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!

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!

Wedding Ceremony & Reception at Waterview in Monroe, CT. DJ with Reception Music and Ceremony Sound with Wireless Mic.

The weather was beautiful last weekend and provided a great atmosphere for an outside Summer Wedding Ceremony and inside Reception.  We were with a young couple at the Waterview in Monroe, CT.  The outside patio area was the most lush collection of beautifully groomed gardens and a flowing waterfall.  It was a great backdrop for the outside vows, along with large arches and a lake side setting. We provided sound with Prelude, Processional and Recessional Music. We also provided a Wireless lapel microphone for the Minister.

Dinner and dancing moved inside to the large ballroom with large windows overlooking the lake, hence their name.  We re-introduced the couple into the room and did their first dance before Dinner, with their Bridal Pary joining in half way through.  After Dinner we went into cake cutting and the other specialty dances.  Below is a text file of this couples playlist so you can get some ideas for your next event.  Download playlist into your iTunes and it will automatically add songs you already have and make songs you’re missing red for you to look at or buy.

PLAYLIST DOWNLOAD LINK: Foley Wedding 07_21_12

70th Birthday Party at Berlin VFW, CT. DJ Music and Lighting Services.

We were honored to be a part of the Pappalardo 70th Birthday celebration for Lester, a well known and respected veteran of the Armed Services.  We provided a small sound system for the cozy venue at the VFW in Berlin, CT.  The night started with about 60 – 90 minutes worth of light background dinner music.  Dancing included a bit of Old Country-Western and some newer Top 40 for the kids.  We also had a small LED light show that lit up the small up like a “light bulb”, no pun intended.

Wedding Ceremony & Reception Music & DJ Services; New Milford, CT.

“thank you mike! you kept us dancing all night! we had a blast!” -Taylor

This past weekend we performed DJ services with Ceremony Music, Reception Dance Party and lighting at for a beautiful young couple.  This Wedding was held at the beautiful grounds of the Candlelight Farms Inn in New Milford, CT.  The couples names were Ryan and Taylor.  They had a small Bridal Party with only 4 close friends and family members, and no designated Best Man or Maid of Honor.  We started the day out with a small PA system outside for the ceremony, with a wireless microphone for the Master of Ceremony.  The speakers were turned to the small gazeebo area where they had an outside cocktail hour, with light background music.  We then moved inside with the main system and deluxe lighting for their specialty dances.  Below are some picture soy their First Dance and Father Daughter Dance.  Taylor’s Father surprised with the song selection of “My Girl” by The Temptations, Taylor was pleasantly surprised.  We then had another small PA system for their dinner hour which held outside in a third locate under a tent.  The night finished off with 3 hours of energy filled dancing, with high impact dance floor lighting.  Check out some of the video from our packed dance floor, they danced from daylight till nighttime!  Thanks to Karen and Nancy of Candlelight Farms for an awesome time working together for a very successful and fun Wedding.

Wedding Ceremony & Reception Music on the Beach in Westbrook, CT. DJ Entertainer Mike Ortiz.

Click the Audio Link Below to Listen to Stan & Kelly’s Audio Testimonial Left on our Automated Feedback Hotline:

Stan & Kelly Testimonial 06:16:2012

This weekend we performed DJ services with a small ceremony setup for Stan and Kelly on the beach of Westbrook, CT.

We provided a wireless microphone and stand for the Justice of the Peace to perform the ceremony and vows.  The first dance was done under the beautiful sun, with guests joining in as well.  Their first dance was to Steve Tyrell’s version of “At Last”.  CT Party Studios’ own Event Planner Carlos was on site, making sure everything went according to plan. The cake was a beautiful 3D landscape of the beach, with white chocolate starfish an shell accents.  It was almost too beautiful to eat,almost.  The cake cutting was coordinated with the help of DJ Mike and went well, Stan kept it “clean”.  The cake was made by the CT Culinary Institute Students.  Another beautifulCT beach Wedding in the books focus!  Thanks Stan & Kelly!

Wedding Ceremony Music & Reception DJ Services at Wrights MIll in CT

As you can tell from the featured image, we had a fun time providing DJ Services for a Wedding Reception & Ceremony this weekend.  The young couple were Leo & Elizabeth.  The Ceremony & Reception were both held at the beautiful Wrights Mill Farm in Canterbury, CT.  The vows were performed outside with a justice of the peace.  The Wrights Mill has a rolling waterfall area with benches to accomodate a small to medium size gathering for your ceremony.  We provided Music and a  Wreless Microphone for the Ceremony outside, with a small portable PA system.  The Wrights Mill provided us with power via a low noise generator.

The Wedding Reception was moved inside with a cocktail hour prior to the introduction of the Bridal Party and The Bride & Groom.  DJ Bobby introduced the couple into the room with high energy to the song  “Let’s Get Married” by Jagged Edge, per the couple’s request.  They went right into their first dance, which they chose the song “Without You” by Keith Urban.

Dinner was served, with the Bride & Groom sitting with their Bridal Party at a traditional long head table. Below is a picture we took prior to guests arriving of the room and decorations.  The most interesting thing about the beautifully decorated room was that the Bride & Groom did all decorating, centerpeices and favors themselves.  When I met with the couple about 2 months before their Wedding, they had boxes of ribbons and favors scattered about, which they were tediously assembling themselves.  On the afternoon of the actual Wedding day, I saw Leo and he had mentioned he was at the venue early in the morning to setup the decorations and centerpeices, even the pretty folding of the purple napkins.  It was impressive to see how a little bit of extra effort on both their parts helped them control their Wedding Budget.

The Groom contacted us a few days prior to the Wedding to make a small music change.  This request involved the Cake Cutting.  He wanted the DJ to switch the music  from the original requested song “How Sweet It Is” by James Taylor, to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benetar.  He wanted this to be switched after they had cut the cake and when it was his turn to feed his Bride. He was planning to surprise his new Wife with a messy display of affection.  The Bride had no hesitation in giving it right back, as you can see.

The music for dancing ranged from Classic rock, to newer Country and Top 40.  The staff at the Wrights Mill was professional as always.  We would like to than Leo & Elizabeth for sharing their Wedding Day with us as their DJ.

Sunday Wedding Ceremony & Reception DJ Services at the Mill in Windsor, CT

The cocktail hour and reception moved inside to the small room downstairs below the restaurant.  Appetizers and dinner were excellent, and dessert did not dissapoint, with multiple cookie and cake platters.The room was cozy and compact, with the need for just a small DJ sound system.  Below is a picture of the couple’s first dance, which we did prior to dinner.  We concluded the evening with a surprise karaoke version of Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me”, sung by the bride to the groom.

LED Party Lighting Explained

Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology has revolutionized the Wedding and Private Party industry since its introduction to consumers about 10 years ago now. LED lighting beams 3 times brighter than conventional bulbs, and uses 1/3 to 1/30 less energy. Most importantly for DJ’s and Lighting Professionals, they emit practically no heat, and are extremely durable and long-lasting. I would like to explore what these advances mean for your special day.

DJ’s and Lighting Technicians use various forms of spot and flood lights to accent walls, tables and special objects. The most common effect is a wide beam at a 90 degree angle to the wall, spaced evenly in between each window or door threshold. Some even use uplighting to accent a wedding cake,head table, or simply a nice dance floor “wash”. The hues created by these lights create an elegant and energetic ambiance for your special event.

About 5 years ago I was introduced to event uplighting, in the more conventional form, at a small wedding. These effects were produced using tradition halogen flood bulbs, in Par cans. To produce a color, the DJ would use a mix of gels, with a very limited range. The cans were large and heavy, the lights got very hot, and needed to be run in cycles to prevent a fire or charring of the white walls. And bulbs needed replacement frequently. The effect was still very dramatic, but I still saw it as something with great potential that needed some work. When LED Par cans arrived, It was like an angel answered all DJ’s prayers. The lights were durable, bright, and very expensive. It wasn’t until a process was developed by Purdue University, that allowed LED to be produced at prices comparable to CFL, that mainstream DJ’s and lighting technicians could afford to make a strong investment in this new service.

Now that this technology is pretty common, you can readily see one of the biggest advantages these lights give your event, FLEXIBILTY. With the low weight of the fixtures, they can be placed in very inconspicuous places, and pointed to walls and centerpieces for great effects. Their size allows providers to carry a large number of fixtures, allowing for more spatial coverage. Most of all, The RGB color mixing technology allows for a great range of hues that can be used to any effect. The most popular is a color that was almost impossible to obtain with traditional color gels, Purple. The light violet/purples are the perfect balance of elegant color and energy, without being too bright. Ambers are well used during day time events, where darker colors are not as effective.

Ask your DJ or event professional if they offer uplighting services. Most professionals that do offer it will have photos and videos of their lighting in action. Ask them if they are using LED technology, and what color options are available to you. Although it has gotten relatively cheaper to make, LED lighting is still become costly when investing in 20 or more LED par cans and cabling, so be prepared to make a reasonable investment with a great payoff at your event.