A Cotton Room Dance Party Wedding!

Chelsea & Hunter chose The Cotton Room in Durham NC for both their wedding ceremony and reception on November 5th.  I provided music and a mic for Reverend Barbara Lodge for the ceremony.  The guests arrived and I had classical pop songs playing.  The ceremony started and Chelsea walked down the aisle to “”Can’t Help Falling In Love” by The Piano Guys.  After a short ceremony that included an anniversary box to be opened on their fifth anniversary, they recessed to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”.  The 120 guests made their way to the bar for cocktails and I had a mix of standards playing as the staff flipped the room.

 

After pics were taken by photographer Christina Forbes, the white linens opened to reveal the room and guests found their seats.  The room looked beautiful with floral arrangements by Yeopim Flowers. I introduced the wedding party and they came in for their first dance to “The Only One Who Gets Me” by Charles Kelley.  Hunter then welcomed everyone and the buffet opened.  During dinner I had a mix of country, rock and classic soul playing.

After dinner we had toasts and cake cutting to “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen and the cupcake station opened.  We then had the parents dances and an anniversary dance for Chelsea & Hunter with Chelsea’s parents who were celebrating their 28^th anniversary along with her grandparents celebrating their 56^th on this day.  I opened the floor to everyone with some beach music, Motown and top 40 that filled it for the next 3 hours, mostly to top 40 since it was a younger crowd.

We ended the night with “Shout” by The Isley Brothers and a glow sticks exit.  What a fun wedding and an great couple!  Congratulations!

Photo courtesy of Christina Forbes Photography

A Cotton Room Wedding With A Dancing Ring Bearer!

Catherine and Michael’s beautiful wedding at The Cotton Room

Catherine & Michael had their wedding ceremony and reception all at The Cotton Room in Durham NC on November 4th.  As the guests arrived I had a mix of classical guitar cover’s of pop songs playing.  The room looked beautiful with floral arrangements by Tre Bella. The guests found their seats and the ceremony started.  Catherine walked down the aisle to “Canon In D” by The O’Neill Brothers Group.  After a short ceremony by minister Danny Green, the wedding party recessed to “It Takes Two” by Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston.  The guests made their way to the bar area for cocktails while photographers Thad & Sarah from 2&3 Photography got some shots.  During the cocktail hour I had a mix of jazz standards playing.

 

After the room was flipped for dinner, the 150 guests found their seats and I introduced the wedding party to “Best Day Of My Life” and Catherine & Michael came in for their first dance to “From The Ground Up” by Dan & Shay.  We then had the Parents dances, a nice welcome by Catherine’s Father and blessing by the Minister.   The buffet opened shortly and I played a mix of country and soft rock during dinner.

After dinner we had the toasts and opened the dance floor with some oldies and top 40 that filled it for the next 3 hours!  The ring bearer would not stop dancing and was actually the start of the show!  He danced for 3 hours straight and I’m sure slept for 12 after…We paused briefly for the Cinda’s Cake cutting to “How Sweet it Is” and then back to dancing until the end of the night.  We ended the night with “Dirty Bit” by The Black Eyed Peas and a sparkler exit from outside.

What a fun wedding and nice couple!  Thank you Catherine and Michael and, of course, Colton the Ring Bearer!

Photo courtesy of 2&3 Photography

A Romantic Afternoon Wedding at The Cotton Room

Monica and Shodre chose Durham NC’s Cotton Room for their wedding ceremony and reception on Sunday October 30^th.  The ceremony was held right in the middle of the room in front of a white fireplace with a huge mirror over it.  It was so charming!!  I ran the mics and music for the ceremony.  Dre and the minister entered to Jamie Foxx’s “When I First Saw You” and Monica & her father to “Giving Myself” by Jennifer Hudson.  During the ceremony they had a unity candle ceremony and during the song for prayer ring bearer Ezra sang “This Day” that literally brought tears to my eyes!  I am not kidding!!  They recessed to “Exceptional” by

Babyface and the 150 guests made their way to the back of the room for the social hour as the staff flipped the room for lunch.  I had a mix of 80’s to current R&B playing.

After some pics and video were done by Artije Photography & CLT Productions, the wedding party was ready to enter.  The guests found their seats and I introduced the wedding party.  They entered to “This Will Be” by Natalie Cole and Monica & Dre came to the floor for their first dance to “This Is Why I Love You” by Major.  Monica’s father welcomed everyone and blessed the meal and the buffet opened.  During dinner I had the same playlist playing as the social hour.

After lunch we had the cake cutting and toasts followed by an anniversary dance to “Here & Now” with the winners being married 33 years.  I opened the floor with some line dances and R&B that kept them dancing for the next hour.  It was fun seeing the kids dance to “Juju On Dat Beat” too!!  They ended the reception with a bubble exit from the front of the building.  Thank you Monica & Dre and congratulations!!

DJ Randy Bennett  www.bunndjcompany.com/RandyB

A Plantation Wedding at Rose Hill

I was thrilled to be back to Rose Hill in Nashville NC again, this time for Holly & Justin’s wedding on October 29th.  The porch their ceremony was on looks just like a 200 year old white plantation house out of the movies!  It is so beautiful. 

For their ceremony they had a live string trio, two singers, a guitarist and a reader.  The trio played the prelude music and the Parents and Grandparents entrances.  For Holly they had a singer sing a beautiful cover of “A Thousand Years”.  During the ceremony Holly & Justin took communion as one of the groomsmen played acoustic guitar and sang “When I Say I Do”.  For their recessional I played “Best day Of My Life” which was very appropriate.  The guests made their way into the main house with help from planner Kathy Deal and I had a mix of country and beach music playing for the 250 guests while Holly & Justin and the wedding party went with photographer Bill Broere & videographer Phillip Benz to get some shots.

 

After the cocktail hour the guests went to the ballroom next door for dinner and dancing.  The wedding party was introduced to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and Holly & Justin to “With This Ring”.  They came right to the floor for their first dance to “I Don’t Dance” and Holly’s father welcomed everyone and their minister blessed the meal.  During dinner I played more beach and country.

After dinner we had the toasts and cake cutting to “Sugar” by Maroon 5.  The Parents dances followed and I opened the floor to everyone with some beach music, top 40, country and line dances.  We paused briefly for the bouquet toss and garter removal, then Justin tossed the garter around a football and I played the “Monday Night Football Theme” LOL.  We ended the night with “Time Of My Life” from Dirty Dancing and a sparkler exit.

DJ Randy Bennett  www.bunndjcompany.com/RandyB

A Music Lovers Wedding

Josh and Sarah have great taste in music and I was up for the test to not play the typical cheesy wedding music, but make sure guests had a great time.  And they did!!  The wedding ceremony and reception were both held in Durham NC’s Rickhouse and I provided music and mics for them on October 28th.  Sarah walked down the aisle with her father to “It Never Entered My Mind” by Miles Davis.  One of my fav Miles songs!  After a short ceremony they recessed to “Heroes” by Bowie, another of my favorite songs.

While the room was being flipped by the staff from Durham Catering Company and planner Amy from Knots ‘N Such (who also did the floral arrangements), the guests made their way to the outdoor patio that overlooks the old Durham Bulls Stadium for cocktails. Photographer Stephanie Smith got some pics of Josh and Sarah and I had a mix of classic rock, standards and classic soul playing.  After the cocktail hour guests made their way back in for dinner and dancing. 

I introduced Josh and Sarah only to “Jammin’” by Bob Marley and they had their first dance to “That’s How Strong My Love Is” by Otis Redding. Sarah’s mother welcomed everyone and the buffet opened.  During dinner I played the same music mix.

After dinner we had the toasts and cake cutting followed by Sarah and her father’s dance to “Sarah Marie” by James Taylor that he used to sing to her as a child.  It was so sweet.  After that we had an anniversary dance and the ice cream truck out front opened for business.  I opened the dance floor with some Oldies and top 40 that soon had a filled floor for the next 2 hours.  We ended the night with “Piano Man” and a glow stick exit.  What a great couple!  Thanks Sarah & Josh and great seeing 2 past Brides of mine & Sarah’s cousins, Anna & Jessica!!