Atlantic Premier Entertainment

What Atlantic Premier Entertainment does

Atlantic Premier Entertainment is a privately-held event entertainment company headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, founded in 2005 by Eric Thompson. It operates as a service-based entertainment provider for weddings and corporate events in the Wilmington metropolitan area and coastal Southeastern North Carolina (including Ocean Isle Beach and Wrightsville Beach). The company is a founder-owned, bootstrapped business with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or subsidiaries, though it maintains a sub-brand called 'The Premier Booth.'

The product portfolio is built around four core service lines: DJ and Master of Ceremonies services with curated music selection and crowd reading; event lighting including uplighting, monograms, tent lighting, and pin spots; 'The Premier Booth' interactive photo booth with photos, videos, boomerangs, GIFs, and dye-sublimation printing; and special effects (bubble, snow, fog) for event exits. Underlying technology includes wireless LED uplighting, professional photo booth hardware built around 24.2MP CMOS sensors and dye-sublimation printers, and a custom online planning portal for song selection, timeline management, guest requests, and payment processing. The company carries $2 million in liability insurance and provides Certificates of Insurance on request.

The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer with event-driven demand generation. Customers reach the company through its website, phone, or email, supplemented by listings on WeddingWire and The Knot, vendor referrals from a curated preferred-vendor network of roughly 10 local photographers, caterers, and planners, and organic social media (@atlanticpremierentertainment). Revenue is generated per-event through customized package quotes (DJ-only, DJ + lighting, full bundles) with no publicly disclosed pricing. The team comprises six named DJs (Eric, Justin, Marcus, Adam, John, Nick) with a stated combined 100+ years of experience. Wedding couples are the primary customer segment; corporate conferences and private celebrations are secondary.

Name

Atlantic Premier Entertainment

Legal name

Atlantic Premier Entertainment

Website

https://atlanticpremierentertainment.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Atlantic Premier Entertainment is a Wilmington, NC-based event entertainment company founded in 2005 that provides DJ/MC services, event lighting, photo booths, and special effects for weddings and corporate events across Southeastern North Carolina's coastal market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Entertainment Services

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM)

Keywords

• Wedding DJ services
• Event lighting rental
• Photo booth rental
• Corporate event AV
• Master of ceremonies

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. DJ and MC Services: Professional DJ and Master of Ceremonies services for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations. Includes audio equipment, timeline management, and crowd reading.
2. Event Lighting: Lighting installation and rental including uplighting, monograms, tent lighting, dance floor lighting, pin spot lighting, Edison lights, and special effects. Customized packages for events.
3. Photo Booth Services: Premier Booth rental including photos, videos, boomerangs, GIFs with digital delivery and optional dye-sublimation prints. Includes dedicated attendant and customized themes.
4. Special Effects: Exit special effects including bubble machines, snow machines, fog bubble machines, and sparkler alternatives for wedding exits.
5. Corporate Event Services: Audio, visual, and lighting solutions for corporate conferences and business events including microphones, speakers, projectors, and atmosphere lighting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Atlantic Premier Entertainment is a Wilmington, NC-based event entertainment company that provides professional DJ and Master of Ceremonies services, event lighting design and installation, interactive photo booth rentals, and special effects for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations. Services are delivered on-site at client-chosen venues across southeastern North Carolina, supported by an online planning portal for song selection, timeline management, and payment processing.

Product overview

Atlantic Premier Entertainment operates as a service-based entertainment company offering a unified suite of DJ, MC, lighting, and photo booth services for weddings and corporate events. The core product portfolio consists of DJ and MC Services (professional music curation and event hosting), Event Lighting (uplighting, monograms, tent lighting, dance floor lighting), The Premier Booth (social photo booth with digital and print capabilities), and Special Effects (bubble, snow, and fog exit effects). Supporting these is an Online Planning Portal enabling clients to manage song selections, timelines, and payments. The company also offers Monogram Designs as an add-on lighting service and Corporate Event Services tailored for business gatherings. Services are customizable and sold as individual offerings or bundled packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Premier Booth: Photo booth service offered by Atlantic Premier Entertainment for events.

Products and services

• DJ and MC Services Professional DJ and Master of Ceremonies services for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations, including state-of-the-art sound equipment, curated music selection, crowd reading, real-time playlist adjustment, timeline management, and announcements to guide event flow. Targeted at engaged couples and corporate event organizers in the Wilmington, NC area.
• Event Lighting
• The Premier Booth (Photo Booth) Interactive social photo booth offering photos, 15-second videos, boomerangs, and GIFs with direct digital delivery via SMS, email, or QR code scanning. Uses 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensors with ring light technology (5600K color temperature) and produces 4x6 inch dye-sublimation prints in 8.3 seconds at 300x600 DPI with protective overcoat. Includes digital props, custom backdrops, and a dedicated attendant. Files delivered within 24-48 hours post-event. Targeted at wedding guests and corporate event attendees.
• Special Effects Exit special effects services including bubble machines, snow machines, fog bubble machines, and sparkler alternatives for memorable wedding exits and dramatic visual moments. Targeted at wedding couples.
• Corporate Event Services Customized audio, visual, and lighting packages for corporate conferences, company parties, team-building events, and product launches, including microphones, speakers, projectors, conference lighting, and downtime music solutions. Targeted at businesses and organizations in the Wilmington, NC area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1500 weddings and just as many other events served since founding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Matt McGraw PhotographycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred photographer partner with years of wedding photography experience in the Wilmington area. Contact: (910) 538-6201
• Indigo Silver StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred wedding photographer partner serving Wilmington and surrounding areas. Contact: (910) 399-6790
• Atlanta Dahlia PhotographycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred photographer partner with coverage in the Wilmington area. Contact: (910) 333-7235
• Eric Von Bargen PhotographyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred photographer partner. Contact: (910) 264-2666
• A Thyme Savor CateringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred catering partner in Wilmington. Contact: (910) 262-2962
• Middle of the Island CateringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred catering partner serving coastal Wilmington areas. Contact: (910) 256-4277
• Pine Valley MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred catering partner. Contact: (910) 350-3663
• Art Catering & EventsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreferred catering partner. Contact: (910) 755-6642
• The KnotcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWedding planning resource platform partner listing Atlantic Premier Entertainment as a recommended vendor
• WeddingWirecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWedding vendor marketplace partner with Atlantic Premier Entertainment listed and reviewed on the platform
• Do Me A Favor Weddings & EventscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWedding planner frequently collaborated with on events, appearing in multiple wedding blog features

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• WeddingWire: Wedding vendor marketplace where couples search, compare, and review DJs, venues, photographers, and other vendors. Comparable as a top-of-funnel marketing channel for the subject company and as the broader category context for wedding entertainment services.
• CORT Events: National provider of event rental furniture, housewares, and event furnishings for corporate, wedding, and social events. Comparable as an event services vendor that bundles physical event experience elements (similar to Atlantic Premier's lighting and photo booth offerings) into event packages, though focused on furnishings rather than entertainment.
• The Knot Worldwide: Wedding planning marketplace and media platform where Atlantic Premier Entertainment is a listed vendor. Comparable as the dominant wedding vendor discovery channel and a key distribution partner; not a direct competitor but a critical marketplace the subject company depends on for leads.
• Zola: Wedding planning platform offering registry, vendor discovery, websites, and planning tools. Comparable as an adjacent wedding technology platform that influences how couples discover and book vendors like DJs and entertainment companies, and as a potential distribution channel for Atlantic Premier.
• Peerspace: Marketplace for booking unique event spaces for weddings, corporate offsites, and private parties. Comparable as an adjacent event-services marketplace whose venue listings frequently bundle entertainment requirements, putting it in the same wedding/corporate event buyer journey as Atlantic Premier.
• Eventbrite: Self-service ticketing and event management platform used by event organizers across categories. Comparable as an enabling platform in the broader live events ecosystem that touches Atlantic Premier's corporate and special-event customers, though not a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• AEG Presents: Global live entertainment promoter and venue operator (Staples Center, Coachella, etc.) producing concerts, tours, and special events. Comparable as a broad incumbent in live event entertainment production, with overlap in audio/lighting/staging services but at arena/touring scale rather than private-event scale.
• Freeman: Global event experience and production services company serving corporate events, trade shows, and live experiences with AV, design, and logistics. Comparable as a broad incumbent that bundles entertainment, lighting, and AV into event packages — at much larger scale and a corporate, not wedding, focus.
• Encore Global: Largest global provider of event technology, audiovisual production, and venue services for meetings, conferences, and live events. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering AV, lighting, and event production services across corporate and live-event segments, though at enterprise scale and across many categories beyond weddings.
• Live Nation Entertainment: World's largest live entertainment company producing concerts, festivals, and ticketed events with integrated venue operations. Comparable as a broad incumbent in live event entertainment, though at massive scale and focused on concert/touring rather than private weddings and corporate events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/atlanticpremierentertainment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atlantic-premier-entertainment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Atlantic Premier Entertainment