Being a wedding deejay I get to see all kinds of ceremony sites and reception venues. Everything from glitzy casinos to mountaintop aeries; from park buildings to church halls; from alpine restaurants to country ranches. This weekend Kate & Brandon were married at the beautiful Lakeside Ranch in the foothills of Southwest Reno, and it was as fine a spot as any I've done in recent memory. Gently rolling grassy pastures, big shade trees, and a babbling creek bisecting the property- it was a special setting for a great couple. My photographic skills are rudimentary but you get idea- it was a gorgeous day for a wedding!
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| Ceremony site |
When I first met Brandon & Kate, I thought "What a fun couple!" They laugh a lot and have that look like they were made for one another- a certain glow when they are together that basically makes them so much more as a couple than they are as two separate people. I am lucky as most of the brides and grooms I have the pleasure of getting to know are similar, but with these two you know from the moment you meet them that they are a couple and are in love.
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| Beautiful day for a beautiful bridal party |
Kate and her bridesmaids and Brandon and his groomsmen spent a good amount of time prior to the ceremony using the beauty of the grounds for various pictures. I happened to be nearby when the ladies were being photographed on one of the footbridges and on the swing, so I was able to snap a few pix here and there. I'm a way better DJ than I am a photog, but the beauty of Lakeside Ranch and of the girls definitely shines through. Brandon was brought in right before the ceremony for a "first look" so that the real photographer could capture the moment when bride and groom see each other for the first time in all their finery, and I got a shot from the side.
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| Their "First Look" |
Finally the time had come to get married. The guests filled the chairs and the large bridal party walked over the creek and into the ceremony area. The grandparents and parents walked in to a great song, "Storybook Love" by Mark Knopfler from the movie the "Princess Bride". The bridal party then entered to an acoustic guitar version of Pacbel's Canon in D, and finally Kate and her dad entered to Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" covered by the Vitamin String Quartet, one of my favorite string groups. Officiating was David Beronio from Lake Tahoe Wedding Ministries. He is a great officiant as he always ministers a thoughtful and heartfelt ceremony tailored towards the bride and groom. His son, also David, was very helpful in coordinating the couples as they walked down to the ceremony site. It was a large bridal party, and it all went perfectly. Thanks David & David!
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| The DJ's view: ceremony and buffet! |
After they had been pronounced husband & wife they and their party exited to cheers and One Republic's "Good Life". After more pictures and some mingling we welcomed them to the reception tent with a Grand Entrance and everyone then enjoyed a great Sauce Wagon buffet dinner accompanied by Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra tunes. Following dinner, some great toasts were made and then the B&G took to the floor for their first dance as a married couple. They danced to "All Your Life" by the Band Perry, followed by Father-Daughter and Mother-Son Dances in which Kate and Brandon had wanted all the Dads & Moms to come up with their children to join in the dances. What a classy gesture, and it was appreciated by dozens of people who got to show their love for their parents & children. After that it was non-stop dancing the rest of the night, broken up only by the cutting of the cake. It was a spectacular evening with everything a DJ could ask for: a great crowd, lots of requests, and a bride and groom who seemed to be walking on air. Congrats Brandon & Kate and thanks for having me be a part of your fantastic night!
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| Late night dancers- what a great group! |
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