The biggest influences in 3 (short) years of my life.

This was originally written November 27, 2013 on my Facebook page.  I share it here as a resource to those that might want to know who’ve been the greatest influences to me. Those who’ve taught & inspired me so much. They are many… get ready…

Yesterday excitedly marked the turning of another new page for my adventures with Special Request Weddings.

When I first attended the Mobile Beat DJ Show in Las Vegas back in February 2011, I found myself sitting in an “open house” for the WED Guild®. Not having any idea what it was about, I arrived with an open mind and listened to this guy named Peter Merry talk about… I honestly can’t remember what. What I do remember though, was looking at this “application” that was required if you wanted to earn the title Wedding Entertainment Director®. I felt like a complete rookie. I didn’t manage my business or events with anywhere near the detail or talent level they required. This was going to be a challenge.

After spending an incredible amount of time asking people for reference letters, writing essays, preparing agendas, preparing video footage, fine tuning direction checklists, etc, etc, etc, etc… I am proud to announce, that I now join the amazing family of talented and unique individuals that make up the Wedding Entertainment Directors Guild®! There are now two of us in Canada (Alex in Victoria, myself here in Manitoba), one amazingly talented individual in Australia and the remainder are in the United States.

This is my “Academy Awards” speech because there are some really amazing people out there who’ve given much of their time, talents, patience and determination to me in accomplishing this goal. This is something that can not be attained without a proper support network. Many people played a part, but these are who I’d like to highlight today. And don’t bother cueing up the “walk off music”… you’re going to be here for a while (if for some reason you choose to read right to the end!).

#1… My wife. God only knows that Kathryn is one of the most patient people in this world. I spend far to much time working, in part, because it is also my hobby and something that gives me so much joy. She understands what my goals are and that I am getting closer and closer to reaching them every day. I can not thank her enough.

Kathryn, the beautiful little ladies that we’re raising under our roof together are evidence enough, even though some days it might appear otherwise, that we’re doing something right. Thank you for making the decisions that have brought us to where we are in life. I love you so much dear.

Peter Merry is the founder of the WED Guild® and I think it goes without saying that were it not for what this man has given up in life to make this happen, I might not have ever pushed my work to these new heights. This work that my wedding couples now get to experience the benefit of. Thank you Peter for your insights and knowledge throughout the time we’ve gotten to know each other. I sincerely appreciate our friendship.

Thanking people like Mark & Rebecca Ferrell in a Facebook post just doesn’t seem to be the right thing to do. No one on this earth has had a more positive impact on DJs (and subsequently the people who employ those DJs) then these two people. The passion that lives within the Dreamer (and now also a condo somewhere in the mountains of California) never lets up. It is infectious. It is contagious. It is life giving. Thank you both so very much. You mean so incredibly much to me.

The two people who’ve pushed, prodded, kicked (that one was probably actually Glenn’s wife Miranda), encouraged and never let me rest when it came to putting together my application are Wedding Entertainment Directors®, Jeremy Brech & Glenn Mackay. Jeremy was my official mentor through this application process and was invaluable when it came to my making the most of my final submission. Glenn as well, a colleague who became Australia’s first Wedding Entertainment Director® earlier this year, has become an outstanding friend over the last year and a half and shared insight into the application process was extremely beneficial. Thank you gentlemen. Your wedding couples are very fortunate to be working with you both.

Those who know me in the wedding MC & DJ world will know that I am unrelenting when it comes to encouraging others to attend training and the value of networking. Needless to say, I walk the walk in that regard. Many thanks to Bill HermannJason A. JonesElisabeth Scott Daley and of course, Mark, Rebecca & Peter who’ve helped to inspire me along the way (although I do have sooooooooo much further to go!). There are many others as well, that have impacted what I do in ways they might not quite fully understand. A few of those people would be JimMarie-Louise Ternier (my amazing parents), Erik & Margareth Gommers (an Aunt & Uncle from the Netherlands/Portugal who are 100% responsible for my getting started in this business), Jesh De RoxDavid LouisEd Spencer, and fellow Wedding Entertainment Directors®, Alex Tamas, Mitch TaylorJim Cerone & Randy Bartlett.

The support I also received from some of the amazing wedding vendors I’ve worked with was quite honestly overwhelming. As I called each of these people, telling them about the WED Guild®, what it was about and what was required of me, they were ALL in. Each and every one of them. Without question. I can’t tell you how much that meant to me. Your letters of reference each played an important part in this application. These are the companies and/or the people who answered my call and wrote letters of support, based on the experience we’ve had working together: Party Professionals, Studio 78, Sterling Images, It’s A Love Thing Photography, A Moving Pictures Studio, Amanda Hayward-Draper, Thelma Quinn & Pam Moffat.

Then there are the wedding couples that gave up serious time and put in a lot of effort to write detailed letters of reference that at times, took my breathe away. Alyssa & Kyle, Ashley & Jon, Brittany & Kyle, Cathy & Scott, Jenna & Brad, Jillian & Mike, Kim & Laurie and Mike & Ashleigh… I’m so grateful that somehow our paths decided to cross each others and that you decided to each include me in your amazingly beautiful wedding celebrations. I can’t wait to thank each of you personally for the assistance your letters gave to my application. Special mention was made by my membership committee on the quality of letters that you submitted. Thank you!

If you’ve seriously come this far into this speech… you also deserve a special thanks. For taking the time out of your day, this November 27th or 28th or whenever you read this down the road. I know you could have spent your time far more productively, but it makes me smile to know you cared enough to read this much of what I wrote.

Then there is Bryan Podworny. The man who gives so much. Loves so much. Works so hard. I will never have the ability (but I’m certainly going to be doubling my efforts) to repay him for the impact he’s had on me, my business and my family. It’s entirely because of him, at a DJ meeting in Winnipeg where we first met, that my mind was opened up to the possibility of a DJ caring more then to simply show up, play music and go home. The many hours (quite often late at night, thanks to our patient wives) we’ve spent working together either in person or over the phone in our respective offices have flown by. Time disappears so rapidly when we’re working together. New projects, how we’re each doing things, brainstorming ideas for our couple’s weddings, fine tuning details for a Groom’s Workshop, etc. It’s because of him, that I was introduced to so many things that ended up being the seeds for some of the biggest changes in my life. Thank you my friend, for everything. You are a gift to the wedding couples who choose to work with you. They’re lucky, but not quite as lucky as I’ve been.  Upward and onward… looking forward to the many adventures that lie ahead of us. I know there will be many.

Cheers to everyone who got this far into my text! Put a (smiley face) or “I’m tired now, but congrats!” in the comments below if you actually read this!

You rock.

Seriously.

Thanks for being a friend!

– Dave Ternier :: Master of Ceremonies :: Disc Jockey
– Wedding Entertainment Director®
– Special Request Weddings

— feeling accomplished.

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