Grace and Chris, Sherwood Inn, Skaneateles
Peter is incredibly prepared and easy to work with. I would recommend Peter to anyone who is having a wedding or other event.
Carla and Macie’s wedding brought me back to one of my most-played venues, the historic Lincklaen House in Cazenovia! In this blog post, check out the photos, the song selections, and find out how I did things considerably different compared to all my previous Lincklaen House weddings.
Fun fact: this was my 9th wedding at the Lincklaen House. Carla and Macie’s wedding broke a tie — from March until now, the Lincklaen House and the Marriott Downtown Syracuse were tied at 8 weddings apiece. And looking at my schedule, Lincklaen will remain my “most-played venue” for awhile — my 2025 wedding schedule is locked and I don’t have any more at either venue this year. Only time can tell how long into 2026 Lincklaen retains the lead!
OK, so what’s the big change I mentioned? It’s pretty simple, but from a “techie nerd” standpoint, it’s a big deal. For most of my previous Lincklaen House weddings, I set-up my primary sound system in one particular corner of the room where the dance floor is located, simply because that corner was recommended when I did my first wedding there in 2015. But for Carla and Macie’s wedding, I set everything up in a different corner of the room.
Why is that a big deal? Because from 2015 up until 2024, I only used wired speakers. In order to have sound in the lobby (dance floor) and the Hunt Room (where most couples have their ceremonies and dinners), I had to set-up two separate sound systems. But since adding wireless speakers to my arsenal last year, I realized the “other” corner of the lobby would give me a clear line-of-sight right down the hallway into the Hunt Room. A clear line-of-sight isn’t just helpful for wireless audio signals — it’s also kind of important for me to be able to see a ceremony as it’s happening. I tested this out during part of another reception last year and it worked, so I decided to make this my plan going forward.
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Carla and Macie were such a wonderful couple to work with! They wanted to do some things in a slightly different order than most weddings, but weren’t quite sure how to make it all work. A few emails and a video call later, we had it all worked out.
Like most other couples, they and their wedding party came down the Lincklaen House’s grand staircase for their introduction announcements. But rather than doing the first dance and parent dances right away, the wedding party and the newlyweds proceeded right into the Hunt Room for dinner, and guests followed.
Although toasts were scheduled for the end of dinner, the matron and maid of honor were really eager to make their speeches, so they made a last-second request to give their toasts before dinner, which was easy for me to accommodate.
Ceremony
Reception
Overall, my main concern going into this wedding was that the schedule only allowed for 2 hours of dancing, but I felt there were lots of opportunities for little delays to add up and really eat into that dance floor window. But thanks to the cooperation and communication among the entire vendor team — and thanks to guests who promptly migrated from one area to another when asked (rather than needing several announcements) — we managed to keep things right on schedule within 5 minutes.
Carla and Macie wanted to do their very last dance of the night privately. At most venues, this can be difficult because guests almost never leave a reception immediately — in order to give everyone ample time to leave, you might need to play the “last dance” 15 minutes before the actual ending time. But not this time! Once again, setting-up my DJ booth in “the other corner” of the front room paid off: I suggested that Carla and Macie could have this private dance in the Hunt Room, with the glass doors closed.
Faced with a 10:00 cut-off time for music, we finished the last dance of the night for “everyone” at about 9:52. I hopped on the mic to have everyone congratulate the couple again, and then directed everyone to head downstairs to the “Seven Stone Steps” pub, the usual afterparty location following Lincklaen House weddings.
Once the newlyweds had made their way into the Hunt Room, I was able to play their private last dance exclusively on the wireless speakers in there, without it being heard on the main speakers out on the dance floor.
I was extremely pleased with how well everything went, but you don’t have to take my word for it! Keep scrolling for the couple’s review — but first, more photos!
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Carla and Macie, I can’t thank you enough for this wonderful 5-star review!
Absolutely Phenomenal, Book Him Immediately!
The moment we chose our venue, booking DJ Peter Naughton was our very next step and we are so glad we did. After reading his stellar reviews, exploring his helpful blog posts, and hearing from the Lincklaen House team how amazing he is, we knew we’d be in good hands. But even with all the high praise, Peter still exceeded every single expectation.
His organization blew our minds. He crafted a beautifully detailed wedding timeline that helped us stay on track and calm throughout the planning process. He was proactive, communicative, and so generous with his time and expertise. From coordinating our wedding party’s grand entrance to perfectly trimming down the verses of our first dance songs, Peter made everything feel effortless.
He honored every single request and preference we had and then some. His thoughtful approach and seamless behind-the-scenes coordination made the entire day run smoothly. The energy he brought to our reception was unmatched, and the dance floor was never empty. Our guests couldn’t stop raving about the music and how talented our DJ was!
Peter’s uplighting choices brought our space to life, and his attention to every little detail was something we’ll never forget. He truly cares and that’s what makes him extraordinary. I’m actually writing this the very next morning because he deserves a review this glowing. He was simply the best decision we made.
Thank you, Peter, for everything!
Thank you, Carla and Macie, for choosing me as your wedding DJ and for writing such an incredible review! To see such a great review — and so quickly after the wedding — really made not just my day, my entire week! You had a great crowd and I really enjoyed helping you celebrate this milestone in your lives!
