Twitter - The Best of 2011

To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question!

Ambient DJ Service (Twitter Handle @AmbientDJs) tweeted heavily in 2011.  We fired off some 4,000 tweets (messages) during the year.  Many of these messages were links to blog entries while others were shout-outs to our favorite Twitter users.  Our most popular days to Tweet were on #MusicMonday and #WeddingWednesday.

I confess that when learning about Twitter a couple of years ago, I though that the concept was stupid.  How much information could be shared in the 140 character limit?  Did I really want to read drivel from the likes of Paris Hilton tweeting "Poppin' bottles at Pure with the Kardashians..."  Well, after giving Twitter a try, I came to love its rhythm, which is very different from Facebook or email.  Limited to 140 characters, the author of a tweet must distill a message to its very essence.

During the year, I purchased goods and services from businesses discovered via Twitter.  Similarly, Ambient DJ Service booked more than a few private events and weddings from those who got to know us on Twitter.  Importantly, Twitter helps to promote "top of mind awareness."

Listed below are 50 of our favorite Twitter Users of 2011. To make the list, users had to exhibit some combination of the following characteristics:

1) Presence - did they Tweet often enough for us to notice?

2) Content - were their Tweets interesting, informative or creative?

3) Interactive - did they take the time to respond to our Tweets or re-tweet our content?  

In drumroll fashion, here is the Best of Twitter 2011 list!  We have listed the Twitter handle followed by a category, and a quick summary.

@JerseyGoods (New Jersey) - Knowledgeable on wide range of NJ topics, great re-tweeter!

@AndrewDarlow (Photography) - Posts great technical tips, and shares awesome content.

@WedOnWheels (Weddings) - South Jersey-based wedding officiant with prolific Tweet action.

@FavorsByDorinda (Weddings) - Well-connected wedding favor pro who is quick to re-tweet (RT).  Also check out Dorinda's daughter Alyssa's Twitter account @Thx4Noticing Me (Social Media).

@njwedding (Weddings) - Erik Kent, head of njwedding.com, has his finger on the pulse of the New Jersey wedding industry, shares great information, and will RT quality content.

@WeddingWireEdu (Weddings) - Great source of business tips for wedding pros.

@Al_Ojeda_Photo (Weddings) - Al and Ida are great wedding photographers who love social media.

@CardBoxDiva (Weddings) - Marni Gold designs creative card boxes & loves to Tweet and RT.

@MondayFlowers  (Weddings/Floral) - Georgianne V. frequently tweets about weddings & Princeton.

@NassauInn (Weddings/Hotels/Princeton) - loves to Tweet on Princeton history, weddings and food.

@SheratonNJShore (Weddings/Hotels) - one of the most engaging banquet hall Tweeps.

@CruiseDivaNJ (Travel/Princeton) - Stacey K. posts great travel tips.

@LisaPhoto2_0 (Weddings/Social Media) - Lisa provides more shout-outs than a DJ!

@WeddingQuestion (Weddings) - learn the ins and outs of wedding etiquette.

@njwedofficiant (Weddings) - Celia Milton never forgets her Wedding Wednesday shout-outs!
@WeddingMusicPro (Weddings) - Gloria and Barbara are great resources for wedding music.

@PRforSmallBiz (Public Relations/Business) - Karina Alvela offers great tips for small business.

@JonMoore (Music Promotion) - Super Promoter Jon Moore helps DJs stay on the cutting edge.

@WehringerandCo (Social Media) - Tracy W. is generous to share tips and give RTs and +ks.

@PhillyCyberGeek (Social Media) - His geekery will improve your results from Social Media.

@RuhaniRabin (Social Media) - Celebrity Tweeter with great lists and tips.

@ScreaminLunatic (Weddings/Social Media) - An edgy and prolific Tweep who makes you think.

@MrsMoNJ (Public Relations/Princeton) - Well-connected Princeton-area Hilary Morris.

@SocialSavvyGeek (Social Media) - Informative articles on timely social media topics.

@kdevito (Social Media/Princeton) - Well-connected Princeton-area Katie DeVito.

@PREXMusic (Record Stores/Princeton) - The Princeton Record Exchange tweets about music.

@PrincetonAds (Princeton) - Interesting posts, frequent re-tweeter, and great website for free local classified ads.

@DJTimesMag (DJs) - The world's best DJ magazine.

@RollingStone (Music) - Read the stories behind the music.  Great lists!

@AmazonMP3 (Music) - Watch their Tweets for mind-bending bargains.

@KarlDetkenProDJ (DJs) - His Twitter graphic alone is worth the price of admission.  Great info on digital DJing.

@DJSkribble (DJs) - A DJ celebrity who is not afraid to interact with his fans.  Respect!

@DJShiftee (DJ/turntablism/dubstep) - Shiftee shares free mixes and informative blogs.  Get it.

@Nigel611 (DJs/Philadelphia/Real Estate) - Nigel knows techno, and Nigel knows Philly.

@DJCassidy (Celebrity DJ) - See which celebrity DJ Cassidy is rubbing elbows with this weekend.

@PhillyGG (Philadelphia/Music/Current Events).  A witty Tweeter with personality-plus.

@cmcandela (TV/Pop Culture) - prolific & fascinating Tweep who even Tweeted from her own wedding!

@80sMusicGirl (Music) - If 80s music is your guilty pleasure, then follow.

@BalloonsByRenee (Parties/Inspiration) - This fast-paced Manhattan Tweep always has your back.

@SorayaAgency (Bellydancing) - Soraya is not only a professional dancer, but a super-courteous Tweep!

@GSLDJs (DJs) - Get inside the mind of DJ Greg Nice with his rapid-fire, late night Tweets!

@DJChrisAtwood (DJs) - Follow the adventures of DJ Chris Atwood on Twitter #tigerblood

@TonyTeeNeto (DJs) - Voice-over artist, wedding DJ, business guru and quick to RT quality content.

@JasonJani (DJs/Social Media) - Follow the moves of the head honcho of SCE Event Group.

@HurricaneDJs (DJs/Social Media) -  Pioneers of the "new school" DJ movement in performance and marketing

@Manta (Business) - Posts frequent short, inspirational blogs to super-charge your business.

@8pmWarrior (Business) - Thought-provoking tweets on leadership, business, social media.

@Gitomer (Sales) - The King of Sales shares his success secrets.

@Humblebrag (Comedy) - profiles mostly celebrities who disguise boasts in a humble manner.

@BestWorstAdvice (Comedy) - outrageous posts that will make you laugh (or cry).

To follow any of these great Twitter personalities, type in www.twitter.com/ACCOUNTNAME.  For example, www.twitter.com/DJTimesMag.  Please follow Ambient DJ Service on Twitter by clicking here, and follow us on Facebook by clicking here.

Wedding Reception at the Renault Winery - Egg Harbor City

Ambient DJ Service had the pleasure of performing at Mindi and Peter's recent wedding reception at the Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City.  What a perfect day for a wedding - sunny and warm with a hint of fall crispness in the evening. The couple learned of Ambient DJ Service from one of our preferred vendors, the Shrewsbury Strings, who performed the onsite ceremony music and referred our services.  Thank you Tony!

The Renault Winery offers a unique and intimate setting for a wedding reception.  Guests enjoyed cocktail hour in a wine cellar known as the Burgundy Room, walking through a wine casket to get there.  The wedding reception was held in the Vintage Room, an old-world style room that includes wine caskets.  The service was friendly, and the food delicious.  

Ambient DJ setup in the Vintage Room

Wine Casket entrance to the Burgundy Room

Mindi and Peter love good music.  There was to be no line dancing, no Kool & the Gang's Celebration or any other "cliche" wedding DJ fare.  With such great natural character in the room, we opted to use very sparing dance floor lighting, opting for a clean setup with a white facade backlit in yellow to match the flowers. 

Key tracks for the evening included:

Run This Town - Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West (Grand Entrance)

Theme from Superman - John William (Grand Entrance of Bride and Groom)

As Time Goes By - Frank Sinatra (First Dance)

Somewhere Over the Rainbow - "Iz" (Father-Daughter Dance)

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Robert Flack (Mother-Son Dance)

First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes (cocktail/dinner)

Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens (cocktail/dinner)

We're Going to Be Friends - The White Stripes (cocktail/dinner)

Everyday - Buddy Holly (cocktail/dinner)

Just One Thing - My Morning Jacket (cocktail/dinner)

Let's Go Crazy - Prince (Kick-off song for Open Dancing)

Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts (dedication to Jack!)

You are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne (late night ballad)

The Seed (2.0) - The Roots f/Cody Chestnutt (open dancing)

The Edge of Glory - Lady Gaga (open dancing)

No One's Gonna Love You - Band of Horses (cakecutting song)

Bro Hymn - Pennywise (grand finale)

Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Strahlendorf!

ABOUT AMBIENT DJ SERVICE

Ambient DJ Service is a boutique-style mobile DJ company that provides customized music and entertainment throughout New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and New York City.  Ambient DJ Service is a consecutive year winner of the WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award and has been featured in DJ Times Magazine.  To learn more about our services, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com or our WeddingWire portal at www.weddingwire.com/ambientweddingdj

Gig Log - Wedding at the English Manor

September 10, 2011, or 9-10-11 proved to be a remarkably popular date for weddings.  We were fortunate to work with an energized group of party people for David and Stephanie's ceremony and reception party at the English Manor in Ocean Township, NJ.

Earlier this year, the English Manor recently revamped its grounds - the outdoors ceremony area is very spacious, and the landscaping beautiful.  Despite some concerns about rain, the weather remained pleasant throughout the afternoon.  Stephanie and David exchanged personalized vows in a heartfelt ceremony officiated by our friend Celia Milton.

For the reception, Ambient DJ provided a two person DJ/Emcee combo - call it "Team Gregg," with myself, Gregg H. on the mixing board, and our energetic DJ Gregory Lambiase (aka DJ Greg Nice) on the microphone as Emcee.  We also uplit the reception room and foyer in a lavender shade, adding some modern ambience to this classic banquet hall.  

David and Stephanie have similar tastes in music as myself, and provided a very long leash in terms of musical programming.  Songs used for the grand entrance were Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) - Us3, Beautiful People - Chris Brown, and Now That We Found Love - Heavy D. & the Boyz.  The newlyweds shared their first dance to "Stay With You" by John Legend, and parent dances followed with Songbird - Fleetwood Mac (Father-Daughter) and Memories - Elvis (Mother -Son).

After the salad course, we were able to pack the dancefloor and enjoy a high energy dance-set before dinner.  The dance floor action only got hotter after dinner, with a high-energy dance mix and 90s throwbacks at the fore.  

A couple of unique features of the wedding:  First, for the bouquet toss, ALL ladies (married or unmarried) were called to the floor, and Stephanie's bouquet splintered into mini-bouquets so that there could be many winners.  Second, as is often the case when the bride is of Chinese heritage, Stephanie had a wardrobe change later in the reception, changing into a beautiful red, silk Chinese dress.

Congratulations to Stephanie and David!  We enjoyed collaborating with a very competent and cool group of professionals:  Debbie from the English Manor, Carla and Tara from Blooming Studios (photography) and Art from Villanovisions Video (videography).

KEY SONGS:

Halo (cover) - Aston (Bride's Ceremony Processional)

For Once in My Life - Stevie Wonder (Ceremony Recessional)

Stay With You - John Legend (First Dance)

What You Won't Do For Love - Bobby Caldwell

The Light - Common

P.Y.T. - Michael Jackson

Mr. Saxobeat - Alexandra Stan

Motown Philly - Boyz II Men

Ladies Night - Kool and the Gang (Bouquet Toss)

The Last Dance - Frank Sinatra (last dance)

Thank You - Jay-Z (postlude)

Fun Photo Shoot at Jenkinson's - Pt. Pleasant Beach

Late this afternoon, I was in Pt. Pleasant Beach at Jenkinson's Amusement Park... as a civilian!  However, when this bridal party started posing in the amusement park, I just had to get involved with the action.  It was a beautiful late afternoon - warm and sunny with a gentle breeze... the Jersey Shore wedding that every bride dreams of!  Music is my expertise and not fashion - that said, I liked the color choices for the bridesmaids, groomsmen and the floral bouquets.  The guys were all wearing matching Margartaville loafers!  According to a groomsman, the reception would later be held at Clark's Landing. In our humble opinion,  Clark's is the top wedding reception venue on the Jersey Shore!  Beyond the delicious food, the stunning views and the QSC speakers installed in the ceiling above the dancefloor (so that guests at surrounding tables enjoy quieter conditions) - the huge standout factor for Clark's is its professional and well-trained staff.

Congratulations to these newlyweds, and they are so fortunate to have avoided Hurricane Irene's wrath!  Shout-out to Jenkinson's for maintaining a family-fun environment for so many years - the Jenkinson's that I enjoyed as a child, my own children now get to enjoy!

The Royal Wedding Processional Song

Admittedly, I did not recognize the processional song used at last Friday's Royal Wedding of William and Kate.  Viewing the ceremony, I had been struck by the majestic, regal and spiritual nature of the piece.  This is the type of music that I could imagine being played as one entered through the gates of Heaven.  In fact, the piece is often used in coronation ceremonies.  It was the perfect choice for a royal wedding!

The name of the piece is "I Was Glad" from Psalm 122 by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry.   Parry is a British composer whose first major works appeared in 1880.  As a composer he is best known for the choral song "Jerusalem", the coronation anthem "I Was Glad" and the hymn tune "Repton", which sets the words "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind."  He was director of the Royal College of Music from 1895 until his death and was also professor of music at the University of Oxford from 1900 to 1908. 

Should engaged couples use this selection for their ceremony music?  I believe that most couples will find "I Was Glad" too epic for the bridal party processional or entrance of the bride.  However, the song might be a welcome addition to prelude music and a refreshing surprise from the usual suspects.

Valentine's Week Specials

Call us hopeless romantics, but Ambient DJ is an amorous mood and is offering the following specials, now through February 14th!

1) Valentine's Wedding Day Special - 

Receive a free upgrade from the AMBIENCE PACKAGE to the RADIANCE package.  The RADIANCE package includes an enhanced lighting package with a backlit South Beach style DJ facade, a wall wash (uplighting), and more lighting effects for open dancing.  This FREE upgrade is worth $200; OR, alternatively, clients may enjoy a FREE cocktail hour (valued at $150);

2) Valentine's Private Party Special -

Receive 15% off any DJ service.

To enjoy these specials, mention coupon code "CUPID."  Parties must be booked by February 14, 2011.  Specials may not be combined with each other or with any other offers.

To see Ambient DJs' affordable packages, click here.

Press Release - Ambient DJ Wins Bride's Choice Award

AMBIENT DJ SERVICE WINS SECOND CONSECUTIVE BRIDE'S CHOICE AWARD

East Windsor, NJ – January 28, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Ambient DJ Service has been selected to receive the prestigious annual WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 for Wedding Disc Jockey Entertainment!

Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation.

Ambient DJ Service stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is honored to celebrate the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire community,” said Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “With the annual Bride’s Choice Awards™ program, WeddingWire has the unique opportunity to recognize the best wedding professionals across the US and Canada. We applaud Ambient DJ Service for their professionalism and dedication to enhancing the wedding planning experience last year.”

We are happy to announce that Ambient DJ Service is among the very best Wedding Disc Jockey Entertainers within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Martha Stewart Weddings, Project Wedding and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for nominating us to receive the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011.

Ambient DJ Service President, Gregg Hollmann, said "We are honored to receive this prestigious award for the second consecutive year. I would like to thank the clients who took the time to review our services on WeddingWire. I would also like to thank the Ambient DJ staff for their hard work and attention to detail. We look forward to delivering a superior quality service to the bridal community in the years to come!"

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at www.weddingwire.com/ambientweddingdj.

For more information on the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.

About WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire.com, the nation's leading technology company serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 local wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers to wedding cakes. WeddingWire also offers an online community and a suite of cutting-edge planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire provides free online management tools creating the only market opportunity that gives local businesses control over their clients, reviews, leads and performance. Businesses that join the WeddingWire Network appear on WeddingWire.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), ProjectWedding.com and Weddingbee.com (both part of eHarmony), and Celebrations.com (part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands, NASDAQ: FLWS).

Five Tips for Flawless Wedding Emceeing

This article below was submitted by Christopher Smith, aka DJ Spinz, one of Ambient DJs' wedding specialists. Chris is a gifted entertainer with multiple stage personas ranging from the smooth and refined wedding MC to the high-energy taskmaster.

As Master of Ceremonies ("MC" or "Emcee") you have a very important job to do. You are the spokesperson for the Bride and Groom on one of the most important days of their lives! Family and friends have traveled from near and far, and every last detail has been thoroughly planned. You must create the seamless flow that will carry the reception from start to finish and leave the guests feeling like they just attended the party of their lives! This article includes five essential tips that will help you become a better wedding MC, and also guide you towards creating flawless receptions, even under the most demanding circumstances.

1) Practice, practice, practice....

Just like anything else in life, practice makes perfect. Practice projecting your speaking voice, tonality and pacing. You can use a tape recorder or video recorder to review how you sound and look while speaking. Check your body language. Do you look uncomfortable? Are you rushing your speech?

Create a repertoire of phrases and descriptions that can be drawn from for your performance, and mix them up. For example, some emcees overuse stock phrases such as "at this time" or "Ladies and Gentlemen..." Mix it up to avoid appearing like a boring drone! As bridesmaids and groomsmen pairs are announced, use a variety of phrases such as "escorted by" "accompanied by" "ushered by" and so forth. For examples of effective emcees, study the delivery of a late night talk show host who guides their guests through a structured program of entertainment.

For the event, create a brief script in preparation for your performance. This script will help you to refine your thoughts and delivery, and also serve as a base in case you need to change a few things off the cuff later. During the drive to the venue, begin focusing on your upcoming performance, visualizing the success of the event and reviewing the pronunciations of names in the family and bridal party.

2) Be Prepared and "Take Notes"

Have all of your notes in order before arriving to the event. Whether you use an iPad, a legal pad or note cards, be sure to make these notes easy to edit, as it is not uncommon for things to change unexpectedly. Bridal party rosters can be overhauled just moments before a grand entrance, meaning that you must be able to react well under pressure. The guests have no clue about the chaos behind the scenes and may not forgive you for confusing the flower girl with the Maid of Honor! Also, be sure to review your notes with each of the other onsite wedding vendors, including the photographer, videographer and banquet manager.

3) Listen, Interact and Be Approachable and Fun

You may overhear that it's also "Uncle Ron's" anniversary tomorrow, or "Aunt Peggy's" birthday on the 5th! Including special announcements such as these personalizes the event for the extended audience of family and friends, and makes the celebration more memorable. Rather than spending too much time back in the DJ booth with your partner, mingle among the guests, befriend them and collect information that you may be able to inject into your performance!

It should go without saying that this is a people business, and nobody likes a grouch. Smile when making announcements and be enthusiastic. You are the "Steward of Good Times"! Guests will be drawn to your positivity, making the party an even bigger success! While surely an extreme example, recall how guests were drawn to the outgoing Vince Vaughan and Owen Wilson in the movie "The Wedding Crashers"!

4) Check In

Your Bride and Groom will be swimming from all the excitement of their big day. Make it easy on them and check in periodically to ensure that the music and entertainment is to their liking, and to see if there's anything that you can do to make their evening more enjoyable. Of course, for any formal activities, you will need to provide them a heads up on the impending ceremony (e.g., Cakecutting, Parent Dance), so that they can freshen up their makeup if needed (Bride) or put on their jacket (Groom).

5) Be Confident

If you believe in yourself, then others will follow! Conversely, if you are nervous, then you will look, sound and perform like an amateur. Take a goodhearted approach to your role. You are a representative of a great couple and are tasked with making memories that will last a lifetime! With practice, preparation and experience, your confidence will only increase.

Of course, confidence should never be confused with arrogance. Brash, aggressive Emcees are a dying breed! Treat your guests as you would expect to be treated at a wedding reception. Never humiliate a guest. Work together with the other wedding professionals in a collaborative approach, and check your ego at the door! This event is not about "you" - it is about the bride and groom, and their guests.

One final tip - enjoy yourself as you get to spend your time with happy people celebrating the good times in life. This is a reward in and of itself! As a wedding emcee, you should be grateful to earn your livelihood performing in elegant party environments while getting to see people at their very best.

Thank you Chris! His full biography can be read here. To learn more about Ambient DJs' wedding entertainment services, please visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com.

Is an iPod Wedding Reception a Good Idea?

In recent years, there has been a trend towards "iPod weddings." In other words, couples program their music to an iPod and rent a speaker system. The music is put on auto-pilot, and for special songs, a friend or family member operates the iPod. The main attraction of this configuration is the perceived "cost savings." Just as wedding DJs came to rise above the wedding bands of yesteryear, will iPods replace wedding DJs and become the accepted mode of wedding entertainment?

Here are ten reasons why a professional disc jockey is a better choice for your party than an iPod:

10) MP3 files played on an iPod tend to be recorded at varying volume levels. Without somebody monitoring sound levels on the device, volume levels may rise and fall dramatically from song to song. For songs with long fade-outs, there may also be uncomfortable gaps of "dead air" between songs. A professional DJ monitors volume levels and brings in the next song without awkward dead air;

9) DJs know how to trouble-shoot their equipment. If technical issues arise at an iPod wedding, lengthy delays or awkward moments could result;

8) Pre-programmed set lists on an iPod may not reflect what is happening on the dance floor. Imagine a four song dance set that hits the airwaves just as the salads are served. A DJ not only plays the right song, but plays it at the right time for maximum impact. A wedding reception oscillates with energy waves, and DJs are masters at riding these waves, adjusting the tempo and volume when appropriate;

7) Renting a professional sound system is not inexpensive. For example, my company would charge at least $400 to rent two powered speakers and a wireless microphone. Delivery/pickup and provision of an onsite attendant would increase the fee accordingly;

6) A rented sound system will likely feature lower grade components than the "top shelf" equipment that a wedding DJ will bring. The reason being is that companies are wary of leaving their best gear with clients who have limited knowledge on how to operate it;

5) Assuming that the song is on the client's iPod, guest requests can be fielded at a party. However, there will be "dead air" as the song is searched for and cued up, possibly de-railing the dance floor. DJs not only bring large music collections to a party, but will cue up and mix in the requested song without dancers missing a beat;

4) The prep work involved for a successful wedding reception party does not disappear. It merely shifts from the DJ to the client and their appointed audio-visual person. Music must be acquired and organized in a logical manner. Particularly for weddings, do clients really want to be inconvenienced with all of this additional work when there are other more important details?

3) For our wedding DJ services, prospective wedding clients regularly ask us about backup equipment. "Do you carry backup equipment? What happens if your laptop breaks during a gig?" For those who use iPods for parties, the same question must be answered. If an inebriated guest spilled a drink on the iPod, what would you do? Do you really want to gamble with one of the most important celebrations of your life?

2) Your appointed emcee (if any) most likely does not have experience in running a successful wedding reception. At the hands of an experienced wedding DJ, the reception will be seamless with announcements made on-point and guests never wondering what comes next. Remember, there are no "do-overs" for once-in-a-lifetime moments such as the announcing of your first dance as husband and wife!

1) An iPod is a machine devoid of personality and life experience; a DJ is a unique, talented and flexible individual who can think on his or her feet and solve problems!

There is great news for wedding couples who opt for a disc jockey! You can still hear all of the music that you and guests would love to hear at the reception. Just put these songs on your "must play" list!

For cocktail hours in which you have the ability to tap into a banquet hall's sound system, an iPod is a reasonable option, as this music is atmospheric background music as guests mingle and there are no announcements required. In the past, we have handled a client's iPod for cocktail hour before DJing the reception party thereafter.

With money tighter than ever in the economy, we must constantly evaluate ways to save money. Just as I would never attempt to install a furnace (due to my lack of expertise in this discipline and for fear of blowing up the house!), I believe that couples getting married would be wise to hire a professional wedding DJ entertainer and realize the value deriving from that decision.

The video below was produced by the American Disc Jockey Organization (www.adja.org) and contains footage from what I would consider a disastrous iPod wedding!

To learn more about Ambient DJs' professional wedding DJ services, please visit us at www.ambientdj.com. To read testimonials from our satisfied customers, click here.

Ambient DJ featured in January 2011 Issue of DJ Times Magazine

I have read DJ Times for many years. It is my favorite magazine and contains a wealth of information about the mobile and club DJ scenes, along with inspiring artist interviews. Past issues of DJ Times have featured some of my favorite DJs, including Grandmaster Flash, Paul Oakenfold and DJ Dan. The cover of the January 2011 issue, in which the article "DJ Takes Stock in Wedding Market" appeared, was graced by Dutch trance DJ Ferry Corsten. Ferry is an all-time favorite, and several years ago I caught his late night closing set at Space in Miami.

To request a larger print of this article, please contact gregg@ambientdj.com.

What are the Odds? 2010's Double Dose of Twin Weddings.

As DJs, we strive to win business over the long-term and become the "family DJ." In 2010, I had the opportunity to become the family DJ for two unique families, but on an accelerated basis. The first, the Lohmann sisters (Holly and Julie) are twin sisters. They were both married in 2010 - Holly and Tim were married on April 17th, while Julie and Tyler were married on September 18th. Holly had her reception at the Olde York Country Club (www.oldyorkcc.com) in Chesterfield, NJ, while Julie had hers at the Inn at Fernbrook Farms (www.innatfernbrookfarms.com) (also in Chesterfield). Both reception sites were amazing choices for their rustic country settings, great service and food.

I also had the opportunity to DJ the weddings of another set of twin sisters in 2010 - Jennie and Katie Serenelli. Imagine the excitement for the Serenelli family as both sisters were married in July! Coincidentally, Jennie and Chris had their reception on July 10th at the Olde York Country Club in Chesterfield, the site of the first Lohmann wedding! Katie and Marc's reception was held further south at the Pennsauken Country Club on July 31st.

Twin sisters tend to have similar personalities, and even musical tastes. At least, this was the case for Julie & Holly; and Jennie and Katie. I did take great care to avoid duplicating tracks from the other sister's wedding where possible. It was also nice to see many familiar faces during the second performance in each series. My recollection is that Holly and Julie are identical twins, while Jennie and Katie are not. Regardless, each twin sister bore an uncanny resemblance to the other - it was convenient that at each reception one sister wore a white wedding dress to help avoid any confusion!

My only regret is that I was unable to get photographed with each set of twin sisters - these photos would have made a nice addition to this blog entry. The photo below features Holly toasting her sister Julie at the Inn at Fernbrook Farms.

DJ Greg Nice - Fall 2010 Picks

Manhattan-bred Gregory Lambiase, aka DJ Greg Nice, submits his Top 20 for Fall 2010. Greg's specialties include weddings, corporate parties, mitzvahs and bar/club. With his energetic personality and stage presence, let DJ Greg Nice take your party to the next level!

"DJ Greg Nice's" Top 20/Fall 2010

1. Usher ft. Pitbull - DJ's Got Us Falling In Love

2. Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina - Stereo Love (Molella Remix)

3. Rihanna - Every Girl (*New* )

4. David Guetta & Flo Rida - Club Can't Handle Me

5. Katy Perry - Teenage Dream (Brian Cua Club Mix)

6. Ke$ha - Take It Off

7. Jay Sean ft. Nicki Minaj - 2012 (Jump Smokers Mix)

8. Usher ft. Jay Z & Ester Dean - Hot Tottie

9. LiL Jon ft. LMFAO - Outta Your Mind

10. LMFAO - Get Crazy (Jersey Shore Theme)

11. Yolanda Be Cool ft. Dcup & Nablidon - We No Speak Americano (I Like That)

12. Pitbull ft. T Pain- Hey Baby (Drop it to the Floor) (*New* )

13. Daft Punk - Around The World (Chris Moody Rework) (Throwback)

14. Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are

15. Sean Kingston ft. Nicki Minaj - Letting Go

16. Miley Cyrus - Who Owns My Heart (*New*)

17. Esmee Denters ft. Justin Timberlake - Love Dealer (*New* )

18. One Repulblic - Marching On (Timberland Remix) ( *New* )

19. Shakira - Loca ( Freemasons Radio Edit ) (*New*)

20. Jennifer Lopez - Let's Get Loud ( Throwback ) (DJ Note -Mixes well with Shakira's - Loca).

To book DJ Greg Nice for your next party, contact info@ambientdj.com or 609.672.1270.

Coming soon - DJ Jagged's Top 20 of the Fall!

Ambient's DJ Spinz (L) and DJ Greg Nice (R)

Ambient DJ Now Offers Dancing Under the Stars

Ambient DJ is proud to offer its clients the opportunity to dance underneath a breathtaking universe of twinkling stars and moving clouds. This effect is accomplished by a fixture known as the Bliss Light 15. This effect is most suitable for venues with high ceilings and unobstructed ceiling surfaces. The results are a "Wow Factor" effect that would be ideal for evening formal events such as weddings, Sweet 16s or Proms.

As per the manufacturer:

The Bliss Light 15 generates an enormous universe of stars over a windblown blue nebula cloud field. The beams radiate at 160 degrees from the lens, covering all surfaces from immediately in front of the projector to hundreds of feet away. The Bliss Light is equipped with newly developed laser and LED lighting elements and Multiphase High Resolution Holographic Optical elements on synchronous motors. It is carefully tested and FDA approved for its safe viewing of the laser beams up to a few inches of the lens.

Also, see the attached Youtube video of this effect in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3AtGjrdbqw

DJ Spinz - Fall 2010 Top Songs

Feel that crispness in the morning air? Yes, it's Fall, and time for our disc jockeys to update their Top 20 song playlists. DJ Christopher Smith, aka DJ Spinz, aka the Caramel Kingpin, dials in with these high potency dance floor fillers for your teen dance party. For those of you unfamiliar with DJ Spinz, he is a multi-faceted performer who emcees, mixes, dances, runs games, clowns around with guests, and even beat boxes! Chris' song selections are presented in countdown fashion. Drumroll please...............

20) Holdin You Down (Circles)- Jazmine Sullivan

19) Only Girl In The World- Rihanna

18) OMG rmx - Usher ft DJ Class and Fatman Scoop

17) The Only Exception- Paramore

16) Hold Yuh- Gyptian

15) Dueces- Chris Brown ft Tyga

14) Misery- Maroon 5

13) Your Love- Nicki Minaj

12) Billionaire- Travie Mccoy

11) 2012- Jay Sean ft Nicki Minaj

10) Ridin Solo- Jason Derulo

9) Teenage Dream- Katy Perry

8) Club can't Handle Me- Flo Rida

7) California Gurls- Katy Perry

6) Dynamite- Taio Cruz

5) Dj Got Us Fallin' In Love- Usher ft Pitbull

4) I Like It- Enrique Iglesias ft Pitbull

3) Like A G6- Far East Movement

2) Just the Way You Are- Bruno Mars

1) Airplanes- B.O.B ft Hayley Williams

Top 5 Songs In DJ Spinz's i-Pod

5) One- Swedish House Mafia ft Pharell

4) The Rave (Tocadisco Remix) - Dr. Kucho

3) Pacha On Acid- Afrojack

2) Yep That's Me- Jamie Foxx

1) Still Got It- Drake

To book the highly-rated DJ Spinz for your teen dance party, wedding, or company holiday party, contact info@ambientdj.com or dial 609.672.1270. Follow Ambient DJ on Twitter @ AmbientDJs, or subscribe to our Facebook fan page at "Ambient DJ Service." To subscribe to our e-mail list for exclusive special offers, please send an e-mail to info@ambientdj.com with your full name and e-mail address.

Coming soon.... DJ Jagged and DJ Greg Nice's Autumn song selections! To view DJ Iron Mike's Top Fall selections, click here.

Photos from Steenman Wedding - Ringoes, NJ

Props to Mark Gardner Photography (http://differentphotographer.com) of Philadelphia for capturing an amazing array of photographs at this past June's wedding of Robin and Matt at the scenic Steenman farm in Ringoes, NJ. The bride and groom, as well as guests, were very outgoing and photogenic, helping to create some colorful and unforgettable images. You may see me lingering in the background on some of these photos. The day was extremely hot and humid, but that did not deter the guests from dancing! Congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. Steenman!

Summer 2010 Photos

Sweet 16 - Congratulations Courtney!

Uplighting at the Tides Estate - Congratulations David and Mary-Kate!

The Maid of Honor gets her Groove Thang on at Pheasants Landing!

Fist-pumping to some electro beats!

Fiesta time

Ambient uplighting by Ambient DJ Service

Uplighting at Sweet 16, Maggiano's Little Italy, Bridgewater

Ambient DJs' newest staff member, DJ Nadine, rocking out at the all-night American Cancer Society Relay for Life held in Woodbridge, NJ