Sound Advice from Elevated Pulse

Wedding Song Recommendations: Last Song

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:30:00 +0000

"How do I choose a song for our father daughter dance?"
"What if we don't have a "song", how do we choose our first dance track?"
"We want to be different so what do you suggest for our grand entrance song?"

These are all great questions and ones that we hear all the time. So, we decided to start posting our best wedding song recommendations and even some creative selections from our own clients to help all of the Brides and Grooms to be!

This week we're focusing on the epic last song of your wedding reception. You can choose to play something that every guest will recognize or a song that you know the late night crowd will enjoy. Either way, it is bound to be a memorable moment. Whatever you play for your last dance, the song will never be the same for you. Every time you hear it, you'll be transported back to the final moments of the most special day of your lives. Elevated Pulse has listed just a few recommendations below, including a video of a recent wedding we did to show you just how EPIC these can be!

Last Dance Songs

Song: We are Young
Artist: Fun

Song: All My Friends
Artist: LCD Soundsystem

Song: 40 Day Dream
Artist: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Real Wedding at Richard Nixon Library

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Dangvy & Andy got married on a rainy day in February at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. But, the rain didn't stop the smiles and the celebration of their love for one another. Their family and friends brought so much emotion to the day as well. Dangvy's father said it best..."She is my pride. She is my life. She is my beauty. She is my success. Please take care of my daughter.” Elevated Pulse was honored to witness these two best friends make their lifelong committment to each other. Take a look at just a few of the stunning images captured by the amazing duo at D Park Photography, who, by the way, were some of the most organized and responsive photographers we've ever worked with!

Photography: D Park Photography
Reception Venue: Nixon Library
Videography: Crescent Bay Films
Cake & Desserts: Final Touch Bakery
Florist: Tiffany Teeravatya
Entertainment: Elevated Pulse Productions

Real Wedding at St. Regis Monarch Beach

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

We know we like to brag about having the nicest clients, but we just can't help it, especially when the Bride and Groom are Serra & Min. These two were so genuine and sweet and we think their wedding matched their personalities perfectly! Elevated Pulse was so excited to DJ their wedding, but we did not know just how fun it was going to be! Serra, Min, and their guests served up a dance party to remember! They were married at the beautiful St. Regis Resort in Dana Point with simple and elegant details that will take your breath away. Here's a sneak peek of some of the photos and their highlight video.

And, check out the beautiful film from 618 studios.

Venue: St. Regis Monarch Beach
Photography: Michelle Gardella
Florist: Honey & Poppies
Cinematography: 618 Studios
Entertainment: Elevated Pulse Productions

Wedding Song Recommendations: Your Wedding Video

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000

So many couples wish they could hit the "pause" button on their wedding day. It goes by so fast from the moment you say"I DO" to the final song being played. Hiring a videographer to capture the entire day is one of the most invaluable decisions you can make. Your wedding film will bring your memories back to life for generations to come. Because of the long life your wedding video will have, you'll want to choose a song(s) that you'll still enjoy hearing, and that will stir those same emotions twenty or thirty years from now. So, Elevated Pulse put together a few recommendations that we thought would work really well. Share them with your videographer and see what they think!

Song: Cupid
Artist: Daniel Powter

Song: We Are The One
Artist: Ross Copperman

Song: This is Love
Artist: Mozella

Song: As Long As We Got Love
Artist: Javier Colon feat. Natasha Bedingfield

Song: 1,000 Ships

Artist: Rachel Platten

Wedding DJ vs. Band: Things to Consider

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Guest Blog Post from Heather of LVL Events

Heather and the entire staff from LVL Events are amazing to work with! Elevated Pulse has had the pleasure of working closely with them over the last few years and would recommend them to all Brides & Grooms looking for a wedding planner or design team. We consider them experts in the wedding industry which is why we've asked them to put together this very informative blog post for you! Enjoy!

Here at LVL, we think both bands and DJs can be a fantastic part to your big day! However, we often find our couples that are deciding on either a band or a DJ forget to compare the details to help them decide which one is a better fit for their wedding day.

As you can see in the chart above, there are many things to consider about your day, your budget, your venue, your vision, etc. We hope to elaborate on each of these for you so that you are making the best decision for YOUR wedding.

Cost – Most couples are on a budget, and whether it is big or small, there is an overall cost you are trying not to exceed. Most wedding bands range from $4,500+ to $15,000+ and a DJ’s pricing can start from $1,400+ & up. Why are the costs of bands compared to DJs so high? Simply put, there more people to pay. Bands usually have around 5-14 members and are typically paid on an hourly rate.

Depending on the time scale of your wedding, you may need to book a band or DJ for additional hours. These additional hours are extended time to play beyond the 4-5 hrs. A DJ’s hourly rate is often $200 or so and a band’s is often $500+. Once again, a band’s higher hourly rate is due to the greater number of people in it.

Space & Power – For most couples planning their wedding, it may be their first time planning an event to this scale. Two important things to remember are space and power. These are often the most overlooked details that are very important to your DJ or band.

Think about your venue – is it spacious? Are you filling it completely with your guests? Is there enough space for a band? A band usually requires a space of 16 feet x 8 feet or larger to set up all equipment, speakers, and microphones. In addition to the space, they often require a stage of that same size, especially when the event is outside, to ensure they are on level, dry ground. With a DJ, spacing is more flexible. DJs often only require a 6 ft table or 6 ft of space to set up all their equipment. It is also important to keep in mind the spacing needed between your band or DJ and your guests. Music is played loud, so also take into consideration the space needed to put your guests at a comfortable distance.

In addition to space, power is equally as important. Without power you have no amplification! Bands often need 40+ amps of power and DJs usually a single 20 amp circuit. Many beautiful wedding venues are older or historic, and have limited power sources or sensitive circuits. It would be terrible for the band or DJ to begin to play and have a circuit blow due to insufficient power. To avoid this, talk to your venue manager, they can usually answer the questions of how much power is available and where the power is located.

Set up & Break Down – It is important to think about set up and break down times as well. You may have your venue for a set amount of hours, which is usually the case, so if you are hoping to maximize the minutes of your wedding, you should consider the amount of time your band or DJ will need to set up before your wedding and to break down after. Some venues have multiple weddings in a day, which might make it difficult for your band to get in and set up on time. A band often needs 1-2 hours to set up, whereas a DJ often takes about 45 mins.

Sound check – This is done after your DJ or band is set up and they want to make sure everything is in order to begin playing. Typically, they will do a music level check as well as a microphone check. Depending on the location and timing of your band or DJ, this can be a bit of a distraction if it is close to where it can be heard by guests. Bands often need 30 min - 1 hour or longer to do a sound check and to make sure the musicians, equipment, speakers, and microphones are all perfect. A DJ usually can do a sound check in about 10 minutes.

MC (Master of Ceremonies) – Your MC is the person on the microphone that announces all the formalities to your guests. They typically introduce themselves (and the band) as well as announce grand entrance, first dance, toasts, dinner service, formal dances, cake cutting, bouquet and garter toss, etc. The MC should be eloquent, experienced in wedding MC’ing and confident on the mic. The MC should be the lead contact for your coordinator to go to in order to cue each event. A great wedding DJ can also be an MC. Most wedding bands have an experienced MC as well. However, for many genre-specific bands, a capable wedding MC is not always available, so be prepared to hire someone or asking someone else that can be the MC for your wedding and do an excellent job at it.

Hidden Details – There are many overlooked or forgotten details that often come up during planning or on the wedding day : Lighting, breaks / pauses, vendor meals, and flexibility of playlist.

Lighting is sometimes a necessity. If you are having your wedding in a location that will be dark for part or all of your reception, it is very important that the DJ or band had enough lighting to do their job, as well as be seen by your guests. Bands are there to entertain your guests, so it is great to light up the band for added color to their performance.

Breaks /Pauses - Just like at a concert, your band will have natural brief pauses between songs. This is normal as you are having a live, human performance. Bands are often fun and upbeat with high energy, so most need to take 15-20 min breaks after every 45-60 min set. During this break, most bands play music on an iPod for the festivities to continue. An inexperienced wedding band might not be as prepared, so definitely make it a question to go over with your band. A DJ typically plays straight from beginning to end. Even if they take a short dinner break, they can leave the music playing for a few songs without needing to be there. A DJ is often selected based on their ability to mix, flowing songs seamlessly together during dancing for continuous high energy.

Vendor Meals – You should provide a vendor meal for all of your vendors working throughout your reception. Most often these include your coordinator, photographers, videographers, and DJ or band. These meals are usually at a reduced rate from your guest’s price. For a DJ, you usually have one or two meals. For a band, you have usually need to provide around 5-14 meals. Most vendors, including bands and DJs, have in their contracts to require a hot meal and sometimes even at a specific time. Your coordinator should be mindful of the band’s breaks and when their vendor meals will be ready.

Play List- Many times, a band is hired because they are phenomenal at one specific genre of music. If so, you might be limited to that genre the entire night. (This could be ideal for you or a possible concern). Many professional wedding bands are dynamic and can play a variety of genres, however, may not necessarily be able to field requests by your guests or you on that night. A great DJ has an extensive library of songs that they can tailor to your requests and most importantly, your crowd’s. A great DJ will also adjust the music to keep the crowd dancing. A wedding band may be able to do this as well, so it is a good question to discuss with potential bands.

We feel like bands and DJs are very different. They provide different entertainment for your wedding and have different needs. If it is in your vision, and your budget and space allows it, another great option is to have BOTH at your wedding! We hope this helps you consider all of the details before deciding on if a band or DJ is best for you! -Heather

LVL Events focuses on the design, details and flawless execution that will make one of the most memorable days of your life an extraordinary celebration from beginning to end. They ensure it’s your vision, your style and your personality that all comes to life in a sophisticated and elegant way that fits your dreams and your budget perfectly. Give them a call today to schedule your personal consultation!

Wedding Song Recommendations: Cake Cutting

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000

One of the sweetest moments in your wedding reception is, of course, the cutting of your cake! Elevated Pulse likes to recommend to its clients that they use this opportunity to incorporate one of their favorite artists or songs that doesn't necessarily work for the "dancing" portion of the night. This is a chance to play a love song that might be too fast for your first dance, but too slow for dancing into the late hours. Here are just a few that we think are unique, upbeat, and just as sweet as your dessert!

For the "Contemporary" music lovers:
Song: Falling in Love (with my best friend)
Artist: Matt White

If you like a more "Alternative" genre:
Song: White Dress
Artist: Parachute

Song: Love that Girl
Artist: Raphael Saadiq

Song: Up Up Up
Artist: Givers

If you want to incorporate some R&B and Soul:
Song: From My Heart to Yours
Artist: Laura Izibor

Your Wedding Essentials: Pin Spot Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:32:00 +0000

Pin Spot Lighting is a simple way to highlight all of the details and decor at your wedding with a big pay off. They provide so much value in enhancing your pictures and we guarantee if you ask any floral designer or photographer their opinion they will absolutely recommend this type of lighting for your reception. We spoke with Shelby of Green Leaf Designs who told us "I love it when couples do pin spotting. Not only does it bring attention to your centerpiece, it adds ambiance and sets your wedding apart from others."
Elevated Pulse always recommends pin spots to clients, especially if you are spending a good amount of your budget on flowers and centerpiece design, along with your cake or sweets table.

BEFORE & AFTER

They are called "pin" spot lights because of their small size and ability to accurately provide light on even the smallest details. They are usually mounted on a pipe and base structure and can be dimmed to ensure none of your guests are blinded when sitting at their tables. A quality lighting company, like Elevated Pulse, will always stay at the event long enough to check the accuracy and brightness of the pin spots once your guests have been seated.

Jen from Jen K Floral Design says "I wish all brides would get at least one pin spot per table because 'WOW' it looks like you've spent 3x as much on flowers than before they were added. A must have staple is pin spots on your centerpiece and cake table."

When you start to combine pin spot lighting with any other decor lighting you create that "Wow" factor at your wedding that you and your guests are sure to remember! Contact Elevated Pulse to speak with one of our lighting experts about your wedding reception.

Wedding Song Recommendations: Samantha's Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:44:00 +0000

"How do I choose a song for our father daughter dance?"

"What if we don't have a "song", how do we choose our first dance track?"

"We want to be different so what do you suggest for our grand entrance song?"

These are all great questions and ones that we hear all the time. So, we decided to start posting our best recommendations and creative song selections from our own clients to help all of our brides and grooms to be!

This week we're handing the reins over to Elevated Pulse's Office Manager, Samantha, to give you her current top 5 picks for wedding songs. Samantha is in love with all things "wedding" or as she says "a little obsessed". Since working with Elevated Pulse she has come to realize what a huge role music plays in a Bride and Groom's big day! Samantha scoures our database and the internet on a regular basis to keep up with what could possibly be your own wedding music!

Song: Midnight City
Artist: The Knocks ft. Mandy Lee (M83 Cover)

Song: You Really Got a Hold On Me
Artist: Thao

Song: I Won't Give Up
Artist: Jason Mraz

Song: All your Life
Artist: The Band Perry

Song: She's Mine
Artist: Brett Dennen

Real Wedding: Temecula Vineyard

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:29:00 +0000

This next wedding is near and dear to our hearts. This couple is not only a client of ours...we are a client of theirs! In fact, our dog considers the Bride, Nikki, his favorite girlfriend. We had the pleasure of getting to know Nikki, who owns and operates OC Mobile Pet Salon, and her Groom, Mike over the months leading up to their big day. They are such an easy to get along with duo, and they may remind you of another well know couple (aka "Barbie & Ken"). Both are hard working entrepreneurs with big hearts and we consider ourselves lucky to continue to have them in our lives.
Nikki and Mike were married at the Gershon Bachus Vineyard in Temecula. They wanted pink tones to accent their florals and enhance the already warmly lit reception area on their wedding day. Elevated Pulse provided blush colored uplighting, a custom monogram light, and an intelligent dance lighting package to rock the late night dance floor! Take a look at just some of the highlights provided by the talented pair of photographers at Chris-Bence Photography.

You can't have a Pet Salon owner's wedding without some puppies!! They got decked out just for the occasion.

Venue: Gershon Bachus Vineyard
Photography: Chris-Bence Photography
Florals: Sweet Pea Floral Creations
Hair & Makeup: Flawless Faces
DJ & Lighting: Elevated Pulse Productions

Wedding Song Recommendations: First Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:30:00 +0000

photo by Kamee June Photography

Your first dance as husband and wife is obviously momentous. Therefore, your first dance song should be just as epic and sentimental. Many couples don't have a pre-determined song and look to Elevated Pulse to make suggestions. We try to recommend unique and less well known artists as options so that each couple can really make a song their own. A good thing to remember is that the first dance is also the kick off to your wedding reception and celebration. So, keep the music sweet and upbeat and everyone will enjoy it!

Song: In Your Arms
Artist: Kina Grannis

Song: We Are Man & Wife
Artist: Michelle Featherstone

Song: All This Time
Artist: Britt Nicole

A Vintage Garden Wedding in San Juan Capistrano

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Miriam and Bret's wedding is the perfect Valentine's Day post. They created the ultimate romantic, garden setting with heart-warming, simple but thoughtful, vintage details. Miriam definitely had a vision for her wedding decor that was easily realized with the help of Holly from Simply Sweet Weddings. Together they created an elegant and intimate occasion.
Not only do we love the incredibly artful photographs below from Tauran Photography, but also the very cool collection of music requests the bride and groom had for their wedding reception. They used a combination of new wave 80's music and artists like Chromeo, MGMT, and Foster the People (some of my personal favorites) for cocktail hour. Dinner was accompanied by some contemporary music with artists like Jason Mraz, Colbie Calait, and Maroon 5. Once the dancing got started, Elevated Pulse mixed old school hip hop, current top 40, and some of Miriam and Bret's favorite electronic songs from Daft Punk and Swedish House Mafia. It was truly a celebration! Enjoy the images below and contact us for your personal consultation.

Photography: Tauran Photography
Wedding Planning & Design: Simply Sweet Weddings
Flowers: Floral Elements
Venue: Franciscan Gardens
Catering: 24 Carrots Catering
DJ: Elevated Pulse (of course!)

Wedding Song Recommendations: Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Your wedding ceremony songs stay with you for a lifetime, so it's understandable that you want to choose something memorable, meaningful, and unique. Years from now you'll hear that song and immediately be transported back to the very moment you walked down the aisle or saw your Bride for the first time. That's why Elevated Pulse likes to recommend a variety of songs, including some unfamiliar artists, so that our Brides and Grooms can truly make their ceremony songs their own. These next few artists are so off the radar we couldn't even find official YouTube videos for them! The video quality is not the best but the artists and songs are really perfect for any part of your ceremony, so please take a moment and listen! Enjoy!

Song: You and Me
Artist: Steve Means (this guy is so off the radar all we could find were home made videos)

Song: Where the Road Meets the Sun
Artist: Katie Herzig & Matthew Perryman Jones

Song (Perfect for Ceremony Recessional): You
Artist: Michael Warren

Song (Best for Processional): Go Together
Artist: Jillian Edwards

Song: You and I
Artist: Ingrid Michaelson

A Music Themed Real Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Well, the old saying, "Rain on your wedding day is good luck" must be true. Because this Bride and Groom got married on one of the rare days in Southern California when it pours BUCKETS! But, that didn't stop them from having a seriously cool wedding! Carmen & Matt's decision to create a music and rock and roll themed wedding was a simple one. They shared a love for music and Matt even popped the question at a Dave Matthews Band concert (hence, the DMB themed cake topper). They transformed their reception venue, Franciscan Gardens, with beautiful red and black details and all the guests had to have their ticket to get in! That's right, their invites were actually tickets to the "Carmen & Matthew Ball & Chain Tour". How creative is that?!
They chose some amazing artists and bands to act as their table names and escort cards. Of course, these same artists like Muse, Dave Matthews Band, Train, Foster the People, and Keane were on the must-play list for the reception. And the rain stopped just long enough for Ohana Photographers to get some seriously amazing shots! Check out some of our favorite moments below and contact us for your DJ and lighting consultation.

Photography: Ohana Photographers
Venue: Franciscan Gardens in San Juan Capistrano
Catering: 24 Carrots Catering
DJ & Lighting: Elevated Pulse (duh!)
Cake: Cinderella Cakes

A Real Wedding Fairytale

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

This wedding has romance written all over it. Andrew and Daisha met as co-workers and quickly fell in love. Their storybook engagement started at the Eiffel Tower in Paris and they were married soon after at Rancho Las Lomas in Silverado Canyon. Since the Bride had truly found her Prince Charming, she was inspired to create a "Fairytale" theme for their wedding. They stayed true to this theme by using several Steve Tyrell Disney songs during cocktail hour, and the epic wedding ceremony song, "All I want is You" by the Vitamin String Quartet. You can see the extra detail that was put into every part of the day, from the cake, to the handmade roses, to the Cinderella dress.
The couple also had one of the most amazing video montage's I've ever seen that played during the reception. It took all their guests on the journey of their relationship with images from their engagement in Paris and the road to their wedding day. It was truly remarkable to watch! Andrew and Daisha deserve all the love and happiness in the world. Elevated Pulse was honored to be a part of their special day!

Venue: Rancho Las Lomas

Catering: 24 Carrots Catering

Photography: The Caldwells Photography

Wedding Planner: Events by Evelynn

A Wedding Dance Party Montage

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Elevated Pulse feels incredibly lucky to DJ some of the most fun weddings happening in Southern California. Our brides and grooms come to us requesting that we play "whatever works" to ensure all their guests have FUN. It is a celebration after all! Our DJ's are masters at reading a crowd and knowing exactly what song will work next. When choosing your own Wedding DJ it is important that they not only have experience and beat mixing skills but also have the right personality for Emceeing the event.

Christine & Brent's wedding guests did not hesitate to get their dance on! They rocked that dance floor! Enjoy watching this wedding highlight video courtesy of Charles Lauren Films. The cinematographers at Charles Lauren have impeccable customer service and will give you timeless memories in a beautiful and unique way. Be sure to check out their work!

Wedding Song Recommendations: Mother / Son Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

This particular wedding dance holds a special place in a mother's heart. Grooms always seem to have a hard time choosing the right song. And, when it's left up to Mom to choose, oftentimes we get requests for cheesy, manufactured "mother son" songs. If both Mom and son don't already have a song with significant meaning, here are a few Elevated Pulse suggests:

Song: A Thousand Years
Artist: Christina Perri

Song: Real Love (start at 0:22)
Artist: Macy Gray

Song: With Arms Wide Open
Artist: Creed

Song: Belief (stripped version)
Artist: Gavin Degraw

photo by Amanda Doublin Photography

Evening Wedding at [Seven-Degrees]

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Most wedding ceremonies take place before the sun sets, but today's real wedding was an exception. Christine and Dennis were married after sundown at the gorgeous Seven Degrees in Laguna Beach. Elevated Pulse has taken part in many daytime wedding ceremonies at this venue but in our opinion, this evening event was the most beautiful setting. The purple accent lighting and tent with hanging paper lanterns made for a stunning backdrop. Christine and Dennis were such an easy-going couple joined by an incredibly fun bridal party that made this wedding a serious celebration. I don't think the dancing stopped from the moment the newlyweds entered the reception. We couldn't have asked for a smoother, stress-free event! And, when you have a photographer like Henry Chen your images are going to be as epic as these!

New Year's Mix CD Promotion

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Elevated Pulse is ringing in the New Year with a CD Promotion. Anyone that "Likes" our Facebook page in the next 24 hours will receive one of our music mix CD's. It has 5 of our published mixes on it (that's 2.5 hours of music)! It includes the following:

1. Future Lounge Vol. One
2. Future Lounge Vol. Two
3. Oldies Remix
4. 80's Mix
5. Top 40/Dance Mix

So visit our Facebook Page and "LIKE" us ASAP! Then, send us your mailing address for shipping the CD.

Happy New Year!

Real Wedding: Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:30:00 +0000

This was such an epic wedding for Elevated Pulse. Our Bride, Leslie, was planning her wedding from Chicago, so we had many phone conversations and email strings during the months prior to the wedding. We clicked immediately with her witty sense of humor and our sarcastic responses! She had some amazing ideas for music and song selections and would send us YouTube videos with some mixes she liked and inspirational photos and videos for the lighting design she wanted. You could tell how excited she was for their big day and how glad she was to have Elevated Pulse be a part of it.

The wedding took place at the remarkable Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, and as you can tell, we obviously had a stunning canvas to work with. We designed the lighting to enhance the already spectacular decor of the venue rather than overwhelm it. We created up lighting in warm tones for the front of the pillars and around the room, and up lighting in purple behind the pillars to create depth. We used pinspots on all the center pieces and the cake. And, we had intelligent dance lighting and wash lighting for the dance floor.

There were so many unique moments that really made this wedding special. The team of vendors were some of the best we've ever worked with, including Lin & Jirsa Photography! Photographers...take notice of their recently released camera/laptop bags!

They had a surprise guest performance from an incredible Frank Sinatra impersonator! (You can tell the ladies loved him)

And their dear friend, Jes Hudak (finalist from Bravo's "Platinum Hit") played several songs throughout the night.

Happy Holidays from Elevated Pulse

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 18:48:00 +0000

Music always gets us into the Holiday spirit so we decided to share a holiday playlist with some of our favorites holiday songs!

Song: "Snow Day" Artist: Matt Pond PA

Song: "Baby, It's Cold Outside" Artist: She & Him

Song: "White Christmas" Artist: Michael Buble featuring Shania Twain

Song: "Santa Baby" Artist: The GLEE Cast

Song: "Winter Wonderland" Artist: Dean Martin

Song: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" Artist: Frank Sinatra

Song: "Mistletoe" Artist: Justin Bieber

Song: "All I want for Christmas is You" Artist: Mariah Carey

Wedding Song Recommendations: Bouquet Toss

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:30:00 +0000

"How do I choose a song for our father daughter dance?"

"What if we don't have a "song", how do we choose our first dance track?"

"We want to be different so what do you suggest for our grand entrance song?"

These are all great questions and ones that we hear all the time. So, we decided to start posting our best recommendations and even creative song selections from our own clients to help all of our brides and grooms to be!

We all know what an important tradition the Bouquet Toss is to all the ladies, so the song choice is just as important! We've compiled a few old and new songs to help our Brides decide what fits their group of "single" girlfriends the best! Listen and let us know what song you've chosen or heard used in the past!

Song: You Make Me Feel
Artist: Cobra Starship featuring Sabi

You Make Me Feel by Cobra Starship ft Sabi on Grooveshark

Song: Where Them Girls At
Artist: David Guetta featuring Flo Rida & Nicki Minaj

Where Them Girls At (feat. Nicki Minaj & Flo Rida) by David Guetta on Grooveshark

Song: Senorita

Artist: Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake-Senorita by Justin Timberlake on Grooveshark

Song: D-A-N-C-E

Artist: Justice

Justice- D.A.N.C.E. by JUSTICE on Grooveshark

Laguna Beach Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:30:00 +0000

Susie and Henry were one of our "out of town" couples trying to plan their wedding from miles away. On the one occasion I got to meet them in-person prior to their wedding I knew instantly that this would be a fun wedding. Henry is hilarious and full of energy and Susie is super sweet and down to earth. Together, they make an awesome couple and I could see why they have such a huge group of friends to celebrate with them!

Elevated Pulse Productions provided both DJ and lighting services for their big day. They chose synced up lighting around the Surf & Sand ballroom because it allowed them to use the lights as decor and then as dance lights later in the night. We used soft, same color up lights during dinner and changed them to rotate color later in the night to create a more vibrant dance floor. Elevated Pulse also provided their custom monogram light that was shining on the dance floor for the entire reception. You can see the highlights from their day below thanks to the crazy talented duo at Callaway Gable.

Wedding Song Recommendations: Father / Daughter Dance

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:28:00 +0000

"How do I choose a song for our father daughter dance?"

"What if we don't have a "song", how do we choose our first dance track?"

"We want to be different so what do you suggest for our grand entrance song?"

Today Elevated Pulse tackles one of the most difficult song choices for your wedding reception...the father daughter dance. Many brides struggle with this decision. They want something sentimental but not too sappy, something that shows a love for one another but not a love song per se (we leave those songs for their groom). And there are plenty of brides that have a great relationship with their Dad but they were never "daddy's little girl" so it's tough picking a song. So, how do you sum up so many years of your life with this important person you call "Dad"? Here are a few we think are modern yet not over played:

Song: Paradise
Artist: Coldplay

Song: I Will Be
Artist: Leona Lewis

I Will Be by Leona Lewis on Grooveshark

Song: How I Love You

Artist: Javier Dunn

How I Love You by Javier Dunn on Grooveshark

Song: Baby Mine

Artist: Steve Tyrell

Baby Mine by Steve Tyrell on Grooveshark

Featured Artist: Florence & The Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:00:00 +0000

Very rarely does a singer's voice give me the chills. And Florence Welch's does just that EVERY time, with every song. Her voice is as enchanting as Adele's and as emotional and gut wrentching as a dramatic movie. Florence and The Machine deliver music that echoes through your entire body. It is music that wakes your soul. With the recent release of the album "Ceremonials", Florence and the Machine is an easy artist to feature...not just for the talent, but also because there are several tracks that can be used on your wedding day! Some of my favorites include "Cosmic Love", "Dog Days Are Over", and "You've Got the Love". Elevated Pulse has a few picked out below to incorporate into your wedding:

GRAND ENTRANCE:
"Shake it Out"

FIRST DANCE:
"Never Let Me Go"

Maravilla Gardens Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Elevated Pulse) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Melanie and Charlie got married at the pretty and peaceful Maravilla Gardens in Camarillo, CA. You could tell immediately that these two were in love. They are so sweet and have the kind of relationship most people wish for. They are such a great match and a beautiful couple both inside and out! Thank you to their brillant photographer, Marianne Wilson, for sharing these photos!