Weddings/Questions Answered by Expert Alan Mckenzie
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Formal Wedding Banquet | 1/19/2012 |
| Q: My fiance are holding a formal banquet after our wedding ceremony in a fancy ballroom for adults ... A: April, This is a tough one. Typically, the Entertainment will set the tone for the event and if ... | |
| Uncle/Niece wedding dance | 2/11/2011 |
| Q: What song would be appropriate for an uncle/niece dance? My uncle is taking the place of my father ... A: Well Kayla, there are many options available to you... Here are a few: Wonderful World - Louie ... | |
| Wedding attire for my aunt | 11/13/2010 |
| Q: I will be getting married in April at 2:00pm at one of the loveliest churches in Atlanta, then a ... A: This is the perfect time to enlist the help of your other aunt! Talk to her and ASK what SHE thinks ... | |
| Rehearsal Dinner/Night | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: We had planned the rehearsal (the bridal party is NOT actually rehearsing) dinner for the immediate ... A: Ken, The first thing that comes to mind is WOW!! 120 people!?!?! Although I don't know the size ... | |
| wedding reception | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: I am planning an afternoon wedding or early evening wedding at a church followed by an informal ... A: I suggest you DO have it around lunch or early dinner time if there will be enough quantity that it ... | |
| Reception Deposit | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: My fiance and I put $1000.00 deposit down. We are having financial difficulties at this point and ... A: Getting a deposit back depends on many things: 1) Did you sign a contract - if so, does it state ... | |
| Childcare insert cards | 2/11/2010 |
| Q: At the request of "Brides" I am designing an insert card to inform attending families that ... A: Sorry it took me a few days to get back to you, we were at a Convention for entertainers in Las ... | |
| Wedding Song to dance to with my brother and uncle | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: Both my parents passed away 15 yrs ago, so my brother is going to walk me down. I was wondering what ... A: Holly, I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your parents. I lost my father when I was only 11 and ... | |
| rehearsal dinner | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: MY son is getting married this year. The brides family are very heavy drinkers. They like the top ... A: You are not required to pay for alcohol if you don't want to! There are two ways to deal with this. ... | |
| step-parents | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: my daughter is getting married next year and she wants her step-mother to be escorted down the ... A: I am not sure why your daughter would INSIST on having a step mother being escorted down the aisle ... | |
| Colors | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: My finace and I are in the process of planning our wedding. We decided to get married in Cuba or ... A: Stacy, I might suggest soft pastel colors... Perhaps one in the aquamarine range and maybe the ... | |
| Error on wedding invitation | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: Help! My wedding invitation has an error in the address for the reception banquet hall. One number ... A: Marilyn, Sorry to hear about your plight, but unless the event is this weekend, the problem IS ... | |
| matron of honor gift | 9/24/2009 |
| Q: I will be the matron of honor for a middle-aged woman for her second marriage. She is raising a 12 ... A: I am not quite sure what to tell you. You know your friend/supervisor much better that I do. The ... | |
| stepparent seating | 9/20/2009 |
| Q: My stepdaughter(who has lived with me since age 2) is getting married Friday. Where should I be ... A: First of all, my advice might sound harsh, but it needs to be said. Your husband needs to realize ... | |
| Alfred Angelo Spice colored Bridesmaid dresses | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: My bridesmaids will be wearing an coral/orange (Alfred Angelo/ Spice) color for our wedding October ... A: Jackie, My suggestion would be to try and find either a bow-tie OR vest that would match in color ... | |
| Need help with an "in memory" song | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: My brother has recently gotten engaged and his fiancée have asked me to help select a song that ... A: I think "Angel" would be a GREAT choice! Something else you might think about is, did your mother ... | |
| Dance ideas? | 7/19/2009 |
| Q: we are not a big group of dancers but I would like to get people up and dancing at our wedding. At ... A: Tina, That type of dance is called an ANNIVERSARY Dance... Asking ALL married couples to the dance ... | |
| Brand New Coordinator | 6/20/2009 |
| Q: I'm coordinating my sister's wedding in (1)next week and I'm starting to get the jitters. This is ... A: Shai, This answer will be MUCH shorter... Well, a little anyway... The MOST important thing for the ... | |
| Brand New Coordinator | 6/19/2009 |
| Q: I'm coordinating my sister's wedding in (1)next week and I'm starting to get the jitters. This is ... A: WOW, have you got your work cut out for you!! When you say that you are "coordinating my sisters ... | |
| reception song for bride and son (12) | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: I am getting married and May and I have decided to let my 12 year old son walk me down the aisle ... A: Amanda, Here are a few that might work for you... Time in a bottle - Jim Croce I'll always be ... | |
| Song for Deceased Mother | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: My best friend died last year and her son is getting married in May. He and my son are best friends, ... A: "I Hope You Dance" would be a WONDERFUL song to use! There are also ones like: In My Life - ... | |
| Reception/Weddings | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: My mother and her boyfriend of 30+ years finally want to get married and plan to just go to the ... A: Sonia, It all depends on the rules in the city/county/state that they wish to be married in. In ... | |
| Will he want a divorce? | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: I asked myself,do I want to spend the rest of my life with my husband and I seriously believe that I ... A: I never said you were not IN LOVE with him nor did I say you didn't want to spend the rest of your ... | |
| Will he want a divorce? | 11/19/2008 |
| Q: I asked myself,do I want to spend the rest of my life with my husband and I seriously believe that I ... A: Normally I wouldn't answer such a question as this (me being a DJ/Emcee and not a relationship ... | |
| groom's parent guests | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: My son is getting married next year and told me that his in laws, who's paying for the wedding, ... A: Monique, You really need to get in touch DIRECTLY with the other parents to talk about this. Keep ... | |
| Bridal Processional | 9/9/2008 |
| Q: I am using a instrumental version of kiss the girl from little mermaid for the bridal party's ... A: It's very tough to find instrumentals that are considered contemporary as well as good for a brides ... | |
| children at reception | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: All of the articles I have been reading seem to agree that they just don't belong there. I feel ... A: Kay, First, talk to the folks in your wedding party (FMIL especially) and make it clear that you ... | |
| wedding invites | 8/31/2008 |
| Q: I am helping my friend with her wedding and we have come across a small problem with her invites, ... A: Jessica, I would suggest that she put the name she is recognized by on her invitations. If she put ... | |
| Family Dance | 8/5/2008 |
| Q: I am a widow getting re-married. It will be my fiances 1st marriage. I have 2 young boys that we ... A: There are many dances that can be done as a 'family dance'... Alot depends on the ages and interests ... | |
| Wedding Dance with my sister. | 5/14/2008 |
| Q: I am getting married soon. My mother died when i was 13, so i want to have that dance with my ... A: David, How about one of the following: Kenny Rogers - Through The Years Dione & Friends - That's ... | |
| FATHER/DAUGHTER DANCE | 3/28/2008 |
| Q: I am getting married this summer and I am having a hard time finding a right song for my father and ... A: Jenn, What about Savage Garden's "I knew I loved you before I met you" ? I think it could work ... | |
| Reception Seating | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: My daughter is getting married in 28 days, 125 guests, we need around 7 tables for family. My ... A: I ALWAYS recommend having assigned seating! Too many times without it things can get annoying for ... | |
| my son doesn't want a wedding | 1/31/2008 |
| Q: My recently engaged son and his fiance' have decided they do not want a wedding. My husband and I ... A: WOW!! I am not sure I understand. Your son is ENGAGED but doesn't want a wedding?? I have to ... | |
| Special Wedding | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: My fiance and I want to do something special for our wedding and not just the standard cookie cutter ... A: There are LOTS of things you can do to keep from being a boring or cookie-cutter type wedding. Your ... | |
| beach wedding | 1/29/2008 |
| Q: i am looking to have a small informal ceremony on the beach with about 50 people. we then either ... A: I can't really answer your question as to places to have the wedding in Connecticut. I am on the ... | |
| paying the pastor | 12/27/2007 |
| Q: My daughter is getting married in Maui, and we are paying for all of our minister's (and his wife's) ... A: Sorry for not answering sooner, but I have been gone for the holidays for the first time in years! ... | |
| Groom's strained relationship w/mom | 9/22/2007 |
| Q: My daughter's fiance has a somewhat strained (putting it mildly) relationship with his birth mother. ... A: There are a couple of ways to go: 1) Pick a short song 2) Pick any song and simply have the ... | |
| Dances with parents | 8/27/2007 |
| Q: Is it true that the dances with the parents aren't all that common anymore? Because I am considering ... A: Melissa, You can always dance with whomever was the person that "gave you away"... You could even ... | |
| Reception | 8/26/2007 |
| Q: I am planning a 5:30 outside wedding. The reception is following at the same location (only ... A: Wow Shirley, that's alot of questions... Let me try to tackle them for you though... First of all, ... | |
| Dances with parents | 8/25/2007 |
| Q: Is it true that the dances with the parents aren't all that common anymore? Because I am considering ... A: No, I am afraid it's NOT true... It is still a VERY common practice to have the traditional ... | |
| my cousin's wedding | 8/7/2007 |
| Q: My uncle has past away last year. My cousin is getting married on the 24th of this month and is ... A: Nicole, There are LOTS of songs your cousin and her brother can dance to! I am of course assuming ... | |
| Pre-Wedding Activities | 6/29/2007 |
| Q: We are trying to think of something for the groomsmen, dads, and other friends can do while the ... A: Well Sheila, I'm not sure how much time they will need to 'kill' while the girls are getting ready, ... | |
| rehearsal dinner | 6/19/2007 |
| Q: I am the father of the bride. The grooms parents are having a very small lunch the day before the ... A: Tom, Traditionally, the BRIDES parents (that's you!) pay for the wedding and reception while the ... | |
| Dedication song | 6/17/2007 |
| Q: I'm a sister who's brother is getting married and I wanted to sing a song dedicated either to him or ... A: This is a tough one. First of all, I don't know your singing styles or skills and second, without ... | |
| Wedding Entertainment | 6/6/2007 |
| Q: Alan, my fiance and I are planning our wedding that is upcoming in the next year, and we are butting ... A: I am not sure what a "band" themed wedding would be like, other than the music that is. Would this ... | |
| party | 8/3/2006 |
| Q: My parents 25th wedding anniversary is coming up in a few weeks and my siblings and I are planning a ... A: Lisa, There is no specific time to make the toasts/speech for your parents. You can do it before ... | |
Answers by Expert:
Alan Mckenzie
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
All music and entertainment related questions for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Questions on timelines, unique reception ideas, hiring wedding entertainment, finding entertainment professionals and even other things like: How to(and why you should) make a seating chart (don't put the talkers near the dance floor!), The different TYPES of DJs/Bands and how you can find the right one for your event. We also offer a "Grooms Workshop" to help educate the newly engaged GROOM.
Experience
Over 23 years experience as a Disc Jockey with the last 18 years as a wedding entertainment specialist. Experienced in planning, helping to coordinate and entertaining clients and guests in a professional, fun and elegent manner.
In addition I have taught several seminars on interaction (as an entertainer), microphone skills, business plans, keeping yourself educated, digital DJ'ing and more.
Organizations
American Disc Jockey Assoc., Pacific Coast Disc Jockey Association (Past President & also a founding member), Southern Calif. Entertainers Assoc., ABC (Association of Bridal Consultants), Bridal Assoc. of America, Oxnard Chamber of Commerce.
Publications
Mobilebeat Magazine, Ventura Wedding Guide, Santa Barbara News Press (wedding suppliment article), Respond.com, Bridesandgrooms.com, Rainbowproductions.com, Foreverwed.com, Ultimatewedding.com, Bridalgoddess.com, Buyersclub.com (their wedding section), WeddingZone.com, WeddingPlanningHelp.com and of course on our website at: http://www.amazingsounds.com as well.
Education/Credentials
I teach seminars for other entertainers on subjects such as; Marketing, Advertising, Web Search Engine Optimization, How to help your clients even BEFORE they hire you, Pricing your services fairly, Knowing the REAL cost of doing business, Ethics for DJs (buying music, licensing, insurance, etc.).
I have also attended (and continue to do so) numerous seminars specifically related to mobile dj's as well as workshops and seminars for coordinators, speakers, team building, presentations, voice skills and more.
Awards and Honors
Past President of the Pacific Coast Disc Jockey Association, also past Vice President and a Founding Member. We also are the ONLY Entertainment company in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties that has passed the rigid qualifications to become a "Certified Wedding Professional".
Past/Present Clients
We keep our clients information confidential. However, if you need some, please specify how many and we will contact some of our clients to get permission to give you their contact information. We never just 'assume' that a client is a reference, we ASK them if they would like to be one and, if so, how they would like to be contacted (email, phone, text, etc.).
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