Music surrounds us! It is the background to our lives, sometimes very overt and others very subtly. Music helps create an atmosphere or mood for any environment. Think about this for a moment, when you go to a restaurant, shop, visit a theme park, or even drive down the road, music is carefully chosen to set a tone. The same is especially true for weddings! The melody of the traditional Bridal March is probably just as recognizable as “Happy Birthday” or “It’s A Small World”. Can you tell I’m a Disney fan? While some couples love the idea of a classical feel for their ceremony, others may want to set the tone with a more modern feel! Either way, a ceremony without music in those key moments can feel “empty”. But with more couples choosing to do destination weddings, and select venues in natural settings, many assume they cant have music for their ceremony, or that they have to rely and cheaply constructed Bluetooth speakers, that just measure up to the occasion.
You Still Have Options!
Beyond just the reception, many wedding DJs are now offering ceremony audio solutions. I know some that I would gladly hire personally, and I’m happy to recommend them. However, there are others that I wouldn’t hire. Being a DJ does not make you a good audio engineer for something like a wedding ceremony, so be sure to look at reviews! Unfortunately, I have officiated more than a handful of weddings where either the cheap quality of the equipment or the DJ’s lack of knowledge, was a distraction from the ceremony! I’ve seen the music stop working, tracks abruptly start over, or stop completely. But the worst is probably microphone issues, where the microphone is feeding back (that annoying high-pitched squeal), or cutting in and out. Unfortunately, I have had to purposely shut off my microphone, because having a microphone with these issues was far worse than not having it. Fortunately, I have two children, and I’m used to raising my voice, but that’s a different post for another time. So I simply spoke loud enough that everyone present could hear me. I hate having to take actions like this because the couple is paying for a service that was far from acceptable, but I knew things would flow smoother without it.
What I’m doing about it…
I love getting to help share my knowledge with others. Knowledge helps all of us become better at what we do and makes the wedding a better experience for everyone! Since I was a child I have been fascinated by live stage production. This grew to the point where I was running audio for performances before I was a teenager, which grew into a career in live production, both in Churches and in secular entertainment. Over the years, I have helped DJs and even Live Musicians with both operational tips and equipment suggestions, that would fix the issues they were experiencing. Sometimes the only thing they did wrong was purchase poorly made equipment! But it hasn’t ended there. As an officiant, I’m determined not to have those same bad experiences again. That is when I decided to provide ceremony audio to couples as an add-on, for their wedding. My goals were simple, to offer professional-grade audio anywhere at an affordable price. That led me to combine my existing knowledge, with that of expertise of those who had been doing this longer, and some magic… Yes, magic. I have learned not only from audio & wedding professionals but from the Magic community to have total control over the experience, without the guests having a clue “how the trick was done”. The way I measure success is when no one “notices” what is happening.
Officiant Services & Ceremony Audio Package
For couples considering my services as their wedding officiant, I am now equipped to provide ceremony audio for your big day, regardless of the location. Electricity is nice, but it’s not always available! Many couples that come to the Smoky Mountains choose to get married at their cabin or perhaps outdoors, in the national park, or other remote location. Because of their choice of venue, a full DJ service may not be practical, or necessary. However, they still want music for their ceremony and possibly even a first dance. You no longer have to rely on a family member with an iPhone and a Bluetooth speaker! My services include a hardwired connection for music playback, with professional-grade wireless microphones, all to a quality speaker system, that is being controlled discreetly by proven Military Grade technology. All of that thought, because I believe you should have the best wedding experience possible!