Carlson Towers

Overview:

From DJ Matt Rush:

MUST HAVE A CART FOR THIS VENUE!  Pull around to the back of the building and go to the back of the parking lot and park next to the walking path.  Do not go to the loading dock as you can’t use it.  Take path to the back of the building and load in through there.  It is a long walk which is why the cart is necessary.  The venue doesn’t have any.  Check in with staff, but set up is 99.5% of the time in the space below the staircase.  You MUST use the power they direct you to which will be using a large power box.  If you use the wrong wall outlet you will blow the fuse that controls the fountain.  Acoustics are challenging, so don’t elevate your speakers, just set them on your stands, and position each one next to the pillars just outside of where your DJ table is set up.  Turn your bass down to clean up the sound.

They have the same order of events for ALL the events they do.  AT the conclusion of the cocktail time, the staff will gather the wedding party back in the cafe area and prepare them for the grand march.  They will be taken through a back way to the area at the top of the twin staircases.  They will proceed down the staircases for the grand march.  Make sure to tell the wedding party to wait until they hear their names called or they will just all start walking down the stairs when they hear the music.  Once you announce the bride and groom and they make it to the head table, both sets of parents will be waiting there and they will immediately go into a welcome.  They will use the house corded mic for this which hooks into one of the pillars behind the head table.  When the welcome and prayer are over, they will sit down and salads will be served.  As soon as salads are served, the staff will let you know and you are to immediately move into the toasts.  Best man, then MOH and then the thank you done by the B/G.  Immediately following the thank you, the B/G will proceed back up to the top of the stairs where their cake is to do the cake cutting.  They generally want you to make an announcement about this, but not always, so check with them.  They will turn the fountain off for all toasts and speeches so that people can hear better.  Then dinner will be served and the rest of the evening rolls on like most other venues.

Bev is usually the person there on weekends who is in charge, and she IS in charge.  They look for DJs to come along side them and follow their lead.  ALL clients who host their events there are told this and so they understand how things go.  There are no surprises and no ad-libbing.  If anything is amiss, check in with Bev or whoever is the lead for that event.  The end time is a HARD midnight, and sometimes it is even 11:45.  Make sure that you ask and then stick to that time frame to the minute.

Load-In:

Back of the parking lot by the nearest walking path. Do NOT go to the loading dock. The venue will not have any carts for you to use, but it is a long walk from your car to the building, so ask me for a cart before you go to this venue.

Special Considerations:

You cannot just use any outlet. Use the outlet that they direct you to. It could cause serious problems to the venue's fuse and potentially our system.

Challenges:

The venue runs the show. You must be able to follow their lead and realize that you are a guest at this venue as much as the guests of this wedding are a guest. Ask to talk to Bev during the client call, if she is unavailable ask when you'll be able to reach her. Talking to her specifically will go a long way in building a relationship before you've set foot in the door.

Extra Venue Call Questions:

Do you have a cart?

May I speak with Bev?

Do I need to use a specific outlet? Which outlet?

Do you have a venue microphone to use for speeches?

Website:

http://www.carlsoncenterevents.com/weddings.html

The Knot:

https://www.theknot.com/marketplace/carlson-center-events-minnetonka-mn-538242