Rich Ellis
Company Picnic Fun For Portland Ironworkers
PRO DJs provided music and announcements at the Pacific NW Ironworkers Federal Credit Union Company Picnic held at their location off Airport Way in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, August 23, 2014.
I started the music at 11am and ended at 3:30pm, playing a variety of hit songs from all genres. There were plenty of games for the kids throughout the day, including a water balloon toss and hula hoop contest. The adults also got in on the fun with horse shoes and an ironworker column climb contest.
The day ended with some nice raffle prize giveaways, including many gift cards.
Portland Bat Mitzvah Party At Ecotrust Building
Portland Bat Mitzvah Party DJ Steve Marker presided over another successful celebration for the Gellman family… this time at Kiana’s Bat Mitzvah. Last year he performed at sister Elise’s Bat Mitzvah.
On Saturday, August 23, 2014, Steve entertained the kids and adults at the Ecotrust Building in Portland, Oregon with games and fun music that included a swing dance and freeze dance competition.
Everyone had a great time dancing to their favorite songs, both old and new.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
“Our family loves Steve!” -Juliana Gellman
- Event Date: Saturday, August 23, 2014
- Event Type: Bat Mitzvah
- Event Location: Ecotrust
- Event Staff: Steve Marker
- Quality of Customer Service via Telephone: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service via Internet: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service at Event: Excellent
- Friendliness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Promptness of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Professionalism of your Entertainer: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Performance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Appearance: Excellent
- System Appearance: Excellent
- Sound Quality: Excellent
- Overall Volume Levels: Excellent
- Music Selection: Excellent
- Incorporation of Your Requests: Excellent
- Lighting Effects: Excellent
- Equipment Appearance: Excellent
- Overall Customer Service: Excellent
- Planning Assistance: Excellent
- Entertainer’s Cooperation with Other Vendors: Excellent
- Overall Performance Rating: Excellent
- Would you recommend this service to others? Yes
August Skamania Lodge Wedding
Amber and Scott traveled from Boise, Idaho to the Columbia River Gorge and Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Washington for their wedding and reception on Saturday, August 16, 2014. The ceremony was held in the amphitheatre outside overlooking the Columbia River.
Skamania Lodge Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Wedding Processional: Association – Never My Love & John Hiatt – Have a Little Faith in Me
- Bride Entrance: Dave Matthews Band – You & Me
- Bride/Groom Exit: Hall & Oates – You Make My Dreams Come True
After the ceremony, everyone moved to the main deck outside the lodge for cocktails and appetizers. During this time, I moved my sound system inside the lodge to the Stevenson Ballroom for the reception.
Skamania Lodge Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Captain & Tennille – Love Will Keep Us Together
- Cake Cutting: Atlanta Rhythm Section – So In To You
- First Dance: Ben E. King – Stand By Me
- Father and Daughter Dance: Beatles – In My Life
- Stepfather and Daughter Dance: Rascal Flatts – My Wish
- Groom and Mother Dance: Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
- Bouquet Toss: Beyonce – Single Ladies
- Garter Toss: Queen – Another One Bites The Dust
- Bridal Party Dance: Sugarhill Gang – Apache (Jump On It)
The dance floor opened around 4:15pm and the majority of guests visiting from Idaho enjoyed a good dose of popular songs from the past and a few current hits. I played everything from ‘Stayin’ Alive’ and ‘The Twist’ to ‘Happy’ and the ‘Cupid Shuffle’ for the flower girls.
Edgefield Wedding Feels Just Right
After a week of weather that went from 100 degrees one day to thunderstorms and rain the next, Destiny and Josh’s Edgefield wedding on Thursday, August 14, 2014, turned out just right with a mix of sun and clouds and 79 degrees.
Blackberry Hall is one of my favorite venues, mostly because my wife and I celebrated our reception there in 1996, but I also get a good vibe whenever I perform there.
The ceremony was held in the meadow behind the hall. In this situation, I was able to place one of my speakers outside and my lapel microphone covered the distance flawlessly. I also provided a microphone on a stand for a family member reading.
Edgefield Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Wedding Processional: P.S. I Love You Soundtrack – Betty Davis Montage/Make Up Kisses
- Bride Entrance: Piano Guys – A Thousand Years
- Sand Ceremony: Maurice Jarre – Unchained Melody (Instrumental) Ghost Soundtrack
- Bride/Groom Exit: Manfred Mann – Do Wah Diddy
Everyone moved inside Blackberry Hall for dinner and the reception. Background music was a variety of songs from popular artists like OneRepublic, Norah Jones and Michael Bublé.
Edgefield Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: American Authors – Best Day of My Life
- Cake Cutting: Sixpence None The Richer – Kiss Me
- First Dance: John Legend – All of Me
- Father and Daughter Dance: Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
- Groom and Mother Dance: Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
- Bouquet Toss: Beyonce – Single Ladies
- Garter Toss: Yellow – Oh Yeah!
- Last Dance Song: Christina Perri – A Thousand Years
The dance floor filled quickly for the opening slow dance and then the newlyweds and their guests got going to the big classic hits, including ‘We Are Family’ and ‘Love Shack.’
For the remainder of the evening the mostly younger crowd had a great time dancing to more recent hits, such as ‘Problems,’ ‘Timber’ and ‘Happy.’ At one point during ‘Party Rock Anthem,’ I had to laugh watching Josh spin his bride in her wedding dress and on her back like she was break dancing… I had never seen that before 🙂
With the doubledoors near the dance floor open to the parking lot on a pleasant summer night, it felt just right. Best wishes Destiny and Josh!
Monday Wedding Feels Like A Saturday
For Ariana and Andrew’s Monday wedding held on August 11, 2014 at the Green Villa Barn in Independence, Oregon, it was a sweltering hot and muggy Summer day, but most everyone was sheltered from the hot sun by several umbrellas and the promise of cold drinks on ice and air conditioning inside for the reception afterwards.
This may have been a Monday wedding held in the afternoon, but it felt like a Saturday night for the 100+ guests, who were excited to celebrate the newlyweds as they arrived for the reception with Jewish dancing and the traditional chair lifting to ‘The Hora.’
Monday Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Od yishama
- First Dance: Wicked Musical – For Good
- Father and Daughter Dance: Joe Cocker – You Are So Beautiful
Following the formal dances, everyone was invited out for more dancing. Guests enjoyed the classic hits and Jewish favorites.
Congratulations Ariana & Andrew!
