Saturday, June 25, 2011. With temperatures in the mid-70’s and Sunny, you can’t ask for better Portland-area weather for a nice outdoor wedding. It was perfect.
 
2 months earlier I met John and Alice in person to go over their wedding. With grey skies and rain looming that day, it can be difficult to plan exactly how a perfect outdoor wedding should go. Yes, the wedding would be in June, but this is Oregon. There are no guarantees. They were crossing their fingers. I was crossing mine. It worked! The weather could not have been better. Not too hot, not cold. Sunny skies. Perfect.
 
The ceremony was held at a private residence in Aurora, Oregon. A large yard and deck surrounded by trees and other great landscaping. It was a beautiful setting. A young family member played the flute during the arrival of the guests and processional over our sound system. The bride, groom and bridal party looked amazing. I played custom chosen music for the bride entrance and bride and groom exit. The ceremony was great and we moved right into the reception.
 
Music filled the air as the guests mingled and the bride and groom took pictures elsewhere. I could see the guests bobbing their heads and moving their hips and feet to the medium-tempo music. The dancing portion of the reception had not started but we were getting there. John and Alice made their entrance along with their bridal party. They chose “Love Train” by the O’Jays – a perfect song for them and for their grand entrance.
 
John and Alice are absolute music lovers and connoisseurs. They love to sing Karaoke. They met at a Karaoke bar in Downtown Portland. John proposed to Alice at the same place a couple years later. After the wedding was over, they rode their limo back to the very same bar where it all started.
 
Music is very important to John and Alice. We’re honored to have been a part of that perfect day. Congratulations John and Alice!
 
“Rhett was exactly what we wanted for our wedding – professional, attentive, courteous. Planning was easy and we knew he would provide the atmosphere we wanted. He kept the party going all night, read the crowd very well and everything flowed just as we wanted, it was our dream day! Thank you!” -Alice & John Ivie
 
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:

• Event Date: Saturday, June 25, 2011
• Event Type: Wedding
• Event Location: Residence/Aurora, Oregon
• Event Staff: Rhett Acelar
• 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

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The summer wedding season is officially under way and it was a beautiful day for Liz and Bryan’s wedding held at Camp Colton in Colton, Oregon on June 25th.
 
The ceremony took place in the chapel at 5pm. I had arrived earlier to set-up for the reception in the lodge. With plenty of time to spare, I had a chance to walk around the property and onto the bridge over Canyon Creek. I just love the sound of rushing water, especially in the summertime. But I digress, there was a wedding to perform.
 
Guests arrived to a variety of background music that included The Beatles, Jon Mayer, and Country favorites from Tim McGraw, George Strait and others. Liz and Bryan chose The Black Eyed Peas ‘I Gotta Feeling’ for their grand entrance.
 
Near the end of dinner, a video was shown with pictures of the newlyweds as children and their time together. One of the songs used in the video was ‘Smile’ from Uncle Kracker. I found this funny because I had that song ready to play following the video. I switched to Thompson Square’s ‘Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not’… wouldn’t you know it?… that was also in the video 🙂
 
Following the toast and cake cutting, Liz and Bryan were ready for their First Dance. They chose Brad Paisely’s ‘Then’. The bride then danced with her father to ‘I Loved Her First’ from Heartland. She was hoping other fathers and daughters would join them about half way through the song, but there did not appear to be many in attendance. It was a nice idea though. Instead of a bouquet and garter toss, Liz and Bryan chose to have an anniversary dance, which revealed her grandparents as married the longest… Rita and Andy (61 years).
 
With over 150 guests in attendance, this group was especially ready to rock as the dance floor was packed from the first song to the last two hours later. I even felt the floor shake in the old lodge on several numbers, including ‘I Gotta Feeling’ and ‘You Shook Me All Night Long.’ The bridge and groom really wanted people to dance and for me to play music to keep the guests on the floor. I think we accomplished that and more. It was a fun night and I was thrilled to be a part of it.
 
Best wishes Liz and Bryan and thank you for choosing PRO DJs. -Rich
 
“I was more than pleased with the job Rich did at our wedding reception! He played all of our requests and kept the music going in a way that kept people out on the dance floor which is exactly what I asked for. I would recommend him to anyone.” -Liz & Bryan Boyles
 
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:

• Event Date: Saturday, June 25, 2011
• Event Type: Wedding
• Event Location: Camp Colton/Colton, Oregon
• 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

 
The first week of Summer in the Portland-area is expected to be sunny and warm with highs in the 80’s. The last week of Spring has been almost as nice, except for one day.
 
That one day was Saturday, June 18th, the day of Allisen and Andrew’s wedding and reception held at the Queen Anne Victorian Mansion in North Portland. Of course, there is not much you can do about the weather and we made the most of it. Afterall, your wedding day is special no matter what else is happening in the world 🙂
 
Yes, it rained all day, but relented right before the ceremony and after the parents were seated, the wedding party entered to Nick Cave ‘The Far Road’ from the ‘On The Road’ movie soundtrack. The bride then entered to Beethoven’s ‘Ode To Joy’ as performed by the Lumiere String Quartet.
 
In all my 25 years performing at weddings, I had never seen the bride or groom drop the ring during the ceremony, but it happened here and provided some comic relief that lightened up a cloudy day. Allisen and Andrew were introduced and made their exit to Stevie Wonder’s ‘Sign, Sealed, Delivered’.
 
The ceremony was held in the gazebo and guests were informed that appetizers and drinks were available outside on the lawn. The gazebo was turned for dinner by the catering staff and after a chance to socialize for about an hour, the guests went inside the house for the cutting of the cake before returning to the gazebo for dinner.
 
Allisen and Andrew chose a background mix of classic jazz and blues and I played music from artists such as Miles Davis, Joe Pass, Dexter Gordon and others. As guests were seated, they were asked to sign a quilt guestbook and encouraged to offer the newlyweds best wishes and any advice they might have.
 
Following dinner was a champagne toast. Allisen and Andrew then danced their First Dance to Ray Charles ‘You Are So Beautiful’. Next, the bride danced with her father and the groom with his mother to ‘Lean On Me’ from Bill Withers. I then opened the dance floor to all guests and spun a variety of hits that had most everyone up and dancing.
 
A neighborhood ordinance of no loud music after 10pm shortened our time on the dance floor a little, but it was a good run and we finished with Louis Armstrong’s ‘The Song Is Ended’ as chosen by the bride and groom.
 
Congratulations Allisen and Andrew and thank you for the opportunity. -Rich
 

 
Sometimes a private residence can provide the best setting for a wedding and that was certainly the case at Rick’s home in Oregon City as Lisa and Curt hosted a wedding and reception for their son Russell and new daughter-in-law, Michelle on June 11th.
 
The sky was overcast all morning, but right before the ceremony began around 2pm, the sun broke and warmed things up, but not too much. The ceremony processional began with Kellie Coffey’s ‘Will You Lie Next To Me.’ The bride then entered to the traditional ‘Bridal Chorus’. The nervous groom was much more calm by the end of the ceremony and Michelle and Russell exited to Aerosmith’s ‘I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing.’
 
The temperature was perfect and the guests had plenty of room to roam around and still hear the music. The groom chose a mix of classic standards from Frank Sintara and other crooners to classic jazz from artists that included Miles Davis. After dinner, I switched to a more contemporary mix that included the brides’ favorite… Country music. That led to an impromptu Bouquet and Garter toss on the front lawn. This was planned for later in the evening, but Michelle and Russell were having a great time and just went with it 🙂
 
The toast and cutting of the cake followed. I then announced their First Dance selection – Kenny Chesney’s ‘You Had Me From Hello.’ Next, the dance floor was opened to all guests and we got off to a great start with Lonestar’s ‘Amazed.’
 
It was a beautiful evening to just hang out in the summer sun and celebrate Russell and Michelle’s big day. Congratulations! -Rich
 

 
On a day the world was supposed to end, Stan and Mary celebrated a new beginning with their wedding in Oregon City on Saturday, May 21st.
 
The reception was held at the Museum of the Oregon Territory in the Tumwater Room and guests arrived to a mix of background music that included favorites of the newlyweds from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Some of the featured artists requested during cocktails and dinner included: Ray Charles, John Denver, Michael W. Smith, Kenny G and others.
 
As we neared the end of dinner, I was asked to announce that all family members of the bride were to gather downstairs for a group photo. I was surprised how orderly and quickly this went, especially with over 200 guests in attendance… kudos to coordinator Mandi Wiley and photographer Allysa Jul.
 
After family members returned, heartfelt toasts were given by the groom’s oldest son and the bride’s sons. For the cake cutting, they chose to hear the Captain and Tennille’s version of ‘The Wedding Song (There Is Love)’.
 
Stan and Mary have been taking dancing lessons and for their First Dance chose a waltz. They wanted about two minutes of Henry Mancini’s ‘Moon River’, then the entire version ‘Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not’ by Thompson Square. I produced an edit of this segue in my sound studio prior to the reception and Mary and Stan had a chance to preview the mix. They said this worked perfectly and they received enthusiastic applause from their guests, which turned out to be just the opening needed to pack the dance floor in the bright daylight of a Saturday afternoon.
 
With a mix of oldies and some classic rock, that included the swinging ‘In the Mood’ and hits from Elvis, Bob Seger and Van Morrison, everyone had a great time. We finished the reception with a variety of the bride and groom’s favorite songs, such as Englebert Humperdinck’s ‘The Last Waltz’, C.C.R.’s ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘Unforgettable’ from Natalie and Nat King Cole.
 
Best wishes to Mary and Stan and thank you for the opportunity. -Rich