Shelby and Rich's wedding was a nice change of pace from "the usual," as they hosted their wedding at their home in the Town of Onondaga, just west of Syracuse. While a backyard wedding can require a little more planning, it also offers some advantages you usually won't get with traditional venues. More in today's blog post.
Shelby and Rich got married and hosted their reception in their backyard, while a large party tent on the front lawn provided a shaded area for everyone to sit during the delicious buffet dinner by Rodfather's BBQ and Catering. Two sound systems ensured we would have music and microphones in both locations. I brought my own tent for the backyard setup -- even though there was no rain in the forecast, the tent protects the equipment from direct sunlight -- and our feathered friends above.
Since my gold package includes uplighting, I also set up some uplights around the perimeter of the back patio-turned-dance floor, along with a few strategically placed to accent the trees and other parts of the backyard. As for the dance floor lights, you might notice in the first photo, they're under the tent. That was mostly to protect them from direct sunlight (and our bird friends). But once dinner was over and the sun was going down, I was able to move the lights out from under the tent to light up the dance area.
Shelby and Rich's Key Song Choices
Ceremony
- Processional
- Officiant: Korn / Shoots & Ladders
- Groomsman 1: Shinedown / I'll Follow You
- Groomsman 2: Front Bottoms / Outlook
- Groomsman 3: Papa Roach / Carry Me
- Best Man: Foo Fighters / My Hero
- Groom: WWE / Goldberg theme ("Invasion")
- Parents: Vitamin String Quartet / Daughters
- Bridesmaids: Butterfly Waltz (piano and cello)
- Grand Entrance: Bette Midler / Wind Beneath My Wings (instrumental)
- Recessional: Halestorm / Here's to Us
Reception
- Newlyweds' intros: Mudvayne / Happy
- First Dance: Lifehouse / You and Me
- Father / Bride Dance: Aerosmith / I Don't Want to Miss a Thing
- Original Last Dance of the Night: Eric Clapton / Wonderful Tonight
- Overtime Last Dance of the Night: Frank Sinatra / New York, New York
This wedding had one of the most eclectic request lists in quite some time -- we were all over the map from current hits to hard rock, country, classic rock -- you name it, and there was a segment of the crowd that enjoyed it. Guests were having so much fun, Shelby and Rich opted to extend the party for an extra hour. (Yet another perk of getting married in your own backyard -- you don't have to worry about venue time limits or other policies!)
Photo Highlights
Thanks again to Shelby and Rich for choosing me as your wedding DJ! You had an awesome crowd and you were awesome hosts, having everyone celebrate right in your own backyard... I can only imagine the time and effort it can take plan something like this, but you sure made it look like it was a breeze!
