DJ Richard Mills

This is NOT me!

One of the most common requests from any mobile MC & DJ’s prospective clients is the question asking for a quote for a price for a 4 or 5 hour wedding entertainment package. In my early years as a mobile DJ, this wasn’t a problem, because I really didn’t do much more than turn up on the day and play music for that time frame. I may have found out a few basic details, such as the timing of the finish of dinner and the first dance song, but that was about it. 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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I’ve had a spate of enquiries lately from couples wanting a quote before talking or meeting with me. I find this very difficult because my service isn’t a ‘five hours’ type of service by any measure. I’m often on site from a couple of hours before the ceremony until half an hour after the finish of the reception. 14 hour days aren’t uncommon. Price isn’t an easy thing to discuss without an understanding of value. 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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It’s this time of year when I’m putting the final touches on the last couple of weddings for the season. I like to take stock of the memories of the celebrations past, the wonderful people I’ve met and the enjoyment I’ve helped create. I think about what I’ve learned, what I could have done better and what went very well. Read the rest of this entry »

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Every now and then I’m genuinely pleased that I’ve paid attention to the little things that sometimes go wrong at weddings.

Take today for example. 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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A few months ago I was fortunate enough to purchase an extremely compact data/video projector for an extremely reasonable price. I had the intention of using it to play video footage that I occasionally get asked to present at my client’s events. Read the rest of this entry »

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It’s a sad fact of my industry that there are many operators who don’t seem to place much importance on the appearance of their equipment relative to the celebration and the venue. I attend weddings all over the country (and a few overseas) and I see how much effort Read the rest of this entry »

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The purchase of a new Honda EU10i portable inverter generator (known in America as the Honda EU1000i) now offers the ability for me to supply music and announcements virtually anywhere. Read the rest of this entry »

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Many of you will have seen this already, but it’s such a fun clip that I thought I’d link it for your enjoyment once more. I do love it when couples put some preparation into creating something fun and memorable for their reception. Enjoy!
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Here’s a tip for you to help with planning your wedding ceremony, whether it’s in a church, marquee or garden. Signing the wedding register in New Zealand (unless it’s been partly completed in advance) usually takes 5 minutes or more. That’s Read the rest of this entry »

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Can you meet with the DJ personally?

Does the DJ you’re considering tell you anything about themselves in their website or advertising, or are you hiring an unknown? Most people would like to know a little about the person who will be entertaining at their event, particularly if it’s a wedding, and a face to face meeting is the best way Read the rest of this entry »

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This is an incredibly novel concept. The amount of work and planning that must have gone into this is frightening, but I have to admit that it’s totally memorable. Read the rest of this entry »

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Take a look!

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For the most part, I talk with my clients about their celebration and how I can offer ways to help bring it to life while making it unique and fun. I don’t talk much about my DJ gear as it’s really only a tool I use to provide my service and deliver my entertainment, but it’s worth mentioning a few things about it.

Over the years I’ve worked very hard at making sure my DJ equipment fits several important criteria. Read the rest of this entry »

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One of the questions I occasionally get asked by prospective clients is if they can come to one of my events to watch me work. Although I’d love to have my work observed and would love to be able to demonstrate what I can do to help make a wedding or corporate event really special, I obviously can’t invite people to somebody else’s wedding or celebration.

There are other factors too. The entertainment I offer is personally crafted to each client and Read the rest of this entry »

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Valentines Day, the most romantic day of the year and this year one that I got to spend helping Jan and Cath celebrate their civil union wedding. It was a lovely ceremony at Old St Pauls in Thorndon, Wellington, which I provided music for. We all then moved on to the James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor for the reception. I was the Master of Ceremonies and played the first few tracks before handing over to Nudge dance band. It was a great day and Jan and Cath were lots of fun.

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It’s been the season for gorgeous, sunny Hawkes Bay weddings. In the last few months, I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved with couples and their guests at The Mission Estate Winery, Church Road Winery, Te Awa Winery, Elephant Hill Winery and the Old Church Restaurant. Please click on the links to view pictures.

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Well it’s true to say that the wedding season is underway once more and what a spectacular start! Chris & Che’s stunning wedding at Stoneridge in Queenstown was lavish, spectacular and great fun, with music from both myself and iconic New Zealand band The Feelers. Jon & Denise’s wedding was just as memorable, out at the impressive Castaways in Waiuku on a very energising, blustery day. Following on from that was a fantastic article in the Dominion Post about planning company and corporate events.

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On Friday 5th September I’m excited and very honoured to be the DJ and MC for Classic Hits FM’s complete classic wedding giveaway. Read all about the competition, the contestants and the winners (Tamar & Glenn) here.

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Some people ask why I like do work so often as a wedding DJ. It’s because I truly want people to have an incredibly great wedding day. I want to be the person who takes the entire burden off their shoulders, who makes things go smoothly, who helps them avoid mistakes and create memories that Read the rest of this entry »

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The 2008 Wedding Dreams Bridal Expo was a huge hit and was thoroughly enjoyed by attendees and exhibitors alike. The next Wedding Dreams Wellington wedding show is on Sunday 29th March 2009, again at the TSB Bank Arena. Expect an even bigger, brighter and better wedding expo this time! Winter is a traditionally quiet time for weddings and it’s a time to regroup and plan. This next season will see Richard entertaining in Auckland, Queenstown, Napier, Hastings, Taupo and of course, Wellington and the Wairarapa. It promises to be another fantastic year full of beautiful, memorable weddings.

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This last weekend was huge. I had a wedding on Friday, another on Saturday and another on Sunday. Each one was lovely and all were totally unique and different. Matt & Lisa’s wedding at Wallaceville House was an intimate affair, with lots of amusing Irish antics setting the tone. Paul & Krupti celebrated their wedding in Essex with a New Zealand wedding ceremony and reception for all of Paul’s family and friends and it was a wonderful celebration at Soi Restaurant at Greta Point. On Sunday, Tony & Nicolette FINALLY tied the knot after about ten years together and had a great fun knees-up with their friends and families. Thank you all- didn’t we have a great time??!

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