On today’s episode of Wedding Secrets Unveiled!, we have Luke Renchan back on the mic! Luke Renchan Entertainment has been in the wedding industry for decades, and they are so much more than a DJ company. From cold sparks to roaming robot photo booths to having your first dance on a cloud, Luke is here to share all about extra features that you can include to elevate your and your guests’ experience on your wedding day! Find some inspiration in today’s episode that will leave people talking about your wedding for years to come! 

We’re so happy to have Luke back on the podcast today. Luke, can you reintroduce yourself to our listeners?

My name is Luke Renchan of Luke Renchan Entertainment. We have been in business since 1983, founded by my dad (who is also Luke – and so is my son, actually). This all came about because my dad owned a record store and from that, we began to work in the entertainment industry. At the time, I was younger but I used to assist him with events. Obviously things were different then than they are now, but I’ve been able to get a lot of experience and help us grow from there. Since then, we’ve been able to provide a service that takes on a whole different experience – including special effects, options, and more things like that. We’re up to 10 DJs now, we travel and we just want to provide a great time. 

That’s amazing. With 10 DJs, how do you decide which DJ works with a couple? 

For us, we think it’s great to be able to select your DJ before you lock into a package. On our website, we list packages, have videos, pictures, and bios to help couples decide who might be their best option. Of course, we still sometimes have conversations about what they’re looking for – a club DJ, a host, an emcee, that kind of thing – and we can then steer them to what we think they might need and who’s best suited for them. But, they always have access to us. We want to build relationships and create those connections on personalities, styles, and who you are as a couple. 

Absolutely. With the experience you have, I’m sure you know what to ask and how to better pair couples and their DJ. But, I want to talk more about the other services you offer that can really elevate a reception party. So, what else do you offer?

With us, we offer everything from lighting options, special effects, photobooths, and AV options. All of those are simply ways to enhance your guests’ experiences during the wedding day. We have couples that work with us for all of the services and some that come to us just for the ones that will elevate their day like a photobooth or lighting. We have cold sparks, snow, dancing on a cloud, a photo booth that roams.  Sometimes couples are just looking for exciting ways to create an additional experience for their guests and that’s where we come in with our great options. 

Can you break those down for us? Start with lighting. What can you offer there?

So, uplighting is probably the most common term that most couples will find when they’re starting to research for entertainment when looking for lighting options. Basically, uplighting means light that is placed on the floor and accents the walls. This lighting is great because you can pick a color to match your theme. A lot of natural tones, like white, amber, and even rose are very popular. But, there’s also times for couples to choose bright colors – like when your dance floor opens up – things like blue, purple, or even bright pink. We even have an option that can change with the beat of the music, which is super fun. This lighting tends to be really popular. 

We also have something known as tube lighting. This is new for us this year. But, they’re wireless battery powered lights and can create really neat effects – like fire or ice. It’s an amazing impact and because they’re so light, they can go almost anywhere. 

We offer lighting for dance floors, too – some of the things you’ll see at clubs or concerts. These lights have different effects, patterns and colors. They’re typically elevated and are motorized. These are known as moving heads. They’re really popular, too. Another option is monogram lighting – which is what it sounds like. A couple is able to project their names, initials, or monogram onto a wall or tent ceiling. It’s a nice little personal touch to a wedding day. 

Finally, we have bistro lighting. This is very popular. This really provides an aesthetic or ambiance to an event and can be something that creates awe for your guests. 

So do these lighting packages come with DJ packages or can you get them separately? 

Every service we offer is separate. So, when you’re reviewing your entertainment vendors, check if you’re able to do things separately. People think they have to book our DJ services to use our photobooth or light, but everything is independent. You can get them a la carte if you want. 

Okay, so earlier you mentioned a “dancing on the clouds” effect. What is that?!

Dancing on the clouds is basically a dry ice effect. We have a device that creates this effect. It’s low level clouds that cover your dance floor. It creates a really magical, fairy-tale effect. Honestly, it creates some beautiful images! We use it a lot for first dances and it creates a really special moment. We’ve also used it for wedding party entrances! Really anytime you want to make an impact, this can be a great option. 

It’s sort of like our snow effect. We did a wedding once where they had the snow falling, a snow projection, even Santa and Mrs. Claus came out to dance. The uplights were blue and it just created a truly memorable experience. That’s why these effects are great – they create an experience people will remember. 

One of my favorite trends to photograph right now are the sparks. Can you tell us more about those?

Sparks are a great effect! It’s a device that shoots up and looks like sparks. What’s really neat, though, is there’s not actually anything hot coming from the device. You could put your hand over it and not get hurt. But it looks so cool. We’ve been using it to highlight a first dance or even during a sparkler send off. Just make sure to check with your venue about using them. Sometimes we’ll go and offer a demonstration for a venue, but it just depends on what they require. 

Amazing. What about the video portion of your services?

Sure. We can set up TVs or projectors to showcase video aspects of your wedding. This might be a slideshow – your engagement photos, if you got married during COVID, or some sort of video that loops. We had one wedding where they had video clips from movies and shows of people dancing and it was fun to see them projected as the dance floor opened up. But, it’s really whatever you want to showcase. 

It’s just important to talk with your entertainment vendor about how to use all of these different options. For example, we’ve projected the feed from Times Square on New Year’s Eve weddings before. People are just amazed. We have endless abilities to use these special effects. 

Tell us more about your photo booth options! 

What’s funny is if you had asked me if I would be doing a variety of photo booth options 10 years ago, I would have said you’re crazy. But, now, we have tons of different styles. First we have our classic, standard photo booth – the rectangular setup with a backdrop and can be enclosed. As things have progressed, people began getting more creative. Things got smaller and more elaborate at the same time. So, now we have our Mirror Booth, a 360 Booth and our robot photo booth. We also have lots of digital options – which is fun. You can just walk away with your images or whatever. 

The 360 booth is our newest booth – an elevated platform where the camera goes around you 2-3 times and you get a slow motion effect. People get to use props and then they can overlay the video with music and email it to themselves. It’s a lot of fun, actually. People just love it. 

The mirror photobooth is also really cool. It’s a full-length mirror with a camera behind it. You walk up to it, see the gold frame, and it’ll say something fun and complimentary to you. Then it takes a photo and you get it like a traditional photo booth strip. It’s a really fun time, especially for couples with a fairytale theme or Disney. 

Now, the robot photo booth is really fun. We have a specialist who drives it and controls where it goes. It’s a full digital experience. There’s a printing station you can add to it, but most people take advantage of it being digital. You can take your photos, boomerangs, or even green screen options. It’s really fun and people have a great time with this one too! We can also take the head off the robot and walk around with it, grabbing photos of the scenery and it becomes even cooler. These are really nice because of the mobility – you’re not stuck to just one place. People love this style of photo booth. 

Obviously you mentioned the classic photo booth, too. We have our photo booth business, Rock Your Booth. For the classic booths, can you explain the different options that couples have?

Classic booths are typically for those who want prints and a simple setup that stays in one location for the night. It can be stationed with a backdrop or have an enclosure. Whatever makes the most sense for you! There are so many options. These booths tend to do a print and some have the option for a digital file as well. We like to have that option because the digital experience is nice! It’s a really nice keepsake. We do these booths for weddings, birthdays, and celebrations. There’s lots of great ways to utilize these booths. I think it’s a bit crazy because you have all of these decisions to think about now, when before it was just if you wanted a photo booth, you had the classic one. That was it. 

Wrap-Up Question

What are some key points that couples should be asking their entertainment companies when they’re inquiring to make sure that they’re working with a professional company to ensure that their wedding day is absolutely perfect?

Experience is the most important aspect of anything. I think whether it’s a DJ or special services, being experienced is what makes the difference between something being a successful event or not. 

Consider a package with one company. It’s easier to work with one company and vendor than three or four, but do what’s right for you. Bundle packages exist! 

Don’t be afraid to take advice from your entertainment company. Whether it’s music, the options, or how to just get the effect you want, let the professionals help you.  

What We Discussed

Lighting Options (12:26)

Ways to use lighting to accent specific moments (16:28)

Tips for sparks on your wedding day (20:20)

Photo Booth Ideas (27:38)

Wrap-up questions (39:07)

Links Mentioned in the Episode

You can find Luke here: Website | Instagram | Facebook

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