Smoke From A Distant Fire At Mt. Hood Wedding

Published August 25, 2015 | By Rich Ellis

It was a smoky celebration at Lindsay and Kevin’s Mt. Hood Wedding on Sunday, August 23, 2015 as Northwest wildfires in Oregon and Washington brought a haze that made Mt. Hood in the background appear as a silhouette.

It was a comfortable day though with a high temperature in the low 80’s at Mt. Hood B & B in Parkdale, Oregon… my third trip to this fabulous venue this Summer.

Mt. Hood Wedding Ceremony Highlights:

Wedding Party Entrance: Lumineers – Ho Hey!
Flower Girl/Ring Bearer Entrance: House of Pain – Jump Around
Bride Entrance: Adele – Make You Feel My Love (Acoustic Piano Version)
Bride/Groom Exit: Bruno Mars – Marry You

Following the wedding ceremony, guests relaxed with a cocktail on the lawn or enjoyed a cup of gelato from a special stand setup nearby. I played a mix of background music that included a casual mix of popular and folky songs from artists loved by the bride and groom, such as Mumford & Sons, Michael Buble, Of Monsters & Men and more.

For the reception, my main sound system was set-up earlier in the dining area located behind the house. After I introduced Lindsay and Kevin, the buffet was opened for dinner. Background music was a softer variety of alternative favorites that included Jason Mraz, Norah Jones and Dave Matthews Band.

Mt. Hood Wedding Reception Highlights:

Grand Entrance: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/Ray Dalron – Can’t Hold Us
Cake Cutting: Jack Johnson – Better Together
First Dance: Ray Lamontagne – You Are The Best Thing
Bride and Father Dance: Tim McGraw – My Little Girl
Groom and Mother Dance: Boyz II Men – A Song For Mama
Last Dance: Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You

I played a few older songs at the beginning, including an opening slow dance that packed the dance floor, but this group really responded to the recent hits like ‘Happy’ from Pharrell Williams that featured the groom’s family passing out the big brown hats that Pharrell wore in the video.

The rest of the night everyone enjoyed getting down to ‘Uptown Funk,’ ‘Blurred Lines,’ and even some Taylor Swift, as requested by the bride.

Best wishes Lindsay and Kevin!

Post Event Satisfaction Survey:

“Rich really made the audio & music elements of our wedding so easy because we knew he had every aspect covered. The event planner tool on the website made song selection very easy and helped with ceremony and reception structure. In speaking with Rich the week before the wedding, he took the time to understand our wants and he “got our vision” instantly. He is very personable and provided some excellent recommendations based on his extensive experience. It translated into a perfectly seamless event. Some of our favorite memories from the wedding were on the dance floor, so thanks to Rich for reading the crowd well and bringing out everyone’s dance moves. We received compliments several friends and family members on our DJ after the wedding!”
-Lindsay Pearce & Kevin Rogers