Since 1986, Astro Entertainment has been a source of entertainment for weddings and events and we are thrilled to announce them as a preferred vendor for The Lesner Inn. With the area’s most experienced and diverse staff of DJ’s, Astro sat down and answered a few questions about Astro Entertainment and the advice they have for couples who don’t know where to begin in their DJ search or even how to keep their family and friends on the dance floor!

Meet Astro Entertainment

How did Astro begin?

In 1986 a group of three local radio personalities branched out to offer mobile DJ services to the Hampton Roads area. The small group of mobile DJs eventually became the largest entertainment company on the Eastern seaboard.

What makes Astro different from other DJ companies?

With Astro you have the option to select an entertainer to match a couple’s style and music tastes. We cater to each client’s needs and wants by providing an entertainer that best matches what they are looking for. We also have a backup entertainer available in the unlikely event of an unforeseen emergency. Our couples can rest assured that their event will be fully taken care of.

How would you describe Astro’s style?

All of our entertainers can adapt to any situation they are put into. We honestly feel no two weddings are the same and each event must be treated as such. We realize that this is the most important day of the couple’s life, and we have only one shot at getting it right for them.

What’s a fun fact about Astro?

All of our staff are actually friends, we celebrate family events together and have been that way for many years. We have always felt to have a successful company strong bonds have to be present.  We all have each other’s back.

Their Services

Astro has brought some amazing games and lighting to the Lesner Inn so we’ve been able to see firsthand that Astro is more than just DJs. What other services does Astro provide?

We also offer event planning and management, wireless up lighting, event décor, a variety of photo booth options, green screen photo technology and much more that can be seen at www.astrodj.com.

Astro has helped a lot of Lesner Inn couples stream their ceremony to loved ones this year. Can you explain more about this service and how it works for couples who are thinking about streaming their wedding?

In the wake of COVID-19 we knew we would have to adapt to assist our couples with their special day. We offer an affordable stream service that provides a private site with personalized login that shares your ceremony with the ones you love worldwide.

Can the couple choose who their DJ is for their wedding or event?

Yes, Astro offers the option to select a specific DJ. We have a wide range of professional entertainers for our clients to choose from to match any style of event.

How do you feel out the crowd and create the playlist?

With each event we ask the client to give us a list of music that they would like to hear, songs they think their guests would enjoy and equally as important the songs that they definitely do not want to hear. From there we select other songs that we think reflect the couple’s interests and blend those in throughout the event.

How involved can a couple be in picking out the playlist?

100%! Our new event program makes it extremely convenient for couples to more quickly and easily select songs and develop a timeline through their “Client Portal”. Each couple will receive personalized login information, so they always have access to the details of their event. We’ve had clients give us lists of music that detail what they want from the prelude music at the ceremony, ceremony music, cocktail hour preferences, dinner music and dance party selections. We want our clients to be as detailed as they’d like, but also remember to give your DJ “artistic freedom” if what your selected music isn’t getting your guests up and moving.

How far in advance does a couple need to submit music requests and event details?

We ask that music selections and completed wedding paperwork be turned in no later than a month prior to the celebration so our scheduling department has time to look it over and decide which of our entertainers is the best fit for the client if they have not pre-selected a DJ ahead of time. Our new event management program makes it extremely convenient for couples to more quickly and easily select songs and develop a timeline through their “Client Portal”. Each couple will receive personalized login information that will take them directly to their event, so they always have access to the details of their event.

Their Advice

What advice do you have for couples who don’t know where to start when it comes to finding their DJ?

We recommend giving your sales representative an idea of your musical likes AND dislikes as well as the level of involvement and interaction you’re looking for from your DJ. This gives us a better idea of who we think would best suit your needs. It is for this reason we like to take this information into account prior to assigning one of our professional entertainers.

What question would you advise couples to ask before booking their DJ?

We wouldn’t say that there is one specific question to ask, but an important one would be is the company licensed, bonded and insured? Most venues require proof of insurance from all the vendors that enter their facility. Also, do they have a backup plan for equipment failures or unforeseen health emergencies?

We always hear couples say “how can I make sure my guests are on the dance floor instead of outside?” What advice do you have for this and what do you do to keep them on the floor?

The biggest advice that we can give to a couple to keep their guests on the dance floor is to make sure that THEY are on the dance floor. Guests will generally follow the lead of the couple they have come to celebrate.

What is a big “don’t” couples should avoid?

Don’t forget to keep all of your event attendees in mind while cultivating your list of music. Not everyone has the same style and you want to make sure they are all having a good time.

How can a couple create an atmosphere when it comes to up lighting? What’s your advice for up lighting overall?

Clients can use up lighting to simply accent the lighting already at a venue or they can change the entire dynamic of the room. It really depends on how much lighting they are interested in adding and what effect they are looking for. The noticeable difference with Astro’s wireless up lighting is that our entertainers have direct control over the up lights so they can make sure that the lighting flows with the tempo of the music.

What’s a trend you see happening for 2021?

We are seeing people stray away from traditional ceremony music like classical selections and moving more towards music that reflects the couple’s tastes. This is opening up the music base to vast opportunities instead of limiting them to one type or style.

What’s the most original first dance song you’ve played?

Well all first dances are unique in their own right per say. But recently we had a couple use Stand by Me performed by Florence and the Machine from the video game Final Fantasy XV. It was an interesting spin on a classic 1961 hit by Ben E. King.

What’s the most played song at weddings?

Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey or Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper

Lastly, what is the best way for couples to contact you?

Phone at 757-460-2224, email at sales@astrodj.com or on our contact us tab on our website. Our sales staff excels at quick responses to inquiries.