Wedding Reception | 6 March 2021 | Caitlin & Kosta | Curzon Hall, Marsfield, Sydney

Caitlin and Kosta are a beautiful couple who are just perfect together. They are caring, gentle, hilarious and fiercely loyal to their family and friends.They first met in 2016 when they were in the same class whilst doing their Honours at University and became good friends.

Their feelings for each other began to grow and around a year later Caitlin and Kosta went on their first date. The location was a Sushi Restaurant in Chatswood. By the end of that date they had shared their first kiss. Not long after, they both realised that they were falling in love.

On 2 September 2020, on a weekend away in the Blue Mountains, with the excuse of celebrating Caitlin's Birthday, Kosta had created a picture book with photos and memories of their time together and on the last page....was his marriage proposal to Caitlin. There were some happy tears, but the answer was a resounding, YES!

Now no global pandemic was ever going to stop these two getting married and celebrating with their family and friends when they wanted to :-) . So here we were just over six months from Kosta's proposal and Caitlin and Kosta said "I Do!!!". It was the most perfect day. Not too hot, not too cold, everything was just right and one way or another, everything just all fell into place.

Caitlin looked absolutely stunning and Kosta scrubbed up ok as well ;-) , but beyond the appearances, for me, it was the deep connection that they shared. A love that has been growing over the last few years, a love that has made them much more beautiful people. It was such an honour for myself to be invited to preside over the reception as their MC.

In the end, it was a wonderful evening as we celebrated their love and their lifelong commitment.....and despite the Covid restrictions, we were blessed that dancing restrictions were eased just before their wedding and a maximum of 30 were permitted to dance at any time, which everybody adhered to. This meant that there was no problem with the Greek Dancing or the normal dancing.

From all accounts everyone had a wonderful time at a wedding which was elegant, fun and full of happiness. Caitlin and Kosta, as you start this new journey in life, may every day hold wonderful shared experiences!. May you always find in each other the love, laughter and happiness that only best friends and partners in life share!

Photography by DJ:Plus! Entertainment

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Key Songs

• Bride's Parents Entry: "I Gotta Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas

• Groom's Parents Entry: "Smooth" by Rob Thomas & Santana

• Flower Girl & Page Boy Entry: "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge

• Bridesmaid & Groomsman Entry: "Canned Heat" by Jamiroquai

• Matron Of Honour & Best Man Entry: "Can You Feel It" by The Jacksons

• Bride & Groom Entry: "Build Me Up Buttercup" by The Foundations

• Cake Cutting: "Stuck On You" by Huey Lewis & The News

• First Dance: "You Make It Real" by James Morrison (Live & Acoustic Version)

• Final Farewell Song: "I've Had the Time Of My Life" by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes

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Other Wedding Professionals


Master of Ceremonies (MC): Serge from DJ:Plus!

Photographer: Weddings By Tim

Videographer: C2 Films

DJ: J J K Entertainment

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Wedding Song Remake - Perfect by Conkarah

Conkarah is a Jamaican artist who is a prolific, reggae singer and songwriter whose singles and videos are staples at reggae clubs across the globe. Ed Sheeran of course has had many hits over the last few years with many songs being favourites for weddings. "Perfect" was one such song and is still popular for weddings today.

Some time ago, Conkarah recorded a reggae cover of this song which I absolutely love and would be, dare I say it, perfect for a beach register signing or an upbeat first dance. There is also a duet version with Rosie Delmah. Check them both out below!

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Booking A DJ Or MC Solely On Price

Image courtesy of Netflix

I'm constantly amazed at the number of enquiries that I receive from couples who "just want a price." A number without knowing what you're getting, or if your needs can be met, has absolutely no value. If you care enough about your wedding celebration, then you should at least speak with your potential DJ or MC.

Booking solely based on price, somewhat increases the possibility that your entertainer;

1. is not able to deliver on your needs and wants due to inexperience,
2. does the exact same thing at every wedding and no effort is made to uniquely personalise to each couple,
3. is no longer in business (believe it or not, nearly every DJ or MC has received desperate calls because their entertainer just cancelled on them),
4. just announces and has no knowledge as to the complete role of an MC or flow of a wedding,
5. has no backup equipment or contingencies in place,
6. never invests in themselves to improve their skills, and/or
7. does not have insurance to cover you, the venue and themselves in the event of a mishap.

If your wedding is important to you that you wish to meet with a true wedding professional, someone who constantly undertakes training to deliver the best possible outcome, someone who genuinely cares about you and and your celebration, someone who is able to make many suggestions to create your vision, someone who can help make your wedding day an extraordinary experience for you and your guests, then you should make time to speak or meet with your DJ or MC. 

If you "just want a price", then there will be DJ or MC Entertainers that just won't be the right fit for you. Here's wishing you the best of luck for a truly beautiful wedding and hoping that you have a strong risk tolerance.

Your wedding day only happens once; make sure you hire a DJ or MC who gets it right!

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DJ:Plus! Entertainment Winner At 2020 LUXlife Magazine Global Wedding Awards

LUXlife magazine has announced the winners of the 2020 Global Wedding Awards.

There are few industries that demand excellence in the way that the wedding industry does. All things considered, it’s to be expected. After all, weddings are one of those life milestone events. A dreamlike day defined by perfection.

Naturally then, it takes a special company or individual to distinguish themselves from their exemplary peers. Yet, the wedding industry has long been forged, shaped and driven by these paragons. The Global Wedding Awards was launched to recognise the extraordinary work of companies all over the world who shine brightest.

DJ:Plus! Entertainment is extremely proud to be a winner in these awards for the third consecutive year! The Global Wedding Awards are based on merit, not the number of votes received. The process works to ensure that they reward parties based on their excellence in the industry, the quality of their products and their dedication to service.

Excited to advise that DJ:Plus! Entertainment has been awarded "Best Wedding DJ & MC 2020 - New South Wales". Thank to all the beautiful couples that invest their trust in me, allow me to witness the love they share and play a part in creating beautiful memories why I hope they can always look back on fondly - I am truly grateful!

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To Dance Or Not To Dance - Is Not The Question

With the recent pandemic and wedding receptions being put on hold, or only being permitted with limited numbers, whilst observing restrictive social distancing parameters, I have noticed that there has been a significant number of couples commenting in various Facebook Wedding Groups that even if they fell within the restrictions, they would not consider having their wedding reception, because of the "no dancing" restriction. No or limited dancing appears to be the biggest 'deal breaker' in proceeding with their wedding.

The reason for this is obvious! A wedding reception is a celebration of love. Communities, religions and individuals world-wide celebrate marriage as it is a rite of passage, the joining together of two people who’ve decided to turn two lives into one. Many couples have already pictured their wedding filled with smiles, laughter, fun and the creation of much joy and excitement (after all, isn't this what timeless memories are made of?), and accordingly, are not prepared to compromise on their dream wedding.

Image Courtesy of The Loved Ones

Why are they not willing to compromise? One of the major elements of any celebration is dancing. People just love to dance! In some cultures, it is ingrained in their heritage. Dancing is the single greatest opportunity guests will have to collectively express the happiness they hold for the couple and when they all join together on the dance floor and create an energy that can only be generated by those that are endeared by the couple, it is quite the moment, plus lots of fun!.

The Facebook Wedding Groups are filled with comments such as; "What’s a wedding without dancing? 😭", "A wedding is not a wedding without dancing.", "Now we can have all our loved ones at our wedding but no dancing? It’s not a wedding without it. 😢", "No wedding is complete without dancing.", "I’m not having a wedding without dancing 😑" and many more similar posts by couples who in the midst of a pandemic, are realising the real impact that entertainment has on a wedding reception and it is far, far greater than many thought it may have been prior to having been placed in a position where they now need to choose between having a wedding with no dancing or postponing until they are permitted to have dancing.

Over the years, numerous surveys conducted with couples following their wedding, have unanimously revealed that couples, would have spent more money on quality entertainment, if they had known the true impact that it would have on creating wonderful wedding memories prior to the wedding. Sadly however, it is the element which, except in the most minor of instances, is not given the priority warranted and left to very late in the planning process, by which time, they find that the majority of the budget has been depleted and many, are subsequently potentially constrained to a low cost and/or less experienced option.

Image Courtesy of The Nook

One major reason that couples have not appreciated the value that professional entertainment brings to their wedding, I feel is largely due that for far too long many wedding publications, venues, wedding planners and coordinators have referred to wedding entertainment as "the music" which has led to most couples undervaluing the importance of exceptional, personalised wedding entertainment. However, the reality is that music cannot create a successful reception by itself and is just one element which factors into the entertainment equation, otherwise couples would not be reacting the way they have been, in regards to the no dancing restriction.

Some of the other elements for providing great entertainment include setting the tone, ensuring the smooth flow of proceedings, seamless transitions, keeping the guests engaged, constantly reading the crowd, programming skills, room layout, knowing how to create special moments, excitement and much more! If all these elements are executed correctly, couples are much more likely to have a dance floor filled with family and friends celebrating with them actually creating those wonderful memories they envisioned.

In conclusion, my hope is that this pandemic will shortly be a distant memory and that all couples who have had their wedding plans disrupted can proceed with the wedding celebration of their dreams. I also hope that future couples will now better appreciate the real impact that entertainment has on the success of their wedding celebration and prioritise securing the entertainment, be it an MC, DJ or Live Musicians, not only far earlier in the planning process, but also allowing a more appropriate percentage of the budget to secure experienced and professional, seasoned entertainers who will ensure that their dreams are realised.

Image Courtesy of Jack Chauvel Photography

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ABIA Wedding Industry Awards, 10 December 2019

On Tuesday the 11th of December 2019, DJ:Plus! Entertainment was very proud to once again be a finalist in the 22nd New South Wales' ABIA Wedding Industry Awards for the nineteenth consecutive year. ABIA congratulated DJ:Plus! Entertainment on its achievement as one of New South Wales' Best Wedding Businesses!

DJ:Plus! Entertainment has previously won the NSW Award six times and achieved runner-up and third status many times over the years, but being a finalist and considered one of the best in New South Wales is truly an honour. Given that in 2019 ABIA introduced an quantity criteria in determining the results, which makes it more difficult for a business model like DJ:Plus! Entertainment as it focuses on quality not quantity and as such does not accept more than 25 weddings in any twelve month period, to qualify against those that can potentially perform at a 100 or more weddings a year, is in itself most gratifying in the regard that my couples value the service provided so highly.

Leading a successful business in the saturated wedding marketplace can prove to be a difficult challenge. ABIA went on to say that it is wedding-brands like DJ:Plus! Entertainment that continually strives to improve and deliver the best service possible which can give couples assurance and confidence when planning their wedding day.

As always, a huge thank you goes to each and everyone of my beautiful couples who invest their trust in me, this trust is truly valued and drives me to deliver on expectations each and every time! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!! ~ Serge

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