Video From a Greek & Italian Wedding in Westport, CT. DJ & Lighting Provided.

This video posting is from a Wedding gig we performed at at the Inn at Longshore in Westport, CT. The couple’s families were traditionally Italian and Greek. This mix made for a great, fun crowd. They danced all night and even did some traditional Italian Jig, and Greek “opa” numbers!. Check out the video below of our dance floor. You can also see the custom monogram with the couples’ initials displayed on the dance floor. Enjoy!

Woodstock Academy High School Homecoming Dance. DJ & Lighting Services.

On a cool Fall night of September 22nd 2012 we setup a large sound system and 10 foot lighting system for over 600 students. In the distance you could hear the sounds of a high school football field, as Woodstock Academy wrapped up their homecoming game that night.

at about 6 o’clock students started rolling into their gymnasium, dressed for their 2012 Homecoming affair. We started with some slower background tunes while the students mingled and ate light snacks. The party quickly kicked off with high energy Top 40 dance music for over 3 hours. The dance floor was hopping all night long, with all radio edits of the most popular tunes the kids enjoy. We took requests and kept the party flowing without any interruption all night.

We paused the dance briefly to announce the homecoming court, and of course the King and Queen. The Homecoming court danced together to “A Moment Like This” by Kelly Clarkson.
Below is a You Tube video of some high energy dancing we caught throughout the night. Check out the effect the lighting has on the energy of the crowd during dancing.

CT Party Studios Has Expanded Into a Full Service Office Location!

Due to incredible growth over the last year, we have expanded our home based DJ Service Business into a full service office location in Norwich, CT.  Our growth over the last year is due in large part to our incredible clients, who have believed in our services and let everyone else know about us.  We have also been add DJ’s to our staff, allowing us to deliver excellent service to more clients.  CT Party Studios has also expanded its services into Wedding and Event Planning.

We will be able to use our offices to display and showcase everything from Music to decorations.  Our new office will benefit our clients with a centralized, safe location for entertainment and planning consultations.  We will also be able to utilize our location to train and develop new DJ’s, turning out new employees ready to uphold our standards of service.

A big thanks goes out to Paul from Benoit Signs for our beautiful window decals! Our new office is located at 60 Main Street, Norwich, CT (Unit 101).  We have provided a Google Map below, which is clickable for directions.

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Our offices will open Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.  Weekends and late nights by appointment.

Our new office number is (860) 892-9570.  If we are in a meeting or performing, we will return your call within 24 hours.

CT Wedding DJ Ceremony Music & Reception Dancing at Mystic Yachting Center.

Another busy September weekend concluded with a small Ceremony & Reception at the beautiful  Mystic Yachting Center.  Melissa & Chet were married outside by the water, with a backdrop of docked boats and the Long Island Sound.  The Ceremony began at roughly 1:15, with about 50 guests seated outside on the lawn near a gravel walkway leading to the boat yard.

  During the Ceremony, the couple performed a ritual known as the “WIne Box Ceremony”.  For those of you unfamiliar, I will explain this unique Ceremony tradition.  The Bride & Groom both write love letters to each other on their Wedding Day.  The letters are sealed in separate envelopes.  During their vows, the couple places the unread letters in a box, along with a bottle of Wine and 2 glasses.  The box is sealed, tied or closed in some way.  In a desired time during their marriage, 5, 10, 20 years, the couple opens the box, drinks the Wine and reads the letters written to each other.  This is a way to relive the feeling that each felt for the other on their special day.

As the couple Receeded to pictures, the guests were moved inside to the downstairs room of the Yachting Center for a cocktail hour.  Guests enjoyed appetizers, an open bar and got to socialize before Dinner. At approximately 2:15 the guests were moved upstairs to the Main Ballroom for Dinner and the Reception portion of the day.  The couple was introduced along with parents and their Bridal Party, which consisted of about 8 young children which were close friends or family.  The couple was introduced to “The Power of Love” by Huey Lewis & the News.

After the couple made their way to their sweetheart table centered near the dance floor, toasts were given by Best Man Tony & Matron of Honor Amy.  Tony sarcastically thanked the couple for having their Wedding on the first day of the NFL season.  That got some laughs. The great meal by Ocean Blue Catering included Prime Rib, Chicken Francese and a mashed potato station with all the fixings.  The couple then danced for the first time together to the song “Brighter Than Sunshine” by Aqualung, which they chose especially for the occasion.

The cake had a Maritime theme, with blue anchors and Navy Blue piping.  The cake was cut to “When I’m 64″ by The Beatles, then served by the catering crew within minutes.   Chet then danced with his sister, who stepped in for their mom, who was no longer with us but smiling down upon her children on this special occasion.  Melissa also danced with dad before the dance floor was opened to guests.  The party ended at 5:30, with the sun still shining upon a beautiful late Summer Wedding day.

Outside Wedding Ceremony & Reception Dj & Lighting on the Patio at Villa Bianca, Seymour CT.

“The DJ was very professional, personable, and was open to any suggestions that I had. During the reception, he seamlessly transitioned from one song to the next which kept everyone on the dance floor. It was exactly what I’d hoped for!” – Joslin Latz

This weekend I was honored to be a part of a company friend’s special day.  Maureen Davis hired us last year for her son Kyle’s Wedding Reception, which was held this past Sunday in Seymour, Ct at the Inn at Villa Bianca.

We setup a small PA system at the lower pavilion for an outside ceremony.  A wireless microphone was also provided for the officiant and a reader.

The bridal party walked down the aisle to Cat Power’s “Sea of Love”.  The Bride entered to the classical Canon in D. The Ceremony was performed by a Justice of the Peace, and a reading of “What Love Is” by a family member.  After the couple was married, they walked back down the aisle to Jason Mraz “I’m Yours”.

The couple went for pictures while the guests made their way to the main pavilion the cocktail hour.

When it was time to introduce the Bridal Party, parents and couple int

o the main recption hall, each couple was introduced to their own song which they chose or was selected by the couple for a special meaning.

Directly after introductions Kyle and Joslin danced for the first time as Husband and Wife together to Tim Mcgraw’s “My Best Friend”. As Dinner was served, the staff at the Villa Bianca had a complete table setting for the photographer and I, and served us all 3 courses.  I mention this because this was just one facet of this venue that testified to their professionalism and committment to a successful event.  The Maitre D Tiffany was on top of things all night, and coordinated the timeline and all events with us to perfection.

Our lighting for this elegant evening included LED color Wash lights for the dance floor, purple/blue uplighting on the pavilion pillars and a dance floor monogram.  The monogram was a heart pattern, set with a purple color.

Dinner included a salad, pasta, and choice of Beef, Chicken or Fish.

After Dinner the couple cut a 4tier Chocolate Cake, decorated in a beach sand theme.

During Dinner, I got the chance to get acquainted with the photographer of the evening.  I was thrilled to discover that she was based out of Quaker Hill, just minutes from our office.  her name is Karen Schlink, and her website www.karenschlink.com should be updated soon with high quality professional shots of this Wedding.  We will keep you updated and make an attempt to post some of Karen’s work here, with her permission.

We kept the music flowing smoothly with mixes that transitioned seamlessly from the 70′s to 80′s and all the way to Pitbull.  Below is a video mix of the dance floor in action, many with the Bride out in front having a blast!  We always tell our clients that as long as the Bride is having fun, the rest of the party will follow.

I must add the following to this post because I think some couples will be able to use this idea.  Below is a picture of a koozie the couple had made with their name and Wedding date on it.  There was a table with these laid out, and enough for each guest to have more than 1.  I was given one of these myself.  I must say this is more than just a great Wedding favor idea, it is so practical, modern, and useful.  I have been using mine all Labor Day weekend since!

Sweet 16 Party in Griswold, CT. DJ Lighting and fog effect.

“The DJ did a great job as did the co-ordinator. They played a great selection of music for the event and did a great job introducing my sixteen year old when she arrived, getting everyone up on the dance floor and “reminding” about the cake celebration. The co-ordinator even went as far as cutting up the cake for us. They really helped me to make her event special!” – Lisa Lord

This Saturday’s Sweet 16 Party helped prove the fact that 16 year old can have a great, clean party with the right planning.  We helped Lisa Lord plan her Daughter’s Sweet 16 at the Griswold Fish & Game Club.  Pre-Party details included lighting, introductions and age appropiate music.  A deluxe light show was selected, and as you can see below, the lighting made all the difference in the energy level of this party.

We were able to gather quite a bit of video of the party, and we will showcase all of our video clips below.  The party consisted of about 50-60 teenagers, and about 20 adults.  With a quick dinner, the kids were ready to party very quickly.

We used a cloud of fog and a high energy introduction to bring the Birthday girl into her party.  We added Lights and Costumes to make her introduction extra special and unique. And of course, we had to sing Happy Birthday to the special Girl of the day.  Below is a quick clip of her guests singing to her before cutting into the cake.

As daylight faded, we started doing some of your popular party dances like the Cha-Cha Slide.  Below is a video of about half the party getting involved in this warm up portion of dancing.

It was amazing to see that so many kids were comfortable dancing and having a good time together.   It seemed as though the guests were selected wisely in that most of them were close to the Birthday girl.  This made for a comfortable atmosphere, and gave the kids no reservations to having a great time.  Below is a video of a few dance sets to some popular teen music.  As always, clean versions were played, and dancing was kept fun and clean.

The “Wobble” Dance is a popular Line dance that is sweeping the internet and youth parties across the country. This dance was so popular at this party, that we had to do it twice.  Below is a video on our second go at the Wobble.

Wedding DJ Ceremony & Reception Music, and Room Uplighting. Riverview in Simsbury, CT.

Sometimes you have your small, intimate affairs for Weddings…  Then sometimes you get into a big affair,  where things can get crazy.  This weekend we were at the Riverview in Simsbury, CT.  This Engagement had it all.  200 family and friends, uplighting, outside ceremony and more.  We will try to highlight some of the most memorable and inspiring things of this somewhat large Wedding Celebration.

The ceremony was held outside on the patio at the Riverview, with a violinist playing prelude music, along with the recessional and processional.  We did however have a wireless microphone installed for the officiant.  The guests then moved inside for a cocaktail hour in a section of the main ballroom cordened of by large dividers. These dividers were then moved for the Dinner portion, and guests were able to find their seats.

The bride and groom were then introduced to Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel”, and danced to Chantal Kreviazuk’ “Feels Like Home”.

Before Dinner, the Bride & Groom were toasted by both Maid of Honor‘s, Both Best Men, and 2 impromptu speeches by 2 groomsmen.

After Dinner, and cake cutting, the staff opened up a custom candy bar for the guests.  Including theater style dispensers of favorites such as Skittles, M&M’s, Reeses and more.

Dancing went well into and beyong midnight and most of the 200 guests stayed to party all the way to the end.

Congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Ryan & Kayla Ferguson.  And many thanks to the crew at the Riverview for your continued professionalism every time we work with you.

Wedding DJ Services at Waters Edge in Westbrook, CT. Latin & English Couple, Bachata, Salsa & Merengue Music requests.

“Mike Ortiz was an excellent DJ–professional, on time, and very nice and accommodating. Will recommend to anyone looking for DJ services in the Southeastern CT area. Very, very happy with his services!!” – Marty Karpel

If you’ve ever had a crush on a Spicy Latin Lover,  or are one yourself, then you may one day find yourself in the midst of an American & Latin infused Wedding Celebration.  This post is for you then.

  This past weekend, Marty & Flora tied the knot, American and Dominican style.  The crowd was a mix of english family members from Marty’s side, and Dominican guests from Flora’s side, some traveling all the way from the island of Santo Domingo.  The reception was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Waters Edge Resort & Spa in Westbrook, CT.   The meal was setup as double buffett, one line on either side of the room.  One side had American inspired light fare such as coconut shrimp and prime rib.  The other side was a Latin inspired section including mini beef-patties and seafood paella. The couple danced together to a romantic Spanish Ballad by Franco De Vita called “Al Norte Del Sur”. 

The dance portion included genres from English Top 40 to Bachata, Merengue, Salsa and Reggaeton.

Hawaiian Luau Theme Double Birthday Party. DJ, Lighting and Video Screen for Slide Show. East Hartford, CT.

We had the pleasure of providing DJ Services for a creative young couple at Tastebuds Catering facility in East Hartford, CT. This was a combination Birthday Celebration, celebration Heather’s 30th and Husband Matt’s 40th. The theme was  ”Hawaiian Luau“, with Tiki style decorations and an authentic Hawaiian meal to match. Even the cake had a Tropical Sunset feel to it.

  We provided a Video Screen for the family slide show, was was assembled by us via prints which we digitized as well for the couple. The slide show was a hit, as many of the pictures featured a number of the party guests in their early years. Music for Dinner kept with the Island theme and included Beach Style tunes from artists such as The Beach Boys, Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffet of course. We also provided dance floor wash lighting, which was set to match the party’s themeduring Dinner.  The lighting then took on the energy of the party and was computer controlled and changed to beat of the music.

We had an appearence for the children by “Mr. Chicken”, who performed the Chicken Dancealong with the younger guests, and enthuastic adults.

  Many of the guests were close family and friends, which included many couples.  We had a few chances to play some slow requests for a chance for romance.  Bubbles enhanced this romantic setting, and provided entertainment for the kidsof course.

And what Hawaiian Theme party would be complete without the Limbo?  We had a long 3 song Limbo set, with just about all of the guests getting involved, without injury…  wink, wink.

*** Just Updated: New Video Added! ***

Birthday Party DJ in Preston, CT. Zumba Dance Sets by Birthday Girl.

We provided DJ services last Friday for a 30th Birthday Party at the VFW in Preston, CT.

Planning for the event done by the Birthday Girl herself, included a few Dance requests from the popular Zumba Fitness movement.

We some popular Zumba hits like “Danza Kuduro” and “Zumbar”, just to name a few.

The birthday girl and her friends showed they were well versed in the moves they had been taught in their classes.

Beyond having more moves than “Jagger’, the party was energized by a small light show which we provided for the guest of honor as a surprise.  We always try to tell our clients about the benefits of dance floor lighting at any event, as opposed to a dark dance floor.  This proved to be the case at this venue as it was very darkly lit with a few canister lights.

The party went so well, that the guests wanted to stay longer and we ended up going for another hour over or contracted time.