Liz and Brian's wedding reception in the Grand Ballroom at Syracuse Marriott Downtown. Photo by DJ Peter Naughton peterthedj.com July 2019.
Peter was very professional, responsive and extremely organized! We would highly recommend him if you are music lovers and picky like us!
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Wedding: Grace and Chris at Sherwood Inn, Skaneateles, 10/15/22

Grace and Chris' wedding & reception at the Sherwood Inn, Skaneateles, NY - October 2022. Photo by Syracuse wedding DJ Peter Naughton peterthedj.com

My 2022 wedding season wrapped up with a return to a familiar venue, the Sherwood Inn, located in Skaneateles, across the street from the lake that bears the same name as the village. Although I've performed a handful of wedding receptions at the Sherwood Inn, this was my first couple who also held their ceremony on the property. Details inside this blog post!

The ceremony took place on the Sherwood Inn's lawn, just to the west of the building. Thankfully, Grace and Chris alerted me in advance, that I wouldn't be able to get into the ballroom until 2:30 due to an earlier event. So, when I arrived at 1:45, my first goal was to set-up my secondary system outside on the porch, to cover the ceremony. By the time that was all set, I was able to get into the ballroom to set-up my primary system and lights for the dance floor.

Although I had to park illegally at the end of the block when I was first unloading equipment, I was eventually able to score a proper spot on Genesee Street, adjacent to the lawn. Once the ceremony was over and the cocktail hour music was running inside, I was able to tear down the outside setup and put it all back into my van.

Grace and Chris' Key Song Choices

Ceremony

  • Processional: Bridgerton version of Sign of the Times. We also had the Bridgerton version of "Wildest Dreams" ready in case the first song ran out, but we didn't need it.
  • Grand Entrance: Stringspace String Quartet / Canon in D
  • Recessional: Maxine Nightingale / Right Back Where We Started From

Reception

  • Wedding party intros: Earth, Wind and Fire / Let's Groove
  • Newlyweds' intros: Earth, Wind and Fire / September
  • First Dance: Fleetwood Mac / Everywhere
  • Father / Bride Dance: Louis Armstrong / What a Wonderful World
  • Groom / Mother Dance: Phil Collins / You'll Be In My Heart
  • Last Dance of the Night (Everyone): Queen / Don't Stop Me Now
  • Last Dance of the Night (Newlyweds Only): George Ezra / Hold My Girl

For this wedding, Grace and Chris had a unique idea that I've never attempted in 11 years as a wedding DJ: they had me play their "last song" so it would end 15 minutes before the reception was supposed to be over. After that last song ended, they had me announce the location of a nearby bar that would host the afterparty.

Why clear the place out early? Grace and Chris wanted to enjoy the real last dance of the night together on their own. Considering how busy a wedding day can be, I know it can be tough for a couple to find any "quiet time" to themselves, so I was all-in on making this happen!

Knowing that guests often tend to linger at the end of a reception, I was prepared to get back on the microphone for 3 or 4 "friendly reminders" for guests to get themselves down the street to the afterparty. That's what it took, and it worked -- Grace and Chris had the ballroom to themselves for that final dance, and we got it done before the venue's 11pm cutoff time. Scroll through to the end of the photo gallery for a couple of shots!

Sherwood Inn Wedding DJ Photo Highlights

As always, this is just a select handful of my photos -- I have even more photos of Grace and Chris' Sherwood Inn wedding reception on my Facebook page!  Scroll down for a direct link to the album.

Click any photo to see larger version

Here's the awesome 5-star review Grace wrote after the wedding:

Peter is incredibly prepared and easy to work with. From our first phone call I was confident that we were not going to have to worry about his service. His event guide questionnaire makes it so easy to plan not only how the music will go, but also the entire schedule and flow of the day. He was always responsive and helpful leading up to the day.

During the actual day it was easy to see that Peter is an experienced professional. My venue was not the easiest to work with, and he managed to do his job incredibly well regardless. He monitored the vibe of the crowd and matched the music and energy to that. His equipment is top notch, and his lighting made the dance floor even more fun. I would recommend Peter to anyone who is having a wedding or other event.

Thanks for the wonderful review, and thanks again for choosing me to handle your wedding audio and reception entertainment! Such a great wedding to wrap-up my 2022 season... I wish you all the best for a long, happy marriage!

And be sure to check out the great work by Alaina Davis Photography - here's a montage she posted on Instagram:

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Peter did a great job with music and the uplighting he did was beautiful! We had such a fun time!
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Since 2011, Syracuse Wedding DJ Peter Naughton has been serving Central New York and surrounding areas.  Peter's stress-free booking process features up-front pricing and just 2 packages that include all the essentials for an unforgettable celebration!
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