Events
Sizzling Wedding Celebration At Portland’s Firehouse Restaurant
Sadie and Bryce were married and held their wedding reception at the Firehouse Restaurant in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
The first day of Labor Day weekend was a warm 88 degrees, but fairly comfortable during the ceremony just outside the main building. I setup a small second sound system along the wall and provided a lapel microphone for the officiant, as well as a handheld cordless microphone for the couple to speak their vows.
Firehouse Restaurant Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Wedding Party Entrance: The Chicks – Cowboy Take Me Away
- Bride Entrance: Tyler Childers – Lady Mae
- Bride/Groom Exit: Taylor Swift – Paper Rings
The reception followed immediately afterwards. My main system was setup inside opposite the open cooking area. With additional speakers, I was able to provide background music most everywhere for guests who were primarily outside during cocktails and dinner.
The setlist was a mix of selections by some of the newlyweds favorite artists, including Tyler Childers, Taylor Swift, Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, The Wood Brothers, Caamp and The Chicks.
For dinner, each section of tables was named after one of Bryce and Sadie’s cats, so I excused each section by announcing the corresponding cat name 🙂
Firehouse Restaurant Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Formula 1 Theme Song (Brian Tyler)
- First Dance: Tyler Childers – All Your’n
- Last Dance: Taylor Swift – Love Story (Taylor’s Version)
About halfway through their first dance, the newlyweds were ready for their guests to join in and the dance floor filled immediately.
This was a lively group, who were full of energy and combined with the heat from the cooking area, really made the room sizzle, especially when I played “The Hora” and Sadie and Bryce were lifted high in their chairs.
The 100 guests had a great time dancing to everything from classic motown (Diana Ross & The Supremes) to Outkast (Hey Ya), plus the couple’s requests for Tina Turner’s version of “Proud Mary”, Miley Cyrus “Party In The USA” and lots of Taylor Swift.
Congratulations Sadie and Bryce and thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
“We are so thankful for everything Rich did for our event. Our music was perfect the entire night, Rich was so kind, and we were blown away by how easy and perfect everything was.” -Sadie Hazelkorn and Bryce Richardson
- Event Date: Saturday, September 2, 2023
- Event Type: Wedding & Reception
- Event Location: Firehouse Restaurant
- 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
Horning’s Hideout Hot August Wedding
Amber and Kyle held their wedding and reception at Horning’s Hideout in North Plains, Oregon on Sunday, August 13, 2023, the hottest day of the year at that point with the temperature hovering around 100 degrees.
The tree canopy at this venue kept it much cooler, especially with the small stream running closeby during the ceremony in the Creekside area, where I had setup a second small sound system to provide music and lapel microphone for the officiant.
Horning’s Hideout Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Wedding Party Entrance: David Gray – This Years Love
- Bride Entrance: Haley Reinhart – Can’t Help Falling in Love
- Bride/Groom Exit: James Brown – I Got You (I Feel Good)
Following the ceremony, guests walked up the hill to the reception area. Background music during cocktails was a mix of all Country favorites as requested by the bride, while dinner featured a softer variety of selections that included favorites of the couple from The Paper Kites and Van Morrison.
Horning’s HideoutWedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Coldplay – A Sky Full of Stars
- Cake Cutting: Maroon 5 – Sugar
- First Dance: Jon Langston – Forever Girl
- Bride and Father Dance: Heartland – I Loved Her First
- Groom and Mother Dance: Rascal Flatts – My Wish
A last minute request for a Dollar Dance preceeded the dance floor opening to all 70 guests in attendance, who were mostly partial to the slower numbers in the first hour. The energy picked up a little later, especially during the bride’s request for “Cupid Shuffle” and other fun group dance songs.
Congratulations Amber and Kyle and thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
Submitted By: Amber Fornshell
- Event Date: Friday, August 13, 2023
- Event Type: Wedding & Reception
- Event Location: Horning’s Hideout
- 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
World Forestry Center Wedding Portland Oregon
Miriam and Lance’s World Forestry Center wedding was held on Sunday, July 30, 2023 in Portland, Oregon.
It was a perfect summer day for the ceremony outside with sunshine and the temperature a comfortable 78 degrees.
World Forestry Center Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Wedding Party Entrance: Runescape Theme
- Bride Entrance: Dodi Li
- Bride/Groom Exit: Hevenu Shalom Aleichem
The reception followed immediately afterwards inside Miller Hall. The newlyweds chose selections from their favorite artists for the background music during cocktails and dinner, including Phish, Weezer and Pink Floyd.
World Forestry Center Wedding Reception Highlights:
- First Dance: Bright Eyes – First Day Of My Life
A late summer day meant plenty of daylight when the dance floor opened to everyone just after 8pm, but this group of about 90 guests got right to it from the first slow dance to the fast numbers that followed, including favorites from The Beatles, Elton John and Earth, Wind & Fire, plus “The Hora” and chair raising of the couple.
Congratulations Miriam and Lance and thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
Bar Mitzvah Bat Mitzvah Parties Portland And Sherwood Oregon
Rich Ellis had the honor of being the DJ at two separate Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitvah parites on Saturday, June 24, 2023, starting with Rose, Max and Jonah’s B’nai Mitzvah celebration held in Community Hall at the Southeast Campus of Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon.
Guests were already seated for the ceremony in the same room as I quietly setup the equipment. As soon as it concluded, lunch was ready and the background music began, featuring classical selections as requested by the family.
The kids went through the buffet first and after eating were ready for some games that included name that tune, a scavenger hunt and Coke & Pepsi. They also did the limbo before all guests were invited to the dance floor for “The Hora” and chair raising. Most everyone joined in, lifting and celebrating the kids and their family.
There were requests for everything from “Dancing Queen” to “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”, “I Will Survive” and even “The Charleston”.
Two hours later, I traveled to Sherwood for Tyce’s Bar Mitzvah party at Heart of Rock Farm.
There were about 60 guests in attendance with ample space inside and out to gather. I learned later that many of the kids were cousins who only see each other every four years or so and they spent a lot of time outside catching up with each other. Still, we managed a scavenger hunt after dinner before all guests came together on the dance floor for “The Hora” and chair raising.
Mazel Tov Rose, Max, Jonah and Tyce and thank you to Rose’s mom Davida and Tyce’s mom Kim for choosing PRO DJs.
Post Event Feedback:
“Rich was amazing with the kids. He had fun games to keep them entertained. Everyone had so much fun! Thank you for making our son’s Bar Mitzvah extra special. We appreciate how easy you made it.” -Kim & Ed (Tyce’s Bar Mitzvah)
“Thank you, Rich. We had a great time.” -Davida (Rose’s Bat Mitzvah)
Gearhart Wedding McMenamins Sand Trap
Jeanell and Rob’s Gearhart wedding was held on Sunday, June 18, 2023 at McMenamins Sand Trap in Gearhart on the Oregon Coast.
The ceremony was planned for outside just off the Livingstone Room patio overlooking the golf course, but Mother Nature had other plans, so a tent was setup just off the patio, but still connected to the building.
Gearhart Wedding Ceremony Highlights:
- Wedding Party & Bride Entrance: Jerry Garcia Band – Shining Star [Live]
- Bride/Groom Exit: Grateful Dead – They Love Each Other
It was a little cool outside and most guests opted to be inside Livingstone Room for most of the reception. Background music was a variety of genres and artists including modern selections from Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz, along with some Country and reggae favorites from Bob Marley as requested by the bride and groom.
Gearhart Wedding Reception Highlights:
- Grand Entrance: Barry Louis Polisar – All I Want Is You
- Cake Cutting: James Taylor – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
- First Dance: Xavier Rudd – We Deserve To Dream
The dance floor opened to everyone around 7:45pm and after the opening slow number, the 67 guests didn’t waste any time getting down to classic hits like “September” and “Stayin’ Alive” plus the newlyweds favorites for disco from Kool & The Gang, Chic and more.
The energy was pretty high already, but “The Hora” took it to another level.
Congratulations Jeanell and Rob and thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
