DJ Richard Mills

Increasingly I’m being hired by companies in the capacity of presenter for a variety of events. In recent months I’ve been the Master of Ceremonies (MC) at Silverstream Retreat for the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards night, a movie preview for Toshiba where they launched their range of new tablets and performance laptops a couple of Wellington Audio Association meetings. Read the rest of this entry »

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Choosing a first dance song can be a real challenge for many couples. If you are having difficulty deciding on a first dance, here’s a fun idea to add a little bit of mystique to your reception and involve your guests in one of the major elements. Read the rest of this entry »

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Today I received an email that made me happy to be of assistance. It read;

Hi Richard
Thank you so much for your tips on being a wedding MC. I am writing you from Nairobi Kenya and will be MC at my very 1st event on the 20th of October (the day after tomorrow!!). I have just embarked on a career as an event and wedding planner and this is my first gig as a wedding MC.

I have not attended any wedding receptions (I usually just show up for the booze)so I had no idea what a wedding MC does. Most other sites wont tell you anything of substance and will shoo you off to buy this or that. Amongst all other websites yours is the most helpful so far and i would like to thank you for availing this information to us
Warm Regards
Caroline

Thank you for your email Caroline and I’m sure you’ll make a fine MC.

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There is a lot of cross over and no clear demarcation point between the DJ and DJ/MC roles. The skills and wedding experience that a good professional mobile DJ has puts them in an ideal position to move into the MC role.

As for my service, I don’t charge out my MC duties as an extra. My fee is my fee and I do all the planning for every wedding as if I were the MC, so even if the MC on the night panics or falls ill and pulls out (as has happened twice now), I can step in seamlessly and nobody is any the wiser.

I know who the VIP guests are, what their names are, where they are sitting and what their relationship is to the couple. I know who will be speaking and in which order and whether there are any important anniversaries or birthdays to honour and acknowledge. I know (and have prepared) the run-sheet for the day, so I know what needs to happen at what time and I know the dynamics of the crowd and the venue. I liaise with the venue and other on-site event vendors. I often assist the MC when I’ve not been booked for the duty.

I am qualified to do this work. I attend international DJ and MC seminars, workshops and trade shows. I am a regular and long-standing contributor to DJ and MC forums and I purchase materials to constantly train and improve my service.

Being a really good MC is a hard, hard job and it takes a lot of practice, rehearsal and training. On top of that it requires a top understanding of wedding reception etiquette, run-sheet preparation, name mastery and pronunciation. It requires the ability to relate to people in a friendly, polite, approachable and competent manner and to control the flow of the reception, eliminating problems before they occur and facilitating the creation of great memories.

It’s a big job. An honourable job. One to not take lightly.

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Ben & Jennifer's Guard of Honour at Pukehou Church in Hawkes Bay

Picture the moment.

Your celebrant smiles broadly and introduces you proudly to all of your friends and family as newly-weds. Applause breaks out, your chosen recessional music plays and you walk down the aisle as a married couple, followed by your wedding party, family and guests.

It’s a wonderful moment, and one that probably hasn’t factored too highly in your planning, as it’s a given that it will be both emotional and exciting. What could possibly go wrong? What could need to be considered in advance? Read the rest of this entry »

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I was reading comments from a British DJ on a UK DJ forum today. At the last wedding he entertained, he was getting ready to play the first dance for the Bride & Groom. He got the song queued up, prepared the following song also, checked that the couple were ready to go, then announced the first dance. Read the rest of this entry »

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Jonathan Saunders from Sutton, United Kingdom asked me on my Facebook page the following in response to this post;

2 questions for you Richard.
1. What age do you see yourself DJing till?
2. Do you think if you didn’t look like an Hollywood actor, Read the rest of this entry »

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What a fascinating season year it’s been already been. I’ve been fortunate enough to entertain clients and their guests in some of the country’s most beautiful locations and there’s more still to come before winter hits.
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On the evening of Friday 6th November I was the Master of Ceremonies for the auspicious Hutt Valley Business Excellence Awards. These awards recognise Read the rest of this entry »

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The Corporate Events Guide People’s Choice Awards honour New Zealand companies that have excelled in their field of expertise over the last 12 months. Now in their fourth year, the Corporate Events Guide People’s Choice Awards Read the rest of this entry »

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What kind of equipment do they use & what is their technical expertise?

Determine if the DJ uses today’s professional technology. You are paying money for a professional and they should have modern, well maintained, quality equipment and know Read the rest of this entry »

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Wow. Just wow. I’m freshly energised, refocused and totally excited about the new direction, ideas and skills I’ve learned at the MC workshop and Mobile Beat DJ convention in America. The wedding at Bear Gully Cottages, 4 hours east of Melbourne straight after the convention was wonderful also and I look forward to the next few weddings here in New Zealand! This was the second wedding I’ve entertained at in Australia, following on from one in the Victoria Hotel in beautiful Port Fairy, about 4 hours west of Melbourne.

I’m proud to be one wedding DJ and wedding MC who insists on continuing to learn and invest in my professional development to the benefit of my clients. Too many mobile DJs don’t invest anything in this area, which is a great shame.

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Having excitedly resigned from my full time employment, I have now turned professional and am 100% a full-time mobile MC and DJ. The reason for this change is that there simply wasn’t enough time to properly prepare for each wedding or event, as well as spend time with my family. This will allow me to have more comprehensive preparation and even better events and celebrations from now on. I am extremely proud to be one of the only 100% full-time professional mobile DJs in New Zealand. The vast majority of DJs still rely on a primary unrelated income to subsidise their DJ work. Many actually consider being a DJ as ‘a hobby that pays’!

Recognising this evolution, Rendezvous Discotheques Ltd has now officially become Award Entertainment Ltd. Branding has now been changed and I have phased in the new business name. Nothing other than the name is changing, apart from the change to full-time professional DJ/MC.

The name change also reflects that times have changed and that the terms ‘disco’, ‘discotheques’ ‘sounds’ and ‘road show’ no longer represent the service provided by me. Also, virtually nobody was able to spell ‘Rendezvous’!

Sign-written DJ Transportation

One of the first and most obvious changes is the Award Entertainment company car, which has just received it’s new livery (sign writing). Here’s DJ Richard’s work vehicle, the trusty Holden V8 Station Wagon.

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