Horner/Jacobs reception at Tryon Palace in New Bern on June 7th, 2014

Tryon Palace is known for being North Carolina’s first permanent state capitol and it could not be a more beautiful place for a wedding with 72 degrees outside on this day.  It was my first time playing here and I loved it! Completed in 1770 and on Lawson Creek off the Neuse River, it is a perfect place for an outdoor wedding!  Neala and Ben had their ceremony at Isaac Taylor garden and cocktail hour in the garden of Tryon Palace with a 3 piece acoustic trio of violin, acoustic guitar and stand up bass.  The 180 guests enjoyed walking through the maze, hearing some great live acoustic music, home made sangria and passed hors d’oeuvres before coming to the tent for the reception.

It was time for the reception and guests made their way to the beautiful open air tent and found their tables and reserved seats. Neala and Ben found their seats and Neala’s father thanked everyone for coming.  I started a mix of standards and soft rock for everyone to enjoy during the plated dinner.  After dinner and a few toasts, Neala and Ben had their first dance to “In My Life” by The Beatles, Neala’s father joined her for their dance to Dylan’s “Forever Young” by Audra Mae and Ben escorted his mother to the floor for their dance to “I Hope You Dance”. 

I opened the floor with some Motown and oldies that instantly filled the floor.  I don’t know where everyone came from! Haha.. It was great to see their older guests dancing with their friends!  After about 30 min, we stopped for the cake cutting to “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys and opened the floor again with some 70’s, 80’s and current music.  We paused again for the bouquet toss to “Single Ladies” and then back to dancing.

At night, the Tryon Palace planners Anne & Cathy had about 100 glowing candles on stands sporadically placed around the outside of the tent and it really made everything like a fairytale!  It was finally time to call it a night and I played their last song for their cat, “Lola” by The Kinks and everyone sang along.  It was such a beautiful wedding reception and I loved playing at Tryon Palace!  Thank you Neala and Ben for having me and letting me help make your day perfect!  I can’t wait to see the pics by photographer Traci Arney and videographer Jeff Brewer.

Poole/Crow wedding at Edenton Street Methodist Church on May 31st, 2104

Sara and Ches chose a very special day to me to get married.  It is my fabulous sister’s birthday.  I was hired to play the social hour and reception in the fellowship hall of the Edenton Street Methodist Church for 200 people.  For the social hour I played a mix of indie and soft rock to reflect Sara and Ches’s musical taste.  I was thrilled to be working with David and Ashley from Story Photographers again on the wedding!

The wedding party arrived and Sara and Ches were ready to be introduced into the room.  I lined the wedding party up and this is the first time that every guy in the wedding party had a beard.  I think it was a pre-requisite of Ches’s.  ha ha..  Ches and his father also wore their family’s tartan kilt to represent their Scottish heritage.  So awesome! The wedding party came into the room to “Eye Of The Tiger”.  When Ches and Sara were ready to come in, I turned the music down and everyone had a small stick with a tiny bell on it.  I made everyone ring their bells for their introduction.  I was so nice and unique.  They made their way to the dance floor and had their first dance to a medley I did of 2 Jason Reeves songs.  Sara was then joined by her father to dance to the 20’s song “Baby Face”, then into “Apache” for about a minute.  What a great sport her dad was.  Ches escorted his mother to the floor to dance to a minute of “You Raised Me Up” and then with his 98 year old grandmother to “Moonlight Serenade” for another minute.  She was a big dancer back in the day.  What a wonderful moment Ches!  Sara’s father took the mic and thanked everyone and Rev Lydia Tatum blessed the food.  For dinner I continued the indie rock and soft rock playlist.

After dinner we had toasts by Ches’s father, who was also his best man, and Sara’s matron of honor and then the cake cutting to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”.  Sara got cake all over Ches’s beard. Lol..  We then had the bouquet toss to “Ladies Night” and the garter toss to “U Can’t Touch This”.  I opened the floor with some Motown and line dances that got people up and dancing for the next 2 hours.

After dancing with their friends and family to oldies, disco and some 80’s, taking selfies on the dancefloor and playing air guitar to “Don’t Stop believin’”, it was time to call it a night.  I ended the night with Hall & Oates “Sara Smile” and said fairwell to Sara and Ches.  What a wonderful couple and I was thrilled to be a part of their special day!

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!