Brides...You GOTTA read this!!! (A groom's review)

My wife and I had an amazing wedding day in November 2011! Perfect day, weather, venues, and our vendors were decent (for the most part). However, Rod Baker and DFW Parties.com were far from just decent. In fact he was miles and miles from it. In fact, we still have random conversations about how Rod was literally the “all-star” and in many senses, the savior of our wedding reception.

Now to say he was THE all-star, may make some brides (and grooms) think that he was the center of attention the entire night as many DJs and MCs tend to do, often taking the spotlight away from the newlyweds… Far from it! To keep it plain and simple, ROD KNOWS HIS STUFF. He knows what people want, and he goes above and beyond those expectations. Through his experience and amazing attention to detail, Rod saved our reception from several potential pitfalls created by our choice in caterers. He had the unique ability to sense issues, and quickly reacted to keep the event running smoothly, all while using his great personality and charm to allow our guests to enjoy the nice intimate evening.

We had several consultation meetings with Rod, the first being about 8 months before the wedding. We actually surprised him by bringing both sets of parents to meet him at our local Starbucks. He was so kind – willing to travel just about anywhere to meet us! The surprise in the number of people didn’t faze him one bit and he instantly won all of us over with his honesty and great personality. He asked relevant questions about us, trying to get a clear understanding of the kind of music both of us enjoy. He asked us about what kind of reception we were envisioning. He even asked our parents about some of their thoughts, expectations, concerns and even for any special requests which was just so thoughtful! Rod then explained to us his “philosophy” about the lifecycle of wedding receptions and his specific approach to the specific highs and lows in terms of energy levels. We could tell that Rod’s been doing this for quite a while and completely understood what needed to happen and when.

He was literally the one and only person we interviewed to organize our evening, but by the end of the initial meeting, my wife and I both had the instant vibe that Rod was a trustworthy professional. (It’s a huge thing for both of us to put trust into people!) In our second meeting, about a month before the wedding, we finalized our music choices and he presented his game plan to us, as well as several back-up plans in case the energy was not what we were expecting. Talk about being prepared! He was also very easy to get a hold of via email throughout the entire process.

When it came time to the reception on our wedding day, Rod brought his “A game”. Our cocktail hour on the outside patio of Delaney Vineyards (Grapevine, TX) was relaxing, classy and elegant due to the mood that he set with his tasteful collection of classical and smooth jazz. It provided a great beat and just enough energy for our guests to relax and chat without having to overpower the music volume with their voices.
Rod provided us with a great transition into the reception room as we had a fun bridal party entrance and a memorable first dance . He then set a minute aside for us to thank everyone for being a part of our special day. The evening was looking magical and we didn’t think there was any way Rod could top his performance… We were wrong.

As we mentioned above, we were not happy with our caterer. But luckily, Rod came to the rescue several times during our reception when they dropped the ball. After dinner, we were scheduled to have a champagne toast, yet the catering staff was NO WHERE to be found and none of our guests had been provided with the toasting glasses we rented. Rod quickly took notice and immediately, yet discreetly, came over to me and suggested a small change to the game plan. He suggested that we go over to the dessert table and start the cake cutting to keep the flow going. He then calmly announced to our guests to gather around our cake table and the crisis was averted!

After dessert, Rod got the energy going again by introducing his take on the “Newlywed Game” which got tons of laughs and “Awwws” from our friends and family as we both answered the same way to his final romantic question. From there, the party REALLY started as the music picked up and everyone hit the dance floor and had a great time! Rod perfectly facilitated the rest of the evening through our sparkler exit to the limo.

Overall, Rod Baker is the epitome of a professional and a class act. His in-depth knowledge of music, technology, event planning and execution along with his amazing personality make him in our opinion, THE DJ of choice in the entire DFW Metroplex (and beyond)!