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Essence Entertainment - Premier DJ Services Reviews

Essence Entertainment - Premier DJ Services

Essence Entertainment - Premier DJ Services

Downers Grove, IL
5.0 out of 5 rating, 105 Reviews
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Reviews

5.0 out of 5 rating
5.0 out of 5 rating
105 Reviews
100% recommend it
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Awards

105
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
  • Andy
    Andy M. Sent on 12/31/2021
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    What A Night!

    DJ Rich absolutely crushed it as the DJ and MC for our wedding reception. I had the time of my life. My only complaint is that the night had to end!

    Our pre-wedding meeting with Rich the week before the event was incredibly helpful. He picked up our vibe right away, and he made sure everything was going to flow smoothly. And sure enough, every transition throughout the night was seamless.

    Our reception entrance was electric. DJ Rich energized the entire room.

    I literally ran back to the dance floor the few times I had to leave it throughout the night. I didn’t want to miss a minute.

    We loved our entire experience with DJ Rich. Highly recommend!!!
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    Michelle Sent on 12/29/2021
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    Highly Recommend Essence Entertainment!!

    From our first meeting with Rich, we knew him and his team would be exactly who we wanted for our wedding. Rich is extremely personable and easy to talk with. We used Rich for two years, once for our ceremony and then for our reception a year later. Both times Rich was easy to work with and accommodated all of our requests.
    He made sure that we didn’t have any stress on either of the nights and took complete control putting me at ease. Rich played our requested playlists plus many other fun songs to keep up with the vibe of our reception.
    We also used uplifting from Essence and it helped pull together the overall vision of our reception room. We utilized the photo booth as well and all of our guest had so much fun with it. We loved the photo book that came with everyone’s pictures from the night.
    We would highly recommend Rich and his team at Essence Entertainment over and over again!! Thanks again for a great two years!
  • Shannon
    Shan Sent on 12/29/2021
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    Premier is an understatement.

    Rich and the team at Essence Entertainment are truly a tier above the rest. We worked directly with Rich to book the perfect package for our wedding that fit our needs AND wants. The week prior to our wedding we sat down with Rich to finalize songs - he worked with us to find the perfect music for each special moment, the one hour meeting was so smooth, he put us both at ease as we walked through every last detail and somehow it didn't feel even a little bit rushed.

    They truly worked to make our day EXACTLY what we wanted. The night before, we made a last minute decision to move the ceremony outside (70 in November?!) and Rich ran with it without a second thought. The last minute change didn't feel last minute at all because Rich and team are true professionals at what they do. On the day of, Rich and Patryk were so easy to work with, we had so many compliments from the other vendors with how “on it” they were. From music, to emceeing, they truly nailed it - the playlist got everyone on the dance floor, and they even joined in for The Wobble! My MOH’s speech was a Hamilton parody, the music timing was so perfect, you would’ve thought they practiced for weeks leading up.

    If you're searching for the perfect DJ/Emcee, LOOK NO FURTHER - THIS IS YOUR DJ TEAM.
  • illustration stars

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  • Grayson
    Grayson Sent on 11/17/2021
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    Perfect Night

    Rich was amazing to have as a DJ for our wedding. Everyone that attended had a great time and we did as well. I definitely recommend them to DJ any event!
  • Jackie
    Jackie C. Sent on 12/30/2021
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    The absolute best!!!

    From our first meeting with Rich we left knowing we just chose the perfect Dj for our wedding! He was so patient and understanding while having to reschedule the wedding 3 times (thanks covid.) We had quite a few songs that we wanted to start at certain timings and made it happen flawlessly. He took the time to help figure out how we could make the song I wanted to walk down the aisle to work and correspond with the bridesmaids as well. We met one more time the week of the wedding at the venue to go over all the details, the timeline and even brought the up lighting to see what color we wanted to go with and placement of them. Day of the wedding everything went perfectly! Rich made the day go so smoothly, I felt like I got a bonus wedding planner. 😉 Everything stayed on track, I knew exactly what to expect throughout the night and he kept me updated on what is next! We hear all the time how much fun everyone had and got so many compliments on the “rapid fire photo game”(a must do and so much fun) I truly can’t say enough great things about Rich and his team! They played a huge role in making our day perfect!
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    Eric S. Sent on 11/17/2021
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    More than expected

    From the start Rich was very easy to work with and made us feel at ease. He was able to accommodate all of our requests as well as our guests. He had no problem playing our specific playlist and adding to it to play for the crowd on the dance floor. From the moment the dance floor opened there were always guests out there having a good time until it was last call. He over exceeded our expections! We wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone we know.
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    Maddie K. Sent on 11/19/2020
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    HIGHLY Recommended!

    Rich and his team at Essence Entertainment were absolutely incredible! From the day we met Rich, we knew right away that he had the excitement and personality to make sure everyone at our event had an incredible time.
    While the Essence team did a great job with the typical DJ requirements (music, speeches, A/V, etc.) what makes Essence stand head and shoulders above anyone else we spoke with was their commitment to going above and beyond to make sure every every moment was perfect, viewing themselves as full event MCs. The kind words of advice shared leading up to and on our wedding day to make sure we had the perfect time was really special.
    Essence took our song recommendations and curated a perfect playlist that had EVERYONE at the wedding dancing the entire time, and made sure to check in with us before playing a guest-requested song that he wasn't sure we'd want played (his assumption was correct).
    Our wedding was perfect, and we have Rich and the Essence team to thank for a lot of it!
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    Gianna T. Sent on 12/14/2020
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    Best of the best!

    I don’t even know where to begin! Rich and his team are AMAZING. We had to postpone our wedding twice and Rich was so accommodating every time. My parents were also so happy he kept them in the loop throughout the night . Rich constantly checked in on us to make sure everything was going well throughout the night. He made us feel so comfortable, he felt like our friend! His team also made the photo booth run so smoothly and our friends even had fun taking photos with them! I could go on forever but I promise this vendor is worth It! Don’t waste your time looking for anyone else!
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    Michelle G. Sent on 12/20/2020
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    Highly Recommend!!

    From the first time we met with Rich we knew we had to book with him and Essence! We felt instantly comfortable with Rich and knew he was exactly what we were looking for entertainment for our wedding. We ended up splitting up our wedding this year and only using Rich for the ceremony. A few days before the ceremony, Rich confirmed our selection of songs and on the day of the ceremony we did a quick run through of everything. Rich was so accommodating and easy to work with. My husband and I can’t wait to see Rich again next year for our reception! We were very thankful to have such an accommodating vendor to work with in this year of uncertainties.
  • Hannah
    Hannah N. Sent on 07/26/2019
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    Consultation process

    Meeting with Rich and Jack for a consultation was so calming in the DJ hiring process. They really made my fiance and I feel comfortable, heard, and relaxed throughout this part of the vendor-hiring portion of planning! I am super excited to work with these two and write a wonderful review after our wedding!
  • Nicole
    Nicole Y. Sent on 11/01/2020
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    Excellent!

    Tom was so friendly and helpful. I appreciated the initial sit down, face to face, meeting with him. He asked what we wanted and what was important. He went over everything with me. He was so engaging I could tell he would do a great job. He gave an overview of things from his perspective. Helpful suggestions on what gets people motivated to get on the dance floor. I had told him I wanted everyone dancing. Unfortunately, with coronavirus many people did not feel comfortable to get out in the dance floor but those that did really danced the night away. He played great songs to keep the flow and energy going. Everyone really enjoyed themselves and the music had such a big part to do with that. We are so happy we went with Essence Entertainment!! We highly recommend them!!
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    Kate O. Sent on 12/20/2020
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    Best decision you’ll ever make in wedding planning

    Hiring Rich and Essence entertainment was the best wedding planning decision we made. Rich did such a great job perfectly capturing the fun, energetic vibe we wanted for our wedding. We only put a few songs on our ‘must play’ list yet every single song felt like it was exactly what we wanted to hear. Rich did a great job playing a little bit of everything and kept the party going all night. There was never a moment the dance floor wasn’t packed. If I could give them more than 5 stars I would.
  • Colleen
    Colleen M. Sent on 11/11/2019
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    Look No Further Than Essence Entertainment

    Rich and his team were stress free and super easy to work with. We weren't super strict on our music selection, and wanted to enjoy our time at our ceremony, and they were able to keep the party going while we were out and about the reception area dancing, visiting with family, etc. Although planners are always great to have, I knew I could rely on the DJ to help keep us moving along with the evening festivities.

    It was also very sweet when we got to meet Rich face to face. He cared about us as a couple, and our experience on our wedding day, and provided some nice words of encouragement and reassurance. It was just nice and refreshing to hear!

    Thank you so much, we had a blast!
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    Shannon W. Sent on 12/03/2019
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    Fun was had by all!!

    Rich and his crew DJ’d and MC’d our wedding day and we could not have asked for a better experience. Rich was so easy to work with, he was a great communicator and made us feel at ease knowing we were in good hands. Our dance floor was packed all night. If you book one vendor for your wedding, book Rich and essence entertainment!
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    Katy K. Sent on 10/03/2019
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    Jack was awesome!

    Two weeks after our wedding and all people keep talking about is how great the music was! My one goal for my wedding, besides the obvious of saying “I do” was for everyone to have fun. Mission accomplished thanks to Rich, Jack, and their team. Not only was the music great but the lighting added so much to the room and the photo booth is a must have. Also love that we were given a book of all the pictures taken that we can look back on and smile. I cannot thank these guys enough. Pictures to come!
  • Jon
    Jon J. Sent on 10/03/2019
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    An Unbelievable Night!

    Rich not only did an amazing job keeping the dance floor packed all night, he helped orchestrate the whole night letting us know exactly where we needed to be and what was happening next. The ambiance of our space really lit up with Rich’s up lighting. I would recommend Rich and his team for any event!
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    Kyle L. Sent on 09/24/2019
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    Rich was awesome!

    Rich of Essence Entertainment rocked the house. He was a talented DJ back when I worked with him 10 years ago, and on August 17th, he proved to myself, my wife, and all of our guests that he’s still got it. Very professional, yet a ton of fun. Thanks to Rich and Essence for making our wedding one to remember.
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    Eric D. Sent on 12/30/2019
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    Amazing Work

    These guys were a joy to work with. Their prompt response and great detail to everything made things much easier on us. They had our whole wedding on the dance floor the entire time. I would highly recommend these guys to any one.
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    Tony D. Sent on 12/10/2018
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    Much more than just a DJ

    Rich is a great guy to work with. He scheduled time to meet us personally, then at his office, then at our Venue (Tuscany Falls Mokena, another 5 star review) and again 2 days before our wedding. We had some odd requests for music like a Disney soundtrack mixed with trap and dance music, sure enough, he made it happen. He made sure the room was upbeat and fun for everyone, read the room well, and knew when it was time to slow it down. He made sure to tell us to take a step back and soak in the experience, because the day will fly by.
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    Kathleen C. Sent on 08/10/2019
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    Absolutely Wonderful DJ Services

    We worked with Rich on organizing our vow renewal for our 10th anniversary, and he was amazing. He went above and beyond our expectations. The music was exactly what we wanted, and all our guests had a blast with the photo booth. I would gladly recommend Essence Entertainment to anyone looking for entertainment at their special event.
  • Nicolette
    Nicolette Sent on 11/07/2018
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    Fantastic!

    Essence Entertainment was absolutely fantastic! Tom and Jack truly made our wedding something special. I was completely stress free on the big day. Jack made sure every detail was covered and coordinated with the other vendors to make sure the day ran smooth. He stuck to the timeline we put together and let us know when we needed to do the cake cutting, first dance, bouquet toss, etc. This made the night so simple and I wasn't worried about what needed to be done next. We also got the photo booth which came with an attendant and our guests said it was the best photo booth they had seen at a wedding. I would 100% recommend Essence Entertainment to anyone!
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    Jaime D. Sent on 11/09/2018
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    The Best!!!!!

    Extremely professional, efficient and flexible. Every party I have from here on out I will be using Essence Entertainment!!!
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    Nina Sent on 09/19/2018
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    WHOA!!!! Rich and his team were amazing! They made our wedding an absolute blast! Our guests are still talking about how much fun it was. Thank you to Rich and team for helping us throw an awesome party!
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    Liz Sent on 11/14/2018
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    Our Wedding September 2018

    We used Essence Entertainment for our wedding on September 6th 2018, and they did an amazing job. I met Tom at a bridal expo in the fall of 2017, and he was the one who worked with us for our wedding. He was very detail oriented with what we wanted for our wedding, and he went over and beyond our expectations for the music we used. He also acted as the day of coordinator for events of the day, which was perfect because he kept reminding us of things he knew we wanted, but we kept forgetting about! This company is amazing, and I would highly recommend them to anyone who is getting married. I would definitely use them again, for any future event if I get the chance!
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    Chessa Sent on 08/15/2018
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    We used Essence Entertainment for our DJ and photo booth. Tom was our DJ for the evening and he did a PHENOMENAL job. The dance floor was always full and he perfectly incorporated what we envisioned with what would make a wedding crowd happy. He always checked in with me to make sure I was happy or if I needed anything. He coordinated calling up tables to our buffet and even made sure we made it out to our photo booth. It's easy to get carried away with the craziness of the night and miss some of your own entertainment, so it was awesome to have someone there to coordinate the schedule and little details. I wouldn't hesitate to use these guys again for any DJ needs. They were amazing!
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