Wedding
The Loft at 8th Avenue Portland Wedding
Portland Wedding DJ Rich Ellis had the opportunity to perform at Becca and Jon’s wedding and reception on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at The Loft at 8th Avenue in Portland, Oregon. This was my first time at this venue. The ceremony began at 4:30pm in the Annex.
The Loft at 8th Avenue Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Wedding Party Entrance: Shania Twain – From This Moment On
- Bride Entrance: Keith Urban – Parallel Line
- Bride/Groom Exit: Gryffin & Slander f/Calle Lehmann – All You Need To Know
Following the ceremony, all 250 guests moved to the Warehouse for cocktails and appetizers so the Annex could be turned for dinner and dancing. This allowed me time to also move my sound system to a more optimal spot. A live cellist provided background music during the cocktail hour.
Guests returned for dinner about an hour later. Once everyone was seated, the grand entrance began and I introduced the parents, wedding party and bride and groom. Background music for dinner was a mix of Tropical House and Chill EDM from artists such as Gryffin, Kygo and Illenium, as requested by the newlyweds.
The Loft at 8th Avenue Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Gryffin & Illenium f/Daya – Feel Good
- Cake Cutting: Thomas Rhett – Unforgettable
- First Dance: Cinderella – Wendy’s Story
- Groom and Mother Dance: The Band Perry – Mother Like Mine
- Bride and Father Dance: Beatles – Blackbird
- Boquet Toss: Shania Twain – Man! I Feel Like A Woman
- Last Dance: Aerosmith – I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing
For their first dance, Becca and Jon performed a flawless Viennese Waltz that was fun to watch and well-received.
I opened the dance floor to all guests with a slow dance and that had the desired effect of getting a large majority on their feet. However, that would be the last slow song for the next two hours as this mostly younger group packed the floor to mostly recent hits from the last decade.
Everyone appeared to have a lot of fun dancing to staples “Uptown Funk” and “Cha Cha Slide,” along with requests from the bride and groom for “Party In The USA,” “Wobble,” “Despacito,” “Yeah” and more.
Becca and Jon let me know aftewards they had a great time. The bride said “you killed it” 🙂 Best wishes to you both and thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
Submitted By: Rebecca Chang
“Everything was absolutely amazing. We are so happy with Rich. He was incredibly professional over email, extremely thorough on our call and went above and beyond the day of. The flow of the events all night long was just spot on and he coordinated with all the right people to make sure everything went smoothly. I would hire him again for another event any day!” Â
- Event Date: Saturday, February 22, 2020
- Event Type: Wedding
- Event Location: The Loft at 8th Avenue
- Event Staff: Rich Ellis
- 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
PRO DJs DeeJay Entertainment 1994
Throwing it way back to 1994. That’s me in the background cueing up a song.
In the early days of PRO DJs, the company was known as DeeJay Entertainment.
I began working on-air at Z100/Portland in 1991 and eight years later, merged DeeJay Entertainment with Z100 Instant Parties, which I ran until 2003.
The current version of PRO DJs Portland was formed in 2005.
January Stevenson Skamania Lodge Wedding
At 60 degrees, it was an unseasonably warm day with no rain for Laura and Brian’s Skamania Lodge Wedding on January 31, 2020, but like most January events you plan to be inside.
The ceremony was held in the Stevenson Room in front of the large fireplace.
Skamania Lodge Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Wedding Processional: Haley Reinhart – Can’t Help Falling In Love
- Bride Entrance: Etta James – At Last
- Bride/Groom Exit: Natalie Cole – This Will Be
Following the wedding, everyone walked down the hallway and downstairs to Glacier Hall for the reception.
The newlyweds had all photos taken before the wedding, so after signing the marriage certificate, they arrived a short time later for their grand entrance.
Cocktails and dinner music featured a variety of genres including Motown.
Skamania Lodge Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Pharrell Williams – Happy
- Cake Cutting: Marvin Gaye – How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You
- First Dance: Nat King Cole – Unforgettable
- Bride and Sons, Groom and Mother Dance: Stevie Wonder – You Are the Sunshine of My Life
There was a large room (Jefferson Room) off to the side where a photo booth was setup, so the dance floor was a slow build. But once we got going, guests couldn’t get enough of recent pop hits and a heavy dose of 90s R&B as requested by the bride and groom, including Heavy D & The Boyz and Johnny Gill.
Congratulation Laura and Brian and thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
“Rich was great to work with over the phone and at the event.” Â -Brian Woodcock
- Event Date: Friday, January 31, 2020
- Event Type: Wedding
- Event Location: Skamania Lodge
- Event Staff: Rich Ellis
- Quality of Customer Service via Telephone: Excellent
- Quality of Customer Service via Internet: Good
- 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: Good
- 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
January Sentinel Hotel Portland Wedding
Sabrina and Sam’s January Sentinel Hotel Portland wedding was held in the opulent Renaissance Ballroom on Friday, January 17, 2020. The first wedding of the new year performed by PRO DJs, this was an intimate gathering of about 50 guests.
Sentinel Hotel Portland Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Wedding Processional: The Piano Guys – A Sky Full of Stars
- Bride Entrance: Speechless Dan+Shay, Wedding Duo Violin & Piano Cover
- Bride/Groom Exit: Toploader – Dancing in the Moonlight
Following the wedding, everyone remained in the room for cocktails and conversation. During this time, I played a mix of selections for background music that included artists: Stevie Wonder, Jack Johnson, Adele, Lauryn Hill and more.
Sentinel Hotel Portland Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Montell Jordan – This Is How We Do It
- Cake Cutting: Maroon 5 – Sugar
- First Dance: Etta James – At Last
- Bride and Grandfather Dance: Heartland – I Loved Her First
- Bride and Father Dance: Martina McBride – In My Daughter’s Eyes
- Bride and Step-Father Dance: Trace Adkins – Just Fishin’
- Groom and Mother Dance: Elton John – Can You Feel the Love Tonight
- Bouquet Toss: Beyonce – Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
Music for dancing featured a wide variety of genres, including 60s Oldies, 70s and 80s Classics, recent Top 40, and Country.
One of the nicest couples I have had the pleasure of working for, best wishes Sabrina and Sam!
Thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
Vancouver WA Heathman Lodge Wedding
Amanda and Nick’s Heathman Lodge wedding took place on Saturday, October 19, 2019 in Vancouver, Washington. Just before, I was admiring the fall foliage this time of year and thinking what a great backdrop for an outdoor wedding, but the weather has been a little unsettled so good thing the ceremony and reception were both held inside the Lewis & Clark Ballroom.
Heathman Lodge Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Bridal Party & Bride Entrance: Forrest Gump Theme (Alan Silvestri)
- Bride/Groom Exit: Heavy D & The Boyz – Now That We Found Love
The reception followed immediately in the same room and guests enjoyed conversation with background music that featured a variety of styles, including country hits as requested by the bride.
Heathman Lodge Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Sugarland – Stuck Like Glue
- Cake Cutting: James Taylor – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
- First Dance: Lee Brice – I Don’t Dance
- Groom and Mother Dance: Garth Brooks – It’s Your Song
- Last Dance: Rascal Flatts – Back To Life
The dance floor was a tiny square in the middle of the room that filled for the opening slow dance and spilled over for much of the afternoon for the upbeat songs that followed.
The party really lit up for fun participation dance songs, such as the “Cupid Shuffle,” “Cha Cha Slide,” and the recent country/hip-hop smash “The Git Up” by Blanco Brown. The bride missed that one the first time and requested I play it again only a few songs later. It went over just a strong the second time 🙂
Near the end, Amanda and one her guests rocked a swing dance to Luke Bryan’s “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” before the entire room joined the newlyweds for the last two songs.
Congratulations Amanda and Nick! Thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
Submitted By: Amanda Ries
- Event Date: Saturday, October 19, 2019
- Event Type: Wedding & Reception
- Event Location: The Heathman Lodge
- Event Staff: Rich Ellis
- 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: N/A
- 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