The DJ Insider Podcast

From us attempting to DJ our own weddings, to the things we have seen go wrong at work, we have plenty of experience of what to avoid when planning a wedding. Every couple has a budget in mind for their wedding, and priorities will always vary. We see that the venue is usually the most important, and vendors come next. There are plenty of ways to DIY to make your wedding more budget friendly, but...

On today's episode we review some recent weddings and discuss the concept of creative control when it comes to picking the music at your wedding. We typically see that most couples give us a few songs they love and a few songs they want to avoid at their weddings. There are always a few couples that don't care about the music at all and a few couples that really care a lot about the music.

Mike and Chris are back in the swing of things! Wedding season has already been off to an explosive start, with amazing dance floors. Having an off season in our area gets us very excited to work weddings again, and we are so happy to be back! In this episode we discuss how we usually have to fill the shoes of a wedding planner, and how wedding planners can make our lives so much easier day of.

On today's episode we're talking with Gina Bombin, the owner of Sugar on the Rim Events . We get to know Gina's background in the wedding industry, the services she offers, and advice she has for couples looking to hire a wedding planner, floral, and decor rentals. Gina shares some of her experiences from her years working with couples on their wedding day.

We are halfway to 100 episodes on the DJ Insider Podcast! We are finally kicking off into the wedding season, and we are lucky to have Maycen with Raycroft Recordings back on the podcast once again! Mike and Maycen talk through the struggles of exceeding expectations that our couples have. Our work as DJ's and videographers requires plenty of creativity and on the fly thinking. Mike choosing a...

On today's podcast we have Jeff Webb from @forgettableproductions. Jeff is a Comedy Show promotor, Headlining Comedian, and Wedding DJ. He draws from years of experience managing a comedy club, bartending, and performing stand up. We discuss a recent wedding and bridal show we worked together. Jeff discusses some of the difficulties in promoting and booking comedy shows. We discuss dealing wit...

On this week's episode, Chris and Mike are back in the studio to discuss a recent bridal show and questions to ask your DJ. Today we're talking about the Good and Bad questions to ask when you're interviewing potential DJs. When you're shopping for a DJ you should definitely do your research to understand what services the person offers and the type of experience that they can prov...

On today's episode we're talking with Eric Jaeger from MB Events . Eric discusses questions you can ask when meeting with potential DJs for your vendors. This conversation is based on a blog that Eric wrote. You can find that blog link here: 20 Questions to Ask Before Hiring that DJ When you're trying to figure out what should you be investing in your DJ, you should first start with yo...

On today's podcast we have Kyla Sinkiewicz the General Manager of Barrelhouse the Venue in Michigan City. Kyla shares her experiences, challenges, and insights from her years working with couples on their wedding day. Plus, Kyla shares some exciting news from Barrelhouse about the new venue they are opening this fall.

Chris and Mike are back in the studio for episode 45. On today's podcast we review recent corporate parties and a wedding we worked. We discuss the keys to giving a good speech. Mike and Chris talk about lessons they've learned from working in the wedding industry and review advice they would give to younger versions of themselves.

On today's podcast we have Jenny Beschinski the owner of SHE Designs and Orchestrated Events . Jenny has been a wedding and party planner of one kind or another since 2003. She has owned her own wedding and event retail business worked in some of Northwest Indiana’s premier event centers and has the best vendor friends (and resources!) ever. Jenny is the author of Weddings and Things: Tales Fr...

It's Season 2 Episode 1 and today on the podcast we have Tim & Corina Gehrels who were the couple that we discussed for our very first podcast from Season 1. Tim & Corina discuss how they met and fell in love. They share about their proposal and wedding. We talk about the planning process, their wedding details and everything they learned in the process. One of the biggest priorities f...

Thanks Carli and Tricia for joining us on today's podcast! You have gotten a look at the lives and general work day of a wedding vendor, but what about the people whose event space we get to work at every single weekend? The experiences and challenges we face when going to work are very similar to what Carli and Trish experience. The photographers, videographers, and florists that we work with...

We are now in the season of corporate events. We are always interested to see how these events can be so different from weddings, and how our style needs to adapt to this type of environment. We have seen parties done quite well, and some that have tried too hard. It is important to have a good structure, but one that can be deviated from if the vibe isn't right. It is also very important to m...

Thanks Kimberly Barnard for joining us for today's podcast! https://www.honorarybridesmaid.com/ Kimberly is a wedding planner whose business focuses on coordinating the day, but also focuses on design/floral for your wedding day. Her history is rooted in the wedding industry, starting by selling wedding dresses in Indianapolis. Moving into planning made sense for Kimberly, as she has seen the...

This time of year is when the wedding season starts to come to a slow in our industry. Being in the NWI area, we have around 4 months of bad weather that we do not work many weddings, but company parties coming in force. We have had varying experiences at these parties, from big dance floors to people that are just looking for background music. There really is no wrong answer, but we have found th...

When planning your wedding it is important to find a vendor that aligns with your goals and expectations of your wedding day. Mike and I have worked in this industry for 10+ years and it has taken time to understand the type of people we truly want to work with. If our company feels it can't meet the expectations you have, we simply are not the right fit. Some couples may want a 'party&#39...

Thanks Nathan Hand with Handprint Media Productions for joining us today! Shooting video for weddings is such a unique experience because of how candid it is. Unlike a movie set, you get very few opportunities to film the best moments of a wedding day because of the speed at which things take place. Without being able to control what the subjects you are filming do, a videographers professional sk...

On today's podcast we are delighted to speak with Julee Kistler. Julee has worked in the wedding industry almost 18 years. Julee has worked in many different levels at wedding venue from server, to manager, she's even done photography. She is currently a Planner / Coordinator at Allure on the Lake. Julee shares from her experience and passion working with couples. It's so important to...

Hearing a song at a wedding can invoke nostalgia, bring back memories, and change your mood entirely. We as DJs try and have a balance throughout the night of music that invokes the right feelings at the right time. Playing music during dinner that is relaxing and makes you feel loved is ideal, but we may need something with more energy for the dance floor. Music that is very energetic and dance a...

The way we can get a dance floor to be nonstop, all night long, is by building trust as we go along. If a crowd doesn't feel comfortable being on a dance floor because the DJ's energy is off, they will not want to take the social risk of being out there. When we dance we feel exposed . There are things as DJ's that are in our control and 100% out of our control, but we do everything we...

Thanks Jeff Webb for joining us today! Jeff has been doing standup comedy for years now, and has now joined us in the DJ world. We have learned more and more about how the world of comedy is very similar to DJing a wedding day. We stick to a routine, stay consistent, and strive for an amazing show every single time. The battle of keeping what we do unique and special every weekend is what we are a...

The most ideal wedding scenario is where everything can be prepared ahead of time, is organized, and we have all the tools we need to make it happen. That can change in an instant upon arrival to our job. Flexibility, being proactive, and remaining calm are the defining characteristics that separate professionals from amateurs in this industry. There are so many times where we have contained a sto...

Mike and Chris are back at it again! We have one chance to get this right. There is so much pressure we put on ourselves because you only have one attempt at your wedding day. The advice we give is to make sure that this can go as seamlessly as possible, and for everyone to have a night that is memorable. Many of us go to multiple weddings throughout our lives, and sometimes we are part of them. S...

Thank you Lori Horst from La Petite Fleuriste for joining us today! Not many people think about how their flowers get from point A to point B, and the struggles they might face along their travel. Not only do florists have to work very hard to make their bouquets and floral combinations look beautiful, but they have to deal with the issues of how they are sourced. From FedEx being problematic, to...