Josh Marmon & Patricia Stevens Wedding

We were travelling East, yet again for another early 2015 wedding.  This time, not quite as far as Saratoga Springs.  This time we were in Yorkville, NY, just outside of Utica for the wedding of Josh Marmon and Patricia Stevens.  It was new territory for SCSM, having never really DJed in the Utica area, but a challenge is always welcome.  And honestly, the couple made it much easier because they were fantastic clients.

The reception began immedately with introductions and dances.  No formal cocktail hour?  No problem.  The guests and wedding party came into the Upstate New York cold ready to party.  After some preliminary adjustments and people getting settled in, it was time to get it going.  I distinctly remember the eagerness in Josh and Patricia’s faces before their introductions.  They were in line with their wedding party and you could just tell that they were insanely happy and ready to have some fun.

As for the introductions, the parents, wedding party, and bride and groom all walked in to the same song (A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay) and everyone stood and surrounded Josh and Patricia for their First Dance (Latch – Sam Smith).  Once their moment was complete, our couple opted to do their family dances before dinner.  They began with the Father/Bride dance (That Kind of Love – Claire Lynch)  and concluded with the Mother/Groom dance (What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstong), totaling two family dances.  Originally, we were scheduled to go straight into dinner at the time, but we had to move up the Cake Cutting because the cake wasn’t exactly cooperating with the atmosphere… it was starting to collapse!  So, the cake was cut and we transitioned into dinner.

The dinner didn’t begin right away, as we still had some time to kill, so by the request of Josh and Patricia, SCSM played some lite, jazzy music which led directly into speeches and toasts.  Finally, once the speeches were over, it was time for the wonderful buffet, located on the dance floor, so that had to be cleared before we moved on to dancing.

Once the food was clear, the guests really enjoyed the dancing.  They were particularly fans of group and line dances, like the Cupid Shuffle, but the dance floor remained hot and full amongst the bride and groom requests of modern top 100 hits like Marry Me (Jason Derulo), and more obscure songs like Martinelli’s (Wordsplayed & Andy Mineo).  And of course, the more Justin Timberlake, the better.  The crowd enjoyed it all.  Even the families got in their two cents on the play list with requests such as Everybody Eats When They Come To My House (Cab Calloway) and When You Say Nothing At All (Alison Krauss)

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Along with the general dancing of the day, Josh and Patricia had plenty of moments to put that indelible stamp on the day.  First of those moments was the Dollar Dance, where the crowd got a chance at a brief solo dance with the bride and groom.  Josh and Patricia initially chose one Dollar Dance song (Summer Love – Justin Timberlake), but there were so many people wanting to participate (If I Had 1,000,000 Dollars – Barenaked Ladies). Directly following was the Bouquet Toss (My Love – Justin Timberlake), where Patricia got a chance to show off her tossing skills.  Finally, rounding out our trio was the Generations Dance (Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran) where all married couples got a chance to dance, and the last couple standing had been married for 55 years!

So as usual, every good thing has to end.  Luckily, this good thing was only the reception, not something more serious.  Many good things came from this reception, mostly the marriage of Josh and Patricia.  They capped off the night in pure, 90’s dance fashion (One More Time – Daft Punk).  After which, there was nothing left to do but say goodbye and get back on the Thruway

Congratulations to Josh and Patricia.  Thank you for choosing Salt City Sound Machine. We wish you the best of luck in the future!

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Gatsby New Year’s Eve at the Barnes Hiscock Mansion

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Before 2014 ended, I received an interesting message… someone wanted me to DJ a party in a mansion.  I mean really, who would say no to that?  Naturally, the lead was followed up on and it lead me into a sit down meeting with Kristin Earle, the awesome director of the historic Barnes Hiscock Mansion in Syracuse.  Kristin had an idea for a New Years Eve party… a throwback, 1920’s Roaring Twenties Bash to bring in the New Year.  And she wanted me to be her Jay Gatsby.  Again, who would say no to that?

While it was a New Years Eve Party, it also doubled as one of the Mansion’s largest fundraisers of the year.  The funds are used to continue to preserve the mansion that was built in the 1800’s and owned by George and Rebecca Barnes, two Syracuse citizens who were abolitionists and staunch supporters of the Underground Railroad.  The Barnes family also used their means to raise public funding, support, and awareness to many important causes in the mid to late 1800’s.  Kristin has excelled in creating fundraising events in order to preserve the mansion, and although she has since moved on to a great position at the local Cystic Fibrosis foundation, she left a great legacy and nurtured a wonderful business relationship with Salt City Sound Machine.

The Gatsby party was a great turnout and everyone was dressed to the nines.  We played modern remixes of 20’s songs all night and added in some more modern swing.  Flapper outfits, feathered headbands, and costume jewelry were the norm for the beautiful ladies of the evening.  While in the mean time, the guys came decked in their own vested suits and fedoras.  The first floor of the mansion was opened to all complete with food and drinks of the era.  Guests were able to go from room to room, but when they were in the room where we were, they were treated to songs from Postmodern Jukebox, Parev Stelar, and excerpts from the Great Gatsby Soundtrack.

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Of course, as the clock rang midnight, everyone gathered in the same room for a New Year Countdown, a champagne celebration, and Auld Lang Syne.  Soon after, the music ended and 2015 began… but at least this was a year that was starting right.

Thanks to the Kristin and the Barnes Hiscock Mansion for having us for your New Years Celebration.  We’ll be doing it again in 2016/2017, bigger and better than ever.  In the mean time, if you’d like to donate to the preservation or general infomation on the Mansion, check them out here.

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Patrick Seguin and Julie Krol Wedding

A Destination weddings are interesting.  Although Salt City Sound Machine has never fully done a destination wedding, I suppose the Seguin/Krol wedding is the closest we’ve come.  Patrick and Julie had their wedding ceremony at a resort in Mexico, but beforehand requested CDs of music from us for the destination celebration.  As far as they said, everyone had a great time in Mexico.  Does that make SCSM an international DJ company?  That’s not for me to determine.  However, what I do know is that Patrick and Julie came home and were ready to party with their local reception.

The evening began at Barbagallo’s with a quick cocktail hour before the introductions.  It’s becoming more often that our clients are choosing to have different songs for their entrances.  While they didn’t have a song for each pairing, there were a multitude of songs specifically for groups coming out including the parents of the Bride and Groom (I Love It – Icona Pop), the Junior Bridesmaids (Fergalicious – Fergie), One half of the wedding party (This is How We Do – Katy Perry), and the second half of the wedding party (Turn Down For What – DJ Snake & Lil Jon).  Finally Patrick and Julie made their own entrance (All I Do Is Win – DJ Khaled), and followed it up with their First Dance (Something I Need (Acoustic) – OneRepublic) where the wedding party joined midway through.

The rest of the night were heavy on dancing, drinking, and stories.  After dinner, Patrick and Julie had simultaneous parents dances (The Way I Am – Ingrid Michaelson), and that was the last specific song before the Last Dance at the end of the night.  Patrick and Julie were clear… they wanted as much dance time as possible and the end od the parents dance signaled the beginning of nearly 3 hours of uninterrupted dance time.  Of course we played all the great songs that Patrick and Julie requested, like I’ll Back You Up by Dave Matthews Band, and other songs that were near and dear to their hearts.  They did, however, request that only 2 group dances be played, which is plenty for a 3 hour dance block.  Some of the guests actually grabbed the mic and sang along to the songs being played, which was actually started by our former clients, Mike and Kristen McClusky  (you can read their event recap here).

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For those who weren’t feeling the dance floor, there were plenty of other things to do.  Those who attended the wedding in Mexico were sharing stories nearby the slideshow of pictures of the event, and the staff at Barbagallo’s made sure everyone had everything they needed.  Even though there was no cake cutting, there was also desserts for the people in attendance to enjoy.

The night ended around midnight and the stateside celebration of Patrick and Julie Krol came to an end with their chosen Last Dance (You’re All I Want – Lifehouse).  The entire process was unorthodox, but there’s nothing wrong with that.  After all, who wouldn’t jump at the chance of getting married in a beautiful setting and saving the party for the loved ones at home?  Patrick and Julie did it their way, and they are better for it.

Congratulations to Patrick and Julie.  Thank you for choosing Salt City Sound Machine. We wish you the best of luck in the future!

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The People have Spoken! – Early 2016 Wedding Testimonials

The People have Spoken!  We love our clients. Wedding season is getting hot and heavy, but SCSM has been working all year long. Check out what some of our early season clients have said about their SCSM experience!

We are booking into 2017 and beyond so if you’re looking for a DJ, head over to the Contact page to get the process started!

 

 

Steve Delgado and Kristi Kelly Wedding

A wedding is commomly characterized as a joining of two people to become one.  This wedding took that concept even further.  Of course, it was Steve and Kristi’s time for two to become one, but this wedding went a little deeper.  It was a pairing of The Bronx and Central New York… the fusion of two cultures coming together in the name of love.

Steve and Kristi were already married earlier in the day when I arrived to the Clarion so it was time for cocktail once everything was all set up.  The guests were treated to some cool features like the commonly seen Photo Booth, but their cake table also featured maps of the bride and groom’s hometown’s (Lafayette, NY and Bronx, NY respectively) cut out into hearts and framed, along side dueling cupcake trays featuring Superman and Wonder Woman decals, with S and K letters, all adorned with blue and white sparkles.  The cake table was a great microcosm of the personality of the couple of the day.

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The reception officially got underway with the introductions.  The parents of the bride and groom made their way out first, followed by the friends and family that made up the wedding party (Bring Em Out – T.I.), and ending, of course, with Steve and Kristi (I Got Your Back – T.I.).  Once the introductions were over, Steve and Kristi went right into their first dance, and as much as I’d like to say it was another T. I. song, they decided to switch it up (I Knew I Loved You – Savage Garden).  Steve and Kristi decided to structure their day in a way that saved more time later in the event for dancing.  As such, they followed their first dance with parents dances, starting with the father/daughter dance (When You Need Me – Bruce Springsteen) and ending with the mother/son dance (Vivo Orgulloso – Victor Manuelle).  Finally it was time for a delicious buffet dinner, but not before some speeches and toasts by the Best Man and Maid of Honor, but also a special blessing from the Grandmother of the Groom.

When dinner ended, which featured a memorial song for Kristi’s mother (In The Air Tonight – Phil Collins), we opened up the dance floor.. and it may have been a flood gate because this wedding wanted to have fun.  It was a rich mix of modern and classic hits and some requested Spanish songs by the groom.  It seemed like no matter what played, people really enjoyed, and the few that didn’t want to dance, the photo booth got plenty of attention.  It seemed that any time the genres or the feel of the music changed more people just jumped in to join in on the fun.

The remaining special moments of the night also got a lot of attention by the guests at the Delgado wedding.  When Steve and Kristi cut their black and blue cake (Sweet Thang – Chaka Khan), the guests took the time to choose whether they were a Superman or Wonder Woman person for their superhero cupcake.  Later in the night they all lined up to donate money to the Dollar Dance (I Wanna Be Rich – Calloway) which spilled into more than one song, resulting in several dollars for our bride and groom.

I want to go on record with something… there are weddings that sometimes seem like they go a little too long and others that seem to end on the natural end time.  I firmly felt that night, and still do, that the Delgado-Kelly wedding should have gone longer.  The people were really excited and not ready for the night to end.  And for that matter, neither were Steve and Kristi, and they wanted to keep the party going.  But, unfortunately sometimes venues have strict end times, and the Clarion is one of them, so we didn’t have the option of extending time.  However, the time that we were there was incredibly well spent.  It ended the way that Steve and Kristi wanted with a giant sing-a-long to their chosen final song of the night (Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey).  And by sing-a-long, I don’t mean a couple people… I mean the whole house, complete with wireless microphones and a large circle around our bride and groom.  No matter the time, it was great way to end the night as Kristi Delgado said in our Testimonials section here on scsoundmachine.com:

Absolutely the best around! Organized and fun! Favorite moment was the last song when he had EVERYONE on the dance floor singing Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin! Thanks for helping to make our wedding reception a blast!!!

– Kristi Delgado

Congratulations to Steve and Kristi.  Thank you for choosing Salt City Sound Machine and we wish you the best of luck in the future!

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Jason Cost and April Shaw Wedding

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Our 2014 rolls steadily along with another Fall wedding in Syracuse.  Off-site ceremonies don’t happen often, but I enjoy it when they do.  It goes without saying, but the days of the church wedding still exist, but in smaller numbers.  More and more these days, I am finding couples who are looking for something different, and I love different.  Jason Cost and April Shaw were looking for something different.  While the bulk of the party happened at the Syracuse University Sheraton, Jason and April first tied the knot at the gazebo at Onondaga Lake Park’s Butterfly Garden.

The morning of September 13th was a windy and wet one.  Guests were seated outside the gazebo under a tent, while the gazebo itself was covered.  Jason was waiting in the gazebo with his officiant, friend of SCSM Stephen Melkanos, and the sound was ready to go.  Down the path leading to the gazebo, the bridesmaids entered (Canon in D – Pachelbel) followed by April’s Bridal Processional (Bridal Chorus – Wagner).  After a wonderful ceremony service by Stephen, Jason and April formally exchanged vows and were married.  Upon their Recessional (Beautiful Day – U2), Jason and April happily walked away from the Butterfly Garden for some pictures and the day transitioned to the Sheraton.

The Sheraton’s Comstock Room was all decorated for the reception, accented by fuschia uplighting for aesthetics.  Guests arrived for the cocktail hour and shortly after the festivities of the reception began.  The parents, wedding party, and bride and groom themselves lined up for their Grand Entrance (All You Need is Love – The Beatles).  Once Jason and April walked in their guests looked on as they enjoyed their first dance (Pride and Joy – Stevie Ray Vaughn).  It seemed like all the time Jason spent on the road for work and the anticipation of the day came out in a moment of joy for our newly formed Cost family.  When the first dance ended, everyone was seated for speeches and toasts and a great sit down dinner.

20140913_201315_optAfter dinner, the dancing portion was kicked off with some parents dances.  Up first, was the
father/daughter dance (Walk With You – Edwin McCain), followed by the mother/son dance (Edelweiss: From The Sound of Music – Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers).  Once the dance floor opened, it turned into a true representation of the variety of the good people attending the Cost wedding.  April and Jason of course were a mainstay on the dance floor, but it was a true depiction of the different backgrounds and tastes that walked through the door.  Some truly memorable moments happened as well.  First, Jason and April’s officiant, Stephen, and I used to have a weekly show at Singers Karaoke Club, where we would recreate the old Fresh Prince of Bel-Air “Apache” dance (Apache – The Sugarhill Gang).  With him in attendance, we got a chance to relive the old days.  Also at some point in the night, one of the guests did a one-man entertainment show by singing along with the songs, playing air guitar, and getting the guests to dance along with him.  The charisma was off the charts.  It was also great to see Tom and Melissa Dougherty, friends of the bride and groom and one of Salt City Sound Machine’s wedding couple from our first year.

But the night rightly belonged to the new Jason and April Cost and they had their own memories yet to be made.  Shortly after dancing began, they cut their cake (Candy Girl – New Edition) and the specific moments tended to occur at regular intervals.  Next up was the bouquet toss (Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper) to the single ladies in the house and a garter removal/toss (Keep Your Hands to Yourself – Georgia Satellites) with the garter placement rounding out that ceremony (Another Bites the Dust – Queen).  Directly following the bouquet/garter, Jason and April went onto the dance floor flanked by their Best Man and Maid of Honor for their Dollar Dance, which spilled into two dances (If I Had $1,000,000 – Barenaked Ladies, Money – Pink Floyd).  Things continued in the final hour, where we found out who in attendance has been married the longest with the Generations Dances (When I’m 64 – The Beatles, Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton, I’ll Be – Edwin McCain).

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After 16 specific songs, 7 hours, and 2 venues, it was time to wrap up the night.  Jason and April had smiles on their faces as their day was ending.  They danced to their chosen Last Dance song ((I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes) and said goodbye to their guests before heading off to their new life and husband and wife.  I enjoyed working with them and it’s great to stay in touch today!

Congratulations to Jason and April.  Thank you for choosing Salt City Sound Machine and we wish you the best of luck in the future!

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Donald McKinney and Brianna Kearns Wedding

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As of this writing, I have been DJing in the Central New York area since 2007, so close to ten years.  I can unequivocally say that there has not been a wedding that kept me guessing, filled with fun and memorable features than the McKinney/Kearns wedding in August of 2014.  It was a wonderful reception jam packed with interesting moments, that I still talk about today.

We began the day at the gazebo outside of Lake Shore Yacht & Country Club for the ceremony.  The guests had been seated and prelude music was just beginning to wind down when the ceremony introductions began.  The bridal party were the first to walk down the aisle (A Thousand Years – Christina Perri) followed by our lovely bride, Brianna, who walked in to a mix of two classic songs (Canon in D – Pachelbel, Here Comes the Bride – Richard Wagner).  It was a quick ceremony and combined with the location, it was very nice as far as ceremonies go.  The ceremony officially ended with the recessional (I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas) and cocktail hour began outdoors in the exact same location.

The fun features with which I always associate this wedding, began almost immediately.  During cocktail hour, while the guests were enjoying refreshments and the bride and groom were getting pictures taken, they arranged for someone in a remote location to control a drone.  The drone was used to fly over the cocktail hour for the duration and take overhead pictures from both up close and up high, and despite the rise in popularity of drones throughout the years, this is the first and last time I have seen a drone at a wedding reception.  At one point during the cocktail hour, all of the guests gathered to take a group shot from the drone on high.. and this was just the beginning of the fun.

The guests made their way inside for the reception and the wedding party lined up for their introductions.  The parents of the bride and groom got their introductions while they were seated at their tables, and after that the Grand Entrance music (Boogie Shoes – K.C. and the Sunshine Band) played.  Another surprise was in the works as two of the members of the wedding party had giant heads of Don and Brianna, reminiscent of the giant Jim Boeheim heads made popular by the crowds at Syracuse University basketball games.  When Don and Brianna made their entrance, they went straight into their First Dance (Made To Love – John Legend), which was followed by some family dances.  Brianna was first up, dancing with her brother, Kolby (My Wish – Rascal Flatts), while Don followed dancing with his mother (A Song For Mama – Boyz II Men).  Finally, after a few speeches from the sisters of the bride, it was time to eat dinner and wait for some more surprises.

As the night went on, it was quickly revealed that this wedding would not be the typical affair.  Almost immediately after dinner was over one of the guests busted out a hula hoop to add to the fun of the dance floor.  Guests were dancing throughout the night, in fact at one point a few of the guests added the giant heads onto the dance floor so those were going around as well.  At one point it seemed that everyone on the dance floor were wearing sunglasses, as it seemed everyone was ready to have a good time.

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McKinney16 McKinney18Although there was a cake cutting (Hungry Eyes – Eric Carmen), it was told to me shortly after by the sisters of the bride that Brianna wasn’t a big fan of cake, so as a surprise, it was arranged to have an ice cream truck arrive to the venue for a second dessert for everyone.  Although Don and Brianna had first dibs at their choice of ice cream, but one the announcement was made that the ice cream truck was there, everyone flocked to it.  The ice cream truck feature was a massive success with the line several people deep to get their second dessert.  People had their choice of ice cream and were even dancing with their ice cream on the dance floor, amidst hula hoops and giant heads.

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There was a few formalities left, namely the bouquet/garter where Brianna tossed the bouquet (Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyonce) and Don tossed the garter (Another One Bites the Dust – Queen).  All that was left after that was the rest of the night of dancing, all culminating to the final dance of the night (Moment For Life – Nikki Minaj).  It was the cap on an unpredictable wedding that constantly kept this old pro guessing and the guests on their toes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Donald and Brianna.  Thank you for choosing Salt City Sound Machine and we wish you the best of luck in the future!

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Shaun Story and Theresa Hayes Wedding

Story 29Coming into Syracuse from the Albany area, Shaun Story and Theresa Hayes enjoyed a Fayetteville wedding by taking advantage of 2 of the area’s local venues.  The Wellington House was the site of the ceremony, while just a few doors down, we got down and dirty at the Craftsman Inn for the reception.  2 locations, only 1 DJ… what’s a guy to do?

First let’s set the scene.. The Wellington House’s garden with its lush greens and towering hedges.  Guests were seated with the groom and his party lined up at the top of aisle.  Theresa was putting on the finishing touches inside the Wellington House as pre-chosen selections by the Piano Guys (Over The Rainbow/Simple Gifts, Home, Can’t Help Falling In Love).  When ready, the processional began with songs for the Ring Bearer and Flower Girl (First Day Of My Life – Bright Eyes) and the Bridesmaids (For the Beauty – Traditional).  And following an musical announcement of her arrival (Trumpet Voluntary), it was finally time for the Bride to make her trip down the aisle (Canon in D – Pachelbel).  The ceremony went well and when it concluded, the wedding party walked away (A Thousand Years – Christina Perri) and the party shifted to the next location.

Mere steps away from the Wellington House in Fayetteville, NY is the Craftsman Inn, which is where our story goes next for the remainder of the tale.  The reception began about an hour later at the Craftsman with cocktail hour where guests made their way over to some great appetizers and music set up in the bar area.  Soon after, the festivities kicked off with the introductions featuring the parents, ring bearers, wedding party, and Shaun and Theresa all coming out to the same song (I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas).  Commonly, the first dance might follow, but this time Theresa and Shaun decided to go right into toasts, followed by dinner… but dinner had a bit of a special vibe where a couple of games were played to give away lanterns and bottles of wine at each table.

Dinner was great, but we had some unfinished business.  We had to get Shaun and Theresa on the dance floor for their First Dance (Would You Go With Me? – John Turner).  They followed that moment up with a trio of family dances, featuring the Father/Daughter Dance (When Stars Go Blue – Tim McGraw), the Mother/Son Dance (Simple Man – Kenny Chesney), and an in-law dance (Don’t Blink – Kenny Chesney) where Shaun and Theresa danced with each other’s new Mother-In-Law and Father-In-Law respectively.  Once the family dances were over the dance floor opened to everyone in attendance so we could all have a great time.

As the night went on, it was primarily focused on music and fun.  The dance floor was conveniently located next to the bar for a quick turnaround for fun and refreshments.  Musically, the day was filled with songs that were requested by our Couple of Honor.  Shaun and Theresa had supplied Salt City Sound Machine with an ample amount of songs they wanted to hear complete with when they wanted to hear them.  So their guests were treated to a good variety of older songs, newer songs, different genres, even some polkas that played throughout the night for homage to heritage.  Beyond the dancing, they also had some more specific moments peppered in here and there including the Generations Dance (The Best is Yet to Come – Frank Sinatra), and the Cake Cutting (Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard)

Night set in and this nearly 8 hour event came to an end.  The bride and groom were ready to settle in for their wedding night and guests were ready to call it a night.  The last thing to do was to play the final song of the night as chosen by Shaun and Theresa (Grow Old With You – Adam Sandler).  And from Syracuse, back to Albany, they traveled back as husband and wife!

Congratulations to Shaun and Theresa.  Thank you for choosing Salt City Sound Machine and we wish you the best of luck in the future!

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