Royal/Zielke wedding on The Fearrington grounds on May 25th, 2014

My DJ day started before Christine and Richard’s wedding when I DJ’d Maria Herrle’s Quinceañera at Chapel Hill’s Siena Hotel.  I was thrilled to play for Maria and her family and friends and celebrate this wonderful day with them.  They danced for 3 hours to top 40 and some Latin music. I have no idea where their energy came from.  I packed up and headed to The Fearrington Garden Terrace for Christine and Richard’s big day.

I did not provide music for the cocktail hour, that was covered by singer/guitarist Gary Mitchell that did a fantastic job.  I could listen to him all night cover everything from Bob Marley to The Lumineers.  It was perfect for this group.  Gary invited everyone into the terrace for the reception and guests made their way to their tables.  I was thrilled to be working with photographer Julie Livingston on this wedding!  I only introduced Christine and Richard and they entered to The Darkness’s “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” and made their way right to the floor to dance to “Flash Flood” by Randy Rogers Band.  Richard was so happy when it was over! Ha ha.. Christine then danced with her father to “Old Time Rock and Roll” and it was fantastic.  He then took the mic for a short comedy routine, I mean, welcome that had everyone in stitches and the food stations opened with a mediterranean station, seafood and a beef carving station.  I had a mix of indie rock and country playing per Bride and Groom’s request during dinner. 

After dinner I opened the floor with some motown and oldies that brought young and old out to the floor even though it was a little warm.  We paused for a toast by Christine’s sister Jessica and a cake cutting to “Home” by Edward Sharpe, then back to dancing while the staff passed the cake that included gluten free cake.

They stopped again shortly for a bouquet toss to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” that took 2 girls out (ha ha..) and a garter toss to Motley Crue’s “Kickstart My Heart” that took a couple guys out.  The floor stayed filled to the end of the night and their last dance “Feet Don’t Touch The Ground” by Stoney LaRue and they made a sparkler exit with cans tied to their backs.  Loved it !!

Thank you Christine and Richard and I had a blast playing for you and your friends and families!

Quaranto/Waychoff wedding at Prestonwood Country Club on May 24th, 2014

Christine and Jeff chose the beautiful Prestonwood Country Club grand ballroom for their reception and I couldn’t be happier to play for this Match.com couple.  They are so nice and funny!  I knew this was going to be a good one, and it was!  I was thrilled also to be working with photographer Brian Mullins and videographer Phil from Twenty-One Films.  The room filled with the 175 guests after the cocktail hour and I had a mix of standards playing as they found their tables with floral arrangements by Watered Garden.  The bridal party entered from the side door to “Timber” and Christine and Jeff were ready for their intro.  The came out from the top of the stairs and I had looped the beginning of Black Eyed Peas “The Time (Dirty Bit)” until they got to the dance floor, then I took the loop off so they could start their synchronized dance that shortly included their wedding party for a minute or so.  It was awesome and really took the energy through the roof.  They then had their second dance as husband and wife to “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes as they sang it to each other like they were the only 2 in the room.  So sweet!  They took their seats and Christine’s father welcomed everyone and her mother’s fiancé provided the blessing.  Dinner service started and I continued a standards mix with some special song requests by her father that I happily took care of.

After dinner we had a few toasts and the cake cutting to “(This Will Be) An Everlasting Love” at the top of the stairs.  They made their way back down the stairs and Christine joined her father for their dance to “The Way You Look Tonight” by Tony Bennett that may have brought a small tear to my eye.  Jeff then escorted his mother to the floor for their dance to “Wind Beneath My Wings”.  I invited all the married couples to join them for the next dance with was a “longest married couple dance” to “Unchained Melody”.  The winning couple was over 50 years and received Jessica’s bouquet as a gift.  I passed out colored sunglasses and glow sticks and opened the floor with some Motown and current that filled the floor with young and old and lots of neon colors.  We stopped shortly for the garter toss to “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and guests surrounded them singing it.  Jeff going to West Virginia may have helped with that.  I then went into “Wagon Wheel” and everyone continued singing and dancing along.  Back to some current dance music with some 90’s mixed in kept everyone dancing til the end, even the guy who split his pants dancing..lol.

The night came to an end with their last dance of “Don’t Stop Believin’” and guests made their way to the front of the Country Club for their sparkler exit.  Thank you so much Christine and Jeff and it was an absolute pleasure to be your DJ!

All photo's courtesy of Brian Mullins Photography

Murray/Bennett wedding at The Carolina Inn on May 23rd, 2014

My busy Memorial Day weekend started off with a bang with Jessica & Ryan’s wedding reception at The Carolina Inn in the old well room for 150 guests with Melissa Sayre from the Inn and wedding planner Gina Annab from A Southern Soiree.  I only provided music for the dinner and dancing portion of the reception.  The doors of the black and white ballroom opened and guests found their tables that had floral arrangements by Victorian Seasons and I had a mix of standards playing.  The rowdy wedding party was beyond ready to make their entrance into the room and get this party started!  They entered to “Gone, Gone, Gone” by Phillip Phillips and each couple had their own special dance into the room.  Jessica & Ryan came into what may be the loudest roar I have heard at a wedding and made their way to the dance floor for their first dance to a shortened edit of “Hey Pretty Girl”.  They took their seats and the salad’s and entrée’s came out after a blessing by Pastor Ken Ray.  For dinner I continued the standards mix.

After dinner and toasts by Jessica’s father, her sister and both best men we had the Cinda’s make cake cutting to “How Sweet It Is” and the dessert bar opened in the hallway as well as the F8 studios photo booth.  Cara and Jonathan from F8 were there all night to take pictures and video as well.  I always love working with them! 

After the cake cutting, Jessica joined her father on the floor to dance to “Beauty and The Beast” because her and her father used to love watching that movie together, then ½ way through her 13 year old sister took her place to finish the dance.  It was so sweet!  Ryan escorted his mother to the floor for their dance to “You’ll Be In My Heart” from the Disney Tarzan movie and I opened the floor to everyone with “My Girl” that filled instantly. After some Motown, oldies, current and a polka for Jessica’s grandparents (who danced all night), we stopped shortly for a bouquet and garter toss to “Hit Me With You Best Shot” and we went right back into dancing to some 80’s, 90’s and current including “Jump Around” for all the UNC basketball fans.  Around this time came a first for me.  After a thousand or so wedding’s that I have done, I have never had groomsmen and guests filling large glass flower vases with beer and passing it around the dance floor to drink out of (including Jessica’s Grandmother!! Ha Ha..) until this wedding.  Classic !!! Ha Ha..  I loved it.  Jessica’s Grandfather borrowed a cowboy hat from the photo booth and was dancing to “Wagon Wheel” in it. 

What a fun night and an awesome group to play for.  I couldn’t have asked for a better beginning to my DJ weekend.  Thank you Jessica and Ryan and congratulations!

Wilson/Lampson wedding reception at The Fearrington Inn on May 18, 2014

I was back out to The Fearrington the 2^nd Sunday in a row, this time for Jessica and Benjamin’s big day in the garden terrace with photographer Krystal Kast (I’m there again this coming Sunday for Christine and Richard’s big day)!  I set up before the cocktail hour, but did not provide music for it.  They had a 5 piece all girl bluegrass band playing the outdoor cocktail hour and I loved them !!!!  As the cocktail hour ended, guests made their way inside the open air Terrace and I had a mix of recorded bluegrass playing.

Jessica and Ben joined their guests and Jessica’s father said a heart felt welcome that opened the food buffet as I had a soft rock and classic rock music mix playing.  I even played “Jessica” by The Allman Brothers for Jessica’s parents.  As guests finished eating, Jessica and Ben had their first dance to John Mayer’s “Love Is A Verb”.  Jessica’s father then joined her on the floor for their dance.  For their song her father recorded himself playing Tony Bennett’s version of “The Way You Look Tonight” on guitar.  OMG !!  It was beautiful and so special.  There was not a dry eye in the room including mine.  What a fantastic moment to witness. Ben then escorted his mother to the floor for their dance to “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel.  I opened the floor with some Motown and it instantly filled.  I don’t know where everyone came from! I shortly went into some current and 80’s music that kept them dancing until the toasts by the wedding party and Ben’s thank you to everyone.  Jessica put an apron on for the “cobbler cutting”, not cake and I played “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles.  They also had a funnel cake food truck behind the outdoor bar that shortly opened .

 I opened the floor again with “The Wobble” for the cutest little girl guest and she went crazy dancing with her family.  After some dancing, we paused for the bouquet toss to “Single ladies” then back to more dancing to some 70’s and 80‘s that kept them out till the end of the night. 

I ended the night with some high energy dancing to “Hey Ya”, “Happy”, “You Make My Dreams Come True” and finally The B-52’s “Rock Lobster”..lol.  So great.  The guests exited the terrace and Jessica and Ben ran through the row of lit sparkler.  This group was so fun and I was thrilled I was able to play for them!

Inglis/Keller wedding at The Carolina Inn on May 17th, 2014

The weekend started off for me the night before when I DJ’d Holly Grove’s 8^th grade dance in Holly Springs.  Why an 8^th grader would ask me to play Metallica and “Eye Of The Tiger” at a dance is beyond me…anyway, the kids did have a blast and danced all night.  No, not to Metallica and Survivor.

I woke up Saturday thrilled to be playing for Kate & Dan at The Carolina Inn with planner Shawn Schindler from Your Special Day Weddings and Special Events!  The 72 degrees could not have been better for the outdoor ceremony in the Bryan Courtyard with UK officiant Han Hills that I could have listened to all day.  Their pre-ceremony and ceremony music was all by classical group Vitamin String Quartet.  Their parents walked down the isle to “God Only Knows”, the wedding party to “A Thousand Years” as well as the 2 cutest ring bearers (one carrying a sign around his neck saying “Keller..est 05/17/14) and an adorable flower girl and Kate with her father to “All You Need Is Love”.  After a short ceremony and a “bonding” with rope around their hands they recessed to a smooth jazz cover of “How Sweet It Is” and guests made their way to the cocktail hour. 

The cocktail hour was held outside of the black and white “Old Well Room” in The Inn and I had a mix of soft and classic rock playing while guests enjoyed refreshments and food.  Kate and Dan joined the guests for a short time while photographer Julia Wade took pics inside the banquet room with floral arrangements by Tre Bella.  The doors of the ballroom opened and guests quickly found their seats.  The wedding party entered to Barry White’s “You’re My First, My Last, My Everything” and there was a huge roar when Kate and Dan appeared in the doorway.  They made their way down the stairs to the floor and had their first dance to “All My Days” by Alexi Murdoch.  They took their seats and salads came out and the food buffet opened as I continued a rock mix for dinner.

As dinner was winding up, guests started dancing including young children and their parents to Sinatra and Pharrell’s “Happy” and a dessert table opened in the hallway with treats by Sweet Sin’s Bakery. We had toasts by the Best Man and Maid Of Honor and Ben thanked everyone for coming.  Ben and Kate then went to the Cinda’s made cake for the cake cutting to James Taylor’s “How Sweet It Is”.  Kate made her way back to the dance floor for her dance with her father to “What A Wonderful World” and Dan escorted his mother to the floor for their dance to “Carolina In My Mind”.  I invited all the married couples to the floor to join Kate and Dan in a dance to “The Way You Look Tonight” that was an elimination dance and winners had been married over 55 years.  I opened the floor to everyone with some Motown that filled the floor.  I even snuck a Tavares song in for Kate’s father who actually saw them in the 70’s when he was in College.  After a couple hours of hard dancing and a 50 person train to “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” it was time for their last song of “I’ve Had The Time Of My Life” from Dirty Dancing.

What a fun night and I am so happy for this wonderful couple!