Marino's Hawaii Wedding Emcee & DJ/Entertainment Blog

It’s been a while since I posted, hasn’t it?

It’s been busy the last few months, with weddings, events, and taking care of your events in general.

In June, I served as the Master of Ceremonies and DJ for the Hawaii weddings of Diego & Eleanor Serrato and Carol & Martin Miyashiro.

Eleanor & Diego Serrato

Carol & Martin Miyashiro (with her son Hunter)

 
And of course, this past weekend was the extraordinarily fun and entertaining wedding of Amber & Caleb Henderson:

Amber & Caleb Henderson

Of course, in between, there are couples to meet, scripts to write, musical soundtracks and cues to prepare, rehearsals to undertake, and much more. But it’s all part of why I love serving you!

I’ll have a brief writeup and some pictures of these events over the next few days/weeks, including some professional images and video from the great wedding professionals whom I have recently worked with (that means you, Bambooth, Owen & Owen, Chrissy Lambert, and others). But first, the Hawaii Bridal Expo is this weekend at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall, so drop by! If you’re still looking for dresses, deals, and wedding professionals for your Hawaii wedding, this is a great place to meet people and get information. Don’t forget to drop by my booth to say hello too!

Image courtesy Eugene Kam Photography

I look forward to meeting you!

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: amber, blaisdell, caleb, carol, diego, DJ, eleanor, Emcee, expo, hawaii bridal expo, henderson, july, june, martin, miyashiro, planning, preparation, serrato, wedding

I’ll be at the World Class Wedding Expo this Friday and Saturday at the Hawaii Convention Center. Click here for a link for more info and to download a coupon for $1 off the admission price.

Drop by, say hello, and check out all of the great wedding professionals eager to help you create the Hawaii wedding of your dreams.

Image courtesy Eugene Kam Photography

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, expo

Richard Mills, a New Zealand DJ, Master of Ceremonies, and a dear friend, had an interesting experience at a recent wedding:

• The location had no outdoor electricity to power his sound system for the wedding ceremony.
• The Best Man’s partner’s shoe heel broke.
• A button popped off his tuxedo jacket.
• A guest’s camera batteries died before the ceremony.

Click here to read Richard’s story in his own words.

Given the situation, what would you have done?

The average wedding DJ & MC probably would have

• Run LOTS of extension cords from an outlet to wherever he set up, or just claim that he just can’t do it without power;
• Said “Sorry” to the Best Man’s partner and the guest with the dead batteries, because “it’s beyond the work I was hired to do;”
• Left the button off the jacket to have it repaired after the wedding.

But Richard isn’t your average, ordinary DJ.

• Richard brought a generator…just in case. His experience with outdoor events probably taught him to be prepared for these situations, and it certainly did this time!
• Because he got there early enough and had ample time to set up, Richard was able to take the Best Man’s partner’s shoe to a nearby mall, where it was quickly repaired and back to the owner within 20 minutes.
• Because he carries a sewing kit and spare AA batteries among his equipment, Richard was able to fix the button on his tux AND help the guest by giving that guest fresh batteries for her camera.

Keep in mind that all of these challenges occured BEFORE the wedding even started! If any more difficulties arise during the presentation, you can bet that Richard is prepared for them.

Here’s a fun and eye-opening activity that you can do when you interview your Masters of Ceremonies & DJs for your Hawaii wedding: ask your prospective emcee or DJ what they would do in those situations. Listen to their answers. Now picture it happening at your wedding–will you be happy with their actions to overcome these challenges?

Great wedding DJs don’t simply spin music–any DJ can do that. Great wedding DJs make sure that everything runs smoothly so that you can feel stress-free and enjoy your wedding day. And that’s important, isn’t it?

Image courtesy PHIL AMMON / A+ Media Creations

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, blog, DJ, Emcee, new zealand, preparation, richard mills, setup, stressfree, wedding

Sometime in 2009, I was the emcee for a party for two well-known Hawaii professional associations. This was the first time both groups had put together a joint production, and so it was quite important that it went off without a hitch. The audience was composed of association members and their guests. They had a live band for the musical entertainment, some incredible uplighting by a member audiovisual company, and an original menu created specifically for this party. It was to be a big event with big expectations.

There was also a somewhat big problem.

The associations had underestimated its guest counts, and many guests simply showed up at the door for the event.

Why was this a problem?

There was not enough space. The catering sales manager of the venue had placed the party in a room that held a maximum of 80 guests, since the estimated pre-count was 75. But when a total of 98 guests showed up, and when you add in the live band, lighting, audiovisual, and decor, it was a VERY tight (and slightly uncomfortable) fit indeed.

There was not enough food. The kitchen had a family-style buffet for 75 guests. But when 98 guests showed up, some guests were left without meals for the night.

The guests could not hear. The sound system in the ballroom is quite capable for a party of 75 guests, and maybe slightly more. But when more than the expected number of guests arrived, and they’re all talking loudly to each other to be heard, the sound system was woefully inadequate. It was very difficult for the guest speakers and the Master of Ceremonies (me!) to get people’s attention without yelling.

The formal program ran a little long. With a good microphone and an adequately tuned sound system, it takes me five seconds to get people’s attention and about 10 seconds more to get them to focus on what’s happening. But the sound system and my voice alone (even with the voice training I have) could not compete against 98 very social individuals, and it took almost 30 seconds to get people’s attention and focus. Multiply that by the number of times that I needed to get the audience’s attention (before dinner, before each speaker, before each activity), and it adds up to wasted valuable time.

In the end, the party was quite successful, and the leaders of both organizations were very happy with the results. But it could have been A LOT better.

Here’s the point of my story: Your head count MUST be as accurate as it can be. If you’re off by a few guests (plus or minus five, perhaps), it’s okay, but if you’re underestimating the numbers to save some money or because you feel some guests won’t come, then you may be heading for some trouble down the road, because your guests might end up in a room that’s much too small for them, and not have enough food, and not be able to hear you and what’s going on! A highly inaccurate head count affects not just your location, but your catering service, sound/AV provider, the timing of your event, and more.

Please make your head count as accurate as it can be!

And please be clear to your guests: if your guests don’t RSVP, they shouldn’t attend! The more accurate your head count is, the easier and more stress-free you make it for your wedding professionals, your guests, and YOU!

Image courtesy L’Amour Photography

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, catering, Emcee, head count, planning, preparation, sound, stressfree, timing

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

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

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

In an article on the Time Warner Cable Around Hawaii website, Dianna Shitanishi with Hawaii Weddings & Events recently wrote an excellent article on choosing the right entertainment for your Hawaii wedding. Whether you hire a band, DJ, string quartet, Hawaiian trio, magician, lion dance team, Master of Ceremonies, or other form of entertainment to perform at your ceremony and/or reception, the article has some great tips to help you make the right decision.

Click here to read the wedding entertainment article.

There’s one line in there that really sticks out:

 
There you have it! There’s nothing wrong with having a basic DJ be your emcee if all you want is a very basic wedding with a few simple announcements. But if you are looking to create an original and personalized presentation that will really stand out in your guests’ minds long after the wedding, then investing in a professional Master of Ceremonies for your Hawaii wedding makes much more sense.

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, band, DJ, Emcee, entertainment, ideas, music, unique, wedding