I first heard from Don & Misty last month. They had a unique situation with the venue they were having their celebration: because of the number of guests they were having, the room they were having their reception in, and space restraints, the floorplan dictated that the area where we would have dancing later on would be the same area the caterer would set up the buffet beforehand. With the food in place, there would be no space to set up a typical sound system before dinner. But after meeting with Misty & Don, and visiting the Hale Koa to talk to EILEEN (one of the catering executives there), we were able to strike an effective compromise. During cocktails, dinner, and the program, I would bring a small sound system to provide music and run the presentation with, and it would be set up in place of a podium. Sometime during the presentation, the airwall dividing the buffet area and the main reception would be closed, and my friend David from Dynamic Sounds would come in and set up the DJ system as the banquet staff cleared the buffet. Timing was very critical: we didn't want any dead air time between the program ending, and the dancefloor opening, so getting all elements coordinated was key.
Fortunately, everything worked out as planned! Misty & Don arrived early, so they were able to greet their guests as they arrived. Feeling stress-free and relaxed, they entrusted the presentation to me and didn't worry about what was happening next. When most of their guests arrived, I took them outside of the room, reminded them of what's happening next, and then went in to warm the guests up.
With the introduction of the newlyweds, the guests realized they were in for a treat: this was not just some formal eat-and-run deal, this was going to be a party!
Working closely with the Hale Koa staff, we moved the presentation smoothly. During dinner, Misty asked if her friend ERICA could speak earlier, rather than after dinner as originally planned. Not a problem! With Erica ready to go, we introduced her, and she delivered some funny stories about growing up with Misty, working with Don, and how the Misty & Don met. The program continued with more stories from Misty's father MIKE, and a few of Misty's longtime friends.
For the bouquet toss, instead of simply tossing the bouquet, Misty & Don did the Anniversary Game, in which we included all of the guests and ultimately honored the longest married couple. During our meetings beforehand, Misty & Don thought that the longest married couple would be Misty's parents. So it became a very pleasant surprise when the longest married couple turned out to be Misty's aunt & uncle! The bouquet was presented to them, which made them and their family very happy.
As this was going on, the airwall to the buffet room was closed, and Dave and his team came in to set up the DJ dance system. Following the centerpiece giveaway, we did the formal dances (Father/Daughter, Mother/Son, First Dance, Money Dance) near the head table, and at the end of the Money Dance, the dancefloor was ready, so we opened the airwall and moved the party over to the dancefloor. By Don's request, the first song to kick off open dancing was the Chicken Dance!
For the rest of the night, Dave mixed it up, playing a good mix of today's music, some oldies, reggae, and more, keeping the groove going and the guests dancing. By the last dance of the night, we still had a good crowd, and I invited them back to the dancefloor for the last dance of the evening. The crowd celebrated and cheered as the last dance came to a close--a fitting way to end Don & Misty's celebration.
When I first spoke to JENNIFER & SCOTT for their wedding on November 4, they mentioned that tradition was very important to them. Since most of their guests were family, tradition was something that they wished to emphasize at their party. At the same time, they wanted it to be fun and memorable. So we helped them create a very fun and memorable celebration with an emphasis on tradition!
For the bouquet & garter tosses, we did the traditional bouquet & garter tosses, but what made it fun were the people involved. For the bouquet toss, the bouquet was actually caught between TRACEY (the maid of honor) and a good friend of the bride, and neither wanted to lose! For a while, they played tug-of-war with the bouquet, with the flowers finally going to Jennifer's friend!
The garter was exciting as well: Jennifer's cousin caught it in a display of skill. You know how they say that "White Men Can't Jump?" Well, it's apparent that Korean men CAN!
The party that started at the tables carried over to the dancefloor, where the guests danced and sang karaoke until they were exhausted.
Having a wonderful time dancing!
Jennifer & Scott at the end of the night, feeling very happy & stress-free
All in all, it was a great weekend to get married! To Misty, Don, Jennifer, & Scott, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your celebration. I'm glad that you had such a fun, stress-free time, and I hope the memories you created will stay with you forever!
Warmly,
Marino M. Regalado
Entertainment Director
Ninja Entertainment
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