Kris Yust of Millenium Music

Coffee Talk with Kris Yust of Millenium Music

WC: What prompted you to start Millenium Music and how long have you been in the business?

KY: I have personally been DJing since 1995, but up until September of 2001, I was working a full time job and DJing on the weekends. I realized that if I was going to provide the high-quality service that my clients deserved, I was going to have to make DJing a full-time job, but I was afraid to leave the security of my other job. Then on September 11, 2001, as I was watching the terrorist attacks on TV, I realized that life is too short to avoid taking a chance. I walked into my full time job, put in my 2 weeks notice, and formed Custom Creative Entertainment LLC and Millenium Music DBA. I brought together the best wedding DJs in St. Louis and we have never looked back.

WC: What is your favorite atmosphere to work in (clubs, parties, weddings, etc.)?

KY: Weddings...it's what we do.

WC: Why do you think most brides hire a DJ for their wedding, and at times do it in conjunction with live entertainment?

KY: The advantage of hiring a band is the live music factor. The advantages to hiring a DJ are the lower cost, MC/coordination services, and original recordings of music. Lighting (at least in our case) is generally much better with a DJ than with a band. The advantages to a band/DJ combo is that you get live music and your favorite recorded songs with no interruption for breaks, while obviously sacrificing the lower cost of just having a DJ.

WC: What advice can you offer a bride looking to hire a DJ?

KY: Go see your DJ live! If a company can't provide this opportunity, then they do not execute consistent quality events. A list of cherry-picked references won't cut it. Everyone has a sales pitch but the proof is in the pudding. Also, ask your other vendors (whom you trust) if they are familiar with the company, and if so, how they feel about them. Ask if you can speak with the bride for whom they most recently provided services. Make sure they do this full time or that it is a full time company -- otherwise they won't be able to provide the time necessary to properly prepare for your wedding. Make sure they are fully licensed and insured, and ask to see documentation. Finally, make sure they have an established place of business and that they accept credit cards. These are trademarks of well-established companies, and there is a reason that they are well-established: they do their job often and well. This will also give you recourse in the event that there is a problem with the services.

WC: What is the most common misconceptions brides tend to have regarding DJs and how do you get past them?

KY: Their most common misconception is that all DJs are the same, and it usually involves a "cheesy" connotation; that is, they think that all DJs are going to "ham it up" and make a spectacle of themselves and the wedding guests. We usually get past this by meeting with a bride in our shop and explaining our classy, contemporary style. We explain to them how we are different, and invite them to see us live if they so choose.

WC: In your experience, what has been your most memorable situation at a wedding?

I'll leave this one up to one of our full time DJs...

My name is A.J. and I'm a full time DJ with Millenium Music. I've worked here at least part-time for four years, and have played at countless weddings. While there have been many memorable experiences and some phenomenal weddings, one that particularly stands out was at a prominent country club in the county, two summers ago. The night started out great, with a beautiful sunset and fantastic (though somewhat hot and humid) weather that the guests were enjoying out on a large terrace. Introductions, toasts, and dinner were all excellent, and as formal dances started, no one was really paying attention to the black, starless sky outside. Half an hour into dancing, a vicious thunderstorm was roaring outside... one of those St. Louis storms that comes and goes suddenly, but you certainly know it's there. Before you know it, the club loses all power. My music dies, emergency lights kick on, and the Air Conditioning kicks off. Everyone was obviously distressed, and no one knew exactly what to do. First looking for a manager to see if there was a generator and finding only bad news, I grabbed my phone and called my support staff, urging them to help me find an alternate venue nearby with power. While my staff was busy searching, I let the newlyweds and their parents know what was going on. I then suggested that we could still do the bouquet and garter tosses. I have a pretty powerful voice even without amplification, so I got the attention of the room, and gathered them to participate. We did the tosses, and I kept the mood lively and happy, getting people to clap and cheer. By the time that was over, my staff had managed to find a place that would accept a party so late on a Saturday, and I was about to pack my gear and get there ASAP, when the lights kicked on, and everyone rejoiced as power was restored. I got the music going again, and even though the power loss was not my responsibility, I felt that I couldn't just play for half an hour and leave, so I stayed an extra hour, free of charge. Everyone had a great time, and a couple of weeks later, the bride posted a great comment about me on a bridal website, and we booked several weddings from her recommendations alone.

WC: Do you strictly work in the St. Louis area?

KY: We normally provide services in the greater St. Louis area, but have performed in cities as far away as Chicago, Kansas City, and Memphis. We often travel to Columbia MO, St. Genevieve MO, and Herman MO. Traveling fees apply in these situations.

Videography Division

WC: How did you get started in wedding videography?

KY: We started with basic video editing for picture slideshows to accompany our DJ and VJ services. One of our DJs was a film school graduate so we decided to start a videography division. We immediately realized the huge advantages to shooting video in tandem with providing sound and lighting with our entertainment services. Our videos turned out fantastic and business has been booming ever since.

WC: How would you describe your videographic style? Are you discreet and photojournalistic or are you hands-on and interactive with the subjects?

KY: We tend to be more discreet and shoot photojournalistic. We record the day as it happened, in conjunction with capturing the detail of the day. We love working with photographers who are hands-on. We let them work their magic and we capture shots of how the day actually was.

WC: Do you videotape in black-and-white, in color, or both?

KY: We film in full High Definition and sometimes edit to black-and-white for a highlight video if the bride and groom like that.

WC: Some brides opt to have a relative or friend videotape their wedding. What difficulties might they encounter if they choose this route?

KY: The same problems as if you had a friend do photography or DJ your wedding. It's like asking Adam Brown to pinch hit for Albert Pujols.

WC: What are some common misconceptions couples may have regarding videographers?

KY: One common thought is that after the initial viewing with friends and family, the wedding video will go on the shelf and they will never look at it again. It is true that it may go on the shelf for a year or two...but that video is like a fine wine. It gets better with age. As people grow older and people pass on, memories are what they hold on to. This video is a perfectly preserved memory of one of the most important days of their lives with the people that mean the most to them. Someday this video will be priceless and they couldn't imagine not having it.

WC: What advice would you give to a couple interviewing videographers for their wedding?

KY: Look at demo footage of the last three weddings they did, not just cherry-picked footage from their best weddings. This will give a true reflection of what their every event services look like. Make sure you know how many cameras and videographers will be there. The more cameras and camera people, the better angles and shots you will get. See if they include a highlight video set to music. This is what you will show friends and family when they come over.

WC: I'm sure your videos have captured many special events. What was one of your favorites?

KY: One of our brides received a special gift from her mother just before her wedding. The gift was a blue handkerchief passed down from her late grandmother which had a long history behind it. The bride and her mother shared a very special moment there before the wedding, which included a few shed tears. Of coarse we captured all of this footage, and interviewed the bride at Forest Park several weeks after their wedding. She explained to our camera the story behind the "Blue Hankey", as again she got emotional telling the story, which we again caught on film. We then edited the interview down, and included the wedding day footage with some background music and selective desaturation edits. We gave her a final screening at our shop to see how she liked it, and again, she shed a tear. I realized at that moment, more than ever, what kind of moments we were capturing for people and the emotional power of the services we are providing. She, and her mother, will probably always tear-up every time they watch that video. I believe this kind of evoked emotion is priceless and I try to explain this to anyone who thinks videography is not important for their wedding day.

Read other interviews at the Club Cafe.