One thing I am constantly reminding my clients is to come up with a WOW! factor – that one moment during the reception their family and friends will never forget and will talk about for years to come. Because I am always seeking to push the bar higher and higher, for Chris & Michele’s wedding, we came up with a half-dozen WOW! factors!
Here they are, in presentational order:
- Michele’s Surprise Recording for Chris over her Processional Selection
- Michele & Chris’ Grand Entrance with EVERY guest waving their napkins in the air
- The Surprise Life/Love Story Montage narrated by Chris & Michele’s parents, produced by yours truly
- Surprise Messages for Both Parent Dances
- Dollar Dance Competition
- Sneaking Inner Circle’s “Bad Boys” into the mix for a room full of law enforcement officers (Chris is a King County Sheriff)
One thing I loved about this wedding was how family-centric it was. Michele & Chris have AMAZING families and I was honored to get to know them during the interview process of The Life/Love Story Montage – which was the hit of the reception! To Jeff & Betsy, Ken & Karen, thank you for welcoming me into your homes and sharing some amazing stories with me – it made the editing process all the more enjoyable!
You’ll also note the word “surprise” was used often; we had so many great surprises incorporated throughout the evening. For me, it was hard enough to keep track of who got to know what – but the reactions were priceless. It takes time, but to all the brides-to-be and grooms-to-be out there: it’s well worth the time and effort.
Chris & Michele, thank you for having me as a part of your wedding celebration; I’m honored to have been a small part of the celebration!
Reception Recap Video
Chris & Michele’s Five-Star Review
If you want your wedding to be worry-free, run smoothly, and be the most amazing day of your life, hire Tony Schwartz as your DJ/MC! He invested so much time, thought, and energy into our wedding. We couldn’t have been happier with him. He incorporated many “surprises” throughout the wedding and really was the reason that our day was so perfect. I can’t imagine what it would have been like without him. Totally worth every penny!
Musical Selections
Prelude:Â Soft Contemporary
Ceremony Selections
- Family:Â Luther Vandross – “Here and Now”
- Wedding Party:Â Celine Dion & R. Kelly – “I’m Your Angel”
- Bridal Procession: Train – “Marry Me”
- Unity Candle:Â Newsong – “When God Made You”
- Recessional:Â Michael Jackson – “The Way You Make Me Feel”
Cocktail Hour:Â Soft Contemporary, Soft Classic Crooners
Dinner:Â Mid-Tempo Contemporary, Classic Rock
Formal Selections
- Grand Entrance (Wedding Party):Â Alan Parson Project – “Sirius”
- Grand Entrance (Chris & Michele):Â T.I. – “Bring ‘Em Out”
- First Dance:Â Hunter Hayes – “Wanted”
- Father/Daughter Dance:Â Heartland – “I Loved Her First”
- Mother/Son Dance:Â Boyz II Men – “A Song for Mama”
- Cake Cutting:Â Michael Buble – “How Sweet It Is”
- Bouquet Toss:Â Beyonce – “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”
- Garter Toss:Â Jay-Z & Kanye West – “In Paris”
- Last Dance:Â Journey – “Don’t Stop Believin'”
Dancing:Â Top 40, Hip-Hop, Classic Rock, 00s, 90s, 80s, 70s, 60s
Photo Courtesy: Michelle Jensen Photography