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.
 

 

 
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!
 

 
With their ceremony taking place a day earlier, Kim and Russ were just looking to have a great time with their friends and family at their informal wedding reception at Meriwether’s Restaurant in Northwest Portland on Saturday, August 9, 2014.
 
The newlyweds greeted their guests as they arrived while I played a mix of background music that included artists such as Lifehouse, David Gray, Coldplay and others… they had asked for a set of adult alternative or KINK 101.9 type music during cocktails and dinner.
 

 
Kim noted in our planning meeting that ‘this was a second wedding for both of us so you won’t see a lot of the traditional first wedding events (cake cutting, garter throw, etc.)’. She was very involved in the music selection, even sending me a list of songs she had put on a CD she had made for Russ when they first met… one for each year of their first 4 years of being together. The songs were either out that year or meant something at that time and designed to remind the groom of that year… ‘I know, corny’ she wrote 🙂
 
Kim and Russ had expected about 130 guests, but may have exceeded that a little and the venue, that was also opened to the public for dinner, may have maxed out as dinner was delayed, but we took it all in stride and took advantage of the brief time available for dancing.
 

 
The dance floor was mostly filled with guest tables when the dancing started, but that was no deterrent for this group and they got right to it, even with the Meriwether’s staff moving chairs out of the area as fast as they could.
 
Guests really enjoyed the oldies set at the beginning that included Kim’s favorites: ‘We Are Family,’ ‘Love Shack’ and ‘Mony Mony.’ I was told Russ didn’t dance much, but even he couldn’t resist the fun energy. The bride also wanted some recent hit songs and ‘Happy’ and ‘Blurred Lines’ were well received.
 

 
A noise ordinance in the area requires the music must end at 10pm. However, since dinner was late, Meriwether’s allowed some extra time.
 
Best wishes Kim and Russ and thank you for choosing PRO DJs.
 
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
 
“I wish we could have danced longer!!!! Rich got everyone up and dancing!!! You even got Russ up and dancing which he never does!!! That is a feat unto itself!!!! Thank you for making our reception a success! I would recommend PRO DJ’s anytime. If you want to add me to your reference list, I would be happy to do so!” -Kim Miller

• Event Date: Saturday, August 9, 2014
• Event Type: Wedding Reception
• Event Location: Meriwether’s 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: 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