Frymyer wedding at Berry Hill Resort in South Boston VA on December 27th

Shannon and Dean chose the historic Berry Hill Resort in South Boston, VA for their second wedding.  This is such a beautiful place and makes you feel like you are driving up to a plantation hundreds of years ago!  Shannon and Dean were married a year and a half ago, but had this ceremony for their friends and families since Dean is in the service.  The ceremony was held inside the ballroom with music furnished by a wonderful classical guitarist, Rafael Scarfullery.  The ceremony ended and guests made their way to the front of the house for cocktails with music again by Rafael while Rhonda and the staff flipped the room over for dinner and dancing.

After the cocktail hour and pics by photographer Dan Dalstra (that came all the way from Texas!), the 70 guests made their way back to the ballroom and found their seats.  I introduced the wedding party to “Danger Zone” from Top Gun and Shannon and Dean came into thunderous applause.  They took their seats and officiant George Garner blessed the meal.  The food stations opened and I played a mix of soft rock, Christmas music and standards. 

After dinner, Shannon and Dean had their dance to “Lucky” by Jason Mraz, Shannon danced with her father to Natalie Grant’s “Always Be My Baby” and Dean escorted his mother to the floor to dance to “It’s Your Song” by Garth Brooks.  I love that song!!  I then invited all the married couples to the floor to dance to “All Of Me” by john Legend for a “longest married couple” dance that Shannon’s Grandparents won with 60 years married!  So wonderful to see !  I opened the floor to everyone with “The Cupid Shuffle” that brought the bridesmaids and guests to the floor. I played some oldies and current dance music that kept them dancing (including the cutest flower girl, Macie) until the toasts and cake cutting.

For the cake cutting I played “How Sweet It Is” and then back to dancing to some 90’s pop that had the bridesmaids and their friends singing at the top of their lungs!  LOL.  We paused briefly for the bouquet toss to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and garter toss to the “Indiana Jones Theme”, then back to dancing to 80’s and current dance music until the end of the night.  I headed towards their last dance with “Sweet Caroline”, “Freebird (a request from Dean’s father) and “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin” that is always a hit with servicemen.  For their last song, Shannon had requested “Adios, Au Revoir” from The Lawrence Welk Show.  I always have fond memories of my Great Grandmother when I hear that song!  Guests took a custom decoration off the Christmas tree as a favor on their way out for the sparkler exit and I played Luke Bryan’s “Take My Drunk…” as they left, a request from Dean’s brother and best man.

What a fun night and a beautiful venue!  Thank you for having me Shannon and Dean and thank you for your service to our country Dean!!

Parnell & Street wedding at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill NC on December 20th

Traci and Grayson had their wedding reception in The Old Well room at Chapel Hill’s historic Carolina Inn with planner Kelley Ann from A Southern Soiree and photographers Jonathan and Stephen with McCardell Photography.  Their 11am ceremony was held at University Presbyterian, and guests then headed over to The Carolina Inn for the social hour, dinner and dancing.  For the cocktail hour I had a mix of standards and Christmas music playing.  I even wore Grinch cufflinks since this was my last wedding before Christmas with my family in NY. 

Traci’s mother came into the room to see it before everyone and was in tears of enjoyment as soon as she walked in.  It was so sweet!  Lyn from Fresh Affairs had decorated the room beautifully!  After the social hour guests made their way into the black and white room and found their seats.  The wedding party was lined up and I introduced them into the room to Hall & Oates “You Make My Dreams Come True”.  They went right into their first dance to “Come To Me” by The Goo Goo Dolls.  Traci’s father welcomed everyone and Grayson’s father blessed the meal.  The salads and entrée’s came out and I continued a mix of standards and Christmas music during dinner.

After dinner, we had the Sweet Memories cake cutting to “How Sweet It Is”.  Traci joined her father on the floor to dance to “Unforgettable” by Natalie and Nat King Cole and Grayson escorted his mother to the floor to dance to “Have I Told You Lately” by Van Morrison.  I opened the floor to everyone with “The Cupid Shuffle” that filled the floor with the wedding party and guests.  Some motown and current dance music kept them dancing until the bouquet toss to “Single Ladies” and garter toss to “The Pink Panther Theme” then back to dancing to some 80’s and current until the last dance to “New York, New York”. 

What a fun crowd and couple.  Thank you so much Traci & Grayson and congratulations!

Sanhai & Madar wedding at Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, NC on December 19th

Wendy and Mark chose the beautiful Fearrington village for both their ceremony and reception with the Fearrington’s Gilda and photographer Krystal Kast and who I always have a blast working with.  The ceremonies were held in The Garden Terrace.  Yes, ceremonies, there were 2.  The first was a beautiful Hindu ceremony and then a Lutheran ceremony.  After the ceremonies, guests made their way to the barn for cocktails, dinner and dancing. 

Guests made their way down the entrance to the barn lined with lite Christmas trees.  I had a mix of classic and soft rock playing as guests mingled and waited for Wendy and Mark to be introduced.  The wedding party came in to a classical piece “Rondeau” and Wendy and Mark came right in to their choreographed first dance to “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra.  After that, guests mingled and enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres for a while.   I invited guests to their tables and Mark and Wendy thanked everyone for coming individually.  They had a couple guests say words on their behalf followed by a blessing that opened up the food stations. For dinner I played a mix of soft and classic rock, classic soul and some standards.

After dinner I opened the floor with “The Cupid Shuffle” that filled the floor, then some Motown and oldies for this older crowd that kept them dancing for 45 min or so.  We paused for a toast by Ken Moch, the cake cutting to “How Sweet It Is” and then a wonderful vocal performance of Peter, Paul & Mary’s “The Wedding Song (There Is Love)” by guest Bob Meyer.  He did a fantastic job!

Back to dancing with “The Chicken Dance” that was a big hit and some current dance music as well as 70’s and 80’s to close out that night that their children and younger guests enjoyed as well as the older guests.  I even got to play “Summer” by Calvin Harris for ring bearer Veda.  What a cool kid!!

We ended the night with Michael Buble’s “Crazy Love” and a sparkler exit.  What a fun couple and I am so happy for them!

McNamara & Storrs wedding at The Fearrington Barn on 12/13/14

Allison & William chose The Fearrington in Pittsboro NC on December 13^th, 2014 (12/13/14..get it?) for both ceremony and reception. The romantic ceremony was held in the garden terrace with reverend Robin Renteria in front of the huge stone fireplace.  After the ceremony, Gilda and Cheryl-Anne from the Fearrington ushered guests to the barn for cocktails and dancing.  The entrance to the barn was lined with beautiful Christmas Trees!

 

For the cocktail hour, I had a mix of classic rock and soul as well as standards playing for the 150 guests.  This was the day after Frank Sinatra would have been 99, so the playlist was a little heave on Frank.  Photographer Krystal Kast finished the outdoor pics and Alli and Will were ready to be introduced.  I introduced Alli’s parents, her sister Kate and adorable flower girl Charlotte to The Beatles “All You Need Is Love” and Alli and Will entered to the “Star Wars” theme.  I wore my boba fett cufflinks for Will.  They came into thunderous applause and right into their first dance to Sleeping At Last’s “All Through The Night” that I edited down to 2 minutes.  Alli then danced with her father to “What A Wonderful World” and Will escorted his mother to the floor for their dance to “In My Life” by The Beatles.  Alli’s father welcomed everyone for coming and the food stations of seafood, mediterranean and a taste of the south opened.  I continued a mix of standards, classic rock and soul through dinner.

 

Dinner ended and we had toasts by Alli’s sister/Maid Of Honor and her father and then the cake cutting to “How Sweet It Is” by James Taylor.  Even though guests started dancing during dinner to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli and “Fly Me To The Moon”, I opened the floor for everyone to “My Girl” and some beach music for Alli’s parents.  For the next couple hours, guests danced to oldies, line dances, lots of 80’s and some current dance music.  I even got to play some pop-EDM by Avicii, David Guetta and Calvin Harris.

The night came to an end with The Lumineers “Ho Hey” and Alli and Will made their exit to sparklers from the front of the Barn.  What a fun night and a wonderful couple!  Congratulations Allison & Will !!

Webb/Clemons wedding at The Museum Of Art on December 6th

Christy and Jeff chose Raleigh’s NC Museum Of Art for both ceremony and reception on the first Saturday of December.  The ceremony was held in the east building and the reception in the new building.  After the ceremony, guests started making their way over and I had a mix of soft rock and classic soul playing for the 100 guests.  They enjoyed heavy hors d’oeuvres while the wedding party was getting pics taken by photographer Michael Moss. 

 

The wedding party arrived for introductions and I invited guests into the dance floor room for the intro’s lead by the cutest redheaded flower girl and ring bearer ever.  I introduced the wedding party to “Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever” by The Band and they came right in and joined the guests for dinner.  I continued a mix of soft rock and classic soul during the hors d’oeuvres dinner.  After dinner, we had the Cinda’s Creative cake cutting to “How Sweet It Is” and a few toasts.  I loved the Red Sox groom’s cake shaped like a baseball cap! Christy and Jeff made with way to the dance floor and had their first dance to “The Way I Am” by Ingrid Michaelson.  There were a ton of Alabama fans there so I opened the floor with “Sweet Home Alabama” since they had just beaten Missouri for the title an hour before.  The floor packed and some Motown kept them out there.

 

For the next 3 hours I kept guests dancing to current top 40, 80’s a few country songs and some oldies.  When I saw the groom’s cake I knew the last dance would be “Sweet Caroline” and I invited everyone on the floor to dance with Christy and Jeff, which they did.  What a fun group to play for and congratulations to Christy, Jeff and The Crimson Tide!