Had such an incredible time on the dance floor! The dj was amazing, played all types of music to keep the audience engaged! Would highly recommended!

The DJ did a great job!! He made sure the whole audience was out in the dance floor until the very last minute, he played all different varieties of music for everyone! He was very engaging and truly turned up the wedding reception! I think he truly made a difference and would definitely recommend him!!

I thought it was a little pricey at first.. assuming this was going to be just another DJ service. However after last night it was WELL worth the money! My daughter and husband chose the storytelling on their first dance.. there wasn’t a dry eye in the room! Russ kept the dance floor full the entire 5 hours. He had a back up plan if the guests weren’t dancing, but that was NOT needed! Raving compliments the next day from guests who have never experienced such fun! Russ takes the time to help you plan and personalize your special night. Highly recommend!

Please read this all the way to the end. It is the only way to truly understand how extraordinary Russell is, not only as a DJ, but as a human being.

I was married to Jason in September of 2011, and to this day I can say with complete confidence that hiring Russell was one of the very best decisions we made for our wedding.

From the very beginning of the process, Russell was all in. When we first met with him, it was immediately clear that this was not just another wedding to him. He was genuinely invested in us, our story, our vision, and our people. He took the time to listen, asked thoughtful questions, and made sure every single detail was tuned in and perfect for our day. We felt seen, heard, and truly cared for.

On the wedding day, everything came together flawlessly. The uplighting completely transformed the space. The photo booth was an absolute hit and gave our guests the chance to create memories for us and for themselves. People were laughing, having fun, and fully present in the moment. The playlist was incredible. Russell took requests seamlessly and somehow managed to get everyone up and moving. I truly did not think it was possible to get every guest on the dance floor, but if you were able to move, you danced at some point that night. Every single person was involved.

One of the most special moments of the night was the father daughter dance. Russell created an experience that still gives me chills to think about. He had everyone surround my father and me, creating an incredibly emotional and intimate lead in before our song even began. It was powerful, beautiful, and unforgettable. He did not just play music. He created moments.

And then there was Jason and my first dance.

What Russell did for our first dance is something I had never heard of before and have never experienced since. Before the wedding, he took the time to sit down with each of us separately and ask deeply personal questions about our love story. He recorded our answers and then incorporated our actual voices and words into our wedding song.

There are no words that fully capture what that moment felt like. There was not a single dry eye in the room. Time stood still. It was magical, intentional, and more meaningful than anything I could have imagined. If there is ever a time in your life you want to feel like the only people in the room, hire Russell for the job.

I have been to many weddings in my 38 years on this earth, and it is not just because it was my own that I say this. It truly was the most fun, most emotionally moving wedding I have ever attended.

Now fast forward 14 years and the reason I am writing this review today.

Although our wedding was nothing short of amazing, Jason and I eventually divorced. Life happened. We went our separate ways, built lives, had children, and grew into different versions of ourselves. And yet somehow, we found our way back to each other.

I have always known how much I loved this man. But I also knew that if we were going to truly understand why life unfolded the way it did and why we are each other’s person, there was something missing. Our first dance song.

Jason and I had never heard it again. Not once. We had never heard it before our wedding and never heard it after that night. It was a one and done moment.

I became determined to find it.

I reached out to countless DJs in the Madison area trying to locate Russell. Eventually, by explaining what our first dance song was and how our voices were integrated into it, another DJ immediately knew exactly who our DJ had been and shared Russell’s contact information with me.

I was over the moon.

I sent Russell a message and hoped, truly hoped, like it was the last thing I would ever ask the universe for, that he would respond.

He did.

Not only did he respond, but he was completely moved by our story and was willing to take his personal time to help us find that song. What followed was a journey that involved 6 extremely dated computers, a phone call where he gently told me he did not think he was going to be able to find it, and then, just 15 minutes later, another call.

He had found it.

All that remained was figuring out how to extract it off a floppy disk (if you don't know what that is...just google it. and man does that make me feel old) so we could actually listen to it together. And he did that too.

I received a text that simply said, you’ve got mail.

I was so overwhelmed with excitement that I sent it to my mom and friends before even listening to it myself. I needed Jason there. I left work, went straight to his place, ran into the house, set my phone on the counter, and told him he was not going to believe what I had. Mind you I had been at this for couple weeks with Russell and about a week before that with messaging all those DJ's.

I hit play.

Within seconds, we were taken right back to that day. That feeling. Every single reason we got married in the first place. There were smiles. There were tears. And most importantly, there was the undeniable reminder that true love exists. Nailed it. There we were again, a real Hallmark movie kinda moment honestly.
All because of Russell.

To Russell:
Russell, we never would have been able to experience that moment, not once, but twice, and somehow even more powerfully years later, without you.

Thank you for your dedication, your compassion, and your love for love. You are truly a blessing in this world, and Jason and I are endlessly grateful for you.

Thank you,
Jason and Shannon

We could not recommend Spotlight Events more highly, especially Russell. He made our wedding unforgettable and perfect. When you choose Russell for your wedding, you are getting more than just a DJ. You are getting someone who is genuinely dedicated to making your night special. With 25+ years of experience, he knows the ins and outs of wedding planning. In our time working with him, he gave us great advice on how to make the night run smoothly and was able to assist with even the smallest details. He was respectful, accountable, friendly, and meticulously worked to make it an awesome night. We are constantly given compliments on how great our DJ was and how much fun they had at the dance! The day of, Russell was so helpful and went above and beyond our expectations. We are so glad we chose Russell as our DJ, he is worth every penny!

Russell at Spotlight Events provided DJ services for our wedding ceremony and reception in December 2023. Russell truly went above and beyond to make sure the entertainment at our wedding was perfect! Russell worked closely with me and my husband from the initial planning stages up until the last song played at our reception. He helped us plan the entire day down to the minute, which helped to relieve some of the overall wedding planning stress. During the reception, there was never an empty dance floor. Russell’s transitions between songs were seamless and he kept the party going all night! All of our guests raved about how great Russell was as a DJ and how much fun they had. Highly recommend using Russell and Spotlight Events for all entertainment services needed for your wedding!

We hired Russell to be the DJ at our wedding and were very happy with the services provided! He dressed professionally, arrived and set-up on time, and was very conscious of wanting to follow our wishes for the music that day. Russell clearly enjoys his job and really got into the music. He read the crowd well, saw our nonverbal cues when we wanted to move on to the next thing, and played songs to cater to every generations’ taste. Russell went with the flow and checked in with us throughout the evening to make sure we were enjoying everything. We highly recommend him for your next event!

I am a wedding planner that recently worked with Russell for an event at The Edgewater in Madison, WI. He did an incredible job guiding our clients through the design of their event. We were able to work very well together and create a truly memorable experience. Russell is so professional and will elevate your event to new heights as he did ours. He is responsive and always willing to chat on the phone. He created a wonderful first dance/voiceover for our clients and has so many fun ideas to get guests involved in the reception. There was never a dull moment which is an invaluable quality in an entertainer! I highly recommend Spotlight Events!

Amanda was retained to manage and organize our marriage in a special location with indoor and outdoor events, set-ups and many guests and vendors. She killed it! And she was a pleasure to work with , suggesting enhancements and improvements for my wife and I…we have already referred her to another couple

Russell went above and beyond to make sure our wedding was the best day ever! Throughout the planning process (even with postponing twice because of covid) he was a phenomenal communicator and always put our wants/needs first. He truly cares about the couples he works with and wants the dance floor to be packed! We had so many friends and family compliment the music. One of the best surprises of the night was when Russell brought out glow stick necklaces. The guests loved it! We will continue to recommend Russell's services to anyone we know. He exceeded our expectations and is so much more than just a DJ.