For Glasz Productions, disc jockeying for weddings is a more than just announcing: It’s the performance of a lifetime.
Which is why the company’s husband-and-wife team, Ryan and Sevy McCarthy, take their work so seriously.
“Smiles and memories,” answered Ryan when asked what his Ocean Beach-based boutique mobile entertainment and special events company is all about. “That’s what we want our guests to be talking about the event 20 years from now. Entertainment is a critical component to making those memories so meaningful.”
Sevy, who is a native of France and was born in the Alps, said the significance of the occasion isn’t lost on she or her spouse.
“We understand the importance of the day, people starting their lives (together),” she said, noting the wedding industry is increasingly becoming “a big part of the economy. It’s grown and involves so many different categories of business.”
“The symbolism of it really resonates with me, bringing two people together truly in love,” said Ryan of his passion for MCing weddings.
Ryan said every performance by him and his wife at a wedding has to be spot on.
“We have to deliver, because everyone in the crowd is a potential customer,” he said, adding, “We put our heart and soul into our performance.”
Ryan has been DJing weddings since 2008. He and Sevy first met working at Club Med in Columbus Isle, Bahamas in 2006.
“I went to meet a lot of girls, and I met my wife,” said Ryan of his Club Med experience, noting Sevy “swept me off my feet,” adding, “She’s my boss.”
Sevy gave kudos to Ryan, whom she said is a “great MC.”
“He puts everyone at ease,” she added.
The McCarthys’ rise to success in the wedding industry has been rapid.
“We created our company in 2013, and the first year we booked 10 weddings,” said Sevy. “Last year we booked 20. This year we’ve booked more than 50.” The McCarthys came to the right place to start their niche wedding business.
“San Diego is a great city for this industry,” said Ryan, noting there are 20,000 weddings performed here annually, in part, he said, due to the city’s being “such a destination.”
The pair will do just about any wedding anytime for almost any occasion. Events they host also include reunions, bar/bat mitzvahs, fundraisers, holiday parties, corporate events, birthdays, graduations, trade shows, anniversaries, school dances, theme parties, sweet 16 celebrations and debutante balls.
“We’ve met so many cool people coming from all different parts of the world of different ethnicities from different backgrounds and ways of life,” said Sevy.
“Many of them (clients) have become friends,” pointed out Ryan.
The McCarthys are wedding entertainment consultants in every sense of the word. They work with clients not only to choose the right music but also to set the right tone for the event with the professionalism of their performances.
Ryan said there are a great many details in what he and Sevy do entertaining at weddings, everything from flawlessly executing introductions and toasts to setting the right example by finding ways to appeal to all the guests, no matter their age.
“We pride ourselves on having packed dance floors,” he said.
“We’re very organized and prepared,” said Sevy, adding, “It’s all about the flow of the event. Our goal is to make it seamless.”
The couple have set up shop in Ocean Beach and have worked closely with Ocean Beach Mainstreet Association, the community’s Business Improvement District.
Ryan praised the beach community and OBMA, noting, “The local merchants have been very supportive.”
The couple work mostly weekends and long hours — 10 or longer — setting up equipment, packing it in and taking it along to the next gig.
“We have a pickup truck,” said Ryan, noting, “Eventually we’ll probably have to get a van.”
Ryan talked about that moment after the wedding when he and Sevy really get “rewarded.”
“I like it when you’ve done the last song and people come up to you and give you a nice long hug and say, ‘Thank you for making this possible.’ “