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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Ryan McFadden and Sarah Janssen Wedding

Let’s kick off our 2015 wedding event recaps where our 2015 season officially began.. about 150 miles to the East of our home base in Saratoga Springs, NY.  It’s always fun to travel, but travel in February in Upstate New York often comes with its own set of challenges.  Fortunately, the ride to Saratoga had no problems, however the ride back as a different story.  But this isn’t a travel blog… this is meant to feature what happened between the travel.  The awesome wedding reception that kicked off our best year in one of the best venues that SCSM has been privileged to work in.  This is the story of the wedding reception of Ryan McFadden and Sarah Janssen.

 

McFadden Wedding CollageAs the guests came in and enjoyed their cocktail hour, several things were noticed right away.  It was impossible to miss features like the indoor koi-pond, complete with bridge, or the Syracuse Basketball cake topper, adorned with “You Will Have Your Cake, And Eat It Too” wooden sign.  But also, while Ryan and Sarah awaited their introductions upstairs, away from the guests, they gave everyone a little thinking problem with their table number.  Instead of the usual written number, the seats had math equations that the guests had to solve to figure out which table was theirs.  I know what you’re thinking… Ryan and Sarah made their guests do math while they sat upstairs?  Are these people sociopaths?  Acutally, no.  They’re lovely people and the math equations added a cool, unique touch to their wedding.

The reception began with the introductions.  The path for the entrances took our people of honor down a staircase, over the bridge of the koi pond and onto the dance floor.  First up were the parents all coming out to a single song (Forever – Chris Brown).  The wedding party was next and they set the tone for something that ended up being incredibly popular for 2015… single music per couple.  As each pairing of the wedding party came in, they had their own theme music, so the guests were treated to a variety of songs ranging from Queen to Taio Cruz to Jason Derulo to Inner Circle.  For those interested, the full list will be posted below.  For Ryan and Sarah, however, they came into a custom SCSM mix of two songs (Forever – Drake/Kanye West / Suit and Tie – Justin Timberlake).

McFadden Wedding Collage2When the official dances began, Ryan and Sarah kept the custom mixes going.  The popular song in 2014 into 2015 for weddings was All of Me – John Legend.  With the Tiesto remix on the charts, Salt City Sound Machine combined the two songs for the McFadden wedding, starting with the slow nature of All of Me, and mixing in the more dance floor friendly Tiesto remix at the end.  As the first dance evolved and Tiesto came through the speakers, everyone was invited onto the dance floor to join Ryan and Sarah for and upbeat dance.  It was something that really set the tone for how the night was going to go.  The dances were not over, however, so everyone had to get back in their seats for the Father/Daughter Dance (Walk With You – Edwin McCain) and the Mother/Son Dance (A Song For Mama – Boyz II Men).  Finally, after some great toasts and speeches, it was time for dinner.

Speaking of dinner… NY Strip topped with Gorgonzola Cheese…. drooling-homer-simpson

 

After dinner, the guests simply dominated the dance floor.  Ryan and Sarah assured me ahead of time that their wedding guests were big time dancers, and they did not disappoint.  Guests danced all night to long time favorite songs, plus requests from the Bride and Groom ranging from Darius Rucker to Beyonce.  There was even a moment in the night where I took off my tie and turned it into a makeshift limbo stick for a great, impromptu limbo contest.  I did that at later weddings, but this was the first time it occurred to me.  The dance floor was flaming hot and the guests only made it hotter as the night went on.

Ryan and Sarah had their share of special moments as well.  Along with the wedding standard Cake Cutting (Sugar – Trick Daddy) and Bouquet Toss (Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It – Beyonce), they also had a handful of specific songs and requests meant to make their day perfect.  They chose a song to pay tribute to their family members who have passed on (Heaven – Beyonce).  And for those who were still here and married, Ryan and Sarah had a Generations Dance for them featuring 3 songs (You and I – John Legend / Then – Brad Paisley / The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra).  So overall, their specific moments had their time, but it didn’t overshadow the fun times people were having throughout the night.

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After the Last Dance of the night (Save the Last Dance For Me – Michael Buble), there were so many changes in the air, figuratively and literally.  Of course, the most obvious change is that Ryan and Sarah were now married, happy, and ready to face a bright future.  And, we’d see them again later in the year at Ryan’s step sister’s wedding.  But another change came in the snow that fell throughout the party.  Turns out the snow was just getting started and the storm hit on the ride home to Syracuse.  But us in Upstate New York are tough and a little bit of snow won’t ruin our good time.  It certainly didn’t ruin Ryan and Sarah’s

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

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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!

 

 

Greg Schunk and Grace Guy Wedding

I won’t mince words here… I have a lot of love for Greg and Grace Schunk.  I have a lot of love for all of my clients, but Greg and Grace will always be up there for me.  Yes.. they had a great wedding.  Yes… they had a candy apple station at their wedding, which is awesome.  But they’re also Salt City Sound Machine’s 100th client, so they will always have a place in the eventual Salt City Sound Machine Hall of Fame.

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At the time, the ceremony had already occurred, so we were just focused on the fun part.  Everything was all set up in the Springside Inn’s ball room, ready for the reception to begin.  For the introductions, there was only one song (Beautiful Day – U2) that covered the entrances of the wedding party and Greg and Grace.  The wedding party settled in in a line across the lip of the stage and watched on as Greg and Grace enjoyed their First Dance (Lucky – Jason Mraz Feat. Colbie Caillat).  Finally, following some speeches and toasts by the Best Man, Matron of Honor, and a blessing by the Father of the Bride, everyone settled in for a sit down dinner before the night turned up the heat.

Let’s fast forward shall we?  After dinner, the dancing began, but something else also started.  Not too long after dancing, in the preparation area outside the ballroom, Greg and Grace created a fall wedding theme fit for a king.  I always enjoy seeing new ideas at weddings.  Often helped by sites like Pinterest, I’ve seen the creativeness of my clients grow year-by-year.  This time, Greg and Grace treated their guests to some features that were incredibly appropriate for the date.  Features like Hot Apple Cider with Rum, for example, really set the tone that this was an October wedding.  But the centerpiece of this was the apple station… where guests could take full apples or slices and create their own dessert… be it a candied apple, caramel apple, apples with nuts, sprinkles… whatever you like, really.  It was a very cool and popular feature indeed.

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Back to the regularly scheduled linear blog structure… when dinner ended, dancing was kicked off by the parents dances.  First, Grace danced with her father to a faster paced song than the usual Father/Daughter dance (You Make Me So Very Happy – Blood, Sweat, & Tears).  And yes, their dance steps absolutely reflected the quicker pace.  After was the Mother/Son dance, hearkening back to the classic animated film, Toy Story (You’ve Got a Friend In Me – Randy Newman).  About an hour later, they also cut the cake (How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – James Taylor) and after it was sliced, it was added to the apple station for an added dessert.  Later still, Grace tossed her bouquet to the single female guests that were in attendance (Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyonce).

But the night wasn’t only about specific moments.  Free dancing was really popular with this crowd.  Sure, there were requests from our bride and groom… ranging from Zac Brown Band to modern EDM dance songs, but the music really spanned all generations.  It got to the point where a set of grandparents requested a jitterbug which gave them a chance to have some fun.  The dancing really picked up toward the end of the night where we had a full dance floor centered around our bride and groom and their close friends.  That’s where things really began to pick up.  The music became a little more modern and the bass drops more pronounced, to the point where it was a big success.  I could speak about it some more, or you can hear it from our bride from her own words in our Wedding Wire Reviews

I could not be happier with Jason as our wedding DJ! From pre-planning to the last dance, he was completely organized, enthusiastic and professional. He made my life easy, sending a song packet with suggestions and putting together a timeline before the wedding. On our wedding day, he did an amazing job reading the crowd and ensuring the guests had a great time. From teenagers to grandparents, everyone was on the dance floor. I’ve had so many guests tell me that it was the most fun they’ve had in a long time and that they couldn’t stop dancing! I am so grateful to Jason for making it an unforgettable night. Two months later people are still talking about it!

– Grace Schunk

After the bass was booming and the apples were consumed, it was time to end the night.  Greg and Grace were ready to end their reception and move to the bliss of married life.  After their Last Dance (I’m Happy Just to Dance With You – The Beatles), the dance floor cleared and we all said our goodbyes.

Congratulations to Greg and Grace.  Thank you for choosing Salt City Sound Machine and being our 100th customers. We wish you the best of luck in the future!

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Paul Stiles and Ann-Marie Gacek Wedding

We were back at the familiar setting of Justin’s Tuscan Grill on October 11, 2014 for the wedding of Paul Stiles and AnnMarie Gacek.  It was the latest wedding in our busy 2014, but as per usual, each wedding always presents its own, unique story.  Our story today begins with an indoor ceremony in East Syracuse, NY.

An October wedding in Central New York can be unpredictable.  It can go from a standard fall day, to sunny and warm, to snowy and cold in the blink of an eye.  Keeping this in mind, it was a good idea to have Paul and AnnMarie’s ceremony indoors.  Replacing the usual dance floor and table array were the chairs set up for the guests and area where the wedding occurred.  First down the aisle were the mothers complete with their own dedicated song (Ave Maria – Andrea Bocelli).  For the AnnMarie and her bridesmaids, they each used a different variation of the same song (Marry Me – Train) for their walks down the aisle, with the bridal party using the standard version of Train’s song, and AnnMarie using an instrumental violin arrangement.  The ceremony itself was brief, a bit too brief… more on that later… but at the end, Paul and AnnMarie were married and traveled back up the aisle to their recessional (Accidentally in Love – Counting Crows).

After the staff at Justin’s diligently reformed the room from ceremony mode to reception mode, the guests enjoyed cocktail hour, after which the reception officially began.  The entrances were very thematic in the sense that they consisted of two themes from films.  Our thematic introductions began first with the parents and wedding party (Jurassic Park Theme – John Williams), changing for the Paul and AnnMarie (Flash’s Theme (Flash Gordon) – Queen).

 

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In my experience, surprises at a wedding are always risky.  Sometimes, with the anticipation of the day, certain expectations can be developed.. especially concerning specific moments.  Paul took a bit of a risk by choosing the First Dance (Make You Feel My Love – Adele), but he did not tell AnnMarie what it would be until the day of the event.  His gamble paid off though, because AnnMarie had a big smile throughout the dance.  Following the first dance and right before dinner, Paul and AnnMarie enjoyed their individual parents dances with AnnMarie going first with her father (Little Small Town Girl – The Ink Spots w/ Ella Fitzgerald) and Paul finishing the moment in a dance with his grandmother (You Make Me Feel So Young – Frank Sinatra).

 

 

I had mentioned before a brief ceremony, that’s because something was left out.  Sometimes people get swept up in the moment… it happens.  In this case, during the ceremony, the officiant forgot to do the vows.  As a result, Paul and AnnMarie decided to read their vows before dinner and before the speeches and toasts.  The vows, of course, were followed by other speeches, toasts, and sit down dinner starting with sorbet and salad.

As soon as dinner ended, dancing began with a specifically requested song.  It was asked that, in dedication to a guest named Ryan, that we started our dancing with U Can’t Touch This by MC Hammer.  It turned out to be a good way to kick off dancing as Ryan got the crowd pepped up and ready to have some fun.  The dancing was a great time as usual, with people of all backgrounds, ages, and personalities all joining at times on the dance floor.  Some things were excluded by the bride and groom… namely country music and songs from Dave Matthews Band, but that barely made a dent in the potential songs that I could play to get people to boogie.  Later on, there was traditional Italian wedding dancing to Lazy Mary by Lou Monte.  Traditional ethnic music is always welcome and it’s interesting whenever it happens.  Whether it’s a tarantella, polka, or anything in between, it’s music that gets people together spanning generations and always puts a smile on the participants faces.  Also, by request of Paul and AnnMarie, the parents of the bride were going to be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary a mere two days later, so the song After All These Years by Journey was played.

Paul and AnnMarie also had their moments as the night went on.  Of course we played their desired requests they submitted, headlined by I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith as a slow dance, but they had a few other specific moments and songs to experience throughout their wedding.  Shortly after wedding, they had their cake cutting (That’s Amore – Dean Martin) as they sliced into a multi-tier cake adorned in blue and white flowers.  Later on in the night, they called all married couples onto the dance floor for a 3-song Generations Dance (When I’m 64 – The Beatles, I Got You Babe – Sonny and Cher, It Had To Be You – Harry Connick Jr.). These moments came to define the characteristics of this wonderful Fall 2014 wedding.

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

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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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Sam Barbose and Deborah Yamrick Wedding

A mere 15 days after the Bradshaw wedding, we were back at Mirbeau Inn and Spa.  This time it was Sam Barbose and Deborah Yamrick’s turn to use the awesome facilities at Mirbeau for their big day.  The settings were the same… ceremony on the bridge, reception on the deck under the tent, but no two weddings are the same, no matter how familiar the setting.  So it’s always interesting and fun to take in the differences.

This time it was a rainy day in Skaneateles.  15 days prior, we had a scare that rain might delay the ceremony.  On this day, the scare turned into a reality.  Rain poured from the sky and Sam and Deborah could have moved the ceremony inside, but they kept the faith and held off.  When things were looking at their most grim, a slight break in the rain showed up on the radar and we were able to have the ceremony outside, on the bridge, in Mirbeau’s courtyard.  Sam and his groomsmen walked onto the bridge from under the covered overhang leading from Mirbeau’s main building.  In the mean time, the bridesmaids began walking the entire perimeter of Mirbeau’s koi pond for the Processional (Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers (Instrumental)).  Deborah took a similar path for the Bridal Processional (From this Moment – Shania Twain), but she had a special escort.  During the first half of her walk, Deborah was accompanied by her father, whereas for the second walk, she was escorted by her son.  Everyone was glad that the weather held so that the outdoor ceremony could be completed and when it was over, Sam and Deborah walked away as Husband and Wife (Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours – Stevie Wonder) and the party transitioned to the deck and the safety of the party tent.

Due to the 30-minute weather delay, the cocktail hour was shortened significantly.  The guests settled in on the Monet Deck and soon after was the Grand Entrance (Best Day of My Life – American Authors) where the parents, wedding party, and Sam and Deborah were introduced.  Directly after the intros, Sam and Deborah met on the dance floor for their First Dance (The Very Thought of You – Etta James) and were eventually joined on the dance floor.  When the dances ended, but before dinner, the standard toasts were made by the Maid & Matron of Honor and the Best Man, but that was followed by and interesting blessing by the Brother of the Bride.  His version of a blessing was playing an acoustic guitar version of Crazy On You – Heart, with rewritten lyrics dedicated to our bride and groom.  The blessing was well received and served as a fun transition into dinner.

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Family dances marked the end of dinner and the beginning of the dance portion of our evening.  The family dances were done a little bit differently.  For the Barbose wedding, both Sam and Deborah danced with their partners at the same time for two separate dances.  The first tandem dance was the standard Father/Daughter, Mother/Son Dance (Because You Loved Me – Celine Dion), and that was followed by another tandem dance where Sam danced with his new Mother-In-Law and Deborah danced with her hew Father-In-Law (My Wish – Rascal Flatts).  

Finally the dance floor opened and it was kept pretty full all night long.  The guests were happy to dance to most of the tunes that were provided and somehow I ended up with the bride’s veil!  Once the Cake Cutting (That’s Amore – Dean Martin) was over, a group called “Team Bride” was called to the dance floor to join our bride in a specific song (We Are Family – Sister Sledge).  There were of course other memorable moments.  I got a priest to join in dancing to Like a Prayer – Madonna, which I will always remember as something particularly awesome.  Also at one point, there was a massive singalong to Young Forever – Jay-Z.  In addition, a lucky couple who had been married for 52 years as of that day won the Generations Dance, headlined by Grow Old With You – Adam Sandler.

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The end of the night didn’t have the paper lanterns that they did 15 days prior, but it was no less a good way to end the night.  Sam and Deborah danced their Last Dance (I’ll Be Seeing You – Etta James) and their guests backed off the dance floor to allow them to enjoy the moment on their own.  Sometimes the best way to end the night is the most intimate.  The night ended and Sam and Deborah began their stay at Mirbeau as Husband and Wife before getting on the road to their homes a state away in Pennsylvania.  It’s always great to have people from other states visiting Central New York and leaving their memories here.

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

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Rhys Milsap and Kristin Coons Wedding

People ask all the time… do you travel.  And I answer all the time, YES!  In fact, Salt City Sound Machine was on the road again on September 20, 2014, making our debut in the Thousand Islands in Alexandria Bay, NY.  Why Alex Bay?  Because it was for the wedding of Rhys Milsap and Kristin Coons!

(Also, because I figured if I played loud enough, they’d hear it across the St. Lawrence River in Canada and I could technically call SCSM an international DJ company.  That result is still pending…)

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The Edgewood was a great venue that really captures the style and beauty of the Thousand Islands.  Rhys and Kristin had an outdoor ceremony set up looking over the St. Lawrence River on a stellar fall evening.  SCSM did not provide sound or music for the ceremony, so I can only guess that it went well because Rhys and Kristin got married and everyone seemed happy.  I suppose that’s a good sign.  We did, however, have music running for cocktail hour, which directly followed the ceremony inside the ballroom at the Edgewood.

The reception officially began around 6pm with introductions (Do You Love Me – The Contours).  The parents and wedding party walked directly onto the stage overlooking the dance floor and rest of the room when their names were called for their entrance.  Rhys and Kristin, however, made their way onto the dance floor and enjoyed their first dance together (I Cross My Heart – George Strait).  To add to the festivities, during the first dance, several guests blew bubbles to enhance the mood on the dance floor for our happy couple.  There were speeches and toasts from a mix of family and friends and finally a delicious dinner.

Sometimes it’s beneficial to save the parents dances for after dinner.  On one hand, you get to eat earlier, but also, it can serve to your advantage by letting your guests know that dinner is officially over and the dance floor is ready.  This is the way Rhys and Kristin did it, choosing to wait until dinner was over for the Father/Daughter dance (Daughter – Loudon Wainwright III) and the Mother/Son dance (If There Hadn’t Been You – Billie Dean).

Usually, these dances would be followed up by some great dance music that wouldn’t stop Milsap28until the end of the night, but this time, we did it a little differently.  The groom’s sister, Chelsea, was celebrating her 21st birthday, so they gave her a birthday cake and some time in the spotlight, with a twist.  Before the event, Kristin told me about the birthday and asked me to put on a fun show to playfully embarrass her.  So, when the time came, I sang “Happy Birthday” while ripping off my dress shirt to reveal an undershirt that had ‘Happy Birthday Chelsea’ written on it, complete with heart.  Chelsea was a great sport and she and the rest of the guests really seemed to enjoy it.

But then it was time to dance.  This was a very energetic group, who really took advantage of the dance floor.  They were especially receptive to group dances and slow dances.  But overall it resulted in a pretty full dance floor throughout the night.  To break up the constant flow of dance music, Rhys and Kristin had their own ceremonial moments throughout the night.  The first was the Cake Cutting (Build Me Up Buttercup – The Foundations) which took place shortly after dancing began.  As the night went on, they participated in back-to-back Bouquet/Garter Tosses and the Generations Dance.  For the Bouquet Toss, Kristin chose a growing favorite for this moment (Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyonce).  For Rhys, and the garter, he actually chose different songs for the Removal (Cherry Pie – Warrant), the Toss (The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy), and the Placement (Whatta Man – Salt-N-Pepa).  Directly after the Tosses, we did the Generations dance, finding out who in attendance had been married the longest to three songs (I’ll Be – Edwin McCain / Lay You Down – Conway Twitty / Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley).  And hey, it ended up great for the happy couple who had been married the longest as they were presented with a bottle of wine, courtesy of the bride and groom.

So even a few mere miles away from the border of Canada, events need to come to an end.  After a long night of dancing, feet get tired, bodies get sweaty, and the effects of alcohol begin to set in.. for some.  Either way,  the night had to come to and end, and it did with the Last Dance (Into the Mystic – Van Morrison).  At that point, there was nothing left to do but retire to your room at the Edgewood, or in my case, get on the road back to Syracuse.

Congratulations to Rhys and Kristin.  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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