In 2017, Craft Event Bar got into the DJ business when our bartender, now DJ Carolina, decided to make the leap from behind the bar to behind the turntables. For three years, she’d been serving drinks and watching DJs; there had been some great perfomances in that time, and some not-so-great ones as well. She made it her mission to be like the best and better than the rest. Since then, as we saw a demand for more quality DJs in our area, we’ve expanded to include another DJ: Aaron Benanzer.
We approach our job as your DJ with multiple goals:
To have a thorough understanding of your vision for the day, including all specific song selections, timelines, and musical preferences.
To walk you through every stage of the music planning process—We’ll send you our customized online form with links to pre-made playlists or the option to upload your own, and we’ll be available to answer any questions. The week before the event, your DJ will plan a call to go over all the details with you and/or your event planner.
We make sure we’re familiar with and ready to meet all sound needs at your chosen venue. We’ve performed in dozens of local venues and may well have been to yours. If we haven’t, we’ll be sure to scope it out and come prepared with suitable equipment.
We heartily engage your guests and add structure to the party by announcing all event features. We also make sure to communicate with planners, photographers and other event vendors to ensure that everyone is on the same page as your celebration unfolds.
The dance floor is our time to shine! We LOVE showing off our skills on the turntables, both our wide range of musical knowledge and our ability to mix and blend songs together for a dance floor that goes fast and slow, but never stops.
Both DJ Carolina and DJ Benanzer are here for the love of music! We think music is the most powerful tool available to set the mood for any social occasion. We love nothing more than that feeling of connection we get when your guests are jumping up and down, singing at the top of their lungs, forming dance circles, and yes, maybe even doing the worm.
As someone who thrives at the center of a party, being a wedding DJ is the perfect job for me. When I started as a bartender, I was always envious of the people in the DJ booth!
From the high school band to Burning Man, salsa dancing or Patsy Cline karaoke, I have always had a love and appreciation for all kinds of music. Because of that, I feel kind of like a musical chameleon; I love to embody a couple’s musical personality whatever that may be. In my eight years as a wedding DJ, I’ve done weddings with so many themes. I have a crate of Ugandan dance music, an array of cumbia selections, Norwegian folk music, and playlists to recreate the feeling of being in a medieval tavern! But my favorite songs are ones that everyone recognizes. Playing those gems that get your whole wedding party out there dancing like there’s no tomorrow is what I live for. Responding to the crowd on the dance floor means that there’s never a dull moment!
—DJ Carolina
Meet our DJs:
I love being a DJ because I’m continuously introduced to new music. While my first loves were pop, rock, and EDM, I've really found a new appreciation for funk, disco, and soul.
My favorite way to play is by incorporating older songs, emphasizing their hooks, and mixing them with newer songs that sampled or were influenced by them. When the guests notice, you can see the different generations giving each other a nod of recognition while they're grooving together.
One of my favorite memories is from the end of a high energy wedding reception where every guest from the youngest to oldest seemed to be on the dance floor all night. When it came time for the last song, the bride had requested "Lil Boo Thang" by Paul Russell. I announced the end of the evening and pressed play; the newlyweds and guests were delighted and danced like they could keep going all night. Tapping into their energy and as the song approached its end, I grabbed the mic to say, "y'all have been so great..." And the moment the guests turned their attention toward me expecting departing instructions, I said "...we gotta run that back!" and restarted the song from the top. Everybody was so elated, it was as if they were dancing on the ceiling. To that, I couldn't help but go out and dance to the last, last song with them. These moments are what make my job so much fun.
—DJ Aaron Benanzer
Services offered:
Basic DJ & MC:
Dance floor sound system, wireless microphones, and a laser light
—$375/hour
*Add 5 hours of DJ services to any bar package for $1695
Additional Sound:
Add an extra hour PLUS battery-powered music and a wired microphone for your ceremony—$400
Upgrade to body-worn wireless mics and get a recording of your ceremony—$550
Lighting:
Add two Cold Sparklers—$475
Get Atmospheric Par Lighting—$450 for 8, $800 for 16
Dance floor basket: Selection of novelty LED lights for your guests to enjoy—$1 per person
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do we take song requests?
That is up to you! We love to take your guests’ requests, and you can allow them to make requests while setting some parameters. For example, if there are specific songs or entire genres of music that you do NOT want to hear under any circumstances, just let us know. But if you would prefer that we manage the dance floor without input from your guests, that’s fine too! We’re more than happy to groove on without the distraction of requests.