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This is your chance to snag a fun part-time weekend gig!
We are looking for Photo Booth Attendants to operate our state of the art Photo Booths at weddings, corporate events and private events. If you are outgoing, detail oriented and know how to create a fun atmosphere for clients, then click below to apply!
"Rat Pack + Jazz Are Great
...but I want something different for my cocktail music!"
if the sentiment above describes you, then you were destined to see this blog post today. :) While traditional styles typically played during cocktail hour work great, and make sense for the right atmosphere, they definitely are not a "one size fits all" genre when it comes to fitting the atmosphere of many of today's venues.
If Your Venue Were A Song, What Would It Sound Like?
Okay, the question is weird, but think about it! The venue, decor, and music all brand your event a particular way. And that WAY should be cohesive!
Confused?...Let's Check Out A Couple Of Examples Below.
Check out The Gallery Event Space in Power & Light. What are some words that come to mind? Modern, trendy, minimalistic? DEFINITELY!.....which is why a cocktail hour in this space should resemble the same feel.
This playlist was created for the trendy rooms of Kansas City. You'll hear some housey / jazz sounds that are a perfect fit for events needing the cocktail hour to be uniquely different :) It's definitely not for every person or venue, but if used correctly, your guests will take notice and appreciate the atmosphere you have created.
An Elite Sounds favorite.... Foundation Event Space in the historic KC West Bottoms. What words can be used to describe the character of this space? Rustic, a hint of industrial, eclectic with a true hipsteresque (is this even a word?) vibe?
Yet another playlist that defies the norm to provide a truly unique feel for a venue with this much character. While it's not the only style that makes sense, it's definitely one that has not been played out, or a part of every other event that your guests have attended recently.
Need More Help Creating The Perfect Playlist For Your Event?
We are here to help!! If you need to have a quick conversation over the phone, or want to come in for a consultation to talk through your event in more detail, LET US KNOW! We are super laid back, and have advice that has come through performing at thousands of events over the years.
Ready to take your corporate events to the next level? Here's how... book Elite Sounds!
We've provided DJ, Event Lighting and Photo Booth services to some of the biggest companies in the Midwest!
Unsure of what tracks get the party going? Here is a playlist of some tracks that haven't let us down. Follow it. Download it. Enjoy it.
Contact us for more information on how we can collaborate to make your dance floor and your event a success!
Are you looking for something to set your event’s aesthetics apart from the rest? Our Orbs do just that.
They can be used in multiple settings. You can put them in the pool for a modern pool party. You can use them to decorate a patio for a cocktail hour or an outdoor event. They can be strung from the ceiling in any formation you want. Like a dance floor ceiling or an arch over a stage. If the event is more party oriented they can even be used as centerpieces. We can hang them or place them for any scenario that you are inspired to create.
The functionality of the orbs also allows for various vibes to be achieved. You can program them to any color you like and leave them. Or if it is more of a roam and mingle event, you can set them to a slow fade to create an atmosphere that ebbs and flows. If it is a straight up dance floor situation, you can even let them snap from color to color, raising the energy of that space.
For more information on how the Orbs can be utilized at your event contact us now!
Styled Shoot Sponsors
Lighting - Elite Sounds Entertainment - @elitesounds
Photo - Brianne Elizabeth Photography - @brianneelizabethphoto
Venue - Westin Crown Center - @thewestincrowncenter
Planner - Quintessential Events - @quintessentialeventskc
Dresses - Fabulous Frocks of Kansas City - @fabulousfrocksofkc
Jewelry - Helzberg Diamonds - @helzbergdiamonds
Make-up and Hair - White Carpet Bride - @whitecarpetbride
Florist - Michael Stringer
Models - @arielle.kc and @pattycakes2494
Suits - Todd's Clothiers & Tailor Shop
Over 1000 Couples Have Chosen Elite Sounds....Let's Chat So You Can See Why
Attention spans are at a record low these days. Because of this, it is not uncommon for couples to consider multiple entertainment options for their receptions to keep guests involved and having a great time until the end of the night.
We want your guests to have as much fun as you do, but it’s important to remember that more entertainment is not always the right answer. Some of our brides and grooms spread multiple forms of entertainment throughout the night, throughout the venue and span all age ranges. Some of these additions include cigar rollers, yard games, photo booths outside, DJ-led participation games, so on and so forth. All great ideas, as long as they are not affecting your overall goals.
Most of our couples tell us that a packed dance floor is one of their top priorities, if not the most important aspect of the night. If you want a successful dance floor then don’t spread your guests attention all over the venue. Let the focal point be the dance floor. If you decide to book a photo booth too, great! Can you place it in a relative area close to the dance floor? If so, do it! This will help to keep all of your guests gathered in the same area which will increase participation on your dance floor ten fold. This is the same for bars in the venue as well. Over the years, we have realized that venues that have bars closer to the dance floor typically have better parties. Why? Because guests are all gathered collectively in the same area.
Being cautious of these decisions, along with the bride and groom (and the bridal party) on the floor will multiply the success of your dance floor more than you can imagine. Your dance floor will be packed, and your guests won’t be divided up throughout the night.
Obviously, hiring a DJ that fits your style and musical preferences needs to be paired with this for dance floor success. But when you have an effective timeline, a worthy facilitator and great music you don’t need to think too far outside of the box for your guest’s to have a great night to remember.
The Bouquet Toss. An old tradition that comes from England. To try and obtain some of the bride’s good fortune, women used to rip pieces of the bride’s dress and flowers. I can smell the desperation from here. I guess it didn’t occur to these women to just try and be tolerable to one person out of the 7 billion options. So to escape their grab-happy guests, women would toss their bouquet and run away... Like a grenade.
As tradition worthy as that mess sounds, a lot of brides are steering away from the bouquet toss. Some of your uber-traditional wedding guests may be shocked but chances are they’re older and wouldn’t be able to participate anyway. And those single women that can participate often have to be forced to the dance floor to endure the occasion awkwardly. Who’s really winning here?
By all means, if you have been dreaming of tossing the bouquet at your wedding since you were a little girl, then do it! It is your day and if you want to hurl a batch of flowers, the choice is yours.
Looking for a reasonable medium? Consider giving the bouquet to the next couple at your wedding that is arranged to be married. Or you could do an Anniversary Dance and give the bouquet to the couple that has been married the longest. Or to avoid the single women awkwardness, just invite ALL of your female guests to the dance floor. Toss it and give the winner a nice bottle of wine.
Ultimately, this formality is a personal preference. Whether you want to go old-school, revamp it or boot it. Do what suits you and your guests best. It is what you make it.
A gorgeous day in May, 2017 was the setting for Taylor & Hayes Farwell’s reception at Mildale Farms in Edgerton, Kansas. One of the highlights was Champ, Taylor’s lab as the ring bearer. Other special moments were shared from personal notes, self-written vows, and hilarious toasts. And we ended the night with a memorable dance floor celebration. Big thanks to a very fun bride, groom, friends and family. So honored we could be a part of this unique event.
Photo Credit - Melissa Sigler Photography
Special thanks to the vendors that made this event a reality.
Kansas City wedding venue – Mildale Farm
Photographer – Melissa Sigler
Florist – Heartstrings – a floral boutique
Cake – Cardinal Cake Company
Pies – The Upper Crust
Invitation Suite – Magpie Designed
Caterer – Ambrosia Catering
Makeup Artist – Jolie Artistry
Wedding gown – Kitty Chen
Bridesmaids Dresses – Adrianna Papell
Menswear – Mens Wearhouse
Officiant – Nanette Roberts
Engagement & wedding rings – Shane Co
You’re working your way through your wedding checklist. It’s stressful. We get it, but even so, we want to make sure you are considering a few items as you search for that perfect DJ company.
No matter what your budget is there are some things you should always consider when hiring your entertainment. One of the most important is their emergency backup plan.
Accidents happen. No one in any business is immune to something going wrong. People get sick. Cars wreck. Equipment fails. It’s just the nature of the beast. But where your DJ company should be separating themselves from the pack is in the way they handle emergencies. Be sure to ask the right questions. What happens if your DJ is sick on the day of? What happens in the event of equipment malfunction? What is the backup plan?
At Elite Sounds, we have 8 DJs with experience ranging from 5-20 years. None of us are wet-behind-the-ear-newbies. And all of our DJs are active. We aren’t bringing Father Time out of retirement to play the Hokey Pokey at your reception. Each of our DJs is up to date with what is happening in the KC wedding scene and in the national music scene.
We encourage you to check out our reviews on The Knot. We are a company comprised of successful DJs with great past client reviews! Not a company with one or two all stars and then a bunch of duds. We are a group of well-established, collaborative DJs that grow our skills together. As you scroll through the reviews, notice how many different DJs are mentioned. When you are looking through other DJ company reviews, be sure and keep an eye out. They may have 100 five star reviews, but is there only one or two people out of a staff of 5 or 10 being mentioned in every review that you see? If so, you better hope that you aren’t paired with the others that aren’t getting any kudos. You know nothing about them! They’re riding the coattails of the others!
If something were to go wrong at your event (knock on wood), we always have a DJ that is unbooked when we have events happening. They are “on-call”. Ready with your special songs, timeline and requests to take over like nothing ever happened.
In fact, here is a review that we received several years ago when one of our DJs ended up in the hospital and not able to be at Lisa & Joe’s reception as planned:
Our backup DJ is also prepared for equipment malfunctions. We have multiple complete DJ setups at our office in the crossroads, packed and waiting to be hauled out.
So know your DJ company’s back-up plan and roster. Hire a company you trust, not just an individual. Once you do, it is one less thing you have to worry about.
USE COUPON CODE ELITE100 TO SAVE $100 ON YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
There are a couple of high energy focal moments during your wedding day. The first kiss. The dance floor. And the grand entrance. (I left the part of the night after the reception off because we can’t help you with that). However, we do have some advice on making your grand entrance a moment to remember.
At Elite Sounds we pride ourselves on bringing newlyweds’ reception visions to life. We are always collaborating with brides and grooms that are unique in their own way. Whether they are going for a traditional feel or a completely original new concept for a reception. So whether you want Shut Up and Dance or When a Man Loves a Woman for your introduction, we will be there to make sure it is what you have envisioned. We have success stories from both ends but let us break down some of the aspects of a great grand entrance track.
The more of these aspects you can check off, the more relevant and successful your grand entrance song will be.
High Energy
This is your big entrance! Your guests just watched your relationship go to the next level and they’re as amped as you are. Pick a song that reflects that energy.
Topically Relevant
Outta Your Mind by LMFAO is an extremely high energy song. But is it topically relevant? Unless you two were crazy to tie the knot, then probably not. It may be cliche but this may be the time to pick a love song. And mind you, just because it is a love song doesn’t mean it has to be a slow song. 87% of songs are love songs (we made up this statistic, but it’s probably not far off considering every song ever).
Crowd Familiarity
You want your guests to be able to relate to the way your feeling. Picking an obscure track can be a risky move if you are going to be looking for crowd reaction/participation. However, if you are able to hit the other points, this could potentially be overruled.
Personally Special
You want a track that speaks to both you and your partner. Find a track that has a special memory attached to it. Or one that shares a similar significance to each person. For example, we had a couple chose Space Jam by Quad City DJ’s to walk in to. They were both 90’s kids and loved 90’s music. They loved movies. Was it a high energy track? Check. Topically relevant? Perhaps not (but they danced in and made it their own). Crowd familiarity? You betcha.
For those of you who are considering picking a different track for every bridesmaid and groomsman, we would lean you a different direction. A single track allows for a uniform energy level, smoother transitions and won’t add hecticness to an already exciting formality. When you choose a different track for each couple your crowd will only hear about 10 seconds of each song, resulting in a muddled mess. If you do want an extra song option, consider just having one for the bridal party and a different one for the newlyweds.
After you book with Elite Sounds you meet your DJ. Our DJs can help you find the perfect track for your entrance after learning more about your musical tastes, relationship history and the overall style of your wedding.
Photo Credit - Brianne Elizabeth Photography
You’ve thought about bonuses and cheap gifts to reward your employees but do they really want a personalized company pen…? Why not throw a party? Create memories, pull down barriers and just cut loose. Need more reasons? Ok fine. Here’s a few.
Comradery
Ask anyone what the most important aspect of anything is and most likely that answer is communication. Communication is the key to success. If the only communication that your staff has together is business related you are limiting their potential. Name a better ice-breaker than dancing. It brings us all together.
Wild Sides
Bring out the goofy sides of your employees with a photo booth. You will see sides of people that you didn’t know they had. Speak to that and create memories. Your guests will receive a photo strip of their own and you will get a digital file of the lot. Pick a few and throw them on social media. Put out that fun company image.
Celebrate Success
What says the company is in good financial standing? Gold Porsches for everyone, I guess. But for us reasonable people, a company party probably makes more sense. Your staff has done a great job. Reward them. If we can’t stop and celebrate what we’ve done, what is it all for?
The Recap
When you’re back at the grind on Monday your staff will still be coming down from their high. That photo booth picture of shy Sharon is now a conversation piece. Someone took a video of Carl from accounting breakdancing. What is that I smell in the air? Is that bonding? It is.... It is.
Awards
Don’t be the stepdad that refuses to say he’s proud of his stepson. Publicly acknowledge those that have gone above and beyond to make your company better. You may be surprised by how the newbies start to emulate the people you reward. Win-win? Yep.
Fully Customizable
We can come in at whatever level you’re thinking. From a parking lot bbq to a black tie cocktail mixer to an informational conference. Make it reflect your company’s style. Our additional services provide a variety of options to make the night fit your group.
If that swayed you, contact us to talk through some options that will make the most sense for your upcoming event . Everyone will have such a good time that you will be booking next year’s party while we are packing up our equipment. We have a team of DJ’s with experience ranging from 5-20 years. We can make the vision of your party a reality.
