Funomenon Entertainment

Some Food For Thought...

If keeping your guests involved and appropriatley entertained is of the highest priority to you, then you might ask yourself this question: "How big of a role will the quality of my entertainment play in the overall success of my reception?"

In post-reception surveys that were tabulated by DJ's who are members of DiscJockeyAmerica.com (an online forum where professional Mobile DJ's from around the world share ideas for creating better performances and improving their services), clients who made entertainment a high priority for their receptions answered the above question by stating that the quality of the entertainment they had was 80% (or more) responsible for the success of their receptions.

For years, many have said, "the music makes or breaks the reception." But, the truth is that music is just one part of the overall services that professional wedding entertainment will commonly provide to ensure a great reception that is continuously entertaining for all your guests. The statement would ring more true by saying "the entertainment makes or breaks the reception".

It's eye-opening to note that the popular wedding magazines, books, and TV shows will never give you advice on how to order "film", because wedding photographers are already recognized as professionals and artists with unique talents, skills and personal styles. Yet those same bridal information resources are constantly offering tips for selecting "music" for your reception. Music is one of several elements that professional wedding entertainers will regularly provide. But if music were all that you needed to provide an entertaining reception, the result would be and extended cocktail hour . The entertainment at a wedding (whether you hire a DJ or a band) also typically serves as the Master of Ceremonies by announcing the formalities in an appropriate manner. The entertainment will help you plan the agenda to ensure the proper pacing needed to prevent your guests from becoming bored. The entertainment should communicate with you, your parents, your wedding party members, and your other vendors behind the scenes in an ongoing manner, keeping your reception agenda on track and flowing smoothly. The entertainment should also brainstorm with you to develop personalized moments that will leave your guests with lasting memories of your unforgettable celebration. Quality entertainment requires professionalism, artistry, and unique talent and skill, so don't be fooled into thinking that someone who will "just push play" on a CD player can make your reception fun and entertaining.

In a survey that was featured in St Louis Bride & Groom Magazine in July of 2003, brides who were surveyed within weeks of their wedding were asked, in retrospect, what they wished they had done differently when making their budget and hiring their vendors. 78% of them said the wished they had given top priority to their decision about entertainment, and 72% of them wished they had spent more time researching before they had made their entertainment. That's a pretty high percentage of wedding clients who appear to be looking back at their recent entertainment decisions with buyer's remorse.

Nearly 100% of them said that, in retrospect, they would have gladly set aside more money from their budgets in an effort to secure a better quality of entertainment. This may be the result of the current budget suggestions in bridal magazines and popular bridal books that recommend setting aside only 5% to 10% of your total budget for the purpose of securing "music". But, as I mentioned earlier, music cannot create a successful reception by itself. Overall, entertainment service is what really sets the tone, keeps the agenda flowing smoothly, and maintains the ongoing interest of the guests. Therefore it is my suggestion and conviction that investing more in the quality of entertainment that you desire for your reception is not a risk, but rather an investment in the overall success of your reception. How much is the success of your reception really worth? Is 15% of your total budget a fair amount? How about 25%? My goal in addressing these issues is not to convince you that certain price range is correct or reasonable, but rather to expose you to this information in the hopes that your decisions in regards to your budget will be made with your most important priorities in mind.

In seminars and articles he has produced for the Mobile DJ industry, Mark Ferrell has repeatedly said, "The amount a person spends on entertainment is directly proportional to the quality of entertainment they will receive which is directly proportional to the overall success of their reception". When movie producers want to make a successful comedy, they have been known to invest up to 25 million to secure Jim Carrey as the lead actor in the film. They are willing to spend this much because they recognize that Jim Carrey's track record and fan base ensures a film that will make at least $100 million, if not more, in return. How different is the entertainment you will select for your reception? Sure, your definition of a successful reception is much different than the definition of success for a blockbuster hit comedy movie, but the responsibility that Jim Carrey will have in making the movie successful is very similar to the responsibilty that your entertainment will carry in ensuring that your reception will be a success as well.