Vendor Spotlight – Special Request Weddings
I have the pleasure of getting to work with Dave of Special Request Weddings often through the MWN (Manitoba Wedding Network) and have seen him in action, and in his element, working a crowd. He’s exceptionally skilled at what he does and not own is he a great vendor he’s a good friend too.
I recently interview Dave to share with you all a little bit more about him and his company.
Describe yourself in 3 words.
I’m not a fan of picking answers for questions like this myself, but my friends, colleagues and clients often refer to me as: Happy, very tall, and extremely passionate. So I’ll leave it at that.
What’s the best professional lesson you ever learned?
It’s not WHAT you do, it’s HOW you do it. That lesson, while it was learned during vocal coaching and performance training, has crossed over into absolutely every facet of my business and my life. The most critical element to the task of doing, completing or delivering anything, is the means by which we do it. Things matter of course, but how we accomplish them is more critical then the thing itself.
What was the last thing that gave you warm fuzzies?
Cuddles & laughter from my two daughters. I happen to believe that laughter is one of the most amazing sounds in the world and my daughters & I are uniquely skilled at producing very large amounts of it.
Who inspires you?
Anyone who puts others ahead of themselves. Anyone who believes in others more then that person might believe in him/her self. Anyone who believes that the world is indeed an amazing and beautiful place. Anyone who isn’t afraid to step outside the box and let their true, authentic freak fly. Anyone who likes to adventure. And lastly, anyone who’s glass is half full, as opposed to half empty.
Describe your perfect day as a Wedding Entertainment Director®, DJ and MC.
My perfect day often involves waking up (that’s a GREAT start!), getting my little ladies up (two daughters), grabbing some granola and fruit for breakfast and then getting the girls off to day care for the day.
With fresh coffee in hand, I’ll then head to my office where any number of incredible things might take place. Ideally, I’ll get to some emails, do some script writing for upcoming weddings, take some client phone calls (I love the authentic and real connection that takes place between people during verbal conversations), communicate with other vendors about weddings we might have coming up together and any number of other details.
What also fits into my perfect work day is when I’m given some time to write or converse with some of my other DJ industry colleagues. Where I am today in business has not been a solo journey, but rather, one where many, many people have helped lift me up and carry me to the position in business life I enjoy today. As a result, giving back to my industry, is something I receive a great deal of satisfaction out of. I can often be found coaching other DJs when it comes to their own business and performance details or writing for DJ industry blogs.
Describe your perfect day off.
Coffee, cooking great food, giggling with my girls, enjoying a movie with my amazing wife Kathryn, planning for our next world adventure and getting outdoors. I can also sometimes be found enjoying a great glass of wine, or a perfect whiskey or Scotch poured lovingly over the rocks.
Besides friends and family, what are three things you can’t live without?
I’m an Apple addict (iPhone, iMac, MacBook Pros, Macbook Air, iPads, etc.)… need I say more?
Ok… truly… here are three items that I couldn’t live without:
Laughter, sunshine, coffee. Oh, and great shirts. I love nice shirts. (sorry, that’s four things!)
What are you watching, reading and listening to right now?
I hardly watch TV, it’s never really been my thing, but I am currently catching up on a whole generation of movies most people can’t believe I’ve never seen (Footloose, Grease, The Godfather… anything 70s or 80s). It should be mentioned though, thanks to my wife, that I love the TV show M*A*S*H.
The most recent book I’ve read and one that I can not stop talking or thinking about is The Go-Giver. It needs to be that one book on EVERYONE’S list. It’s easy, fun, short and for most people, can be seriously life altering. Please accept this as your invitation to find out what Joe discovers through a man named Pindar. What an amazing story!
As for “listening”… as a DJ, music is of course a MASSIVE part of my life. I really love it all, but I’m currently back on another U2 kick (favourite band of all time) where I am systematically listening to all of their albums again from the beginning of the early days (War, Boy, etc.) to their most recent albums (No Line On The Horizon, Songs Of Innocence, etc.).
In Winnipeg, where do you like to eat, get coffee, shop?
My favourite place to go and favourite thing to eat is, very honestly, a place or food I’ve never experienced before. I LOVE trying out new things, so I honestly can’t say if I’ve got a favourite place. I like good food. Fresh food. Unique food. Know of a place I should try? Please send me a message!
Looking back, what would you tell your 16 year old self?
Oh my… my 16 year old self was so incredibly different then the person I am today… this really has me scratching my head. I didn’t have a lot of self confidence when I was 16, so it’s hard to know what advice might have helped propel my personal development forward. Oh… I know… CUT YOUR HAIR! Seriously… you don’t want to see the photos… that 16 year old me had hair that was…. ummm… yeah… let’s just leave that alone for now. Happily, my hair is now cut on schedule, every two weeks. 🙂
What is your favourite getaway location? why?
My wife & I love Kelowna, BC and more specifically, Summerhill Pyramid Winery in Kelowna. When we’re not travelling overseas to Europe for another great adventure or dreaming about some warm winter getaway, we like to get away to the mountains and the all of the beauty that B.C. has to offer.
If you want to get to know Dave, his passion, and a bit more about what he does check out his newest booklet or head over to his website.
(Feature photos source – Moore Photography)
great