DJ, Photography

1999

Cash, Check, Paypal, Mastercard, Visa

50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, Acoustic, Big Band, Classic Rock, Classical, Country, Dance, Folk, Funk, Gospel, Hip Hop, Jazz, Motown, Oldies, Orchestra, Pop, Punk Rock, R&B, Rock, Soul, Strings, Swing, World

Yes

My attitude is a simple one... the stars of the show at a wedding reception are the bride and groom. Our signature style is very unobtrusive and strictly professional.

Although I openly take as many requests as I can, my primary objective at any wedding reception is to motivate all wedding guests to come have a good time on the dancefloor and make the experience with the music as interactive as possible. Sometimes that can mean omitting certain requests which will 'kill' the dancefloor mood.

Tuxedo attire at all weddings.

Absolutely not... so long as we have ample notice of the music selections that will be needed, we're happy to provide it. We'll also accomodate special requests and renditions as per what's indicated on your online planner. With a WIFI connection, we can also legally attain any songs needed on the fly. This is a rare occurrence, but when it's needed it's there.

I am the sole DJ in this company which is why our availability is extremely limited and exclusive. My wife, respectivley, is the only photographer in this company. Unlike other companies we compete with, our emphasis is to be good... not big.

Six hours is the standard wedding DJ package, but my wife Diana, the photographer, includes eight hours.

Absolutely - a face-to-face encounter is the most accurate way to get a feel for the person you'd be working with as well as get a feel for the person. This can be vital when selecting a DJ for your wedding reception.

Standard with every event is an online worksheet that not only encompasses all of the usual musical selection and prompts but also a do-not-play list. We know that 'do-not-plays' can be just as important, if not, more important than the 'do-plays'.

Of course, AND backup equipment. The only thing that I require is a table and a GROUNDED power source within 20 feet of my setup.

Special effects lighting is not only important for setting the scene for a romantic and fun dancefloor, but also plays an important part in making people feel less self-consious in coming out to the dancefloor, as usually the other lights are down. We typically use a self-contained starball (or discoball) as well as shifting color lights. We do not use fog machines, bubble machines or strobe lights for reasons of safety and fire code.

I usually take about an hour to set up, but I always arrive two hours before the beginning startup time. No, we don't charge for setup time, We do require a table at the site. No picnic tables please. Six or eight foot tables with proper linens are ideal.

Abolutely not. Your wedding photos and memories shouldn't be immortalized by the tacky and flashy banner which only unclassly traies to upstage your existing decorations. Although we will not flash banners, we WILL offer our business cards to those who ask.

I will emcee the event effectively to get people's attention when I need to, and it's a given that I'll be lining up the wedding party for introductions. You won't hear me, however, sounding like an idiot on the mic trying to be goofy, overbearing or cheesy. Like I said, the bride and groom are the stars of the show... I'm just here to highlight the evening with entertainment.

The role of music at a wedding reception is a living, breathing thing. There are times in which music plays the background (during cocktails and dinner when people prefer to mingle) but then when the dancefloor becomes the center focus, it becomes the time when the DJ needs to be most attentive. If people aren’t dancing to the song currently on, then the pace needs to be switched up for the next song. For example, if the floor is empty because the music’s to fast, I like to break out a slow song… that at least gets all the couples up to slow dance together. After that point, with all the couples on the floor, both young and old, I like to then break out a faster (not fast per se but fastER) song that spans the generations to see everyone’s enjoying themselves.

I typically eat at the DJ table while everyone else eats so that there's no interruptions to service. Typically ALL vendors at a wedding, from DJs to photographers and videographers should be fed... they are NOT required, however, to have the expensive meals reserved for your guests. Inquire about vendor meals with your wedding venue.

Never Never Never... I see this done so often by so many other DJ companies and it irks me. In our case, the person you communicate with throughout the process is the DJ who will be AT your wedding. When you're booked with us, the day belongs to you and you only - these events are too important to have a company be spread too thin.

$75/hr after the included hours

Travel expenses within all of Vermont are included in the quoted price. Certain parts of New York, Massachusetts and New Hampshire are also included. Outside of these areas may require accrue an extra charge, but that depends highly on where you'll be.

$200 down, deducted from your quoted price. All wedding events require a deposit, but the balance is NOT due until the day of the event.

Photojournalism, Traditional / Posed

Custom Graphic Design, Digital Files, High Resolution Images, Proof CD of All Images, Video Montage

Yes

El Folio Entertainment WILL:

El Folio Entertainment WILL NOT:

...come dressed ONLY in the appropriate attire for your wedding (or other special event). ...arrive with ALL of the information you've provided: via our online planner, via e-mail and via special request. ...use GPS technology to accurately find your event location and always arrive punctually. ...arrive with ALL of the special music requested, whether or not it's on our music database. ...answer ALL of your questions promptly and professionally. ...accommodate requests and improvise throughout the night as necessary. ...accommodate 'do-not-play' lists ...engage the audience, no matter what the age. ...stay beyond the contracted time if needed, and continue to play. (May require price negotiation)

...WILL NOT alienate members of the audience with music that caters to only ONE genre. ...WILL NOT play music with explicit or suggestive content. ...WILL NOT be boisterous or overpowering on the microphone. ...WILL NOT play music off an iPod or laptop ...WILL NOT subcontract other DJs or DJ companies (some guys charging $1000+ will... be aware of this). ...WILL NOT flash company banners or promotional materials which may appear tacky and distracting at a wedding (however we will provide business cards upon request). ...WILL NOT attempt to use dumb gimmicks (such as magic tricks, jokes, cartwheels, etc). ...WILL NOT blast the audience out of the room by having speakers too loud. ...WILL NOT consume any alcohol. ...WILL NOT smoke, or arrive intoxicated (you never know nowadays).

When searching for your wedding DJ, keep these things in mind:

- The customer is always right... don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.
Planning for a wedding is a lot of work, and it can be a process that is lots of fun, or very difficult - depending on who works with you, versus against you. Don’t forget that this is YOUR day, and that YOU’RE the one paying for the services. Don’t let any DJ service (or other vendor for that matter) disagree with you in the creative aspect of your planning.

For example, if you wanted to hear a song from the eighties that may seem obscure or out of the ordinary (but you want it all the same), don’t let the DJ reject that request or laugh in your face. A good wedding DJ is open-minded, and although he’ll offer recommendations, he’ll NEVER force something down your throat nor will he ever tell you “no”. To the same effect, feel free to put him to work for the amount of money you’re paying... give him a playlist if you want, give him a ‘do-not-play’ list if you want. Whatever DJ you choose, make sure that he/she respectfully acknowledges your needs and acts on them. Anything less should be considered a red flag.

- DJ (not company but DJ himself) has a comprehensive list of referrals
This is probably the most honest thing a DJ will do to earn your trust, because it relies on the testimony of former clients through e-mail or phone (as opposed to the DJ himself tooting his own horn). Those former clients have openly volunteered to give insight to the quality of service, as well as business ethic. It's is VERY important to insist on referrals from your DJ service. Both Diana and Evan Foley El Folio Entertainment present a long list of referrals with every new contract

- DJ does NOT play msuic exclusively off a laptop
There is no shame in a DJ using a laptop to retrieve and play a song that is hard to find and might not be so readily available. However, anybody that frequently uses a computer knows that they can freeze up and may require a reboot from time to time. This would create an unacceptable and annoying gap in the music service. Not to mention, MP3 files do not sound as good on a powered speaker system as the natural sound files on CD (keep in mind that MP3s are COMPRESSED audio files). Tracks on audio CD are in full quality. El Folio Entertainment keeps all genres of music readily available on CD, and uses a professional dual-CD player that plays CDs with a very powerful anti-skip, anti-stop mechanism that can read the scratchiest CDs.

- DJ is NOT on "autopilot" for most of the night
This happens too often, and it really bothers me. Imagine: you hooking your iPod up to the sound system and just have it randomly play with gaps between music throughout the night. That's pretty much the experience you'd have with a DJ that cues up the music on his computer (or ironically even HIS iPod) to a random mix, while he just sits back and reads a magazine. Even if it's the sequence you've asked for, or the music you've asked for, your money pays for an attentive human being watching every component throughout the whole night, interacting with the crowd and adjusting. Anything less, and you might as well just be hooking up your iPod and setting the sequence yourself. El Folio Entertainment will never substitute a computer or iPod for a professional DJ (unless it's called for... i.e: during dinnertime or short excused restroom break).

- Confidence, not cockiness
As mentioned before, being a DJ is a job... not an ego. A good DJ is charismatic enough to speak lively to the crowd without having to sport a cartoony voice or sound goofy. A DJ has to have the capacity to pay attention to the needs of a crowd and adjust accordingly. El Folio Entertainment has prided itself on keeping up with the needs of audiences and adjusting on the spot to make sure the whole audience is engaged and entertained. It's our strict attitude that the bride and groom are the stars of the evening... not the person playing music.

- Wedding DJ vs. Club DJ
Do you know somebody who chose their DJ for their wedding because they saw him rock the house at a club? Be careful about who you choose, because a DJ who usually does mostly club work is usually not such a good wedding DJ. Clubs are meant to be upbeat and keep people dancing with the new music and club bangers; not to mention they're designed for people over 21. Weddings are meant to be sentimental and incorporate music from all generations so that everyone is happy and entertained. I've heard horror stories about weddings who hired a DJ who works at the local nightclub and played nothing but rap music [the explicit edits if I may add]. Needless to say, neither of the families were quite impressed. In fact, the loud music made people leave and kept the dancefloor empty. El Folio Entertainment, on the other hand, incorporates music that is suitable for all generations at weddings. With a vast variety of music from generations ranging back to the forties, we make it a point to play music that will keep everyone entertained - even the kids. Weddings not only have the bouquet toss and the garter ceremony, but sometimes throwing in the YMCA or other favorites helps everyone have a better and more memorable time. El Folio Entertainment also works very closely with the bride and groom for pre-consultation, so every song that comes out of their speakers is tasteful and entertaining.

- A great amount of attention is paid to your wedding reception plans
El Folio Entertainment does a very limited number of wedding events per year. Consider it like being served a gourmet dinner in a fancy restaurant, each client as a diner, one of the few people lucky to be there. Then, put that against waiting in line at a fast food restaurant, waiting for your order to be thrown together as clumsily as the last one was. Think about the detail and service that's sacrificed between either example. We're serious when we say that the 'care factor' is one of the most important things about being a good wedding entertainer - of course experience and professionalism is (and always will be) a must, but remember that can't be compromised with lack of human contact and communication. This can not be a "conveyor-belt" experience. The person on the other end of the phone is the person who will be Djing at your wedding, as it should be.

- DJ will consume NO alcohol at your event
As the organizer of your event, you have enough to worry about and coordinate aside from the DJ. Not only can an open bar can cost an arm and a leg at times, but it makes no sense for the DJ to rack up your bar bill. Also, to be a DJ is a job, and drinking on the job is not only unprofessional, but an intoxicated DJ can lead to a humiliating and unenjoyable experience.

- Overall, the price matches the experience
Find out from the referral list provided how the overall experience is, based on the experience of past clients. As another client, they can give you the most honest insight to how the DJ does business, how reasonably the price met the expectations of the client, and finally, how well the service was.

We won't tell you to choose our services. Instead, we'll educate you on what a good wedding DJ should be, so that you may be informed while choosing the right entertainment for your wedding… that's why many people come back and choose us in the end.