We are a boutique-style disc jockey company based in the Baltimore / Washington, DC metro area. Our blog features wedding planning advice, wedding music suggestions, industry trends and news, and wedding vendor interviews.
That’s right, it’s time for another batch of throwback songs from the 80′s! Here are five jams that changed 1983! If you missed our selections from 1982, you can catch up here!
Michael Jackson: Billie Jean
Dexy’s Midnight Runners: Come On Eileen
Duran Duran: Hungry Like the Wolf
Eddy Grant: Electric Avenue
Kajagoogoo: Too Shy
Come back next Thursday for more throwbacks from 1984!
Today we’re revisiting Patty and Dave’s gorgeous October 13, 2012 wedding at The Oaks Waterfront Inn. DJ Devin Alexander had a blast spinning for this couple and working with their fantastic vendor team. Thanks Paige Elizabeth Photography for sharing these lovely images with us!
After their introduction to Bruno Mars “Marry You,” Patty and Dave had a very special first dance to “Wrapped for Me” performed by Patty’s sister.
Patty shared a touching dance with her father to Hall and Oates “She’s Gone” and Dave and his mother danced to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man.”
Then the couple and their guests turned up the intensity on the dance floor to a mix of classics and current hits, and it looks like everyone had an amazing time!
Thanks so much again, Patty and Dave, for having us perform for your beautiful wedding. Thanks also the the amazing vendor team… it’s always a pleasure working with such fantastic wedding pros!
Venue: The Oaks Waterfront Inn, Tracey George
Planner/Coordinator: Kelley Cannon Events
Photographer: Paige Elizabeth Photography
Videographer: In Depth Photo & Video, Ian Sitek
Flowers: Wicked Willow, Randy Woods
Officiant: Say “I Do” Your Way, Bill Cochran
Ceremony Music: Classical Guitar Ceremonies Inc., Chris Dunn
We’re thrilled about the return of one of our most popular blog features: “In the Mix With…” We love spotlighting our very favorite wedding professionals, and Lisa and Ian Robinson of SoftBox Media are no exception! They bring an incredible level of talent to all their events, and are absolutely phenomenal to work with – no wonder our couples are always raving! Here’s what Lisa and Ian had to say when we gave them the third degree on weddings…
How did you get started in the wedding business?
Lisa: I fell in love with photography in high school and went to college as a photography major. During that time, a friend of a friend of a friend who was a wedding photographer was looking for an assistant. I took the gig and everything “clicked”.
Ian: I studied media arts and photojournalism in college. When I met Lisa while we both worked at Apple, I tried weddings with her and enjoyed it just as much as she did.
What do you do when you are not working?
Lisa & Ian: What do you mean “when we’re not working”? Ha ha! Being a business owner, it seems you’re never not working. It’s a labor of love, for sure. We do love to hike, kick it with our Boston Terriers “Mac” and “Moo”, and visit local vineyards. We also recently started volunteering at Loudoun Therapeutic Riding where we help physically and mentally challenged children and adults with their equine therapy. We’re long time horse people and it’s really something special to see the clients blossom when they’re around such an amazing animal.
How would you describe your approach to weddings?
Lisa & Ian: Our approach is very personal. We don’t book any weddings without having a face to face meeting with our clients. We like to sit down and talk with them, get to know them, get to know what makes them a couple, what makes them individuals. It really helps us personalize the wedding experience for them. We never want our clients to feel like they’re coming to a “factory” that just churns out a standard product. Every couple is different & every wedding is different, which means we need to treat each one special!
What inspires you in your work?
Ian: It’s capturing that moment that people don’t know even happened. Those moments go by so fast, it’s amazing to capture that fleeting emotion or event for our clients to look back on forever.
Lisa: Storytelling. I love, love, love to look at the wedding as a whole and think “how can I tell their story?” in my photos. That way, when I come back to make their album, it all unfolds for them in their hands as the flip through the pages. I love it.
What do you find the most rewarding about your job?
Ian: After the weddings, we have our couples come over for a review session of their photos. It’s awesome to see their faces light up and hear them exclaim “I just LOVE this one!” It’s really nice to know that the images are going to be cherished.
Lisa: When clients come back. First comes love (engagements!), then comes marriage (weddings!) then comes baby (family)! We’ve had so many clients return to us for birthdays, anniversaries, maternity, and family photos. It’s pretty awesome to think that we’ve made them that happy, and they feel that comfortable with us to have made us their photographers for life.
What’s the one thing you wish everyone knew about you or your business?
Lisa & Ian: Our level of dedication. You’ll never catch us “phoning it in”. Ever. This is more than just a job for us. It’s our passion. The work doesn’t stop at 5pm. We’re constantly growing and seeking new ways to make our clients even happier than before and pushing our photography to new limits every time.
What do you think sets your company apart from other photographers?
Lisa & Ian: The last answer says it all.
What do you love about weddings?
Ian: What’s not to like? It’s a party!
Lisa: It’s one of the happiest times in peoples’ lives. It’s an honor to be selected to document it for someone. Sure it can also be a stressful day, but there are always those moments; during the ceremony, in a toast, or the first dance where people let their guard down and their true emotions flow. It’s beautiful.
What do you hate about weddings?
Ian: Honestly, there’s nothing that I really hate. The one thing I do dislike is the race to wolf down enough calories and water (in the 5 minute dinner break that we usually get) to eat enough to sustain us through 9, 10, 11+ hour days.
Lisa: I hate that I haven’t yet found the perfect shoes to wear! Ha! It seems trite, but being on your feet & dashing here and there with 30 pounds of camera gear on your shoulder for 12 hours can really take a toll. If anyone knows of cute, functional, and supremely supportive shoes out there, please email me!
What is the coolest thing you’ve ever seen at a wedding?
Ian: The 12 piece mariachi band that played the ceremony of a destination wedding we had in Cabo San Lucas. It was so unique and totally awesome.
Lisa: The details that really “scream” of the couple are the coolest things to me. For instance, we had a wedding with two police officers. They set up a party favor table with an antique kid’s toy police pedal car, surrounded by Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Pretty hilarious and awesome. On a sentimental note, we also did a wedding that had an “Oathing Stone” ceremony, which I had never seen before. The bride and groom hold a stone for their vows as well as all the guests. All their hopes, well wishes, and silent prayers are said to penetrate the stones. The stones were collected to be given back to the couple so they could have all the well wishes surrounding them forever.
What’s the best piece of advice you can give to couples planning a wedding?
Lisa & Ian: Pick a location that really speaks to your personalities. There’s so much out there to choose from and it’s the easiest way to infuse your uniqueness into the day. Oh yeah, and booking us to photograph it is a must! ha ha!
Who is your favorite artist or band?
Ian: FOO FIGHTERS!!!! Dave Grohl is the man!
Lisa: The Clarks. They’re a local band to Pittsburgh, PA and I was introduced to them when I lived there for a few years. Awesome folksy/classic rock vibe.
What is the worst song of all time?
Ian: Big Yellow Taxi – I have absolutely no idea why, but it gets on my every nerve whenever I hear it from any artist.
Lisa: Flo Rida – “Whistle”. Seriously?! I know this guy is laughing all the way to the bank but it’s crass, tasteless, and devoid of any real talent. Total waste of air time.
Open mic, final thoughts:
Weddings are awesome. We’re truly lucky to get to photograph for a living AND help people capture memories that will last forever. We’re not just photographing for them, but also their families, their kids, their grandkids, and generations to come. It’s pretty epic & humbling. Yay, Love!
Thanks so much Lisa and Ian for sharing a little bit of yourselves with us!
Today we debut a new post series called “Memory Lane Monday,” where our DJs share their favorite throwback songs and the memories they evoke. Up first is Sean Johnson, with his thoughts on John Mayer’s “No Such Thing.”
Sean Johnson on “No Such Thing” by John Mayer:
“I first heard this song at the very end of high school. As I listened to it, I started to really grasp the fact that as soon as I received my diploma, the world could be absolutely anything I wanted to make of it. In a sense it foreshadowed what was to come, and ultimately my career in music & DJing. I recently heard it again, after it slipped from the forefront of my memory so long ago, and I felt that feeling all over again! This time, I was able to see it from a different perspective. As I was younger I (like many others) saw the progression of life to be:
1) Get a traditional job as the first step to adult life
2) Work really really hard at that job and put off everything else to earn your paycheck
3) Eventually retire, and finally get a chance to do what you want everyday with the years you have left
Now older and wiser (hopefully), I know that you can make your life into whatever you desire. There’s no “rules” to life. Just live it, and don’t sacrifice happiness for money. In the end, John Mayer said it best:
‘I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the top of my lungs
I just found out there’s no such thing as the real world
Just a lie you’ve got to rise above’
We’re very excited to roll out a new blog series called Friday Five, in which our uber-talented DJs share their thoughts on the five must-have jams from a variety of genres. Kicking off this series is DJ Juan Leon’s pick for five modern Latin pop songs not to be missed!
Los Amigos Invisibles: Amor
Fuego: Una Vaina Loca
Don Omar: Hasta Que Salga El Sol
Monchy y Alexandra: Hoja En Blanco
Bomba Estereo: Fuego
Check back next week for must-have Old School Hip Hop songs!
Who’s ready for some 80s throwback jams? Here are our five picks for 1982! (If you didn’t catch our top five from 1981, check it out here!)
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: I Love Rock N’ Roll
Dazz Band: Let It Whip
Soft Cell: Tainted Love
Flock of Seagulls: I Ran
The Police: Every Little Thing She Does is Magic
Be sure to check back next week for some of our favorites from 1983!
Lauren and Adam hosted an absolutely beautiful April 6, 2013 wedding at Hotel Monaco Alexandria. DJ Evan Reitmeyer had an amazing time working with this lovely couple, and Lisa Marie O’Quinn of Sweet Tea Photography captured some great images of the big day!
Barbara Von Elm of Growing Wild provided the gorgeous arrangements for the wedding, and Fluffy Thoughts provided the beautiful cake!
The cocktail hour included a blend of music from artists like Ray Charles, Van Morrison, Better Than Ezra, Tom Petty, Elvis Presley, The Temptations, Frank Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel and Louis Armstrong. After Lauren and Adam were introduced to their guests as husband and wife, they shared their first dance together to “One” by U2 and Mary J. Blige.
Then, Lauren and Adam’s friends and family danced the night away to the sounds of artists like Jay Z, Justin Timberlake, Flo Rida, Van Halen, Neil Diamond, Bruce Springsteen,The Cure, Pink, Pitbull, Taio Cruz, Def Leppard, Sean Kingston, Michael Jackson, Maroon 5 and The Beatles.
Congratulations to Lauren and Adam, and thanks to all the vendors who made the evening such a success!
Venue: Hotel Monaco Alexandria, Allison Manning
Planner/Coordinator: Kelley Cannon Events
Photographer: Sweet Tea Photography, Lisa Marie O’Quinn
Flowers: Growing Wild, Barbara Von Elm
Cake: Fluffy Thoughts
We at MyDeejay are so proud of the extraordinary talent and diversity on our DJ team, and are thrilled to announce the addition of five new DJs to our roster!
Last spring, two fantastic DJs joined the MyDeejay family. Josh Rhett is a native of Charlottesville, Virginia and studied graphic design at Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition to being a busy wedding DJ, he does branding and design work for corporate clients. Todd Daniels is originally from the Chicago area, is married with two young daughters, and teaches elementary school language arts in addition to deejaying.
This past summer, we added three more great DJs. Maggie McManus, our first female disc jockey, is an architect who attended UVA and UPenn and also plays ice hockey and teaches painting. Jon Ryu was born in South Korea and raised in Philadelphia, and works in the IT field. He also is about to be married himself (and yes, he’s a client of MyDeejay)! Finally, Strother Gaines is a Kentucky native with a strong music and theatre background, who currently lives in Washington, DC and works in spa management.
We’re so excited about our continued expansion! Engaged couples, we’d be thrilled to match you with one of these talented DJs for your upcoming wedding. Please contact us for more information!
Join us on a trip back to May 2012, when Erin and Karim celebrated their gorgeous wedding at one of our favorite venues, Woodend Sanctuary in Chevy Chase, MD. Our DJ Trevor Blake really enjoyed working with this wonderful couple and their fabulous vendor team. Check out photographer Michelle Lindsay’s breathtaking images of the day!
Florists Gerry Rogers and Rebecca Henry of Petal’s Edge created some truly stunning floral designs and some of the prettiest bouquets we’ve ever seen, perfect for a late spring wedding!
After a wonderful meal from Joel Wolke’s team at Occasions Caterers, guests took in Erin’s and Karim’s first dance to Peter Gabriel’s version of “Book of Love.”
Fluffy Thoughts provided the couple’s elegant wedding cake, which the guests loved!
Later, Erin and Karim and their guests turned up the energy on the dance floor with a fantastic, upbeat playlist that included artists such as Daft Punk, Pitbull, Salt-N-Pepa, Rihanna, M.I.A., LMFAO, Depeche Mode, INXS, Shakira, Prince and R.E.M.
Thank you, Erin and Karim, for having Trevor and MyDeejay provide the soundtrack to your day! Thanks also to the fantastic wedding pros who made it all possible!
We’re huge United With Love fans around here, and were thrilled to have one of our favorite weddings from last year featured on their blog!
Clarisse and Gary were wed in September 2012 at the Omni Shoreham in DC, a venue we happen to love! Abby Grace Photography did an amazing job capturing all of the fun, and the rest of the incredible vendor team, including Amaryllis, Dolce Studio Films, Alison Harper & Co., The Organized Bride, Adriana Cakes and ShutterBooth, did a fantastic job of creating a perfect day for the happy couple! be sure to check out both part 1 and part 2 of the United With Love feature for all the gorgeous details!
