Outdoor weddings...

They sure can be fun...but there are challenges.
Good weather of course is the variable that can be hoped for but not planned on. In 20 years of DJing weddings I can tell you that we have only had one ceremony moved inside and one reception that was rained heavily on but the tent protected all. Fun Times DJ might be good luck!
Insects can be another challenge. Mosquitoes on the guests, flies on the food or every seven years secedas in the air, very loud. Planning ahead can minimize their impact.
Neighbors. Make sure you invite them. Another thing you can do to play it safe is to lower the times in the day. Instead of 6p to 12a do 3:30p to 9:30p.
Have a great wedding and get a DJ to make sure it is the right mix of outdoor casual with the right amount of wedding formal.
I know one...Fun Times DJ. With coverage all over Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin with the majority of our work done in Chicagoland. 847-406-3635. www.funtimesdj.com

Photobooths in Chicagoland.

Photobooths are definitely a trend at weddings. Here is how to spot a good one. Get one that fits more than just 2 people. The advantage here is that it is more likely to look nicer in your beautifully decorated room. More people mean more fun in the picture as well! These are the types we have at Fun Times DJ.
Make sure you can see it in advance of booking it. Also ask to see examples of the photos, it will give you a better idea of quality.
The average price is right around $1000. Don't get sucked into a low price/low quality booth, then it might be better to skip.
1...2....3....smile!

www.illinoisweddingring.com
www.funtimesdj.com

Have fun with your pictures!

Yes, take the serious pictures but have some fun too! Be yourself and give yourself something to smile about when showing your album to your grandkids.

Looking for someone? www.illinoisweddingring.com and start shopping. The Illinois Wedding Ring is operated by www.funtimesdj.com

Here we go!

You leave the church, head to the banquet hall. Is everything going to be how you want it? Make sure you have personal appointments at the time of booking and at least 30 days before your wedding day. That way you can be confident and relaxed on one of the most important days of your life. For a DJ that thinks this way visit www.funtimesdj.com.

It's tradition but is it mandatory?

Garter and Bouquet, cake cutting, Dollar dance, Chicken dance, Apron dance, Grand march, Or what ever our grandparents did. Yes they were tradition but no, they do not have to be a part of your wedding. Keep in mind it is your day So why waste time fretting a moment at your wedding.
You can also come up with creative alternatives to those traditions such as The longest married couples dance instead of a bouquet toss. Whatever you choose make sure it is a reflection of you and your husband or bride. At Fun Times DJ we will have those conversations so you can have fun and be relaxed your wedding day.
Need some ideas? Give Fun Times DJ a call at 847-406-3535 and visit us at www.funtimesdj.com.

Want to fully enjoy your wedding planning?

Avoid any vendor using deadline and pressure tactics. Usually in those cases customers of all types of vendors have told us they were disappointed. The trick to running a successful business is balancing the focus of bringing in new business and pampering your current customers. At Fun Times DJ we believe the best way to bring in new business is by referrals from our past customers. To see what we mean give us a call at 847-406-djdj (3535) and visit us online at www.funtimesdj.com

Hold up, slow down. We need to run this by the bride first!

You as a bridesmaid want to help as much as you can.  You may even want to through in a few suprises.  Don't do that, sorry.  Best intentions can get scary when a bride has no idea what is coming next.  Remember is her wedding not a roast!  The Bride and Groom may also have set some solid deadlines with all of her vendors and the banquet facility.  For instance, what if the photography is scheduled to leave at a certain time or the meal has to be served within a specific window.

 

Get her involved, you could save her wedding and maybe your friendship!

 

For more great advice ask www.engagingeventsbyali.com .  Also find a DJ that will work with you.   www.funtimesdj.com, www.djinkenosha.com

Creative locations for weddings!

 

Take some time and discover some non-typical venues for your wedding reception!  Make the locations all about you!  Below are examples of weddings at a Zoo, a mansion and an Indoor Racing facility.  Your guests may be quite suprised and the fun level can be brought way up!  Theme elements become more natural as well.  Have fun with your wedding!

 

 

 

 

 

 

For perfect weddings that are a reflection of you, choose www.funtimesdj.com

Your first dance...

Choose the song that means everything to you.  It is ok if others have used it.  That only means that it is that good of a song.  I like meaningful songs as well.  A first dance that is over planned seeking You Tube glory can take away from it's meaning.  Here is one of the biggest songs for 2012.

Need ideas?  Give us a call at 847-406-3535 or visit www.funtimesdj.com

Discover venues without leaving your house!

Here is just one of the different businesses for your wedding that you can find at www.illinoisweddingring.com.  Videos make shopping fun and easy!

They are filmed by the guys at www.funtimesdj.com

Flowers make your wedding beautiful!

Check out Donna's custom flowers in Mundelein.  Here is a video tour and interview of Donna with Don Wilson of Fun Times DJ.  For more vendors and a link to this website visit www.illinoisweddingring.com

This is fun!

Have a wedding in a unique location.  Dance all night.  Hug everyone.  This is your day!  If you hire professional vendors who want to make your wedding fun and memorable you are in great shape and can relax on your big day.  When you are introduced as the new Mr. & Mrs. it should be game on.  Take the worry out of your wedding by hiring reputable companies that have a successful track record even if they cost a little more.  You have one chance at this!

www.funtimesdj.com can help take the worries out of your wedding day!

Let's be friends first.

Having a good working relationship with all of the vendors you choose for your wedding does two very important things.  First, you are able to convey what is most important to you.  Second, because you are getting what you want and the day is being executed as you had dreamed you (Bride) can relax and have more fun on your wedding day.  You dance and smile more and your guests will do the same!  Consider a vendor a friend.  If this friend does not return calls, e-mails or Face Book messages are they really your friend?

We would love to be your DJ on your wedding day.  www.funtimesdj.com

Honoring your loved ones at your wedding.

At your wedding there is a fine line on how to pay homage to someone you love who has passed.  You don't want to take away from the fun of the event but you want to show that you wish they were there.  Above is one simple and beautiful way to do that.  I have seen floating roses in a fountain and a kind mention during the ceremony.  I have also been around what became disasters like playing a photo montage of the mother of the bride who had died during the father/daughter dance.  Dedicating a song to someone who has died at your reception can be a bad idea as well. 
Have this in mind..."What are your expectations for that moment?"  I have witnessed a group of people crying at a wedding when a couple insisted on a tear jerking tribute. 
Wouldn't they want you to have a fun wedding?  YES!  Take care of the meaningful tributes at the ceremony and keep party time, party time.
Thoughts?  Things you have witnessed or done...post them here.

For a wedding that is fun and runs smoothly hire www.funtimesdj.com.

Fun Times DJ now offers Photobooths!

Our photobooths are more fun!

Above you see a picture of one of our photobooths.  We are so pleased to be able to offer our customers a superior product for weddings all over Chicagoland.  You can also save money on your photobooth by booking Fun Times DJ for your wedding.

Call Fun Times DJ now at 847-406-3535 to get Fun Times DJ and our Must Have Photobooths!

Here 10 reasons to get a Photobooth!

1. EVERYBODY LOVES A PHOTO BOOTH

In the photo booth, everyone is photogenic! Your guests will

definitely thank you for having a photo booth and you will have

some outstanding photos to smile at after. When else will you get

to see crazy Uncle Joe and Aunt Betty loosen up with some

oversized sunglasses, bow ties and top hats?

2. OUR LIGHTNING-SPEED TURNAROUND TIME

Betcha can’t find another company who will provide you with a disc

of images

the night of your event and upload the photos online for

your guests to view and download

the very next day! We not only

post the photo strips, but also the high-resolution images - so your

guests can view, download and print their favorites. If they

REALLY love their photos, they can blow them up to poster-size

and frame them over the mantle!

3. OUR TOP-NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE

We guarantee you won’t meet a more passionate, helpful and

friendly staff anywhere else! This is no side job – this is our fulltime

career and passion. Photo booths are our specialty… so don’t

even

think of going to anyone else! We will work out all the details

with you from start to finish so when your event comes, you can sit

back, relax and rest assured that everything will run smoothly!

4. OUR FABULOUS PHOTO BOOTHS

We're certainly no pop-up tent with a camera on a tripod… We take

a lot of pride in our photo booths – they are “our babies!” We

spend LOTS of time updating and improving them for the better.

The sleek, modern design with black satin fabric curtains will fit into

any venue. You will surely be impressed!

5. BIGGER IS BETTER

These are no old fashioned two-seater photo booths that feel

cramped and claustrophobic… we have seen 13 adults inside our

photo booth! The fabric curtains can push outward so we can

accommodate as many guests as are willing to “get cozy!” From 1

to 13, your guests are sure to have a great time and take some

great pictures!

6. OUR FUN PROPS

In our prop box we have hats, sunglasses, leis, mustaches,

oversized lips, whiteboards, bow ties… and we even hand-make

clever signs! “Wedding Crasher,” “I Got The Moves Like Jagger,”

“Team Bride / Team Groom” and “Here For The Beer” - just to

name a few! Our creatively silly signs will keep your guests coming

back to the photo booth over and over again!

7. OUR AWESOME PHOTO STRIPS

We work with you to design a memorable personalized logo for the

bottom of your photo strip, so guests can cherish their time at your

event! Choose from our design samples or we can create a

custom logo that fits your event’s theme!

8. THEY MAKE GREAT PARTY FAVORS

The days of the disposable camera on the table are long gone…

What better than an instant, interactive, personalized memento

from your special occasion? Ask about our acrylic standing

frames… they can even double up as place cards, too!

9. BUILT-IN ENTERTAINMENT

Yes, the DJ will keep your guests movin’ and groovin’ on the dance

floor, but let’s face it your guests can’t be cuttin’ a rug ALL night.

So to break up the dancing let them enjoy the photo booth! They

get to pick out props, take silly photos, pick up their prints, see

others’ photos on the live slideshow, leave a silly caption in the

scrapbook, and then show off their photos to family and friends.

Kids love us too… you probably won’t be able to get them OUT of

the photo booth! Adults and kids alike will have an absolute blast!

10. UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES

After your special day is over, the only thing that lasts are the

photos… so give your guests as many photo ops as possible! We

will capture moments that a traditional photographer wouldn't

typically capture. When your guests figure out there is no "real

person" to impress behind the camera, they ham it up for the

camera! We guarantee, your photo booth photos will be one of the

best keepsakes of your night!

First Dance fun with Fun Times DJ

Fun with a first dance!  Click on the link to the left to see a first dance that Fun Times DJ edited and a fun couple performed with their wedding party.  Great stuff! 
If you're looking for fun ideas to come to life, call Fun Times DJ at 847-406-3535 (DJDJ).  We will listen and help you acheive your dreams and concepts!

                                                           http://youtu.be/VUL9IznRMo8

Fun Times DJ at a wedding in Lake Geneva.

Take a look around the Riviera in Lake Geneva with Don Wilson of Fun Times DJ.  You will also enjoy Tess, the four legged bridesmaid!

Fun Times DJ at the Lehmann Mansion in Lake Villa, IL

Take a look around the Lehmann Mansion in Lake Villa during a fun wedding! 

Watch for the dance off between two groomsmen, it is classic! 

www.funtimesdj.com

At Fun Times we believe that the focus of the evening should be on the couple getting married and their guests. As Fun Times Disc Jockeys we will play the songs that are important to the Bride and Groom as well as the songs that we know will motivate people to fully enjoy themselves and walk away exhausted knowing they have been to the best wedding ever!

Call us today 847-406-DJDJ (3535)

Sports themed wedding at the Redfield Estate in Glenview, IL

The slogan of Fun Times DJ is "We Make Your Wedding Sound Like Your Wedding" so I love it when people OWN their wedding.  Here is a wedding at the Redfield Estate in Glenview, IL.  Wath this video for ideas andd a look around the estate for a ceremony and reception!

Call Fun Times DJ today to start planning your perfect day!  847-406-3535

Our sites can help you plan!

Shop around for your wedding using our You Tube Page.  The link is below.  You will see a number of venues!

http://www.youtube.com/user/funtimesdj?feature=mhee

Don't forget to "Like" us of Face Book too!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fun-Times-DJ/205241434216

Remembering the Country Squire in photos...

Here are photos of the last wedding Fun Times DJ did there.  We were booked for three weddings there in just June of 2012 when they closed.  We were able to direct our customers to other venues.

www.funtimesdj.com can offer many suggestions in Lake, Kenosha and Cook County for your wedding.  Just call us at 847-406-3535.  Also visit www.illinoisweddingring.com

A look at Festival Hall in Racine, WI

People in Illinois have discovered that sometimes going over the border into Wisconsin can sometimes be cost effective.  Here is a look at a 250 person wedding at Festival Hall in Racine, Wisconsin.  Jake & Chrissy's ceremony was held outside on the shores of Lake Michigan.  The bride and groom had a big open place that they had to decorate and they did have to bring in a caterer so yes, there was a little more work to pull it all off but the result was a perfect celebration of their love.  The dancefloor was packed all night too with their choice in DJ, Fun Times DJ!

Fun Times DJ Wedding at White Eagle Banquets in Niles, IL

Fun Times DJ was hired to help make Lauren and Anthony's wedding a fun reflection of their love.  The brides parents were very involved and interested in every aspect of the day and dad even got choked up during the father/daughter dance.  When that song was complete we presented dad with the exact CD that he danced with his princess to.  Call Fun Times DJ today at 847-406-DJDJ and discover how we help to make your wedding sound like YOUR wedding.   Here are some pictures of their day.  The wedding took place at White Eagle Banquets in Niles, IL on 9/17/2011.

A look at Thunderhawk C.C. in Zion, IL

Thunderhawk C.C. is a beautiful venue in Zion, IL that Fun Times DJ.  They do a perfect job of staffing and serving excellent food.  The grounds are surrounded by one of Illinois' most beautiful (and challenging) golf courses.  We would easily recommend the location for events of 175 or fewer.

Here are some pictures inside the venue as well.

Less cliche songs for weddings...

Right now at Fun Times DJ we are sitting down with our June weddings to help couples make their wedding sound like their wedding. What we mean by that is we find out favorite, important songs and artists from each couple and work from there. Then we start to solidify song choices for cocktail music, cake, bouquet, etc.
this helps wedding to sound like any other. (in other words it is time to stop using songs like "Single Ladies") It

Here are a few of those choices that couples have made.

Bouquet: "Where Them Girls At" David Guetta

Garter: "Business Time" Flight of the Concordes, "Lady" Lenny Kravitz

Cake Cutting: "Honey Bee" Blake Shelton

Call us at Fun Times DJ today to schedule a consultation to help make your wedding a reflection of you!

847-406-3535 (DJDJ)
www.funtimesdj.com

Vegas wedding? Good idea or Bad idea?

"Baby, let's just go to Vegas"...Below are a for and against breakdown...add more below to express your feelings.  Vegas is not for everyone's wedding day.

For:
1. Need to do this quick (Military, Maternity)
2. Small families on both side.
3. Not your first (or second) rodeo.
4. Worried about who might attend.
5. Somewhat inexpensive.
6. Fun in a non-stop way.


Against:
1. Parents would be crushed.
2. Always dreamed of a bigger event.
3. Want the feeling of celebrating traditionally in front of your loved ones. (Cake, Dance, etc.)
4. Better pictures.
5. Feels that it means more.
6. Great reason to get families together.
7. Introduce families to one another.

Add more to either side....

Professional DJ making annoncements.

Real Annoncers, Real DJ's!

At Fun Times DJ our professionals are experienced in public speaking in many ways.  Add that to our knowledge of weddings and music and the result is a fun wedding with a professional emcee.  You will have a wedding day that is fun and relaxing although your feet will be tired from dancing and your cheeks may need a rest from smiling!  Below is a few examples of some of our DJ's in other situations...thought you might enjoy these...then give us a call for your wedding!  847-406-3535


Tom Kief....

Don Wilson...

John Perry...

Be safe when wedding planning.

The above heading popped up on my Gmail account.  Below is what happens when you click on it.

It is a clearinghouse for DJ's, photographers and videographers.  Translated they will sell your date to someone with speakers.  Forget about a personalized experience. 
Ask any bride, getting to meet your vendors in advance is one of the most important things you must do.

Shop safe!

Discover the elegance of the Lehmann Mansion for your wedding!

Discover the Lehmann Mansion with Bauer's Catering.  Your guests will be excited when you invite them to your wedding and they find out it will be at a mansion!  Bauer's catering is amazing.  The food will blow you away and is yet still affordable.  I have included some pictures to showcase the Lehmann Mansion as well.  The bottom picture is a wedding that Fun Times DJ had the guests dancing at.

Bauer's Catering
1414 North Milwaukee Avenue
Libertyville, IL 60048
Phone 1: 847-816-9900

An poetic way to remember your wedding day!

The Illinois Wedding Ring as recommended by Fun Times DJ is pleased to welcome Poetic Productions to our group of high quality vendors that help to make your wedding perfect.  If you are getting married and want to beautifully remember your date forever, check them out!


Poetic Productions
1467 N. Elston Avenue, Unit 204
Chicago, IL 60642
312-863-4007

Think of it this way...

What is the one thing at your wedding that no one can avoid?  Well, you can not have the chicken, you can show up late and miss the ceremony, you can not be in the limo, you can also avoid the wedding cake.  The DJ though, is unavoidable.  His/her speakers help to fill up the room, or empty it.  Whether it is grandma or your college friends a good DJ should get people dancing.  A great DJ did his homework in advance and makes everyone enjoy a day all about you.  A great DJ keeps reminding people why they are there with songs and references that are about you and your new spouse. 
Make your wedding sound like your wedding and everyone will know it was the best wedding they were ever at!  If this sounds like what you are looking for for your wedding and guests call 847-406-3535 for Fun Times DJ. 

Congratulations to Engaging Event by Ali for launching your new website!  Ali and her team were named in the top 10 of Chicago Event Planners by Chicago Magazine.  Over the last seven years Fun Times DJ has been on their short list of trusted music provider/party staters!  Thank you Ali and best of luck in 2012! 
If you would like to enjoy a relaxing, perfectly organized wedding day make sure you call Ali and her staff at 773-777-2299.

Your Banquet Hall can make your event run smoothly.

Does your banquet hall fully staff for your needs?  This is one of the challenges you can find with a place that does not usually do weddings.  One place that we have had great success is Concorde Banquets in Kildeer, IL.  There you will enjoy all of your guests being served at the same time.  This helps the event to move smoothly and most importantly make everyone available for the dancefloor!

Call Fun Times DJ today for a successful wedding in Lake County and Chicagoland, 847-406-3535.