It’s been a couple years since my last event (a 50th anniversary) at Twin Ponds — and a decade since my last wedding there — so it was nice to get back there for Virginia and Ethan’s wedding! This was my first time covering a ceremony on the property, as they have a new (to me) landscaped ceremony space on the lawn near the main entrance.
If you’re in the Syracuse area, you might not be familiar with Twin Ponds Golf and Country Club… it’s in New York Mills, just outside of Utica. The venue boasts two separate ballrooms. The one where I’ve performed most-often is famous for its circular bar, and there’s a nice little stage area for the DJ or band in the corner.
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As I mentioned earlier, this wasn’t my first rodeo at Twin Ponds, but it was my first wedding to use the outdoor ceremony space. I brought my portable canopy tent in case it was needed, but I found the building’s covered front entryway sufficient for setting up my secondary sound system for the ceremony and cocktail hour. This made the setup considerably easier and faster.
For the ceremony, I had my 2 wireless speakers on either side of the aisle, so guests could hear every word. Cocktail hour was also outside, but mostly on one side of the aisle, so I moved the “other” speaker over to provide better coverage. When it was time for everyone to head inside, the wireless speakers also came inside, to provide coverage in the dining room just adjacent to the ballroom.
Ceremony
Reception
Virginia and Ethan selected cyan and magenta uplights, which you’ll notice in the background of many of the shots. Although my photos focus on the dance floor action, the uplights were placed all over the entire ballroom, including around the far side of the circular bar, and even in the dining area.
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And here’s the incredible 5-star review Virginia posted on Google afterwards:
Peter was absolutely wonderful to work with and helped make our wedding day truly come to life! From his awesome MC’ing and great music selections to a very special surprise for our first dance, everything came together so beautifully.
Even before the wedding, Peter went above and beyond to make sure we felt comfortable and prepared. He met with us a few times over Zoom, and patiently and thoughtfully answered all of our questions. He even pulled up a tab showing our venue so he could walk us through exactly where he would be setting up and talk through all the details for the big day. His attention to detail and professionalism gave us so much confidence going into the wedding.
Peter kept the energy and vibes going all night with music that flowed seamlessly from one song to the next. He even surprised us by playing snippets of our vows right before our first dance, which was such a meaningful and unexpected touch. It made that moment even more special and is something we’ll never forget!
Peter was responsive, flexible, professional, and genuinely invested in making our wedding everything we hoped it would be. If you’re looking for the perfect all-encompassing DJ and MC, we would HIGHLY recommend Peter!
Thank you again, Peter, for being such a special part of our wedding day! We’re so grateful for everything you did to make it unforgettable.
I appreciate the wonderful review so much! You and Ethan are wonderful people and I wish you both all the best for many years of love and happiness… it was a pleasure helping you celebrate the big day!!
