A very close call in the weather department almost forced some major last-minute changes at Aubrey and Bill's wedding at the beautiful Wolf Oak Acres near Oneida this past weekend.  Even though the timing of the rain was "thisclose" to potentially causing some problems for the outdoor ceremony, we lucked out! The rain moved out of the way just in time for everything to stick to the original plans.

Wolf Oak Acres is a 188-acre farm located just a few miles southwest of Oneida.  Thanks to its location, nestled in a valley, the venue offers a view of green in every direction... grassy fields up close, and trees covering the hillsides in the distance.  Newlyweds won't have to worry about cell phone towers, phone poles or any other "distractions" in the background of their photos.

The ceremony was held on a sprawling lawn adjacent to a large, serene pond.  A stone outcropping makes an ideal "stage" for ceremonies, with seats lined up on the lawn.  To provide music and a microphone in this location, I set-up a modest canopy tent far enough off to the side so as not to distract from the ceremony, but close enough for everyone to be able to hear the music and voices coming from the speaker.

The rest of the festivities were held inside the barn. Unlike traditional barns that are often relatively dark, dusty, and notably lacking of air conditioning, the recently-constructed barn at Wolf Oak Acres was designed specifically for events -- clean, bright, and very nicely climate-controlled, but it still maintains the overall "down-home country" atmosphere many couples seek.

Cocktail hour was on the barn's upper level, where my second sound system was already standing-by.  After the ceremony ended, I quickly walked over and started the music so it would already be playing as guests walked in.  Then, I returned to the ceremony site to tear down the tent, and to move the primary sound system into the lower level of the barn, where guests would eventually converge for dinner and dancing.  Speaking of dinner and dancing, here's what Aubrey and Bill chose for their key events:

• Ceremony Processional: Piano Guys / Beethoven’s 5 Secrets/One Republic
• Ceremony Bridal Entrance: Piano Guys / A Thousand Years
• Ceremony Recessional: Beatles / With a Little Help from My Friends
• Wedding Party Intros: Various songs were used for each couple to enter...
  • The Who / Eminence Front
  • Young MC / Bust a Move
  • Flo Rida / GDFR
  • Nelly / Country Grammar
• Bride and Groom Entrance: Calvin Harris / Feel So Close
• First Dance: Van Morrison / Sweet Thing
• Bride and Groom Dance with their Mothers: Rascal Flatts / My Wish
• Cake Cutting: Chairlift / Bruises
• Last Dance of the Night for Everyone: Ray LaMontagne / You Are the Best Thing

And regular readers of my blog know, this is where I segue to my photos from the evening!  Admittedly, this wedding kept me on my toes a little more than usual, so I didn't have much time to shoot any photos -- and I didn't have my regular camera with me, so I had to use my phone.  But I hope you still enjoy the couple dozen shots I managed to get.

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Although it was a busy day, it was a lot of fun!  Catering from the Colgate Inn was excellent as usual (looking forward to returning to their Hamilton location for another wedding in August), and I enjoyed working with the owners of Wolf Oak Acres and Martha Swann Photography (whose photos are MUCH better than mine -- she already has a couple up on her blog, with more to come soon).  And I'd be remiss not to mention Tanya from Marry Me, who served as Aubrey and Bill's "day-of" event planner.  With all the moving parts involved -- from the outdoor ceremony, the indoor reception, the fireworks, the mobile catering crew, the shuttle buses, and so forth, every vendor involved benefited from Tanya's assistance at one point or another.

And most of all, thanks to Aubrey and Bill for selecting me as your wedding DJ!  I enjoyed working with you to plan out the musical aspect of your wedding day, and I really wish all the best to you both in this next big chapter of your lives together!!