Best of Columbus Weddings Winner: Josh Staley Productions
Josh Staley Productions has won in the DJ category for three consecutive years
When measuring his success, DJ Josh Staley doesn’t have to look far. “I can’t remember the last time I had an empty dance floor,” he says. Readers gave Staley another reason to celebrate, awarding Josh Staley Productions with the most votes in this year’s poll in the DJ category.
Staley and his team of DJs perform at more than 300 weddings a year, not only spinning tunes but wowing crowds with on-trend visual effects and client experiences. When not in the DJ booth, they’re in training, “learning from the best of the best,” Staley says.
Coming out of a tumultuous two years dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Staley says his company, Josh Staley Productions, is stronger than ever. In fact, during the pandemic he hired five full-time DJs, people who viewed the opportunity as their dream job and not just a side gig, he says. “We commit to doing it right every time.”
When entertaining today’s wedding clients, he says, “The trend is epic parties—let’s have fun, let’s celebrate our love and the fact that our families and friends are coming back together.”
The company, known for spectacular add-on features such as indoor fireworks and cloud cannons, is bringing new “extras” to enliven wedding receptions, including a 360-degree video booth. A video camera revolves around small groups of people standing on a circular platform while confetti and fake dollars bills shower them from all sides. “It’s made to look like an epic red carpet,” Staley says. “We believe in leading the market.”
That’s doesn’t mean music takes a back seat to the visuals. Staley takes pride in his DJs’ ability to read a crowd on the fly and quickly pivot to keep them engaged and dancing. “We’re fortunate because we can live mix and seamlessly blend one song into another.”