I’ve known Chris for years. In fact, we used to work together. However, when I sat down with he and Arlete to discuss the details of their upcoming wedding, I was surprised to learn some new details about the two of them, particularly how they wanted their wedding to be very different than what we both considered “normal.” I live by the motto “every wedding is different,” and Arlete and Chris felt I was the right fit to make theirs just how they envisioned it. Most importantly, they weren’t looking for the “nightclub” vibe after-party. They wanted the night to start off as a classic black tie affair pleasing their own particular tastes of what they deemed classy, as well as their very different and sometimes conservative families. At the same time though, they wanted their guests to have a great time, dance, and enjoy getting to know each other. I was confident I could help them and so touched that they chose me to be their MC/DJ.
The wedding was at Knollwood Country Club. This venue has really stood the test of time, and I’m always impressed how the newly renovated rooms look so shiny and new, while the staff works together like a well-oiled machine. (And they should…some of the staff members have been working there longer than I have been in this business!) To make things even smoother, their wedding coordinator was the amazing Tricia Dahlgren who made everyone’s lives so much easier. Top this off with the amazing team of Regina Marie Photography and Beyond Cinema to capture every moment. Not only that, I got to work with some old friends like Photo Mania Photobooth and Coastal Events Lighting who gave the room the perfect combination of fun and flavor.
Arlete and Chris entered the room at exactly 7pm. Both of them gave a heartfelt thank you speech that concluded with Chris asking Arlete to dance. The guests enjoyed some heartfelt words from Chris’ mom and dad, as well as Arlete’s father and brother. During the Father/Daughter dance, Arlete’s brother Brady cut in, kissed his sister’s hand, and finished the song. Now it was time to start the party. The Granada room has a HUGE dance floor, and it was filled from corner to corner with friends, family members, and of course Arlete and Chris. (Who only stopped dancing a few times during the night to take photos with their friends or grab a much-needed drink from the bar!)
It was a short night for our photography and videography team, but we managed to place the last two formalities of the evening just before they had to depart. Chris and Arlete’s Money/Honeymoon dance quickly turned into a Selfie dance, as the newly opened dessert table gave the guests more choices than they could handle. The crowd danced to a wide variety of music, and the newlyweds kept their guests enthusiastic by their radiant energy and love for each other. We wrapped up the night with a rather impressive Circle of Love.
But there was one last surprise Arlete and Chris had planned for their late-night partygoers. The perfect way to end this evening was a Sparkler Send Off from the front door of Knollwood all the way to the door of their awaiting car.
Dave’s recommended vendors for this wedding are:
- Knollwood Country Club – www.knollwoodgc.com
- Tricia Dahlgren Events – www.triciadahlgrenevents.com
- Regina Marie Photography –www.photographybyreginamarie.com
- Beyond Cinema Videography – www.beyondcinema.net
- Costal Event Lighting – www.fb.com/coastaleventlighting
- Photo Mania Photobooth – www.photomaniabooth.com