 Long before the guests arrive, Marino is at the reception
location, sound system and lighting system set up, sound checks performed, wires taped
down securely, dressed fully in his suit or tuxedo, with some nice background music
playing for the guests as they come in.
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 Lining Up The Bridal Party -- For many bridesmaids
& groomsmen, this is the first time that they have ever done a Grand Entrance
before. Marino lines up the bridal party,
ensures he has the right pairings and pronunciations of names, explains to them the
whole process of the Grand Entrance, and "loosens them up" for the next five
hours of attention that will be on them. By getting your bridal party to laugh, feel
relaxed, and smile at the very beginning, you can feel relaxed that they're going to help
you make your party fun!
"When Marino said to have fun, I
was like, 'Oh yeah!' It was good fun!"
--Nelson & Edwina, happily married May 2003 |
Grand
Entrance -- Marino welcomes your guests and gets people ready to have a wonderful
celebration. Depending on your personality and style, he can play some fun,
high-energy music as  he introduces the wedding party then finally the bride and
groom!
"I
especially loved the Grand Entrance Package that we chose. Everybody loved the Sports Jam.
It took the edge off and pumped everybody up. Thank You So Much."
--Rochele & Brian, happily married August 1999 |
After the Blessing of the Food, guests
settle into the meal. At this time, Marino plays some nice background dinner
music -- kept at a comfortable volume so that people can enjoy the meal and  enjoy
conversation without having to shout over the music. High quality sound equipment DOES
make a difference!
"The
music was wonderful overall: dinner, entrance, cake-cutting, and dancing.
Mahalo!"
--Celia & Nate, happily married July 2000 |
 We have noticed that the
best parties are the ones in which the guests are a part of the action
rather than simply passive observers.
One great way to involve everyone
and make the mealtime entertaining is to have Kissing Contests among the
married couples in the audience. Guests have fun when they get involved, and bride
and groom feel relieved that they won't be the only ones in the spotlight the whole
evening!
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 Sometimes family
members may want to serenade the couple or provide a special
dance for the guests. At the end of dinner would be a good time to do so. One
warning though: Too much entertainment can have a negative effect on your
party, because it may cause your program to fall behind schedule.
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After Recognizing Family, Out-of-Town
Guests (for non-destination weddings), and any other special
person you wish to recognize, we can call up your Best Man, Maid of Honor, or
whoever you ask to present speeches, toasts, mabuhays, okole malunas, kampai,
or banzai!
 Marino also coordinates
with your banquet staff to ensure that they pour the champagne, even before the first
toast is called! And he ensures that all the people who will be presenting is in the
room and ready before he announces them. By doing so, Marino helps you feel
unstressed and relaxed...and as a result you can enjoy your program more!
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 Marino coordinates with the caterer and photographer for
the cutting of the cake. Background music helps set the mood of your choice.
Marino makes sure that your guests are aware this is taking place so they don't miss this
fun photo opportunity.
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 In order for the bouquet
toss to go smoothly, it takes a skilled master of ceremonies to ensure that it is
organized quickly, that the single ladies are in place, that the photographer and
videographer are ready, and that the crowd is engaged and helping to energize this part of
the reception. Marino is able to do that with finess and enthusiasm.
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 As with the bouquet toss, Marino organizes the garter
toss smoothly, efficiently, with the right balance of enthusiasm and always in good
taste.
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 If you want, we can enhance the bouquet
& garter experience by suggesting original games and activities to entertain your
guests. Our most popular one is the Reverse Garter, in which the
person who caught the garter is asked to put the garter on the woman who caught the
bouquet. The catch: After the gentleman is blindfolded, we switch the bouquet
catcher with...another guy. Hilarity generally ensues, and your guests will go wild!
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 There are many ways to give away the centerpieces,
ranging from the elegant and easy (simply reserving the centerpieces for certain
individuals you would like to show appreciation for) all the way to the fun and exciting
(playing games where the centerpiece is the prize). Please ask us for different ideas on
how to give away your centerpieces!
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| In order to make your wedding day low-stress and easy for
you, one of the things Marino will do is to coordinate with your videographer to make sure
that he's set up before the video slide show. In that way,
when Marino announces that it's time for the slide show, your guests don't have to wait
for the videographer to set up his system and focus his projector. By working
closely with your videographer, Marino is able to keep your reception flowing
smoothly! No awkward breaks in the program! |
The bride, groom, and their family & friends are
always the focus and center of attention, not the DJ. But being able to create
this atmosphere is the difference between an average DJ and an exceptional
DJ and Master of Ceremonies. That's where Marino's skills shine. |
 If you wish, you may say your "Thank
You's" and make your Acknowledgements from the podium. We can also
give you a wireless microphone if you prefer to do it from your seats.
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The Father/Bride Dance and Mother/Groom
Dance are often the special dances that parents dream about from the time their
children are young.
It may be combined as one song to
save time, or may be separate, if that is what you prefer. You also do not have to
do it, if you wish. |
 After your "Last Dance" with your parents, you
begin your life together with the First Dance as husband & wife.
We encourage your guests to use
their cameras and capture this once-in-a-lifetime moment.
A local tradition in Hawaii is to
follow the First Dance with a Money Dance. There are many ways to
do this, with the most common version involving guests putting bills somewhere on the
bride's dress and the groom fishing it out with his teeth, and vice versa. If you
are planning on having one, we will tactfully announce it as the "Honeymoon
Dance." Also specify if you wish to dance your First Dance uninterrupted; at
some parties, if the newlyweds to not specify anything, the guests may form a line even
before the first note of the First Dance is played!
Photo courtesy Chrissy Lambert Rhodes Photography
|
 Now it's
time to open up the dance floor and get your guests up and involved in the party.
Marino gets the guests up right away and KEEPS the energy level high so that people
STAY involved the entire time!
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Marino
plays a great variety of music to get all ages up on the dance floor... from the
grandparents to young guests. He has the variety of music to satisfy everyone. But
it is not just about having a variety of music -- it is about knowing how to read the
crowd and knowing what to play and when in order to ensure everyone is involved. |
 Marino can coordinate a special dance for just the married
couples -- ultimately determining the couple married the longest...
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It makes for a special moment to then have just that
couple and the bride and groom dancing the rest of the song. Here is the bride and groom
(married for 4 hours at this point) with a great uncle and aunt who had just recently
celebrated their 33rd ANNIVERSARY! Congratulations!
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 When the situation calls for it, Marino can play a variety
of popular "interactive dances" that many of your guests will
find appealing. At this reception, the guests requested the Macarena!
Special note: If you don't
want to hear the Macarena or any other party dance at your reception, simply add it to the
"Do-Not-Play" list that we ask you to provide, and we will not play it!
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 Just the right mix of fast party songs
with slow love songs to create the perfect romantic atmosphere. Slow
songs are worked in throughout the evening, giving people an opportunity to catch
their breath.
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Fun party songs that get everyone involved
(depending entirely, of course, on YOUR requests). This picture was taken well into the
party. Marino is able to build the energy and music mix throughout the event so that
EVERYONE is there dancing to the very end!
Even though some guests may not want to dance, many will stay until the
end, just to see if you have planned any more great surprises for them! |
 Having a fantastic celebration right up until the
end...The bride and groom soaking up every
wonderful moment... storing up memories that they will cherish for a lifetime. |
The
night ends with the Grand Finale, in which we get all of your guests onto
the dancefloor for the Last Dance. The song, and your once-in-a-lifetime celebration,
ends with a bang as all of your guests surround you on the dancefloor and show you just
how much they love you! At the conclusion of the Grand Finale, your guests will be
smiling, wanting to hug you, and wishing to thank you for great time and wonderful
memories you gave them! |
 As your guests say their goodbyes, they
genuinely tell you that they had an exciting time, and that your wedding reception was the
best one they've ever been to. For the next few months, people keep talking about
YOUR day, talking highly about you and the great time you gave them. And they just
don't say that your party was simply "Nice"; they use many more descriptive
words--words like "fun," "memorable," "awesome,"
"exciting," "entertaining," and more.And when you get the photo album from your photographer
six weeks later, you realize the value of hiring a great entertainer as you look through
the pictures of you and your guests laughing, smiling, dancing, and having a great time.
These memories that you created and your photographer captured will remain with
you...forever.
When you look back at the brief five hours of
your reception the next day, do you want to remember your guests smiling, laughing, and
raving about their experience at your party? When you look back at your reception
ten years from now, do you want to remember that you had a fun, low-stress time?
"It's been two
months since our wedding, and we are still getting compliments about the reception.
Ninja has set a high standard for future weddings and parties in our group of family and
friends!"
-- Merrill & Madeleine, happily married May 2003
Read
about what some guests told the bride and groom at past weddings we've performed at. |
with the caterer,
photographer, videographer to make sure that all the behind-the-scenes details are taken
care of. That frees you up to just relax and enjoy your day! Everything is in good
taste, elegant, romantic, sophisticated, and yet fun and energetic. But there is nothing
"cheesy" at all! No chicken suits, Elvis wigs, blow-up toys, or anything
goofy (unless you want it!). This is a wedding reception, not a kids' party. Marino
creates a fun, low-stress, and unique atmosphere while still making sure
that guests are involved and treated to a great party! If you are not yet sure of
exactly what you want, Marino will work with you to plan that out before your reception.
That way, on your special day, you will have complete confidence that every detail will be
taken care of and you will not have to make a single stressful decision.