Tim & Erin at Winters Creek Lodge

DJ's today market themselves in a variety of ways- through associations, the internet, and the occasional bridal show.  I am lucky that referrals from past clients make up about half my business but I do make a point of doing the Reno Fantasy Wedding Faire every January because it is a great show and even more importantly, every dollar goes to the local American Heart Association.  I feel good about being a part of such a great event- a resource for local brides-and-grooms-to-be and a step towards heart health and disease prevention and hopefully, one day, a cure.

During this past January's Faire, I had the opportunity to meet Erin and her mom Debbie at the show and we ended up talking for quite some time.  I knew then that I wanted to be a part of their day.  They had a unique vision for the ceremony & reception which was to be held up at Winters Creek Lodge, a spectacular and somewhat unknown venue that is part of the Mount Rose Ski Area.  They ended up booking me on the spot and over the next few months we met and planned out the music and events for the ceremony and reception. Erin, Tim (Erin's husband-to-be) and Debbie were all so easy to work with and eager to make the day unique and memorable.

Hang-glider high above the pre-ceremony afternoon

When their Saturday arrived, I drove up the mountain, the skies clear, the temperature perfect and hang-gliders wafting in lazy circles far above the Lodge.  What a perfect day! Even the winds were mellow, and the Winters Creek staff had set chairs up overlooking Washoe Lake thousands of feet below for the ceremony to come.  The Lodge itself is architectural art with huge glass windows, gorgeous wood and stone and metal framing that really catches the eye and brings the spectacular outdoor scenery in.  Winters Creek Lodge is at 8260' and really has expansive views.  On one side is Washoe Lake & Valley and on the other the slopes of the East Bowl which still had some snow on the upper stretches.  What a way to combine the natural beauty with the inherent beauty of the building.

Hang-gliders launch themselves into the air a couple hundred yards away, and I watched them dive and rise up into the updrafts as I set up for the ceremony and reception.

After a while, the guests began to arrive and filled up the seats for the ceremony.  Erin & Tim like the Beatles so I found some great instrumentals of their music for the guest's arrival and before long I was playing "Marry Me" by Train for the Bridal Party, and then "1000 Years" by the Piano Guys for Erin's processional.  After a thoughtful and heartfelt ceremony they exited as husband & wife to "This Will Be an Everlasting Love" by Natalie Cole and the guests found hors d'oeuvres and drinks awaiting them inside.  I really enjoyed speaking with all the guests and bridal party members.  A fun crowd and very happy for Erin & Tim, they really loved the amazing views and attention to detail they found inside.

Tim & Erin eventually returned after what I imagine were fantastic photo opportunities around the area and they and their bridal party entered to "I Gotta Feeling" by the BEP and mingled with their happy crowd. I have to give massive thanks to Judit, the wedding coordinator at Winters Creek Lodge.  Her attention to the guests, the food, and the bar really sets WCL well above the competition.  Her bartender and servers always had a smile and went out-of-their-way to make sure everything went perfectly throughout the day and evening.  Their stellar service certainly only adds on to the beauty of the venue.

After some mingling, the newlyweds danced to "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain and then Erin danced with her dad Wayne to Satchmo's "What a Wonderful World".  More dancing then followed with a fun Money Dance followed by an Anniversary Dance using Mraz's "I Won't Give Up."  Anniversary Dances are amongst my favorite events at a wedding.  What a great way to acknowledge those who have committed to one another by a couple who just did the same only a couple of hours prior.  Tim & Erin went a step further- they gave a bottle of wine to the couple who had been married the longest.  A nice gesture and then they had another surprise for their guests.  They called up several couples without any explanation and gave them wine for having travelled the farthest, having gotten their RSVP in first and having the next upcoming wedding.  A real classy idea from a top-notch couple. 

A bit later Christine (an aunt) sang "At Last" to Tim & Erin and shortly thereafter the bouquet & garter were thrown, the garter tossed to the "NFL on Fox" theme song... Very fun!  The rest of the evening was spent reveling in the beauty without and within and dancing the rest of night away.  I truly feel blessed to be able to do what I do, and this night punctuated that feeling for me.  Congrats Erin & Tim!