We are so thrilled that Gregg Hollman from Ambient DJs contacted us for an interview about our company that is featured on his blog! He is a fantastic DJ and wonderful person. Read the the blog article below and let us know your thoughts!

In this article, we spoke with Gloria Sklerov and Barbara Rothstein from the Los Angeles-based Wedding Music Central (www.weddingmusiccentral.com). Wedding Music Central offers the only line of unique wedding music CDs and wedding music downloads created by Grammy and Emmy-winning hit writers. In other words, brides are no longer limited to “off the shelf” commercial music, and can now enjoy music composed specifically for weddings.

Ambient DJ initially connected with Wedding Music Central (“WMC”) on Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Impressed by their deep knowledge of wedding music, we were delighted when Gloria and Barbara graciously agreed to be interviewed for a feature story on our blog. Wedding Music Central provides a valuable array of services for couples seeking wedding music that is unique, appropriate, and will maximize the emotional impact of their special occasion.

Tell Us About the History of WMC- Gloria Sklerov learned the art of writing hit songs by taking classes at UCLA. She proceeded to enjoy a long and successful songwriting career, composing hits for film and television. In addition to winning two Emmy awards, her songs have been recorded by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Cher, Dionne Warwick, Peggy Lee, Kenny Rogers and Anne Murray. Gloria co-write the #1 Country Song of 1979, Anne Murray’s “I Just Fall in Love With You.” Her compositions for wedding scenes in soap operas like “The Guiding Light” and “Another World” were critically acclaimed, and the public began asking where these songs could be purchased. With a knack for wedding songwriting, Gloria founded WMC in 1999. The timing of this venture was excellent given the increasing popularity of the internet and ability to sell music directly to the public.

Gloria’s business partner, Barbara Rothstein, left a successful law practice to follow her love of music and songwriting. She has since received a number of songwriting awards, with her songs being recorded by numerous pop and R&B artists in Europe, Japan and the United States. In the early days of Wedding Music Central, Gloria and Barbara produced their first wedding music CD “Set Your Wedding to Music” and co-authored the popular companion book, “How to Set Your Wedding to Music (The Complete Music Guide and Planner)”

What Are Your Most Popular Products?- Wedding Music Central’s most popular products are its custom wedding songs. These songs, composed with weddings in mind, are available for wedding ceremonies (Prelude, Processional, Recessional) as well as for receptions (First Dance, Father-Daughter, Mother-Son, Mother-Daughter). Regarding special dances for weddings, it is sometimes problematic to find a song from the American songbook that offers the proper lyrics and mood. WMC’s custom compositions bridge this gap. For a sample, see this very special Father-Daughter Dance:

Other popular products at WMC include Wedding Music CDs, Playlists (for those planning iPod weddings), Sheet Music and various creative Gift CDs. The Wedding Music Central website also contains a wealth of planning tips regarding music at a wedding.

Wedding Music Central sells its products across the United States as well as internationally.

What is Your Top Tip For Couples Planning a Wedding?- The ladies from WMC strongly recommend that couples create a “script” for the wedding so that all details are spelled out. This script should be shared among the musicians, DJ, wedding planner, photographer and maitre d’. Even when a team of seasoned professionals has been assembled, it is important for couples to adopt a hands-on, proactive approach so that no mishaps occur. Another important area that is sometimes overlooked is acoustics. Musical performers need to understand their physical surroundings and bring the proper equipment so that clean sound at an appropriate volume level is the result. Outdoor events or those held in exotic locations (such as on a loud boat) can provide additional challenges.

What is your stance on iPod Weddings?- While Gloria and Barbara recommend that a professional handles the music and sound at a wedding, when budgetary factors cause couples to do it themselves, it is essential that appropriate preparations are made in order to ensure a smooth event. To this end, WMC offers an iPod package (i.e., pre-selected set lists) and a list of tips. To read more about WMC’s stance on iPod weddings and the distinction between weekend warrior DJs and professional wedding DJs, click here.

Tell Us About Your New Website- Gloria and Barbara are extremely excited about the upcoming launch of their new and expanded website. The site will contain new songs as well as limited time special offers! Disc jockeys and other wedding professionals are also recommended to explore Wedding Music Central’s Affiliate Program, that provides financial rewards to those who refer customers to WMC.

WMC is also excited by the growth in its Social Media Accounts. Donna, who handles Social Media, does a great job of engaging the community. We always enjoy giving @WeddingMusicPro a #WeddingWednesday shout-out on Twitter!

To Learn More About Wedding Music Central

To get connected with Wedding Music Central, visit these following sites:

Website

YouTube

Facebook

Twitter

Tumblr

Blog

We advise brides-to-be and fellow wedding professionals to explore Wedding Music Central for its excellent planning tips and unique products.

About Ambient DJ Service

Ambient DJ Service is a full-service mobile DJ entertainment company based in Central New Jersey. We specialize in providing customized music and entertainment services for clients who care deeply about music. For more info, visit us on the web at www.ambientdj.com

This year’s Grammy nominations are out and the word is that it’s going to be a great show! All the nominees for record of the year are unique ranging from pop to folk to R&B. Taking a cue from our Oscars blog post, we’ve dug deep and chosen a song from each nominated artist that we think will be perfect for certain parts of the wedding ceremony and reception. As Grammy-Emmy award winning professionals, we just couldn’t pass up this opportunity! Throughout your wedding, music will be flowing, highlighting moments of your wedding and heightening the emotions of the most important day of your life! Take a look and listen to our picks, courtesy of this year’s “Record of the Year” nominees.

ADELE – MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE

With soft piano chords playing continuously, Adele’s, “Make You Feel My Love” makes the perfect prelude song. Her graceful voice enhances the emotions that are already there, before the ceremony starts. Written by Bob Dylan, the lyrics naturally compliment the moments that will shortly follow!

BON IVER – HOLOCENE

When you listen to Bon Iver’s Grammy-nominated, “Holocene,” you can’t help but notice the steady wave of feelings that come up. From calm, to reflective, to warm, the song opens the door to memories and emotions. This song would be great for a slide show presentation featuring the bride or groom. Get the tissues ready!

BRUNO MARS – REST OF MY LIFE

The title of the song says it all! Bruno Mars, aka Mr. Ballad, will not only ‘catch a grenade’ in the name of love, but will be in love for the rest of his life. This is a great record and we’re sure you and your guests will never forget this moment as the song plays during your first dance.

MUMFORD & SONGS – SHE SAID YES

What better way to kick off the very first moments as man and wife than with a song that literally celebrates your union! Your guests will enjoy it as much as you do, since “She Said Yes” was written to be played right after the ceremony for the wedding recessional. The energy of the song is perfect to get everyone ready for the fun and vibrant reception to follow!

KATY PERRY – CALIFORNIA GIRLZ

Welcome to your wedding reception! Now you and your guests are free to mingle and dance the night away in celebration. “California Girlz” is a consistent hit with wedding DJs, being featured on multiple Top Played lists, and we have a feeling that it’s a hit with bridesmaids too. Whether you’re in California or New York, you can’t help but sing along and have a blast with this song!

There you have it! We hope you’ve enjoyed our choices and don’t forget to tune in to the Grammy’s on February 12. If you’re still searching for music for your special day, check out our website http://www.weddingmusiccentral.com for more wedding song suggestions and original wedding songs from Grammy and Emmy winning hit writers, for all parts of the ceremony, reception and special moments in between!

Black Friday and Thanksgiving go together like mashed potatoes and gravy, turkey and stuffing, bad economy and savings! This year, we decided to do it BIG — 50% off Everything! Starting NOW through Monday. All wedding music downloads, all wedding music CDs (for ceremony, reception), all Gift CDs (great stocking stuffers!), Save the Dates, Thank You’s, iPod Packages, Discount Packages…..we mean everything, no product left behind!

So if you’re looking for that perfect bride’s entrance song, that charming father daughter song to dance to, or just looking for Christmas gifts, hop on to our website and take a look! http://www.weddingmusiccentral.com

*Discount Details: Your 50% Black Friday discount is good towards ALL items on our website. Just enter coupon code WMCSAVE in the ‘Discount Coupon’ box when you’re checking out. We can substitute, “On Your Wedding Day” with “On This Special Day,” “Merry Christmas,” or “Happy New Year.” If you would like to include a more personalized brief phrase, simply enter your phrase in the ‘comments field’ upon checkout.

Wishing you a wonderful Thankgiving Holiday! ♥
Barbara and Gloria

Share this Black Friday offer with your friends!

Can a daughter ever have too much gratitude for her mother? We don’t think so. Of course, growing up, there were probably times when you didn’t realize all your mom had done for you, or even gone through for you. And then there were those times you really didn’t appreciate, like being grounded or being lectured (yes, we’ve all been there!)

But remember all the times you got sick and needed someone to comfort you? Mom was there. Or when you needed a shoulder to lean on, Mom was there. You didn’t even have to ask. But somehow, it’s only as we grow up that we begin to realize those simple things mean a lot. Memories of hot chicken soup waiting for you when you weren’t feeling well, or the emotional support you needed that was there without hesitation are reminders of how appreciative we really are for our mothers.

So however you celebrate Mother’s Day this year, know that there’s no such thing as expressing too much gratitude! What better way to express your appreciation for mom than with a beautiful new song written especially for mothers and daughters. There’s nothing like the emotion of a great song, the right combination of ol’ fashioned words and music works every time!

In celebration of Mother’s Day this year, we’re offering a 40% Discount on ALL mother daughter songs AND personalized gift CDs! The discount can be applied to all product options found on our Mother Daughter page: http://www.weddingmusiccentral.com/mother_daughter_songs.php

As well as the personalized gift CDs shown below:

* To Be A Woman (From a daughter to her mother)
What better way to honor mom than a song that speaks to her! This song was written as a mutual celebration of your mother daughter relationship and serves as a great tribute to your mother.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
* Every Mother’s Dream (From a mother to her daughter)
As mother, you can’t help but think she’s every mother’s dream. Whether your daughter is a mom or serving as a gift from you to her, let her know that she’s a dream come true!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
These songs were made especially for mothers in mind. Happy Mother’s Day from Wedding Music Central! ♥
 
*Discount Details: Discount code will be valid through May 8th. To receive your discount, simply enter coupon code “MOTHERSDAY2011” in the “Discount Coupon” box upon checking out. We will substitute, “On Your Wedding Day” with “On This Mother’s Day.” If there is another phrase you’d like to use or would like something more personalized, simply enter your phrase in the “comments field” upon checkout.

*Shipping Note: Our basic shipping options are U.S.P.S. First Class Mail (approximately one week) and U.S.P.S. Priority Mail (approximately 3 – 4 business days). We also offer Fed Ex 2-Day and Overnight shipping.

With the great duo of James Franco and Anne Hathaway leading the way, this year’s Oscars ceremony was definitely entertaining, to say the least! One category we particularly were interested in was “Best Original Song.” After listening to all the nominated songs, we thought (with our wedding-focused minds), “Hey, these would all fit in some part of a wedding ceremony!” And that is exactly where we have come to. We decided to have our own “Mini Wedding Music Oscars.” So without further ado, the Oscar for Best Wedding Song goes to….

“Coming Home” (from Country Strong) for Best Bride’s Entrance Song

Who doesn’t love a little Gwyneth Paltrow? She’s shown us her many talents with her acting and now (taking a page from hubby Chris Martin), she’s definitely proven herself as a singer with an Oscar nomination! Imagine walking down the aisle to your love as you are finally “coming home.”

“If I Rise” (from 127 Hours) for Best Unity Candle Song

Just listening to this song makes me think of candles! Sung by Dido and A.R. Rahman, this calming, soft tune is perfect for joining your families together during your unity candle ceremony.

“I See the Light” (from Tangled) for Best First Dance Song

What better song to dance your first dance to as husband wife than a duet!? With Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi singing this romantically dreamy yet fun tune, you won’t need to fantasize about being in a fairy tale!

“We Belong Together” (from Toy Story 3) for Best Reception Dance Song

This song didn’t win the Oscar for nothing! Randy Newman really makes you want to get up and dance with this song and we don’t blame him! Also, what better way to celebrate your newly-wed marriage than getting family and friends up on the dance floor?

So, what are your thoughts on the Oscar nominated songs? Would you use any at your wedding? Share your thoughts with us!

♥ Barbara and Gloria

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner (literally!) and as a last minute special, we’re running a promotion for 50% OFF ALL product options for our friendship song, “FRIENDS ARE QUIET ANGELS!” This song has a special meaning for us and expresses the feelings and emotions that we all experience toward our friends.

As a Valentine’s Day gift for your best friend, a gift for your bridesmaid or maid of honor, a birthday gift, or just because – let someone special know that “friends are quiet angels, who fill your life with grace.”

So, how can you receive 50% off? Simply go to our Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/weddingmusiccentral) and “like” us – yes, that is it! After you “like” us, you will see a promo code that you would enter into our “Discount Coupon” box upon checking out on our website. As the saying goes, “With a true friend, even the water you drink together is sweet.”

Happy Valentine’s Day!
Barbara and Gloria ♥

In honor of MLK day, we’d like to take this time to celebrate a man whose activism has shaped our country through countless positive and groundbreaking contributions. And what better way to pay tribute than through the gift of music!

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr. himself, “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.” ♥

Best regards,
Barbara and Gloria

It’s that time of year again! Tis’ the season to soak in the pine-infused scent of a fresh picked Christmas tree, feel the comfortable warmth of a fireplace and lighting up the room with decorations. The holiday season is about sharing all of these moments with family and friends together. There’s nothing more heart-warming than exchanging a lovely smile or emotionally-bonding in a conversation with a friend. These are the times when we forget about our 50-hour work weeks and our marriage to smart phones!

And what else says “the holidays” like gifts! It’s known that the best gifts are “the gifts that keep on giving.” But what gifts actually do ‘keep on giving?’ If my niece gets a Wii for Christmas, does that mean she “might” give it to me a year later when she’s bored playing with it?! Not. The gift that keeps on giving is usually not a tangible item, but rather a feeling – a warm and fuzzy feeling of love, appreciation and consideration that a person would want to “give” to another person.

This holiday season, take the time out to express your feelings of appreciation and love towards family and friends, with the gift of song – the gift that keeps on loving!

To end 2010 with a bang, we’re offering an EXCLUSIVE 25% OFF, on our personalized gift CDs for the rest of year! (See below for *discount details)

* Friends Are Quiet Angels (The Friendship Song)
A moving personal tribute to friendship and a wonderful way to let friends know they have a unique and special place in your heart, that your friendship is forever!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
* Every Mother’s Dream (Mother to Daughter)
This is one of those rare mother daughter songs that captures what every mother would like her daughter to know!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
* You’re My Hero (Daughter to Father)
How meaningful and touching it will be for your father when you tell him your feelings in this song!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
* To Be A Woman (Daughter to Mother)
One of the most unique songs written as a mutual celebration of your mother daughter relationship and a great tribute to your mother. What better way to honor her!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*Discount Details: To receive your holiday discount, simply enter coupon code “HAPPYHOLIDAYS“ in the ‘Discount Coupon‘ box upon checking out. We can substitute, “On Your Wedding Day” with “On This Special Day,” “On This Christmas,” or “On This New Year’s.” If you would like to include a more personalized phrase, simply enter your phrase in the ‘comments field‘ upon checkout.

(Note)**We recommend choosing Priority Shipping for your orders (approx. 3-4 business days), but since it it the holiday season, we cannot guarantee a specific arrival time.

Let us know which gift you’ll be giving by sharing a comment on our Facebook wall! We wish the best to you and yours this holiday season!

 
Every engaged couple planning a wedding wants their wedding to be great. Think about the weddings you’ve been to. What made them great was that you – and everyone else- had a great time. Here are some tips to keep in mind so that you’ll create a fabulous experience for your wedding guests and make your wedding one to remember!
 
1.THE MUSIC WAS IN MY FACE.
 
The music was non-stop and so loud, you couldn’t hear a word anyone was saying the whole time. Most weddings include people that don’t get to see each other that often. Maybe they live out of town, or like everyone else these days, they’re just too busy. Your wedding is a time they look forward to celebrating with you. It’s also a time everyone looks forward to spending time with family and friends they haven’t seen for ages. But it’s pretty boring when you can’t have a conversation because the Rock music won’t let up, especially during the dinner course. There should be a law requiring at least a 10 minute time-out for loud music while people are eating! We’re not talking about NO music, just some low key music geared for easy conversation.
 
2. I’M SINGLE AND I HAD TO SIT OUT EVERY DANCE. NOT FUN.
 
Seating is an important consideration for any wedding. But sometimes it’s impossible to put everyone exactly where they’d like to be. That’s when a great music plan comes in. If you’ve ever wondered why ‘line’ dances, group dances and other planned activities are so popular for weddings, it’s because they work; they get singles to actively participate in the wedding and that’s what having a good time – for everybody – is all about.
 
3. WHEN WAS THE FATHER DAUGHTER DANCE/ YOU’D THINK THEY’D LET ME IN ON IT, BUT I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THEY HAD ONE.
 
When people are close enough to you for you to invite them to your wedding, you can be sure they’ll be looking forward to celebrating with you and participating. If they never get to feel that they’re ‘included’, it’s quite a let-down and people often feel disappointed, even hurt. A good band leader, MC or DJ knows that it’s a ‘must’ to get everyone’s attention before announcing the first dance, or any special dance.
 
4. AREN’T THE BRIDE AND GROOM SUPPOSED TO AT LEAST STOP BY YOUR TABLE TO SAY ‘HELLO’? WE NEVER SAW THEM AFTER THE CEREMONY.
 
You’d think that every couple would be courteous enough to acknowledge the people at their wedding. WRONG! It’s almost a no-brainer that if you don’t care enough to ‘make the rounds’ at some point during your wedding, there will be some hurt feelings. There’s nothing like the warmth and caring on the part of the bride and groom to give a wedding a great ‘vibe’.
 
5. I THOUGHT THE CEREMONY WOULD NEVER END.
 
Here’s a top 10 complaint: We arrived in time after a pretty long drive, but had to wait quite a while for the ceremony to start. It seemed to go on and on. After the Officiant’s sermon, a unity candle lighting ceremony and a special song, the bride and groom recited special vows they had written for each other. This was followed by a live performance of another special song. The ceremony felt never-ending. It would have been enough to have one special song for the unity candle and save the second special song for the reception.
 

Hi Everybody….Congratulations on planning your wedding…and welcome to our new blog!
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
First, we’d like to introduce ourselves: We’re Multiple Emmy-winning songwriter GLORIA SKLEROV (that’s me…on the left)…and co-writer and partner BARBARA ROTHSTEIN (that’s me…on the right)…and creators of
www.weddingmusiccentral.com.
 
As professional songwriters, our mission was to set romance to music for many major recordings, movies and TV shows… including lots of wedding scenes! As wedding music experts, our mission is to create magic and emotion for your wedding.
 
About Our Blog
 
In our very first ‘post’, below, we’ll start at the beginning with some important thoughts and ideas for your wedding music plan. Every few days or so, we’ll post inside advice, ideas and know-how …along with expert music and song suggestions. You’ll find it easy to put together the soundtrack of your love story for a perfect wedding day….on any budget…with or without a band or DJ. Until then, if you might want to read a little more about us, here’s…
 
Our Story
 
I always think of Gloria as the ‘Queen of Wedding Songs’ since she’s won 5 Emmy nominations and won two Emmys for love songs written for TV wedding scenes.
 
Every time one of her songs aired, she’d get a ton of calls from brides and grooms who just ‘had to have’ that song for their wedding. I guess you could say that all those brides and grooms wanting fresh new wedding songs and productions inspired our first CD, “Set Your Wedding To Music’…
 
Anyway, to go on…as we were producing that first CD…Gloria’s son and future daughter-in-law got engaged.
 
Their favorite music ? Alternative rock! Not exactly right for an entire wedding. So it was natural for them to ask her for advice since she’d planned the music for so many of her family and friends’ weddings….plus, all the TV and film themes and love songs she’s written.
 
That’s when it dawned on us that there must be lots of other couples in the same boat…not really knowing where to start, etc. We ended up producing our first CD and writing, “How To Set Your Wedding To Music (The Complete Wedding Music Guide & Planner)”
 
Since then, we’ve created 2 more popular wedding CDs, special unique musical gifts and wedding songs plus our wedding music website www.weddingmusiccentral.com.
 
The website features new wedding songs brides and grooms (and their parents) consistently ask for…Father / Daughter dance songs such as, “My Little Girl – (from a Dad’s point of view) and “You’re My Hero” (from a daughter’s point of view), Mother/Son wedding songs such as “The Man You’ve Become” and quite a few others…even songs for stepparents. We’ve just released 2 new Mother/ Daughter songs too, “Every Mother’s Dream” (for a daughter) and “To Be A Woman” (for a Mom) …and there’s more to come…including a whole new DOWNLOAD SECTION….
 
Let’s just say Blogging is amazing. It allows the two of us to communicate directly with you, and everyone interested in our field of expertise: wedding music. So if you have any question, requests, comments, feel free to submit them below.
 
We wish you lots of good times and happiness planning the wedding of your dreams!
 
With love,
Gloria and Barbara