The Party Express DJs, LLC

The Party Express DJs, LLC is a mobile DJ and event entertainment company based at 396 Eagle Dr. in Blandon, Pennsylvania, serving the eastern and southeastern portions of the state. Owned and operated by Sean Shipper, the company is a full time, licensed, registered and insured operation rather than a part time or weekend venture. Its work spans weddings and ceremonies, corporate and private parties, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, sweet 16 and 13th birthday celebrations, school dances at every grade level, proms and after proms, children's shows, college functions, and ongoing residencies at nightclubs and bars.

One structural detail sets the company apart from many mobile entertainment outfits: every DJ is an employee of the business, and no work is subcontracted to outside performers. All personnel are covered by commercial general liability insurance and workers compensation, which is frequently a requirement for venues, school districts and corporate clients. Music is radio edited across the board so that programming remains appropriate for mixed audiences, including family receptions and elementary school events.

Weddings and Ceremonies

Wedding work is the core of the company's calendar. Packages are all inclusive in the sense that there are no separate setup or teardown charges, no breaks are taken, and music plays continuously from the contracted start time to the contracted finish. The assigned entertainer functions as DJ, emcee and informal coordinator, communicating with photographers, videographers, caterers and venue staff throughout the evening so the timeline stays intact.

Planning is handled through an in house reception planning guide that the company updates each year. Couples meet with the owner during the booking process and also meet the DJ who will actually work their event, typically at a planning session held about one and a half to two months before the wedding date. Pricing is structured a la carte so clients add only the elements they want.

Ceremony coverage is offered as a separate component and uses compact Bose sound systems designed specifically for ceremony spaces, paired with a wireless microphone for the officiant and readers. Staff assist couples in selecting prelude music, bridal party entrance selections, the bride's entrance, unity candle music and the recessional. For cocktail hours held outdoors or in satellite rooms away from the main reception, smaller Bose or QSC systems are deployed to provide even coverage in tighter spaces.

Lighting and Visual Enhancements

The company maintains a substantial inventory of lighting equipment that can be added to any event:

• Wireless LED uplighting in nearly any color, configured as tight color columns, full room washes, or a hybrid of the two. Uplighting is priced per fixture and is a common request for proms using school colors.
• Custom monograms and pattern projection using 75 watt LED projectors, capable of colored designs projected onto a wall, ceiling or dance floor with a name, school insignia or event title.
• Cake and ice sculpture pinspotting with LED pin spots that highlight the centerpiece without producing the heat that would melt ice or soften a cake.
• Dance floor and intelligent lighting, offered either as a smaller lightshow or a larger programmable production with moving heads and truss totems. A fog machine is included at no additional charge where venue smoke detectors permit its use, with a release required.

Photo booth rental is also available, complete with an assortment of props, and can be booked on its own without purchasing a DJ package.

School Dances and Club Xpress

For high schools and proms, the company operates Club Xpress, described as the Schuylkill Valley's only mobile nightclub experience. The setup carries up to 10,000 watts of nightclub quality sound along with industry standard intelligent lighting operated by a dedicated light jockey working alongside a club style DJ.

Middle and elementary school programming takes a different approach. Music is radio edited and additionally screened for offensive content, and an energetic DJ and MC leads interactive activities such as the Cha Cha Slide and the Cupid Shuffle. Theme options include Black Light and Glow Party, Sock Hop and Fab 50s, Hawaiian Beach Party, Saturday Night Fever and Mardi Gras. These programs suit ages 4 to 12 and are also booked for daycare centers and field days.

Mitzvahs, Birthdays and Children's Shows

Bar and Bat Mitzvah entertainment is handled by DJ and MC teams who run games and activities for children of all ages while keeping adult guests involved. Clients can choose full production New York or Philadelphia style shows or smaller customized affairs, with add ons including karaoke, glow products, party props, black lights, custom monograms and a concert style light show.

Sweet 16 and 13th birthday parties are staffed with younger DJs playing current radio edited music, with optional team oriented activities that work particularly well for 13th birthdays. Larger celebrations can incorporate glow parties, custom monograms, room color washes and nightclub lighting programmed on site.

The children's interactive show is a skit based program for ages 4 to 12 built around props and toys, featuring selections such as the Cha Cha Slide, Cotton Eye Joe, Apache and an in house crab walk limbo. It is scaled for 15 to 50 guests at private events and up to 200 at schools, daycare centers, picnics, pool parties and First Holy Communions.

Corporate, College and Nightlife Work

Corporate and private event services cover anniversaries, class reunions, non-profit functions, baptisms and confirmations, picnics, holiday parties and car shows, as well as team building sessions, new employee orientations, basic sound reinforcement, corporate color uplighting and high powered LED company logo projection.

College clients have included Penn State THON and multicultural events, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine formals, Kutztown University Greek and welcome back events, Reading Area Community College graduations, Albright College Greek events and numerous Alvernia University functions. On the nightlife side, the company holds ongoing residencies at nightclubs, college bars, taverns and summer patio events, with venue promotion through social media channels. Rates depend on hours, contract length and services selected. Past venues include Captain's Cove, Legends Inc., Kutztown Pub, Margherita's Restaurant and Bar, and Bistro on Bridge.

Equipment and Recognition

Sound and lighting gear comes from Bose, QSC, Electro-Voice, Shure and Martin, with music managed through Virtual DJ Professional software. Party prop and glow packages, ranging from glow products to Mitzvah maracas, are priced on request based on the items selected and are only brought out when a client specifically asks for them.

The Party Express DJs has received the WeddingWire Couples' Choice Award every year since 2011. The company can be reached at 610-451-2479.