This past weekend, Ameritune DJ, Jim Schneeberger had the opportunity to DJ in Oakbrook mut7zh36ji Here’s what he had to say-
I had the pleasure on July 25, 2009 to DJ at the Drury Lane Theatre (Hilton Suites) for the Kay/Zmuda wedding. Upon arrival, I was amazed at all the wonderful colors in the room. The Bride and Groom chose a Hawaiian theme using florescent colored Martini type glasses with Hawaiian leis and assorted candies. (How fun is that?!!!). The room was nice and large- very easy to maneuver around in. Cocktails were held outside in the lobby. (I have been seeing more and more of this and I don’t know why. It seems that all the hotels are doing cocktails this way) It was a 5 1/2 hour reception, so timing was important. I introduced the parents of the Bride and Groom to “Who Loves You Pretty Baby” by Frankie Vallie and The Four Seasons. The wedding party came in to Van Halens “Jump” and the Newlyweds entered to the song “I’m Alright” by Kenny Loggins. The folks at Drury Lane Oakbrook requested that they cut the cake as they entered the room. (Another common hotel practice) I think it’s better to cut the cake after the speeches or after the 1st or 2nd course. While I can appreciate the hall wanting to get the cake off the floor, and get it plated (so as not to delay dessert), a lot of times the cake just sits out there for twenty minutes before someone carts it away. I prefer that the Bride and Groom have their entrance be uninterrupted by a stop at the wedding cake. The Grand Entrance is an important moment that should be enjoyed fully, without being combined into another important moment. Plus, the change in music can feel kind of abrupt, as you go from some super high energy entrance theme to something decidedly more tame for cake cutting. I don’t think it looks good on video either. (Of course, they had wedding video from Ameritune) The cake cutting and the Grand entrance should be separate events.
They had a build your own Sundae station after dinner.
There were four speeches before food was served, they were fun but a little long- a good 20 minutes. We showed an eleven minute big screen video after the entree was served. This timed out very well. As dessert was being served (first came the cake, then the ice cream), the bridal party finished taking their formal pictures. It was about 9:30 before we started dancing and the party was supposed to be over by 11:30. Two hours for dancing is a little short, I recommend at least 2 1/2 hours with 3 to 3 1/2 hours being the ideal time for dancing. 4 hours of dancing is too long as folks just get tired of dancing at that point. (There are always exceptions- usually larger, younger crowds) I’d like to advise couples to pre-arrange the option of adding extra time and put it in the contract. Typically, the banquet halls do not want to extend your time, at the last minute, on the night of your event. It’s also a good idea to plan for your music to end 1/2 hour after the bar ends. (Halls don’t like this option either) I think its a great idea to let your guests sober up a little (or a lot) before hitting the streets. Anyway, even though the dancing portion of the night was a little short, this group was all about having fun. They danced, They laughed, and a good time was had by all. Since there was a good mix of Cubs and Sox fans, I played “Don’t Stop Believing” and “All the Way”. There were more Cubs fans than Sox fans, so I played “Go Cubs Go” near the end, and they had a fun time singing along. The very last song cemented the Hawaiian theme “‘What a Wonderful World/Somewhere Over The Rainbow” by Isreal Kamakawiwo’ole. …. and I thought I had a long last name (Schneeberger)
Overall it really was a wonderful wedding and the Bride and Groom and all the guests were as nice as could be. Jim will DJ in Oakbrook or anywhere in the Chicago area. Ameritunes DJs are experienced, fun and dependable. Call us at (630) 372-TUNE (8863) for pricing and availability. For more wedding tips from the experts read our Chicago DJ blog. mut7zh36ji <a href=”http://technorati.com/faves?sub=addfavbtn&add=http://www.ameritune.com/chicagoweddingdj”>Add to Technorati Favorites</a>