DJ Brian Anderson
Weddings have an amazing number of moving parts. Food, flowers, photography, cake-cutting, toasts, intros, exits, first dances, father/daughter dances, mother/son dances, announcements, entertainment. Whew! That’s a lot! So what is a wedding’s secret weapon? Us.
You need a quarterback!
Your event needs someone to quarterback the action. That’s where we come in. As an Alabama DJ event company that specializes in weddings, we are far more than DJs. We are MCs … and quarterbacks! When your team is on the field, we keep everyone moving in the right direction with the precision of a Tom Brady so each play comes off with finesse.
Shockingly good equipment
Decor lighting upgrades the look of your venue
Yes, we’ll play your favorite music on shockingly good equipment that fills your venue with clear, pure music. Yes, we will keep your dance floor packed by creating an atmosphere of delirious fun. Yes, we’ll upgrade the entire visual impact of your venue with artistic lighting design.
And, yes, for good measure, we’ll double the fun by bringing photo booth, a guarantee that the last place your guests will want to spend their time is in their seat!
Coordination is the key
All of that is wonderful. But what makes all the difference when you go with DJ Brian Anderson is the professional flair with which we coordinate the rest of the ‘team.’ Announcements are made at exactly the right time in coordination with the caterer and the venue’s staff.
Photo booth doubles the fun
We know the top photographers and videographers and work seamlessly with them to not only make their job easier, but their finished product better.
Weddings require teamwork. We’re team players that make it easier for your vendors to work together to make your wedding reception perfect.
We’re getting booked up
So, what is an Alabama wedding’s secret weapon? DJ Brian Anderson. We’re getting busy again. Check out our availability right now to see if we can make your date work. Thank-you, and congratulations on your upcoming celebration!
How do you give a witty wedding toast? It’s easy: borrow from the masters. Search engines make it very easy to mine a treasure trove of wedding witticisms.
Some reading this are naturally witty and don’t need to read further. However, most of us future wedding toasters could use a little help. Many online wedding witticisms tend to be on the sarcastic side, like Johnny Carson’s thoughts on the subject:
“Married men live longer than single men. But married men are a lot more willing to die.” – Johnny Carson
Keep in mind that Mr. Carson was married four times, so perhaps he’s not the best arbiter of what is a sound marriage. If you used a quote like this, you can transform it from caustic into sweet with just a little massaging, something like this:
“As I stand before you tonight to honor my friend, [name], and his beautiful new wife, [name], I am reminded of a funny one-liner from legendary talk show host, Johnny Carson, who said:
“Married men live longer than single men. But married men are a lot more willing to die.”
Funny, isn’t it?
But Johnny Carson didn’t know [groom’s name]. I DO know him, and ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you that this man WOULD die if that’s what it took to protect [bride’s name].
Yes, it’s important to keep a sense of humor in a marriage, and this couple knows how to do that. But even more, it’s important for a man to be a man when the stakes are high. There is no doubt that this man would lay down his life for the woman he loves.
That’s true love.
Would you all please raise your glass and join me in honoring this couple who testify to the beauty of true love!”
Witty. Warm. And yet not a bit wordy. You can give a toast like this in less than a minute.
Do you know what else you can do in less than a minute? Check on our availability for your upcoming wedding celebration. DJ Brian Anderson is the wedding entertainment specialist who knows how to pack a dance floor all night long. Click here now to learn more.
DJ Brian Anderson
Weddings have an amazing number of moving parts. Food, flowers, photography, cake-cutting, toasts, intros, exits, first dances, father/daughter dances, mother/son dances, announcements, entertainment. Whew! That’s a lot! So what is a wedding’s secret weapon? Us.
You need a quarterback!
Your event needs someone to quarterback the action. That’s where we come in. As an Alabama DJ event company that specializes in weddings, we are far more than DJs. We are MCs … and quarterbacks! When your team is on the field, we keep everyone moving in the right direction with the precision of a Tom Brady so each play comes off with finesse.
Shockingly good equipment
Decor lighting upgrades the look of your venue
Yes, we’ll play your favorite music on shockingly good equipment that fills your venue with clear, pure music. Yes, we will keep your dance floor packed by creating an atmosphere of delirious fun. Yes, we’ll upgrade the entire visual impact of your venue with artistic lighting design.
And, yes, for good measure, we’ll double the fun by bringing photo booth, a guarantee that the last place your guests will want to spend their time is in their seat!
Coordination is the key
All of that is wonderful. But what makes all the difference when you go with DJ Brian Anderson is the professional flair with which we coordinate the rest of the ‘team.’ Announcements are made at exactly the right time in coordination with the caterer and the venue’s staff.
Photo booth doubles the fun
We know the top photographers and videographers and work seamlessly with them to not only make their job easier, but their finished product better.
Weddings require teamwork. We’re team players that make it easier for your vendors to work together to make your wedding reception perfect.
We’re getting booked up
So, what is an Alabama wedding’s secret weapon? DJ Brian Anderson. We’re getting busy again. Check out our availability right now to see if we can make your date work. Thank-you, and congratulations on your upcoming celebration!
The Swedish rock group, Abba, had an uncanny knack for churning out hit songs. They sold some 200 million records worldwide, including nine #1 hits. With so many great songs in their library, what are the best Abba songs for weddings?
Here are a few for you to consider. Let’s start with a great proposal song:
Take a Chance on Me
I have a dream
Weddings are all about dreams. This songs speaks to your dreams:
Here is a sample of the lyrics:
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I’ll cross the stream – I have a dream.
I do, I do, I do, I do, I do
Talk about wedding vows with impact!
Love me or leave me
Make your choice but believe me
I love you
I do, I do, I do, I do, I do.
Sold! What a great wedding song.
Dancing Queen
Once we start playing this song at your reception, watch out! There will be a mad rush to the dance floor! And we’ll keep the hits rolling all night long, whether we’re playing Abba or any of your other favorites.
Let’s face it, though, Abba knows how to write a catchy song! Let us know which ones you’d like us to play. Don’t forget that DJ Brian Anderson provides online planning tools to help you build your playlist.
You know, one of the greatest composers of movie scores ever is John Williams. As I’ve listened to his music over the years, it hit me that the music from Star Wars alone would work beautifully in a wedding ceremony, which leads to the theme of today’s blog: ever thought about a Star Wars wedding?
The Imperial March Theme
Think about it: the Imperial March theme would work perfectly for the groom’s entrance. This is rugged, masculine music. Perfect!
Main Star Wars Theme
For the bridal party entrance, how about the Star Wars Main Theme? This is majestic music! The opening fanfare alone gets hearts racing in anticipation of a regal affair fit for royalty!
Princess Leia’s Theme
Now for the bride’s entrance, we need music more ethereal, feminine, and simply more lovely. How about Princess Leia’s theme? Perfect:
Okay, we’re ready for the dramatic recessional song. This is the one where the officiant proclaims: “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. John Smith!” which sets the stage for triumphant music that propels the happy couple down the aisle to their waiting chariot. (You get the idea!)
A New Hope Ending Theme
Felix Mendelssohn’s classic “Wedding March” from his 1842 production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” has been the go-to march song for contemporary couples. However, if you’re itching for a Star Wars Wedding, listen to the “New Hope Ending Theme:”
Wow! The opening 18 second fanfare is a direct challenge to Mr. Mendelssohn’s opening fanfare. Clearly, John Williams was inspired by Mendelssohn. Many think he surpasses the master with this awesome piece of music.
As the opening 18 seconds play, your officiant makes the marriage declaration above, timed to for you to swivel and make your grand exit to Williams’ exultant, hopeful music.
A Star Wars wedding!
If you had never heard of Star Wars, this is music many, many couples would embrace for its sheer impact. For some, the fact that it is identifiable with Star Wars is a deal-maker; for others, it’s a deal-killer.
The new classical music
Here’s the thing: movie sound tracks are the new classical music. They offer symphonic-based recordings with catchy, recognizable themes. Some couples hire a piano player to play them at their wedding ceremony, as we’ve written before.
But many couples demand more than a piano. They want the entire symphony orchestra! That’s where we come in. We are the affordable option for couples who want grand, symphonic music without paying for an entire orchestra.
Yes, you know DJ Brian Anderson as the go-to company for dance-floor-packing wedding reception entertainment, but don’t forget that we are available for your ceremony, too. We reinforce this great music with top-flight, professional equipment which exudes clear, controlled sound.
Whether a Star Wars Wedding is your thing or not, DJ Brian Anderson can play the customized playlist on your Alabama wedding day that ensures the ‘force’ is with you! Check our availability today without obligation.
No one likes divorce. No one goes into marriage thinking about divorce. That’s why this blogpost subject is hard to write about. And yet, according to the divorce specialists at www.DivorceMag.com, the incidence of divorce drops by up to 30% among couples who get pre-marital counseling.
Most couples get marriage counseling when things start to go wrong in their marriage. Problems emerge when couples don’t communicate well; when they can’t resolve conflicts effectively; and when they don’t share common expectations.
These common problems are fixable, and even better, can be greatly reduced or even avoided with pre-marital counseling.
Marriages have common flash points, such as:
- Money issues.
- Family planning.
- Infidelity.
- Sex and intimacy.
- Forgiveness.
- Humility.
Broadly speaking, you’ll find two types of pre-marital counseling: secular and religious.
How do you find a good secular counselor? Check out the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (www.aamft.org). They provide links to credentialed professionals in your area.
You can find a variety of religious counselors depending on your particular religious affiliation. The largest one is the Catholic Church’s Pre-Cana courses required of all Catholics planning to get married in a Catholic church.
Pre-Cana courses focus on:
√ Spirituality/faith
√ Conflict resolution skills
√ Careers
√ Finances
√ Intimacy/cohabitation
√ Children
√ Commitment
Where the church sees spiritual beauty in marriage, the medical community sees good health. Married couples are healthier and happier than their single or co-habitating counterparts. That’s why America’s leading medical institute, the Mayo Clinic, also recommends pre-marital counseling.
Stress and conflict aren’t conducive to good health. Pre-marital counseling reduces both to unleash the full, therapeutic benefits of marriage.
As you plan your wedding day, consider pre-marriage counseling. Do you need it? Maybe not, but your relationship is so worth it.
[As you plan your wedding day, let DJ Brian Anderson, take control of the entertainment ‘health’ of your event. There’s something about packed dance floors everyone finds to be therapeutic! Check our availability today.]
Thanks to the pandemic, outdoor weddings are more popular than ever. The Wedding Wire surveyed 7000 couples last year to quantify the tremendous boost enjoyed by outdoor wedding venues.
Outdoor ceremonies increased by 11% over 2019; outdoor wedding receptions soared by 16%. In all, 60% of receptions were either fully or partially outside, according to Wedding Wire, when compared to just 43% in 2019.
The top types of outdoor venues include:
- Home
- Barns/Farms
- Banquet Halls
- Country Clubs
- Historical Buildings/Homes
Outdoor venues have tremendous advantages in terms of safety during a pandemic. We don’t expect their popularity to decline any time soon.
We’ve written about the obvious downsides of outdoor wedding ceremonies before, namely, the uncertainty of the weather. Although we can’t control the weather, we can control another dicey element of outdoor events: the sound.
Mother Nature isn’t always cooperative!
Outdoor events are noisy. Mother Nature is not always cooperative, and her birds and bugs and breezes can kick off more background noise than you realize.
You need more than ‘loud’ sound reinforcement, you need ‘clear’ sound reinforcement, and that’s what we provide: clear, controlled volume to rise above Mother Nature without blasting out your guests’ eardrums! Let’s face it, there’s a difference between off-the-shelf PA electronics from a big box store and the professional-caliber systems we provide. No comparison.
Sometimes, electricity isn’t conveniently located at outdoor events, necessitating the use of long cables to power up amps, speakers, and mics.
DJ Brian Anderson is up to these challenges to ensure your outdoor event comes off without a hitch. As outdoor weddings increase in popularity, so does audio expertise. That’s what we offer along with a dance-floor packing DJ/MC! Popular dates book real fast for popular outdoor venues … and for us … so check on our availability today.
Your cake-cutting ceremony is the perfect occasion for a fun song. Couples tend to gravitate towards sweet and frothy musical confections to put a smile on their guests’ faces.
DJ Brian Anderson can suggest some fun ones, beginning with Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman.” This 2006 hit pays homage to the Andrew Sisters big band sound during the World War II era:
For those familiar with the genre, this song is meant as a send-up of “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company C.” Be forewarned, though, that the lyrics are fairly racy. Here’s a PG-13 sample:
Well, by now I’m getting all bothered and hot
When he kissed my mouth, he really hit the spot
He had lips like sugar cane (oh!)
Good things come for boys who wait.
Not to be outdone, Aguilera’s rival, Gwen Stefani, released her own ‘bon bon’ of a song the same year, only hers was called, “The Sweet Escape:”
The dance-pop style is totally fun, as you can see in the video above, even if the lyrics are totally lame:
Woo-who, yee-who
Cause I’ve been acting like sour milk all on the floor
It’s your fault you didn’t shut the refrigerator
Maybe that’s the reason I’ve been acting so cold
If I could escape (escape).
But for a cake-cutting ceremony, fun music matters more than lame lyrics!
Here’s a recipe for a great cake-cutting song: Harry Connick Jr. Check out this delightful big band song, “Recipe for Love.”
The lyrics are nice and sweet, perfect for the cake-cutting ceremony:
A little bit of me and a whole lot of you,
Add a dash of starlight and a dozen roses, too.
Then let it rise for a hundred years or two
And that’s a recipe for making love.
Sara Bareilles wrote a happy pop ballad that would work beautifully during your cake-cutting:
The lyrics are optimistic (and family-friendly):
Tell the world that we finally got it all right,
I choose you,
I will become yours and you will become mine.
DJ Brian Anderson has the sweetest collection of cake-cutting songs around for your Alabama wedding. We’ll help make this wedding tradition better than ever! Planning your wedding? Give us a call: 256-638-3535. Let us know what your ideas are. We can make them happen.
Wedding celebrations are beautiful. They’re all about love, except when you spend beyond your means. Sadly, it’s easy to overspend because of a human condition called ‘wedding one-upmanship.’ But there’s a cure. More on that in a second.
You know how wedding one-upmanship works. You get engaged and begin nosing around Instagram. Wow, you see some pretty cool stuff and decide you ‘have to have it’ for YOUR wedding! But it’s pricey.
And then you think back to your friend’s recent wedding and all the cool things they did. Something inside you whispers in your ear that you’ve got to outdo them. And suddenly your wedding budget is on the road to ruin!
Food, decorations, flowers, jewelry, hair, makeup, clothing, booze, photographers, etc., are all wonderful components of your wedding celebration until you let them spin out of control in an orgy of wedding one-upmanship, leading to a mountain of stressful bills.
The cure to wedding one-upmanship
I promised a cure. It is simple: fun.
‘Fun’ is the cure for wedding one-upmanship. When people are having fun at your Huntsville wedding celebration, they don’t focus on how many flowers you have or the fancy entree served at the reception. And here’s what’s really interesting: fun tends to kick in when people aren’t sitting down. It kicks in when they’re on their feet doing one of two things:
- Dancing.
- Having crazy, fun, happy pics taken at the photobooth.
DJ Brian Anderson creates wedding fun
DJ Brian Anderson is the wedding DJ with a gift for packing dance floors at weddings. We play the songs you love performed by your favorite artists on the best equipment around, MCed with impeccable flair.
When your guests need a break, watch them flock to our Photo Booth for a giddy session they’ll remember long after you return from your honeymoon.
Here’s what’s crazy: you can usually get BOTH of these great services for less than you’d pay a good wedding band.
When people are having this much fun, there’s no need to try to impress them with budget-busting extras. DJ Brian Anderson is the smart solution for sensible couples who want to live within their means without scrimping on the fun. Check us out.
Spotify assembled a list of top modern wedding songs. At the head of the list was the hit song, “Shallow,” from the movie, “A Star is Born.” It’s a nice duet between Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. Take a listen:
Frankly, the lyrics aren’t all that impressive for a wedding. Here’s an excerpt:
“I’m off the deep end, watch as I dive in
I’ll never meet the ground
Crash through the surface, where they can’t hurt us
We’re far from the shallow now.”
Number two on the list is “Sucker” by Jonas Brothers. It features a nice, pop beat with minimal instrumentation, as you can hear:
The lyrics aren’t exactly sublime, but they certainly fit the mood of a wedding:
I’m a sucker for you
You say the word and I’ll go anywhere blindly
I’m a sucker for you, yeah
Any road you take, you know that you’ll find me
I’m a sucker for all the subliminal things
No one knows about you (About you), about you (About you)
And you’re makin’ the typical me break my typical rules
It’s true, I’m a sucker for you, yeah.
Speaking of suckers, everyone is a sucker for Taylor Swift, who has a knack for writing catchy tunes that tell interesting stories. Like her 2008: Love Story, # 3 on Spotify’s list of top wedding songs: Take a listen:
The best modern wedding songs tell an interesting story. Swift does just that by connecting a love affair to Romeo and Juliet:
Romeo, save me, I’ve been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head? I don’t know what to think
He knelt to the ground & pulled out a ring & said
Marry me, Juliet, you’ll never have to be alone
I love you & that’s all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress.
It’s a love story baby, just say “Yes”.
Lauv had a nice song, “I like me better,” #4 on the list:
It’s got a nice message for a wedding:
I like me better when I’m with you.
I like me better when I’m with you.
I knew from the first time, I’d stay for a long time, ‘cause
I like me better when I’m with you.
“Something ‘Bout You” by Sir Rosevelt rounds out the top five on Spotify’s top modern wedding songs:
Again, a nice message for a wedding:
There’s something ’bout you, you
And all the little things that you do, do
Girl, I can’t explain it
No matter how hard I try to put my finger on it
There’s just something ’bout you
Something ’bout you, you
Got me feeling something brand new
Ooh, I think I’m going crazy
It’s more than just your mind.
It’s more than just your body, baby
There’s just something ’bout you.
DJ Brian Anderson can play your favorite modern wedding songs. Just ask. We enhance each song by providing fabulous decor lighting which makes your venue all the more festive. The bad news: popular wedding dates book fast. The good news: you can find out if we’re available fast. Check us out today.