Oh, boy! Andrew & Christina’s wedding at Ritter Farms was a DAMN. GOOD. ONE. If you follow me on Facebook, you probably saw my video clip of 200 guests passionately singing-a-long to the final song of the night, Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”. And maybe as a Red Sox fan I’m biased, but I couldn’t imagine a more perfect ending to a reception that started out with some serious energy.
I am a firm believer that the Master of Ceremonies role is just as important, if not more important, as the DJ role to the success of any wedding reception. A great MC does three things:
- Introduces moments and transitions between events smoothly.
- Introduces people properly.
- Brings two sides of family and friends together as one.
That third element is key. If everyone knows why they are there and feel just as much as part of the family as everyone else, then they’ll eat, they’ll drink, they’ll sing, and they will dance. And did Andrew & Christina’s family and friends ever dance; from “Hang on Sloopy” (for Andrew’s Ohio relatives!) to “Footloose” to “Turn Down For What” to “Old Time Rock & Roll”, this group was so much fun to DJ for. (Believe me, if you ever catch me dancing behind the turntables, it’s a good party. And I’m lucky that I get to call what I do “work”.)
Christina & Andrew elected to incorporate three of my favorite MC presentations into their wedding reception: “Wedding Party Song Skits”, “The Kissing Couples” and “What Does Love Mean To You? Cards”.
For the “Wedding Party Song Skits”, Andrew & Christina’s bridesmaids and groomsmen came up with some very unique song selections and put forth a great effort on their skits. You can see the list below; while they were all well done, my favorite was Curt & Tracy’s “Monday Night Football” skit, with “Kung Fu Fighting” a close second.
“The Kissing Couples” presentation always goes over well for those weddings with outgoing guests, but the “What Does Love Mean To You?” cards did even better. Each table was asked to answer that question for Andrew & Christina, which I later read back before the toasts. Let’s just say we had some interesting answers and hilarity ensued. You had to be there to fully appreciate it.
Going back to that third element – bringing two sides of family and friends together as one – there is one final touch that I thought was well done, and all the credit goes to Christina and Andrew. In honor of Christina’s father, who had passed away, every guest was provided Ray-Ban sunglasses as a party favor. Ray-Ban was the sunglasses of choice for Christina’s father, and it was a very cool tribute. It got better; when I threw on Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock & Roll”, EVERY guest put on their Ray-Ban sunglasses and got down on the dance floor Risky Business style.
Friends, unforgettable memories are made from moments like that.
Andrew & Christina: seriously, thank you for having me as a part of your wedding celebration at Ritter Farms. I knew the day we first met this party would be amazing, and it was. And then some. I’ll never forget it!
Andrew & Christina’s Five-Star Review
Tony MADE our wedding!!! He was very organized, helpful, and patient throughout the entire planning process. He was a pleasure to work with and has impecable attention to detail. The phenomenal service Tony provided FAR exceeded the monetary cost. Guests of our wedding are still talking about his flawless music choices and what a great party the night was! Thank you Tony! 🙂
Musical Selections
Cocktail Hour:Â Soft Country
Grand Entrance (Wedding Party Song Skits):Â
- Nelly – “Here Comes The Boom”
- Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe”
- V.I.C. – “Wobble”
- Carl Douglas – “Kung Fu Fighting”
- DJ Kool – “Let Me Clear My Throat”
- TV Themes – “Monday Night Football”
Grand Entrance (Andrew & Christina): Tim McGraw & Faith Hill – “I Need You”
Dinner:Â Crooners & Rat Pack
Formal Selections
- First Dance: Tim McGraw & Faith Hill – “I Need You”
- Longest Married Couple Dance: John Legend – “All of Me” & Righteous Brothers – “Unchained Melody”
- Cake Cutting: James Taylor – “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)”
- Bouquet Toss (Invite):Â Fergie – “Glamorous”
- Bouquet Toss (Toss):Â Spice Girls – “Wannabe”
- Garter Toss (Invite):Â Beastie Boys – “Girls”
- Garter Toss (Removal):Â Joe Cocker – “You Can Leave Your Hat On”
- Garter Toss (Toss): Baha Men – “Who Let The Dogs Out”
- Last Dance:Â Neil Diamond – “Sweet Caroline”
Dancing:Â Motown, Oldies, Rock & Roll, 80s, 90s, 00s, Top 40, Country, Funk, R&B
Photos Courtesy:Â Photos By Bailey