The Tony Schwartz Weddings Blog

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On a beautiful Puget Sound Sunday in April, Brittney and Luke were wed at Lake Union Cafe in Seattle, Washington.  As I have blogged before, Lake Union Cafe is a beautiful, romantic venue that is perfect for a couple looking for an intimate, elegant wedding.  And of course, we made it fun for Brittney, Luke & their closest family and friends.

After a beautiful ceremony ran by Jeff Lee, Brittney and Luke enjoyed some personal time with their family and friends while we had a brief cocktail period on the main floor.  When it was time to introduce the wedding party, “Motownphilly” by Boyz II Men set the mood as we roasted the wedding party members with jokes supplied by Brittney and Luke.  After giving everyone a second to catch their breath, I narrated Luke & Brittney’s “Love Story” as they entered to a standing ovation.  Supplied with a microphone in advanced, Luke thanked everyone for coming out – and even had a few jokes of his for his family & friends!

After dinner, cake cutting, and toasts, we allowed Brittney and Luke to socialize with their guests – sometimes during the dinner portion of the night, there simply isn’t enough time.  When ready, Luke and Brittney shared a special first dance, and then Brittney danced with her father, while Luke and his mother late joined them mid-dance.  After tossing the bouquet and garter – it was time to open the dance floor.  I felt it best approriate to start with a slow dance – and from there, we turned it up a notch and everyone danced and socalized the night away!  From hits from the 60s, 80s, and today’s pop music – we mixed and mashed with a little bit of club DJ style (Brittney’s Man of Honor is a club promoter and Brittney would often go to his events) until it was time for the final dance.

During our planning consultations, we discussed how we would end the night – and after their honeymoon plans had changed – we rehashed those ideas and came up with two ideas of how to end the night – depending on how many people were still there at the end of the night, being as it was a Sunday wedding.  With nearly every guest still in attendance – we went with the “Circle of Love” exit – where Brittney and Luke would share the final dance as guests circled around – and on their cue, they would go around to each guest and thank them for coming out.  Some beautiful photos were taken by Marv Heston, their photographer, and it was the perfect intimate ending for their wedding.  It fit the venue, it fit the client’s guests, and it fit the end of a perfect day for Brittney and Luke.

Vendors:

Dann – Lake Union Cafe – www.lakeunioncafe.com
Marv Heston – Photographer – www.hestonweddings.com
Kendra Yaple - Loves Me Flowers – Florist – lovesmeflowers@yahoo.com
Robbi Broussard – Cakes – 253-859-2812
Jeff Lee – Officiant

Simplified Itinerary

Ceremony
Cocktail Period
Grand Entrance
Welcome & Thank You To Guests
Dinner
Cake Cutting
Toasts
First Dance
Father/Bride & Mother/Son Dance
Bouquet Toss
Garter Toss
Open Dancing
Last Song of the Night
Farewell & Congratulations!

Photos:

Giglogs Lake Union Cafe, Seattle Wedding DJ, Wedding Giglogs

Supplied by Jody & Jen of J&J Photography – www.jandjphotography.com

During the Dinner Hour

Open Dancing

Yours Truly

Uncategorized J&J Photography, Seattle Wedding DJ, Tacoma Wedding DJ

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Wedding season has started – and what a party Kurt & Erin had to kick it off!  Hosted at the Pioneer Pavilion in Puyallup, WA – 200 of Kurt & Erin’s family and closest friends traveled from around the country (and the world!) to share in a night no one will forget!

The Pioneer Pavilion is one of the toughest venues to play because of the acoustics – but equipped with my Bose L1 and my two Bose L1 compacts in the corners, I finally am satisified with the sound – it was an audio bliss & nirvana at the same time.  Terri with Act 3 Catering said she never heard the sound at the venue so clearly – and the entire staff loved the sound check with Phil Collin’s “In the Air Tonight” playing in the background.

But this night was about Kurt & Erin – another couple I will never forget and love so much!  We kept the reception very straight forward and classy.  Hosting an open bar and buffet, Erin and Kurt assigned table numbers and we invited tables to the buffet by random draw – which got guests and vendors involved.  For the table that unfortunately was last to be released, I presented (and surprised!) them with two boxes of Girl Scout Cookies – a thank you for being patient and understanding!

After toasts and cutting the cake, it was time to dance – and that they did for two hours straight – playing hits from all the decades of music – from everyone singing along to “Brown Eyed Girl” to both grandmas and Erin and Kurt’s friends getting low to Flo Rida’s “Low”.  It was a night that I wish would never end – but when it finally came to a close, everyone cheered and hugged and wished Erin and Kurt their best wishes!

Video Testimonal:

Vendors:

Sarah Harris – Pioneer Pavilion – http://www.cityofpuyallup.org/services/pioneer-park-pavilion/ – Erin & Kurt decorated it perfect, the room layout was great, and the staff is very courteous and helpful!  If you take the time and do it right, it can be a wonderful place to host a wedding.
Jen & Jody – Photographers – Wonderful twosome team, can’t wait to see the photos! – www.jenandjody.com
Act 3 Catering – Delicious Prime Rib!  The staff is one of the best – friendly and courteous! – www.act3catering.com
Celebrity Cakes – Does anyone not use Odette?!?!  Simply the best! – www.celebritycakestudio.com

Simplified Itinerary

Cocktail Period
Grand Entrance
Dinner
Toasts
Cake Cutting
First Dance
Father/Bride Dance
Mother/Son Dance
Longest Married Couple Dance
Bouquet Toss
Garter Toss
Wedding Party Dance
Open Dancing
Dollar Dance
Last Song of the Night
Farewell & Congratulations!

Giglogs Pioneer Pavilion, puyallup wedding dj, Seattle Wedding DJ, Tacoma Wedding DJ, Wedding Giglogs

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What a weekend at the Seattle Wedding Show, and what a way to end the weekend with Bob & Jennifer’s wedding at Lake Union Cafe in Seattle!

Lake Union Cafe is becoming one of my favorite venues, Dann and his staff do an amazing job at providing a very upscale venue – the food is great, the atmosphere very romantic, and the staff is always friendly!  If you are looking for a romantic, intimate wedding venue – take a look at Lake Union Cafe.

Bob & Jennifer are lawyers – so naturally, the party was full of lawyers – and they have no problem with drinking, singing, and dancing the night away!  We began the night with Bob & Jennifer’s ceremony, I mic’d the vows and provided sound reinforcement.  Following the ceremony, we had a brief cocktail period as the LUC staff reset a portion of the room.  Bob & Jennifer were very specific on their playlists for cocktail, dinner, and dancing – and I followed them as expected.  After a nice grand entrance to Europe’s “The Final Countdown”, we began the evening’s dinner buffett.  Switching from classical to crooners, there was a definite feel-good vibe in the room.

Bob & Jennifer had a lovely cheesecake buffett – and I overheard several guests comment it was much better than wedding cake.  Wedding party memebers had each made a cheesecake – I sample a couple chocolate cheesecakes and they were delicious!  Also, two of the wedding party members performed Edwin McCain’s “I’ll Be” before we began the toasts for the evening.  Bob & Jennifer elected to open the mic up to all, however, we quickly worked through the room and began our only formal dance of the evening – Bob & Jennifer’s first dance.  They had also planned a wonderful surprise – stopping mid-dance to grab their parents and invite their wedding party members to join them.

After the first dance, it was time to open the dance floor up for dancing and socializing – and for the next three hours, that is what everyone did.  I rotated the dancefloor often in the first hour – trying to get as many people onto the dance floor as possible.  This was well recieved and many of the elder guests got a chance to get out and dance.  The final two hours of the night were full of party classics and today’s hits – and at night’s end, it was time for Journey’s “Don’t Stop Beleiving” and a rousing cheer for Bob & Jennifer Langbehn!

Simplified Itinerary

Ceremony
Cocktail Period
Grand Entrance
Dinner
Cake Cutting
Wedding Party Performance
Toasts
First Dance
Open Dancing
Last Song of the Night
Farewell & Congratulations!

Sorry, no pictures.

Giglogs Lake Union Cafe, Seattle Wedding DJ, Wedding Giglogs

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Happy New Year’s Everyone!  2009 is done and in the books – and all I have left to talk about it my final wedding of the year – Abby & Matt’s New Year’s Eve wedding at The Majestic in Bellingham, Washington!  Why New Year’s Eve?  Well, Matt and Abby never had plans for how to bring in the New Year – so they decided that for 2010 – they were going to have definitive plans!

Matt & Abby were word of mouth referrals from two of my former clients, Rachel & Kjiel and Skyler and Angie.  Angie, Rachel, and Abby were all sorority sisters at Washington State – and since Cougars love to party – I was looking forward to this party all year!  And it was a great time!

After a quick ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails while the wedding party prepared for their grand introductions, followed by Matt & Abby’s Love Story.  This time however, I told the story of how they met – the majority of their guests were well aware of the proposal.  It was a great story where the third time was the charm for Matt – and matchmaker, (and Matron of Honor!), Angie!

Following dinner, Abby was very excited to play my version of the “Shoe”lywed Game – and Matt’s reaction and antics led to some excellent improvisational moments!  It was a clear indication we had a very lively group on hand – and after toasts, cake cutting, Matt & Abby’s first dance, and bouquet & garter tosses, it was time to dance and get ready to bring in the New Year.

As 12:00 rolled near, I played Journey – “Don’t Stop Believing” and then with about 30 seconds left, I dropped in Europe – “Final Countdown”, remixed it live, and then the countdown was on!  The dance floor was packed and everyone brought in the New Year with rousing enthusiasm until the final song of the evening!

Simplified Itinerary

Ceremony
Cocktail Period
Grand Entrance & Love Story
Dinner
“Shoe”lywed Game
Toasts
Cake Cutting
First Dance
Bouquet & Garter Tosses
Open Dancing
Happy New Year!
Last Song of the Night
Farewell & Congratulations!

Sorry, no pictures.

Giglogs bellingham wedding dj, New Year's Eve, Seattle Wedding DJ, Wedding Giglogs

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While many were finishing their Black Friday shopping trips, I was providing music and entertainment services for Sean & Pamela’s friends and family at their wedding at the Lake Union Cafe in Seattle – and everyone was having a great time burning off the feast from the night before!

A very simple and elegant party, Sean and Pamela kept DJ interaction to a minimal – but we worked very closely on picking the right music for Sean and Pamela’s soundtrack.  Throughout the night, we progressed from Soft Classic Rock to Adult Contemporary to Christmas music to upbeat dance music featuring 80s, 90s, classic rock, and hip-hop.  It was great to not only see friends and family smiling and enjoying the music – but also to see Pamela & Sean smiling as they heard their favorite songs play.

Simplified Itinerary

Ceremony
Cocktail Hour
Grand Entrance
Buffet Dinner
Toasts
Cake
First Dance
Bouquet & Garter Toss
Open Dancing
Last Song of the Evening

Sorry, no pictures.

Giglogs Lake Union Cafe, Seattle Wedding DJ

Looking for a premier wedding DJ in the Puget Sound area?  Click Here!

Only one wedding this past weekend, a Friday night affair at Salty’s on Alki Beach in Seattle.  In August I was at Salty’s for Garret and Melissa’s wedding – and it was a pleasure to come back!  This time, I conquered the accoustics of the room – great, clear sound was provided throughout the room!

Now Marc & Valerie were a great couple to work with!  Valerie was very specific during the planning phases – and together, they envisioned a fun and interactive wedding experience.  Did we make that vision happen?  Read on…

As guests mingled inside during the cocktail period, I organized the wedding party for their Grand Entrance.  Marc & Valerie had elected for me to write the 30 Second Wedding Party Bios for their wedding party members – but there was one problem – one of the groomsmen was unable to attend and a cousin was substituted in his place!  So, I quickly had to write a new bio – probably not my best piece of written work – but no one knew the difference!  Finally, for Marc & Valerie, I narrated their Love Story – and like clockwork – a huge ovation for the newlyweds as they came into the room, “I’ve Got A Feeling” pumping through my Bose Speakers.

From there, after Marc’s Welcome & Thank You to Guests, I setup the Guest Kiss List – and it did not take long for guests to catch on and start tapping their glasses.  It probably could have went on and on – but I ran out of couple names on my list after an hour.  Along with the Words of Wisdom cards and the “Shoe”lywed Game – Valerie and Marc’s guests were really into the wedding reception!

After dinner and toasts, there was one special surprise for Marc – he had to have all those keys returned!  I cannot spoil it for any potential grooms reading this blog – but if you would like to find out what I am referring to – you will have to ask for it at your wedding reception!  It was a hoot – and our Best Man, Nathan, played his part perfectly!

For the cutting of the cake, Marc & Valerie invited up Valerie’s Aunt and Father to recognize their birthdays!  They were asked to accept the first slice of cake – and then we all sang Happy Birthday to them!

After a brief social interlude – it was time to begin the dancing!  First, Valerie and Marc’s first dance, followed by a Father/Bride and Mother/Groom dance, and then our Longest Married Couple dance.  The winning couple was married 40 years!  Next up was the removal of the garter – and then we invitied everyone to the dancefloor for the tosses – the gentleman on the left and the girls on the right.  It was a completely different twist – but it worked and everyone had a great time with it!

This was an easy transition into the open dancing – and for the next two and a half hours, that is precisely what they did!  Valerie ’s family background was Lebanese, so we included Lebanese music and dancing into the mix – everyone had a great time!  Valerie and Marc’s other concern for the dancing was a DJ that could play club-style like on Kiss 106.1 FM – fortunately for them, I know how to rock a party on turntables!  And I did just that – rocking the best of 80s and 80s, 90s, pop, rock, and hip-hop - a complete old school set and I loved it!

Overall, it was an awesome party – one that I was proud to be a part of and help create!  Marc & Valerie, thank you for everything – you were a great couple to work for and I am so honored to be a part of your wedding celebration!

Simplified Itinerary

Cocktail Hour
Grand Entrance
Love Story Introduction
Social Period
Buffet Dinner
Guest Kiss List
“Shoe”lywed Game
Words of Wisdom Cards
Toasts
Return Those Keys
Cake Cutting
First Dance
Father/Bride Dance
Mother/Son Dance
Longest Married Couple Dance
Bouquet & Garter Toss
Open Dancing
Last Song of the Evening

Sorry, no pictures.

Giglogs love story, Salty's on Alki, Seattle Wedding DJ, Wedding Giglogs

Looking for a premier wedding DJ in the Puget Sound area?  Click Here!

I am at that point of the wedding season – one wedding a weekend!  Finally, a chance to have a little extra time each week to devote to my clients, my business, and yes, my sanity.  I love my clients, I appreciate them – but during the summer, it gets very chaotic – and sometimes I appreciate a Thursday off

However, I took last week and really focused in on the vision for Matthew & Jennifer’s dream wedding reception at the Rainier Club in Seattle, WA.  Jennifer built a beautiful itinerary for the reception that I believe was nearly 20 pages long – wedding planners, if I were you, I would contact her for a copy – this is how it should be done!  Every detail laid out – every timing well thought out and well planned out.  And it made building my itinerary a breeze!

So, we have a very elegant and classy style to work with – and three different rooms to provide sound for”

Ceremony System – Bose L1 Compact, MacBook Pro, Shure Lapel Microphone
Dinner Room – Heritage Room – Bose L1 Compact (Yes, I bought another one – I am a fan!), Microphone, iPod with Personally Selected Songs to fit the Atmosphere Desired by Matthew and Jennifer
Reception Room – Rainier Room – Bose L1 with Two Bass Modules, Light Show, and My Usual Setup

Each room had the best in sound quality - perfectly monitored for the approriate sound level.  Upbeat music the climbed in tempo and beats per minute – all designed to prepare guests for dancing!

And after wedding party introductions, did they ever dance!  Everything I threw at them – every curve ball, every new mix I could think of – they soaked it up and cheered for more.  I distinctly remember playing Pitbull’s “Calle Ocho (I Know You Want Me)” and saw people outside on the street dancing and wanting to join in!  Even though I was feeling under the weather – it was still one of the nights where all this energy picks you up!  It is why I love this profession – music brings energy and atmosphere – provided the music is done right!

Matthew and Jennifer – thank you so much for having me as a part of your beautiful wedding – many thanks for painting the perfect vision – I feel we nailed it perfectly!

Simplified Itinerary

Ceremony
Cocktail Hour
First Entrance
Dinner
Grand Entrance
Love Story Introduction
Matthew & Jennifer’s Grand Entrance
First Dance
Toasts
Cake Cutting
Social Interlude
Bouquet & Garter Toss
Family Dance
Open Dancing
Last Song of the Evening
Grand Exit

Sorry, no pictures.

Giglogs love story, Rainier Club, Seattle Wedding DJ, Wedding Giglogs

Looking for a premier wedding DJ in the Puget Sound area?  Click Here!

My final wedding of the weekend was a first for me – a Jewish Wedding celebration!  Rachel Schachter had contacted my to provide a sound system solution for her wedding at Salish Lodge in Snoqualmie.  I was very nervous and yet excited for this wedding – and at the conclusion, I realized how much fun a Jewish wedding is!

Rachel and I had worked out a special package based off her needs for this wedding, so I was pretty much invisible for much of this wedding – except for the toasts where I was to act as MC for the open mic session.  Rachel had hired a very nice wedding planner by the name of Gail Levin with Occasions Unlimited.  Gail handled all the timings – I just made sure the volume levels were monitored and was where I, or the Bose L1 Compact, needed to be!

And as for Jewish Dancing – it was a blast to watch!  In fact – I was dizzy watching it!  But they had a great time, smiling and laughing until they were worn out and settled down for cake, coffee, and socializing.

So what did I learn in my first Jewish wedding?  It’s not that much different than a routine American wedding.  There are different traditions and ways of execution - but in the end, the formats are very much the same.

Thank you Rachel and Arie – I wish you both the best!

Uncategorized Jewish Wedding DJ, Seattle Wedding DJ, Snoqualmie wedding dj, Wedding Giglogs

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed a cocktail hour on the docks before being seated for dinner under the reception tent.  Before dinner was served, we introduced the wedding party – who was one of the most energetic wedding parties I have ever worked with.  After Greg and Lexi were introduced and seated, the first course of dinner was served – perfect timing

During dinner, Lexi and Greg opted to giveaway the centerpieces via the Dollar Pass, find out the words of advice and wisdom their family and friends wanted to share, and finally, a slide show presentation produced and presented by myself.  After toasts, Greg & Lexi cut their cake and took a few minutes to enjoy socializing with their family and friends.

And then, we turned it up a notch and got the party started.  Lexi tossed her bouquet, Greg put $20 on his garter to toss, and then I did my signature post-toss routine – and what I enjoy most is that each time I do it, there is always a new twist.  After the commotion subsided, Greg & Lexi danced together, with their parents, and finally with their wedding party and family – and of course, Black Eyed Peas – “I Got A Feeling” wasn’t going to finish playing without inviting all of the guests to join in.

The rest of the night was awesome – Greg & Lexi’s family and friends drank, danced, and had a night to remember – I even was requested to play a 30 minute encore set for overtime.  An amazing night – and one that I am truly honored to be a part of.

Simplified Itinerary

Ceremony
Cocktail Period
Grand Entrance
Dinner
Centerpiece Giveaway
Words of Wisdom Cards
Slide Show Presentation
Toasts
Cake Cutting
Social Interlude
Bouquet Toss
Garter Toss
Garter On Bouquet Toss Catcher
First Dance
Father/Bride Dance
Mother/Son Dance
Wedding Party Dance
Open Dance Floor
Last Song
Encore
Congratulations and Good Night!

Sorry, no pictures.

Uncategorized blaine wedding dj, Bose L1, dollar pass, Seattle Wedding DJ, simple elegance, slide show, wedding giglog, Wedding Giglogs