Behind the Board DJ Entertainment

30/12/2024

As with several other things in Life, it takes a village to gain a measure of success.

To My Village: THANK YOU! 😊

Shout-Outs to the teams at Brackett's Crossing Country Club, Dellwood Country Club & The Jerome Event Center - it was a privilege and a pleasure to work alongside you multiple times this year. 🤝🏾

Know someone who recently got engaged and is beginning to weigh entertainment options for their wedding celebration? Share this post with them.

21/12/2024

It has been my pleasure to be a part of this event since its inception a couple of years ago.

Looking for something to do with your kids for a few hours on New Year's Eve?

Want to have a fun way to help the kids burn off some energy with a NYE-themed party for them to participate in (including prizes for best-dressed and best dancer)?

Join me and the Rudy's Redeye Grill - White Bear Lake, MN team on New Year's Eve from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

Join the kids for the 8:00 PM Bear Drop on Rudy's Rooftop before we have our balloon drop in the main ballroom to close out the evening!

See you there!

16/12/2024

It's time for some BTB Shout-outs!

I was recently granted the honor of officiating Alyssa & Andy's wedding ceremony in Red Wing, MN. To say that I'm still feeling pretty sentimental about the experience (especially given feedback from the newlyweds after the fact) is an understatement.

With MANY well-wishes for the future of Their Love Story firmly in mind, it's time to acknowledge those who I got to work alongside.

Shelly, Kate, Liz & the ENTIRE team at The St. James Hotel:
What an AWESOME venue for a wedding. I can't even remember the last time I handled a wedding there, but this occasion didn't disappoint.

Shelly: Thank you for the communication leading up to the wedding. It was QUITE helpful to me once I was in the space and ready to set up. Knowledge Is Power and having it saved LOTS of time, since you'd already answered my questions before I left home for the event. 😊

Liz & Kate: your assistance and communication throughout the festivities is HIGHLY appreciated. It takes a village and I thank you for everything... Especially allowing me the freedom to do what was necessary in taking care of the newlyweds. 🤝🏾

Meagan of Meagan Kristin Photography:
My approach to the job involves attempting to make the experience a smooth one for the other WIPs that I'm working alongside. Thank you for your input and your patience throughout the day.

I've seen the preview gallery - GOOD STUFF! 👏🏾

Honorable Mention: My participation in the event wouldn't have happened if not for the referral of the Wicklunds, whose wedding I served as MC & DJ for in 2022. I think FONDLY of how we met and hope that Married Life is treating you both WELL. Thank you for the vote of confidence and spreading the word about yours truly & BTB!

14/12/2024

Deal or No Deal is set up and ready to go for the second year in a row. 😏

They're including a second game involving safety cones this year. We'll see how that goes. 😳

08/12/2024

I don't recall if he lasted to the very end of last night's reception, but this gentleman's energy couldn't be ignored even if I wanted to. 😊

While he didn't dance to everything, he danced to A LOT... At one point, my Inner Monologue (THAT'S a thing) said "I think he's my Spirit Animal." 😅

While not the most poignant of moments in an event with SEVERAL, it's indicative of what makes what I do Soul Food. 🥰

07/12/2024

Of all of the events that are on the calendar for December, I've been looking forward to this one the most. 🥰

It's nearly time to get this couple married!

Currently no 🦋🦋, but I'm sure that'll change once I'm getting a feel for the space and doing my own private rehearsals before ceremony guests arrive.

Here's to putting my best foot forward... And ushering this couple into the next chapter of Their Love Story. 😊

30/11/2024

I can't quite articulate how much I appreciate it when a couple approaches me to officiate their wedding ceremony. 🥰

When the first couple that did so asked, I tried to talk them out of it. They essentially countered with "all or nothing" - translation: "It's part of the package or no deal."

FULL Disclosure: It's HIGHLY likely that I misinterpreted that as their intent, but I REALLY wanted to work with them based on the energy during our entertainment consultation, so I said "YES!"

In one week's time(!), I get to officiate another. 🥰

Mentally, I'm ready to go. Time to finish up prep so that I can start rehearsals.

30/11/2024

Several years back, an event coordinator that I worked VERY well with strongly suggested that I get ordained to officiate weddings when her then-fiance proposed.

I wasn't mentally prepared for the idea at the time - however, per her suggestion, I DID go through the process of becoming ordained through Universal Life Church Ministries. While I went through that process, there was a key step that I'd been unaware needed to be done: I needed to file my ordination so that I could LEGALLY perform as an officiant for ceremonies.

Fast forward to the summer of 2022: along with several other things that I'd begun to take on in an effort to provide a better service for the couples that place themselves in my care, I filed the necessary paperwork so that I'm legally recognized by The State of Minnesota as a wedding officiant.

While there are some things regarding officiating that I need to do more research on (namely, what's involved in providing pre-marital counseling), I've already discovered that I REALLY enjoy the process of officiating weddings. 🥰

In one week's time, I have the privilege and honor to officiate another ceremony. No time like the present to make sure that I've got EVERYTHING that I can line up taken care of.

Excited doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about what's to come.

15/11/2024

Tonight's Office:

I haven't handled an event at The Capitol Room in YEARS.

Trevor was a guest at a wedding that I handled two years ago. When he asked if I'd be willing to travel to St. Peter, MN for his wedding, the answer was "have gear, will travel (within reason).

CONGRATULATIONS to the newly married Breyers!

14/11/2024

Against the advice of the "experts" when it comes to a small business, I've mostly been working "in silence", taking care of the couples that have placed themselves and their communities in my care during their wedding celebrations.

From the start, I really wanted my clientele; My People to mostly be found organically. Word Of Mouth; seeing me in action; having discussions at smaller Open Houses and/or tastings where I'm not competing against the noise of other Wedding Entertainers.

I met Michelle and Ben at the annual group tasting earlier this year. I remembered them well because of our conversation about the importance of the music, as well as their increased interest when I mentioned that I do officiate weddings.

The compliment that I work hardest for is some variation of Michelle's review on The Knot: "If you want to have a good time and feel taken care of, please use Steve of BTB DJ."

Thanks MUCH for the kind words, Michelle!

How did YOUR wedding entertainer(s) make you feel taken care of?

See you in the comments!

18/10/2024

Back at one of "my houses": another ceremony witnessed (with audio support) and waiting to get the Grand Entrance and dinner under way.

This should be a FUN one. 😊

14/10/2024

One of the things that I try to stress to my couples is that one of My Goals is to provide as stress-free a planning experience possible.

The job is NEVER "just playing music"; the job is doing all that I can to make that day MEMORABLE.

THANK YOU, CRISTINA, for your review and for placing yourself, your new husband and your community in my care! 😊

★★★★★ "There aren't enough words to describe my gratitude for Steve and the PEACE OF MIND he was able to give to my husband and I during our reception (and the time leading up to it!). At our final walk through meeting, my husband and I candidly told Steve that since we both spend all day ...

14/10/2024

For the Quote Board (from the Behind the Board DJ Entertainment files):

Groom-To-Be: Like, we won't have many people doing co***ne.

Bride-To-Be: This is recorded...!

Context: we were having our Final Walkthrough Meeting. At this point in the discussion, we were talking about where they believed their crowd might fall in terms of being party animals - mostly mingling as they're playing catch-up or more on the rave/rage end of the spectrum.

This was his answer, which caught both of us off guard.

One of the more interesting responses that I've heard during a planning conversation with one of my couples. 😂

13/09/2024

Part of being a business owner means that you'll sometimes be called on to do things that you aren't comfortable with. Sometimes, questions from my couples come in that turn my attention to an aspect of the job that I might not have considered previously - or didn't consider deeply enough.

The image accompanying this post is a screenshot of a project that I've worked on for one of my upcoming weddings. The bride-to-be in question wanted a mashup created for her Father/Daughter Dance.

Two years ago, I'd have tried to talk her into finding someone else to do it. The idea of mashing up songs together, while something I was interested in doing, wasn't something that I was INTERESTED in doing.

Hers is the sixth such request (some simpler than others) that I've been working on over the last two months.

I'm a hands-on learner and the increasing number of requests like this are doing what I need: giving me that hands-on learning to confidently say "YES, I can", as well as instilling increasing confidence in uttering (or typing out) those words.

"Steve! Oh my gosh it’s PERFECT!!

Thank you so much. It sounds amazing. No notes :) my Dad is in town next weekend for a family friend's wedding so we will get practicing!"

That response is only a small part of the Soul Food that comes with this part of the job. THE Soul Food...?

That comes when I watch her and her dad (and their choreography) to this on her wedding day.

I'm HYPED to see that in action.

If you're one of the couples that I'm taking care of and you have an idea that you'd like to execute to this end, reach out. Let's talk about your vision so that we can see how feasible it is.

If you're looking for wedding entertainment and are considering doing something like this for Your First Dance, a Father/Daughter or Mother/Son Dance, drop me a line or visit the BTB website for more information.