DJ Randy Pulley

Kirlauski - Hart Wedding

2011-11-09T07:59:00.006-05:00

Jen and Derrick had their wedding reception at the beautiful Chapel Hill Country Club. Guests arrived and mingled throughout the club and in a short while were invited into the main reception area as I play jazz standards such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, or Jamie Cullum.

As the wedding party was introduced into the reception area, Jen and Derrick requested that Yeah 3x by Chris Brown play in the background. This is a great song selection as it can excite the crowd, and provide a foundation for the wedding party to have a little fun! The bride's brother, Joseph Kirlauski, certainly know's how to enter a room!

Jen and Derrick immediately went into their first dance to Oh Love by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood. This was the first time I have played this song. Great selection! Jen then danced with her father to Walk With You by Edwin McCain - another great selection! In fact, later in the evening, I had two people ask me the name and artist for the father/daughter song. Also, Derrick danced with his mother to Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.

Since dinner comprised of various serving stations, we were able to open the dance floor right away...and the guests responded! They were a very nice and lively group so they immediately started dancing to a few slow songs and oldies.

Later in the evening, Darren Hart, Kathryn Sutherland, and Carrie Kirlauski toasted the bride and groom. All did a really nice job. Jen and Derrick then cut their cake and requested that Vanilla Twilight by Owl City be played in the background.

Then it was back to dancing as guests enjoyed artists such as N'Sync, Zac Brown Band, Journey, Orleans, Rascall Flatts, and Chubby Checker. Speaking of Chubby Checker, the Twist was a big hit with everyone, especially the Father of the Bride - Michael Kirlauski. In fact, the FOB was quite a dancer. He even asked that we play Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me by Gladys Knight & The Pips...a personal favorite of mine as well because it was the song I danced to with my wife when I married.

We also had an Anniversary Dance to celebrate marriage and to find out who had been married the longest. There were two couples that had been married for over 40 years!

Getting back to Joseph, both he and Lindsey had a great time showing people how to dance to Gold Digger!

Jen had alot of single girlfriends at the wedding so she tossed the bouquet and selected Only Girl (In The World) by Rihanna and Derrick tossed the garter and selected Another One Bites The Dust by Queen.

The last dance of the evening was A Little More by Skillet.

Both Jen and Derrick are a great couple with fun family and friends! I wish them all the best!

Pope - Lythgoe Wedding

2011-10-31T09:43:00.025-04:00

Many parts of the world descended on Raleigh this past weekend to join in the celebration and marriage of Nick and Brandy Lythgoe at the Brier Creek Country Club. While this is a beautiful room as is, Graham and Kathryn Lythgoe, created and designed a room that was very elegant. The tables were different shapes including square, rectangular, and round. There were different heights as well too to give the room dimension. To help Graham and Kathryn meet their vision, Rick Bryda of Total Production Services provided perimeter lighting around the room, pinspot lights for the tables, and a dance floor light show to bring even more energy during dancing.

We started the evening with guests enjoying jazz standards. Shortly thereafter, I announced the wedding party into the ballroom while playing Let's Get It Started by the Black Eyed Peas in the background. Brandy and Nick immediately went into their first dance to I Won't Let Go by Rascal Flatts.

As the father of the groom, Graham Lythgoe welcomed everyone. He named several countries in which people had originated their trip. With a little tongue in cheek, Graham also said 'thanks' on behalf of a few major airlines, which brought on several laughs.

Following a blessing by Rob Burns, guests were treated many different dishes as they were placed by more than 22 servers.

Later, Brandy and Nick cut their wedding cake as I played Sugar, Sugar by The Archies in the background. Shortly, toasts were provided by Dale Pope, Wendy Pope, and Jake Plotkin. Nick also spoke for a few moments by thanking everyone.

Brandy danced with her father to My Wish by Rascall Flatts. As the song ended, I mixed into You Are the Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder. During this time, Nick and his mother joined Brandy and her father on the dance floor. After a few moments into the second song, guests were invited to join on the dance floor.

We kept the guests on the dance floor as they danced to songs such as Cha Cha Slide, These Arms of Mine, On The Floor, My Girl, Just Dance, Baby Got Back, andGive Me Everything.

Since many guests had traveled from other parts of the world, Graham and Kathryn wanted to expose them to a little Carolina music. As such, there was a shag demonstration to teach people about beach music and local dancing. Guests were treated to lessons and then they got to try out their new skills on the dance floor. The instructors were great and everyone enjoyed their new dance moves.

Brandy tossed her bouquet to Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper and Nick tossed the garter to Wild Thing by The Troggs. Of course the guy that caught the garter did put it on the leg of the girl that caught the bouquet - and I played The Stripper by David Rose.

Priscilla of Orangerie Events and Shelly Rhem Keeter of Brier Creek Country Club were on top of everything and made sure the guests had a wonderful experience.

Christobal Perez of Azul Photography was there to capture all the moments. Below are some photos of his work. Please visit his website and you'll see that he is an incredible photographer.

Thank you Graham and Kathryn for all of your hard work in planning the reception. It was fabulous. Thank you Brandy and Nick for being such a fun couple!

Ligon - Tate Wedding

2011-10-25T09:37:00.009-04:00

Elizabeth and Robert had their reception at The Sutherland, a beautiful historic home in Wake Forest that is managed by the talented Ashlee Adams and Jennifer Jones.

The afternoon began with the ceremony in the walled garden. I coordinated the sound support for two officiates, two vocalists, and a guitarist. The bride and groom were in great hands during the ceremony as both Elizabeth and Robert's fathers were the officiates.

After the ceremony, guests were invited to the Groom’s Terrace for music and iced tea. Guests listened to music such as jazz standards by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, or Diana Krall. Other selections were by Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews, and other adult contemporary artists.

Shortly, I introduced the wedding party and played I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts in the background. However, the father of the bride, Charles, had the honor of introducing the bride and groom - a wonderful personal touch.

Guests were directed to a tent located just off the Groom's Terrace for dinner. The food was provided by Shucker's. The food looked fantastic and their staff were very friendly and professional.

Elizabeth and Robert’s taste in music was creative, fun, and light. Their first dance song was The Way You Look Tonight by Tony Bennett (great version of this song!). Elizabeth danced with her father to I Loved Her First by Hearland.

Later, Chris Stevens, Katie Fields, and Erin Thornton toasted the bride and groom. Elizabeth and Robert then cut their cake as I played L-O-V-E by Nat and Natalie Cole.

Elizabeth tossed her bouquet to P.Y.T. by Michael Jackson and Robert removed the garter to All Shook Up by Elvis Presley. We had a little more fun as the guy that caught the garter put it on the leg of the girl that caught the bouquet.

Elizabeth and Robert had picked out some really fun songs for the reception includingTwist and Shout, Cupid Shuffle, Build Me Up Buttercup, Billie Jean, Sweet Home Alabama, Brown Eyed Girl, and Y.M.C.A.

Last Dance Song of the evening was Crazy Love by Van Morrison and then guests were asked to line the long walkway with sparklers and await Elizabeth and Robert’s departure.

I had the chance to work again with Hilton and his team from Hilton Pittman Photograhpy. If you have never seen his work, I really encourage you to visit hiswebsite.

Thanks again Elizabeth and Robert for being so much fun!

Puryear - Anderson Wedding

2011-10-17T10:45:00.005-04:00

Amanda Puryear and Daniel Anderson had their wedding reception at the North Carolina Museum of Art. We started with announcing the wedding party into the reception area. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were introduced to I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts. Amanda and Daniel were announced to God Gave Me Youby Blake Shelton.

Amanda and Daniel immediately went into their first dance to Marry Me by Train. Amanda then danced with her father to My Little Girl by Tim McGraw. Daniel danced with his mother to You'll Be In My Heart by Phil Collins (great Disney song).

We then had beautiful toasts by Mitchell Puryear - Father of the Bride, and Lyn Anderson - Father of the Groom.

Guests enjoyed songs such as My Girl, Carolina Girls, Push It, I Do, Sweetest Thing.Popular generas included beach Music, Motown, Rock, and Current.

Hyman - Howard Wedding

2011-10-10T09:02:00.010-04:00

Casey Hyman and Elliot Howard held their wedding reception at the MacGregor Downs Country Club. We started with announcing the wedding party into the reception area under a tent on the backside of the club. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were introduced to Dynamite by Taio Cruz. Elliot and Casey were introduced to Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen.

Casey and Elliot immediately went into their first dance to Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. Afterwards dinner was served.

Shortly, Cader Howard and Kaitlin McCormick toasted the bride and groom. We then cut the wedding cake as I played When I'm Sixty-Four by The Beatles.

Casey then danced with her father to My Kind of Girl by Billy Scott (great shag tune). Elliot then danced with his mother to You've Got A Friend by James Taylor.

The dance floor was now open as guests enjoyed songs such as The Joker, Cupid Shuffle, Party Rock Anthem, Footloose, and Booti Call.

Casey tossed her bouquet to It's Raining Men by The Weather Girls. Elliot tossed the garter to Legs by ZZ Top.

Lighting was by Simpsound. Also, Shawn Schindler of Your Special Day, Weddings and Special Events did a wonderful job keeping everything moving and planning the overall wedding.

Pruss - Hiller Wedding

2011-10-03T13:38:00.012-04:00

Debbie Pruss and Dan Hiller held their wedding reception at the beautiful Embassy Suites Brier Creek. The evening started with a cocktail hour on the patio as guests enjoyed jazz standards.

Once the cocktail hour was over, it was my turn to take over. We started with announcing the wedding party into the reception area. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were introduced to Beautiful Day by U2. Debbie and Dan were introduced to In The Air by Phil Collins. I had cue'd the song up to the drum solo for a dramatic entrance.

Debbie and Dan immediate went into their first dance to Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviazuk. Afterwards dinner was served.

Shortly, Chris Ellen and Liz Quinn toasted the bride and groom. We then cut the wedding cake as I played You're My Best Friend by Queen.

Debbie then danced with her father to Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion. Dan the danced with his mother to My Wish by Rascal Flatts.

The dance floor was now open as guests enjoyed songs such as Someone Like You by Adele,The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli, Daniel by Elton John, Ignition by R. Kelly, andPush It by Salt n Pepa.

Debbie tossed her bouquet to Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper. Dan tossed the garter to Wild Thing by Tone Loc.

The last dance song of the evening was Bring It On Home by Little Big Town.

Kendall - Baglio Wedding

2011-09-25T11:56:00.013-04:00

Heather and Brian had their reception at the Carolina Club in Chapel Hill, a wonderful place for an intimate, grandiose, quaint, or elaborate wedding.

We began the evening with a cocktail hour as listened to music such as jazz standards by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, or Diana Krall.

After the cocktail hour, the wedding party was introduced into the main ballroom. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were introduced to Yeah 3x by Chris Brown. Then Brian carried Heather into the ballroom while the Superman theme song played in the background.

Heather and Brian thought they were going right into their first dance. However, Barry Kendell, Father of the Bride had secretly arranged for the UNC Brass Quartet to play "Hark the Sounds of Carolina" as guests sang the lyrics.

Heather and Brian then had their first dance to At Last by Etta James.

We then moved to welcoming remarks, blessing, and meal. Afterwards, Heather danced with her father to Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman and then Brian danced with him mother to I Hope You Dance by Leann Womack.

We then opened the dance floor and this crowd was ready to dance and party! Some of the big artists were Chairman of the Board, Meat Loaf, Bruce Springsteen, Usher, Rihanna, Rick Springfield, Sean Paul, Katy Perry, and The Beatles.

Later, Brian and Heather had their toasts and cake cutting as Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat played in the background during the cake cutting.

Heather tossed her bouquet to Just a Girl by No Doubt (one of my personal favs) and Brian removed the garter to Pour Some Sugar on Me.

Last Dance Song of the evening was Eddie Money's Take Me Home Tonight. As guest left the room, Another One Bites the Dust by Queen played in the background.

Photography was by Graham Terhune and his wife, Samantha. They stayed on the action all night. Note the photos below are not their work. Just me taking a few pics from the stage. I am quite certain Graham and Samantha took much better photos!

Thanks to Bunn DJ Company for allowing me to be the DJ.

Thanks again Brian and Heather for being so much fun!

Bhagat - Ziemba Wedding

2011-09-18T12:08:00.011-04:00

Joey Ziemba and Ankur Bhagat had both their ceremony and reception at the beautiful Se7en, Raleigh's most unique event space. The ceremony began with Joey riding in on a horse. How awesome! Be sure to see the photo below.

I provided the music and sound support for the Hindu marriage. What a beautiful ceremony consisting of rituals and symbolic gestures taking place under a decorated canopy or mandapam. Music was played very softly in the background during the one hour ceremony as the priest performed the ceremonial rituals and talked through the ceremony so that guests could understand all that he was performing.

After the ceremony, and changing the room for a reception, Joey and Ankur were introduced to Lucky by Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz. There were many other family members and close friends that were recognized during the announcements and Joey and Ankur's comments.

We immediately followed the announcements with a toast, and then cake cutting (played How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You by James Taylor).

Joey and Ankur went into their first dance to Only You Can Love Me This Way by Keith Urban.They looked great on the dance floor. I think they are ready for 'Dancing With the Stars!'

Joey then danced with his mother to In My Life by The Beatles. Another stellar moment.

At this point, I then turned the music to another room with Se7en called the C of Dreams Salon. A beautiful room that was perfect for dancing! Guests danced the night away to Bollywood, Bhangra, and Club music. Be sure to see the photos below.

Mitchell's Catering did a fantastic job with the food and cake as they provided different serving stations throughout all of Se7en. I know that Ankur was pleased as well, especially with the cake. When she first saw the cake, all Ankur could say over and over was "oh my god!"

This is one wedding that everyone is going to remember for a long time. What fun!

Eubanks - Higgins Wedding

2011-07-13T18:34:00.008-04:00

Sonja Eubanks and Robert Higgins had their wedding at the beautiful Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. Devon Swartz and her team really did a great job with the room and meal. In fact, I think there were five courses that were served. That was quite a bit of work!

We began the Saturday afternoon reception with a reception in the foyer just outside the Old Well Room. Guests enjoyed music such as Jazz Standards by Sinatra or Tony Bennett. I also weaved in Soft Rock by Colbie Caillat or Jason Mraz.

We then transitioned everyone from the foyer to the Old Well Room as I introduced the wedding party. During introductions, I played I Do by Colbie Caillat.

Sonja and Robert went immediately into their first dance to Marry Me by Train. This band is a long time favorite of Sonja's. In fact, the song came out about a week just before she got engaged and Sonja had a feeling this song was meant for she and Robert.

Afterwards, there were some welcoming remarks by the Sonja and Robert. Then, Tom Higgins blessed the meal.

After dinner, we immediately went to toasts and then the cake cutting. The song for the cake cutting was At Last by Etta James.

Then it was time to open the dance floor. This was a great dancing crowd for a mid-day wedding. Guests enjoyed Top 40, Motown, Beach Music, and Oldies.

Later in the afternoon, Sonja tossed her bouquet to I'm Yours by Jason Mraz. We also had a special recognition for the Jr. Bridesmaids as they danced to That's Amore.

Photography was by Mike Bayley Photography. Mike was on top of all the action throughout the entire afternoon.

Joy Edwards with A Joyful Occasion was the wedding coordinator and planner for the evening. Joy is awesome and really kept everything together for Sonja and Robert.

Kuhn - Godown Wedding

2011-06-21T14:07:00.008-04:00

Nicole Kuhn and Justin Godown had their wedding at the beautiful Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. We began the Sunday evening reception with a cocktail hour in the foyer just outside the Old Well Room. Guests enjoyed music such as Jazz Standards by Sinatra or Tony Bennett. I also weaved in Soft Rock by Dave Matthews or Jason Mraz.

We then transitioned everyone from the foyer to the Old Well Room as I introduced the wedding party. During introductions, I played I Will Be There by Van Morrison.

Nicole and Justin went immediately into their first dance to Sweet Pea by Amos Lee. What a great song, and one that I have not played before for the first dance.

Afterwards, there were some welcoming remarks by the Father of the Bride – Jerry Kuhn. Then, Justin’s Uncle Larry blessed the meal.

After dinner, we continued with the reception as Nicole danced with her father to Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. Justin then danced with his mother to I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack. We immediately went to toasts and then the cake cutting.

Then it was time to open the dance floor. This was a great dancing crowd for a Sunday night. Guests enjoyed Top 40, Motown, Beach Music, and Oldies. Some of the requested songs included Right Round, Firework, Raise Your Glass, and Big Butt.

The groomsmen wanted to play a joke on Justin. So we had to play YMCA for the groom. Justin was a great sport and joined the guys on the floor as they spelled out the words. Another fun part of the evening was inviting Dr. Wood to the dance floor as I played Lady Gaga.

Photography was by Dara Blakeley Photography. The team was on top of all the action throughout the entire evening.

Sally Oakley was the wedding coordinator and planner for the evening. Sally is awesome and really kept everything together for Nicole and Justin.

Paden - Self Wedding

2011-06-21T14:01:00.012-04:00

Erika Paden and David Self held their wedding reception at the beautiful Sister’s Garden. The evening started with a string trio for the cocktail hour. I had set up before the guests arrived, so I was able to enjoy the strings as well.

Once the cocktail hour was over, it was my turn to take over. We started with announcing the wedding party into the reception area. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were introduced to Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. Erika and David were introduced to I Gotta’ Feelin’ by Black Eyed Peas.

Jeff Paden, father of the bride, had some welcoming remarks and then there was a blessing for the meal.

After dinner, we started dancing with Erika and David’s first dance as husband and wife. Their song was True Companion by Marc Cohen. Afterwards, Erika danced with her father toCinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman. David also danced with his mother to In My Life by The Beatles.

We then opened the dance floor to beach music, Motown, Oldies, and Top 40. Everyone seemed to enjoy Michael Jackson, Earth Wind and Fire, Four Seasons, and The Foundations.

Later in the evening, Jason Horn, Best Man, and Alethia Rigsby, Matron of Honor, presented a toast to the bride and groom. Afterwards, Erika and David cut their cake as I played This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole.

Erika also had a bouquet toss, and I must say, this was the most creative and thoughtful bouquet I have seen. Erika’s bouquet had tulips, but she also included gift certificates for coffee shops, movie theaters, etc. Awesome idea!

The last dance song of the evening was The Best Is Yet To Come by Frank Sinatra. Very appropriate.

Photography was by my very good friend, Roger Winstead of Winstead Photography. We had a great time collaborating throughout the evening. Be sure to check out his work below and on his website by selecting the link above.

Moss - Rogers Wedding

2011-05-09T21:11:00.006-04:00

Kristy and Spencer had their reception at The Sutherland, a beautiful historic home in Wake Forest that is managed by the talented Ashlee Adams and Jennifer Jones.

We began the evening with a cocktail hour on the Groom’s Terrace. Guests listened to music such as jazz standards by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, or Diana Krall. Other selections were by Jason Mraz, Dave Matthews, and other adult contemporary artists.

After the cocktail hour, guests directed to reception garden whereby the wedding party was introduced as they entered the area from within the house. The bridesmaids and groomsmen were introduced to I Gotta Feelin’ by Black Eyed Peas. Then Kristy and Spencer were introduced to Forever by Chris Brown.

Kristy and Spencer’s taste in music is fun and light. So I wasn’t surprised when Kristy said her first dance song would be Grow Old With You by Adam Sandler. All the guest enjoyed this light-hearted song while the lyrics seemed to ring true of Kristy and Spencer’s devotion to each other.

Kristy then danced with her father to My Girl by Temptations and Spencer danced with his mother to Make Someone Happy by Jimmy Durante.

We actually had a fourth dance as Spencer danced with Kristy’s mother and then Kristy danced with, well, I wasn’t sure…but I figured it out later. It was Uncle Jim (the man that didn’t need an introduction, ha!). The song was My Wish by Rascal Flatts.

After a few opening remarks by Father of Bride, Jim Moss, and a blessing by Uncle Jim Sink, meals were served by the wonderful Catering Works.

Later, Kristy and Spencer had their toasts and cake cutting. Then came a big surprise! I asked all the guests to direct their attention to the sky as everyone enjoyed a spectacular fireworks display. This was a special treat that you rarely see at a wedding. That’s one of the perks of having your wedding at The Sutherland…you can do almost anything, including fireworks.

Kristy tossed her bouquet to Single Ladies and Spencer removed the garter to Hot for the Teacher.

Kristy had picked out some really fun songs for the reception including All I Want is You from the Juno Soundtrack. Also, worked in I’m Yours by Jason Mraz, Prince Royce’s Stand by Me and Elvis Crespo’s Suave.

Last Dance Song of the evening was Crazy In Love by Beyonce’ and then guests were asked to line the long walkway with sparklers and await Kristy and Spencer’s departure.

I got to see my wonderful friends from college – Ponch and Charlene Ochoa. They hadn’t aged one day!

Thanks again Kristy and Spencer for being so much fun!

Riley – Winoski Wedding

2011-05-09T21:05:00.005-04:00

A wedding, hail, and a tornado….er, high winds, power loss, and candles. Yes, this is a wedding ceremony and reception to remember, but not because of the storm, but because of Christy and Trey, and the Preston Woodall House team.

Christy and Trey’s day began with the usual activities of getting ready for a wedding. As all the vendors were setting up for the event, everyone knew that a storm was approaching the area, but didn’t really know what to expect. Moments before Christy was to walk down the aisle, high winds began blowing and hail started falling to the ground and against at the house. Diane, the wonderfully talented event manager at Preston Woodall, kept everyone calm by taking the lead and asking everyone to gather in a safe part of the house. After about 15 minutes of uncertainty while standing in the middle of the house, or the ladies restroom (interesting), the winds calmed and the sky’s opened to bright sunshine. The only issue was that we had lost electrical power, and the ceremony had been moved indoors (earlier) due to the impending weather.

During the entire time, I am thinking that Christy is all to pieces because the wedding she had been working so hard to plan for the past several months was no longer outside under the Preston Woodall’s beautiful pavilion. Nor would there be electricity for lights, or music (ugh).

However, I was completely wrong. Christy and Trey showed perseverance by being completely calm and adapting to the change in the ceremony plans. As mentioned, the ceremony had been moved indoors. In fact, it was really a beautiful ceremony setting with candles illuminating the aisle. Also, we were able to provide the music as well. I had prepared the ceremony music on CDs as a backup, and it turned out that the Preston Woodall had a boom box with batteries. So I DJ’d there ceremony through a boom box. Classic! I was just happy that we were able to have music for the prelude, processional, and recessional. Even more important, I was happy there was music for Christy as she walked down the aisle.

After the ceremony, the electrical power did come back within about an hour (right after the Father of the Bride had moved his motor home within close proximity of me so that I could use his generator). Thanks Dain, I really appreciated the gesture!

We began the reception with wedding party introductions. As I announced the bridesmaids and groomsmen, we played Crazy in Love by Beyonce. Then Christy and Trey were announced to Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat – which turned into their first dance.

Then, Christy danced with her father to I Loved Her First by Heartland. Then Trey danced to All to You by DJ Keo. After a blessing and a few welcoming remarks, dinner was served.

After dinner, Christy and Trey cut their cake as I played Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations. By the way, stand back when Diane of Preston Woodall prepares the cake for serving. She is incredible when it comes to readying the cake to those with a sweet tooth.

Later in the evening, Christy threw out her bouquet to Single Ladies and Trey removed the garter to Hot for the Teacher (I am sure you can figure out why we played this song). This was a great dancing crowd as they enjoyed all styles of music. Last dance song of the night was Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Buble’.

April Sirit with Evoke Photography was there to capture all the fun on camera. Working with April is always a treat. Her line of the evening, after taking a photo of me, “hmm, I’ll have to Photoshop that!” In laymen’s terms, that means “edit.” Just glad I didn’t break the camera.

Thanks again Trey and Christy for being such a wonderful couple with your patience and kindness.

Heath - Stecklein Wedding

2011-04-09T22:29:00.002-04:00

Catherine and Adam had their ceremony and reception at the beautiful Bay 7 at the American Tobacco. The afternoon began with a cocktail hour at the top level overlooking the reception area. Guests listened to jazz standards by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, etc., while newer artists such as MGMT, Phoenix, Postal Service, and Death Cab for Cutie were mixed into the set.

After an hour of cocktails, the wedding party and Catherine/Adam were announced into the reception to Darkness-I Believe in a Thing Called Love and MGMT-Kids, respectively. Very cool song selections. Catherine and Adam immediately held their first dance as husband and wife to Do You Remember by Jack Johnson.

We then moved to dinner and then we continued the reception. Other special dances included Catherine dancing with her father to Blessed by Elton John followed by Adam dancing with his mother to Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.

Afterwards, the dance floor opened to a packed crowd. Artists that came from the bride and groom request list included Outkast, Rolling Stones, Temptations, Journey, and Jack Johnson. There were some great requests from guests as well including Lupe Fiasco, Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Tupac. I think we even worked in Juvenile's Slow Motion for Catherine.

Later in the evening, Catherine and Adam cut their cake to Such Great Heights by Postal Service.

Sally Oakely Personalized Wedding Planning was there and keep everything on schedule so that the bride and groom could simply enjoy the evening. Sally and her team were there early making the final touches before the bride and groom arrived. In addition, they stayed until the end to make sure the evening was perfect.

DJ Struntz and Logan Mock-Bunting of Eyeconic Images were were on hand too and stayed on top of all the action. They really watched the crowd and captured moments both on and off the dance floor.

Garner - Gagliano Wedding

2011-03-19T22:34:00.001-04:00

Andrea Garner and Joseph Gagliano had their reception at The Carolina Trace Country Club in Sanford, NC. Both the location and staff are excellent. Jen at Carolina Trace was in charge for the evening and did a great job with managing the reception.

The afternoon began with cocktails on the patio as guests listened to sounds of Dave Matthews, Jamie Cullum, and jazz standards.

After an hour, guests were invited into the ballroom. At that time, I went outside to line up the wedding party so they can be introduced into the reception. The wedding party entered the ballroom while dancing to Forever by Chris Brown. Andrea and Joe entered to Skys the Limit by Jason Derulo. They had fun with the song as Andrea pushed Joe away, but then worked her magic and got him in even closer they immediately had their first dance to I Swear by All 4 One.

The wedding party and guests were then treated to dinner. This was a chance to play some artists requested by Andrea and Joe such as Frank Sinatra or Billy Joel. In fact, I worked in New York State of Mind and Vienna.

Once dinner ended, Andrea danced with her father to Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle and then Joe danced with his mother to Mama by Boyz II Men.

We opened the dance floor to oldies, beach, Motown, and Top 40. Some of the big songs for the evening included On the Floor by J-Lo, Under the Boardwalk by The Drifters, Dynamite by Taio Cruz, and Mo Money Mo Problems. Another big song was Shots by Lil' Jon. Everybody was screamin' "Everybody!" if you know the song.

Other special songs included Andrea and Joe dancing to She’s Got a Way by Billy Joel and Andrea and her father to This I Promise You by N’Sync.

Later in the evening, Andrea tossed her bouquet to Wishin’ and Hopin’ by Ani DiFranco and then Joe removed the garter to Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood.

As an ADPi from Appalachian State University, Andrea was treated to a surprise sing-along toSweet Home Alabama and a serenade by her sorority sisters.

The photographer was Stacia Harrington Photography. They were a lot of fun to work with throughout the evening and stayed on top of the action.

Also, Twenty One Films provided video services. They were very astute to sound for the evening and wanted to get the best possible quality. Therefore, we worked together so they could pull sound directly from the mixing board. They too stayed on top of the action.

Raleigh Bridal Fair

2011-01-12T20:38:00.005-05:00

Join me on January 23rd for a casual, relaxed and informative afternoon in the heart of downtown, where you can meet one-on-one with the Triangle's top wedding professionals representing every facet of your wedding, including: Your Special Day Weddings & Special Events, Priscilla of Boston, Greg Warren Flowers,Lady Fingers, Emory Lane Photography, Ashley Cakes, The Stockroom, Simpsound Lighting, CE Rentals, Barbour and Hinton, Weddings Magazine, and Travel Network.

Register for door prizes and enjoy music and hors d'oeuvres. Free parking is available on Fayetteville Street and at all Raleigh public parking decks.

Registration website: www.raleighbridalfair.blogspot.com

Lisa & Richard's Wedding

2010-11-23T22:07:00.016-05:00

Lisa and Richard are avid rock climbers, so they, ahem, 'tied the knot' at the beautiful Cotton Room in Durham. As guests began to arrive and be seated, they enjoyed the sounds of a pianist playing wedding ceremony music. I provided both the piano for the ceremony, sound support, and a microphone for Becky Sansbury of Triangle Custom Weddings.

Becky had arrived early to conduct a sound check. Given the cavernous room and high ceilings, Becky wanted to ensure that each word she spoke was clearly understood. So she took the time to better understand the pace in which she should talk. A real pro for sure.

After the ceremony, I played jazz standards as the caterer went to work at 'flipping' the room from a ceremony to the reception.

We began the reception with announcing only Lisa and Richard. They immediately went into their first dance to "Everything" by Michael Buble'.

Following dinner, Lisa danced with her father to "Sunrise, Sunset" and then Richard danced with his mother to "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong.

Later in the evening, the guests were treated to a singing performance by Kelley Goins as she sang "You've Got a Way" while I played the instrumental version of the song. Kelley had a beautiful voice and sounded better than Shania Twain!

Lisa had provided me with a few song ideas to weave in throughout the evening. Many of the suggestion were from Broadway musicals. Its rare that I receive these requests, but I truly enjoyed playing selections such as "Seasons of Love" from Rent, "One" from A Chorus Line, and my all time favorite, "Defying Gravity" from Wicked.

The evening ended with Lisa and Richard heading out under a sparkler sendoff. A fun evening all the way around.

Carrie R. Richardson Photography was there to capture all of the events of the evening. As shown in their work below, they did a wonderful job with the minimal light in the room all the while capturing the wonderful architecture of the location and the fun had by guests.

Taylor - Jarrell Wedding

2010-11-22T18:03:00.017-05:00

Meredith and Josh had their reception at the Hilton Raleigh-Durham. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, so guests enjoyed a cocktail hour on the front porch while listening to beach, reggae, rock, and jazz standards.

Once the wedding party arrived, Reta and Meredith of French 75 Events were on the spot with coordinating the reception by ushering the guests inside for the wedding party introductions into the reception area.

After the announcements, Meredith and Josh immediately went into their first dance to Crazier by Taylor Swift. Meredith then danced with her father to Forever Young by Rod Stewart. Josh then danced with his mother to A Song for My Son by Mikki Viereck.

After a few welcoming remarks, blessing, and dinner, French 75 Events decided to keep the afternoon flowing and quickly coordinated the toast. The bride and groom then cut their cake as I played How Sweet It Is by James Taylor.

We opened the dance floor as guests enjoyed different songs and artists selected by the bride such as Cupid Shuffle, Hootie & The Blowfish, Journey, and beach music. Their 4 year-old nephew, Ashton, was a hit as he controlled the dance floor to Flo'rida, Black Eyed Peas, and Justin Bieber.

Later in the evening, Meredith tossed her bouquet to Single Ladies and Josh tossed the garter to Love Is A Battlefield by Pat Benetar.

The bride and groom enjoyed a sparkler send-off at the end of the evening.

Lauren Mann Photography was there to capture all the moments of the evening. Lauren was all smiles throughout the afternoon and worked the entire room for some great shots.

Prasad - Cullinane Wedding

2010-11-21T18:55:00.012-05:00

One of my favorite experiences about weddings is the exposure to new music and cultural diversity. This wedding story has much to tell about Bollywood dancing, Indian food, singing, and many great surprises.

Shannon and Bryce had their reception at the Walnut Creek Country Club in Goldsboro, NC. The evening started with guests enjoying music outside of the entranceway. However, it was a chilly evening, so most of the 350 people gathered in the foyer to stay warm, but were quickly ushered into the ballroom by Shawn Schindler of Your Special Day Weddings and Special Events. People were then greeted by sounds of Louis Armstrong, Cole Porter, Diana Krall, Jamie Cullum, etc.; lighting by Jeff Simpson of Simpsound; and neatly positioned chairs and perfectly straightened linens that had been re-positioned by Shawn just moments before the doors flew open. Yes, Shawn has a keen-eye for detail and she worked hard to ensure the room was just right as guests entered the ballroom.

Following the cocktail hour, the wedding party was announced into the ballroom. I began the introductions while playing “Forever” by Chris Brown. The father of the bride, Dr. Krishnaprasad, personally introduced the bride and groom.

Afterwards, guests were treated to both American and Indian food. Shortly thereafter, the evening takes off and we’re coordinating many carefully planned events and surprises for the evening.

First, Shannon and Bryce had their first dance to “Forever” by Ben Harper. Afterwards, Shannon and Bryce were treated to a surprise ‘bollywood dance’ performance.

Then, the cake was rolled to the center of the dance floor for Shannon and Bryce’s cake cutting. There was a toast by the best man and father of the bride. Shannon then took the microphone in order to say a few words to Bryce. Shannon starting talking, but then said she can better ‘sing’ how she feels – the second big surprise of the evening (secretly planned by Shannon for a very long time.) All of a sudden, from a corner located near the stage in which I was positioned, a pianist and cellist began playing and Shannon began to sing to Bryce. She was very emotional during the performance, but sang like a pro. Given the size of the room, we had positioned a microphone on both the piano and cellist. The sound mix was excellent.

After a resounding applause by the guests, Shannon then left the room to change into her second dress for the evening. We opened the dance floor for a while as guests enjoyed both traditional music and Indian music. I loved watching the energy on the dance floor as guests danced to the Indian music.

Shannon rejoined the reception in her second dress by immediately dancing with her father to “In My Life” by The Beatles. We then had another surprise for the evening as Shannon had a special Indian dance with her cousins.

We then moved back to open dancing and I mixed more traditional music with Indian music throughout the evening. There was a garter and bouquet toss, and then more dancing.

Shawn was in full control of the evening all the while working with Shannon and Gail (mother of the bride.) Shawn brought together the Walnut Creek staff, Ashley Stephenson and David Teeter of Story Photographer s, me of course, and the two lighting and one sound technician I had on staff to assist me with the evening. This was an A+ team for sure.

Ashley and David (happy feet) were fun to work with throughout the evening. I mention ‘happy feet’ because David could really move on the floor and reminded me of the movie. Ashley and David were on the dance floor capturing these wonderful shots below.

The evening ended with a sparkler exit at midnight outside the front of the country club. A great wedding for a wonderful family. All of the planning by Shannon, Gail, and Shawn had made for the perfect evening.

Steve & Stacey - Wedding

2010-10-03T21:45:00.003-04:00

Steve and Stacey had both their ceremony and reception at the beautiful Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill. The ceremony was officiated by Ed and Becky Sansbury of Triangle Custom Weddings.

The evening began for me with the announcement of Steve and Stacey into the ballroom. They immediately went into their first dance to Sister Hazel's This Kind of Love. Really a beautiful song and a great band.

Dinner began with the Thom Wilkinson Duo playing jazz standards. Thom was on the piano and he was accompanied by Tim Smith on flute and sax. Tim even provided some vocals for a few songs. Given the intimacy of the evening, both Thom and Tim really complemented the vibe for dinner.

After a couple hours of the jazz duo, I began playing music and opened the dance floor with beach and Motown. Even though the ceremony and reception was on a Sunday evening, and there were less than 50 guests, I must say that everyone was there to have a great time. There was so much energy in the room due to Steve and Stacey and their guests. Everyone danced throughout the evening to all styles of music. It seemed as though most everyone stayed until the end, which was 11:50 PM....on a Sunday. I could not have been happier for the bride and groom for such wonderful guests and family.

Fabio and Kim from Ventura Photography were on hand for the evening and captured some great photos of the reception. It was fun to watch them work the room and interact with the guests to get their shots.

Reddick - Farrell Wedding

2010-10-03T10:50:00.004-04:00

Ashely and Graham had their ceremony and reception at the beautiful Sarah P. Duke Gardens. The afternoon began with a cocktail hour outside under a tent whereby I provided a wireless sound system for music. Guests listened to jazz standards by Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, etc., while newer artists such as Jack Johnson or Dave Matthews were mixed into the set.

After an hour of cocktails by Premiere Catering, Ashely and Graham were announced into the reception and they immediately held their first dance as husband and wife to Feels Like Home by Chantal Krewiazvk. The bride and groom then followed up with some welcoming remarks to their guests.

Other special dances included Ashely and her brother to Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. Then Graham danced with his mother to Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy by the Tams. This was probably the first time I have played that song for the Groom/Mother dance, but when you really think about the song title, it really does seem appropriate. Graham's mother really did a great job leading him on the dance floor. It was like watching Dancing With The Stars and you had the professional dancer leading the celebrity. The evening moved along quickly and we immediately held the cake cutting and garter/bouquet toss.

Afterwards, the dance floor opened to a packed crowd. Ashley and Graham had asked that I play mostly Oldies, Beach, Motown, Country, and even some Alternative Rock. We even threw in some Disco and other 80's. Artists that came from the bride and groom request list included Chairman of the Board, Michael Buble', Stone Temple Pilots, Tim McGraw, and Jimmy Buffett.

I knew that everyone had a great evening when Graham came up to me at the end of the evening, shook my hand, and said "everything is just perfect" and the bride gave me a hug.

Jeff Simpson of Simpsound had provided the lighting for both inside the reception area and outside under the tent. Jeff and his team did a wonderful job of enhancing the colors of the wooden beams inside, bringing out the fall colors of the floral arrangements, and creating a fun dance environment.

Neil Boyd Photography was on hand too and stayed on top of all the action. Neil really watched the crowd and captured moments both on and off the dance floor.

Hess - Conklin Wedding

2010-09-25T09:00:00.003-04:00

Amy and Stephen had their wedding reception at the Treyburn Country Club just north of Durham. Not only is this a beautiful place for a reception, but the staff and food are excellent too. Guests were treated to steak and salmon. I overhead many guests say how much they enjoyed their food. The evening was coordinated by Lauren Barry. If you are looking at Treyburn for your reception, you must speak with Lauren. She was very attentive to all the details throughout the entire evening and does a wonderful job.

The afternoon began with cocktails on the veranda as guests listened to songs by Bob Marley, Allison Krauss, Bret Dennen, and Jimmy Buffet. The idea was to create a casual atmosphere on a nice sunny afternoon.

As we transitioned to the reception, we began by getting the room pumped with a couple of great dance songs as the wedding party was announced into the ballroom. The wedding party being announced to Numb/Encore by Jay-Z and Lincoln Park. The bride/groom were announced toKnock You Down by Keri Hilson.

Amy and Steve immediately had their first dance to Faithfully by Journey. Then Amy danced with her father to Angel from Montgomery by Bonnie Raitt and Steve dance with his mother to Meet My Halfway by Kenny Loggins.

Next on the timeline was dinner. But the guests were not quite ready to eat yet, so we had an impromptu dance set with John Prine and Old Crow Medicine Show - a couple of artists requested by the bride.

After dinner, toasts, and cake cutting, the dance floor was open again and this crowd danced all night. There were a few people that really knew how to shag, so I of course played some beach music early in the evening. Most of the people responded to R&B and Hip Hop, so we played Beyonce, Cupid Shuffle, Smooth Criminal, and then got the crowd pumped with Petey Pablo. There were several country music fans too so we played Keith Urban, Johnny Cash, and ended the evening with the Zac Brown Band.

Michelle Gunton Photography was on hand to capture all the action and I am sure did a great job as she was all over the room taking photos.

Bowers - Talada Wedding

2010-09-23T21:18:00.006-04:00

Kaylee and Derek were married at the beautiful Preston Woodall House in Benson. As the DJ for the reception, both the bride and groom had prepared me for the evening with a wonderful selection of songs and a order of events that definitely kept the evening moving.

The reception started with the wedding party announcements, followed by the traditional first dances. Their first dance song was Let's Stay Together by Al Green. Kaylee danced with her grandfather to Have I Told You Lately by Rod Stewart. Derek then danced with his mother to What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.

After the guests finished dinner, everyone was ready to throw down on the dance floor to songs like We Are Family, Cupid Shuffle, or Stayin' Alive. The big sing-along was You Never Even Called Me By My Name by David Allan Coe. We even went into some fun 90's including MJ, Dee-Lite, and KLF.

It was a fun crowd all the way around. Derek and Kaylee even got behind the DJ booth and got the guests pumped up with their own style.

Photography was by Logan Jarrard, Photographer. Logan was fun to work with throughout the entire evening. I am certain that he captured some great photos of Derek with the garter on his head!

Collins - Felling Wedding

2010-09-04T10:29:00.008-04:00

Erin and Tom were married at the beautiful Highgrove Estate in Fuquay-Varina. Officiated by Reverend Kayelily Middleton, the ceremony took place under the Highgrove's stunning pergola.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed the sounds of jazz standards and Motown on the patio as they sipped their cocktails and enjoyed some hors oeuvres.

Next, we invited all the guests to move into the tent and shortly thereafter, the wedding party was introduced to All I Want Is You by Louis Polisar from the Juno Soundtrack. Erin and Tom went into their first dance to John Legend's Stay With You.

After dinner, the bride and groom were toasted by the best man and a bridesmaid. Erin and Tom were characterized during the toasts as a "flirty, power couple." These were the perfect words to describe our bride and groom as evidenced by the guests. Erin and Tom then cut their cake while guests listened to Taylor Swift's Today Was a Fairytale.

Afterwards, Erin danced with her father to Unforgettable by Nat and Natalie Cole. Then, Tom danced with his mother to the Beatle's - In My Life.

Once we moved beyond the formalities of the evening, the dance floor was packed. The guests were so energetic and ready to party. I played several requests by the bride and groom such asLivin' On a Prayer, Party In the USA, Twist and Shout, Cupid Shuffle, etc. But I also received some great requests from guests and worked those selections in throughout the evening.

We ended the evening with Tom and Erin leaving among all the guests holding 'sparklers' under a starlit sky.

Photography was by Eric Honeycutt of VegaBlue Photography. Eric stayed until the very end and was on top of all the action.

Special thank you to Joe Bunn DJ Company for allowing me to be a part of this wonderful wedding.

Baker - Roberts Wedding

2010-08-07T22:21:00.006-04:00

Jenny and Troy held their wedding ceremony and reception at the Preston-Woodall House in Benson. I provided the sound support for the wedding ceremony by having a microphone for the officiate and an extra microphone for a reading. While Jenny and Troy had a string duo for the ceremony, I was asked to play I Gotta A Feelin' as the recessional...what a great way to really transition into the reception!

We started the reception by announcing the wedding party. I cranked up Ready To Go by Republica and got the guests hyped as the wedding party entered the ballroom. Jenny and Troy went into their first dance to Making Memories of Us by Keith Urban. After a few welcoming remarks and dinner, Jenny danced with her father to I Loved Her First by Heartland. Then Troy danced with his mother to Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.

After we moved through the formalities, this crowd was ready to dance...and rock. I started the dance set with MJ's Dont' Stop 'Til You Get Enough and then it was on. The dance floor stayed packed the entire night to dance, rock, and country. Troy had a special request for The Gamblerby Kenny Rogers for a big sing-along.

Stacy of Swank Photo Studio had a team on top of all the action all night. They worked hard to capture all the right shots.

Greenwood - Soles Wedding

2010-07-24T20:14:00.003-04:00

Amanda and Jason had their outdoor ceremony and wedding reception at the beautiful and historic Preston Woodall House in Benson. I provided the music for the ceremony. Amanda's grandmother walked down the isle to Butterfly Waltz while the mother's walked to Andante Cantable. The wedding party processional song was Canon in D and Amanda entered to Trumpet Voluntary. The recessional included Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 and Conzona per Sonare No. 2.

Once the reception began inside, the evening started with the wedding party announcements, followed by the traditional first dances. Their first dance song was Someone Like You by Van Morrison. Amanda danced with her father to My Wish by Rascal Flatts. Jason picked a song that I had not used before for the groom/mother dance - Simple Man by Shinedown. It worked quite well.
After the guest finished dinner, the guests were ready to throw down on the dance floor to Motown, Top 40, R&B, Beach, and Country. We threw in some Oldies and slow songs too. A fun crowd all the way around.

Photography was by April and Beth of Evoke Photography. These girls were a hoot and fun to work with throughout the entire evening. I am sure they were able to capture the essence of the evening.

Karpinski - Martin Wedding

2010-07-10T19:17:00.004-04:00

Jill and Denis held both their Ceremony and Reception at the North Raleigh Hilton. I provided the music for both events. Jill's selection for the prelude music in the ceremony consisted of songs by many classical artists such as Debussy, Bach, and Beethoven. Jill walked down the isle to one of her favorite songs - The Meadow from the New Moon Soundtrack. The recessional song was LaRejouissance by Handel.

Cocktails and hors d'ouevres were served in a separate room for about an hour. I played many jazz standards by artists such as Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Cole Porter, Miles Davis, etc.

The event then moved to a third room to start the reception. The wedding party was announced into the ballroom to I Gotta Feelin' by Black Eyed Peas. Jill and Denis immediately had their first dance to You're Still You by Josh Grobin.

Later in the evening, the best man gave a wonderful toast and then Jill and Denis cut their cake to How Sweet It Is by James Taylor.

The guests danced all night to Top 40, Disco, Rock & Roll, Oldies, and even a couple of Polkas. Given that the ceremony had been several hours earlier, Denis and Jill wrapped up the evening six and one-half hours after the ceremony began. They and their guests were ready to call it a night. A fun night it was.

Romano - O'Briant Wedding

2010-05-23T21:44:00.009-04:00

What do you get when you bring together a little bit of Ireland and some of Brazil? A whole lotta fun! James and Janete brought together these two wonderful cultures in style during a reception at the beautiful Carolina Inn.

The Sunday, high noon reception, began with a cocktail hour just outside the Old Well Room. James had worked hard to prepare a song list that he knew his friends would enjoy. So he asked that I play Bob Dylan, Sleepy LaBeef, Big Star, Rolling Stones, and of course, that great irish group The Waterboys. I had known of The Waterboys and saw them at the Cat's Cradle about ten years ago. James said he was at that same show. We didn't know each other then, but as I write this blog, I am thinking about the TV show LOST! Did James and I bump into each other at the show and now I am DJing his wedding? Hmmm. Ok, I digress. Back to the wedding.

James and Janete really did a great job at planning the music to certain events throughout the afternoon. There was key timing involved and they pulled it off. James asked that I play the Indiana Jones March as people entered the Old Well Room. Really a cool theatric song to set the tone as people made their way to the tables. Just before I announced the bride and groom into the room, James asked that I play Into My Arms by Nick Cave. And then, I immediately went into Hornpipe by Handel as I announced the bride/groom into the room. James and Janete had their first dance song to Be My Baby by the Ronettes.

For a Sunday afternoon, there was quite a bit of dancing. We had some Carnival music for the people from Brazil. Most of the dancing was to the traditional lines dances and quite a bit of oldies. In fact, someone asked that I play Wooly Bully. Wow, I had not played that in years, but it worked well.

James and Janete had some nice friends and family at the reception. I really enjoyed talking with many of them. However, not all of Janete's friends and family could be there. So Focus Media & Design set up an internet stream for family and friends to watch the reception over the internet. What a cool idea! In fact, Janete was able to instant message during the reception as well too. I know the people back home really appreciated the thought of having a live feed over the internet.

Photography was by Kristine Dittmer Photographers. There were two photographers and they stayed on top of the action the whole afternoon.

Hudson - May Wedding

2010-05-22T21:21:00.006-04:00

It was a wet and wild night for Heather and Ryan as they had their wedding ceremony at the wonderful Sister's Garden. The evening began with cocktails on the patio as I played artists such as John Mayer, Mat Kearney, The Verve, and Jason Mraz. However, it wasn't long before a seasonal rain storm started and the water was flowing. Even though my system was under a large tent, it rained so hard that I had to remove the system and encourage everyone to come inside to hear music.

As we transitioned from cocktails, the evening moved to the wedding party announcements. Everyone was introduced to How Sweet It Is by James Taylor. As it turned out, this was the song that Heather played during her recessional in the wedding ceremony. It was a nice idea to use this song again to tie together both the ceremony and reception. Kudos to Tia Jones, Wedding Coordinator, for the idea!

Heather and Ryan had their first dance together to Cross My Heart by George Strait. Heather then danced with her father to Walk With You by Edwin McCain (great song, and artist!). Ryan danced with his mother to All To You by DJ Keo and Heather had a special dance with her daughter to In My Daughter's Eyes by Martina McBride.

There were about 275 guests this evening and each of them had different tastes in music. There were several people dancing to different generas such as beach, Top 40, Country, Rock, Pop, and Hip Hop. Of course the line dances were the biggest draws to the dance floor at any given time. Later in the evening I was able to get everyone to gel to Hip Hop and the dance fever moved into the 'soul train' line whereby two lines formed and people danced solo down the middle. Everyone was having such a great time that we extended the dancing another 30 minutes beyond the agreed upon closing time.

By this time, the rain had subsided and Heather and Ryan were able to jump into the limo under partial cloud cover and a moon.

Photography was by Tammy Wingo Photography. She really stayed on top of the action and moved with the crowd.

Also, a special thank you to Joe Bunn DJ Company for hiring me to play the wedding and represent their company.

Cedrone - Ross Wedding

2010-05-15T12:10:00.016-04:00

Weddings are a great time for people to have fun with dancing, but the event can also be a time to remember family and celebrate life. The wedding for Ariana Cedrone and Stephen Ross celebrated all aspects of life and more.

The ceremony and reception were at the beautiful Hudson Manor in Louisburg. Located just 45-minutes north of Raleigh, the ceremony was in a beautiful garden among grounds comprised of over 23 acres. Nearby was a covered veranda and Lakeside Terrace for people to enjoy and escape from the 90 degree weather just before and after the ceremony. Melissa of Hudson Manor and her staff did a wonderful job with directing the wedding ceremony.

I provided both the sound support and music for the ceremony. The mother's and groomsmen entered to Ariso by Bach. The bridesmaids entered with Canon in D. Ariana entered with The Wedding March by Wagner.

After the ceremony, guests were invited into the reception area for air conditioning and cocktails. We started the evening with announcing the wedding party and having dinner. By the way, the food at Hudson Manor is incredible.

We opened the dance floor with the traditional dances. The bride/groom first dance song was Make You Feel My Love by Adele. Ariana then danced with her father to Lullabye by Billy Joel. (I could see tears forming in the room). After Stephen danced with his mother to There You'll Be by Faith Hill, Ariana danced with her grandfather to Footprints in the Sand by Leona Lewis (more tears). Finally, Stephen capped off the initial dancing with his beautiful daughter to Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland (everybody has tears now!).

The guests really seemed to enjoy much of the rock from the 90's such as Goo Goo Dolls, The Script, and The Sundays. We also got into some MJ - Off the Wall and Thriller.

I knew that everyone had enjoyed themselves when Ariana came up at the end of the night to say 'thank you' and that 'she never dances, but that she had danced the entire night!'

Photography was by Rob Seelye of Studio R1. Rob was a pleasure to work with as he stayed on top of the action and helped bring the wedding party together throughout the evening for events such as the cake cutting and garter/bouquet toss. Be sure to check out his work.

The Chronicle Rides High 'On A Boat'

2010-04-24T11:36:00.006-04:00

I'm on a boat, annnnd its going fast, annnnd I got a nautical themed Pashima Afghan, I'm the king of the world!

If you were anywhere near Duke University this past Saturday, then you may have heard these words being yelled out at a dance party for staff members of The Chronicle - Duke's campus paper.

The student staff for The Chronicle had their annual award ceremony atop The University Tower in Durham to celebrate a great year. Mostly the celebration was for their paper, but students couldn't help but to yell out 'national champions' throughout the evening. Little did many of them know that Coach K and his staff were coincidentally having dinner in the adjacent room. I wonder if coach could hear the chants of students being proud of their school.

The students started their evening with dinner, awards, and a slide show. Once they transitioned to dancing and its game on. It was two hours with a packed dance floor with more than 100 students in attendance. Some of the big songs, aside from I'm on a Boat, included Whatcha Say, Bedrock, Ride Wit Me, Ignition, Buy U A Drank, Lose Yourself, and Man In The Mirror.

I have played for this group for many years and I always look forward to seeing them. They come in with a great amount of energy and they are always nice.

Jefferson - Kasper Wedding

2010-04-17T13:56:00.005-04:00

Melissa and Kevin were married at the beautiful Highgrove Estates in Fuquay-Varina. I provided both the music and microphone for the officiant during the ceremony. Melissa wanted the vibe of the ceremony to be less formal and more relaxed, so she chose instrumental songs with the piano and guitar to be played during the prelude. The recessional song was You're My Best Friend by Queen.

The event then transitioned into a cocktail event and ultimately everyone moved into the tent area soon thereafter. I announced the wedding party to many different songs. Parents of the bride and groom were announced to The Jeffersons Theme Song and Casper The Friendly Ghost. I am sure you can figure out why.

Kevin and Melissa had their first dance to That's How Strong My Love Is by Otis Redding - wonderful choice. Later in the afternoon, we had a great dancing crowd to oldies, Motown, and Top 40. The last song of the evening as everyone left the tent was Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Jamakawiwo'ole.

Below are some great pics from their friend Michael Gillman.

Duke University Reunion - Class of 1980

2010-04-16T12:10:00.000-04:00

All of us have our own moments of serendipity from our college days. For anyone, it could have been walking across campus and smelling spring on a random day, or realizing that a college professor was truly open to your questions, your ideas.

All over the Duke University campus, several class reunions were being held and I was the DJ for the Class of 1980. Being able to play for this class was great because there were so many wonderful songs from the late 70's that I usually don't get to play at other events.

For the graduating Class of 1980, serendipity was about remembering their youth 30 some years ago and experiencing songs like Call Me, September, Do Ya Think I'm Sexy, or Refugee.

As a side note, I was told by the sound tech support team at Duke that Bruce Springsteen was on campus the night before showing his kid around as a college to attend.I wonder what Springsteen's serendipity will be in a few years.

Briggs - Nowack Wedding

2010-04-10T10:38:00.007-04:00

Laura and Josh's reception was held at the beautiful Brier Creek Country Club. We started the evening by announcing the wedding party into the room. Songs played during the announcements included We Are Family, I Gotta Feelin', and Accidentally In Love. Laura and Josh immediately went into their first dance.

Their first dance song was by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill It's Your Love. The second dance followed with Laura and her father dancing to Bob Carlisle's Butterfly Kisses. A few moments into the song, all other fathers and daughters were invited to join the dance. Not a dry eye on the dance floor. The third dance followed with Josh and his mother dancing to Rascal Flatts' My Wish. We invited all mother's to dance with their sons as well.

The dance floor stayed crowded the entire evening. People danced to Top 40, Motown, Oldies, Country, and R&B. Some of the biggest songs were Cupid Shuffle, Low, Soulja Boy, and Chicken Fried. But one of the best mixes may have been Boom Boom Pow to Everytime We Touch (Cascade) to Sandstorm. There were many country song requests too such as Big Green Tractor and Then.

Photography was by Amy Ruchte of Emory Lane Photography. She had a great team on-site and they were on top of the action at all times. Please see their wonderful work below.

Tastings with Mitchell's Catering

2010-03-23T21:50:00.006-04:00

Once per month, Mitchell's Catering hosts a tasting at their facility on Capital Boulevard. This is an event for brides that are planning their weddings to come in and try some of the wonderful food by Mitchell's and finalize their menu for the reception.

As part of the evening, a few wedding vendors are invited to showcase their talent. I was fortunate to be asked by Mitchell's to provide background music while guests mingled and tried different foods. This is always a great time for me as I get to play songs that are more for listening and not dancing. My favorite thing to do is play songs by artists that people may not be familiar to hearing. Artists and songs that topped the playlist for the evening included Empire of the SunWalking on a Dream, Jamie Cullum Don't Stop the Music, Obadiah Parker Hey Ya, and The Kooks Naive. Just a few fun songs.

Other vendors that helped as part of the evening were Simpsound Lighting, Fleurtations Weddings and Leigh Ann Parrish Photography.

If you are getting married and are still thinking about a caterer, please send me a message and I'll introduce you to Mitchell's Catering and see about having you invited to the next tasting. Both David Casteel and Charlotte McDowell of Mitchell's Catering always present the best food. I was fortunate to try some of the treats. My favorite was the Sesame Chicken and the "Lollipop Cheesecake." Yes, cheesecake on a stick!

Waligora - Wayer Wedding

2009-12-05T11:36:00.009-05:00

I met Matthew, Amanda, and their family several months ago at a local wedding show. From the first day we met, I knew this would be a wonderful reception as Matthew, Amanda, and parents were so very nice. While Matthew and Amanda were very hands-on, I really have to applaud both sides of the families throughout the entire planning process for their organization and ideas. I cannot thank the Waligora's and Wayer's enough for their time over the past few months as we planned a wonderful evening.

We began the reception in the ballroom with wedding party announcements to I'll Be There For You by the Rembrandts and More Than A Feeling by Boston. What a great way to get the guests pumped for the evening.

Dancing began with the bride/groom dance to You've Lost That Loving Feeling by the Righteous Brothers. Then we switched things and had the Groom/Mother dance to Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. The third dance was the Father/Daughter dance to Unforgettable by Natalie Cole. We held the father/daughter dance for the third song as Glen (father of the bride) and Amanda really kick-started the dance floor with a great polka. Before I knew it, we had twenty couples on the floor going polka crazy. It was great!

The energy in the room didn't let up after the polkas. We kept the dance floor moving the entire evening with all types of genera's. Ironically, I think the biggest song of the evening was Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. Girls were screaming this song as if we were at a Miley concert. I did get a request for a song I hadn't played in years, but Amanda and her friends loved What I Got by Sublime. I think the highest energy came when I handed out glow sticks provided by Amanda and Matthew. As guests received their glow sticks, we turned the house lights down to darkness and I mixed into Sandstorm by Darude - yes, a trance song at a wedding! People were going nuts! Another fun part of the evening was watching everyone perform a jump rope pantomime. Of course I had to play Jump Jump by Kris Kross at this point and then mixed right into House of Pain.

With a hint of Christmas cheer, the reception was held at the beautiful Cardinal Club. The view of Raleigh is always the best from here especially since you face north and can see the city lights twinkling all the way to Wake Forest. Also, the staff always does a nice job by being attentive to the guests.

Tonight was a special treat for me as I got to work with my very good friend Roger Winstead ofWinstead Photography. We had a great time together as we chatted about "the best wedding cake ever" (it really was a fantastic carrot cake) or just poking fun at each other and posting the pictures on Facebook. On a more serious note, I want to say that Roger has a great eye for capturing a moment and telling a story with his photos. Be sure to see his website and talk with him about your event.

Clawson - Gani Wedding

2009-11-14T19:55:00.007-05:00

What do you get when you bring together hockey fans, Labatt's beer, great music, and a wonderful view of downtown Raleigh? You get a beautiful evening at the Cardinal Club with some really nice people - and Ben and Cindy are as nice as they come.

The evening started with cocktails in the foyer and bar area as guests enjoyed background music such as jazz standards and adult contemporary. As the reception transitioned into the ballroom with the announcement of the wedding party, the parents were announced to Disco Inferno; son of the bride to Monday Night Football Theme; wedding party to Hung Up; and Ben and Cindy to New York, New York.

Ben and Cindy immediately went into their first dance to Crazy Love by Michale Buble' - wonderful choice. A touching moment followed as Cindy danced with her father to Little Miss Magic by Jimmy Buffett. As the two dance together, it was as if they forgot about the world around them and were reflecting on their entire lives together since childhood. Not a dry eye on the dance floor. The third dance was for Ben and his mom to Thank You for the Music by ABBA. This was a fun dance and I know Ben's mom really enjoyed the selection as she lip-synced each of the words.

Later in the evening, several toasts were presented to Ben and Cindy. With the bride and groom standing on the dance floor, each speaker was introduced with a song. The selections includedThe Hockey Song, Maple Leaf Forever, Take on Me, Only In My Dreams, and The Godfather (for the father of the bride).

There was plenty of dancing to triple beat swing, 80's, Top 40, and Motown. The big show of the evening was by Cindy's son as he ripped up the dance floor to Boom Boom Pow.

Photography was by Rob Tomlinson of Cutting Edge Photography, a really nice guy. I don't think he sat the whole evening and definitely stayed on top of the action.

Hutchison - Hunt Wedding

2009-11-07T09:09:00.009-05:00

Playing for Brian and Mary Gray was a thrill for me for a couple of reasons. One - the guests, and two - the music. As guests were arriving or mingling throughout the evening, I saw many familiar faces. Several of the wedding party's family members and friends were people that I have known for years. Its always great to see familiar faces at the events I play as I get to talk off-line and catch up. Plus everyone has an interest in what I am doing, so I get to talk about one of my favorite subjects - music.

The reception was held at the Museum of Natural Science in downtown Raleigh. This is really a great place as guests walked through the exhibits on the first floor and enjoyed the many wonders of North Carolina science.

About an hour into the reception, I announced the new Mr. and Mrs. Brian David Hunt. Then the bride and groom made their way to the dance floor to their first dance - Still the One by Shania Twain. Mary Gray danced with her father to My Girl by the Temptations. Then Brian danced with his mother to My Wish by Rascal Flatts.

Many of the guests were from the service professional world such as attorneys, HR consultants, etc. Many of them had deep interests in beach music. So as you can imagine, beach music was the most popular genera of the evening. I played artists such as Tams, Drifters, Sam & Dave, Embers, etc. But I did diversify as many members of the wedding party were looking for artists such as MJ, Bee Gees, Al Green, and John Legend.

Catering Works provided the food for the evening. I was fortunate to try the beef tenderloin with a little balsamic dressing. It was outstanding. In fact, I suspect others would agree as the line for that station was the longest throughout the evening.

I had the chance to work again with Hilton and his team from Hilton Pittman Photograhpy. If you have never seen his work, I really encourage you to visit his website. His photos really have a way of grabbing your attention. You almost have to stop and look at the photo because they 'pop' out at you. I know the museum was a great backdrop for the photos last night with the many exhibits.

All in all, there was something for everyone - great conversation, interesting exhibits, and shagging on the dance floor.

Stewart - Mitchell Wedding

2009-10-17T09:33:00.005-04:00

This was a nice evening for me as the wedding party and guests were extremely nice and fun. In addition, I really liked the location of the reception. The event was held at Artspace in downtown Raleigh. I really enjoy this location because of the beautiful artwork that is displayed throughout the exhibit area by local artists.

We started the evening by announcing the wedding parting into the reception area to Viva La Vida by Coldplay and transitioned into Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi as the bride and groom entered the room.

After a few cocktails and food, we had our first dance to What I'd Give by Sugarland and then a parents dance to Make You Feel My Love by Adele.

We also did a couples dance to see who had been married the longest. It started with all married couples on the dance floor and then they were eliminated based upon how long they were married. The last couple on the floor would be the ones there that evening that were married the longest. So, of course, I started out saying that if you have been married for 3 hours and 45 minutes or less, then please leave the floor.....there goes the bride and groom. Long story short, this slowly turned into a mini dance marathon. There were so many couples that had been married forever. But the couple that had been married for 57 years took the prize and recognition. It was awesome.

During the garter/bouquet toss, I was asked to play Luck Be a Lady by Sinatra (bouquet) and Pretty Young Thing by MJ (garter). Both excellent choices and a little different from the norm.

Photography was by Rierson Photography. The photos should be great given the ambiance of Artspace. Bryan and Jo were great to work with.

Catering was provided by Catering Works. I overheard the Father of the Bride say to the caterers that the food was incredible, and I am sure it was.

We ended the evening to a beautiful song by Aretha Franklin called You Send Me. A great way to send off the bride and groom.

Kelly - Abernethy Wedding

2009-10-10T12:16:00.012-04:00

The ceremony and reception were held at the beautiful Shady Wagon Farm in New Hill, NC - just 30 minutes south of Raleigh. This is a beautiful facility for an outdoor event. The ceremony took place in a small pavilion that overlooks a well manicured pond. The reception was held within the barn with a larger pavilion.

Given that there were more than 170 guests, there were people both inside the barn and outside under the pavilion. Given that I was outside under the pavilion, I wanted to ensure that people inside could hear the toasts, music, and various announcements. Therefore, I placed a speaker inside the barn and used a wireless system to keep everyone informed.

After an hour of cocktails, all 21 members of the wedding party (yes, 21! - a large party), were ready to be announced into the pavilion. Just 30-minutes before the ceremony, Jeremy the groom had texted me asking that I play Black Dog by Led Zeppelin during the introductions. I texted back and said of course and that I hope you have that phone on vibrate. The Led Zeppelin song was a great choice! The guests really got excited as the wedding party entered the pavilion. Then Jeremy and Anna did their first dance to Feeling Good by Michael Buble'.

The event then went to dinner that was catered by XU Catering. I overhead many of the guests say that the food was excellent. I worked with Kenton from XU Catering. Given how well organized he was both before and during the ceremony, I could only imagine how pleased the guests were with their meal.

Anna and Jeremy had provided me with a list of some songs to weave in throughout the evening. This was really a fun crowd that wanted to hear many different artists such as Josh Turner, Travis Tritt, Dixie Chicks, MJ, and Britney.

Photography was by Rob McKenzie Photography. Both Rob and Beverly were great to work with and stayed on top of all the action.

Buske - Pavlic Wedding

2009-09-26T11:04:00.014-04:00

The ceremony and reception were at the beautiful Preston-Woodall House in Benson. I provided the music for the ceremony and played selections by artists such as Debussy, Bach, Pachelbel, and Mendelssohn. The ceremony was officiated by Rev. Robin Renteria. If you ever need an officiate that can handle anything that is thrown at them, then I highly recommend Robin. Given that the ceremony was outdoors under an ominous sky, Robin was able to create a 'sunshine' environment while people sat under umbrellas shielding themselves from the light misty rain.

Once the ceremony was over, we transitioned to the wedding party announcements inside the house. The bride asked that I play some fun songs during the announcements. So she selectedOnly the Young by Journey as the parents were announced. Then as the bridal party can in, I played Supermassive Black Hole by Muse (I get to see Muse next week during the U2 show!). Then as the bride/groom came in, I played Right Here in my Arms by HIM. All great choices by the bride.

One of the great things about the Preston-Woodall is their staff. Dianne and her team are always great to work with and are fun. They helped me to keep things moving along and with 150+ guests. There were several details to handle such as champagne for all and the cake cutting.

This was a great dancing crowd and they were on the floor at all times of the evening. With a diverse crowd, I was all over the place with songs. Of course you had the usual wedding reception songs such as Shout, Electric Slide, etc. But I threw out a few curve balls by mixing from the Quad City DJs Ride that Train into Sandstorm (yes, a techno song at a wedding!). Well, I knew that the party had gone to a whole new level at this point as the father of the bride did the 'worm' on the dance floor. The crowd went nuts!

I was asked to play I've Had the Time of My Life by Jennifer Warren as the last song of the evening. This was a great choice by the bride as it was a big sing-along and seemed to be a perfect ending to a great evening.

Photos were by Hilton Pittman Photography. They had a team of three photographers on hand throughout the evening and didn't miss a shot.

Poyner Place

2009-09-19T21:18:00.000-04:00

This past Saturday was the last evening of the season for me to play at Poyner Place. Over the summer, Poyner Place had “Live Music at the Pond” with a roster of jazz, acoustic, blues, R&B, and DJ music. I of course was the DJ. The setting was really casual, so I got to play all genera’s of music. For the most part, I played background music, but if people wanted to dance, then I easily sped up the tempo with dance songs. It was nice to be able to play five events there over the summer. Now, on to Fall and weddings.

Saprygina - Forman Wedding

2009-09-12T13:24:00.003-04:00

One of the things I love about DJing is learning about culture and new music and this reception offered both for me and the guests. Christopher the groom is Italian and Olga the bride is Russian. To prepare for the reception they told me about certain songs they wanted to hear and some historic traditions to celebrate as part of the evening.

The reception was held at a beautiful home in Spring Lake, NC. The setting was by the candle-lit lake underneath a clear top tent. The reception began with cocktails and dinner with Catering Works. They provided a wonderful buffet of poached salmon, pork tenderloin, and other great dishes.

Our first real event of the evening was a tradition of putting a chain and lock on a bridge that was recently built across a small portion of the lake. Once Christopher and Olga locked the chain to the bridge, they turned their back to the chain and threw the keys over their shoulders into the lake so that the keys can never be found and the chain never be unlocked and their love never be broken.

From there we moved to the first dance and the song they chose was a song by Eugene Doga entitled Moi Laskovyi - a beautiful waltz. After the father/daughter dance, we performed a tribute to the parents and grandparents with a song called Cancao do Mar (Song of the Sea) by Dulces Pontes. She is a Portuguese singer and has a beautiful voice. Everyone was so moved by both these songs that even the caterers stopped what they were doing to simply listen to the music and watch the emotions of the people of the dance floor.

The entire evening was great fun for me and all who attended. People really enjoyed the jazz standards early in the evening. As the dancing progressed, I worked in several Top 40, oldies, and hip-hop songs while weaving in the various Russian and Italian theme songs which kept everyone dancing under the clear-top tent and stars.

Photography was by Julie Mixon Photography from Greenville. Julie stayed on top of the events and got some great shots throughout the evening of the dancing and scenic views of people by the lake.

Cavender - Lambert Wedding

2009-08-15T19:41:00.000-04:00

If sports is your passion, then you would have loved this reception! Both Megan and Josh are avid Illinois and NCSU fans, respectively! Given that they’re both sports fans, the theme was prevalent throughout the evening.

The reception was held at the beautiful Cardinal Club. The decor was in Illinois Orange and NCSU red. What a great color combination – looked like an early Fall season.

The evening began with a friend of Josh and Megan’s announcing the wedding party in a sports announcer theme. As the wedding party was announced, I played the “Monday Night Football Theme Song” and the crowd went nuts as each member of the wedding party either ran into to room or danced their way across the floor. As the bride and groom were announced, I quickly went into the “Rocky Theme Song” for their entrance. Everybody was out of their seats by then and chanting and clapping. Continuing on with the boxer theme, the bride/groom ran to their respective corners on the dance floor as if they were going to come out boxing. But they had something else in mind. With the Rocky Theme song still playing, we announced them from their corners to meet in the middle and they immediately went into their first dance together. What a great way to get the evening started!

The musical experience throughout the evening was fun for me as I had the opportunity to work with Frank’s Wedding Band. Those guys really know how to rock a reception and get the crowd fired up! I loved their version of Tulsa Time. Basically, I played between bands sets to keep things moving while the band took a break.

Photography was by Amanda Olson Photography. Both Amanda and Jennifer-Leigh were fun to work with and had a great sense of humor. They were all over the action, so I know they got some great photos.

Stevenson - Scoggins Wedding

2009-08-01T18:42:00.000-04:00

What do you get when you bring together lots of Duke grads, Texans, wonderful food, and great atmosphere? An awesome reception!

Emma and James had their reception at the beautiful Duke Gardens. We started the evening with cocktails on the patio. The atmosphere was somewhat casual, so I played some jazz standards and weaved in other artists such as Jack Johnson, Eve Cassidy, Jamie Cullum, and Dave Matthews.

Once we announced the wedding party into the reception area, we had the toasts and then people enjoyed their dinner. The food looked wonderful. Both Lorin and Scott of Catering Works did a great job. I didn’t have time to eat any of the food, but I could tell that everyone enjoyed their meal.

Right after the meal, Emma and James did their first dance to “That’s How Strong My Love Is” by Otis Redding. Not only is Otis one of my favorites, but his music is truly sensual and passionate. Then we broke tradition a little bit by having James and his mom on the floor for the second dance. The song was “Forever In Blue Jeans” by Neil Diamond. Finally, for the third dance, Emma got on the floor with her father. But they had a little fun in mind as well. We actually played two songs for their dance. It started with Emma and her father doing a little skit, or maybe soft toe, to “Dancing on Daddy’s Shoes” by Leon Redbone. And then we got a little rowdier with “Pride and Joy” by Marvin Gaye. A few seconds into this song, Emma’s father was ushering everyone to get out of their seats and join them on the floor. They made my job so easy by having a packed dance floor to start the party….and they stayed out there until the end!

Throughout the evening, I weaved some of Emma and James’ song selections into the playlist. One of the big ones on their list was “Return of the Mack” by Mark Morrison. This really had a great reaction and seemed to resonate with many of the people there as if it reminded them of some point in their life. I am guessing it was a big song when they were in college. At this point, I noticed there were several single women on the floor, so I mixed out of “Return of the Mack” right into Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” and you’d think they had just won all the money in the world given the screams. The crowd really seemed to be into all types of songs throughout the evening. So I was able to work in many types of generas including R&B, Top 40, Hip Hop, and even a trance song or two.

The night ended with sparklers outside the front entrance. I must say, Duke grads really know how to have a great time.

Crovitz - Liles Wedding

2009-07-25T21:07:00.013-04:00

I knew this was going to be a great reception when I found out that more than 250 people were in attendance. Having this many people at a reception makes for a great time because of the energy that can be created in the room....and boy, did these people come ready to party!

We started the reception with many of the formalities including the Wedding Party Announcements and then going right into the first few dances. Jeff and Erin’s first dance song was “Feels Like Home” by Chantal Kreviazuk. Then Erin danced with her father to “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw, and Jeff danced with his mother to “I Will Be There For You” by Jessica Andrews....all beautiful songs.

It didn’t take long to get the crowd going. They were ready to dance after a wonderful meal, cake cutting, and toast. Of course I entertained the guests with many of the usual wedding reception songs. But there were a majority of the people wanting hip-hip/R&B from the late-80’s and 90’s such as Rumpshaker, Push It, Jump Around, and Poison. But the big reaction song was It’s Tricky. The sing-along’s were popular too including Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey.

The reception was held at Sister’s Garden here in Raleigh. They have a beautiful ballroom that can accommodate up to 700 guests. Marc and his team did a great job. In fact, Marc is very hands on when it comes to the reception by helping the bride and groom with the cake cutting, wedding party announcements, and any other special events.

Photography was by The Image Mill and Greg Mills. They did a wonderful job and were great to work with, especially when it came to the special events like the cake cutting/toast, and garter/bouquet toss.

Worley - McFadden Wedding

2009-07-11T11:36:00.001-04:00

PURPLE......GOLD......PURPLE......GOLD! That was the chant yelled on the dance floor at one point in the evening. If you are an ECU fan, then you know what this means. Aliana, Stephen, and their friends and family are some of the biggest ECU fans you’ll meet. Even though I am a Wolfie, I will admit that all of the wedding party and guests were so much fun! Even the decor was in ECU theme with a groom’s cake in the shape of a pirate ship and purple linens that accented the room.

The evening began with pre-function music and wedding party announcements, and a fantastic dinner at the Capital City Club. This is a wonderful time of year to have a reception at the Club as you get to see a beautiful sunset.

Dancing began with Aliana and Stephen’s first dance to “Come What May” from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. Sung by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, this is truly a beautiful song. Aliana obviously is a professional dancer at some level by dancing the Foxtrot to this song and with her father for the second dance.

This was a great dancing crowd with all ages to many different types of songs. However, throughout the evening, you couldn’t help but notice a little girl that danced the entire evening and never left the dance floor. I am guessing she is around seven years of age. But clearly she had been taking dancing lessons as well. She had the stage presence of any professional performer and could certainly be a backup dancer to any pop star. During one point in the evening, a huge circle formed on the dance floor. There was so much cheering going on that none of the 150 people were sitting, but packed on the dance floor to see what was going on. Well, who was in the middle of this large circle? Yep, the little girl. She had taken control of the crowd with her performance. But it got better. Another guy, who I understood is the “Petey the Pirate”, sans costume, got into a dance off with the little girl and the crowd went nuts. I have to tell you that to be a mascot like Petey I am sure takes alot of energy, enthusiasm, and talent. And this guy did put on a show. But the little girl brought the house down with just the right amount of attitude. I think in the end, both ‘Petey’ and the little girl called a truce. This is certainly a dance-off for the memory bank!

On top of all of the action was Nancy Thomas and her crew from Blending Art and Soul Photography. Not only were they professional, but clearly had developed a great relationship with Stephen and Aliana. With three photographers on-site, standing in chairs, kneeling on the floor, I know they got some great shots of the crowd.

Poyner Place

2009-06-13T11:59:00.002-04:00

If you live in North Raleigh, Wake Forest, or North Wake County for that matter, and are looking for something to do on a Friday or Saturday night, then you should go out to Poyner Place for their “Live Music at the Pond.” For the next few months through the end of September, Poyner Place has a roster of jazz, acoustic, blues, R&B, and DJ music. I am the DJ performing over the next few months. The setting is really casual, so I get to play all genera’s of music. For the most part, I am playing background music, but if people want to dance, then I easily speed up the tempo with dance songs. The events are free and located outdoors. There are tables and chair available outside around the pond area. There are also many places to eat at this location. This is a really casual event whereby people are enjoying dinner and music. The shopping center is located directly behind the Triangle Towne Center Mall. Music is from 7:00 – 10:00 PM (weather permitting). I am performing there usually once per month and will be back at Poyner Place on Saturday, July 18. Hope to see you there.

A Happy Client

2009-06-07T21:19:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I played for Emily and Eric at the Highgrove Estates (see Marshall-Jones Wedding blog). They are a great couple and this was a fun group. Well, Emily sent me a wonderful email and I had to post it here. Receiving a message like this keeps me going. Its always great to hear feedback and I truly appreciate Emily taking the time to share her feelings.

Hey Randy,

We just wanted to thank you for doing such an amazing job at our wedding last Saturday! We are still getting compliments a week later about how great you were! We were worried that people wouldn't really be dancing but there was a time when every single person was on the dance floor! I don't think I have ever seen my dad have so much fun! We can't thank you enough for the great job that you did and will recommend you to everyone!!

Thanks again,

Emily & Eric

Bowman Wedding

2009-06-06T21:25:00.001-04:00

Chris and Jessica were married a month ago somewhere deep in the Caribbean. So this reception was laid back with a casual flair. No cake cutting, garter/bouquet toss, or toasts. And, no tuxedos or bridesmaids dresses. Just slacks & shirts, summer dresses, and sandals all complimenting a tropical flair.

The feel and flow of the reception was as if you were still in the Caribbean. It was very laid back with occasional dancing to artists from Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder. Also, this group really enjoyed beach and Motown as well. However, late in the evening, once people had a few drinks, we did play some current music to get even more energy in the room.

The reception was held at 1705 Prime. This is a great place for a small group in a lush setting. The fare was exquisite with lamb chops, large shrimp, and a cooking station. Maite was wonderful to work with and stayed on top of it all and kept things moving.

Marshall - Jones Wedding

2009-05-30T21:27:00.002-04:00

Eric and Emily were a very nice couple. Through the toast, I learned that they had been together for seven years. The best man, Eric’s father, gave a wonderful and funny toast. At one point during the toast, he told Eric to place his hand on top of Emily’s and repeat these words....”Emily, from this day forward, I will no longer have the upper hand in this relationship.” Big laughter afterwards.

Eric and Emily had provided me with a great list of songs by artists such as Dave Matthews, Damien Rice, Jason Mraz and The Fray. Given that many of the songs were easy listening, I was able to work them in to the dinner hour.

The first dance song was Steady As We Go by Dave Matthews. A great choice for this couple.

This was my first time playing at the Highgrove on Laurel Lake in Fuquay-Varina. Angela and her team were very professional and did a wonderful job at keeping things moving along. Also, they provided me with a meal and it was outstanding!

Speaking of the professional staff and Highgrove, both Angela and I stepped in to help out the musician for the ceremony. While setting up my system inside the tent, I was informed by Angela that there was no keyboard or speaker for the ceremony. Therefore, someone close to the wedding ran home and brought in a keyboard, but they didn’t have a speaker. Since I had already set up a speaker in the area of the cocktails, which was outside the tent and close to the ceremony area, I offered to plug the keyboard into my speaker. But then I noticed that the keyboard wasn’t plugged into any electricity, so Angela and I scrambled to help plug in the keyboard.....and the show went on. One thing to note here is that all of this took place 15-minutes before Emily was to go down the aisle. I always recommend to brides/grooms that they hire a DJ with the experience and ability to help and support the other vendors so that all is seamless to guests. This experience was a great example.

Photography was by Loebach Studios. Tina was great to work with and stayed on top of everything from the toast, first dance, cake cutting, and garter - bouquet toss.

Getting back to the reception, the crowd really packed the dance floor. They enjoyed everything from beach, disco, Motown, to Top 40 and R&B.

One of the songs on the playlist was She Is by The Fray. I really like this song and actually decided to play this while both Emily and Eric exited the tent for sparklers on the front porch. It just seemed like the right song for both the couple and their exit.

Cheafsky - Kivett Wedding

2009-05-23T21:30:00.002-04:00

A Night at the Museum, indeed, Marbles Museum that is. We almost brought the city bus other artifacts to life given the energy at the reception! This was a fantastic place as there were more than 230 people attending the event.

We started the evening with the 1996 Chicago Bulls theme song and I announced the wedding party as a sports announcer. I always have fun doing this type of introduction. Guess it allows the sports fan in me to come out.

Right after the announcements, Jake and RJ went right into their first dance with a song by Kenny Chesney called “Me and You.” Once we completed the Father/Daughter and Son/Mother dance is when the dancing really began – and dinner had not even been served. All of the women at the reception suddenly rushed the dance floor immediately surrounding Jake and danced to “Luv Me, Luv Me” by Shaggy. Needless to say, Jake was quite surprised and RJ had a blast watching the whole thing.

Both Jake and RJ had provided me with a list of great songs that I was able to work in throughout the evening. Some of the new songs such as “Sugar” and “Boom, Boom, Pow” were a hit. But the best was when the crowd literally screamed at the top of their lungs singing and dancing to the good ‘ol party songs like “Shook Me All Night Long” and “Livin’ On A Prayer.” We even had some country line dancing to “Good Time.”

Photography was by Scott Faber Photography. I know they got some fun shots because they really utilized the architecture of the museum by taking photos from the skywalk located above the reception area.

The catering was by Triangle Catering and I overheard many people compliment on the food.

The dance floor stayed packed all night and I received many compliments at the end of the evening. Of course, I attribute that to the wonderful people at the reception. They were all, extremely fun.

Diggs - Byrne Wedding

2009-05-09T21:32:00.000-04:00

I met Karen and Jon through a referral from a wedding planner I had worked with more than five years ago. I was really honored to have been remembered for a wedding from that many years ago.

To begin, Karen and Jon had both the ceremony and reception at The Umstead. This is a beautiful place with a wonderful garden area and a beautiful lake as the backdrop for the ceremony. Once inside, you are pampered with a staff that is first class. In fact, I hesitate to call them staff because of the personal detail each employee personified. They really did portray themselves as proprietors. If you’re interested in having your wedding at The Umstead, be sure to ask for Ami Wheeler. She is fantastic!

Also, I had the chance to work with Heather Swanner Photography Studio. She was great to work with and stayed on top of everything taking place.

We started the reception by announcing the wedding party into the ballroom with the song Happy Together by The Turtles. Great song choice by the couple. Then Karen and Jon went right into their first dance with the beautiful At Last by Etta James. The couple had provided me with their song selections and I worked in their requests throughout the evening. I will admit that this was the first time I have ever played Why Don’t We Get Drunk, and Screw during the garter toss. But, given the many tequila shots the crowd had at the bar, it was just the right song request!

Poyner Place

2009-05-02T21:34:00.001-04:00

East Wake High School Prom

2009-04-25T21:35:00.001-04:00

My friend Jeff Simpson of Simpsound asked me to join him for the East Wake High School Prom. Wow, did we have a great time! High school kids have a ton of energy and know how to dance! With more than 300 kids, the prom was held at their school. Its always fun playing for proms because high school kids really know music. In fact, these kids know songs before they are even released on the radio. The most requested song of the night was probably “Crank dat Roy.” Now, by the time you read this blog, that song will be history. But as of April 25^th, had you heard of it? Not exactly a song I’d play at a wedding reception, but then again, this wasn’t a wedding. Jeff did a great job with the lighting and sound. Thanks Jeff for letting me be a part of the gig.

Dixon - McGrath Wedding

2009-04-18T21:38:00.002-04:00

Kim and Michie knew each other in high school and went their separate ways after graduation. Several years later, they saw each other at a reunion, and well, now you know the rest of the story. Both Kim and Michie are great people. You could really tell that they are very happy to be together. The reception was held at the Rock Springs Center in Greenville, NC. This is a beautiful facility if you’re looking for a reception place down east. They really do a great job and you can even have your ceremony on-site as well. Kim and Michie’s first dance song was a classic by Heatwave called “Always and Forever” – one of my favorites. This song has stood the test of time and I know that Kim and Michie will too.

Cox - Haselhorst Wedding

2009-01-17T21:40:00.001-05:00

The bride was from Texas, and boy howdy did the wedding party know how to throw down! Both the ceremony and reception were at the beautiful Preston-Woodall House in Benson. The evening started with a 6:00 ceremony whereby I provided the music. After the ceremony, we quickly transformed the room for the reception. The announcements were so fun for me. The groom is a huge Carolina fan and wanted me to announce the wedding party into the room with loud ESPN music with a sports announcer flair! The Mother of the Bride dribbled a basketball into the room while one of the groomsmen did a flip as he entered the room. The big song for this crowd was by Cotton Eyed Joe whereby they did a Texas Schottishe!

Covington Wedding

2009-01-10T21:42:00.001-05:00

This was a wedding reception that planned in two weeks. But it was so nice that you’d think that the Bride and Groom had been planning the reception for months. The groom was in the military as was leaving the next morning for Iraq. So he and his bride has a beautiful reception in Southern Pines at the Covington House. I had the chance to work with David Casteel of Mitchell’s Catering. The food was wonderful as usual. The groom liked country music and asked that I play many slow dance songs. The reception was outside under a clear tent. The night sky was also clear with a full moon....and yes, the bride and groom make a wish!