Anaheim DJ

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Thank You from Elisabeth & David

November 03, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: Success Stories

Hi, Don!

David and I just got back from our honeymoon, and I wanted to make sure to thank you for a wonderful job at our wedding reception. We have gotten many lovely comments from our guests (both sides of the family!) about the playlist and your DJ “persona”–and we ourselves felt that you did a great job guiding the reception along and keeping things moving gracefully. Thank you so much for helping to make our reception a party we will always remember happily!

Elisabeth (Deffner) Beall

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Thank You from Craig & Jessie

November 03, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: Success Stories

Don,

Thank you so much for being our DJ!

We had a wonderful, fantastic time dancing at our wedding (& we know others did too).

Thank you also for MCing & running our music for our ceremony. Everything was beautiful!

Thank you again, so much Don.

Love, Craig & Jessie

Orange County Wedding Couple

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Welcome to Anaheim DJ

September 07, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: Orange County DJ

We will beat any written price quote you are given by other DJ companies.

Go ahead and shop around. When you are ready, give us a call and we’ll see what we can do for you!

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Orange County DJ service also servicing Los Angeles and the Inland Empire. Since 1989 Anaheim DJ has been delivering quality entertainment throughout Southern California. Our list of clients stretch all across the country and abroad.

Our mission is to provide the most outstanding service available to our clients and their guests. We have a large following and continue to grow. Referrals are our main source of work. We have worked with many of the most popular venues and vendors in the area and have established good relationships with the best. If you need a recommendation, just give us a call.

Our specialty is “personalization”. We are not a cookie cutter type of event planning company. Every event is different and unique and so we strive to make each event experience as memorable as possible. Unless you are going to plug in an ipod and pray, we would recommend that you hire a highly trained, experienced professional. Our Orange County DJ service caters to weddings, company parties, holiday events, birthdays, sweet sixteens and more.

We do consider ourselves as a 5-star wedding source. You’ll find our incredible song list, planning forms and event suggestions to be superb. We don’t like to brag about our work, so we’ll let our clients do that for you. Check out our testimonials page. Give us a call and ask for some references. We’ll be happy to provide these for you.

We’re looking forward to working with you on your special day…

… here’s to our future!

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Toasty Toasting Tips

July 19, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: Wedding Tips

Everybody loves a good toast, there’s no doubt about it.

Traditionally the Best Man is the first to give a toast. It’s best to have this done just before salads or buffet. It’s appropriate right after the Grand Entrance for obvious reasons – namely because everyone is standing up and are giving their full attention.

After the Best Man gives the toast, the Groom may acknowledge him. The microphone is then passed to the Maid of Honor, if she’s up for it. Any other pre-planned toasts may commence thereafter.

Often times the parents of the couple will say a few words. It’s best to save that for last, as they are usually the ones footing the bill and would be considered the hosts for the event.

Probably the most important thing here to remember is that no one should be put “on the spot”. This can be very embarrassing and isn’t acceptable. Make sure that anyone who is to give a toast knows ahead and preferably has prepared the speech.

toast

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What a Great Wedding!

July 17, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: Wedding Stories

My clients were very excited when we opened up the dance floor and everyone started dancing right away. What a crowd! It must have been that the Bride and Groom had rehearsed their first dance and they did such a great job that everyone was motivated. It didn’t take much to get the guests started after that.

We had set it up for the couple to surprise their guests. When we announced the Bridal Party into the tent, the guests were expecting Nick and Lacey to come in the same door. We had them come in through the back door. Little twists like this can make all the difference.

Congratulations Nick and Lacey!

lacey n nick

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DJ Tip: Honeymoon Dance

May 12, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: DJ Training Tips

Looking for a list of feel-goods for the Dollar Dance or Honeymoon Dance? Here’s a list of timeless classics that make this block of dancing feel like a giant Group Hug:

  • That’s what friends are for…Dionne Warwick
  • Sea of love…Honeydrippers
  • What a wonderful world…Louis Armstrong
  • Circle of life…Elton John
  • You’ve got a friend…James Taylor
  • I’ll be there…Jackson 5 or Mariah Carey
  • Wonderful tonight…Eric Clapton
  • You are so beautiful…Joe Cocker
  • Ten cents a dance…Ruth Etting
  • Groovy kind of love…Phil Collins
  • Can you feel the love…Elton John
  • Lean on me…Bill Withers or Club Nouveau
  • Time in a bottle…Jim Croce
  • What the world needs now…Jackie DeShannon
  • Unchained melody…Righteous Brothers
  • Way you look tonight…Frank Sinatra
  • Love will keep us alive…Eagles
  • I hope you dance…Lee Ann Womack
  • Fields of gold…Sting
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Wedding Activities

May 09, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: Wedding Articles

In our modern times acceptable wedding activities have expanded to not just the traditional activities like First Dance, Bouquet and Garter toss and so on. Today’s wedding will sometimes include other activities that keep the party upbeat and lively. Now again this would be entirely up to the bride and groom’s taste as to whether or not they would want these activities.

Here are a few activities to consider:

The CONGA LINE is a fun activity to get the guests motivated and out of their seats and on to the dance floor. We find it’s most successful when lead by the wedding party starting with the bride then the groom, followed by the rest of the wedding party and then family and friends. It should be lively and exciting. You now have a full dance floor and can go on to next song with a dance floor full of people.

CENTERPIECE GIVEAWAY
During the meal, the D.J. will ask someone at each table to hold up a dollar bill. When the music plays, the dollar bill is to be passed around the table counter-clockwise (to the right). When the music is stopped, the person holding the dollar is to become the In-Charge for the rest of the guests at the table during the remainder of the reception. They are to make sure that anybody who needs a drink or anything else, will get serviced. That peson keeps the dollar for their efforts in this regard. Now the folks who initially held up the dollar bills have just bought themselves the table centerpiece! (Very fun game to get the crowd motivated.)

ELECTRIC SLIDE – A very well known and simple line dance which crosses over into many different styles of music. There are even some Electric Slides that are not of the country genre but are more pop and one mix even has a techno feel to it.

LINE DANCING is very popular. There are many different country-swing style songs that do nicely for this activity. This well known line dance is for those who are familiar with country line dancing. If this is among your song and style choices, I would think that many of your guests would also enjoy country music.

THE TWIST – Tried and true, this tune is fun for young and old. It brings them out on the floor. Most guests are very well acquainted with this piece and know how to move to the beat.

Getting all the men to sing “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling” to all the girls, or just to the Bride is a lot of fun. Also, your DJ can come around with a wireless microphone to those who like to “ham it up” and sing a love song to the Bride and Groom. This game is one that will definitely be remembered.

There is a wealth of activities that can be done at a wedding reception. Our games page has dozens of different ideas and suggestions. If you are looking for an even broader list of game ideas, give us a call.

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A Modern Wedding Reception

May 09, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: Wedding Articles

As the guests arrive from the Ceremony site, they will come in to the reception hall, get oriented to the room and start socializing. This is generally known as the Cocktail Hour or social hour. Some nice easy listening music played lightly in the background works well for this.

The Bride, Groom and the bridal party will begin to arrive after post-ceremonial photographs are taken. The DJ/MC (Master of Ceremonies) and Coordinator will organize a Grand Entrance aka “Bridal Party Announcement”. There are many great songs that will accompany this event.

As everybody finds their seat and people start to think about eating, the Best Man will be the first to propose a Champaign Toast to the Bride and Groom. It is then traditional with many faiths that a Blessing be made before the meal.

Then the Dinner or lunch announcement is made. The Bride & Groom are the first to be served.

Toward the end of the meal the Bride and Groom, having been fed first, will begin a Table Visitation to thank their guests for sharing their wedding day with them. The Emcee could go into a variety of activities during this time, such as a Centerpiece Givaway, the longest married couple, the furthest travelled, etc.

As the post-meal activities end, it is generally the time to begin a block of dancing. Traditionally, the Bride and Groom will have a chosen personal favorite song for their First Dance. This is usually followed by various appropriate family dances, such as the Father/Daughter Dance and the Mother/Son Dance. This may be followed by inviting the Bridal Party out on the dance floor to get things moving a little more. The dance floor then gets opened up for everyone to join in the fun.

After about a half hour or so of dance floor excitement, the Cake Cutting is announced. Everyone is invited to the wedding cake to witness the bride and groom cutting and sharing the first taste of their cake, afterwhich, the cake will be served up for the guests by the vendors.

This can be a good time to start off a Money Dance or an Honor Dance. This activity is a chance for each guest to be able to have a one on one dance with the bride and groom – usually to the beat of soft love songs and ballads. If it’s a Money Dance, the guests may offer monetary gifts to the couple.

As the DJ sees the Honor Dance line finish off, more popular dance songs are put on to get the crowd going again on the dance floor. Then within this new block of dancing, the guests should be quite warmed up to doing the Bouquet Toss and Garter Removal. These traditions are to signify that whichever unmarried lady catches the bouquet will be the next to get married as well as the bachelor who catches the garter.

From there, dancing may commence until it is time for a Send Off of the newlyweds or a Last Dance for the event.

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Choosing Your Entertainment

May 09, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: Wedding Articles

Do I hire a band? Do I hire a DJ? Do I hire a “wedding singer”? How about a caricature artist, harpist, string ensemble, magician? It is unlimited as to where you could take your own wedding reception. I think that the two main things to consider here are your imagination and your budget.

Most couples are working with a budget for their wedding planning and they usually find this as a main consideration on choosing their entertainment. Many times couples will try to get the most value from their dollar.

Entertainment, like any of the other wedding services, can come in all sorts of packages. Vendors have lots of options to choose from and it can make wedding shopping overwhelming. The one thing that you don’t want to cut corners on is the quality of your entertainment. Your DJ or band can literally make or break your reception – so you want to choose experienced & reputable professionals. Also, if you decide to go with a band, make sure they have an emcee who is good with wedding announcements. Remember too, that bands do not work straight through and will need to take breaks, so it could be to your advantage to have a DJ to provide music during breaks and emcee if the band doesn’t have an experienced emcee. Another option could be a band with a member who can emcee and DJ.

Some of the things you could ask for to make sure you are dealing with a professional might be: are they licensed?; are they insured?; what groups are they affiliated with, such as the American Disc Jockey Association or the local Chamber of Commerce; do they have certifications, permits, if required…you get the idea. You could even ask some trick questions, like…what songs do you recommend for the cake cutting or bouquet toss? So you’re in the know and won’t get tongue tied on this one, “Cut the Cake” by the Average White Band and “Chapel of Love” by the Dixie Cups would be acceptable answers on the cake cutting. “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” by Shania Twain or “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cindi Lauper are a couple of good bouquet toss songs.

Also, check for references and testimonials. Most importantly, set up a personal interview with them. You want to be sure that this person is right for you. There are lots of personalities out there to choose from. Get to know the actual person or persons who will be performing and establish a relationship early on.

Remember that in most cases it is the professionalism, showmanship and presentation of your entertainment that will set a high standard for you and your guests. Choose your entertainment well and you will be in very good shape on your wedding day.

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Resources

April 12, 2009 By: Don Panzik Category: Venues

Recommended Venues:

Alessi Ristorante – Hollywood

Aliso Creek Inn – Laguna Beach

Alta Vista Country Club – Placentia

American Legion Hall – Newport Beach

Anaheim Hills Golf Club – Anaheim

Arbor Manor – Fullerton

Atrium – Irvine

Ayres Suites – Yorba Linda

Balboa Inn – Newport Beach

Brea Community Center – Brea

Birra Porretti’s – Costa Mesa

Black Gold Country Club – Yorba Linda

Bowers Museum – Santa Ana

Bridges, the – Irvine

Cannon Rest. – Dana Point

Canyon Crest Country Club – Riverside

Cas de Elena – San Clemente

Catalina Flyer – Balboa Island

Catalina Room – Rancho Palos Verdes

The Catch – Anaheim

Celebrity Centre International – Hollywood

Center Club – Costa Mesa

Cerritos Center for Performing Arts – Cerritos

Chart House – Dana Point

Claremont College – Claremont

Claremont Inn – Claremont

Coast Hotel – Anaheim

Coast Hotel – Long Beach

Cobblestone Cafe – Whittier

Costa Mesa Country Club – Costa Mesa

Coto De Caza Country Club – Trabuco Canyon

Country Garden Caterers – Santa Ana

Country Inn Suites by Aires – Costa Mesa

Coyote Hills Country Club – Fullerton

Crown Plaza – Irvine

Crystal Cathedral – Garden Grove

Dad Miller Golf Course – Anaheim

Dave and Busters – Orange

Disneyland Hotel – Anaheim

Disney’s Grand California Hotel – Anaheim

Doubletree Hotel – Orange

East Lake Village – Yorba Linda

Ebel Theatre – Los Angeles

Ebell Club – Fullerton

Edwards Mansion – Redlands

Electra Cruise Lines – Newport Beach

Elk Lodge – Fullerton

El Niguel Country Club – Laguna Niguel

Embassy Suites – Anaheim

Embassy Suites – Brea

Embassy Suites – Santa Ana

Falkner Winery – Temecula

Fantasy Yachts – Marina Del Rey

Five Crowns Restaurant – Corona Del Mar

Fort MacArthur – San Pedro

Fox Glove Manor – Fullerton

Franciscan Garden -San Juan Capistrano

French 75 – Laguna Beach

French Estates – Orange

Fullerton Arboretum – Fullerton

Garden Room – La Habra

Graber Olive House – Ontario

Grand Tradition – Fallbrook

Green River Golf Club – Corona

Greenside Cafe – Anaheim

Happy Trails Catering – Pasadena

Harbor Lights – Dana Point

Harborside Pavillion – Newport Beach

Hidden Valley Golf Course – Norco

Hilton – Anaheim

Hilton – Costa Mesa

Hilton – Glendale

Hilton, Huntington Waterfront – Huntington Beach

Hilton – Long Beach

Hilton – San Gabriel

Holiday Inn – Anaheim

Holiday Inn – Buena Park

Holiday Inn – Costa Mesa

Holiday Inn – Laguna Hills

Hotel Huntington – Huntington Beach

Hotel Laguna – Laguna Beach

Huntington Central Library – Huntington Beach

Huntington Harbor Bay Club – Huntington Harbor

Huntington Harbor Yacht Club – Huntington Harbor

Huntington Hyatt – Huntington Beach

Hyatt Long Beach – Long Beach

Hyatt Newporter – Newport Beach

Hyatt Regency – Anaheim

Infornaio – Irvine

Ivy House Wedding Gardens – Inglewood

Joe’s Garage – Tustin

Jolly Rogers – Anaheim

Kellogg Mansion – Pomona

Kellogg West Conference Center – Pomona

King Harbor Seafood – Garden Grove

La Habra Heights Community Center – La Habra Heights

Lake Forest Beach & Tennis Club – L.F.

Lake Park Club House – Santa Ana

Lakeside Golf Club – Toluca Lake

La Canada Country Club – La Canada

La Venta Inn – Rancho Palos Verdes

Las Brisas – Laguna Beach

Leisure World – Laguna Woods

Los Caballeros Country Club – F. Valley

Los Coyotes Country Club – Buena Park

Los Sarranos Golf Course – Chino Hills

Los Willows – Fallbrook

Madison – Long Beach

Marbella Country Club – San Juan Capistrano

Marina Hotel – San Pedro

Marriott – Anaheim

Marriott (Laguna Cliffs) – Dana Point

Marriott – Fullerton

Marriott – Irvine

Marriott – Newport Beach

Memories Dining & Dancing – Whittier

Mission Inn – Riverside

Monarch Bay Club – Monarch Beach

Montage Resort – Laguna Beach

Mountain Gate Country Club – Los Angeles

Muckenthaller Mansion – Fullerton

New Capitol Seafood Restaurant – Rowland Heights

New Disneyland Resort Hotel – Anaheim

Newland House – Huntington Beach

Odyssey Restaurant – Granada Hills

Ole Hanson Beach Club – San Clemente

Old Ranch Country Club – Seal Beach

Old World – Huntington Beach

Orange County Mining Company – Santa Ana

Orange Hill Restaraunt – Orange

Orca Yachts – Newport Beach

PJs Abbey – Orange

Pacific Golf & Country Club – San Clemente

Pacific Hill Hall – Laguna Niguel

Pacific Palms Resort – City of Industry

Pala Mesa Resort – Fallbrook

Paradise Point Hotel – San Diego

Park Privet (Robert Mandavi) – Costa Mesa

Pelican Hill – Newport Coast

Prince Seafood Restaurant – Cerritos

Performing Arts Center – Santa Ana

Placentia Round Table Women’s Club

Plum Tree Inn – Woodland Hills

Plum’s Catering – Costa Mesa

Puddingstone Resort – San Dimas

Prego – Irvine

Quality Inn Maingate – Anaheim

Radisson Hotel – Baldwin Park

Radisson Hotel – Newport Beach

Radisson Resort (Knott’s Berry Farm) – Buena Park

Rancho Capistrano – San Juan Capistrano

Rancho Los Lomos – Silverado

Rancho Santa Margarita Beach Club – RSM

Rancho Verde Country Club – Rialto

Redondo Beach Historic Library – R. Beach

Rembrandt’s Restaurant – Placentia

Renaissance – Dana Point

Renaissance Hotel – Long Beach

Ritz Carlton – Dana Point

Ritz Gardens – La Habra

Round Table Women’s Club – Placentia

Sam’s Seafood – Huntington Beach

Sam Woo Seafood Rest. – Rowland Heights

Seacliff Country Club – Huntington Beach

Seafood Paradise – Westminster

Sheraton Ontartio Airport Hotel – Ontario

Siena Ristorante at Balboa Inn – Balboa

Sierra Lakes Golf Course – Fontana

Sky Room – Long Beach

South Coast Winery – Temecula

Speed Zone – City of Industry

Spinaker Bay Club – Long Beach

Springfield Banquet Center – Fullerton

St. John’s Lutheran Church – Orange

St. Regis Hotel – Dana Point

Summit House – Fullerton

Surf & Sands Resort – Laguna Beach

Sutton Place – Newport Beach

Swiss Park Banquet Center – Whittier

Taps Restaurant – Brea

Tijeras Creek Golf Club – RSM

Tivoli Terrace Hacienda – Santa Ana

Tortilla Flats – Laguna Beach

Tortilla Flats – Lake Mission Viejo

Tortilla Joe’s – Anaheim

Turnip Rose – Costa Mesa

Turnip Rose – Orange

Tustin Banquet Center – Tustin

Tustin Hill Racquet Club – Santa Ana

Tustin Ranch Golf Course – Tustin

UCI Alumni House – Irvine

Upland Hills Country Club – Upland

Verandas – Manhatton Beach

Wagner House – Placentia

Walter’s Restaurant – Claremont

Waverly Church – Santa Ana

Weingart Senior Center – Lakewood

Western Hills Country Club – Chino Hills

Westminster Manor – Westminster

Westridge Golf Course – La Habra Hills

Wilshire Court – Fullerton

Women’s Club – Orange

Women’s Club – Laguna Beach

Women’s Ebell Club – Placentia

Woodbridge, South Lake Lagoon – Irvine

Woodfin Suites Hotel – Cypress

Wyndham Hotel – Costa Mesa

Yorba Linda Community Center – Y.L.

YMCA – Orange

YWCA – Orange

Suggested Wedding Vendors:

Riverside DJ

1st Anaheim Hotels

Assolux Photography

Bill Mitchells’ Special Event Video

Click Anaheim

Pamela Brown, Harpist

Regal Flowers

Starlight Photography

The Stationary Studio

Wedding Ministers

Rev. Bruce Danzera

Local Links:

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