Holiday Gala Events

Summer is just starting to wane and the kids are headed back to school, but now is the time to start thinking about planning that big company holiday party. Here is a list of things to think about now, so that your holiday event goes off without a hitch:

1) Location: Would you like an on site or off site location? Will you need to rent a space?

2) Who will cater? Does your event venue do food, or will you need to contract with another company?

3) What will the menu look like? Will it be a dessert reception, or a sit-down dinner? Will alcohol be served—and will it be an open, or paid bar?

4) How will invitations be sent out? Is an email or evite OK, or do formal invitations need to be ordered and printed?

5) Who is handling the guest list and RSVPs?

6) What is the theme or décor for the party?

7) Do you need to recruit volunteers to assist with planning, decorations and clean-up?

8) What kind of entertainment will you have? Have you booked your favorite Charlotte DJ?

9) Will the event be a black-tie or a “Hawaiian Luau”? Be specific with your guests so that they can plan accordingly!

10) What kinds of favors or party give-aways will you need? Will there be recognition or awards given? Do you need to make arrangements for any items to be printed ahead of time?


When planning any event, it is important to get a jump start on the details, so when the time comes, everything will fall into place seamlessly!

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Professional DJs, MCs, VJs, Event Coordinators, and Party Motivators:
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The History of Wedding Cake

As far back as the Roman Empire, there were wedding cakes. Throughout history, the wedding cake has taken on a wide variety of customs and traditions, some of which have stuck, and others that have faded away—many for good reason!

In Medieval England, wedding cakes were really flour-based breads. In one custom, guests would stack small sweet buns in a large pile in front of the newlyweds, and the couple would try to kiss over the pile. If they were successful, they could expect to be blessed many children.

In the middle of the17th century and well into the early 19th century, bride's pie was a popular. The pie was filled with sweet breads, a mince pie, or may have been merely a simple mutton pie. The bride’s pie always included a glass ring—and the lady who found the ring would be the next to be married. Bride's pies were not at all weddings during this time, but it is known that these pies were sometimes made into the main centerpiece at less elaborate receptions.

By the late 19th century, a single-tiered plum wedding cake became really popular, and the use of the bride's pie disappeared.

As far as the 17th century, people would sleep with a piece of cake underneath their pillow, since legend has it that sleepers will dream of their future spouses if a piece of wedding cake is under their pillow. In the late 18th century brides would sometimes pass tiny crumbs of cake through their wedding rings and give them to their guests who would place them under their pillows, but at some point the custom seemingly ended when brides began to get superstitious about taking their rings off after the ceremony.

Wedding cakes are "supposed to be" white. Right? The symbolism is obvious, white has always signified purity. White wedding cake icing that first appeared in Victorian times, as a visual link between the bride and the cake. Previous to Victorian times, most wedding cakes were also white, but not because of the symbolism—instead, white was used for a very practical purpose—colored frosting was hard to make! But very white frosting was also hard to come by, since white icing required the use of only the finest refined sugar, so the whiter the cake, the more affluent the families looked, and each family wanted to appear that they had significant status in their community.

Today, wedding cakes are still front and center in the traditional cake cutting ceremony, a beautiful symbol of the first task that bride and groom perform together as husband and wife.

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Professional DJs, MCs, VJs, Event Coordinators, and Party Motivators:

Charlotte, North Carolina

Questions to ask your DJ

There was a time when having a DJ at your wedding, was mostly a cost decision. But DJ’s no longer just play a couple standard party songs in the corner and go home. DJ’s can offer a huge variety of music selections and styles that a live band sometimes cannot. And a DJ can be an emcee, moving the wedding along, getting the crowd to participate, and gathering the crowd to pay attention to a significant moment in the night.

So when you are considering a DJ for your wedding, here are some questions to ask:

Presentation. Ask the DJ how they will do the presentation of things like the introductions, first dance, cake cutting, bouquet & garter, requests and special dances. You and the DJ should be able to work together to accommodate your needs and their style.

Clothing. What will the DJ be wearing? Some DJ’s wear tuxedos, others suits, and still others show up in whatever they happen to throw on that day. If you have a preference—now is the time to say so!

Food. If you are having a reception at dinner time, rest assured the DJ will be hungry too. If you are serving food, make sure you ask if the DJ would like the meal, (most will say yes) and what choice they would like.

Breaks. Unless the DJ is working in a team, they will need a break (bathroom, drink, fresh air). Ask the DJ what their policy on breaks is and how they will cover the time they step away (Will they have music playing? Etc.)

Time. Ask about the DJ’s start and end times. The DJ can play just during the reception or during the cocktail hour and through dessert, but you should be specific about what you want and what rates apply for the time.

Song Selections. You should be able to select from a song list, and include a few special requests. You can even put a “no-play” list together, (that way if you don’t want a certain song, no matter how many times Uncle Erv requests it, it won’t be played).

Equipment. A DJ should have professional sound equipment – including speakers and a microphone and everything he or she should have to play at your wedding, but they will need access to a power supply, and potentially a table with linens (many will bring this, but it pays to ask). Make sure you know exactly what you are providing, and what they are bringing to the event.

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Professional DJs, MCs, VJs, Event Coordinators, and Party Motivators:

Charlotte, North Carolina

Party Entertainment Ideas

Party Entertainment can come in many forms and is the best way to keep guests involved in your party. You don't want them to become bored, leave the party early, even have bad memories of the party afterwards. Games and music are the two most popular forms of party entertainment and depending on the ages and types of guests you have, these will vary.

If you are throwing a children’s party, the traditional games like 'Red Light, Green Light' or 'Simon Says,' are family-friendly and can be paired with more active games such as a bounce houses or a game of touch football. If your party has just adults, board games, or card games are always an easy way to get people involved.

Music is a great form of party entertainment—and can be upbeat and energizing or a subtle relaxing background. You can definitely set the moods of your guests depending on what kind of music you play and when. If you want to get the party going, play something with a strong beat and quick tempo. Remember to always play music that’s appropriate to the audience—children’s songs are best for kids parties, but not for adult parties, corporate events are different than house parties. When in doubt about the appropriateness of a song, check the lyrics beforehand.

Probably the best entertainment idea is to hire a DJ, who can make the decisions on the best songs to play and when, help lead the group games and keep the party moving. You can also work with another entertainer like a comedian, or magician to keep the crowd entertained. The trick is to always consider the audience, and choose the kind of entertainment that will truly be entertaining for all.

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Professional DJs, MCs, VJs, Event Coordinators, and Party Motivators: Charlotte, North Carolina

10 Questions to Guarantee a Quality DJ

There are ten questions that you should ask to ensure that you have a quality DJ at your wedding or next corporate event. Don't be left hoping that the DJ you chose will do the job well--be positive that your DJ will entertain, be professional and let you enjoy your party!

1.) Is the Disc Jockey (and/or entertainment company) insured?

2.) Will the DJ discuss the music selection with you ahead of time if you would like them to?

3.) Will the DJ use professional equipment and have a professional presentation, (table, speakers, signage etc.)

4.) Will there be back-up equipment available at the reception, (in case a microphone dies, a cord is broken, or a speaker blows!)

5.) Does the DJ know the proper etiquette, song selection and traditions for the reception (i.e. Bar Mitzvah, corporate party, wedding).

6.) Will the DJ set up before the event, and how long will they need to set-up before guests arrive?

7.) Does the DJ provide a written contract?

8.) Will the DJ be professionally, and appropriately dressed?

9.) Does the DJ belong to any professional organizations or groups, or hold any special designations or accreditation?

10.) Can the DJ provide references for the type of event you are planning?

Be confident that your next event will be entertaining! Make sure to hire a quality DJ Company!

Professional DJs, MCs, VJs, Event Coordinators, and Party Motivators: Charlotte, North Carolina

Prom Playlist

The music played at prom can stay with you for a lifetime—forever reminding you of those special moments. This is why when planning your upcoming prom, you should choose songs that represent the your class, have true meaning and will leave a lasting impression—here is a list of 35 of the hottest songs for proms this year:

1. Just Dance by Lady GaGa featuring Colby O'Donis
2. Love Story by Taylor Swift
3. Untouched by The Veronicas
4. Far Away by Nickelback
5. Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis
6. Thunder by Boys Like Girls
7. 1, 2, 3, 4 by Plain White T's
8. When you look me in the eyes by the Jonas Brothers
9. I don't want to miss a thing by Aerosmith
10. Beautiful by Akon featuring Colby O'Donis and Kardinal Offishall
11. Wonderwall by Oasis
12. Check Yes Juliet by We the Kings
13. Low by Flo rida
14. Apologize by One Republic featuring Timbaland
15. Wait for You by Elliott Yamin-
16. Graduation Song (Friends Forever) by Vitamin C
17. My Girl by The Temptations
18. I'll Stand by You by the Pretenders
19. You and Me by Lifehouse
20. Angel by Aerosmith
21. Teenage Love Affair by Alicia Keys
22. With You by Chris Brown
23. Viva La Vida by Cold Play
24. Last kiss by Pearl Jam
25. Don't Forget to Remember Me by Carrie Underwood
26. Take a Bow by Rihanna
27. These Are The Moments by Edwin McCain
28. Forever Young by Rod Stewart
29. Here Without You by 3Doors Down
30. Heres to the Night by Eve 6
31. Moment Like This by Kelly Clarkson
32. Remember me the way by Jordan Hill
33. Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden
34. Until the End of time by Justin Timberlake
35. Don't Let Go by Bryan Adams with Sara Mclaughin

Have a great prom!

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Professional DJs, MCs, VJs, Event Coordinators, and Party Motivators:
Charlotte, North Carolina

Prom Themes

Are you on your prom's planning committee this year? A prom is an exciting event and choosing the right theme can be instrumental in its success and the ease of your planning. Here are a few GREAT prom themes to use--or inspire creativity of your own.

1) Dream / Day Dreaming / Star Gazing: Decorate with soft clouds, moons, stars. Instead of traditional tables and chairs, bring in bean bags and large floor pillows.

2) Under the Sea: Choose sea blue and foam waves for decoration, and sea shells and netting work great on the tables as decorations. This is an easy theme to go with since decorations are so available--and it is always fun!

3) The Roaring 20’s: The 20’s is a glamorous and romantic theme. Be sure to have the DJ play plenty of swing music and encourage if possible offer some after-school, or Phys Ed swing dancing classes in the weeks leading up to the prom to get everyone involved!

4) James Bond - Casino Royale: James Bond and the glamour of a casino themed night can be a fun and interesting way to add entertainment and activity into your prom. Have the guests arrive in black tie and cocktail dresses and use play money and game tables and serve mocktails. For those who choose not to dance, this is a great way to feel involved without hitting the dance floor!

5) Paris: Paris is considered one of the most romantic places on Earth--and this is a GREAT way to get your French club involved in the planning too! Decorate with Eiffel towers, French posters and advertising. Add Christmas-style lights strung across the space and write in French on the invitations, signs and tickets. Ask your DJ to bring in French pop songs to play, and ask your French students what songs they would like included!

6) Beach/ Hawaiian Theme: A great way to heat up a cold winter night or rainy spring is with a beach theme! Decorations can involve beach balls, a sandcastle contents, even fish bowls, or Hawaiian leis as table centerpieces. Have the students dress in their board shorts, sunglasses, Hawaiian shirts, flip flops, and hula dresses. Have the DJ play old beach music along side traditional prom music.

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Professional DJs, MCs, VJs, Event Coordinators, and Party Motivators:
Charlotte, North Carolina