Life is good. You never know what is around the corner. Love was what was around a corner for Bryan & Sharlene, and by allowing me to be a part of their day, they introduced me to some really cool Nevada history.
As you can tell by my blog, I do weddings all over Nevada and California, but I had never done one in Virginia City until a couple of Saturdays ago. Weird because the following day I was at Gold Hill. I have a great job!
Bryan & Sharlene are such a great couple and Sharlene had such an
incredible vision of how her day would play out, and when you add in that with the fact that their venue was the historic Piper’s Opera House
in Virginia City, it turned out to be a very special day and evening indeed.
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| Guests arrive! |
We had met several times prior to the wedding to discuss the
events and music including meeting at the Opera House with Jodie from Gullickson Photography, and I really felt comfortable with their vision. Piper’s Opera House
was built in 1863 and is extremely cool- such a unique site for a wedding and
reception! The main floor holds many tables and set up closer to the stage were chairs for the ceremony. Sharlene had meticulously decorated the tables and
everything just fit. She really
accentuated the Opera House yet made it her own at the same time.
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| On-stage ceremony spot. Love the private boxes! |
I set up in a private box on the side of the stage, a perfect spot
for both the ceremony music and amplification, and later dinner and dancing
music. As the guests arrived I played classical music to set the tone Bryan
& Sharlene were looking for. The Opera House is set up with antiques and
display cases with artifacts and period posters and paintings, which gave the
guests something to explore before and after the nuptials. It just felt correct- her decor, the Opera House, and the music they chose.
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| Sharlene! |
The bridal party walked in to Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You
Look Tonight” and then Sharlene had a surprise for the guests. As everyone
waited for her and her brother Victor to appear through the double doors, I
started up the “Imperial March” from the Empire Strikes Back (Bryan is a
Star Wars fan)! Everyone had this
puzzled look for a second which then turned to laughter when Sharlene peeked in
and yelled “Bryan!” I then purposely
scratched off the Star Wars song and went into “At Last” by Etta James.
Everyone had a smile, which only broadened as they caught full sight of
Sharlene in her wedding dress coming down the aisle. I have to say, if a dress
ever was perfect for a bride, this one was for her. She was luminous as she
approached the stage where her husband-to-be Bryan had such an adoring look on
his face that everyone could see the depth and specialness of their love- just
what you want a ceremony to bring out. That’s why I love the groom seeing her
in her dress as she comes down the aisle instead of a “First Look”. The “First
Look” is more efficient for pictures and gives the B&G a little more time
at their reception but I think that is a small price to pay for that moment. I
still have my wife’s image as she entered the church burned on my mind 27 years
later, and it is a memory I will have as long as I live. I am sure it is now the
same with Bryan.
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| From up in the balcony courtesy of Gullickson Photography! |
After the ceremony, the bar opened up and homemade chips and salsa came out for the guests as the bridal party went outside into Virginia City for photos. Jodie from Gullickson Photography was all over the place all afternoon and evening long getting the perfect photos. Super easy to work with- just what any bride (and DJ) loves. While they were gone making photographic memories, I switched from classical to Big Band & Sinatra- it is sometimes neat to differentiate the musical vibe between the ceremony, cocktail hour, and then dinner- once again Sharlene & Bryan put their own unique stamp on the festivities.
When the bridal party returned, Bryan had me play Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" as I introduced everyone. Very fun! They then enjoyed a delicious Mexican dinner from La Reina, a local restaurant and carneceria in Dayton who put out a delicious buffet. After dinner and some toasting, Sharlene & Bryan danced their first dance to "Everything" by Lifehouse, followed by the Bridal Party dancing to Josh Turner's "Will You Go With Me" and Sharlene dancing with her brother Victor to "There You'll Be" by Faith Hill. Bryan then danced with his mom Carrie to the classic "Silver Wings" by Merle Haggard and then the floor opened up to everyone. It was a fun crowd, with everything from Michael Jackson to Johnny Cash to the Beastie Boys being played, and pretty much everything in between. It was a fun night with a fun crowd which danced and went over the original ending time by over an hour. Just a memorable night, a unique venue, a super crowd, and an amazing bride and groom. It's nice to give back to the community as well, and that is what Bryan & Sharlene did. The Opera House is owned by the Storey County School System and when it is rented out, the money goes to the District and also towards restoration.
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| More great pix from Gullickson! Check out the album here |
Congrats Sharlene & Bryan! Thanks for letting me be a small part in your day!
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