This summer has been a completely new and different wedding season for me.
That’s both exciting and challenging at the same time.

This summer, the majority of Weddings I’ve DJ’d have been couples around the 20 to 25 range.
They’re old enough (or young enough) to be my kids!

Younger weddings have as many pros and cons as older couples (yes I said it - I’m part of that “older” crowd!)

The number one similarity and challenge is the music selection.
Just because you’re younger doesn’t mean that you have to or should play nothing but newer and younger music.
This is of course just a general rule as everybody’s event is unique and you actually may only want to hear newer or older music.
But as a rule, you should mix it up.
And not just for the older or younger guests.
Old farts like me sometimes like to hear the newer stuff and you young whippersnappers enjoy the classics as well.
A traditional “rule” is to start with the older style music and gradually work our way into the pop 40 style music during the last hour of the night.
This gives the older guests and family time to slow dance with the Bride and Groom and also each other.
But they tire out earlier and get their grooves on and off more quickly, leaving the younger folks behind to party like rock stars.
On the other hand, I’ve had Brides and Grooms ask me to start the night off with current hits and I’ve watched grandma and grandpa get out there and shake their tooshes!

Don’t be afraid to tell me (or your DJ - would you really want anybody else but me? ) what you like, as many songs as you want to list out.
You really can’t over do it and there is no such thing as over kill.
And no, this cannot backfire on you.
If you pick some less than spectacular dance songs, we can still enjoy your favourites but give me the freedom to pick the occasional song that I’m pretty sure will bring your guests back out onto the dance floor - but still keeps it in the same style and genre you like.
And the more selections you give me, the more choices I have to keep you AND your guests, both young and old dancing their backsides off.

And you really do want your guests dancing.
After all, you just stuffed them with meals that run from $50 a plate and up.
And that super sweet, super moist super expensive cake - your guests have to work that off as well!

So please, don’t be afraid to talk to your DJ in great detail about your music needs BEFORE and during your wedding.
While it’s nice to say, “We trust you, you’re the professional,” it’s also nice to say, “We heard all our favourites and we all danced so hard that we can’t walk and I think we left a few guests passed out back on the dance floor!”
It’s not always about tossing out the old just to be new and different but a little bit of both goes a very long way with your friends and family.

To all of you new Brides and Grooms - may you come together in His name and walk all of your days with Him.
May He lift you up and make your fruitful.
Rejoice in the Lord, Friends - Rejoice ALWAYS and congratulations to all of you this year!

Don’t forget to visit my Wedding Page for recommendations and the like.
Wedding Page.

Rejoice in the Lord!

I keep retelling the story of the land owner who had work to be completed.
He goes out in the morning and hires a bunch of guys for something like $100 each for a full day’s work.
By midday he realizes that he needs more workers if he wants to be done by the end of the day.
So he goes and finds more guys and offers them the same deal, $100 for their half day work.
By 4pm he realizes he needs still more guys and goes out and offers them $100 for the next hour to get the job done.
At five, the work is complete and he has the workers line up for their paychecks, last ones in get paid first.
When the guys who were hired at the beginning of the day see the guys at the head of the line getting paid the same as they will be, for only an hour of work they start to grumble.
The land owner hears this and says to them, “Didn’t you and I strike an agreement? Who are you to tell me how much to pay others, how to spend my own money and how to run my business? If you’re not happy with our agreement you shouldn’t have agreed to it.”
Ok, I embellished a bit there on what he said but the jist of it is Biblical.
This is why Unions drive me nuts. An employee sits down with an employer, and they barter, deal and go rounds. The employer offers a position and a salary or hourly wage. The potential employee counters and decides whether to accept. In the end they either agree and shake hands or they both walk away.
So why do we need to whine and moan and form unions?

My employer and I struck a deal and while I won’t be a sheep about it, I won’t demand more money, threaten to strike or walk out if he doesn’t give me raises or pay me what I think I am worth. We struck a deal. If I didn’t like it or I change my mind later, I am free to leave. In fact, in Colorado he is free to fire me for no reason at all – “At Will Employment” so if he doesn’t like my demands, he can ask me to leave.
See how that works? We have a deal, an agreement, we shook hands and we have mutual respect for one another.
Unlike unions who extort and demand raises and salaries they don’t deserve and did not earn. They demand benefits and wages some employers cannot afford and cause these guys to go out of business, go overseas and need gov’t bail outs.

Just recently somebody joked that I was trying to unionize my fellow employees. I don’t think they realized how utterly offensive that was to me, how close to being kicked in the twinkie they were. And somebody else thought I was demanding more money from my employer, trying to squeeze more money for the same amount of work. In essence, breaking my agreement with my employer. Again, I don’t think they realized how offensive that was to me, even as a joke.
I’m a Christian, there are beneficial ways to live and work and there are those which won’t produce the kind of fruits that one would want to eat. That type of behavior, unions and wage demands – that doesn’t produce good fruits.
That would be unbecoming of a Christian, completely out of character and Spirit.
Thanks but no thanks.
And by the way, next time we have this good talk, wear a cup – I’m wearing my steel toes.