Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Premier Event Entertainment Services in Maryland, DC & Virginia
Founded in 1973 by Jim and Christine Temple, C&J Entertainment has spent nearly five decades transforming events into unforgettable experiences across Maryland, Washington D.C., and Northern Virginia. What began as a basement operation focused on nightclub entertainment evolved in 1993 when Christopher Temple shifted our focus to weddings and private events, leveraging his father's expertise from managing Army Officers Clubs. Today, we stand as a trusted leader in event entertainment, having orchestrated music and ambiance for over 10,000 weddings while maintaining our commitment to personalized service. Our team of professional DJs and live bands specializes in creating tailored soundtracks that reflect each client's unique style, ensuring seamless entertainment flow for celebrations of all sizes. With a legacy built on reliability and musical versatility, we continue to innovate while preserving the personal touch that has defined our business for generations.Our expertise spans multiple music genres and event formats, supported by vendor-approved status and a proven track record of exceeding client expectations. From intimate gatherings to large-scale weddings with 250+ guests, our seasoned professionals bring both technical mastery and creative energy to every event. We maintain strict quality control through comprehensive DJ training programs and continuous investment in cutting-edge audiovisual equipment. Our operational philosophy emphasizes proactive communication, detailed planning consultations, and real-time adaptability during events. This combination of experience, technical proficiency, and client-centric approach has earned us recognition as one of the region's most recommended entertainment agencies.
Services
DJ Services
Live Bands
Wedding Entertainment
Event Lighting
Music Consulting
Details
- Year established: 1973
Highlights and features
- 40 years of experience transforming events into unforgettable memories
- Specialists in wedding entertainment with 10,000+ successful events completed
- Music for every generation with genre-flexible DJs and live bands
- Vendor-approved status with top regional event venues
- 24/7 client support from initial planning through event execution
What people say
Unforgettable memories
Seamless experience
Musical maestros
Perfect vibe
Exceptional service
Services
DJ Services
Professional DJs with extensive music libraries and modern equipment provide customized entertainment for weddings and private events. Our DJs adapt to any crowd size and musical preference while maintaining seamless transitions throughout your celebration. This service includes pre-event consultation to create personalized playlists that reflect your unique style and event atmosphere.
Live Bands
Curated selection of professional live bands spanning multiple genres from classic rock to contemporary pop. Each band undergoes rigorous vetting to ensure musical excellence and performance quality. We handle all logistics including equipment requirements, sound checks, and performance scheduling to guarantee flawless execution at your event.
Event Lighting
Comprehensive lighting solutions including color-matched uplighting to enhance venue aesthetics and create dramatic visual effects. Our lighting specialists design custom configurations that complement your decor while optimizing photographic opportunities. This service includes equipment setup, color coordination, and on-site technical support during your event.
Wedding Entertainment
Full-service entertainment packages specifically designed for wedding receptions. Combines expert DJ services with curated lighting and sound solutions to create the perfect atmosphere for ceremonies, cocktail hours, and reception dances. Includes coordination with other vendors and timeline management to ensure smooth event progression.
Music Consulting
Personalized music planning services to help clients select appropriate songs for different event segments. Our consultants provide genre recommendations, volume control guidance, and timing suggestions to maintain optimal energy levels throughout your celebration while accommodating special requests from guests.
People
Jim Temple
Founder
Founded C&J Entertainment in 1973, leveraging his experience managing Army Officers Clubs to build a regional entertainment empire. Established the company's commitment to quality through rigorous DJ training standards.
Christine Temple
Co-Founder
Co-founded the business with Jim Temple in 1973. Played critical role in establishing operational systems and client relations standards that continue to shape the company's service approach today.
Christopher Temple
President
Joined the company in 1993 and transitioned its focus to wedding entertainment. Took leadership in 2010, expanding service offerings while maintaining the family-owned business's personal touch and quality standards.
Questions
What types of events do you specialize in?
We specialize in weddings and private events, with extensive experience handling receptions ranging from intimate gatherings to large celebrations with 250+ guests.
Do you provide entertainment outside Maryland?
Yes, we serve Washington D.C., Northern Virginia, and surrounding areas, with our primary service region covering the Mid-Atlantic states.
How far in advance should I book?
We recommend booking 6-12 months in advance for weekends during peak wedding season, though we can accommodate shorter timelines when availability permits.
Can I customize my entertainment package?
Yes, all our packages are customizable to include specific services like DJ entertainment, live bands, lighting, and special equipment requests to match your event vision.
Do you offer lighting services?
Yes, we offer affordable uplighting options that we color-match to your decor, with expert placement to enhance venue aesthetics and photography opportunities.
Reviews (7)
Talyne D.
Nov 30, 2021
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Chris and DJ Karl were the absolute BEST to work with for our wedding, they made everything so easy and kept everyone on the dace floor all night! Chris was super personable and really great at walking us through the schedule of events for the day. He had great insights, gave advice when we needed it, and guided us through figuring out the best agenda that would work for what we were looking for. DJ Karl absolutely killed it on the day of the wedding!
Our dance floor was packed the entire night, and everyone was raving about how awesome our DJ was. I seriously can't give enough praise for how great DJ Karl did at reading the room, keeping us on schedule, and getting everyone out on the dance floor and dancing all night. He also called us in the weeks before the wedding to go through the plan for the evening, review name pronunciations, talk about our must play/do not play list, and made sure we were aligned on all the details. We seriously couldn't have asked for better people, company, or vendor to work with. Highly recommend you go with Chris and his team for your next event, and especially DJ Karl who was AMAZING!
Our dance floor was packed the entire night, and everyone was raving about how awesome our DJ was. I seriously can't give enough praise for how great DJ Karl did at reading the room, keeping us on schedule, and getting everyone out on the dance floor and dancing all night. He also called us in the weeks before the wedding to go through the plan for the evening, review name pronunciations, talk about our must play/do not play list, and made sure we were aligned on all the details. We seriously couldn't have asked for better people, company, or vendor to work with. Highly recommend you go with Chris and his team for your next event, and especially DJ Karl who was AMAZING!
Emily Michael
Aug 12, 2021
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We hired Chris for our wedding and he did a fantastic job! We never had an empty dance floor throughout the night! He was a joy to work with through the entire process. He is very professional and responsive. He provided expert advice on how to pick out the perfect songs for our ceremony and key moments during our reception. We received loads of compliments from our wedding guests about him and we're so thrilled with how the entire night went. We would hire him again in a heartbeat!
Victor Marquart
Jul 23, 2021
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Chris kept our wedding going! He always thinks of the things you don't think about. He does really well with taking your vision to the next level. Chris is also super professional and helpful. 10/10 would recommend! Thank you Chris! -Victor
Tony Florio
Apr 05, 2021
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Chris was professional, precise, and easily accessible throughout the process. We couldnt be happier with the job Chris did at our wedding. He was fun, flexible and kept the flow going with the perfect mix of songs and even mixed a few personal requests.
Tanya Pajarillo
Jan 31, 2021
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Wow, Karl did such a great job! He was so flexible and went with flow. Both my husband and I forgot to communicate to him a couple changes made the day before but he caught on and adjusted accordingly for our wedding day. The music selection was exactly what we wanted. He even double checked with me regarding what songs he might not be able to get to which was highly appreciated. Karl communicated to our guests in the most perfect way.
There was never a dull moment. We were very happy and impressed with Karl's work. Thank you for an amazing day! We worked with Chris prior to the wedding day and his wealth of experience helped us set realistic expectations and plan our wedding "properly."
There was never a dull moment. We were very happy and impressed with Karl's work. Thank you for an amazing day! We worked with Chris prior to the wedding day and his wealth of experience helped us set realistic expectations and plan our wedding "properly."
Reed Perry
Jan 07, 2021
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Unfortunately, our wedding reception had to be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we did go through the planning stages with reception, including selecting a DJ. Chris Temple was a pleasure to work with, and even during a difficult time to plan a reception, Chris was very enthusiastic and helped us enjoy the reception timeline and music selection process. He was great in helping us think through the logistics and timing of the event. Chris was very accommodating, and it is just unfortunate we could not actually hold the event due to tightened event restrictions due to the pandemic. We still would recommend Chris, and if we have an opportunity to schedule a future event in the Annapolis area, we would absolutely hire Chris.
Hilary Wiseman
Feb 01, 2019
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Finding a wedding DJ is OVERWHLEMING! We talked to several different companies and chose C&J. Talking to Chris was so natural that by our final meeting I felt like he was an old friend, he immediately understood who we were as people and as a couple. He did a great job of guiding how much input we needed to provide and was really helpful with laying out how the music would help the wedding flow. On the day of we worked with DJ Karl who did an amazing job of keeping the dance floor moving!
He executed our details as requested, was friendly but not overly chatty on the microphone, he was totally fun, flexible and accommodating! My guests, my husband and I all danced the night away.thank you C&J!
He executed our details as requested, was friendly but not overly chatty on the microphone, he was totally fun, flexible and accommodating! My guests, my husband and I all danced the night away.thank you C&J!
