When planning your reception you will receive excellent communication. First, I'll mail you a "Reception Planner."   When filling it out you may call, e-mail me or arrange to meet. Once completed, I'll review everything with you, making sure everything is just the way you want it.   From the moment you first speak to me, until the date of your reception, you are welcome to call, email or meet me.   You may use the information below as a reference when planning your reception.   Similar to the "Reception Planner" the information goes step by step as they occur at the reception, from the first minute to the last. The "Reception Planner" and "Contract" can be downloaded here or by navagating to our "downloads" page. You may also receive it via mail or email.

Your guests will usually arrive at the reception before you.   During this time, the DJ will play soft background music as your guests' begin to arrive.   Most people allow the DJ to play what he feels best for the cocktail hour.   If you have a preference you may choose jazz, classic or modern love songs or even make your own mix for us to play. Soon after the bridal party arrives, the grand entrance will start.

Whenever you and the bridal party arrive I will line everyone up and announce you in. As I am doing this, a song will play in the background. You may choose one or two songs for this, one song for everyone or a song for the bridal party and then a separate song for the bride and groom. You may choose your favorite song for the grand entrance or a funny, serious, climatic, instrumental, or pretty song. Some examples arelisted below.

 "Beautiful Day" U2

"Thunderstruck" AC-DC

"Another one Bites the Dust" Queen

"Ode to Joy" Philharmonia Chorus

"Woke Up This Morning" (Soprano's Theme) Alabama 3

"Eye of the Tiger" (Rocky Theme) Survivor

"Mission Impossible" (Theme) Lalo Schifrin

You may choose to cut the cake before or after dinner.   If you cut the cake before dinner you will do it immediately after the grand entrance.   If you choose to do it after dinner,   as soon as everyone is finished eating I will announce the cutting of the cake, right before you do your first dance. Usually the DJ chooses a song for this. I like to use "Sugar Sugar" by the Archies. Next is the toast.

This is when the best man says his speech as regards to the bride and groom.   The maid of honor may speak at this time as well as anyone else.   After the toast is the blessing.

You may choose whoever you wish to say the blessing.   It's just a few words of thanks before dinner.   The blessing is said directly after the toast.   After the blessing, dinner is served.

You may choose the dinner music or leave it up to the DJ.   It is best to choose light, soft music such as; classical, jazz, Mozart, Beethoven, or modern or classic love songs.   After everyone is finished eating, I will announce the bridal dance.

This is your first dance as husband and wife. It should be a special song chosen by you and your loved one.   After your first dance together, I'll play another slow song and announce the bridal party to the dance floor then the remaining guests will be asked to join in.   After the bridal dance, dance music will be played for about a half hour, then the father daughter and mother son dance will be announced.   Some examples of bridal dance songs are listed below.

"When I Said I Do" Clint Black & Lisa Hartman Black

"Bless the Broken Road" Rascal Flatts

"At Last" Etta James

"Can't Help Falling in Love" Elvis Presley

"I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" Aerosmith

"A Moment Like This" Kelly Clarkson

"I'll Be" Edwin McCain

"You are So Beautiful' Joe Cocker

"From This Moment On" Shania Twain

After the bridal dance I will start the dance music to get your guests up and moving. For dance music, you may give the DJ a small list of songs (10-15) via email or mail or you may give the DJ a general direction. You may request that a certain genre not be played or a certain song. If there is a song you must hear, please inform me before the date of the reception so I can be sure to have it for you.

This is done after the guests have had some time to get up and move. The groom dances with his mother then the bride dances to a separate song with her father.   If parents are not present, you may choose to dance with another family member or chose not to do the father daughter and or mother son dance at all. After the mother son and father daughter dance I will announce the garter and bouquet toss if you chose to do this. Some examples of songs for the mother son and father daughter dance are listed below.

"Stealing Cinderella" Chuck Wicks

"Butterfly Kisses" Bob Carlisle

"You Raise Me Up' Josh Groban

"A Song For Mama" Boys II Men

"Through the Years" Kenny Rogers

"A Song for My Daughter" Ray Allaire

"A Song for My Son" Mikki Veireck

"I Loved Her First" Heartland

"What a Wonderful World" Louis Armstrong

"My Girl" The Temptations

"Daddy's Little Girl" The Mills Brothers

This is usually done after the father daughter mother son dance.   Not all couples choose to do the garter and bouquet toss but if you wish to do so,   it proceeds as follows. First I will have the bride take a seat on a chair placed in the middle of the dance floor. Then I will announce the groom onto the dance floor to remove the garter from the bride. After the groom removes the garter I will call all the single guys onto the dance floor. The groom will then be asked to toss the garter for the single guys to try and catch it. Next all the single ladies are called out onto the floor as the bride tosses her bouquet for them to catch. The recipient of the garter will then be asked to put the garter onto the recipient of the bouquet. The DJ typically picks songs for this but you are welcome to chose them if you wish. After the garter and bouquet toss more dance music will be played followed by the money dance if you decide to do it.

During the money dance the guests pay an undisclosed amount to dance with the bride and groom.   A bride's maid will line everyone up and collect the money. The bartenders will prepare a shot for all the participants to do before they dance. The DJ plays slow songs for this. You are welcome to choose songs for the money dance if you wish. After the money dance the remainder of the night is dance music.

The last song is usually a nice slow song for the bride, groom, bridal party and guests to dance to. You may choose this song or leave it up to the DJ. Some examples of last songs are listed below.

"Wonderful Tonight" Eric Clapton

"Goodnight Sweetheart" The Apples

"Save the Last Dance for Me" Harry Connick Jr