Many Summer weddings in the Pacific Northwest take place outdoors, but this weekend I was the DJ at back-to-back late August indoor weddings.
 
Becca and Marc were married under the glass covered roof of the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland (just above the Lownsdale Room) on Saturday, August 24, 2013.
 
I provided music for the reception only that followed in the main ballroom on the first floor. However, music for the cocktail hour was performed by a live group of flutists. I did interrupt them briefly to introduce the newlyweds upon their arrival and took over the background music during dinner with a setlist that included favorites requested by Becca, including Norah Jones, Paul Simon and the Indigo Girls.
 

 
Portland Wedding DJ Reception Highlights:

• Grand Entrance: Stevie Wonder – Signed Sealed Delivered…
• Cake Cutting: James Taylor – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
• Bride and Father Dance: Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely
• First Dance: Jesse and the Rippers – Forever
• Bouquet Toss: Dusty Springfield – Wishin’ & Hopin’
• Last Dance: R. Kelly – Ignition (Remix)

It’s a good thing, the MAC Club set-up a large dance floor because it seemed that nearly all 180 guests were on it at any given time. From the opening slow dance to the faster tempo numbers that followed, they kept the floor packed and had a great time celebrating Becca and Marc’s big day.
 


 
Marc’s side of the family is Jewish and he and Becca went for a chair raising ride when I played ‘The Hora’
 

 
Motown oldies and disco selections made up most of Becca and Marc’s request list, including the Jackson 5 and K.C. and the Sunshine Band. They also requested 80’s hits ‘Walking On Sunshine’ and ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’, plus some 90’s, such as Salt N’ Pepa’s ‘Shoop’ and Blackstreet’s ‘No Diggity’.
 

 
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
 
“I had several party-goers approach me during the reception and compliment the fantastic work Rich did both as a DJ and as an MC to keep the event progressing as we had planned.” 
-Marc Auten

• Event Date: Saturday, August 24, 2013
• Event Type: Wedding Reception
• Event Location: Multnomah Athletic Club
• 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

Click Here to view professional photos from Annie Helen Photography.
 

 
Most weddings I perform at each Summer normally schedule a year or more before the date, but for Megan and Sean, their DJ canceled on them for medical reasons just two weeks before their big day. I was available on Friday, August 23, 2013 and happy to fill-in at their wedding and reception held at the Embassy Suites in Tigard, Oregon near Washington Square.
 
The ceremony took place in Ballroom I and the reception in Ballrooms II and III. I provided music for the ceremony by patching into the house sound system. It sounded great, but provided a bit of a challenge since I was not able to see what was happening on the other side of the wall. Fortunately, I received cues from Teresa at Embassy Suites and a family friend, Emily, so everything went smoothly.
 
Tigard Wedding DJ Ceremony Highlights:

• Bridal Party Entrance: Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are (instrumental version)
• Bride Entrance: Lionel Richie – Hello
• Bride/Groom Exit: Queen – Crazy Little Thing Like Love

While the newlyweds had their photos taken with family, guests gathered for the reception. I played a variety of favorites that included classics from Jimmy Buffett and Queen, today’s hits from the Lumineers and Phillip Phillips, plus a few current Country songs.
 

 
Tigard Wedding DJ Reception Highlights:

• Grand Entrance: Keith Urban – Somebody Like You
• First Dance: Boys Like Girls f/Taylor Swift – Two is Better Than One
• Cake Cutting: Tim McGraw – Unbroken
• Bride and Father Dance: Tim McGraw – My Little Girl
• Groom and Mother Dance: Shinedown – Simple Man
• Dollar Dance: Josh Turner – Why Don’t We Just Dance
• Bouquet Toss: Queen – Another One Bites the Dust
• Garter Toss: Rob Thomas – Lonely No More
• Last Dance: Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – I’ve Had the Time Of My Life

Less than 100 people attended this one, but they brought the energy of twice that from the first song.
 

 
I spun a few oldies, including the Bee Gees and Prince, along with the current smash ‘Blurred Lines’ and the groom hammed it up to his request for Sir Mix-a-lot’s ‘Jump On It’.


 
Post Event Satisfaction Survey:
 
“With the short amount of time Rich had to put this together, he did a great job!” 
-Tammy Herrmann/George Weivoda

• Event Date: Friday, August 23, 2013
• Event Type: Wedding & Reception
• Event Location: Embassyi Suites – Washington Square
• 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: Good
• 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

 
This has been one amazing summer for weddings in the Northwest. For July, there was zero rain and August has been mainly dry. That streak ended though on Saturday, August 10, 2013 right about the time Ava and Kylen were to hold their ceremony outside overlooking the golf course at Persimmon Country Club in Gresham, Oregon. A thunderstorm led to steady rain right after I had just finished setting up my sound system.
 

 
Good thing the reception was already planned to be inside the ballroom and I had set-up my main sound system there earlier. The decision was made to move inside and some quick planning resulted in an intimate, successful ceremony.
 
Gresham Wedding DJ Ceremony Highlights:

• Prelude: Vitamin String Quartet – Pop Songs Variety
• Bridal Party Entrance: Mae – Falling Into You
• Bride Entrance: Coldplay – Reign of Love
• Bride/Groom Exit: Bloc Party – So Here We Are

 
I guess it wasn’t surprising to see the rain stop during the ceremony and the sun was out afterwards. The bride and groom took advantage and traveled around the course in a golf cart with their photographer to get some great shots that included an appearance from Mt. Hood in the background.
 
Meanwhile, I played a mix of standards and classics for the guests at the reception that included Frank Sinatra and Michael Bublé as requested by Ava and Kylen.
 

 
Gresham Wedding DJ Reception Highlights:

• Grand Entrance: Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream
• First Dance: Avett Brothers – I and Love and You (Performed Live by Groomsmen Alex Crowson)
• Cake Cutting: James Taylor – How Sweet It Is
• Bride and Father Dance: Tim McGraw – My Little Girl
• Groom and Mother Dance: Teresa James – It Happens In A Heartbeat
• Dollar Dance: Michael Buble – Come Fly With Me
• Bouquet Toss: Destiny’s Child – Independent Women Pt 1
• Garter Toss: Justin Timberlake – Suit & Tie

After a warm-up slow dance, guests were movin’ and groovin’ to a few oldies, including Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’ and Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’. The newlyweds requested mostly music from the last five years, such as ‘Party in the USA’ and current hits ‘Blurred Lines’ and ‘Get Lucky.’ However, they also threw in some old school 90’s songs I haven’t played in awhile but sounded great, including ‘Return of the Mack’.
 



 
As the last song played, I asked everyone to gather outside and light up their sparklers to help send-off Ava and Kylen. Congratulations!