Here is a few of the most popular songs our clients have chosen for their entertainment.

We are always happy to offer advice if you have any questions. Thanks for reading, we hope this helps.

The Albury DJ Entertainment team.

During my 14 years industry experience I have realised that the overall quality of your event or reception can come down to the quality of your host or MC. The MC has the power to create or drain energy from the room, create a buzz of excitement before each key moment and help control the flow of the event. If you create some unique key moments early in the reception, people will already have had a wonderful experience even before the fun starts on the dance floor.

People should not be bored or unaware of what is happening next but be fully informed of the order of events and when they are occurring. This happens in a relaxed fashion but ensures guests do not miss key moments.

I will share what we do and how this can improve the overall guest experience at your reception or event.

1. Organisation. We meet with our clients and cover the entire event in detail, ensuring everything important is covered. We can recommend timelines, suggest ways to enhance the event and provide you with suggestions you may not have heard that can create a unique feel. This organisation carries throughout the night because we have a clear indication of how the evening should run and what your expectations are We work closely with the function manager to ensure a smooth flow of events (including meal times).

Letting your guests know the order of events in advance. Such as a 5 minute warning for the introductions, the speeches and other formalities. How many times have you attended a reception and people came back into the room mid speeches after not realising the speeches had started? A professional MC will invite guests to take their seats and ensure the bridal party, speakers and key family members are in the room before speeches begin.

2. Personalisation. Experienced MCs have attended many events and have created unique ways of doing even the most standard formalities. We personalise the bridal party introduction and can include such details as; how they are related to you (friend, family), how long you have known them, how you met and a funny fact (‘such as voted most likely to…’).

The bride and groom’s introduction into the room can create many emotions such as fun and romance. This could include details such as when you first met, a first date story, the proposal and key moments throughout your relationship. How you start your night helps create a great event.

During speeches we can introduce each speaker by sharing how they know you or what role they have played leading up to the event. Even the way you are introduced to begin your first dance can create a very different moment than simply getting announced.

3. Experience. Some of the things we just do are because we have the experience and specalise in wedding entertainment. This includes ensuring the correct introduction order and pronunciation of names. Ensuring guests are seated and aware the reception is beginning. Ensuring key speakers are aware of the speech order and are present. Ensuring a cake knife is present before the cake cutting. Arranging with staff to dim the lights for your bridal waltz. And helping to co-ordinate the event conclusion including how you plan to say goodbye to your guests and leave the reception.

Your family member will do the job, it all depends on how you want it done. We never drink on the job and are their solely to MC and entertain at your reception. Your guest MC is also there to attend and be present, which can create problems when they are not organised, familiar with the venue and have had a few drinks. I suggest you look to hire a professional so that all your guests can enjoy the evening and not stress about what they need to do next.

There are exceptions to this rule as I have seen some very, very good MCs who have obviously had a lot of public speaking and hosting experience and have a personal connection with the bride and groom. When they are confident speakers and have had experience this can work well. This seem to be the exception, however, rather than the norm. I have generally found that many inexperienced friend MCs simply did not understand the role, were often nervous and have made mistakes during key moments.

Although we have not offered this service in the past. In the case you prefer a family or friend to MC, we can organise a consultation with the MC to help them plan for key moments and what to expect when being the host. Please contact our office for more detail on this service.

Albury DJ Entertainment offer experienced wedding DJs who can MC, an exclusive DJ & separate MC and an MC only option where couples choose to have us provide their master of ceremonies with a band or other style of entertainment.

Jono Toohey - owner and professional DJ & MC at Albury DJ Entertainment.

What should you look for when choosing an entertainer? First thing is to interview the individual or business you’re looking to hire to see if they provide the service you’re looking for. Ask them questions that are important to you. Some examples to ask might be, can we choose specific music for the background music? Can our guests make requests? Can we select songs we don’t want played? How will the DJ dress? Can I meet with my DJ/entertainer before the night? How much experience has the person had? How big is your setup? Do they have a backup DJ available for emergencies?

You probably looked at many photo albums or web galleries before choosing a photographer, I suggest taking care to choose the person who will best represent your style on the night. Do they have the personality and style to suit your event? Are you looking for a more interactive DJ who encourages guest participation or a laid back style that includes minimal microphone use?

If you are also looking to hire an MC you will have different questions for them. Can they create the atmosphere you’re after? Can they suggest ways to enhance your reception? Are they experienced in the formalities and timing of a reception? How will they introduce you into the room? At how many events have they been MC? Different DJs & MCs have unique styles, you want to meet with the person who will MC your event to ensure they are a great match for you. They should be able to suggest how the night will run and how they will ensure it runs smooth and you can relax throughout the reception.

Are you considering a band for your reception? Will they be taking regular breaks? What music will they play during these breaks? Can they make announcements when needed? Can guests make requests? Do I need to provide a meal for each band member? Will their setup work with the chosen location? What styles of music can you cater for? You will have thought of more, but don’t be afraid to ask questions, they should have an answer for you.

I would look for wedding entertainment providers who can provide testimonials from past clients who were satisfied with the service. Speak to friends to see who they used or if they have heard anything great about someone. Do they have video of a past performance? Have they got photos from current events?

Things to consider. Good entertainment is not cheap and cheap entertainment is not good. Are you spending $15000 on your wedding but only wanting to spend $500 on entertainment which can make or break your reception? Will you choose an entertainer based on price or level of experience? I recommend meeting or calling the entertainers you’re considering, to see what they will do to ensure your reception is everything your wanting. Don’t be afraid to ask questions as you should know exactly what you are getting.

Jono Toohey, Owner, DJ and Master of Ceremonies, Albury DJ Entertainment.

MC & DJ Jono Toohey, Albury DJ Entertainment.

A great start to the wedding season for Stacey & Peter’s reception at Lake Hume Resort Albury. I (Jono Toohey) was MC & DJ assisted by DJ Brenden. We included our premium setup and some purple uplighting throughout the room to enhance the already beautifully decorated room by Tracey @ Enhance Design and The Elegant Chair.

We included a personalised introduction about each bridal party member and how they are related before welcoming the Bride & Groom into the room. The “shoe game” was a hit and drew some great crowd applause (this is where we ask the bride and groom a series of questions including ‘who made the first move’, ‘who hogs the blankets,’ ‘who spends the most money,’ etc). After the speeches we went straight into the bridal waltz, which was a choreographed rehearsed dance which kept everyone entertained. The next two hours saw plenty of fun moments on the dance floor.

A highlight of the reception was the garter removal. I encouraged Pete to use some props from his job as a fire fighter in the removal to put on a show. With some creativity we managed to include a fireman’s hat, fire extinguisher and fire hose under the bride’s chair, giving the illusion they were under Stacey’s dress. One of the funniest and most creative garter moments I have seen.

Stacey & Peter were such easy going clients and a pleasure to work with. I am sure people will be talking about the special moments we helped create throughout the reception for months and years to come. I love what I do!

Jono Toohey - owner and professional DJ & MC at Albury DJ Entertainment.

Jono Toohey – MC & DJ Albury DJ Entertainment.

Wow, what a wedding. It was fantastic to be part of Lucia and Yaz’s reception at Brown Brothers Estate Milawa. In preparation for their reception we met and spent over an hour finding out about their music tastes, providing suggestions or to make sure their wedding was unique. Lucia & Yaz also spent time using our online planning forms to help me prepare for their wedding. I try and personalise as much of the reception and music as I can to ensure a unique feel for each wedding.

Brown Brothers is a fantastic reception centre in Milawa Victoria, worth stopping in for lunch one day and of course an amazing reception venue. The meals were beautifully presented, the staff were very professional and accommodating and I would rate as one of the best I have attended.

The guests mingled before entering the room. Acting as MC & DJ I provided a personalised introduction for the bridal party describing details about how they met, the first date and how the proposal happened. For many guests this was the first time hearing about this. During the reception I handed request cards out and introduced myself to guests. This allows us to personalise the music on the spot to play music the guests enjoy and also encourages people to approach me any time they want a request.

Throughout the night I took photos of the guests, cake cutting, bridal waltz and fun moments on the dance floor and played these live on the LCD screen we supplied. We generally include some photos throughout the reception as standard with the option to bring a screen if desired. Our clients receive the photos after the wedding to share with family and friends.

A highlight was when I invited all guests onto the dance floor to form a circle before inviting the bride and groom into the middle to perform the bridal waltz. Some fun moments on the dance floor then begun. We concluded the night with a thank you circle and I had all guests form an arch which the bride and groom went through to finish the reception. The bride and groom were extremely happy and I received many compliments from wedding guests, the matron of honour and mother of the bride which was fantastic. I really enjoyed being part of the wedding, being MC and helping create a memorable reception.

Client feedback received: “Thank you for making our wedding night so fun and entertaining. Jono you did an awesome job with the music, photos, MC and the hot of the night – the shoe game! Thanks, Yaz and Lucia”

Jono Toohey - owner and professional DJ & MC at Albury DJ Entertainment.

If you lived in the Albury area, you would know that last weekend was one of the wettest weekends ever, many towns flooded and many wedding ceremonies moved. Claire & Dean’s wedding was no different. The ceremony was originally planned for All Saints Estate’s beautiful rose garden, the weather forced the move to the barrel room at All Saints. In no way did the weather dampen spirits. We provided the music before, during and after the ceremony. Claire was possibly the happiest (and most in love) Bride I had seen and truly enjoyed the ceremony and reception and showed no sign of stress from the weather.

We played a different song for each bridal party couple, which was a lot of fun (Bride & Groom choices), including Thank God I’m A Country Boy, Sexy & I Know It, Don’t Stop The Party, Good Feeling and Signed Sealed Delivered for the Bride & Groom. The guests then enjoyed the reception which included 3 courses, some great speeches and myself hosting “The Shoe Game”. This is a game during the reception when we ask the bride and groom a series of questions, such as “who made the first move” and the bride and groom hold up a shoe of who best describes the answer (a Bride or Groom’s shoe). It brought many laughs and funny results. The fun did not stop after the bridal waltz with some karaoke from the groom, group dances and a variety of music from 60′s to top 40. A friend of the Bride & Groom did sang Michael Buble to perfection and The Bridal waltz was Burn your name – Powderfinger followed by Your Song – Elton John & Everything  - Michael Buble.

The Picture Perfect Photo Booth was lots of fun with most guests getting a pic or two in the booth to put in the bride and grooms wedding keepsake. They had the option to dress up with props supplied from Picture Perfect, a fun concept.

It was great to be a part of the wedding as I was the DJ at the local nightclub when they first met and worked with the bride years before. With over 90 guests the dance floor was full for almost 3 hours when the crowd departed by bus to Albury. Venue up lighting (purple) and photos provided by us.

Photo Booth – Picture Perfect Photobooth
Photography – Simon Dallinger
Videographer – Capture Films by Emma Dallinger

Jono Toohey – owner and professional DJ & MC at Albury DJ Entertainment.Click to view slideshow.

Saturday the 12th of November turned out to be a really fun night. After providing the ceremony music at St Patrick’s Church, the reception was held at The Best Western Hovell Tree in Albury. Everyone was ready for a great night, with friends from all over Australia moving through the room to catch up, and even handing out the request cards I could see this was going to be a party crowd. The speeches were a crack up, and then the party started right after the bridal waltz. A highlight was the bride Katrina singing Summer of 69 to perfection, seeing everyone shuffling (LMFAO style) and everyone loving the party tracks like time warp, cotton eye Joe, and even nut bush. The crowd really got into the music and kept the dance floor full for almost 3 hours. We finished with an action packed bouquet throw (great catch), a great performance from Josh (the groom) getting the garter and a pickup from the back for the garter throw. The feedback to Facebook from the bride the next day read “Jono we can’t thank you enough!!! you did an awesome job. Everyone had a great time including my mum” which was great and appreciated.

It was a really enjoyable night and was great to see so many familiar faces in the crowd. More photos can be found at our Facebook page, don’t forget to “like”  https://www.facebook.com/alburydj.

It was a pleasure being a part of their special day, Jono – Albury DJ Entertainment.Click to view slideshow.