Click here to view the embedded video.

But she wasn’t taking pictures at the time. In fact, she was giving a presentation and needed an extension cord.

“She asked for a cord and we had a quick conversation about photography,” Hurricane Productions co-owner and resident DJ Strato Doumanis said about their meeting at a Rutgers University entrepreneurial conference in 2010. “And in passing she handed me her business card and told me to reach out if I ever needed photos.”

That interaction led to a year of freelance work for Battistoni with the Red Bank-based entertainment company in 2011.

Battistoni, 25, of Providence, RI recently joined Hurricane Innovation and Productions’ staff as its exclusive photographer and videographer.

Battistoni will document each Hurricane Productions event and help the company expand it’s ‘Innovation’ brand.

“This is a commitment that we’ve been waiting to make with the right person,” Hurricane Productions co-owner Vincent Anthony Velasquez said. “Kara understands the value of our visual product and this will not only expand that, but this will change the way our clients and our competitors view our business model.”

Hurricane’s investment into visuals should come as no surprise. The company started posting original event content on Facebook in 2007. Four years later, the addition of Battistoni helps Hurricane focus on giving each client a more complete, full-service experience.

As for Battistoni, Rutgers recruited her as a collegiate swimmer out of high school.

She initially tried business school but soon realized that she gravitated to art classes in the Mason Gross School of the Arts.

She started snapping photographs on both a medium format Mamimya and Canon35mm film camera before transitioning to DSLR cameras.

While at Mason Gross she met professional filmmaker Alrick Brown.

Brown’s piece, Kinyarwanda, won the ‘Audience Award’ at Sundance in 2011. Battistoni worked on the project and credits Brown for getting her involved in film.

Aside from event photography and video at Hurricane Innovation and Productions, her portfolio includes promotional photos, headshots and videos for local musicians.

A fresh start isn’t just about moving to a new location, searching for job or even starting a diet.

A fresh start is about redefining character and applying it to daily life.

Robert Padovano, 18, of Marlboro, NJ joins the Hurricane Productions entertainment team as a fresh face in 2012.

But his decision to join the company comes from his desire to grow and learn new aspects of media and entertainment.

“I want to explore my talents,” Padovano said. “I realize that this business is not just about DJing and parties. There is so much more out there.”

Robert started his career in mobile entertainment at 13-years-old when his parents purchased a DJ unit for him.

Robert’s previous experience in the business will help him entertain events in Hurricane’s Sweet 16 division.

“Rob is a strong player coming to an already strong team,” Hurricane Productions co-owner Vincent Anthony Velasquez said. “I think he will get a chance to be himself here and explore many creative options.”

Prospective clients will get a chance to meet Robert through many mediums.

He will be featured on Hurricane Productions’ Facebook page and he’ll be a regular in company video promotions and other projects.

“Everyone should expect a lot out of me,” he said. “This is what I love – all the people you meet and all the connections you make is what this experience is going to be all about.”

From moving into a new office right in the heart of downtown Red Bank to helping celebrate the wedding of one of the company’s first Sweet 16 clients, 2011 can be defined as a year when the Hurricane Productions brand started to ‘grow up’ with its clients.

Take a look at our top live events from 2011:

20.’The Prom(s) You Wish You Had’

Click here to view the embedded video.

When: May-June 2011
Where: Eagle Oaks Country Club – Farmingdale, NJ
The Westwood – Garwood, NJ

The Story:
Proms change from a year-to-year basis.

Trends are different, styles are different, and the music is different as well.

But each year, Hurricane Productions continues to adapt and make each prom a little different to suit each outgoing senior class.

From lighting design to music selection, the nightclub atmosphere that Hurricane Productions creates gives the guests a product that is more mature and sophisticated than a Sweet 16 but not quite a wedding.

The video above documents two senior proms – one from Bishop Ahr and the other from Brick Memorial.

Links:
Bishop Ahr Senior Prom Photo Album
Brick Memorial Senior Prom Photo Album

19.Bar Mitzvah co-produced by AJH Entertainment and Hurricane Productions

When: November 26, 2011
Where: Maritime Parc – Jersey City, NJ

The Story:
When it comes to Bar/Bat Mitzvah entertainment, there are few companies that can compare to the up and coming AJH Entertainment.

The same can be said about Hurricane’s product when it comes to media and production.

AJH Entertainment and Hurricane collaborated to create a memorable event worthy of its setting that overlooked the New York City skyline.

The night started by ‘wowing’ guests as they walked into the room and ended with a firework show in Liberty State Park.

Links:
Ben’s Bar Mitzvah Photo Album

18. Danielle’s Sweet 16

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Story:
The Melillo family fell in love with the Hurricane Productions Sweet 16 product at an event they attended about a year before they started planning Danielle’s celebration.

Even though they are from North Jersey, Danielle and her family made multiple trips to the Hurricane Productions office in Monmouth County to plan her event.

Danielle’s friends and family danced to both Spanish and American music while celebrating the event with class and elegance.

Links:
Danielle’s Sweet 16 Photo Album

17. Behind the Scenes look at Rutgers University Senior Formal

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Story:
Mobile entertainment evolves about every six months. It’s almost like ‘Moore’s Law” in a sense.

What’s cool about this Rutgers event is that the set-up build took nearly eight hours and Hurricane Productions captured every minute of it.

Aside from a fun evening for nearly 500 guests, this event gives an inside look on the productions side of the business.

Links:
Behind the Scenes of the Hurricane Productions Set-up
Rutgers Senior Formal Photo Album

16. Traditional Filipino Sweet 16

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Story:
An absolutely beautiful Sweet 16 celebration with Camille and her family featured four choreographed dances as well as candle and rose ceremonies.

This event tops the list as one of the most visually stunning Sweet 16s of 2011 especially with the dances, the dresses, the suits and the production work that went into transforming Forsgate Country Club.

Links:
Camille’s Sweet 16 Photo Album

15. South Carolina couple marries in New Jersey

When: October 16, 2011
Where: The Addison Park – Aberdeen, NJ

The Story:
Facebook and Twitter are making the world smaller and smaller every day.

What makes this wedding unique is that Susan and Thomas live in South Carolina but decided to get married in their home state of NJ.

Remember Amanda and Brendan? They were Hurricane’s No. 1 event of 2010.

Susan and Thomas are a referral from that wedding celebration.

They heard about Hurricane Productions through photos, video and feedback from Amanda and Brendan’s wedding.

Even with the distance, Susan and Thomas trusted Vincent and the Hurricane team. Aside from one in-person consultation, Susan and Thomas planned their entire wedding with Vincent via video conferencing, e-mail and telephone.

Links:
Susan and Thomas’ Wedding Album
Wedding Portfolio for 2012

14. Sigma Chi at Rutgers University breaks organization’s fundraising record

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The Story:
Derby Days is an international fundraising event organized by the Sigma Chi fraternity. The Iota Psi Chapter of Sigma Chi at Rutgers University raises the most money out of any chapter.

The organization broke its own record and raised nearly $170,000 in the span of one week.

Hurricane Productions entertains the annual ‘Brotherhood Date Auction’ and assists in producing the event’s marquee evening called ‘Lip Sync.’

The Brotherhood Date Auction raised $40,000 in just one evening.

Derby Days raises money and awareness for the Children’s Miracle Network and seven other campus-related philanthropies.

Links:
Derby Days Part 1
Derby Days Part 2

13. Sydney Flick’s Sweet 16

When: November 18, 2011
Where: Battleground Country Club – Manalapan, NJ

The Story:
The Flick family is one-of-a-kind. Surrounded by a great combination of friends from school, summer camp and family, Sydney rocked her Sweet 16 in a cool dress and a pair of Converse sneakers.

With help from her mom and dad, Sydney planned the most unique-style of Sweet 16 that Hurricane entertained in 2011. From a funky graphic to a multi-colored dress, the whole focus of the evening never shifted away from Sydney.

Links:
Sydney Flick’ Sweet 16 Photo Album

12. Jessica’s Sweet 16

Click here to view the embedded video.

When: February 25, 2011
Where: Sterling Gardens – Matawan, NJ

The Story:
The Bucchere family celebrated their older daughter’s Sweet 16 with Hurricane Productions nearly four years ago and came back for round two with Jessica.

Jessica wanted a unique Sweet 16 – something different than the rest of her friends.

The above ‘point of view’ video shows a Sweet 16 at Sterling Gardens that put new twists on the traditional Sweet 16 in terms of music and design.

Hurricane Productions provided uplighting, music videos, its trademark ‘Name in Lights’ graphic and LED dance stages at the event. Hurricane also provided video and photography services and created a custom photo montage for the family.

Links:
Jessica’s Sweet 16 Photo Album

11. ‘Backyard’ Graduation party turns into a nightclub

When: June 2011
Where: – Marlboro, NJ

The Story: Yep, you read it right. This party happened in a backyard.

The Barbuto family – long-time client of Hurricane Productions – sent their youngest daughter Francesca off to San Diego State University in style.

Hurricane Productions installed uplighting around the pool, plasma screens on the patio, and club-style lighting throughout the entire backyard.

Hurricane Productions entertained Francesca’s Sweet 16 back in 2008 and celebrated older sister Brianna’s graduation party earlier in Summer 2011.

Links:
Francesca’s High School Graduation Celebration
Brianna’s College Graduation Celebration
Francesa’s Sweet 16 (2008)

10. Dan and Laura’s Wedding

When: October 9, 2011
Where: Belle Voir Manor – Bensalem, PA

The Story:
The biggest compliment in the wedding industry is being hired to entertain a wedding for someone else in the same business.

Dan is a lighting and sound director for a production company.

He works with Vincent and Strato almost every single weekend.

Laura and Dan chose to celebrate their special day with simple and elegant features such as lightscaping to accent particular areas of the venue.

Links:
Laura and Dan’s Wedding Album

Wedding Portfolio for 2012

9. Sarah’s Quinceanera

When: September 30, 2011
Where: Grand Marquis – Old Bridge, NJ

The Story:
When it comes to entertaining a traditional family event, Hurricane Productions is second to none.

A Quinceanera is more than just a mix of Spanish and popular American music.

From choreographed dances, speeches, and special ceremonies, it takes a DJ and a host who can guide a family through the entire evening.

Strato and Vincent kept family and friends dancing throughout the night but also made sure that all of the special moments of the night were executed without a hitch.

Links:
Sarah’s Quinceanera Photo Album

8. Jodi and Ken’s Wedding

When: September 17, 2011
Where: Neshanic Valley Golf Club – Branchburg, NJ

The Story:
Jodi met Vincent while she worked as a special events coordinator at the Rutgers University Alumni Association.

Jodi worked alongside Hurricane Productions on numerous events including Homecoming and Reunion weekends.

When it came time for Jodi to choose entertainment for her wedding, she immediately called Vincent and started planning her special day.

Jodi and Ken celebrated their wedding in early Fall with a packed dance floor filled with family and friends.

Links:
Jodi and Ken’s Wedding Album via Aevum Photography
Wedding Portfolio for 2012

7. Hurricane presents new media seminar, wins ‘Best Dance’ and finishes runner-up for ‘DJ of The Year’ at DJ Expo

When: August 8-11, 2011
Where: Atlantic City, NJ

The Story:
What a year for Hurricane Productions. If it could be summed up in one event, the DJ Expo defines it all.

Strato and Vincent presented “Controlling Your Message,” a seminar on new media and the entertainment business. The seminar acted as a launch of its new brand – Hurricane Innovation. The ‘Innovation’ brand focuses on social media and original content for small businesses.

Vincent competed in the ‘DJ of the Year’ competition with a family-friendly routine of ‘Shake Senora’ by Pitbull. The dance won accolades as ‘Best Dance’ and Vincent finished as runner-up for the ‘DJ of the Year’ title.

Links:
Hurricane Productions delivers presentation and wins award at DJ Expo

DJ Expo 2011 Highlights

6. Ben and Ashley’s Wedding

When: September 2, 2011
Where: Berkeley Plaza – Berkeley Heights, NJ

The Story:
Ashley is a familiar face on HurricaneProductions.com

Ashley worked at Hurricane as a party motivator and event planner.

She danced at events, helped at Dance Marathon, and watched the company grow during her two years with Vincent and Strato.

When it came time for her wedding, there was no question as to who she would choose for entertainment.

Benjamin’s family-owned company – Scalzo Maintenance – is also a client of Hurricane Innovation – the company’s multimedia division.

Links:
Ashley and Benjamin’s Wedding Album
Wedding Portfolio for 2012

5. Briana Sweet 16

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Story:
This event goes down as the largest Hurricane Productions private party of 2011. Briana and her family are one of the best families to ever walk through the Hurricane office doors.

From the production of this entire event to the dancing and the Sweet 16 candle ceremony, it was just a special event from start to finish.

Briana and her family also hired Pennylane Productions – a cinematography company out of Long Island, NY – to shoot a same-day edit of the Sweet 16.

Links:
Briana’s Sweet 16 Album
Pennylane Productions’ Same-Day Edit

4. Nicole Sweet 16

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Story:
Nicole’s family shopped around for DJ entertainment at almost every Monmouth County company…that is, until they met Strato.

Strato guided Nicole and her family through the entire Sweet 16 process. The event featured lighting design, music videos, montage creation, and Next-Day Facebook photo.

Strato met with Nicole and her family multiple times to help them plan the entire event. That work paid off. Just watch the video to see what they had to say about Strato and Hurricane Productions.

Links:
Nicole’s Sweet 16 Album

3. Rob and Lisa’s Wedding

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Story:
Robert and Lisa met at Rutgers while they worked together on the Board of Directors for Dance Marathon.

That special connection translated to their choice of wedding entertainment.

Hurricane Productions helps the University plan the non-stop 32-hour event for the Embrace Kids Foundation.

The annual commitment that Hurricane Productions dedicates to Dance Marathon showed Robert and Lisa that their wedding was in good hands.

Robert and Lisa’s celebration included an endless cocktail-style dinner, cigar and cordial bar, and a fire pit for guests to roast smores at the end of the evening.
Links:
Robert and Lisa’s Wedding Album
Wedding Portfolio for 2012

2. Dance Marathon 2011

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Story:
Rutgers University Dance Marathon continues to evolve. As the event grows, so does the role Hurricane Productions plays in helping students execute their goals.

This past year Hurricane upgraded the video system used at DM and also enhanced the overall lighting production of the event.

DM broke its fundraising record once again in 2011 with over 380K raised ‘For the Kids.’

Dance Marathon is a 32-hour non-stop event that raises money and awareness for the Embrace Kids Foundation located in New Brunswick, NJ.

Links:
2011 DM Line Dance Video

1. Shawn and Nicole’s Wedding

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Story:
This is without a doubt the best story of year and one of the best stories in Hurricane Productions’ history. Nicole is one of the company’s first-ever Sweet 16 girls.

Eight years later she reconnected with Hurricane when she got engaged to Shawn.

Even with the gap in time and the evolution of the entertainment product, Nicole stayed connected with Vincent and Strato through Facebook. She watched the company grow and knew that they could handle her wedding and make it a memorable event.

Links:
Nicole and Shawn’s Wedding Album
Wedding Portfolio for 2012

Links:
Erica’s Sweet 16 Photo Album

Congratulations to Sororities Phi Sigma Sigma and Sigma Delta Tau who were crowned the overall winners of the event, which consisted of a variety of contests that began Sunday November 6th and ran until Saturday, November 12th raising $167,000 total.

DJ Strato left the event saying, “I don’t always get to play to a crowd that enjoys exactly the kind of music I love to spin, and I get to do that that here at Derby Days, Dance Marathon, and pretty much every other Rutgers event that is orchestrated by the Greek community.  When you get a group like this all working toward such a great cause, the energy is unparalleled.  You can feel it as soon as you come into the room.”

For more information on Sigma Chi’s Derby Days at Rutgers check out this article via Rutgers Daily Targum - ‘Derby Days’ surpasses $100K goal

To see nearly 400 photos from the event, please visit our Facebook album - Derby Days 2011 – Part 1, Derby Days 2011 – Part 2.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Rutgers alumnus and Hurricane Productions owner Vincent Velasquez will host the event for the fourth consecutive year.

The event will feature performances by the Rutgers Dance Team, Cheerleaders, Glee Club, and the Queens Chorale.

Festitives start at 10am and will last until kickoff at 2pm when the Scarlet Knights take on Navy at the annual Homecoming game.

“We feel that Hurricane Productions is part of a new traditions at Rutgers University,” Velasquez said. “So many of our peers associate our company with entertainment and production at Rutgers and in New Brunswick.”

Aside from Homecoming, Hurricane Productions produces Rutgers University Dance Marathon and provides entertainment for many Student Life events.

More importantly, Hurricane Productions distinguishes itself as the wedding entertainment company of choice for Rutgers alumni.

“We want to the entire Rutgers community to know that we entertain all types of events,” Velasquez said. “But we truly specialize in wedding entertainment.”

You can learn more about Hurricane Productions and its entertainment brand at Facebook.com/YourParty

For photos of recent Rutgers related weddings, please check out the following albums:

Robert and Lisa – 8.12.11
Ashley and Ben – 9.2.11
Jodi and Ken – 9.17.11
Wedding Portfolio for 2012

Merri-Makers General Manager Danielle Gomez and her staff at Neshanic Valley Gold Club are not only customer service oriented, but are focused on accommodating all vendors. The way a staff and a catering facility treats its vendors (and vice versa) translates beyond handshakes and ‘thank yous.’

That atmosphere creates a fun and laid back environment. Consequently, the couple celebrating their special day feels those vibes throughout their event.

Danielle understands this philosophy and therefore, events are Neshanic Valley are second to none.

As for the venue itself, Neshanic Valley Golf Club provides a unique and creative setting for a wedding celebration. If a venue overlooking Somerset County isn’t picturesque enough, the banquet room itself allows for any creative entertainment company to come in and have some fun. With a high ceiling over the dance floor and beautiful windows surround the room, the possibilities are endless.

At the particular wedding pictured in this post, the bride wanted the uplighting design to match her bridesmaids’ dresses. But she also did not want to overwhelm the room with purple. So therefore, Hurricane Productions designed purple lightscaping on just the area surrounding the dance floor.

This created a nightclub-style atmosphere surrounding the dance floor but allowed guests to visit the bar and eat dinner without being saturated in purple uplighting.

Beyond uplighting design, Hurricane Productions provided video screens and custom graphics for the bride and groom. As you can see in the photos, the screens displayed custom graphic work designed exclusively at Hurricane Productions.

Almost lost in all of this is the fact that Hurricane Productions delivered a seamless performance for the bride and groom at Neshanic Valley Golf Club. From introductions to spotlight dances and even a surprise singing performance to ‘Unforgettable,’ by the bride – Hurricane executed a perfect wedding celebration.

Guests danced the entire night with music by Hurricane Productions’ lead DJ Strato Doumanis while host Vincent Velasquez guided the celebration from start to finish.

If you want to learn more about Hurricane Productions, you can connect with the company on Facebook at Facebook.com/YourParty.

But when you add signature features like uplighting, ‘Name in Lights’ and premier entertainment from Hurricane Productions, the venue is transformed into a modern wedding facility.

Even the staff at Bensalem Country Club commented that they hadn’t seen a wedding like this one at its facility in a long time.

Hurricane Productions provided blue uplighting to match the bridal party dresses. And uplighting goes beyond installing LED lights around the room. Hurricane specifically designs its lighting so it accents specific parts of the venue while targeting areas where photographers and videographers will be snapping pictures and shooting footage.

Also, Hurricane created a custom ‘Name in Lights’ design for the dance floor. This design matched the graphics on the 50-inch video screens.

This attention to detail provides an atmosphere that is unique to the specific couple who is celebrating their wedding day.

Aside from all of these features, Hurricane Productions offers a high-level of customer service. Comprised of young and professional DJs and emcees, Hurricane hosts at least two consultations with each couple before their special day.

Couples are invited to Hurricane’s office in Red Bank, NJ or the Hurricane staff can travel to the venue or home of the future bride and groom.

During these consultations, the Hurricane staff learns about the couple as well as their musical preferences for their wedding celebration.

You can learn more about Hurricane Productions and its entertainment presence in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania by connecting with the company on Facebook at Facebook.com/YourParty

Club-style lighting, custom graphics, ‘Name in Lights,’ and other distinct entertainment features brought the NJ-based cruise line to life with a dinner cruise around NJ and NY harbors.

Aside from incredible food and service, the Cornucopia provided a unique setting for a Sweet 16s.

But you need to go beyond the Cornucopia’s ‘preferred vendor list’ to find a DJ entertainment company like Hurricane Productions.

Hurricane does not mass produce its product. Instead, the company specializes in customizing Sweet 16s and Weddings for its clients.

Some clientele associate cruise lines in NJ with cheesy entertainment and the ‘Chicken Dance.’ Hurricane Productions offers young professionals with entertainment experience to help create an environment based on your musical preference.

Working on a cruise ship provides challenges for a mobile DJ company – especially one with a reputation for high-end productions like Hurricane Productions.

From loading equipment on a the dock, to adjusting its setup to a cruise-style format, Hurricane Productions has experience with building its setup and entertainment in variety of NJ venues.

And for those parents out there that are worried about power or electrical issues on a boat – Hurricane Productions provided a lighting technician to operate its club-style atmosphere throughout the evening.

You can keep current with all Hurricane Productions events on a daily basis at Facebook.com/YourParty

Event Innovation at Hurricane Productions  gives clients a different perspective on DJ entertainment.

Clients won’t find Hurricane Productions on the  Sterling Gardens ‘preferred vendors’ list. But that doesn’t mean clients don’t have a choice when it comes to DJ entertainment.

Hurricane Productions hosts many events at Sterling Gardens throughout the year. From weddings to Sweet 16s, Sterling Gardens provides Hurricane Productions a unique space to create an unparalleled entertainment experience for its clients.

The above ‘point of view’ video shows a Sweet 16 at Sterling Gardens that put new twists on the traditional Sweet 16 in terms of music and design.

Hurricane Productions provided uplighting, music videos, its trademark ‘Name in Lights’ graphic and LED dance stages at the event. Hurricane also provided video and photography services and created a custom photo montage for the family.

Hurricane provides entertainment that includes an emcee, DJ, dancers and a lighting technician. All the lighting is specifically designed for each individual event. None of Hurricane’s lightscaping is ever duplicated for another client.

The plasma screens are also an important part to customizing your event. You can pick from a customized set of graphics created for your event. Each graphic is designed ‘in-house’ for use exclusively at your event.

Photo montages are also another entertainment option that adds value to an event.

Jessica and Nicolle’s Sweet 16 are the most recent examples of events hosted by Hurricane Productions at Sterling Gardens.

Jessica’s Sweet 16 photo album
Nicolle’s Sweet 16

You can view all recent events from Hurricane Productions on its Facebook page located at Facebook.com/YourParty