Saint Paul Hotel, their vision was beautifully executed. Whether you’re planning a small wedding for up to 100 guests or a large reception for over 350 people, The Saint Paul Hotel’s European inspired elegance never fails to impress.
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what’s ne w in
D I S C J O C K E Y E QU I P M E N T DJ equipment does NOT define the DJ. It is, however, an important tool of the trade. Bellagala recently upgraded all our systems with new laptops and DJ controllers, and in doing so, gave our DJs the ability to serve our clients at an even higher, more technically sound, level. The future of where the industry is going is now already in play with us! Here is a typical breakdown of what a Bellagala DJ uses to serve their clients:
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Pioneer DDJ SB USB MIDI Controller DJ Interface for Serato DJ Software, Allows DJs to use custom Bellagala Playlists.
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Chauvet 4 Bar Tri LED Dancefloor Lighting High-quality lighting wask for illuminating the dancefloor and creating energy.
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HP EliteBook 6930p Laptop Serato DJ Intro Software Laptop and software that provide rock-solid stability on proven professional standard platforms.
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American DJ / Chauvet Misc. Dancefloor Effect Lighting Exciting effects lights that create moving, pulsating displays on the dancefloor.
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American Audio QSD 4 Channel Audio Mixer with SD card player Audio mixer, also plays from SD cards. Used as added backup for vitally important song selections.
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Cortex HD-1000 Hard Drive Music System Hard drive based music, used as a comprehensive backup. Includes a full music library in case of emergency. 5
EV R300 Wireless Microphone Professional-grade wireless microphone captures and broadcasts speeches.
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American DJ Light Copilot Dancefloor Lighting Controller Allows the DJ to control multiple effect lights and create a variety of lighting. 9
EV-ELX 12p, EV-ELX 15p, JBL-EON 12 500 Series, JBL-EON 12 Generation 2 Professional-grade, high-end powered loudspeakers to project crystal-clear audio throughout any size venue.
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DISC JOCKEY
A RT I S T R E V I E W S
SAM J | STUDIO DISC JOCKEY “As an out of town couple, all of our planning sessions were done over the phone. In the prep stages, Sam was very easy to work with and did a great job leading the planning discussions and constructing the timeline for the reception with minimal effort on our end. As for the dance party, the floor was always packed (people were even dancing on the carpet off the floor because so many people wanted to dance!) and he did a stellar job choosing just the right songs to keep the party going. Sam is a total pro. I would absolutely recommend him, as he was a huge part of the success of our reception!” – Stephanie
MATT R | ECHELON DISC JOCKEY “Matt was an excellent DJ and made our entire evening. He kept the crowd engaged and used his expertise to play the right music to get multiple age groups of people out dancing. We had many comments from friends and family on how good Matt was. We would highly recommend reserving his services for any event.” – Nakeea & Ryan
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KYLE E | STUDIO DISC JOCKEY “Kyle, our DJ, exceeded our expectations and helped us throw the best party of our lives! He had the perfect playlist of songs to match our tastes and blended them together so well. Every time we tried to leave the dance floor we would be pulled back by another awesome song selection. We even had guests complain that they could not stop dancing because Kyle did such a great job!” – Becka
ERICA B | STUDIO DISC JOCKEY “We were so pleased with Erica’s work. She was so sweet and did a great job connecting with us before the wedding to make sure she understood what our hopes were for the evening. She got our guests on their feet and cheering before our grand entrance, and made us feel like rock stars on our special day. This was just the beginning of a fantastic night. She also checked-in with us throughout the night to make sure we were happy, and we definitely were. Thanks to Erica, and Bellagala, we had a magical event.” – Christine & Andrew
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We love working with our local venues! Have you had a Bellagala Wedding Photographer at your venue recently? Let us know—we’d love to share the images with you! All image requests can be sent directly to our Marketing Coordinator, Darac Moua. You can contact her via email at darac.moua@bellagala.com or call 651.227.1202.
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255 E 6th Street St. Paul, MN 55101 bellagala.com | 651.227.1202
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