Heather and Jeff were a pleasure to work with and their wedding plans brought me to a new venue -- at least new in terms of my DJ experience. Although I've eaten at the original Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse many times, this was my first time at their "Upstairs at The Dino" event space, which opened in 2009. The food was excellent, the venue space was wonderful and the guests had a great time!
First, the venue: if you've been to the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's first floor, you know it's a rectangular building, with the longer side facing Franklin Street and the narrower side facing Willow Street. The upstairs area is similar in shape, but seems more open, as (from what I could tell) most of the food prep happens downstairs. This gives the Main Room a seating capacity of 125, along with room for a stage and a full bar.
Stage: Click for larger view
The stage was my "workspace" for Heather and Jeff's wedding. (Part of the stage was also set-up for their sweetheart table, but they opted so sit on the floor with their guests.) Behind the stage, two doorways lead to the Willow Room, which seats up to 40 and includes access to a porch overlooking the corner of Willow and Franklin Streets. This smaller room provided an intimate space for the friends and family who were invited to arrive early for the ceremony, while everyone else was given the start time for the reception in the main room.
Willow Room (Ceremony): Click for larger view
One speaker was placed in the Willow Room, allowing guests to hear entrance/exit music as well as the wireless lapel mic provided for the officiant, which also picked up the bride and groom. Even though I couldn't see the ceremony (there was a wall separating us), the officiant and I had discussed some "cues" she'd use so I could make sure things happened at the right times... and it went off without a hitch. My other speaker was in the main room so anyone who arrived during the ceremony could listen without "barging in" through the closed doors. This also allowed guests to hear cocktail hour music seamlessly as they moved back into the Main Room. Once guests cleared out of the Willow Room, that one speaker joined its twin on the stage to add more power for the rest of the evening's festivities.
Of course, one of the main reasons for having a wedding at the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is the food! A buffet-style serving line included some of the Dinosaur's most popular offerings, such as ribs, chicken, various sides and their famous cornbread. (And if you have any guests who prefer seafood or vegetarian options, those are available, too.)
Before we get to the photos, regular readers of my blog know I like to share the key songs from each wedding, so here's what Heather and Jeff selected:
- Ceremony Processional: The Piano Guys / A Thousand Years
- Ceremony Recessional: John Legend / Stay With You
- First Dance: Nathan Sykes and Ariana Grande / Over and Over
- Last Dance of the Night for Everyone: John Legend / All of Me
Here are a handful of photos from Heather and Jeff's wedding. After you check these out, click the blue button below the gallery to see the rest on Facebook!
Click any photo below for a larger version.
Here's the 5-star review Heather posted on WeddingWire:
Peter was great and did an excellent job making sure that our wedding day was a success! We were impressed with his level of professionalism and his willingness to work with us to make sure we were happy.
Thanks again to Heather and Jeff for selecting me as your wedding DJ! I had a great time and it looks like everyone else did, too. Looking forward to my next booking for Upstairs at the Dino. And thanks to our mutual connection, Jackie, for recommending me to Heather and Jeff! My wife and I met Jackie and her husband at another wedding that I DJ'ed two years ago... it was very thoughtful of her to remember me and pass my name along!
