It’s Spotlight Tuesday, where we introduce you to incredible Orlando wedding vendors and share the stories behind the companies who help Wedding Venue Map couples have their best wedding day.
Hiring the right professional wedding DJ is so important on your wedding day. The DJ is responsible for making the introductions, keeping the flow of the event, and bringing the party to life.
It gives us great pleasure to introduce this week’s vendor spotlight, Drew Kress of Engaged Sounds Entertainment.
When people ask “what do you do?” how do you answer?
We do everything but bake the cake! As a quickly growing mobile DJ company, we realized that we needed to find a way to become more in touch with our potential clients’ needs. We have found that our clients don’t have time to do weeks and weeks of wedding shopping. We make it easy by providing most of their needs under one roof.
What did you do before you did this?
Before I owned Engaged Sounds Entertainment, I worked for several other DJ companies in the Central Florida market. Each time I moved to another company, I received a promotion. In my last position, I was the Director of Operations for a large DJ and event rental company right here in Orlando. My peers gave me the confidence to open my own business and I have never looked back.
When and how did you get into the wedding industry?
This is a great story that I like to share. Prior to living in Orlando, I met and married my wife, Lisa, while I was serving in Connecticut for the US Navy. When her mother was about to remarry, she asked if I would be willing to host the activities for the wedding and support the DJ. I gladly accepted and within two weeks of returning to Orlando, I applied at the first DJ company I ever worked for. It has been a thrill and pleasure to be in this line of work ever since.
What is your favorite thing about what you do? What’s your WHY?
My absolute favorite thing that I do is making people laugh and enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching their faces light up when I make a joke or when I tell them something exciting. The joy that I receive and the energy that they give off when smiling or laughing is incredibly addictive. I look forward to entertaining others and watch them enjoy life a little bit more.
How did you decide on the name of your company?
Engaged Sounds Entertainment is a double entendre. Of course, we cater to engaged couples who are getting married and need DJ Entertainment and a host of other services. We are known for our personal interactions with all of the guests, from the moment they arrive, throughout the event, and until they depart. We treat each client as if they were a member of our own family and their guests receive nothing less than the same treatment.
What is important for clients to know about your company before they book you?
We are a full-service entertainment company but we go beyond the latest technology in music and lighting. We offer a wide variety of services that a bride and groom might need, including photo booths, photography, videography, ceremony officiants, day-of & full-service wedding coordinators, floral & decor, specialty effects, and much more!
What is the most unique service/product you offer?
We offer two very unique services. Our first is called StoryTime Introductions. This is a video presentation (documentary-style) that showcases the love story before the wedding. We all go to weddings to help celebrate the new chapter in a couple’s life, but many of us don’t know the love story behind the couple. We provide a video introduction that allows a bride and groom to share their story as a prequel to their wedding day. This video is professionally filmed, edited, and presented just prior to the grand entrance introductions. The couple is provided with all digital rights to the video to share on social media and they are given a copy on DVD/USB to keep forever.
The second unique feature is our live video streaming of your wedding day ceremony and festivities. In a society where many of us have to save money where possible, one of the first cuts to the wedding budget is the guest list. We have developed a way for your friends and distant loved ones to be able to witness the day, even if they can’t be there in person.
What types of events do you specialize in?
Weddings, corporate events, adult & kid birthdays, and other private parties.
What makes your business stand out from others in your category?
Our attention to every detail, our expert guidance, and our peace-of-mind planning process set us apart from the others. Our clients often comment that they would never have thought about many of the details that we ask about. Our precision planning, detailed schedules, comprehensive and in-person planning sessions, and our expertise allow us to be proud that we are different than the rest.
Tell us about your favorite type of engaged couple.
My favorite engaged couple is one who is looking for some guidance but knows that they want a unique wedding, unlike any of the weddings they’ve been to in the past. We offer outside-of-the-box thinking and share ideas with our couples. The ideal couple is one who cares about how their wedding will turn out and what it will take to get it there.
Why do couples hire you?
Couples choose us because of our amazingly talented team of professional entertainers, event managers, and support staff. We work hard at every event to make sure that our clients’ expectations are exceeded. Our amazing vendor partners also refer us because of our expertise and our ability to deliver exactly as promised, every time.
Tell us more about your packages.
Our most popular package is our Engaged Luxury Package and it includes a professional, certified Disc Jockey (DJ), an interactive Master of Ceremonies (MC), 12 uplights (in the client’s choice of color), an upgraded DJ Facade, dance floor lighting, Dance-on-a-Cloud dry ice effect (twice), and our Detailed Event Management System.
We offer 5 fully-customizable wedding DJ packages that are designed for the modern bride. Our Basic Essentials package is our least expensive and is for the bride on a budget who is just itching to party. Each package builds upon the previous packages and begins to include uplighting, additional time, MC Services, Dance-on-a-Cloud effects, upgraded DJ setups, photography, videography, rehearsal coordination, and much more. Our largest package is a virtually all-inclusive and comes with everything previously mentioned and even more premium features that would normally be separate. Our package rates will range throughout the year but can be as low as $899 and run in excess of over $6,000.
Why do you think your business is successful?
We care about every client as if they were a member of our own family. In fact, many of our past clients communicate with us on a regular basis and share stories of new babies, anniversaries, new homes, and other moments in life. This level of care shows that we don’t do what we do just for the money, we do it because we care about our clients and want them to have the best wedding day they could ever imagine.
Engaged Sounds shares some helpful information for engaged couples…..
What are the most common questions you get asked by brides and/or grooms?
We are asked how we can help create a unique wedding experience that is unlike any other wedding. Most brides and grooms want to feel that they have made their wedding one-of-a-kind and that it will be remembered that way forever. This is why we incorporate outside-the-box thinking and help our clients create completely new and exciting additions to their wedding day. In most cases, our clients immediately become excited about these ideas and can’t wait to experience it for themselves.
Name three unique venues that you enjoy working at and why
I enjoy working at Paradise Cove because it offers a tremendous lake view that doubles as an entry point for the ceremony (by boat) and/or as a departure for the bride & groom at the end of the night. The space can be custom designed to meet the exact needs of the bridal couple and gives them tons of options to play with.
I truly enjoy working at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Orlando Airport because their staff is among the best I have ever worked with in over 10 years. This property has an amazing leadership team that stops at nothing to make sure that the bride, groom, guests, and even us vendors are comfortable and well cared for. This is not an expensive venue but the customer service is far better at this venue than some of the other, more expensive, venues I have performed.
Finally, I really enjoy weddings at the Heathrow Country Club. The newly renovated spaces offer the bridal couples the essence of luxury with a modern twist. The views are gorgeous, the staff is amazing, and the food is fantastic. This venue offers so many benefits under one roof.
Watch real weddings…
What some of their previous couples had to say….
“I want to give some serious praise to the professionals at Engaged Sounds Entertainment. Our wedding was amazing and I owe so much thanks to Drew and his staff. Out of all of our vendors, they were the most helpful before and during the wedding. The planning was very detailed and let me create exactly what I wanted. My dad is no longer with us and Drew helped me to create a special dance for me to dance with my two sons instead. The DJ was so good. I can’t remember the last time I danced this much. They are professional and caring. I was so impressed that they are more than just DJs. You won’t be disappointed if you choose them. Highly recommended.” – Lisette, Crystal Ballroom on the Lake
“We were so pleased with our DJ and MC at the wedding. DJ Luis and DJ Drew were two of the friendliest and most organized people I have ever met. We had such an amazing wedding. Our guests really enjoyed the Story Time Introductions. It was the sweetest touch to our day. They played all the right music and kept the energy on the dance floor the whole time. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Thank you!” – Melissa, DoubleTree by Hilton – Orlando Airport
“From the start of our planning to the end of our wedding we knew we made the right decision for our DJ/MC service. Drew was amazing to work with and kept the crowd engaged. DJ Pam kept the music going, neither of them missed a beat. I highly recommend Engaged Sounds!” – Tonya, Lowry Park Zoo – Tampa
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