Talk about a perfect day! I woke up early the morning of Tara and Bobby’s wedding because my cell phone chirped on my bed stand. When I looked at it I had an Emergency Alert about a Tornado Warning. I remember going back to sleep thinking, well, I guess Tara and Bobby won’t be getting married outside! Boy was I wrong.
By noon the skies had cleared and it was a beautiful June day. Hot but not too hot and no humidity. It was just perfect. I arrived at The Water’s Edge in Bayville plenty early (I didn’t know how to predict traffic and it’s always better to be early than late) and got set up for the ceremony. The ceremony spot at The Water’s Edge is one of those locations in New Jersey that it’s hard to believe you’re still in the Garden State. It looks more like you’re on a Caribbean island to be honest. Tara and Bobby had asked for a “Beach Theme” so I played a nice gentle steel drum mix prior to their ceremony then picked up the tempo for cocktail hour with a mix of reggae and other summer vibes like Jimmy Buffet and The Beach Boys.
After high energy introductions and the formal dances it was time to party. With very few requests from Tara and Bobby I was free to get creative and have some fun. And their guests were eager to join in. There was never a time when the dance floor was empty (except dinner of course) and at the end of the night I even got a “one more song!” chant which I happily obliged. I recorded the first set after dinner and uploaded it to my SoundCloud page. (You can hear it by clicking here.) At one point in the recording you’ll hear me say “you asked for it Coretta.” I was referring to Coretta Doll who I was working with at the wedding. She was out on the dance floor during Danza Kudura and a circle had opened up and she jumped in the middle calling for a dance partner. The next thing I knew she had one and they were rocking out! It was an awesome moment.
I wish I was still recording a little while later because Bobby took the microphone to thank all their guests for coming and then (on the mic) he said, “and we have the best friggin’ DJ in the world!” I was smiling ear to ear.
When I left Tara and Bobby’s wedding I wrote on my Facebook page: “Some weddings are so much fun it doesn’t even feel like work.” and I truly meant that. Working with Tara and Bobby was an absolute pleasure and I couldn’t be happier for them that the tornado came through early enough that they could get married outdoors.
Congratulations Tara and Bobby
