Katie & Patrick at the Chateau in Incline Village with Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos and Alexander's Catering

This past summer I was privileged to have been a part of Katie & Patrick's big day at the Chateau up in Incline Village. Katie & Patrick are a fantastic couple who had very definite ideas about how they wanted their wedding day to feel, sound and progress. They put a personal spin on so many things and made it a very unique and fun event.

Patrick and the bridal party prior to the ceremony

First of all, they chose the Chateau. If you've never been, the Chateau is the clubhouse at the golf course in Incline Village. The course is immaculate- nestled in pine-covered hills and overlooked by the Sierras, and the Chateau is truly its namesake- a gorgeous mountain refuge with plenty of space, a huge deck, tremendous views, and a bunch of great people working there.

Katie and her dad Dave right before marching down the aisle :)

They were married right outside of the building, on a picturesque tee on a gorgeous afternoon. An absolute killer choice they made was to have Anne Roos from Celtic Harp Music do their seating and ceremony music. Anne is a harp virtuoso who challenges your preconceived notions of what a harpist should sound like. One of her songs has been nominated for a Grammy and we are lucky to have her here in our area. Her beautiful music punctuated the ceremony perfectly. Speaking of the ceremony, I provided microphones and amplification for their officiant Judy's use. She did a heartfelt job marrying the two, and when it was done everyone moved up to the deck for cocktails and more of Anne Roos' artistry.

When pictures were through and the cocktail crowd had moved inside, we welcomed the bridal party accompanied by Imagine Dragons' "On Top of the World". Toasts then ensued, followed by a delicious buffet dinner by Alexander from Alexander's Catering. But wait! It wasn't that simple if you were a hungry guest. In order to get your table into the buffet line, Katie & Patrick had a surprise waiting...

"Didn't we almost have it all..." (Singing for their supper!)

First of all, the tables were named after 14 different languages- from Swahili to Swedish, from Hungarian to Hebrew and so forth (I think between the two of them they know all those languages!!!).  Then, James, a friend of theirs took one of my wireless mics and patrolled the dining room, looking for tables willing to sing for their supper. He got each table up, gave them a karaoke song (which I cued up and played), and they had to sing it to be released to the buffet line. Sweet! There was instant rivalry between tables and controversy ensued if a table thought another table's song wasn't loud or enthusiastic enough. It was a first for me- something I won't soon forget, and yet another cool way Katie & Patrick differentiated their wedding day from the ordinary.

First Dance!

There was a sense of fun throughout the evening. Again I loved how they tweaked things to make them special. After the dinner was done, they started the dancing with their first dance, Ray LaMontagne's "You Are the Best Thing". It was a great dance but that wasn't all. As Ray was fading out, Katie had a surprise in store. I announced that "No first dance is complete without a little Whitney" and mixed in "I Will Always Love You" which Katie sang at the top of her lungs to Patrick. The place went berserk! Super fun! Dancing then ensued and really only ever stopped once, when they cut their cake and then tossed the bouquet and garter. I played "Mr. Jones" by Counting Crows for the cake cutting, and then "Ladies Night" for the bouquet. To put an exclamation point on Katie's noble profession, I played Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" when Patrick was busy removing that small piece of lingerie, and then when he tossed it, "Sure Shot" by the Beastie Boys got everyone back in the partying mood. Just a great crowd all night long! 

Patrick & Katie had spent some time compiling songs they wanted for specific times during the evening and also songs that they did not want played. They were very thoughtful as to what their guests would enjoy yet stayed true to their musical tastes- the best of both worlds. There were several birthdays and they made sure that I dedicated "In Da Club"to them. As you can see, it was a fun night!

Thanks so much to everyone at the Chateau- it is always such a pleasure to work there. Thanks to the fabulous Anne Roos at Celtic Harp Music for her inspiring play. Thanks to Alex at Alexander's Catering who always does such a great job, even when waiting for tables to finish singing their song :)

Finally, thanks to Katie & Patrick. You two really hit a home run with all that you planned that day and evening and it was so great to have been a part of your amazing wedding and reception! All the best and many, many happy years with one another!

Crystal & Travis at the Tannenbaum Event Center with Alexander's Catering and Dan Thrift Photography

What's wrong with a Thursday wedding? Absolutely nothing! When you have a super couple, fun guests and family, great vendors, and a fantastic alpine setting, the day of the week is hardly a concern. Travis & Crystal and their guests fit that bill perfectly. 

On a Saturday, and to a lesser extent a Friday or Sunday, your choice of venues may be limited. The caterer or photographer you want may be booked already. But by having your big day on a non-traditional day of the week, you can make your planning much simpler and bring those costs down considerably. Of course you need to make sure that any conflicts with bridal party or guests' schedules can be overcome, but with plenty of advance notice, everyone will schedule for your wedding and reception long in advance and there won't be any difference in fun or atmosphere.

Tannenbaum's ceremony site

Travis & Crystal made some great choices for their day besides taking advantage of a weekday. First they booked the Tannenbaum Event Center on the slopes of Mount Rose. The Tannenbaum is a gorgeous venue, both for ceremonies and for receptions. There is a grassy area, perfect for a ceremony, just behind the building, below the deck that looks out over the mountains and it is surrounded by pines and greenery. The building itself is beautiful and reminiscent of a mountain lodge and the people at the Tannenbaum really do a great job coordinating the event while allowing for various vendors and setups. In the last year or two they really upgraded the bride's and groom's rooms, giving the bridal parties lots of space to change and celebrate the day. Indeed, the bridal suite opens up so the ladies can just walk right out as the processional starts to play. It is dramatic and convenient. Another huge plus there is the level of professionalism from the coordinators. That day Rachel, Kylie and Rebecca went above and beyond (as usual) and smoothed over details both small and large making the event and my job much better and easier.

Crystal & Travis saying "I do"

Next they hired Alexander from Alexander's Catering. I have blogged about him before. He is one of my favorite caterers- always going the extra mile for his customers. His crew is dedicated & friendly as well, taking the whole event to another level. His food is always delicious too, but many caterers have great food but drop the ball on service or are great on service but drop the ball on the meal. Alexander's consistently hits home runs on both levels, and that is why he is on my personal preferred vendor list.

Cutting the Cake

They made an inspired choice with Dan Thrift Photography as well.  I have worked with Dan in the past and I really like his style when he works.  He is unobtrusive but seemingly everywhere at once, getting not only all the normal posed shots but also candid shots of the guests enjoying the moment. A true professional and great to work with.

First Dance!

Finally, I loved all the extra little touches Travis & Crystal thought of to make the day all about them and their guests. There was a photobooth guestbook, which is always fun and gives your guests something fun to do together. They named their tables after various types of wine instead of plain old numbers, infusing their love of wine into the evening. And they thought about their guests' safety in that they had a bus take them up and down the hill so they didn't have to drive from their hotel to the Tannenbaum. To me that is the ultimate show of caring for your friends and family- making sure if they have had a few glasses of their favorite libation that they can arrive safely at their rooms. Very cool.  Here's another example of them going above and beyond: coming up the hill, a bus broke down bringing guests up to the ceremony and reception. Travis and his groomsmen immediately headed out to the parking lot and took several vehicles down the road and picked up the stranded guests. Here they are, getting ready for the ceremony but they didn't want their guests to have to wait for a replacement bus.  Just the kind of atmosphere that Travis & Crystal engendered throughout the day. I heard several guests telling others how happy they were to see their new chauffeurs come to the rescue in snazzy tuxedos.

Such a great couple

The music was hand-picked by them as well. I love when my couples add their musical tastes and personalities to the mix.  It started with the seating music prior to the ceremony: instrumental string versions of classic rock that set a fun yet ceremonial mood, and then Bach's Prelude in C Major accompanied the bridal party followed by Crystal and her dad entering to "Concerning Hobbits" from the LOTR soundtrack. How unique is that! I really liked a line that the officiant uttered during the ceremony: "Love is a friendship that has caught fire." So descriptive and true!  Then after he had pronounced them husband & wife they exited to "The Throne Room" by John Williams which was the end of "Star Wars: A New Hope"... How cool is that!?!

Leroy and his daughter

After what I imagine were amazing picture opportunities out and around the Tannenbaum, the bridal party entered to the Black-Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feelin" and shortly thereafter Alexander's Catering were working their magic. Another nice touch Crystal & Travis thought of was to feed the kids with their own kid-friendly buffet prior to the adults. Alexander's Catering had many choices for them and they (some with their parents help) went through their own line and got settled into their seats before the rest of the guests. This was great for a couple reasons: the kids got something they'd like and eat, they sat down and got a head-start so they were happy, and their parents were happy being able to go through the adult line without jostling a second plate with a child in tow. Just another thoughtful touch by the bride and groom. When the kids were through, Alexander quickly changed out the serving dishes to the adult fare and people were up getting their delicious dinner in no time.

Start of the special family dance

After dinner, the reception events began, first with some great toasts by the two dads and then the bridal party. The cake was then cut and soon thereafter Crystal & Travis were dancing their first dance to Journey's "Faithfully". Then Crystal and her dad Leroy danced to "Through the Years", and in another classy move invited all of the fathers and daughters in the audience to join then halfway through the song. I love it when all the dads and their daughters get to experience a Father-Daughter dance alongside the bride and her dad. It's something that they will always remember, and something that sets Crystal & Travis' reception apart from other wedding receptions they've been to. This was immediately followed by a Mother-Son dance started by Travis and his mom Roxanne, and again halfway through the song, this time the Beatles tune "In My Life", I invited all the other moms and sons up on their behalf. Following a few slow songs for the Money Dance, dancing started in earnest and never quit all night long.

Everybody joining in...

Some of my favorite moments were a great Anniversary Dance and later the bouquet & garter tosses using "Ladies Night" for the girls and the theme from Indiana Jones for the guys. Very unique and fun!

Another awesome moment was a traditional Mexican dance led by several people in Crystal's family.  They used a song I love, "La Marcha de los Zacatecas" for the dance (I know the song from one of my favorite comedies, "The Three Amigos" when it is played at El Guapo's birthday party). Basically they all started the dance like a train or a conga line, with a column of people in a line moving all around the room.  Then they made two sides and the couples would go through the arches the previous couples would make.  Finally, everyone got in a large circle and Crystal & Travis were put in the center.  It was a great dance and a fun family tradition that the whole crowd participated in. 

Going through the arches

They danced to all kinds of genres from country to hip/hop and rock & roll to oldies. Any wedding that I get to play "Volver" to a crowded dance floor with everyone singing along is exceptional in my book. When the bus arrived to bring everyone down the hill, it was a bittersweet moment as the night had to come to an end. Glowsticks were then distributed and all the guests formed a glowing tunnel for the bride & groom to make their exit through with Semisonic's "Closing Time" setting the mood. It was a great afternoon and evening, and I was so happy to be a small part of it. Thanks to Alex and crew from Alexander's Catering, everyone at the Tannenbaum, and Dan Thrift Photography for helping make their day even that much more special. Congrats Travis & Crystal!

Scott & Allison at Camp Richardson with Zinser Photography, Tiers of Joy Cakes, & Alexander's Catering

Maid of Honor Becca, beautiful bride Allison, and dad Don before "I Do"

What a fantastic time I had up at Camp Richardson this past Saturday at Ally & Scott's reception!  They are a super couple and I was really looking forward to their day and it did not disappoint. 

The weather was beautiful and they had rented out the entire lodge for their family and friends so when I arrived everyone was getting ready for the ceremony down at the boathouse.  Scott and all the guests headed to the ceremony site and only Ally, her dad, and Becca remained, waiting for their ride to the wedding.  I took maybe the last pic of the unmarried Allison!

Dancing starts!

It is great to work with professionals who know what they are doing, take pride in their work, and put the Bride & Groom's desires above everything else.  Adam from Zinser Photography, Leigh Anne from Tiers of Joy Cakes, and Alex from Alexander's Catering are all such amazing professionals.  Adam was everywhere that evening getting great shots and never missing a moment.  Leigh Anne brought delicious pies that had everyone swooning with joy (towards the end of the night one family member was digging into a whole pie without utensils, they were that good!), and Alex and his crew went above and beyond all night in very tight quarters and still delivered delicious food, drink & exceptional service throughout.

"Put your hands in the air...hands in the air..."

The reception was an absolute blast!  The bridal party arrived and were announced and went into dinner followed by some very memorable toasts, especially by Becca and by Scott toasting his bride at the end.  Then Scott & Allison danced to "Si Tu Quieres" by Elefante followed by the Father/Daughter & Mother/Son dance and then by Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight" for the Anniversary Dance.  After that, the dancing only stopped for the Pie Cutting and for the tosses.  The rest of the night the floor was packed with enthusiastic dancers.  We started at 4pm and I was scheduled to play until nine.  Nine became ten.  Ten became 10:30, and when I finally said good night it was past 11:30.  What a crowd, what a crowd, what a crowd!  

Scott in the middle of a Reggaeton circle

Scott & Allison left the party around 10ish and usually when the bride and groom take their leave, the party begins to fizzle.  Not so for this group!  Another hour and a half after the bride & groom exit?  What a party!  Thanks to Scott & Allison for including me in their day. Thanks to Don & Nancy and Rocky & Laurie and all the bridal party and guests for making me feel so welcome and for dancing the night away!  Thanks to Leigh Anne for introducing me to her fabulous family. What a way to start 2012!

One last dance for Ally & Scott (complete with bubbles!)