Lighting might not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of hiring a disc jockey.
But one local business owner prides himself on offering both music and dramatic lighting for special events.
Extreme DJs and Lighting moved from its Peoria location to East Peoria in September.
Radiating a blue glow that can be seen from across the street, the new shop on Washington Street shows customers from the outside what the mobile DJ and lighting service have to offer.
“People think of DJ and they think of music,” said owner Buster Bracken. “Now, the lighting is starting to get really big. It’s been around for plenty of time, but it’s just starting to get a lot more popular.”
While they work with all kinds of events, the business specializes in the wedding industry.
Positioned right next to Save the Date and Schilling Photography, the shop receives more walk-ins interested in wedding reception services, Bracken said.
“It’s kind of a one-stop shop,” he said of the close proximity to the stores. “People can come in and be able to meet with all the vendors.”
Bracken, 30, said he began his career about 11 years ago when he was just interested in the music.
“I was 19 years old and liked to have parties,” he said, adding that a friend suggested starting up a business. “It just kind of took off from there.”
When it comes to wedding receptions, Bracken said he meets with the brides to go over their visions.
His job as a DJ, he said, is to make sure the reception runs smoothly.
“Our thing is we really like to make everybody’s (wedding) unique,” he said. “And with the lighting, you’re able to do that.”
Styles and fads change often, he said, but the lighting trend that has become very popular is up-lighting. The technique includes projecting light up a wall.
Bracken said the key to his success is “a ridiculous amount of research.”
“I’m probably one of the few guys who watches ‘Who’s Wedding Is It Anyway’ and ‘Platinum Weddings,’” he said. “The wedding industry changes all the time because every girl wants her wedding to be different.”
The business helped Diana Mitchell-Steele, 33, create the wedding of her dreams.
“He really helped us organize our day,” said Mitchell-Steel, who married her husband, Hasani Steele, in October in Peoria.
From coordinating lighting with the wedding’s fall color theme to keeping the dance floor full, she said Bracken “transformed a pretty room into something that was magical.”
While many small businesses continue to struggle in a weak economy, the DJ service has stayed strong, said Bracken.
“I think if you provide a good service, then, for the most part, you’re always going to stay busy,” he said.
