I have to be honest about something.  I grew up in Queens, New York and until I moved out to New Jersey in my 20’s all I really knew about New Jersey was the Turnpike.  My family would come across Staten Island and hop on the Turnpike heading out to vacations in Virginia or Pennsylvania.  From the back of my parent’s station wagon I would look out at Elizabeth or Carteret and think “Garden State?  Really?”

Like many things I thought I knew in my teenage years that have proven false as I’ve grown, my opinion of New Jersey has “evolved” (hey if politicians can evolve on an issue why can’t I?)  The more I’ve come to know New Jersey the more I appreciate her true beauty.  From the rolling hills of the north-western part of our state to the vineyards down south and of course, to the place I’ve come to call home, The Jersey Shore.

So when I get to do a wedding like I did in August for Sean & Marisa at The Windows on the Water in Sea Bright, I have to literally pinch myself. I’m ten minutes from home – not a plane ride away on some Caribbean Island.  Yet as I set up for their ceremony that day, I could have been on St. Maarten or in the Bahama’s.  It really was that beautiful. I mean really – take a look at this picture and tell me this couldn’t be a destination wedding:

When I met with Sean and Marisa before their wedding I got a real good feel for what they wanted: laid back, casual yet FUN!  We played nothing but steel drum music before their ceremony and then for their cocktail hour (also outside, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean) we played a nice mix of Jack Johnson, Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffet. Then we headed upstairs at Windows on the Water and it was time to PARTY!

Sean and Marisa had given me tons of their favorite songs and I have to say every one of them went over.  From classic dance like Dancing Queen to  old school like Ghetto Superstar to some straight up new dance music like Flo Rida’s Wild One – we had the dance floor jam packed all night.  And we even pleased Marisa’s dad , who’s a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, by giving him a chance to dance to  Pink Cadillac

Summer is too short here on the Jersey Shore but for these few awesome months, when the beach is as nice as any beach anywhere in the world, it is great to live here.  And as a DJ, there is nothing better than these outdoors ceremonies on the sand.  Congratulations Sean and Marisa and best of luck in your new lives together as husband and wife