Welcome back to the Kalifornia Entertainment blog where it’s that time of the year where we do our 2019 Year In Review and look back at the wild season of events and Rochester weddings.
I am confident in saying that 2020 will be another monumental year here at Kalifornia Entertainment. I say that confidently because we are pretty much 100% completely full just about every weekend doing events and Rochester weddings, so it’ll be an action packed and exciting new year. We are constantly pushing the boundaries and setting the bar higher and higher for weddings, and we definitely have some plans to push that bar as far as it can go over the next 12 months.
Before I really dive into the Year In Review, I first and foremost want to express a deep and soulful thank you to all my 2019 Rochester Brides, Grooms, Clients, Friends, Colleagues, and most important…my wife! So, let’s get into it!
2019 Year In Review
2019 had it’s share of fun, happiness, firsts and challenges when it comes to Rochester Weddings. It’s been nothing but 5 stars and positive reviews between January to December and every single client that has booked Kalifornia Entertainment expressed nothing but contentment, delight and jubilation. I maintain my mission of going above and beyond for every client and assuring that I over-deliver on my promises to them.
It’s also been a year of growth, as we’ve been trying to learn more and more by soaking up knowledge from industry professionals. I welcome challenges because it keeps things exclusive, unique and fresh. It also allows me to think outside of the box and do something that isn’t done often, which I welcome whole heartily. One of the many things that sets Kalifornia Entertainment apart from other businesses and Rochester DJ’s is that I am continuously searching for ways to stand out and offer certain services and action items that no one else does. No one wants their wedding or event to be exactly like the next one. So thinking through and coming up with new ways to do things or make events and reception stand out from the rest is what K.E. excels in. That shows from not only positive reviews from clients but from all of the immaculate and talented vendors I work alongside of each and every weekend.
2019 Year In Review – Shout Outs
2019 brought me to a lot of venues that I previously worked at and not just once but multiple times. The year was definitely the year of country clubs as I worked at many familiar ones multiple times over the past 12 months and have become friends with a lot of awesome venue coordinators. We’ve also done a lot of really cool themed weddings, which is starting to be a major thing when it comes to Rochester weddings. Some venues I want to give a special shout out (in no particular order) are:
Rochester Wedding Venues
- Cobblestone Creek Country Club
- Braddock Bay Park Lodge
- Webster Golf Club
- Arbor Loft
- Plantation Party House
- La Luna
- Glendoveers
- Woodcliff Hotel & Spa
- Ravenwood Country Club
- The Gallagher
- Arbor At The Port
- Burgundy Basin Inn
- Deerfield Country Club
- Italian American Community Center
- The Inn on Broadway
2019 also allowed me to work with some outstanding vendors as well (some are on my preferred vendor list). All of these people and businesses share the dream of making sure that every client that books them, is satisfied and happy. Again, in no particular order, I want to give a special shout out to all of these people who I had the distinct honor and pleasure of working side by side with. Without you, we couldn’t have made so many sensational and divine memories with clients.
Rochester Wedding Vendors
- Colburn Creative
- Megan Antalek Photography
- Lass & Beau Photography
- Jill Studio & Design Photography
- Chrisom B. Photography
- Cassie V Photography (formerly Creative Touch Photography)
- Ron Bucci Photography
- David Barone-Vu Photography
- Mike Yare Photography
- Jessica LK Photography
- Tessah Ciardi Photography
- AlekseyK Photography
- Shaw Photography
- Productions By Tim
- Codey Dingfield
- Coleman Films
- Live Oak Films
- Where To Next Films
- For The Love of Flour
- Christina Matiash Makeup
- Premier Pastry
- Cheesy Eddies Bakery
- Green Gables Florist
- Savoia’s Bakery
- S&S Limo
- Something Delicious
- Shell’s Sweets
- Dulce Cupcakes
- I Do, Wedding Flowers
- Gourmet Goodies
- Moonrise Floral
- J. Costello Officiants
- For The Love of Flowers
- Forest Hill Catering
- Julia K. Caterers
- Flower City Nuptials
- LeNovel Photography
- Trusted Treasurez
- Deb Standing Videography
- Rachael B. Cupcakes & Bake Shoppe
- Hopper Hills Floral
2019 Year In Review – Recognition
It’s been a year full of awards and recognition too. I’m honored to have won the The Knot’s Best of Weddings and we were inducted into The Knot’s Hall of Fame. We haven’t received word yet, but we’re pretty sure we’ll be winning the Weddingwire’s Couples Choice award once again as well. It was also my 11th year in a row being a finalist in the annual Best of Rochester readers poll by City Newspaper and I became a 5 time winner for it! There’s a lot of trash talk in the industry by people who win these types of awards but I don’t fall into the negativity and still feel honored to have won. It just shows the type of business I run and it’s a testament to how happy I’m able to make my clients with each and every event I do. This is proved over and over again by holding strong with over 400+ five-star reviews, and by being the preferred DJ on 53 lists (vendors and venues).
What does 2020 hold and what are my predictions? Well, I see a lot of smiles, a lot of laughter, a lot of fun, some tears (of happiness), more challenges, and many marvelous memories that will last a lifetime. I forecast many many more five-star reviews, recommendations, referrals and making friends (both clients and vendors) that will last for a long time! I also see some time off. Not a lot, but enough to be able to spend time with my wife, go on adventures/trips and make even more amazing memories that will last us both a lifetime of being married.
In conclusion, I again want to say thank you to so many magnificent clients who booked me in 2019, who have booked me this year and beyond. Being one of the most in-demand DJ’s in Rochester, it has allowed me to book 2+ years out. That means 2020 is filled, 2021 is close to being filled and I am now taking bookings for 2022. Clients have also once again gotten to the point where they are scheduling their receptions and events around my schedule, which is simply amazing.
I also want to say thank you to the brilliant vendors and venues I had the opportunity to work side by side with. 2019 brought many new people into my life and I not only look forward to working with many of you again this year, but many new ones as well. So cheers and let’s have a superb 2020!
DJ Kalifornia (Joshua V.) is an 13 time finalist and 5 time winner in the annual Best of Rochester City News Poll as Best Rochester DJ, voted upon by thousands of people over the years as a finalist and winner. He was also a finalist in the WHEC’s Channel 10 News weekly “Rochester Rocs” award as Best Live DJ, nominated in the annual prestigious “Roc Awards” as Best Rochester DJ, as well as a winner and finalist in the Democrat & Chronicle Choice Awards as Best DJ In Rochester.
Kalifornia Entertainment, as a company, is an annual multi-award winning business with achievements from The Knot, Weddingwire and other online wedding directories. The business has achieved over 500+ five star reviews in total and has been placed on 50+ PROVEN preferred vendor lists. DJ Kalifornia was the leading long time successful resident DJ at Rochester’s beautiful ONE and Two89 nightclubs in the East End District, as well as resident at many other nightclubs in the area. He was a long time monthly resident on Party 103…a worldwide radio station with millions of listeners and world renowned top global DJ’s. You can see him play at other nightclubs all over as a special guest or headliner from time to time when not doing private events.
He currently writes for DJ Times magazine (now DJ Life Magazine), which is the biggest DJ specific world wide publication with millions of readers spanning across the planet on every continent and showcases the worlds best DJ’s. His articles discuss how to get an upper edge over the competition and how to apply strong marketing techniques, strategies, social media, Public Relations and diversity in a way that places you as an industry leader and gain more business. The magazine featured him in a full article, in April of 2020.
He’s been a resident DJ at just about every major nightclub in the Rochester, NY area over the years (and has played all over elsewhere as a guest and resident DJ), was the founder and creator behind the Rochester Zombie Prom, Showcase of The Arts, One Night In Heaven Fashion Show, and many other popular large scale events around WNY. He has thrown hundreds of established and successful themed events, themed weddings (considered the best and #1 elite in Rochester for putting together unique themed wedding receptions) and is very well known through out many different social and business groups and circles in WNY. His experience, vision, knowledge and the ability to make your wedding or event stand out from the rest, puts him at the top and head of the industry that no one else can duplicate, when it comes to being your DJ or entertainment vendor of choice.
