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Runaway DJ & Lighting Reviews

Runaway DJ & Lighting

Runaway DJ & Lighting

Santa Rosa, CA
4.9 out of 5 rating, 28 Reviews
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Reviews

4.9 out of 5 rating
4.9 out of 5 rating
28 Reviews
98% recommend it
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    4.9 out of 5 rating
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Awards

28
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    Zack R. Sent on 03/17/2024
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    Amazing DJ!

    We couldn't have been happier with the DJ we chose for our wedding. Runaway DJ was a recommendation from our photographer, Sarah Peterson. From the start, their communication was exceptional, making planning a breeze. They even worked with our venue’s wedding coordinator to ensure they met the venue’s sound requirements before we signed our DJ contract with them. They provided a worksheet that helped us organize our music preferences, ensuring there were no surprises on the day of. We had two scheduled phone calls: one initial phone meeting to discuss our vision and one phone meeting a few weeks before our wedding to finalize the run of show. Most of our communications were through email, where our DJ (David Craven) efficiently responded every time. During our last phone meeting, we reviewed the DJ worksheet and were able to specify specific songs/music for each part of our special day.

    On the day of the wedding, David arrived nice and early to set up sound for the outdoor ceremony, patio cocktail hour, and indoor reception. He seamlessly incorporated our requests and quickly found any songs we asked for. He even went above and beyond by working with our officiant (a family member), ensuring the ceremony's processional timing and microphone volume was perfect.

    For the ceremony, David provided a lavalier mic for our officiant, allowing her to be hands-free and ensuring her words were heard clearly. He also provided our officiant with a wireless microphone to hold for us while we each said our written vows so our guests could hear them clearly. During the ceremony, he flawlessly transitioned between our two processional songs and one recessional song, creating a beautiful and memorable moment.

    The lighting provided by the Runaway DJ was also fantastic, with lasers and uplighting creating a fun atmosphere that encouraged even the most reluctant dancers to hit the dance floor. Speaking of which, despite not being dancers ourselves, David had us and our guests dancing for hours! Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better DJ experience for our wedding.
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    Brian G. Sent on 11/06/2022
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    Wedding DJ

    We hired Runaway DJ for our wedding at Deer Park Villa, and worked with David. He was easy to communicate with, and really worked with the (admittedly too long) playlist we sent him while also picking other songs that better matched the mood of the crowd. David helped make sure everyone had a wonderfully fun time!

    Runaway DJ & Lighting's reply:

    Thanks for the kind words Brian! It's always a pleasure to work with amazing folks like you!

    Best,
    Runaway DJ
  • Nathan
    Nathan H. Sent on 05/02/2022
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    The Best!!

    Runaway DJ was the absolute BEST! Working with David is so easy and helpful. They sent us DJ Armin to host our wedding and he was phenomenal. Armin was such a professional and knew how to keep things moving along at the right pace. Everything from the mic'ing up for the ceremony, the toasts, special dances and party, Armin made it all happen so seamlessly. He was engaging, kind, and most of all he made my bride and I feel like we're the only wedding that has ever mattered to him even though he does many weddings professionally. We didn't feel, in any way, that we were just another gig, but rather the stars of the show. We had a lot of unique songs to be played at certain moments of the event, including a song from a Muppets movie and a specific live version of a Grateful Dead song, as well as a few obscure instrumental versions of popular songs. Armin found all of the songs, listened ahead of time and made sure they were included as special moments in the event.

    Our guests were never going to be to biggest dancers, but Armin got everyone engaged immediately. There are moments on that dance floor I will always remember. I also want to thank him for playing my parents' wedding song 'Cruisin'.

    If your looking for a team of professionals that really prioritize YOU on your most special day, Runaway DJ, especially DJ Armin, is the way to go.
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  • Amy
    Amy Sent on 11/27/2021
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    Personable and enjoyable

    A wonderful DJ. He was very nice and helpful and definitely played all the songs I requested, played music that I liked, and made sure the whole day ran smoothly. He was required for the venue for the ceremony, but definitely worth using for the whole event.
  • Suzanne
    Suzanne S. Sent on 08/20/2021
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    Hire them!!

    We are SO happy we chose Runaway DJ for our wedding! DJ Ed is incredible and somehow got all 190 of our guests on the dancefloor at once for the most epic dance party! From the consult calls, to surveying the venue, being MC, and playing our favorite songs - it was a perfect wedding thanks to Runaway DJ!

    Runaway DJ & Lighting's reply:

    Thanks for the awesome review and yes, YOUR RECEPTION WAS EPIC! What a dance party!

    Congrats!
    Jon Moore
    Co-Owner
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    Kasey C. Sent on 06/19/2021
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    Outstanding service and top notch DJs!

    We just used Runaway DJ for our wedding last weekend and I couldn’t recommend them more. From the initial phone call to the last e-mail I had such a great experience with David and the rest of Runaway DJ. We met with him at the venue and he’s just the nicest guy and you can feel he wants your event to be great. They were truly the vendor that got me the most excited for our wedding. DJ Ed was fantastic!! We had a hour long phone call a few weeks before the wedding and went through every detail imaginable. He was so personable and enthusiastic and I knew he would make our day come together perfectly. Wedding day came and he KILLED it. We got so many compliments on Ed and everyone loved how much energy he gave to every song. We also rented a photobooth through Runaway and it was a total hit. If you’re someone like me who’s indecisive and struggled with wedding planning - this company is the one for you. We trusted them to bring their own ideas to the table and they blew it out of the water!!
  • Michelle
    Michelle K. Sent on 11/20/2019
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    Great DJ and MC

    Our first dance song was a different version of the one I wanted (but my husband liked that version better anyway ) and I don’t think I actually specified that to him during our consult so not really his fault. But my husband had a VERY specific idea in his mind of how to time a song to our first kiss and how we walk out which was executed perfectly. Overall very happy with the services.

    Runaway DJ & Lighting's reply:

    Thanks Michelle, it was an honor to play a small part in your big day!

    Runaway DJ and Lighting Team!
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    Madison Sent on 08/19/2019
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    A great ceremony and party!

    David made our ceremony and reception so fun! He listened to our preferences (we made a playlist of songs we liked as inspiration) and brought it to life even better! It was also a comfort to know he was on top of the sound systems and made sure everything was working ahead of time so thing went off without a hitch. We got a lot of compliments from our college friends on how great he was (and they know what they're looking for in a dance party!). So grateful!
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    Megan Sent on 03/13/2017
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    David is simply the BEST. David was the DJ for our wedding earlier this month at Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club; and we had people complimenting his work both that night and after! He really knew how to read the dance floor and everyone had a blast dancing the night away. Even people who don't normally danced spent the whole evening dancing!!

    We chose to have him provide up lighting along the walls and it really made the difference. He took the room from beautiful to stunning. He has portable DJ booths as well as his main station so we had music and an excellent PA system for the ceremony, the cocktail hour, and the reception.

    We also utilized the photo booth option he provides, and it was a huge hit! The props were so fun--that Jason mask was a riot! I knew I was going to get a copy of all the photos, but I didn't realize it was going to be that night! So efficient and fun to be able to see them right away!

    David's fun, easy going, and knows his business well! Don't bother looking anywhere else for your DJ--David is your man!
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    Claire Sent on 12/07/2016
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    David was THE BEST! Great at reading the crowd and getting/keeping the party started. We added a slide show within a week of the wedding and he was willing and able to accommodate. I would definitely recommend David and Runaway DJ Services for any event.
  • Jessica
    Jessica Sent on 05/16/2016
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    My Fiancee and I Met the owner for Runaway DJ after a short time of sending back and forth emails. We are a very active and busy couple so sitting down for a meeting was almost impossible with us. Dave was super flexible with our schedule and we were able to meet in a very relaxing atmosphere ( BJ's restaurant) and were able to get right down to business. He was so energetic, informative, excited for us, it was easy to pick his services right then and there. We have talked to many other DJ's and Dave was the one that stuck out the most. We can wait to boogie down with his team on our special day!
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    Kelly Sent on 06/11/2016
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    David DJ'd our wedding in May. He was incredible leading up to and on our big day. You can tell that David loves what he does. He was very responsive and professional when we first reached out to him and throughout the entire planning process. He supplied all of the necessary equipment for our ceremony and speeches. He had everyone on the dance floor from the first song to the last. He played all of the songs that we asked him to play, and also took and played guests' requests. He was completely in tune with the crowd - knowing when to play which song. Everyone told us how much fun they had at our wedding, in large part because David was amazing. If you are looking for a great DJ and fun night - David is your guy!!!
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    Julia Sent on 10/07/2015
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    We hired David to DJ our nuptials last month on Septmeber 12th in Gualala, CA. He was a pleasure to work with leading up to the day, answering emails and guiding us through any questions we had. He even made a trip up prior to the day to look at our site which was my Father's property. This was very helpful for our peace of mind and we so appreciated him making the hour and a half drive for us. On our wedding day he was so fun and easy to work with and had us all dancing the night away! We could not sing him more praises, Thank you David!
  • Angela & Jeff
    Angela Sent on 08/27/2015
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    We were thrilled with Runaway DJ and DAVID for our wedding. He had people up dancing for almost the entire time, he kept the reception flowing and stuck to our timeline, he was responsive to our questions and needs prior to the wedding and was a great guy to work with! Guests have commented how great the music was! Also he did uplighting for us. I was concerned having lighting would be overkill but a friend highly encouraged me to do it. It was beautiful and really added to the room decor. I am so glad we did it.
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    Lindsay Sent on 07/27/2015
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    We had an excellent experance with runaway DJ. We were referred by our wedding venue, and so glad we went with them. From the cermony to the end of the night the DJ was on point and played music based on the energy of the crowd. We only had 90 people at our wedding, but the dance floor was filled the entire time. You can really tell they love what they do.
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    Courtney Sent on 07/14/2015
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    We hired Chris to DJ our June 20, 2015 wedding in Sebastopol. He nailed it! Perfectly. We had a pretty extensive list of song choices that my husband, extended family and I had picked out during an impromptu, for a lack of a better word, "jam session" at a family dinner months before the Big Day. One week before our wedding Chris called and we walked through every single detail... from 'when to fade the first dance song' to 'who was not allowed to give a speech'. We covered everything. When we hung up I felt 100% confident that Chris was going to do a great job. And then a couple minutes later he emailed me a Details List of everything we had just discussed in perfect order with zero mistakes... that's when I knew he was going to Knock it Outta the Park!! And he did!! Day of; he was there hours before setting up and double checking everything. He kept everything and everyone on track and hit all the important ques during the event. All the correct songs where played at the right time. And most importantly: The dance floor was packed ALL night long!! At 10pm (the venue's designated end time) everyone was still gettin down!! It was AWESOME!!! Best wedding ever!! Thank you Chris!! Well done sir, well done!!
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    Jennie Sent on 06/02/2014
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    Runaway DJ was awsome! I really wanted to walk down the aisle to a specific song and they made sure it was cued absolutely perfectly (as well as our recessional). The sound during our outside ceremony was flawless and everything flowed seamlessly. My husband and I got lots of compliments after the wedding about how much fun people had dancing. A bridesmaid even told us that the bartenders commented on how packed our dance floor was the entire night--they had never seen people have so much fun! Runaway DJ was great at reading our crowd and made sure everyone had the time of their lives. If you aren't sure who to choose for your wedding DJ, (I know it's hard to make all those decisions!), you will not regret Runaway. They are professional, fun, and pay attention to detail (perfect for brides!).
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    Erin Sent on 05/12/2014
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    David was our DJ in March and he was amazing! Not only did he make sure we got to hear exactly what we had hoped to on our wedding day he ensured all of the vendors were coordinated and we ran on our timeline. He also was amazing the night of by taking requests and politely declining when people asked for the infamous 'do not plays.' The music at our wedding was extremely important to us and I know we made the best choice with Runaway DJ Services, it was perfect. Not only were we on the dance floor all night but our guests were also and they continue to compliment the music to us weeks and weeks after the wedding.

    David is definitely an expert in his field, he knows so much about music and how to get people on the dance floor. He was able to get people of all ages on the floor dancing for hours at our reception. He never questioned our songs (we had some really offbeat unknown selections) he just made sure he had them to play for our day and when I asked for something different than 'normal' he gladly said yes and helped make our day as special as we had imagined.

    I highly recommend them, I have zero regrets!
  • User1164852 Sent on 05/16/2013
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    LOVED Jon and his team. Loved! So personal, easy-going and helpful! So thankful we had his team work on our special day!! Loved it!
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    Chris Sent on 10/19/2010
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    J&M Entertainment did a great job. I would recommend them for any kind of party. I will definitly use them again.
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    Aaron Sent on 10/20/2010
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    We very much enjoyed having Jon as our DJ. He was very attentive, asking all the right questions, and adding suggestions where appropriate. I would absolutely recommend him to any one who is looking for a great time at their wedding.
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    Andrew Sent on 10/19/2010
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    Jon exposed me to a whole new level of DJ services. I hate when go to an event and the DJ feels the need to be in the limelight and be cheesy. Jon did exactly what we asked and nothing more, providing a fun filled night of great music. His staff was very professional: we hardly knew they were even there. If you want a DJ that understands what YOUR needs are, Jon Moore is your guy - I assure you, you will not be disappointed. In fact, of all the vendors we used for our wedding, J&M Entertainment provided the best service overall, a true class act.
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    Sarah Sent on 10/22/2014
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    You won't be sad if you hire David from Runaway DJ for your event. It is worth it. All of our requests went off without a hitch, including our wedding ceremony music and dances. He knew exactly when to transition music styles at our wedding reception based on the crowd and the time of evening, and both our parents and our young crowd were on the dance floor a lot. We were very happy and glad we hired them.
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    Joann Sent on 10/22/2010
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    I was very pleased with your services.
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    Nikki Sent on 06/02/2018
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    I loved working with DJ David Craven for my recent wedding! He came highly recommended by our venue and I am so glad we took the recommendation - DJ Craven brought the party!

    From even our initial interview/discussion, I could tell that DJ Craven was the type of DJ I was looking for - we spoke with other DJs who were pushing various games or activities, but DJ Craven truly believed in "our day, our way" and did not push any sort of game or activity on us. His music taste seemed to gel with ours and he got our intended vibe and feel much quicker than anyone else we spoke with. We also decided to have him do some lights on our dance floor, which were absolutely worth the extra money.

    In the days leading up to our wedding, DJ Craven checked in with us, helped us pull our music selections together, and did a final consultation to ensure that everything was on track. The day of our wedding, DJ Craven showed up in plenty of time to set up and have music going when guests started arriving (my mom had told people to expect really bad traffic, so we had some early arrivals). He did a fantastic job with our rather unique ceremony choices (my now-husband decided to to rick roll the wedding as our recessional song) and was a great MC for the evening throughout the reception. When we transitioned to the indoor part and as the evening got later, DJ Craven was very understanding and accommodating of the guests' desire to change the music to a much more dance/hip hop vibe and looked for the various songs we requested.

    I would highly recommend going with DJ Craven for your wedding! Not only is he just a really nice and cool guy, he will do a fantastic job with everything for your wedding!
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