Gawkins/Roach wedding at The Carolina Inn

After a beautiful ceremony at St. Thomas More Church in Chapel Hill, Katie-Ann, Bryan and their guests made their way to The Carolina Inn for their cocktail hour and reception in the Hill Ballroom. I had a mix of standards, soft rock, country and classic soul playing for the 160 guests as they enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the front hallway during the social hour.  I was thrilled to be working with some of my favorite vendors in Brian Mullins Photography, Chris & Toni from Heart Stone Films, Rick from Total Production Services on lights and planners Kristen from The Inn and Tia Jones-Nusbaum from Erin McLean Events! 

The doors to the ballroom opened and guests found their tables decorated with floral arrangements by Lyn from Fresh Affairs.  Before I announced Katie-Ann and Bryan into the room, we had a couple visitors.  UNC’s mascot Ramses and NC State’s Mr. Wuf came running i  They dropped the banned and got into a short fake fist-fight that was classic and had everyone cheering them on!  They made up with a hug and made way for Katie-Ann and Bryan to enter.  They came into the room to a huge round of applause and right into their first dance to Elvis’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love”.  They took their seats and Katie-Ann’s father gave a heart felt welcome to everyone and Bryan’s father, who was also his best man, blessed the meal.  The plated appetizers, salad’s and entrée’s came out and I continued a mix of standards, soft rock and classic soul during dinner as the mascots made their way around the room for pictures.  After the salads, we had a couple toasts by Katie-Ann’s sister and Bryan’s father.

nto the room to Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” with a huge banner.

After dinner we had the Sugarland cake cutting to Uncle Kracker’s “Smile” and Katie-Ann joined her father on the floor to dance to Ray Allaire’s “A Song For My Daughter” and Bryan danced with his mother to “What A Wonderful World”.  Before I opened the floor to everyone, Katie-Ann and Bryan’s wedding party joined them on the floor to dance to “Carolina Girls”.  Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight” opened the floor to everyone including a couple ballroom dancers.  After that, some oldies and current dance music kept the floor filled for the next 3 ½ hours!  We only stopped briefly for the bouquet toss to “Single Ladies”, garter removal to “American Woman” by Lenny Kravitz and toss to “Wild Thing” by Tone Loc.

For the rest of the evening guests danced, enjoyed the dessert/candy station by Candyland buffets, visited the Sugarland gelato bar and had pictures taken in the Laugh Out Loud Photo Booth.  For their last dance Katie-Ann and Bryan danced to “Carolina In My Mind” and had guests make a “Tunnel Of Love” line on the dance floor that they made their exit through.  What a fun group to play for and I have said it before, Katie-Ann was one of the most “excited to be marrying him” brides I have played for!  Thank you Katie-Ann for having me as your DJ and Thank you Bryan for your many years of service to our country!

Some photo's by Brian Mullins Photography (the good ones..ha ha)

Moore/Vane wedding at The Carolina Inn

Shannon and Alex had their official NC wedding ceremony and reception at Chapel Hill’s historic Carolina Inn on Saturday November 15^th, 2014.  They both are in the service so do not see each other much, even though they were married 2 years ago.  The outdoor wedding ceremony started a little after the UNC/Pitt football game got out..and yes, Carolina won in the last minute.

I was thrilled to be working with the Inn’s Melissa Sayre, planner Tia Jones from Erin McLean Events and world class photographer Shane Snider!  For the cocktail hour, Shannon and Alex had an acoustic guitarist, Dave from Save The Date Music. The cocktail hour ended and the doors to the Old Well Room opened.  I had light standards playing as guests found their tables in the black and white ballroom that was decorated with beautiful floral arrangements by Lyn at Fresh Affairs.  The wedding party came dancing into the room to “Happy” and Shannon and Alex to “I Do” by Colbie Caillat.  They came down the stairs and right into their first dance, “You and I” by Michael Buble that they both sang to each other like they were the only ones in the room.  After that, guests took their seats and the 3 courses of soup, salad and entrée’s came out.  For dinner I continued standards playing.

 

As dinner wound down, we had a few toasts and the Sugarland cake cutting to Queen’s  “You’re My Best friend”.  Shannon made her way back to the floor and danced with her father to “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw and Alex escorted his mother to the floor for their dance to “93 Million Miles” by Jason Mraz.  I opened the floor to the wedding party to “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and then for everyone to “Crank That” by Soulja Boy because that is the song Shannon was dancing to when Alex first saw her and went up to meet her. LOL, classic!!  After that, “My Girl” brought everyone out for the remained of the night.

After some oldies, line dances and current dance music it was time for the bouquet toss to “PYT” and garter toss to “Keep Your Hands To Yourself”, then back to dancing to 80’s and current music.  We ended the night with “At Last” and then a soul train line dance to the end of “Shout” that Shannon and Alex exited to.  What a fun night and a wonderful group to play to!

Palecek/Huber wedding at The Umstead in Cary NC

Wendy and Kyle chose Cary’s 5 star Umstead Hotel and Spa for both ceremony and reception on a beautiful November 8^th day with The Umstead’s planner Margaret Northrup.  I knew this was going to be an awesome party when I met Wendy!  She was so excited and happy! 

The ceremony was held out back in the courtyard with minister Barbara Lodge who always done a fantastic job and is a pleasure to work with!  As guests arrived I had a mix of classic love songs playing.  It was time for the ceremony to start and the grandparents and parents came down the isle to “Canon In D”, the wedding party (including Yuki their puppy) to “A Thousand Years” by Sherron Brown and Wendy and her father to Kim Taylor’s “I Am You”.  After Barbara’s beautiful ceremony, the wedding party exited to Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit Of Happiness (Steve Aoki remix))”. LOL!  Guests made their way through the hotel to the cocktail hour and there was a bit of energy in the air because they passed Dave Chappelle chillin’ in the lounge!! 

As guests arrived to the cocktail hour I had a mix of trip-hop/chill music playing by the likes of Thievery Corporation, Gotan Project and Bebel Gilberto among others.  Very cool playlist and really set the tone that this was not going to be the typical wedding reception.  Photographers Taylor & Maria West from Zozo photography were there to take pics through the night.  As the cocktail hour wrapped up, the doors to the ballroom opened and the 60 guests found their tables.

The wedding party entered to T.I.’s “Whatever You Like” and Wendy and Kyle came in and right to the floor for their first dance to “Bloodstream” by Stateless.  They were so sweet singing it to each other like they were the only ones in the room.  I opened the floor up for a short 20 minute dance set that included Motown and top 40 that had everyone dancing!  They took their seats for dinner, Wendy’s father welcomed everyone (who may or may not be Mic Jagger) and her pop-pop Paul blessed the meal.  The food stations opened including a craving station, seafood station and taco bar and I played a mix of alternative rock and classic rock during dinner.  After dinner we had 3 toasts that ended with Wendy’s brother doing the “Schmurda Dance” and then Wendy joined her father on the floor to dance to Bowie’s “Never Let Me Down”.

 

I opened the floor again with “The Cupid Shuffle” and some 70’s that filled the floor again and the Shutterbooth opened in the hallway.  After keeping them dancing for an hour or so, we paused for the cake cutting to “You Are The Best Thing” and guests helped themselves to cupcakes and desserts and came back out to the floor for more dancing.

Close to the end, Kyle’s Uncle Bill (who has been a DJ for 30 years) borrowed the mix to sing “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and “New York, New York” that did a great job!  Wendy had never heard him sing before.  We ended the night with “Sweet Caroline” and their last dance to “I’m Yours”.  What a fun crowd and I had a blast!  Thank you Wendy and Kyle and congratulations!

Vitone/Buchanan wedding at Preston Woodall House

Caitlin & Chad had both ceremony and reception at downtown Benson’s historic Preston Woodall House on a somewhat damp November 1^st day.  Even though they have a beautiful spot out back for the ceremony, we moved it inside because of weather and it was just as beautiful!  As guests arrived I had a mix of soft classical music playing.  They grandparents party came down the isle to an instrumental of “The Prayer”, the parents to “A Mother’s Heart” and the wedding party to “Who Wants To Fall In Love”.  It was time for Caitlin and her father to enter and they came down the isle to “A Thousand Years” by Sherrod Brown.  This is a perfect song for a processional all my future brides!  After the ceremony by Pastor Jimmy Dees and a vocal performance of “When I Say I Do”, it was time for their recessional to “Happy” by Pharrell.

Guests made their way to the hallway and foyer for cocktails and I had a mix of standards that was heavy on Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin for Cailtin’s Italian father and family.  After photographer Ken Tart got some pics, the doors to the ballroom opened and guests made their way to their tables.  The wedding party entered to “Happy” and straight to the dance floor for Caitlin and Chad’s first dance to “When God Made You” by Christian band Newsong.  Caitlin’s father joined her on the floor to dance to Heartland’s “I Loved Her First” and Chad then danced with his mother to “A Mother’s Prayer” by Bonnie Barbey (A great Mother/Son dance that I had not heard before this).  Pastor Jimmy blessed the food and the stations opened.  I continued a mix of standards during dinner.

After dinner we had a couple toasts and then the cake cutting to “All Of Me” by John Legend.  I opened the floor for everyone with “My Girl” that had Caitlin’s father grab the mic and sing along.  He is an excellent singer and caught everyone off guard, but filled the floor at the same time.  I played a huge mix of oldies and Motown, top 40 and a few country songs and line dances during the night for young and old to enjoy and dance to.  We paused briefly for the bouquet toss to ‘Single Ladies” and garter toss to “Another One Bites The Dust”.  We also had a money dance with both Caitlin and Chad dancing with guests that gave Maid Of Honor Lorie money to put in the bridal apron.  One of the highlights for me was a dance off between Chad and the cutest little ring bearer Caleb to “party Rock Anthem”.  They both were great, but I think Caleb got more love from the crowd.

The night ended with Caitlin and Chad’s “Last dance” by Donna Summer and I reminded everyone to turn their clocks back.  Thank you Caitlin and Chad and congratulations!  Also, a huge shout out the Joel and the staff at Preston Woodall House for the amazing job they do.