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Wed, 08/12/2020
As the summer temperatures increase, we thought we would bring some additional heat with the first of a two part Vendor Spotlight featuring some very exciting people: DJ’s! Keep reading for an informative Q&A filled with valuable insights and tips on selecting the perfect DJ for your event.
First on the docket is Dave Gilbert, Owner and 
Creator of PartyTime DJ’s. According to Dave, “PartyTime DJ’s are the best in the business when it comes to weddings. Our professional DJ’s not only play great music, they are crowd motivators, and act as ‘master of ceremonies’ to coordinate and direct the reception.”
Q. What do you love most about being a special events DJ?
A. Unlike some of the other events we do (like night clubs), special events, especially weddings, have a different crowd every night with all age ranges. It is a special challenge since so many genres of music are included from country to hip-hop to the classics. The wedding is one of the most important days in a couple’s life and we are honored to be able to help them celebrate with their guests and make it come to life.
Q. What services do you offer?
A. We represent some of the most talented DJs in the state, but also add in some fun extras like photo booths, special lighting and video montage slide shows.
Q. What does a typical event day look like for you?
A. Well, the unglamorous part is all the set up and the break down before and after an event. It is a long day, but well worth it. Often at the Lace House, we are also helping with ceremony music which is a completely different thing that we do apart from the party section.
Q. What is the best part of your job?
A. The people, the smiles, just seeing people enjoy themselves and celebrate. It is pure gold!
Q. From your experience, what should couples and clients ask a potential DJ in the interview process?
A. Make sure you hire a DJ who has lots of experience with weddings and is well-versed in how to manage an event and a dance floor. Many time’s we are the director of the party. Ask people in the business who they recommend, because they know who does a great job.
Q. What makes you unique from other wedding and event DJs?
A. I believe it is our experience and also the time we take to make sure all the details are perfect. We meet with the bride and groom several times before the wedding and go over every little detail. Again, we are basically the director for the party.
Connect with PartyTime DJ’s via their website, Instagram or email!
https://partytimesc.com/ 
@partytime.dj 
davegilbert@partytimesc.com
Next, we spoke with Kevin Snow, Owner and creator of Events by Snow. Kevin Snow graduated with a degree in Theatre Education from Winthrop University. After several years of teaching high school theatre and public speaking, he launched Events by Snow in 2011. His name quickly grew, earning him many recurring awards ranging from Free-Times Best of Columbia to Pick of The Knot.
Q. What do you love most about being a special events DJ?
A. Being creative, entertaining people and the arts are very important to me and tightly knitted to being a special event DJ. I love the opportunity to use my artistic skills and talents to enhance a client's vision. Aside from that, it is exciting to meet so many people and be a part of so many parties. You never know who is going to be on the other end when a call comes through. I once DJed a cast party for the stars of Days of Our Lives.
Q. What services do you offer?
A. - Live, interactive DJing with music and music videos
- Speaking/Event Host
- Studio music production, recording, mixing and remixing
- Karaoke
- Live and Virtual Trivia
- Special Event Lighting (dance lights, monogram projections, up lighting)
- Special FX (video slideshows, sparkler machines, fog, projection mapping)
Q. What does a typical event day look like for you?
A. Preparing for an event has many elements that begin days (and sometimes weeks) before the actual event day. This can be anything from consultations with clients to creating music and designing their visions.
However, using a wedding day as an example:
I usually arrive at least two hours in advance and prepare the ceremony and reception sites with sound systems. After sound check I begin to set up any additional features that are requested (lighting, videos, etc.). Then, I'll take a moment to relax and change into attire that fits the party. Just before guests arrive I turn on music to set the atmosphere.
From that point forward, I'm selecting music, working with the other vendors and making necessary announcements to facilitate the flow and energy of the party. There are several parts into which most wedding days are divided: pre-ceremony, ceremony, cocktail hour, grand entrances/spotlight dances, dinner, early dance party, fully engaged dance party, exits. Each part takes communication with the wedding planner, photographer and other vendors to guarantee smooth transitions. Even though I am DJing and keeping your guests entertained, playing their favorite songs, my other role is to make sure everyone is on board before moving to the next part of the event.
Q. What is the best part of your job?
A. Oftentimes I have guests (and vendors) tell me that I completely exceeded what they've ever experienced or expected from a DJ. That is truly a great feeling. I work really hard to create the best experience for everyone involved. Beyond that, I simply love music and entertaining people.
Q. From your experience, what should couples and clients ask a potential DJ in the interview process?
A. There are many questions you could ask your DJ. A quick Google Search will provide you with tons of good ideas for the interview process. The key is that you take the time to look through those questions and find what is most important to you. Then, find the DJ that really fits your style and vision.
Q. What makes you unique from other wedding and event DJs?
A. From a business perspective, one thing that sets me apart from my competition is that I am a solo-operated business. My company provides DJ services to one wedding or special event on a booked date. This allows all of my resources, attention and exclusivity to be unique to your special day.
Q. What is one thing people do not typically know about your business that you wish they did?
A. All DJs are not one and the same. Many weddings and events have a wide demographic of guests. It is important for your DJ to have knowledge of various styles of music and a personality to relate to large groups of people. DJing a high-end event is not as simple as playing a Spotify playlist. Your DJ should be able to operate and maximize professional equipment to fit your venue. There is a high degree of sociability, professionalism, technical skill and music theory that is needed to be a great DJ.
Your DJ needs to respect his or her business with the same care you put into your wedding or event. If your event may or may not happen and is a low budget affair, you will be pricing yourself with DJs who may or may not show up to work. My business literally has my name on it. My attention to your event is the same as if I was hosting the event myself.
Connect with Events by Snow via their website, Instagram or email!
https://www.eventsbysnow.com/ @events_by_snow djsnowmusic@gmail.com
Moving on, we chatted with Cameron Glover, Owner of Big Time Entertainment. In 2005, the company Big Time DJs was formed, and owner Cameron offered only DJ services. Now, Big Time offers a plethora of services such as dance floor light shows, slide show related services, a/v screens for memories slide shows, live photo slide shows and music videos as well as up lighting & monogram spotlights.
Since owner Cameron Glover had a background in the music industry as a vocalist and knew several musicians and bands, he reached out to many of his contacts and started booking them for ceremonies, cocktail hours, and dinners. It did not take long for Cameron to realize that everything that Big Time DJs provided was broadly related to entertainment, so he changed the name in 2008 to Big Time Entertainment. 2009 marked the year in which Big Time Entertainment started adding new DJs. Some were brand new to the industry and were trained for a minimum of 1 year before performing and others already had over 10 years of experience.
Now, the company has 7 DJs, 3 Bands, over 20 different musicians, and provides the latest, top of the line lighting, audio visual equipment, pipe & drape, and photo booths. Big Time Entertainment has performed for large events with 15,000 people as well as small events with only 15 people so, no event is too big or too small.
Q. What do you love most about being a special events DJ?
A. We love the smiles that we bring to people’s faces through music as guests of all ages have fun on the dance floor.
Q. What services do you offer?
A. DJs, Bands, Musicians, Custom Event Lighting, Photo Booths, Audio/Visual Equipment, Slide Shows, Draping/Fabric, and more!
Q. What does a typical event day look like for you? 
A. 9:00am – Eat breakfast
10 am - Prepare the music selections from the client
11 am – Prepare the slide show presentation from the client
Noon – Loading the trailer with the equipment for the event
1pm – Eat Lunch
2pm – Drive to event venue
2:30 pm – 5:30 pm – Set up for event
6:00 pm –10:00pm – Provide contracted services for event
10:00 pm - 11:00 pm – Break down equipment
11:00pm – 11:30 pm – Drive home
Q. What is the best part of your job?
A. Besides playing music for people, the best part of my job is having a client come up to me at the end of the night to say, “That was the best party ever! Thank you for everything you did! It was perfect!”
Q. From your experience, what should couples and clients ask a potential DJ in the interview process?
A. Do you have multiple DJs that we can consider? If so, will you have a back-up DJ available in case ours has an emergency the day of our event? Are you capable of playing any song that is requested, both prior to the event as well as during the event?
Q. What makes you unique from other wedding and event DJs?
A. We have been told that we are very responsive and informative when clients reach out to us with inquiries or questions.
Q. What is one thing people do not typically know about your business that you wish they did?
A. We have a special event party band that was specifically formed for weddings and other special events that plays a wide variety of top covers that are favorites for dancing.
Connect with Big Time Entertainment via their website, Instagram or email!
http://www.wearebigtime.com/ @wearebigtime cameron@wearebigtime.com
We hope you enjoyed the insights we received from our fellow industry partners. Stay tuned for part two featuring two more great DJ companies that often work at the Lace House! If you are planning a wedding or event in the Columbia area, please reach out to the entertaining DJs mentioned in this blog. Happy planning!
For more information regarding the Lace House, email us at lacehouse@scprt.com or call us at 803-737-2235. We look forward to hearing from you!
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@SouthCarolinaLaceHouse 
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