The Block Party Reviews
Reviews
We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
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![Jodi]()
Jodi Sent on 04/25/2026Best dj ever!
We were referred to Derek by the wedding coordinator for our daughter’s wedding; and just have to say, I owe her a debt of gratitude. Throughout the planning, Derek was kind, patient and very knowledgeable about music and how to encourage guests to join the dance floor. His music selections were incredible and his energetic personality lit up the room. He also provided uplighting, creating an ambiance fitting for a romantic wedding reception. Guests commented on Derek’s skill as a great DJ. We are so pleased he was part of our daughter’s special day.
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![Sarah]()
Sarah Sent on 11/30/2025Life of the Party
We absolutely loved working with Derek. He took time to comb through our long list of more obscure song requests and absolutely delivered. His knowledge of music is broad, and his ability to read a room is excellent. He came prepared for the known and the unknown. For instance, after an emotional speech from the father of the groom referencing a beloved childhood song, Derek used his prowess as a DJ to jump straight into that song as the dinner started.
Derek took time before and during the event to check in with us and our coordinator regarding less nailed-down details. In short, Derek was a vital part of our wedding, helping to set the perfect level of ambiance for different portions of our night. -
![Sully]()
Sully Sent on 10/12/2025HIRE THE BLOCK PARTY! (a review from a touring DJ)
Simply put, there is no better option out there for a wedding DJ. Derek does such an amazing job at making sure your vibe is translated onto the dance floor. He's a true master of the craft of DJing and that is coming from a fellow DJ that tours for a living (so you know I'm going to be picky). Beyond the music, he's an incredible MC and orchestrator and makes sure the night flows as smoothly as possible. From the day we booked him, he was always available to answer any questions/assist with anything we needed for our big day. Don't hesitate, make sure you hire The Block Party for your big day! -
Carly Sent on 08/27/2025
Derek’s “hot jams” kept the dance floor packed!
When we filled out our questionnaire for Derek, we described the music we wanted as “hot jams.” Derek knew exactly what we meant! We didn’t want cheesy wedding music, but a mix of fun throw backs from the 90s/early 00s and current hits. I actually cannot believe how packed it stayed throughout the whole night! We have gotten so many comments from our guests about how fun the wedding was and how great the music was. Derek was instrumental in helping us throw the best wedding!
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![Lauren]()
Lauren Sent on 04/28/2025The best dj
If we could give Derek 10 stars we would! He was the first vendor we booked and we were so happy he was available and agreed to travel in! Over the course of wedding planning, he was there to answer any questions and help us plan our day to allow us to soak in special moments and be with all of our guests. Then on our wedding day, I really can't say enough positive things. He made us feel so loved and supported. The dance floor and music was very important to us and Derek executed the vision perfectly, playing music for all ages. We can't recommend him enough, wish we could hear him play every weekend. -
![Vivianne]()
Vivianne Sent on 11/09/2024The Perfect Soundtrack to Our Happily Ever After
Derek was, without a doubt, the heart and soul of our wedding! Music was one of the most important aspects of our day, and Derek delivered beyond our wildest dreams. From the ceremony to cocktail hour and then the best reception we could have ever imagined, Derek ensured every moment was soundtracked perfectly. His mixes were fresh, creative, and powerful, taking everyone on a musical journey that had us practically ascending to another plane on the dance floor! We even had friends who’ve been to 15-20 weddings say ours was the best they’d ever attended, and they couldn’t stop talking about how incredible the music and atmosphere were.
Not only did he keep the dance floor packed all night, but Derek was an outstanding MC. He engaged our guests, kept the energy high, and added a personal touch that made everyone feel like they were part of something truly special. He seamlessly bridged generational gaps, making our entire crowd feel united. And when he played the Subtronics remix of "Runaway (U&I)" and mixed in tracks like “7 Nation Army” with “Where You Are,” it felt like we were at a once-in-a-lifetime festival. At my request he even included Spooky Scary Skeletons, Thriller, Ghostbusters, and more in an unforgettable spooky mix that was AWESOME. The final hour was pure magic!
Derek didn’t just show up to DJ — he went above and beyond as a true partner in bringing our vision to life. He was our coordinator, our support system, and, honestly, our friend. His passion and dedication were evident every step of the way, and his encouragement kept us going on what was a busy day. Planning a wedding is stressful - it's likely the first and last time you plan an event on this scale, but Derek made it easy, and his experience was indispensable.
We now consider Derek our personal bard, and if you’re lucky enough to hire him, please take good care of him! Derek transformed our wedding into an unforgettable experience, and we’d go to battle for him any day. Thank you, Derek, for giving us memories we’ll cherish forever! -
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![jess]()
Jess Sent on 10/24/2024Best dj ever!
We knew Derek was going to be awesome based on all of our calls with him leading up to our wedding day, but he completely blew us away. All we wanted was to have our dance floor packed and he did not disappoint. He played banger after banger and kept everyone dancing all night long. Derek was also so kind and patient with us, answering all of our questions with ease and providing advice wherever he could. We truly did not want the night to end and that was 100% due to Derek's incredible talent. Look no further and hire him NOW!! -
![Maddie]()
Maddie Sent on 10/05/2024Book Now!!!
We could not have asked for a better MC and DJ at our wedding. Derek stops at nothing to ensure you and your guests have a great experience. Leading up to our wedding, Derek was excited to work together to build an amazing playlist not only for dancing, but our ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner. We had a blast. We didn't feel passionate about much at our wedding, but music was one of them. We heard, A LOT, that our guests loved the playlist.
He doesn't just feel like the guy that's playing music at your wedding, but someone who genuinely wants to contribute to the whole event. He did everything he could to make sure the day was smooth, fun and filled with love. We don't need DJ's for much, but if we do again, we'll be working with him no doubt. Thank you so much, Derek!!! -
Kristi Sent on 03/12/2024
Amazing! 10/10
Derek is amazing! My guests were pointing out all night how great the mixes were, and still talk about the music at our wedding to this day! We had a group of Swifties at our wedding (myself included) and boy did he deliver. Never thought I’d hear a mashup of Bad Blood x Iron Man by Black Sabbath but it was so, so fun!
Derek was also kind enough to surprise us with a vinyl of Golden Hour by Kacey Musgraves that he used to play our first dance song. Love!
Derek is 10/10 and so easy, kind, and wonderful to work with. You won’t be disappointed! -
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![Alexandra]()
Alexandra Sent on 03/02/2024Absolutely no regrets
Derek did an amazing job! I would recommend him to anybody. We received so many compliments from guests. Announcements, DJing, lighting and more Derek did the most to make sure everything went smoothly and then turned into a party!! He made it easy to trust him from our first conversation; with his experience and enthusiasm I had nothing to worry about. I can't rave enough about The Block Party. If you want one less thing to stress about choose them. -
![Greta]()
Greta Sent on 07/18/2023We highly recommend Derek!
We chose our wedding date around Derek’s availability because it was that important to us that he DJ our wedding. Having attended a wedding he DJ’d back in 2018, he was a non-negotiable vendor. We knew his style - he wasn’t just going to turn on a generic playlist for the day. Derek knows how to read the crowd and select songs based on how they’re acting. During the planning process he offered suggestions for first dance songs when we were stuck, and helped us develop a timeline that worked for us and our style. Then, he absolutely, positively killed it on the day of our wedding. We had developed a nine-hour Spotify playlist as “inspiration” ranging from club music, to 2000s emo, to country, to showtunes. He masterfully wove each of those very different genres into our night and into the memories of our guests. Derek is so talented and we are so lucky that he was part of our special day. It is truly a night we will never forget. -
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![Aster]()
Aster Sent on 06/13/2023Amazing experience with Derek
My husband Brennan and I are so happy that we chose Derek (The Block Party) as our DJ. Multiple of guests kept asking us if he was one of our good friends-he makes your wedding feel personal-and that he genuinely cares about you as a couple! From the moment we booked him, Derek has been so easygoing and made this process as smooth as possible. -
![Azara]()
Azara Sent on 04/28/2023Incredible!
Derek was absolutely amazing, and went above and beyond for every single part of our celebration - from planning all the way to the afterparty. He incorporated our guests' requests into his mix, did an amazing job sensing and steering the mood of the party, and was an absolute delight to work with. He is a complete professional, very good at what he does, and an all round excellent person. We cannot recommend him highly enough! -
![Andrew]()
Andrew Sent on 01/04/2023Hire this DJ!
Where to even start? We had seen and heard reviews that Derek was an incredible DJ and Emcee, but he far exceeded our expectations. He was a joy to work with and created the perfect dance experience. One of our priorities for the evening was to have an absolute banger - everyone we talked to after the wedding could not stop raving about the dance floor. We asked for him to bring the noise, and he did not disappoint! Highly recommended. -
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![Brianna]()
Brianna Sent on 12/14/2022Derek is a Unicorn!
WARNING: This is a long review, but only covers a small slice of all the reasons Derek was an amazing addition to our wedding. My husband and I had the privilege of working with Derek from The Block Party for our March 2022 (rescheduled from March 2020) wedding. Our wedding weekend was incredible: warm, fun, sentimental, nostalgic and sparkly, and Derek was perhaps the most important ingredient to that.
As big audiophiles (instead of table numbers, we organized people by our favorite musical artists), finding the right wedding entertainment was a huge priority for us. We wanted to strike the right balance between nostalgia and freshness, high energy with moments of connection, and primarily, for the dancefloor to be full at all times.
Derek took the time to get to know us, understand our music interests and dream with us about the feel we wanted for our guests. His music knowledge and passion was outmatched only by his sincere dedication to help us bring our vision to life. He mixed disco hits and classic hits with modern music (and even dropped in some NIRVANA - amazing) flawlessly. When our dancefloor was filled with our 80-year-old grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, friends, and kid cousins all at the same time - smiles on their faces - we were so excited that everyone finally got to witness the magic we knew Derek was going to deliver all along. One of our favorite moments was when he was welcoming everyone and talking about us as a couple - we had MULTIPLE people come up to us afterward asking if he was a childhood friend. That's how deeply he "got" us.
If you want someone who tirelessly works to understand your vision and how music can impact the entire mood of a party, offers helpful guidance and suggestions, can READ the dancefloor like some kind of mystic, and can effortlessly guide the flow of your day so you can truly enjoy it, look no further. We were lucky enough to have him for our welcome reception, ceremony, cocktail hour and reception, and he helped us create a very specific atmosphere for each.
His attention to detail, ability to adapt to the changing needs of the day, truly unreal special touches (he brought lighting for our welcome reception, a beautiful vintage microphone for us to use during the ceremony and purchased our wedding song for us on vinyl) all while managing to also somehow keep YOU calm was nothing short of magical. We would make the investment over and over again, and have referred him to close friends. We cannot thank him enough. -
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![Holly]()
Holly Sent on 10/10/202210/10 recommend
Nailed my wedding music vision! Derek was excellent from start to finish! Had the dance floor going all night long and did a phenomenal job. Definitely would recommend to any bride or groom out there looking for a dj! -
![Sarah]()
Sarah Sent on 12/02/2021Best. Dj. Ever!
Derek and The Block Party made my wedding day one I will never forget. His attention to detail and passion for bringing people together through music made him the best DJ I could have hoped for. From our first email, I could tell that Derek loved music and bringing people together. His pre-wedding questionnaire helped us lay out our wedding day and ensure everything went off without a hitch. He catered the whole night to our variety of music tastes from cocktail hour to dinner and the dance floor. He queued us up when it was almost time for our first dance, and checked in with us throughout the night to see if there were still any "must-plays." We seriously had a packed dance floor until the venue lights turned on at midnight! Our friends and family (even older generations!) continue to rave about our reception and it's all thanks to Derek and The Block Party!! 100% hire The Block Party if you love to dance!! -
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![Patty]()
Patty Sent on 09/03/2021Dj wes is the man
We knew the vibe we wanted for our reception music, but we didn't want to prescribe a playlist, so we gave Wes a handful of songs and told him to run with it. And man, did he UNDERSTAND THE ASSIGNMENT. He is such an awesome hype man, and kept the party excited and on the dance floor the entire night (and told our guests that requested "mmmbop" and "cotton eyed Joe" to go to hell in a kind enough manner that they looked forward to the trip). You're the man, Wes! -
![Jennifer]()
Jennifer Sent on 12/01/2020Stop looking. This is your dj!
If you're looking for the best DJ for your event, Derek is your guy. We had originally booked The Block Party for our wedding at The War Memorial on 10/3/20 but due to COVID-19, we had to rearrange everything and scale down our ceremony. We reached out to Derek to see if he would be willing to drive up to our new venue which was, not even exaggerating, a cabin in the middle of the woods. Derek showed up and delivered. He is truly everything you want in a DJ - professional, knowledgeable, responsive, shows up on time, and will go the extra mile to make sure your event is nothing less than incredible. We received countless amount of comments throughout our entire wedding weekend (we still do, two weeks after the wedding) of how great of a DJ we had. I couldn't be more confident that Derek is the best in the industry and will exceed your expectations. I would recommend him to our friends, our family, future brides, strangers on the street, etc etc, for anyone that is in need of a DJ for their upcoming event. -
![Alexander]()
Alexander Sent on 04/28/2020A DJ that can throw a great party
Derek from Block Party was a fantastic DJ and helped us throw a kick ass party for our wedding. Yesterday was our 1 year anniversary, and we spent it dancing around our house to the recording of our wedding dance party set that he DJed for us. He is super professional, hardworking and reliable, but also kind and excellent person. He went beyond what we could have hoped for, and even gave us a framed record of our first dance song. We had some special requests (including rehearsal dinner karaoke), and he made our vision a reality. Block Party's pricing is fair and totally transparent -- no extra fees or nickel and dime charges for extra services. And, while they wasn't the cheapest option we looked at, the Block Party felt like a total bargain given the quality of service we got. I cannot recommend them highly enough. -
![Victoria]()
Victoria Sent on 01/09/2020Dance Floor was Packed All Night!
Derek and Wes brought the party to our wedding, and it didn't stop until the lights came on! From the beginning, Derek was incredibly warm and genuine, wanting to learn about us and all of our plans for our day, as well as the music we liked. It is immediately apparent that Derek and Wes love what they do and love sharing their craft with folks! I The dance floor was packed all night, and they were both adept at reading the room and mixing it up so everyone heard what they wanted. I had several guests comment on the music and ask for their information, which I was happy to give. I would recommend The Block Party to anyone trying to make their event memorable! -
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![Stu]()
Stu A. Sent on 12/22/2019An Excellent Dancing and Gaming Explosion!
Derek was recommended by a friend and co-worker who knew that I was starting to look for vendors for my wedding. I can say, without a doubt, that without Derek, our wedding would never have been the smash hit it was!
Right from the get-go, Derek was very responsive and extremely excited to help make our wedding the style of wedding that we and our guests could enjoy. He helped us with both our ceremony and reception. My wife and I have more unique tastes in music, so we provided some examples of music we personally enjoyed and gave Derek free reign to mix and sample songs at will. Derek was fantastic at the DJ table all night and our guests loved his work, along with us.
One special request we had, that was not music related, was to add a more personal touch of mine and my wife’s personality into our reception. This touch of personality was to setup video game stations in our reception hall (opposite the dance floor) and have multiplayer video games (Mario Kart) available for our guests who may not be as up for, or just needed a break from dancing. Derek went above and beyond to help us craft the perfect setup for our gaming stations and they were a huge hit with our families and friends!
Throughout the entire process, Derek was extremely responsive and helpful! Never at any point we were concerned that the music and games we had planned would not turn out amazing. We can’t thank Derek enough for helping create great memories of our wedding day that will last us a lifetime! -
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Elizabeth Sent on 09/30/2019
Personalization at it's best. Derek is truly the best!
Derek is bar-none the BEST DJ you could select. I knew Derek through mutual friends from college. When we started the planning process he was my first call. A reception is one of the most memorable parts of your wedding day. When we thought about our wedding, we wanted dancing to be central to the night. Derek DJ'd a good friend's wedding and remains one of the most memorable weddings to date, besides my own, and he had a lot to do with that! While he is based in Michigan and our wedding was in Colorado, he was willing to travel. Through the planning process, he was nothing but supportive, attentive and proactive in every way. He did everything to help take any guesswork out making the days leading up to our big day that much better. He worked seamlessly with our other music vendor for our cocktail hour, offering to provide equipment where needed. But the most important part about what Derek will bring to your day is the personalization and true passion for his job. He is truly committed to making your day special, no matter the tempo. I had many family and friends comment on how the playlist and overall music experience was so personalized to me and my husband. We happened to have a large screen near our dance floor that he projected music videos and even images of our honeymoon destination - great examples of personalization. He also creates amazing mixes that not only help to maintain the momentum throughout the day but tailors it to the crowd's energy levels. Through this, Derek and his wife have become a dear friend of ours. We couldn't have asked for a better day, filled with great music, dancing and friendship. He was central to our reception experience. I cannot recommend him enough!!! He is truly the BEST. Thanks to you Derek!!!!!
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![Alec]()
Alec Sent on 08/25/2019Derek was amazing!!
Derek was super helpful in helping direct the wedding night. From entrance to last dance, he kept the vibe right were it needed to be. He also communicated with us prior, during, and after the wedding to make sure we were happy at all times. Throughout the night we would check on us to make sure we were doing good and needed anything. He even had an emergency kit for a dress on hand! I would recommend Derek to anyone looking for a great DJ (10/10 would recommend!) -
![Lauren]()
Lauren Sent on 08/01/2019Our Dance Floor was FULL
I heard about Derek through my photographer, who recommended him after we talked a bit about how we wanted our wedding to be. I am sooooo glad I listened and looked Block Party up because they were exactly what we were looking for.
Derek was so fun to work with and even drove down to Toledo for an in-person meeting. He worked with us on getting some weird cuts of songs for the processional, didn’t bat an eye when we changed some things two nights before, and offered suggestions when we had no clue what we wanted.
The day of he was always right there to move things along and make sure everything was how we wanted it. After dinner hit, our dance floor was full the entire night - exactly what I had hoped for. It was an amazing mix of everything we wanted and more! We’ve received a waterfall of compliments.
I actually had enjoyed the experience of working with him so much, I let my best friend know about Block Party as well (before our wedding even happened) so I had the fortune of attending another wedding with Derek as a DJ about a month after our own! I can tell you from experience he is consistent in packing dance floors and just as genuine and friendly a second time around :) -
![Alayne]()
Alayne Sent on 02/24/2019Incredible!
Derek was absolutely the best choice we could have made for a DJ on our big day. My husband and I traveled from out of town for our ceremony to Dayton, OH and Derek has a special connection to the city. He was more than willing to travel - over the busy Christmas holiday - to join us and provide us with his amazing talent. We had a small, intimate, family wedding with only about 40 people and he was able to make the room feel so full. He made the day flow so well and has this intuitive ability to play what songs he feels will go with the moments. We had many kidddos at the reception and he made sure to not only play fun songs for them but also involved them in the DJing! They certainly had a blast! He was even able to play my grandparent's first dance song on an original 33 so we could give them a moment where they seemed to just float back in time. It moved all in the room to tears. Derek, to say you made our day a special one is the grossest understatement of the century. I cannot thank you enough for everything you did for us on our day, it will not be forgotten. You are so incredibly talented, thank you so very much for sharing that with us! -
![Nicole]()
Nicole Sent on 01/24/2019Do not hesitate to book!
To say that our experience with Derek was stellar is an understatement! From our first meeting with him we instantly felt like we had found someone that we could trust. He was friendly, professional, knowlegable and instantly had ideas to make our wedding day music unique. At our final meeting before the wedding, he wanted to hear all of our ideas! He wanted to know what WE wanted! On the day of, Derek was on time and checking on not only his set up, but also coordinated with the venue and photographer as well. In addition, he checked on the bridal party as well to help keep everyone in track. Which to me was unexpected but extremely helpful! The music itself was amazing - we received so many compliments and positive feedback about how much fun everyone was having! He even played a custom Backstreet Boys mix for me (I’m a lifelong fan) and the crowd was LOVING it!! Honestly, can I do this all over again just so I can enjoy the music? Loved it. The service was beyond what I could have ever expected and I would recommend The Block Party over and over! Thank you!!! -
![Matt]()
Matt Sent on 01/14/2019Absolutely Incredible
Going into my wedding, I told my now-wife that I cared about 2 things for our wedding: the food and the music. So, I took it upon myself to find us a quality DJ. We ended up going with Derek and we are SO glad that we did.
It's no secret that a lot of wedding DJ's aren't great. More often than not, you're going with someone who is just pressing play on a playlist, ruining the flow of the night with too many slow songs, playing the looooongest songs in their entirety, getting on the mic too often, etc. I wanted to find a REAL DJ who would be able to keep the party going and allow us to have as much fun as possible.
Needless to say, Derek delivered. From the moment I reached out, I knew he was exactly what I was looking for. First and foremost, he is just a genuinely great guy, which is always good to have during such an important event. But he also took this gig very seriously, asking all of the right questions, and being the perfect MC for the night to keep things moving on our timeline that we gave him. On the music side of things, he actually spins vinyl and is able to mix songs into each other, which is pretty rare to find in a wedding DJ. Rest assured, he's not just pressing play and hitting next. He is fully involved in the music, and put together some really memorable transitions and mixes that everyone loved.
I put a lot of trust in Derek going into our event, and I was not disappointed. We gave him songs that we wanted to hear, but we mostly just gave him ideas of the type of music we like and let him run with that. Being a great DJ, Derek was able to keep the party moving and played music based on our crowd and what they responded to. My wedding was totally unique (we went from 90s hiphop to Moana) because it was exactly what our crowd called for- if you book Derek, you will get a completely different experience, catered to you and your wedding.
I can't say enough great things about Derek. As the groom, I didn't have a lot of strong opinions on aspects of the wedding, but I did care about the music, and I could not have asked for a better outcome. I'm very fortunate we found Derek and I highly recommend him for your wedding! If you want your wedding to be fun, and you want your DJ to not be terrible, you can stop searching :] -
![Carla]()
Carla Sent on 12/15/2018Best wedding dj possible!
I cannot say enough good things about Derek and Wes! As soon as we saw their website I knew these were the Dj's we wanted! They felt like instant family from our first meeting with Derek. We were fortunate to be able to have both Derek and Wes at our wedding, and they are an epic pair! The dance floor was packed the whole night, young and old were dancing! They covered everything including making my dad happy with a few Polka's! Motown, hiphop, pop, 90's, step music.. Somehow they covered everything for everyone and made it flow seamlessly! Everything from the cocktail hour music to the last song was perfect. They really know how to read a crowd! I feel like I've known these guys forever. We are now having them play at my work Christmas party. Thank you so much Derek and Wes! We are beyond grateful that we found you to be part of our wedding day and for your continued friendship! -
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Alyssa Sent on 07/24/2018Derek was the DJ for my June 30th wedding at the Packard Proving Grounds. My husband and I heard of The Block Party through a few of our other vendors and after talking with Derek on the phone and hearing a few samples of his work, we knew he would be the perfect DJ for our wedding. Derek was very personable, answered all of our questions quickly, and was very reliable. We have received SO MANY compliments from guests (still are receiving them even a few weeks after our wedding!) - from the showtunes/theme songs during dinner that were unique and gave guests something to talk about, to the mix of "wedding pop" that kept the dance floor full THE ENTIRE NIGHT, our guests of all ages loved Derek! One guest remarked that he has never heard a DJ mix the entire night and still manage to keep the dance floor full! My husband and I could not be happier that we chose Derek as our DJ for the night. We had so much fun and so did our guests! Derek was everything we hoped for in a DJ and we will be recommending him to all of our friends! If you haven't booked Derek yet, do it right now- you won't regret it!
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![Shelby]()
Shelby Sent on 06/13/2018We had Wes DJ our wedding, and "oh, what a night" it was! From pre-ceremony music, to ceremony music timing, cocktail hour, and reception, it was truly flawless. During the pre-planning stages, Wes was truly interested and excited to make our day special and give us what we were looking for. I was pretty stressed planning our wedding, and his excitement for us got ME excited for our day again!
The day of our wedding, Wes knew exactly where to be and what to do and I didn't have to worry for one second. The reception, ohhhh the reception, it was a blast! Our guests said our wedding was the most fun wedding they have attended, and most of it was because of our music. Wes had almost all our guests dancing from the first song to the last and truly covered our mix of oldies, motown, EDM, and current hits while putting his own twist on the songs. I really loved that he could read our guests and knew when it was time to kick to the next song.
I would recommend Wes and The Block Party in a heartbeat. If you are reading this, book The Block Party (I'm partial to Wes of course :)) for your wedding or event, you won't be disappointed.
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