My 15th season as a wedding DJ wrapped-up with Emily and Dan at the scenic Skyline Lodge at Highland Forest Park in Fabius. Between their request list, the decor and Emily’s black wedding dress, it was apparent these two love Halloween and we were all here for it! Photos, song choices and more in this blog post.
It’s hard to believe this is only my 4th wedding at Skyline Lodge… I feel like I’ve been here more than that, but this is my first time back since 2018.
One thing I’ve always loved about this venue is how the DJ setup is right next to a window facing the outdoor deck where ceremonies often take place. Back when all my speakers were wired, that window made it really easy to feed a cable outside to cover the ceremony, rather than needing an entirely separate sound system.
And it’s even easier now, with the wireless speakers I’ve recently added to my arsenal. Should the weather suddenly change, I can adapt in mere minutes, since the speakers are the only things that would need to be set-up or removed. And when it’s extremely hot or cold outside, guests who prefer climate control can stay inside, watch the ceremony through the windows, and still hear every word just as clearly as if they were outside.
One thing I wasn’t crazy about — and apparently, neither were Emily and Dan — for several years, your only option for catering was the “exclusive caterer” who had a contract with Onondaga County Parks. Not a fan of their offerings, and not allowed to bring in a different catering vendor, Emily and Dan (with help from some friends and relatives) supplied their own catering.
But now, some good news! I just discovered that starting in 2026, Skyline Lodge and other Onondaga County Parks wedding venues will allow ANY caterer on-site as long as they obtain a permit in advance. So if you found this post because you’re considering (or already booked) one of these venues, you’ve now got a lot more freedom with food choices, but just make sure your caterer gets their hands on the appropriate permit if they haven’t already.
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Emily and Dan had a live violinst play the processional and recessional songs for their ceremony, but I still provided my usual 30 minutes of music leading up to the ceremony. I also provided a wireless lapel mic for the officiant (which also picked up the couple’s vows) and a wireless handheld mic for two guests that shared a reading during the ceremony.
This was my second wedding in a row where we only had 4 hours from the start of the ceremony to the end of the reception. While that might seem short on paper, both weddings (and others in the past) have proven that it’s doable!
Ceremony
Reception
In this case, the ceremony was relatively short and cocktail “hour” only lasted long enough for post-ceremony photos. Emily and Dan had no wedding party, so no need for introduction announcements. And after their first dance, no parent dances, so we got the dance floor open right away. Where most 4-hour wedding receptions only have about 90 minutes for dancing, this streamlined schedule allowed for 2 solid hours of open dance floor time!
Even then, my only concern was that Emily and Dan’s request list had more songs than we’d have time to play during the open dancing portion of the reception. When I brought this up during our final planning meeting, they said they were OK with some of the songs playing during cocktail or dinner, so that’s what we did, and it worked out well! I believe we managed to get all but just a few of their requests played before the end of the night.
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Another nice thing about this wedding… for the first time in quite a few years, I had a chance to work alongside Calypso Rae Photography, who shot my own wedding 14 years ago! Here’s one of the shots she took of Emily just outside of the lodge:
Thanks again to Emily and Dan for choosing me to be your wedding DJ! Best wishes to you both for many years of love and happiness together!
As I wrap up my 15th year helping Central New York couples put together unforgettable celebrations, I know that there are plenty of options for wedding entertainment. Every time a couple chooses me to handle the DJ/MC duties for their wedding, I consider it privilege and an honor to help plan and execute all those special moments. Thank you, thank you, thank you!Emily and Dan’s wedding at Skyline Lodge at Highland Forest County Park, Fabius, NY – November 2025 – Photos by Syracuse Wedding DJ Peter Naughton – peterthedj.com
And I also want to thank my dear wife, for not only inspiring me to get this business started back in 2010, but for providing both moral support and a few “rescue” operations over the years. And most importantly, thanks for all the Saturdays where you’ve single-handedly wrangled our three very active boys (and now a puppy, too!) while I’ve been out at all of these weddings. Even though most of my clients have never met my wife, it would be impossible for me to run this business without her support.
