Sadly, our wedding getting rescheduled and almost ruined by Hurricane Irene this past summer wasn't the worst part about the wedding: it was DJ Ceremony. He failed to download several important songs we'd requested, including the "last song" of the night. He neglected to wear a button-up shirt for the ceremony (??!). And was argumentative, intoxicated and out right refused to help find any songs myself (the bride) or my new husband requested. I would give him 2 stars because *mostly* the music choices were ok, but the intense and unnecessary stress and aggression he created was so painful and I could not bring myself to any form of recommendation. At the end of the night, after myself and several other members of my wedding party tried to ask him to find the "last song", a friend of mine eventually saved the day and found the song on her iPod and figured out how to hook it up to a speaker. Do yourself a favor and avoid the pain. read more

My wife and I hired DJ Ceremony for our wedding a few months back. After showing up considerably late for our guests' cocktail hour, he completely disrupted the entire flow of our wedding. How about when he blew our announcements by missing a couple altogether and then humiliated us as we walked out to our guests? That was a real great way to start our reception. Instead of working with the maitre'd, he kept bothering my wife looking for the wedding parties. Carlos was very unmotivated and it was clear for all to see. We also offered to provide him with music but he assured us that he was good to go yet. However, neither my wife nor I, recall hearing a considerable amount of our requested songs. Our guests are still talking about how bad our DJ was, most likely because of how rude and unorganized he was. Maybe it was because we prepaid or he had a rough night but that is absolutely no excuse to mail it in the way he did. Thanks, DJ Ceremony. Beware. read more

We booked DJ Ceremony for our wedding that took place about a month ago at the Central Park Boathouse. I received his name as a recommendation from one of my clients that used him for their wedding. She spoke about how the wedding was a blast and the DJ played great music, having a keen sense for what the crowd wants to hear. It sounds easy, but with a room filled with people ranging from their teens to my grandparents the degree of difficulty is harder than playing a nightclub for example. We met at a bar in the East Village about a year ahead of the wedding and had an in-depth conversation detailing the type of music we liked and if we had any particular requests. What made the meeting easier for me is that he was writing down notes, a real pleasure because there is nothing I like less than repeating myself a couple of months later with what I want if we spoke about it already. Sure enough, our handful of requests made it into the playlist sprinkled with other crowd pleasing gems. The dance floor was full the whole night and people were having a blast. Ceremony DJ's at other haunts around the city and the fact that he was willing to part with his ego and not play what's hot at the club right now but what we wanted made him a pleasure to work with. In terms of doing business with DJ Ceremony, he was on-time to every meeting we had and responded in a prompt manner via e-mail whenever we ran a new idea or song choice by him. He gets an unqualified recommendation from me and I suggest if you have a special occasion coming up to give strong consideration to DJ Ceremony! read more

Simply put DJ Ceremony was fantastic at our wedding reception in August. We had some strong views on the music we wanted played at our wedding - me, lots of UK references (indie bands like the Smiths and New Order, old Beatles/Stones etc) and my wife lots of very danceable poppier/R'n'B/hip-hop tracks. We wanted our reception to be a full on dance party, relevant to both the US and UK guests of different age groups (I am 38 and know my music, but my wife is 29 and knows very little of my indie guitar rock tastes, but certainly knows what she likes (Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z, etc etc). Everyone had a blast and the dance floor was never empty. Many people have commented on how good DJ Ceremony was/how much fun they had and the photos are a testament to that. I think what contributed to that was DJ Ceremony's ability and willingness to listen to my guidance (the music was my one area of wedding responsibility!) I met with him and sent him many emails, as and when things occurred to me regarding the music. Once at the reception DJ Ceremony was extremely adept at playing to the audience and reacting to their moves. The dance floor was never empty. Funnily enough, my wife and I just returned from London where we went to a wedding. And you know what, the DJ was good but nothing compared to DJ Ceremony. It really hit us how easy it is empty a dance floor, and how hard it is to actually be any good. You will not find a better DJ. I'd love to hear how it goes, should you choose him, which I unreservedly recommend you do. LP read more

Carlos just played at my wedding this weekend, and I'm so happy I found him. My guests had a blast at both of our events and people told me they didn't want to leave because they were having so much fun. I played classical, jazz, oldies, and newer hits at my wedding ceremony and reception, so really the whole gamut of musical styles, and it all worked seamlessly thanks to Carlos. I would definitely work with him again if I needed a DJ at another event. Thank you Carlos! read more

Carlos is an angel sent from heaven, who plays my favorite music for my ears in many darkly lit clubs around the city. No matter what mood Im in upon arrival, he always quickly takes me to a better place. I cannot recommend enough his Smiths dance party. Im certain that his ability to liven up a wedding would be similar, although I will never know because as Moz says : "I will never marry." read more

I am quite late in posting my review, but my husband and I were extremely pleased with the phenomenal job Carlos did at our wedding in October. He handled everything effortlessly, and with a really wonderful and upbeat attitude. Our guests danced their asses off and had a fabulous time! From the moment we first met in person, we got such a great vibe from Carlos. He's incredibly laid back and easy to talk to, into all kinds of music, and seems to quickly get a feel for what kind of music will work well for the couple and the event. His rates are also incredibly reasonable, he has his own equipment, and just all around is awesome. I highly recommend him! read more

It been a few weeks since my wedding and I have to say a few words about DJ Ceremony, aka Carlos. In the beginning we knew we wanted something a little different for our wedding, something leaning towards New Wave but with a splash of standards, and also elements of Italian and Asian music since that is what we both are. I was a bit nervous in the beginning since we were aiming for something pretty nuanced - about whether to go with a DJ or a band, or with a hip DJ with a niche like Ceremony because my husband can be quite the music snob and extremely picky when it comes to music. We met with Ceremony about 3 months before the wedding and he was definitely professional and understanding. Very smooth also. He went over the things we hadn't even thought of and answered all of our questions. He was also readily available by emails when we had questions and revisions. He was very accommodating and willing to work out whatever requests we had. Well, the day of our wedding arrived and I was still a bit uncertain how it would all turn out. But guess what? It was great! I really was blown away with how smooth and professional he was. He followed our general outline but also was able to wing it and work the crowd a bit and get people up and moving around. Even people who usually don't dance were up and having a great time. I've learned that the right music is really key to a great wedding, and here is where Ceremony really shines through. I think because he has such great experience DJ'ing around the city that he knows how to tap into the energy of the crowd, can see what's working and what's not working, and adjust accordingly. He has a great selection and keeps the energy up. I kid you not, about 4 people came up to me at the end of the night and said that the music was amazing and the music was the best that they'd ever heard at a wedding. Highly Recommended. Thanks Carlos! You will always be a big part of our special day. read more

We felt instantly comfortable with Carlos when we met him and he was great about working hard early on to come up with playlists for each part of the event - dinner, dancing, later in the evening. We were very excited to have found a DJ so willing to work with us. For the wedding, we had selected mellow music for the dinner and explicitly asked that he keep the volume down because the hall was marble and there were many people packed into the room. We wanted people to be able to hear each other at least a little. It was a complete disaster! He cranked up the volume and played music (completely off our playlist and nothing like what we had selected) so loudly that it was almost unbearable. I (the bride) finally had to go out there and shout at him to turn it down which he did reluctantly and only very briefly before cranking it right back up. I later learned that my mother, my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, and several other people had also already asked him repeatedly to turn it down and he did not. We will not be recommending DJ Ceremony to our friends who are getting married. read more

My husband and I wanted the music played during our wedding reception to be perfect. Carlos (a.k.a. DJ Ceremony) far exceeded our high expectations. From the start, Carlos was fantastic to work with. We had two in-person meetings and exchanged emails over the course of eight months. He patiently listened to what we had in mind and our musical preferences. We wanted the music to not just align with our interests, but also include the "crowd pleasers" that would get people dancing after dinner. The mix of songs would also need to include a few favorites and special dance songs, and work for multiple generations. Carlos offered great suggestions and prompted new ideas by asking the right questions. He was willing to go in any musical direction we liked - it was just a coincidence that we happen to love new wave and brit-pop, in addition to many other genres. The results were outstanding. Every track played during the reception had us going, "I love this song!" or just jumping up to dance. Carlos really paid attention to the vibe in the room and made adjustments on the fly to keep people moving - the dance floor was always full. Several of our guests commented on how great the music was, and a few have even requested the setlist. Carlos also did a great job following our script and making a few announcements throughout the night. We can't recommend DJ Ceremony highly enough. No matter your musical preferences or occasion, Carlos will play music that is sure to be a success. He is incredibly talented and professional. We are so happy we chose DJ Ceremony for our big day! read more

Carlos was phenomenal!!!! When we were choosing DJs, I was initially nervous to meet him. From the reviews and his playlists online, it was clear that he had impeccable taste in music. My husband and I wanted our reception to be quirky, and we have a deep love for many corny songs (HINT: "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" was played at our reception). I must admit: I was a little worried that he would make us feel "uncool" for our musical tastes. However, this couldn't have been farther from the truth!!!! We knew immediately that he was the perfect choice. After a short meeting, we felt confident that he not only understood our tastes, but that he would help us craft a reception that would make for a memorable night. He even came up with many suggestions that we would have never considered, but that were PERFECT for our night. EVERYONE DANCED. They couldn't stop talking about how great the music was. Carlos had a way of weaving songs together to maximize everyone's enjoyment. Nobody could leave the dance floor! He added many songs that weren't on our list, but they were perfect and added an element of surprise even for us. He is a true artist. He also did the music for our ceremony!! We blended together two songs, and he handled the transition beautifully. The volume was perfect, and his timing was impeccable. On the day of the wedding, he showed up early, set up quickly, and was a pleasure to deal with in every respect. If you are looking for a professional DJ who will read your room and excite your crowd, look no further!!!! We are so thankful that we went with Carlos!!!!!! He made our night perfect. read more

It's such a pleasure writing this review for DJ Ceremony. He was a superb DJ for our wedding and we have no hesitations about giving him our highest recommendation. We discovered his website through extensive internet searching, and we immediately felt he'd be a good fit. Just from looking over his list of public events and parties, we could tell that he's both a craftsman and a true musical connoisseur. We geeked out over his love of Indie, Glam Rock, Britpop, and The Pet Shop Boys -- he has a clear, independent, downtown sensibility that's a great antidote to all the corporate DJ outlets with their doppelgänger disc jockeys. We wanted someone who would make our event feel personal and unique. DJ Ceremony didn't disappoint. We asked DJ Ceremony for some fairly traditional cocktail hour Jazz and swing standards, some Indie and lesser-known material during dinner, and some gay-friendly club hits and remixes for the dance hour, and he really nailed the whole playlist from beginning to end. He honored our requests for individual songs and for how we wanted the evening to proceed. He used the microphone minimally, and his laid-back presence established a cool atmosphere for all the dance floor excitement that would transpire over the evening.. Our guests danced the night away (I can't think of a moment when the dance floor was empty) and afterwards EVERYONE gave him rave reviews. Both our friends and family members, from across a range of generations, backgrounds, and tastes, said the music was just perfect. He was friendly and professional and stylish from beginning to end. We can't recommend him highly enough. Thanks, DJ Ceremony! read more

Working with DJ Ceremony was one of the best decisions we made when choosing our vendors for our wedding. From our first email exchange to the end of our wedding night, he went above-and-beyond to help us create the perfect playlist and musical aesthetic we were going for (80's New Wave, lots of Bowie) while keeping everyone dancing. We're still getting compliments and comments from our guests about "our" great musical taste, though my husband and I completely attribute that to DJ Ceremony! Professional, reliable, experienced and just plain cool, DJ Ceremony truly played a major role in helping us achieve our vision and vibe for our wedding. Thank you! read more

We hired Carlos for our wedding solely based on his playlists listed on his website. We liked his sense of appreciation for various genres of music and also got along with him very well. I informed Carlos early on that we would want him to blend (seamlessly) different genres during the night: from indie to pop to classics for the old folks, and he truly delivered. Carlos was an excellent MC as well, and really listened to all of our requests/concerns. Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better Deejay for our wedding and highly recommend his services! read more

We recently had the pleasure of working with DJ Ceremony on our wedding day, and it was one of the best decisions we made! Not only is Carlos incredibly knowledgeable about so many music genres (made great recommendations when we were unsure), he was incredibly professional, attentive, and easy-going. Carlos came early and stayed late, keeping the crowd happy the entire time! So many of our friends and our parents friends kept telling us how AMAZING the music was, and that they forgot it was simply a 1 man DJ! It's not easy to please young and old alike, but Carlos managed to both meet our needs, as well as the needs of our crowd perfectly. He was also a great MC, knowing when to talk and when not to! We met Carlos over drinks and he helped us narrow down our tastes. After the initial visit, Carlos was incredibly diligent in answering any questions that we had; our wedding was pretty packed with different cultural activities and Carlos took the time to sit with us for an hour on the phone a few days before the big day to go over the schedule. Finding a vendor with this much professionalism and dedication is a rarity and we couldn't be happier. Thank you, Carlos, for making the day so incredible! read more

DJ Ceremony was awesome! He did amazing job entertaining our guests throughout the evening. He also helped provide equipment for our guest performers during the ceremony and reception. He kept the M.C.'ing to a minimum per our request and was even better at holding off guest requests when they asked for songs from our "do not playlist". He also did a great job of taking our song list and breaking it out into the various phases of the evening (cocktail hour, dinner, dancing, etc.) Once the dancing started, it never stopped! DJ Ceremony did a great job of keeping people out on the dance floor until the very end. We would highly recommend him! read more

My husband and I booked DJ Ceremony (Carlos) for our wedding in March. He was great. We met with him to go over all our music preferences and particular artists we wanted played, he liked the same style of music so was very easy to work with. A few months prior to the wedding, I sent over a list of songs we wanted played. He played all the songs from my list. We got so many compliments on the DJ and the music. He went to our venue prior to the wedding to ensure the hookups for the sound worked. He provided the music for our ceremony as well, it was all coordinated perfectly in terms of timing. He was very responsive, early for the reception, totally professional, totally cool and we would recommend him to anyone looking for a DJ for a wedding, a party or otherwise. Thank you Carlos! read more

We met with Carlos about 8 months before our wedding and spent a few hours bending his ear about the kind of music we liked and the vibe we wanted for our wedding. Simply put, he was fantastic. We have heard rave reviews about the music from everyone we've talked to, including some VERY hard to please uncles who know their music. During the wedding, several ppl came up and said it was the best music they had ever heard at a wedding:) He kept ppl dancing the whole night and was just great. I wish I had something else to book him for! read more

I never write reviews on Yelp but I felt that I had to write one given the negative review below to set the record straight. DJ Ceremony did our wedding reception 2 weeks in NYC and he was absolutely amazing! My husband is British and I am from New Jersey so we wanted our music to be reflective of both our tastes (top 40 for me and Britpop for my husband). We met with a few DJs throughout the wedding planning process (about 5 months before our wedding), and we found that in our price range, there is a wide range of DJs - guys that will play their standard wedding playlist, guys that are WAY too cocky and think just because they have DJed for Beyonce, they don't need to take the couple's music tastes in mind, and then there was DJ Ceremony. We met with DJ Ceremony initially right before Thanksgiving to see whether we would he would work for us, and he was awesome. He took detailed notes of our venue, our musical tastes, what other things he had to announce (bouquet toss, speech, introductions, etc) and sent us a pretty detailed schedule. Subsequently, we met with him about a month before the wedding to go through the final playlist, all of the details, etc, and go over the logistics for the day. We got married at a 5 star hotel in Midtown Manhattan near 5th avenue, and our wedding was formal and upscale without being too stuffy. DJ Ceremony worked with our coordinator, arrived on time to set up, and was dressed professionally and smart for our wedding (full suit for our formal wedding). He knew exactly the type of music to play during the slideshow, the introductions, throughout dinner, and then kept everyone on the dance floor the whole night and played songs that both my husband and I and all of our friends enjoyed. In fact, he even played random songs that my dad requested. We had so much fun at our wedding and DJ Ceremony played a big part in making our wedding reception perfect. Thank you soo much!! If you want an awesome wedding DJ, who is responsible, professional, and will make your wedding reception absolutely perfect, DJ Ceremony is your man! His price is also reasonable and he is an absolute joy to work with. read more

DJ Ceremony did an amazing job with the music at my wedding in April. He was very professional ,easy to work with and open to any ideas I had. I also gave him a list of songs from different eras and he was masterful in how he integrated the music based on the feel of the reception. He made the wedding fun, got everyone out on the dance floor and I got positive feed back by several of the guests that attended on how good the music was. Needless to say if you looking for a DJ to make your event memorable, Carlos is your man! read more

I read yelp pretty frequently, but I don't think I've ever actually felt so compelled as to write a review. This is my first. After looking at all the myriad corny wedding DJ options in the city, we were extremely reluctant to hire one, but ultimately decided it was necessary. I found DJ Ceremony in a last ditch effort through google and weddingwire. After reading about his music tastes on his website, I felt I'd found a musical kindred spirit and was certain I could trust his taste. After meeting with him, I was assured that we was a total professional, and that he would take care of everything, even down to our particular requests. He played the music for both our ceremony (provided by us) and our reception, and did a spectacular job. Exceeded all expectations. I'm just copying and pasting the email I sent to Carlos, aka DJ Ceremony, because I'm lazy, but I think people should know how great he is after DJ-ing our wedding: This is a bit delayed, but I just wanted to say thank you so much for doing such an amazing job, and being one of the most important parts of one of the most special nights of our lives. I couldn't have asked for a better evening, and I think your role was certainly one of the most integral contributions. Everyone kept telling me what a great time they had, and how awesome the music was. I can't believe you got everyone to dance so much! Even [...], who is a notorious party-pooper, loved the music and said the playlist was awesome. Also, seeing my 70 year old mom on the dancefloor with her best friend was one of the most incredible memories I will ever have. If I could get married again just to have another party like that, I would, and I would have you DJ. You can be sure I will recommend you with the highest of praises, if I'm ever asked. Thank you so much again for making it one of the most wonderful nights I could imagine. I hope you enjoyed it, as well! read more

We booked Carlos for our wedding, and he did a fantastic job as our MC/DJ! He really knows how to go with the flow yet keep things on the timeline we discussed. Everyone really enjoyed the music, and he really added to our celebration. I would definitely recommend him. read more

Carlos played a huge role in making our wedding day absolutely perfect. We couldn't be happier with how things went, his professionalism, and his awesome music playlist. He sat down with us very early on and spent a long time discussing our music tastes and the type of atmosphere we wanted at our wedding. He showed up on time and everything went off perfectly- all the while he remained cool, calm and collected. The night wouldn't have been the same if he wasn't at the helm of the DJ table. I would recommend him to anyone. read more

Carlos DJed our wedding last week and I can not say enough great things. A true pleasure to work with. Quick to respond to emails, affordable and totally gets it. We met ahead of time and talked about the music we love and what we expected to hear at the event and he totally nailed it. We are huge music lovers and I've been playing in bands for over 10 years so there would be ZERO tolerance for a typical wedding soundtrack. Carlos customized his set to match our guests energy and it was an absolute blast. read more

DJ Ceremony (aka Carlos) was INCREDIBLE!!! He honestly made our wedding!! He responded fast to emails, took note of our taste and our requests very well, and really listened to the mood and feeling we were looking for for our wedding. You should have seen the dance floor!!! It was full all night! We had a wedding with a wide range of ages and he played music they all loved and changed the style and mood as the crowd changed later into the night. As the night got later he played the more dance style music for a younger crowd (as we had requested he do). Another thing we loved about him is that he really made his show about the music and the wedding, not about him. I have seen some DJs who just want to MC and talk all night and try to be the bad comedian of the event. Carlos was not that. He was tactful and tasteful and only really spoke on the mic when needed or when we asked him to make announcements. He was such a classy, respectful and talented DJ, and a nice person. We would highly recommend him for any event!! Our guests were having sooooo much fun that h even went over into a few encore songs because we all never wanted the party to end!! Thank you Carlos! read more

I had the opportunity to hear Carlos at an event at The Core Club. I made sure to grab his business card and thrilled that I did. I decided to throw myself a 50th birthday celebration and knew immediately I wanted Carlos to be my DJ. I shared with Carlos the music genre I was interested in - 70s/80s/90s/2000/present to include: Funk, R&B, Motown, Disco, New Wave, Pop. Well, to say the least - he beyond rocked it. Carlos has a knack to feel the energy of the room and bring it to another level. The dancing did not stop. Thank you, Carlos for making my 50th birthday bash a truly memorable time. My friends and family have not stopped talking about how much they loved you! Additionally, Carlos is beyond professional and was sure to ask all the right questions. He made it so easy. If I ever need a DJ there is no question I will be calling him. Let alone if anyone asks for a recommendation. Carlos is the one. I wish him all the very best and continued success!! read more

we were so thrilled with DJ CeremoNY. no one thought we could keep a 170 person wedding on the dance floor for over 3 hours of straight dancing, but he proved them wrong! he was very open to our lengthy suggestions, flexible about working with a family friend who was videotaping our ceremony, and able to read the crowd correctly. he was incredibly responsive to all our questions and concerns throughout our entire planning process. our guests told us it was some of the best dancing music they've ever enjoyed at a wedding. it took three last songs to finally end the party, all of which DJ CeremoNY provided spontaneously. ours was not a traditional wedding, more of a ceremony followed by dinner and a dance party, but he completely understood our approach and helped us throw the night of our lives. read more

If the five stars doesn't give you enough reason to go with Dj Ceremony feel free to keep reading this glowing review. From the first phone conversation with Carlos I knew I wasn't talking to your run of the mill wedding DJ, Carlos was extremely professional and personable, he really wanted to get a good idea of what me and my wife wanted from a DJ. We schedule to meet for a drink and discuss the event in more detail, he spent over an hour with us discussing our likes and dislikes, specific songs we wanted to hear and got a rough idea of the schedule for the night. We knew leaving that meeting that Carlos was THE DJ we wanted for our wedding. He was very communicative throughout the planning process and triple checked all the details with us before the ceremony. On the day of the wedding he had arrived well before us or any of our guest and was setup and ready to do his thing. And do his thing he did, before the event we had given Carlos a list of about 200 songs that we and our guests compiled on our wedding website, he took those songs into consideration but also played great additions that kept the dance floor packed all night long while keeping with the feeling of the night. There was even a request for a song during the event that he didn't have and magically a few moments later he had it flowing from his speakers. Carlos went above and beyond anything we could have imagined. He was professional and was dedicated to making the night what we had imagined and discussed months back at that first meeting. Thank you DJ Ceremony! read more