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

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

Over the past few days, I have been blogging about creating the musical playlist for your Hawaii wedding. If you haven’t read them yet, click below to read them:

• Part 1, which deals with getting your audience up and dancing when dance music begins
• Part 2, which deals with creating the playlist (actually, FOUR playlists) to help organize your music requests.

In this post, Part 3 will deal with music sources: sources of inspiration to find your music choices.

One way to come up with musical selections would be to look through your old photo albums. As you go through them and reminisce, think about those moments and if there was a particular song associated with those moments. Those would be good songs to play and dedicate to people at your reception.

Find out other people’s first dance songs. If you’ve gone to other people’s weddings, see if you can remember their first dance songs. (It will help if you have access to their wedding DVD, as they will have a clip of the first dance.) Have your DJ play those songs with a dedication to the couple, and it will make that couple feel very special on your wedding day.

Ask your friends! It’s simple yet effective, and it will make your guests feel more involved in the wedding planning process. And when your guests feel involved and become invested in your party, it are more likely to stay since they now have an emotional stake in your celebration. If you read Part 1, there’s a GREAT tip in there to get song requests from your audience. Check it out!

Listen to the radio. In your car or in the office, pay more attention to what is being played. This will help to determine what’s currently hot and what some of your guests are dancing to when they go to the nightclubs.

Check out billboard.com or any of the local radio stations’ websites for their “Top 10″ lists. This also helps you determine what people are listening to.

Here’s a list of Oahu FM radio stations, their formats, and links to their websites, courtesy of the Hawaii Radio & Television Guide:

Frequency	Call Letters	Programming Format
88.1	KHPR	Hawaii Public Radio: Classical Music & News (National Public Radio)
89.3	KIPO	Hawaii Public Radio: News, Talk, World Music, Jazz National Public Radio + BBC
90.3	KTUH	U of H – Jazz, Hawaiian, alternative, rock, rap, world music – Also on 89.9 and 91.3 FM
91.1	K216FI	Alternative Christian Music “The Effect” (KEFX FM from Twin Falls Idaho) (LP)
92.3	KSSK	Adult Contemporary Music; Perry & Price Morning Show
92.3-2	KSSK	Smooth Jazz
93.1	KQMQ	“The Zone” Contemporary Hits
93.9	KIKI	“Hot I-93.9 FM” Urban Contemporary Hits
94.7	KUMU	“Honolulu’s Lite Rock” Adult Contemporary Music / Lite Rock
95.5	KAIM	95.5 “The Fish” – Contemporary Christian Music
96.3	KRTR	“Krater 96 FM” Adult Contemporary Music
97.5	KHCM	Hawaii’s Country Music
98.5	KDNN	“Island Rhythm 98.5″ (Island Music)
99.5	KHUI	“99.5 The Jewel” – Adult Standards
100.3	KCCN	FM 100: Island Music & Reggae
101.1	KORL	“Hawaii’s Smooth Jazz”
101.5	K268BE	“Hawaii’s Multicultural Radio” (LP)
101.9	KUCD	“Star 101.9″: Modern Rock Hits
101.9-2	KUCD	“Radio Free Hawaii“: Commercial Freeform
102.7	KDDB	“Da Bomb” (Urban Contemporary Hits)
103.5	KHAI	“Air 1 Radio” – The Positive Alternative (Christian Rock)
104.3	KPHW	“Power 104.3″ Hawaii’s Hip Hop and R&B Hits
104.7	K284AL	Simulcasts KKCR FM – Kauai Community Radio
105.1	KINE	Contemporary Hawaiian Music
105.9	KPOI	“The Ride” – Hawaii’s Classic Hits (rock)
107.9	KKOL	Hawaii’s “Kool Gold” (oldies)

Use these links, lists, suggestions from friends, and your happy memories to create a unique and fun playlist for your guests to dance to!

Images courtesy Adam A. Palmer Photography

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, dancing, DJ, Fun, music, planning, playlist, preparation, wedding

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

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

Dianna Shitanishi with Hawaii Weddings & Events is a good friend and professional wedding consultant with whom I totally enjoy working with. She will do an awesome job coordinating your wedding day and even can help you with planning the details leading to your event. I personally like working with her because she makes my job as a professional Master of Ceremonies so much easier. If you’re looking for a consultant for your Hawaii wedding, I highly recommend her.

Dianna currently has a limited-time offer to coordinate your wedding for you if your wedding is in the fall (September to December 2010), but the offer expires this Sunday, February 28, or when four brides-to-be take her up on the offer, whichever comes first. And from what she tells me, she’s already had three commitments.

Click here for more information on her offer.

So if you’re still looking for a consultant to help you make your wedding day more stress-free and enjoyable, and you want to save some money with it too, contact her TODAY. And when you do, mention that I sent you, and she’ll take good care of you!

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: consultant, coordinator, Partnerships, planning, preparation, stressfree, wedding

My other company (besides Ninja Entertainment) is AV Associates Hawaii, which provides audiovisual rental and services for theatrical productions and special events. A recent theatrical production highlights the serious importance of communication among all of your wedding professionals in order for you to have a successful celebration. Let me explain.

At this recent production, I was hired to provide audiovisual and lighting services for a one-day, ethnic performance that showcased dances, singing, and other facets of a particular Asian culture. Normally I would meet with the show producers in advance to go over the logistics, timeline, stage setup, etc. This is to better understand the vision of the producer and to be prepared for the event, in order to best serve my clients. At the very least, I would insist on a lengthy phone conversation to go over these points. But for this one particular event, the show producer did not communicate in advance with me and the other event professionals he was working with.

Going into this show, I had no idea as to what the order of events would be like, how the stage was to be set up, and what to expect. As you can imagine, the setup that morning was chaotic, as my staff and I scrambled to move speakers, microphones, and equipment around to accommodate the singers, performers, and more. Needless to say, everything could have run much more smoothly if we knew in advance what to expect and thus be better prepared for it.

We did the best that we could, given the circumstances, and from the audience’s standpoint, it was a good show. But backstage, a lot of headaches could have been avoided if the show producer was open to communicating the details to us much sooner.

Tying this to your wedding, YOU are a show producer. Your wedding is an event that you’re spending a lot of time and money on. Communication with your wedding professionals is VITAL to the success of your event. If your caterer, photographer, videographer, DJ, and Master of Ceremonies know what’s going on in advance (that is, long before the wedding day), it will help them to better prepare for your event, and thus deliver the absolute best service they can deliver.

Here are some items that ALL of your wedding professionals should have before your wedding day:

• The Timeline of your event: Or as we say in the theatrical business, the Production Schedule. This helps your professionals know the order of events in advance, allowing them to set their own individual schedules as to what they have to do to best serve you. Videographers, for example, really appreciate this because they will know how much time they have between ceremony and video slideshow, and they can estimate how long they will need to edit and render your ceremony highlights.
   
  Note: if you have any unique elements in your wedding (e.g., playing a game to give away the bouquet instead of a traditional bouquet toss), make sure you include an explanation as well, so your professionals can best understand your vision and reasoning as to why you’re doing it.

 

• The Floorplan: aka The Stage Plot. This gives your professionals an understanding of where everything goes, allowing them to adjust their own setups and ultimately saving them time that day when your professionals come in to set up. For example, if your DJ knows where they need to set up, they can do it as soon as they arrive rather than set up in the wrong place and later realize that you wanted them somewhere else!
   

• The List of Your Professionals: aka The Production Staff. Include their names, contact numbers, emails, and their role in your wedding. This helps your other professionals to get in touch with each other in advance to answer any technical questions they may have. For example, your videographer may want to contact your DJ in order to see if the videographer can connect his DVD player to the DJ’s sound system in order to play back your video slideshow. Or the DJ may want to contact your caterer/rental company to inquire about tables for the DJ’s setup.

Remember that while it’s nice to hear from your professionals from time to time, it’s also equally important that you clearly communicate all of your wishes and plans to them. They’ll appreciate you for it and will do an excellent job for you on your wedding day!

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, communication, floorplan, Partnerships, planning, stressfree, timeline

The recent ice resurfacer debacle at the Winter Olympics provides some lessons and insight into investing in quality professionals for a special occasion, like weddings. Click here to read about it in detail. In a nutshell, when it was time for the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) to decide who would provide the ice resurfacing machines (the “Zamboni machines” that most people call it by), instead of going with a trusted brand like Zamboni (who BTW, had previously participated in almost every Winter Olympics since Squaw Valley in 1960), VANOC instead went with Resurfice, a lesser-known and cheaper alternative. Unfortunately for VANOC, the Resurfice machine broke down right before several key speedskating events, delaying those events for several hours. To make matters worse, the backup machine broke down…and the backup to the backup broke down. Ultimately, VANOC had to call in an official Zamboni-branded machine from Calgary, over 400 miles away.

So how does this relate to your wedding or special event?

Your wedding, like the Olympics, is a milestone event in your life, one that involves a lot of planning, preparation, time, and money beforehand. Like the Olympics, your event will be witnessed by an audience of people who appreciate you. Your wedding, like the Olympics, will create a lot of memorable moments. Your wedding is a precious and important event.

Hiring the “cheap alternative” may sound like a good idea at first, but in the end, if the “cheap alternative” doesn’t deliver as promised–or worse, ruins your event–then that’s what you and your audience will remember forever.

Hiring a quality professional–someone you trust and feel confident with her product or service–in the long run would be worth more, because you will have a more smooth, stress-free, and enjoyable wedding day.

Here’s my point: for average, everyday parties, it’s okay to hire a “Resurfice” vendor. But for once-in-a-lifetime moments like your wedding, make sure you invest in “Zambonis”. You won’t regret your choice after the wedding is done, and when everyone raves about your party–in a good way–for years to come.

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, Olympics, Partnerships, planning, stressfree

At last week’s Hawaii World Class Wedding Expo, I met several people who were guests at Janilee & Melvin’s wedding on Maui on May 23, where I was the Certified Professional Master of Ceremonies. They all said that they had a great time, that the party was very fun and entertaining, and how easy and effortless I was on the microphone.

The reason I made it look so easy and effortless was because of the time I spent before the wedding preparing and rehearsing for it.

Most people see the five hours of “easy and effortless” party. What they don’t see is the 40-60 hours before the wedding in which I prepare the script, memorized my line, rehearse my delivery and timing, etc. It’s very much like how a great actor like Brad Pitt or George Clooney prepares for a role, only that instead of it being for a movie, I’m preparing for something more important–YOUR wedding!

On the day before, and on the morning of Janilee & Melvin’s wedding, I spent the time in my hotel room going over my delivery and rehearsing my lines. The result was a very easy and effortless performance on my part, and a very fun and entertaining celebration for Janilee, Melvin, and their delightful audience.

So the five hours of your Hawaii wedding is simply the icing on the cake. The reason your party will be so successful is because of the time spent by your Certified Professional Master of Ceremonies beforehand developing and mastering the layers beneath.

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, Emcee, Fun, planning, preparation, stressfree, wedding

Aloha from the Valley Isle! I’m here today preparing for Janilee & Melvin’s Maui wedding this Saturday at the Wailuku Community Center, and I’m excited about it. They had their final planning meeting with me earlier today to go over any last minute changes for their wedding celebration, and we’re good to go! They are planning a really lively, original, and fun celebration: a unique trivia game to release the tables to the buffet, an original bouquet toss activity, Last Man Sitting for the garter giveaway, and much more!

On FRIDAY, I finalize their musical soundtrack, burn it onto two CDs, print & put together the “script” for the celebration, then rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! I pick up my assistant Lesley around 10pm, then get a good night’s rest.

On SATURDAY, I leisurely wake up, have a good breakfast, rehearse the presentation with Lesley a few more times (to make sure that we’ve coordinated the music cues to the presentation), and then get to the community center around 3pm. After helping my friend Bud set up his DJ system and checking to make sure all of the audiovisual logistics are in place…IT’S SHOWTIME!

The next few days will be intense, but the result, on Saturday at Janilee & Melvin’s wedding celebration, will be absolutely worth it.

How much time should a good emcee devote to something as important as your wedding?

If you want your wedding to turn out good, be like Janilee & Melvin: make sure that your Master of Ceremonies puts in the necessary preparation and rehearsal time in order to make your wedding as fun, stress-free, and perfect as can be.

Thanks for reading. Now I have to go rehearse.

written by Marino_NinjaEntertainment \\ tags: Advice, planning, preparation, stressfree, unique