Matt & Maddie at the Tannenbaum with Delicious Designs, Ciprian Photography & Fig Tree Catering

One of the benefits of being a wedding professional is that you meet, get to know, get to laugh with, and ultimately be a part of a fantastic couple's most important day of their lives. I can't tell you how much it means to me to do this. Every couple I have the chance to work with is unique and their love burns brightly, but I think Maddie & Matt are one of my favorite couples ever. Let me tell you why... 

Matt is a member of the Army- one of those professionals that leave on a moment's notice and put themselves in harms way so that we are all safe & sound back here in the States. He has deployed numerous times and that means that it takes a woman with special patience and love to deal with those separations. That woman is Maddie. They are perfect for one another. He is dark & handsome, with a quick wit and kindness that exudes from everything he does. She is blonde, gorgeous, smart and has a teasing gleam in her eye that keeps Matt on his toes. To hear them banter with each other is like watching a prize fight- witticism after witticism all balanced with a love for one another that is almost visible. I am certain if I could see just a little bit into another spectrum, I'd see their love burning brightly- probably brighter than most. When we first met, I knew immediately that they were deeply in love and I was honored to be chosen to be a part of, and have looked forward to, their big day ever since.

They chose Tannenbaum to be the site of their fantastic day and evening. I have done many events there and I am always pleased with it as a venue- beautiful grounds and trees, lots of room inside and out, and flexibility to choose your own vendors and decor. Kiley & Sasha were the Tannenbaum coordinators for Matt & Maddies' event and they did a great job throughout, helping out in innumerable ways. Just great people.

Their choices for their wedding professionals were inspired as well. I was setting up and saw Leigh Anne from Delicious Designs arrive. My favorite wedding vendor! If you don't know Leigh Anne, you should get to know her! A more enthusiastic and talented baker I have yet to encounter. Leigh Anne's cakes, cupcakes, and cookies are delicious and her decorating is amazing. She loves what she does and it shows. Here is what she made for Matt & Maddie:

Champagne cake with lemon curd & raspberry filling.

Pistachio cupcakes with pistachio buttercream frosting.

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache.

Vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting topped with vanilla bean sea salt.

Guinness stout spiced cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting.

Phenomenally decorated butter cookies.

(plus lots of Oreos and M&Ms that she didn't make but displayed with her goodies).

Compared to the picture I took of the desserts, there was very little left at the end of the night :)

Taking pictures all throughout the event was Ciprian from Ciprian Photography. I have had the pleasure of working with him on several occasions and he is a consummate professional- easy to work with and continually snapping shots.  I would have to say he is one of the top photographers in the area both for his ability, professionalism, and his finished work. Again Maddie & Matt hit a home run.

Their choice of caterer and the food served was inspired as well. Fig Tree Catering did the appetizers and dinner, and it was an eclectic mix of M&M's favorite foods. There were shots of soup, gourmet mac & cheese, hand-dipped corn dogs and a sandwich station with carved pork loin and beef with 5 or 6 sauces. All of these were at different stations- not a typical buffet setup. I was amazed how efficiently everyone was served, and how much everyone enjoyed the atypical fare. It another unique aspect to Matt & Maddie's day and yet again another hit with everyone- including the DJ who had to go back for a second corn dog :)

Maddie & Matt did a "first look" and while I am sure Ciprian got much better pictures, I took a few with my cheap camera from up on the deck. Pretty magical. More and more people began to arrive and after a bit the Bridal Party was entering to a piano version of One Republic's "Feel Again". Maddie and her dad Bob then came down the aisle to "Jubel" by Klingand and soon Tom was officiating their union. Right after Maddie arrived however, Matt grabbed a mic that I had secreted nearby and welcomed and thanked everyone for coming. A nice touch to a beautiful ceremony. When all was done, Maddie & Matt exited to the American Author's song, "Best Day of My Life" which was very fitting.

Dee & friends dancing to Madonna on the deck :)

Pictures then ensued. I stayed outside on the deck playing from a list of cocktail music they had selected. When they moved over to the old chimney for more pix, I happened to play a Madonna song off their list and the girls started singing and dancing as they posed. Maddie's mom Dee then appeared on the deck beside me with several of her girlfriends dancing along to the song. Dee told me that she loved Madonna and when Maddie was small they sang and danced to all of her songs together. Dee said the first word that Maddie wrote was "Madonna" so it is in her genes. I played a Material Girl mix from that moment onward until those pics were finished. Very fun!

We then moved inside and I introduced the Bridal Party to Bruno Mar's "Uptown Funk" and they all danced as they came in. When I announced the bride & groom I played more of "Jubel"- a song that really resonated with M&M. That is what it is all about- making the event match the bride & groom. Fig Tree then had the stations for dinner manned and ready and everyone began to enjoy the food. Toasts followed dinner, then cake cutting (with Joe Cocker's "Feelin Alright" punctuating the moment). Then it was time to dance :)

Maddie & Matt danced their first dance (although they cheated a bit and danced to "Jubel as they entered for their entrance beforehand) to Billie Holiday's "Come Rain or Come Shine"- just an amazing moment for them and for all of us watching. 

Ciprian at work

Bob then came up to dance with his daughter. We had all met and planned the week prior to play another song for his dance with Maddie, but when he left the room Maddie then told me instead to play "White Bird" by It's a Beautiful Day. It is his favorite song, and a week later he was so happily surprised when it began to play that he hugged Maddie even tighter. Just a great moment- it makes my eyes glisten just thinking about it. Another case of Maddie & Matt choosing things to make their reception that much more personal and special.

Matt and his mom Kathy then danced to Cole Porter's "Night & Day" sung by Frank Sinatra. It was a perfect lead into their Money Dance which went about 4 songs and then we were all dancing starting with "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon. The dancing was great- M&M had picked some great music and I filled in the sets with songs I knew would kick butt and had some great requests from the audience.

Etta James slowed us down for the Anniversary Dance followed by the tosses. The girls danced to Meghan Trainor's "Dear Future Husband" as they fought for the bouquet and then the guys gathered around Matt as he removed the garter from Maddie to "Shakin" by Eddie Money. The theme from MNF then punctuated the toss.

I loved every minute of the day and evening. Matt & Maddie's family and friends were almost as fun as M&M themselves and the fun energy never let down. There were many special moments but one of my favorites was when the last couple standing for the Anniversary Dance turned out to be Danny & Shondell. Danny had come up to me earlier and asked if I had "Love Me Tender" by Elvis. He asked if I could dedicate it to his lovely wife Shondell sometime during the evening. It was their wedding song. Absolutely! I told him. Nothing like celebrating 53 years of wedded bliss! So when they were the last couple up I announced how long they had been married and that Danny dedicated the next song to Shondell. When it started up she immediately had a tear and they danced to much cheering and applause like they were teenagers again. So special. Yet special was routine at Matt & Maddie's wedding and reception.

So thankful to be able to work with Sasha & Kiley at the beautiful Tannenbaum- such an extraordinary venue! Leigh Anne from Delicious Designs- your creations were delicious and gobbled up by everyone- you rock! Working with Ciprian from Ciprian Photography is always a pleasure. A true professional. And Fig Tree Catering- you really helped Matt & Maddie make the food delicious and fun, thanks for all your creativity and hard work!

Finally thanks to Matt & Maddie, Bob & Dee, and all the family and guests that welcomed me and made me feel more like a guest than a hired hand. Matt- thanks for your service- we all owe you so much- much more than your humble nature will admit. Maddie, thanks for being such a fun bride! Your smile was infectious and your enthusiastic presence on the dance floor made me strive to give 200%.  Best of everything, always you two!

Viel spaB in Deutschland!

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!