Marino's Hawaii Wedding Emcee & DJ/Entertainment Blog

I’ve recently come across a troubling trend. With the need to make their weddings very unique and original, many brides have begun to do activities and games at weddings that have absolutely no relation to them and just do these games for the sake of doing them. Worse yet, they ask their emcee to do it, but without the proper training and rehearsal for it, the emcee delivers a presentation that can be embarrassing and even offensive. In the end, is this what they really want?

I was recently made aware of this by a photographer friend of mine. Her client had hired a well-known radio personality to emcee the event; this radio personality was a good friend of the bride & groom. Apparently during her research, this bride had read on my blog about some of the games that I do and asked the radio personality to attempt these games at her wedding. Specifically, one of the games she wanted to do was the Kissing Games, a popular and highly interactive activity that involves the audience and is done throughout dinner and the reception.

Unfortunately, this radio personality works at a station that is known for its “shock jock” format, and this radio personality was used to using double entendres and saying things that could be heard as inappropriate and lewd. So when he did the Kissing Games at the wedding, instead of making the activity very fun and romantic (which is part of the reason we do it at weddings), he made it very lewd, sexual, and offensive. Yes, it was funny, but was it worth offending grandma and shocking the guests for a laugh?

My point is this: If you are going to copy my games or create your own, make sure your Master of Ceremonies knows the reasoning behind it. Why do it? The Kissing Games were meant to be more than a fun diversion; it was meant to create romance and enthusiasm in the audience. If we do the Golf Game, it’s not just because it’s fun and unique; it’s because either the bride, groom, or guests like to play golf! If we do the Anniversary Card Crafting Activity, that’s because the bride or groom likes to do arts & crafts!

Also, Make sure your Master of Ceremonies knows HOW to do these activities and actually REHEARSES them beforehand. As with any live stage presentation, the actors and performers memorize the script and rehearse their lines long before the curtain rises just so that their performance is flawless and perfect at every performance. If your emcee tries to “wing it” and attempt a game/activity they’ve never done before, it’s very likely that the activity will fall flat and not make the impact that you want.

Image courtesy KYLER KWOCK/Kai Photo

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, creative, Emcee, games, planning, preparation, wedding

In an earlier post, I wrote about some of the things that needed to be done BEFORE the actual wedding day itself, just to give you an idea of what goes on “behind the scenes” prior to a successful Hawaii wedding. If you haven’t read that post, click here to read it.

As stated in that post, I shipped some audiovisual equipment from Honolulu to the Big Island as part of the preparation for the event. Traveling by barge via Young Bros., the ship departed the port of Honolulu on Monday, March 15. (I dropped off the equipment at the docks on March 12, one business day prior to the ship’s departure.) The ship arrived in Kawaihae (the Big Island’s seaport) on Tuesday, March 16. I was the equipment on Thursday, March 18, but difficulties with a cargo van rental company delayed the pickup until the morning of Friday, March 19. Here are some pics of the pickup at the seaport in Kawaihae.

The equipment arrived in shipping containers, which wait at the docks until I arrive to pick up the equipment.

After opening the cargo doors, it felt good to know that the equipment was still secure and bound tightly to its surroundings by the tie straps.

After loading it into the cargo van, it was ready for transport to the Hilton Waikoloa, where it would be used the next day to help make Mark & Kim’s wedding celebration memorable.

Most people simply see the five hours of the party, where the Master of Ceremonies stands in front of the audience, tells a few jokes, and makes announcements. What people don’t see is what happens behind the scenes, long before the guests arrive. All of these elements come together to put together a wonderful and stress-free presentation for the newlyweds on their wedding day.

So when you meet with your Master of Ceremonies, ask him this: will your Master of Ceremonies do everything that he can to ensure the success of your celebration, including doing some preparation in advance? Or will he simply show up, try to “wing it,” and maybe make some happy memories for you along the way? It’s stuff to consider…

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: big island, hilton, kim, kohala, kona, mark, preparation, sound, waikoloa

Tori Rogers with Hawaiian Island Wedding Planners recently posted a wonderful and informative article for brides who are just starting out with their wedding plans for a wedding in Hawaii. If your fiance recently proposed, and you have no idea where to begin, this article is a great place to start.

Click here to read Tori’s article “Where Do I Begin??”
 

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, planning, preparation, starting, tori, wedding

Months of planning and preparation came down to a fantastic party for Mark & Kim Okamura at their Hawaii wedding celebration on March 20 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island of Hawaii. Mark & Kim had wanted a very lively, original, and entertaining event that would keep their audience motivated throughout the night. Fun moments like a trivia game to send guests to the buffet, as well as interactive activities to give away the centerpieces, bouquet, and garter, made the night much more memorable. The party went all the way to “closing time,” when many guests continued to linger after that!

Image courtesy David O. Baldwin Photography
 

Image courtesy David O. Baldwin Photography
 

 

 

 

 
Click here to see official teaser images from Mark & Kim’s professional photographer, David O. Baldwin with David O. Baldwin Photography.
 

Special thanks to the following members of the “Production Team” who helped to make Mark & Kim’s day stress-free, and for making my job as their Master of Ceremonies & Director of Entertainment so much easier:

• Heather Sousa and her awesome banquet staff (Kaniala, Kelsey, Anita, Lina, and others) at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, for helping to keep everything flowing very smoothly and wonderfully;
• David & Brigit with David O. Baldwin Photography, for being so easy and wonderful to work with;
• Betty Jean Arias and her team (David, Dave, and Philip) with PSAV, for the audiovisual support;
• Lesley, Renee, & Deacon, for being an awesome technical crew;
• Richard, the florist who helped to add color to the decor; and most importantly,
• The Guests, who took the time to celebrate with Mark & Kim on this joyous occasion. Their participation really made the party a success!

Congratulations to Mark & Kim Okamura! Mahalo (thank you) for letting me be a part of your memorable day.

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: big island, Emcee, Fun, hilton, kim, kohala, kona, mark, memorable, stressfree, unique, waikoloa, wedding

Last January, I was the Master of Ceremonies for Wining & Dining with Chef Jerry Edwards, a special event presented by NACE Hawaii. Click here to read about the experience.

Thanks to Creations in Catering/Dole Ballrooms and NACE Hawaii, here are new images from the event. If you want to see how elegant and gorgeous the room looked, click here to see the new pictures.

 

 
NACE Hawaii President Herb Yamamoto addresses the audience.

 
Chef Jerry Edwards talks about creating a menu to pair with wines at hand.

 

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Education, Emcee, event, NACE, networking

As part of the preparations for Kim Machida and Mark Okamura’s wedding on March 20 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort, I flew to the Big Island on March 4-5 to meet with them, help them finalize their presentation, meet with some of their wedding professionals, and to tour the Water’s Edge Ballroom where the celebration will be held. It’s all part of making their wedding day as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Click here to see pictures from this Pre-Production Trip.

The Water’s Edge Ballroom, where the magic will happen on March 20.

 

 

 

Over the past few days, more preparation has been put in. On March 13, I shipped out the sound and video equipment needed for the production, and over the next few days, I finalized the soundtrack and music cues, scripted key parts of the presentation, and rehearsed, rehearsed, rehearsed.

In the early morning on March 18, I will fly to the Big Island for final prep and meetings with Mark, Kim, and the “production team,” just to finalize everything and make sure all is ready for their big day. As always, it’s an exciting time that leads up to the great party on March 20 that Mark & Kim are planning for their audience!

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: hilton, kim, kohala, kona, mark, preparation, trip, waikoloa

In July 2007, Aileen & Glhen Ganitano asked me to be the Master of Ceremonies for their Hawaii wedding at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort. I helped them to create a very original and lively presentation, which resulted in many great memories that lasted long after the wedding day. To this day, Aileen tells me her guests still speak highly of her celebration.

 
Congratulations to them for the birth of their second child! Hailey Jade Ganitano was born on March 13, 2010, and she’s beautiful.

 
Big brother Raiden is thrilled:

 
It’s always nice to hear from past clients, especially when life-changing moments like the birth of children occur. Congratulations again to Aileen & Glhen!

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: babies, Family

While most people tune in weekly to American Idol to watch the great singers (and spectacular failures), I tune in to learn from Ryan Seacrest, the show’s host. He is truly an amazing Master of Ceremonies. Seacrest exudes confidence as he introduces each singer, presents each video clip, and recognizes each judge. His performance is done live; there are no second takes if there is a mistake–but Seacrest rarely makes mistakes in front of the camera and live studio audience. Why?

Because he rehearses.

Long before the cameras roll each week, Ryan rehearses his presentation. He reviews his notes, practices the names of the contestants and the song titles that the contestants will perform, and rehearses the overall script for the production. The result: a very smooth, polished presentation, every week, in front of millions of viewers.

Watch this clip.

• Notice how Ryan speaks very clearly, effortlessly, without any “ummms” and “ahhs” that many people would say when speaking to a large audience.
• Notice how he inserts slight pauses here and there for the audience to respond and applaud, but it sounds so natural that you don’t even notice it until I pointed it out to you.
• Notice how his prop (the Spongebob doll) gets thrown at him by an off-camera assistant at the right moment for maximum impact.

In short, it’s a very polished, very smooth presentation…mainly because he had rehearsed this moment long before the cameras rolled.

Your wedding won’t be watched by millions of viewers…but it will be watched several of the most important people to YOU. Your master of ceremonies will introduce many speakers (Best Man, Maid of Honor, whoever is doing the blessing, you, etc.) and many events. Do you want the presentation to feel very smooth and polished, like an episode of American Idol? Or do you want it to come across as very amateurish, awkward, and disjointed, like in this clip:

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, american idol, Emcee, preparation, ryan seacrest

The Academy Awards were on last night, and it was such a treat to see some deserving winners. Sandra Bullock’s acceptance speech for winning Best Actress for her work in The Blind Side was particularly endearing:

Did you notice that as soon as Sean Penn announced Sandra’s name, theme music from the movie started to play, and it played until she was on stage and ready to give her acceptance speech? Without the music, there simply would have been applause, then an awkward silence.

It was the same thing with Kathryn Bigelow’s Best Director acceptance speech:

Your wedding has these “Oscar moments”: your Maid of Honor’s toast, the Best Man’s speech, the ethnic toasts, all of these require the speaker to make her way from her seat to the stage/podium to deliver her “acceptance speech.” By having “theme music” for each speaker, you can create an elegant and original mood at your reception, and make the toasts/speeches so much more fun. After all, when was the last time you went to a Hawaii wedding that had theme music for each speaker?

Maid of Honor Toast Introduction Example from Marino – Ninja Entertainment on Vimeo.
Video footage courtesy Advanced Visual Arts.

To increase your chances of doing this right, you’ll need some advance planning, and some coordination between your Master of Ceremonies and your DJ.

1. First, choose “theme music” for each of your speakers: your Maid of Honor, Best Man, your ethnic toasters (banzai, Mabuhay, yum pui, salud, etc.). The songs could either be something that represents the person (e.g., “Friends” theme for someone who you are very, very close to), or it’s that person’s favorite song.
2. Make sure your DJ has those songs and can edit/cue the music to a recognizable start point, so when your DJ starts the music, your guests will instantly know the song and make the connection back to the speaker.
3. If your emcee and DJ haven’t had the chance to rehearse before the wedding day, make sure they practice the timing of the toast introductions before doors open to your audience. The last thing you want to do is for them to attempt it without any practice–it won’t come out as good as it looks at the Oscars.

With theme music and enough practice, your toasts and speeches will turn out just as fun and elegant as they do at the Academy Awards, making your wedding day an “Oscar night” to remember!

Image courtesy KRIS LABANG/On 3 Photography

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: academy awards, Advice, banzai, best man, DJ, Emcee, Fun, mabuhay, maid of honor, oscars, speech, toast, unique, wedding

A few days ago, I posted an article on “Microphone Etiquette”: some tips to help your Master of Ceremonies, Best Man, Maid of Honor, and other speakers perform their toasts & speeches better. Scouring the Internet, I’ve found a few more great tips. These tips are courtesy of Brad Murray at Ezine Articles. Click here to read the original article.

Image courtesy GERALYN CAMARILLO/Hokuli’i Images

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, microphone, preparation