Robert Benda: DJ for Weddings

Stephanie Wilson & Trevor Anderson

2011-08-07T08:24:00.003-05:00

When: Saturday, August 6th, 2011

Where: DoubleWood Inn, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

Three different wedding receptions going on here, at the Doublewood, tonight, causing a little guest confusion in the halls. It also meant that, while we did our toasts, the room next door was blasting music already. Not cool. We were alright, but no one should have to give a speech with a muffled, but still loud, version of 'Shout' playing in the background.

We did some different things with our opening songs. For her dance with her dad, Steph made up a mix: start with 'Cinderella', which suddenly rips into. The wedding party started out fast with Usher's "DJ Got Us Falling in Love." I followed up quickly with a surprise black light dance. I handed out 30 or so pairs of white gloves, turned down the rest of the lights, and made it glow. Check out the video for what I mean. It's a great effect when used for the one song (and doesn't turn your wedding dance into a night club).

For the garter, we sold raffle tickets, then brough up eight winners who competed via musical chairs. Cutthroat business. Ashley won by disqualification when the other three guys all sat down without the music stopping. They thought the music had stopped because, ironically, I got on the mic to warn them not to sit down without the music stopping. The crowd voted them out.

Things fired right back up after the bouquet/garter, so I did a stroll: everyone forms two lines, facing each other. The couple on one end dance on down the middle (see the video). You only attempt this while things are going great. It's not really something guests will do until they trust you to be fun.

Kristen Litzinger & Jared Young

2011-07-31T08:21:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, July 30th, 2011

Where: Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "All or Nothing" by Theory of a Deadman

Decorative up lighting again tonight. Purely as decoration, though. There are no floruscents to contend with at the Ramada.

The only rough spot for Kristen and Jared today was at the church. The unairconditioned church. The pastors sped the service up slightly to make sure everyone was OK. One choice that seems down right genius now is the groomsmen had no suit jackets.

Their request list was four songs, all line/group dances. Otherwise, it was about 10 songs on the 'do not play.' Easy to work with, but, I do actually prefer a bit more direction than that. For example, I learned, during social hour conversation, that Kristen's favorite movie of all time is "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." It's a thoroughly 80's movie. That's something I can work with. Play the namesake song, and suddenly a lull in the dance turns into 20 ladies dancing in a circle around the bride.

Elva Perez & Brandon Frank

2011-07-24T08:20:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

Where: Community Center, Wyndmere, ND
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

Things are looking up. Temperatures have returned to relative normal and this community center has AC. I also setup decorative up lighting. This room has those giant floruscent lights every school gym has, which means, with the lights, it's either all or nothing. With the up lighting around the room, we were able to leave the floruscents off.

I've never seen a staff serve so many people so quickly in a buffet. 150 guests in some 12 minutes.

Photobooth tonigh was provided by Black Tie Photobooth. If you are looking for one, he's easily the first and only I'd recommend. Not only was his equipment top notch (HQ photo prints in about 12 seconds), he seems to do everything the right way, but he is as cheap or cheaper than anyone else I've seen.

A slight change in tradition. Elva danced with her dad first, who handed her off to Brandon. From there we quickly added the wedding party, all married couples for an anniversary dance (48 years was our longest marriage).

A rare moment tonight, the Chicken Train (by groom's request). A big circle forms, one person in the middle has a broom as a dance partner, and everyone gets a turn. It's silly but who cares.

Kasey Swiers & Nolan Klinkhammer

2011-07-17T08:19:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, July 16th, 2011

Where: Community Center, Bejou, MN
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

Today's temperature got up to 162*F. Or at least very close to it. Thankfully the city hall here in Bejou is air conditioned Oh, wait. It's not. Nuts. That's fine when it's just me setting up but once 150 people pile in here and start moving, sweet mollases, it's hot. We were dying by 9pm, but couldn't open up the doors until after sunset, or we'd be trading intense heat for swarms of mosquitos.

I'm only here for the dance. Nolan and Kasey had their dinner at the church in Mentor, where they were married. She didn't bring a toss bouquet, so I supplied one of mine (what? You don't keep a few spare toss bouquets in your van?).

These guys were definitely ready to dance. It would have taken a pretty bad DJ to clear these folks off the floor. I got to play almost anything you can think of.

To the left is the result of a concrete floor and spilled drinks on a wedding dress.

Gina & Josh Wagner

2011-07-03T08:18:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

Where: Teamsters, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "Love of a Lifetime" by Firehouse

Tonight was marred by some delays. You wouldn't know it, but having only a single stall bathroom for a reception of 250 people can really slow things down as wedding party members are forced to stand in line for their turn.

Hello to some old clients, the Wagners, married about three years ago and guests at (what feels like) many, many weddings. Pictured here is their new baby boy with their uncle Josh.

No song list from Gina and Josh. Just after the dance started they snuck outside to finish their pictures (an open shutter, then drawing a heart using sparklers). This made for a slow start to the dance. Once they came back in, the requests started and we got rolling right until everybody was disappointed it was time to go, three hours later.

Lacie Fogelson & Casey Hanson

2011-06-26T08:17:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, June25th, 2011

Where: Avalon Events Center, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "You Make Me So Very Happy" played live

Today's ceremony was also at the Avalon, and I took care of sound for that, too. This meant a mic for the pastor, reader, singer, and inputs for a cellist and guitarist. It didn't go the way I had planned but went well and that is all that matters.

Our singer (Andi Thoreson who also sang at her sister's wedding two years ago), the cellist and guitarist also performed the first dance song for us.

Some interesting touches tonight. The guest book was plates (china) guests signed with a silver pen. This will let Lacie mount these on the wall later. The Avalon held two receptions tonight. To make sure guests knew they were in the right spot, a front door, painted with chalkboard paint, had Lacie and Casey's names on it. I also received a request list made by guests who listed songs on their RSVPs.

Or only real issue was that it appears Lacie and Casey were both struck with food poisoning from something they ate during pictures. They ducked out about 11pm, a little over an hour early.

As usual, more great work by wedding photographers Shawna Noel and Kory Wallen. Well, I guess I don't actually know that... we haven't seen the pictures yet, but history suggests it will be more outstanding work on their part.(no, these aren't their pictures. Their pictures are good)

Katie Jo Johnson & Carlos Ballinas

2011-06-19T08:16:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, June18th, 2011

Where: Under a tent, Battle Lake, MN
1st Dance Song: "As Time Goes By" by Buena Vista Social Club

"Hi Robert! I'm so sorry it took so long to get back to you. I think things were more crazy after the wedding than before:) Again thank you for everything you did for our wedding reception! I don't think it could have gone any better than it did. If you need any recommendations just let us know!"

Katie and Carlos were actually married January in Mexico, and again yesterday, in Minneapolis. Today is a reception only at her parents' lake house.

I stole a baby (OK, babysat) during dinner when I sent her mom and family up to the buffet. Her name is Laney, she is 4 months old and she giggles when you hold her up so she flies like Superman.

Since Carlos and his family are from Mexico, we used a translator during the prayer, and during some of the event explanations. Their first dance song is in Spanish (somehow I can't find the Spanish title, though).

Turns out, at weddings in Mexico there is a tradition of carrying the groom in and tossing him in the air, all set to the Funeral March. Fantastic. We followed that with "A La Vibora De La Mar," which is, as best as I can describe it, a cross of a conga line, circle dance, and limbo. No footage for that one because, no one told me about the song in advance, so I bought it, downloaded and was playing it from my smart phone, which I had been using to catch some of these moments. Maybe I'll be able to get some footage from the videographer.

One other very random request: "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus. Apparently they line dance to a Spanish version in Mexico. That's a first time playing it for me. I also got to play a bunch of salsa music.

Brooke Melicher & Tim Hanson

2011-06-12T08:15:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, June11th, 2011

Where: Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "Grow Old With You" by Adam Sandler

A night opposite from last, this one with about 140 guests, in much more modest ballroom (the Holiday Inn is great, it's just not the size of a football field). Brooke, Tim, and the wedding party arrived via clydesdale drawn hay ride (and I missed pics).

To involve the guests quickly (and give the photographers a better background), we brought up all the guests to form a circle around Brooke and Tim for their first dance song. Not an issue since the song is only 90 seconds long. The second song, Brooke and her dad, Paul, danced to a minute long version of "You Never Can Tell" by Chuck Berry (most recognizable these days from Pulp Fiction).

No dollar dance, bouquet, or garter tonight. The only interuption to the dance was when a young lady, Destiny, asked to sing "The Way I Am."

One amusing moment: a guest from the wedding next door came over to request a song... for next door. Turns out that DJ didn't have "Into the Mytic" by Van Morrison, so I got it for him on an mp3 player I use for backup.

Ericka Erdmann & Garret Kollin

2011-06-11T08:15:00.000-05:00

When: Friday, June10th, 2011

Where: Shooting Star Casino, Mahnomen, MN
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

The reception hall was set for more than 500 people. The room was as long as a football field. Quality sound for that size room with that many people is tough, but if you do it right, everyone can easily hear the speeches, the room is full of sound, but not too loud, except on the dance floor which is loud enough (and that is one heckuva run-on sentence).

While Ericka and Garret wanted to recognize their mom and dad (respectively) with a dance each, she did let me shorten them. I created digital edits of their first dance song, her dance with her dad, and his with his mom so that all three songs lasted about eight minutes instead of the full twelve. The songs still sound intact instead of the old, awkward fade down halfway in. Instead of another slow song for the weddng party, Ericka had me play "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz. Something upbeat and fun can work, just warn your wedding party in advance and get them onboard. In our case, it was also after 9pm and a bit easier to get people going.

No dollar dance, but we did toss the bouquet, and a scavenger hunt to give away the garter. Out of left field, Ericka asked if I could do something I haven't in a couple of years, and even then it was at a Christmas party: the frozen t-shirt contest. Five guys race to put on t-shirts that have been soaked and frozen. Fantastic for it's silliness, definitely something you do late, in our case, 11pm.

Yingxi (Rona) Shi & Jeff Kuntz

2011-05-31T08:14:00.000-05:00

When: Monday, May 30th, 2011

Where: Turtle River State Park, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Eyes on Me" from Final Fantasy

This was actually an outdoor ceremony and indoor reception. The couple met as students in the UND meteorology department. There was a brief panic in the morning when lightning knocked out the area's power, but the park runs on propane, not the electrical grid, so my mad scramble for a generator on Memorial Day Monday was unnecesary. There was some misting rain as we all arrived for the ceremony, but in all, the day was quite beautiful. The ceremony went off without a hitch, though the pastor's mic was on mute, his voice carried fine. The reception, however, was perfect til about 9:30pm, when tornados were spotted around Grand Forks, sending many of our meteorologists on their way, and the rest of us to safety. Which wasn't too bad, since we had to be done at 10pm (per park rules) anyway.

I'm very used to pronouncing difficult names, but that's usually Polish or Norwegian. This is Chinese, a whole new set of phoenetics. If you're wondering, Rona's name is pronounced like 'Ing-She'. That's the easy one. Have fun trying to pronounce Shaoyue or Zhe.

The reception was pretty traditional. Rona's parents flew in from China for this, and her dad wanted to do a speech, done with a translator (her cousin), who learned just how hard that is to do well. Not everything in Chinese translates easily into English very well, or at least, not literally, but he did a pretty good job.

Rona and Jeff choreographed their first dance song, all five minutes of it, making a great impression on the guests. For those who can, 12 lessons or so is all it takes to put something together that will get noticed.

Erin Lowder & Derek Hoffert

2011-05-29T08:12:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, May 28th, 2011

Where: Bestwestern Guest House, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Beautiful Mess" by Jason Mraz

Derek's family and I go way back. I DJ'ed both his older sisters' weddings in 1999 and 2000. Tonight, they decorated the Guesthouse pretty well. Real evergreen trees behind the head table, candle-lit lanterns on a bed of grass (yes, as in lawn) for centerpieces. Their flower/decorator Georgina Smith had containers of grass growing from seed for the last eight weeks, just begging for sunny days.

Erin wasn't crazy about the garter removal, so we turned things around. Once Derek got out to the floor and dropped to one knee, she grabbed him, put him in the chair, and took the garter off his leg (already under his pant leg).

Random song I've never played before, and probably won't again, but that did great here: "Stop" by the Spice Girls.

Amy Strand & Charles Getsman

2011-05-22T08:10:00.003-05:00

When: Saturday, May 21st, 2011

Where: Clarion Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

Don't worry, Chuck, I won't repeat your wife's nickname for you here, though it was revealed (playfully) to the guests. The same can't be said for your buddies, though, or the youth soccer team you coach.

Instead of the traditional garter giveaway, Chuck decided to have the guys compete over it, via an air guitar contest. Sadly, there is no footage of this because, while silly, it was still fun.

Danielle Grandbois & Daniel Danielson

2011-05-21T08:09:00.000-05:00

When: Friday, May 20th, 2011

Where: Doublewood Inn, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "Heaven" by Yanou & DJ Sammy

Just go ahead and try and say their married name outloud. It's all about the emphasis and second syllable in Danielle to make sure you don't sound like Daniel is marrying Daniel.

Danielle is a big karaoke fan, so we included that throughout the night. Something like 12 songs scattered over a four hour dance. Only one singer was bad... she yelled more than sang her song.

Danielle did make a video slide show of pictures, but had me play it on a loop during the entire social and dinner. Guests could watch if they wanted, when they wanted. This is key if your video exceeds ten minutes or so.

Aleesha Ruff & Andy Nicholson

2011-05-18T08:08:00.000-05:00

When: Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

Where: Woodland Lodge, Turtle River State Park, ND
1st Dance Song: "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain

Alee and Andy were married on a Tuesday. They both just graduated, he's now commisioned in the U.S. Army, so it was a now or never thing for them if they wanted their friends there before everyone scattered to the winds. They did end up competing with a Tim McGraw concert, but it didn't seem to be a problem.

The Woodland Lodge is a bit small (space for 100 or so indoors) but is actually pretty nice: full kitchen and central air. There is also a patio area if the weather is nice.

To get Alee and Andy to kiss, guests asked them questions. So a guest who knew Andy well asked Alee about him. Because of this we learned that Andy is into power kites. I'm not sure what that means, but one is 13 meters long. That's enormous and I now feel bad because I still have trouble getting the regular little ones off the ground.

One last note, I would have never expected a bunch of ROTC/military guys to be so into Rebecca Black's "Friday." Curious.

Megan Sellie & Aaron Elgin

2011-04-11T08:07:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, April 9th, 2011

Where: Radisson Hotel, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain

I'd been looking forward to this wedding for a while. Megan and Aaron picked several touches I thought were just a little out of the ordinary. This winter, her father built a hot rod for them to ride from the church to the reception. Aaron made the knife for the cake cutting. Guests had to answer trivia about the two of them to get them to kiss. There were little cards for guests to fill out, with "In 25 years, Megan and Aaron will be..." and "Love is...". They took dance lessons to get ready for their first dance. Each added just a little to the evening, but, most importantly I think, added something personal.
The video to the left is of my new light towers so you can judge for yourself if you like them. Most DJ lights you just get dots on the floor or wall because you can't use a fog machine at almost any banquet hall. I'm hoping these are both nice looking and cool. They stand eight feet tall, are wrapped in fabric, and are synced to the dance floor lights.

Once again I edited their first dance song to change the song from just over four minutes, down to under three. I sent a copy to them in advance so they could practice during their lessons.

Amy Lewis & Ryan Knudson

2011-02-27T08:05:00.000-06:00

When: Saturday, February 26th, 2011

Where: Avalon Events Center, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "Look At You" by Chris LeDoux

"Robert, thank you so much for all the hard work you did at our wedding. We were so pleased with the way the reception & dance went, and you really helped us to have a great night. You did a great job of keeping the night moving & keeping us informed. Everyone had a blast on the dance floor and we will recommend you to all of our friends! Thanks again," -Amy & Ryan

Amy is sister to the wonderful Fargo photographer Katie Lewis, whose pictures you see here.

It was my first real opportunity to show off my new decorative up lighting (back ground below). I kept it simple, with their wedding color blue behind the head table and by the cake, gifts, and front door.

The Avalon is a beautiful space, but the acoustics on the second floor are murder for a DJ. Normally I would run additional speakers out away from the dance floor to keep a good, clean sound for speeches, but here there were so many guests and doorways that I couldn't.

Amy and Ryan were married three weeks prior in a ceremony on the beach. Today's reception had me setting up a screen to show pictures from the ceremony (difficult in the limited space but I got it), then a six minute video after dinner.

One group of guests kept requesting 80's music, like Lionel Ritchie's "Dancing on the Ceiling," and "I Wear My Sunglasses at Night," by Cory Hart.

Brianna Martinson & Garrett Grasser

2011-02-14T10:51:00.001-06:00

When: Saturday, February 12th, 2011

Where: VFW, East Grand Forks, MN
1st Dance Song: "When You Say Nothing At All" by Allison Kraus

I was hired for this reception because of another I did not too long ago, where Garrett and Brianna met, the wedding of Jordan and Erin Grasser (Hi, Erin!).

No ceremony today, they got married in Mexico on January 8th. I edited their ceremony video and some pictures into a six minute reel to show their reception guests who, mostly, couldn't make the trip. If you think a wedding on the beach is for you, realize you are likely to be very close to other, non-guest beach-goers, the video will pick up a lot of wind noise, and that sometimes your mom just can't help but film herself digging her toes into the sand in the middle of your ceremony.

Our first hurdle tonight, the VFW has bingo until 5pm, and you don't mess with bingo. When I tried to setup about 2:30, they had already started, but I was able to be ready for the guests by 6pm. Our second issue, which was actually pretty simple, no priest for the prayer, so I got to do it.

We skipped the bouquet because, there wasn't one. Customs wouldn't let Brianna bring hers back into the U.S. without a huge hassle because those flowers could kill you and everyone you ever cared about! Or something. We stuck with a garter auction. For the removal, we stuck Garrett in a Green Bay Packers jersey (he's a fan) and brought him out to their touchdown song ("Bang on the Drum").

I did get to bust out my emergency kit's toothbrush for a certain someone in need.

Attention to detail is important: especially when you notice the groom is busy, so you stall before playing the last slow song of the night so he can enjoy one more dance with his wife.

After everyone had left, and everything was getting packed up, there was a little trouble with the cake. It was falling, and ended on being set down in the parking lot. I didn't stick around to find out what happened, but hopefully it worked out.

See more at www.RobertBenda.com

Diana Driscoll & Zach Bopp

2011-02-06T11:43:00.002-06:00

When: Saturday, February 5th, 2011

Where: Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "To Make You Feel My Love" by Adele

No pictures, no video from this wedding. I'll leave that to the people who are good at those things. Every vendor was from FreshWed. Photographers Shawna Noel and Kory Wallen; Videographer Corey of Sub-Zero Productions (glad to finally meet him); flowers and decorations by Just Add Water, Brooke Roche. Oh, and me. You just can't go wrong by hiring all of us. In fact, maybe we should make some sort of package deal. Hmm....

I must say, it was nice to see the videographer at the reception. A lot of couples don't hire one, or only have them at the ceremony. I usually use my camera to make sure key moments like the toasts and their first dance are captured. Tonight, I didn't worry.

During dinner we learned that Zach, when he was less than one year old, managed to lift himself out of his crib, and broke his arm in the process. And I was scared of what my two year old could do...

A few random things I took care of: I had Diana's slippers for the reception; I'm the one who washed out and got the box for their brand new, beautiful crystal champagne glasses; and I'm the one who knew where the circuit breaker for their decorative lights was.

Zach and Diana's wedding was at 3pm, at Sacred Heart (yes, Catholic). Dinner wasn't until 6:30, which meant a lot of time for guests to kill. We did our best to have something happen every so often: the bridal party's arrival; shoe game; video; speeches. If the guests were bored from the large gap from ceremony to dinner, they didn't show it. When the dance started, they were right there, ready to go, too.

To give away the garter, we did a raffle. The drawing got us seven or eight contestants to compete. I asked for things, they went and fetched them. Each time they came back, we elimated some. Very simple. Very funny. One groomsmen didn't quite make the chair. Twice. The Best Man thought we had solved the last item, yelled it out, but forgot to actually go and get it. Someone else won. Poor Beau.

We also did a broom dance. No, they aren't common. Everyone in a circle, someone in the middle with a broom dances for a bit, then passes it, and the new holder dances. It's exactly how it sounds, but if everyone is into it, it can be a blast. Especially when a grandma gets wheeled out in her chair to dance.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Kirby Black & Jake Vossler

2011-01-02T21:46:00.004-06:00

When: Saturday, January 1st, 2011

Where: Hilton Garden Inns, Grand Forks, ND
Photographer: Shawna Noel Photographry
1st Dance Song: "A Walk in the Forest" by Brian Crain

First thing you'd notice when arrivng at the reception was an appetizer buffet with two trays being butlered by staff. Very unusual for this area, but very lovely.

The weather interfered with the guest list a bit, but the room was still almost full. Unfortunately, Kirby's two older brothers missed out, getting stuck between Minneapolis and Fargo. Her younger brother, Isaac, stepped up to give their toast instead. Another side story to the storm travel was two cars of guests having a run in with a horse on the highway. Don't worry, everyone made it out okay.

Kirby and Jake took dances lessons, which led them to choose a waltz for their first dance. The results are there in the video.

Champagne toasts were nothing compared to Jake's dad. He brought out an old family tradition. Everyone got a small shot of Redeye. Normally, they would have had a bottomless glass, but the Hilton's liquor license won't allow for that. Free wine and keg beer were substituted instead.

We did a challenge to win the garter. Guys had to fetch items in the room and make it back to their chairs first. A few were racing back just as I pulled their chairs away. Splat, to the floor they went.

Most interesting, I thought, were some storm stories. The bartender, Kelly, had been stuck at the hotel since 5:30am the previous morning, thanks to the blizzard. She was on shift til the end of our wedding dance. The photographers, Shawna and Kory, had spent the entire day trying to get to Grand Forks from Bismarck, since the highway was closed the last 80 miles, they took county roads, and made it just in time to shoot the ceremony. That was after taking a train from Fargo to Minot, then hitching a ride to Bismarck to shoot the wedding the day before. By the end of today, they all just wanted so desperately to get home and get some sleep.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Jackie Baird & Chad Osowski

2010-11-27T10:46:00.001-06:00

When: Friday, November26th, 2010

Where: Community Center, Minto, ND
1st Dance Song: "Better Together" by Jack Johnson

They really decked out the community center. Chair covers, a raised head table with lit backdrop and candlelight. Decorations courtesy Darcy Van Hoff. All three together make a great impression when you walk into such a large room. The raised head table, in particular, is almost necessary if you want to be seen at all.

Since the dance didn't start until after 9pm, we did the dollar dance, bouquet toss, and a garter raffle all in a row, just after 10. The garter raffle got us eight winners, who then competed in a sort of scavenger hunt to determine a winner. Very cutthroat business. When I asked for a picture of the bride and groom, one guy, instead of getting a camera, grapped the four foot tall picture collage display at the greeting table. Well, OK then.

Two different couples I worked for a few years back are here, and both are expecting babies first half of next year. Congratulations, but please don't name him Hershey.

Chad picked their first dance song, and it was held back as a surprise for Jackie. She didn't find out until they walked out onto the floor, which they did during the last 30 seconds of their video slide show. It setup the first part of their first dance with pictures of themselves as the backdrop. I thought it worked very well.

That hat Chad is wearing was a gift earlier in the day. His captain's hat for his fishing boat.

Awesome older song I'll never get to play again but that worked great here: "We Built This City" by Starship I also got to play Nelly's "Country Grammar." Despite how much it played when it came out, I don't think I've heard it or had it requested for at least five years.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Christie Canfield & Tyler McFarland

2010-11-14T10:45:00.001-06:00

When: Saturday, November13th, 2010

Where: A Touch of Magic, East Grand Forks, MN
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

"Robert, Thank you so much for being a part of our wedding! You did a great job and we truly appreciate it! Happy Thanksgiving!" - Christie & Tyler McFarland

This is my first wedding in a few weeks. To earn the evening out, from 7am to 2pm, I watched both my three week old son and 20-month old daughter so my wife enjoy part of her day.

Christie and Tyler had these very simple, but very elegant centerpieces of yellow leaves on stems. They looked like flowers and fit the fall weather. That seemed how everything was tonight. Simple, elegant, and a perfect fit. Almost effortless (though I doubt it was).

Normally, if a couple is showing a video, I get a copy in advance and take care of things. At a Touch of Magic, that is supposed to be done for you. However, the DVD didn't work with the player, it would have left off the last three minutes. Instead, I took care of it with my gear and managed to get it to work to the end.

Things really got going after 10pm, so Christie had me continue for a little over an extra hour.

Random song request that went over great, but wouldn't ever play anywhere else: T.I.'s "What You Know." I had it, but don't think I've ever played it before. Doubt I will again. That's OK, Tyler and his buddy, Flash, love it. Also, "Forever Your Girl" by Paula Abdul, from Christie's list.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Get Hitched: A Wedding Show for the Modern Bride

2010-11-10T10:44:00.001-06:00

When: 6-9pm Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

Where: Plains Art Museum, Fargo, ND

A big thank you to all who attended (more than 100). It was our first year and went as well as we could have hoped. In all the years and all the shows I've worked, I've never enjoyed it so much. I had a chance to talk with five or six couples at length, but apologies to those who couldn't wait for me to be free.

A special thanks to the organizers, largely photographer Katie Lewis, but also the greatest human beings on the planet, photographer Shawna Noel and Kory Wallen (they may have recommended me to a few of their clients).

See more at Fargo Wedding DJ.

Lindsey Belcher & Derrick Duray

2010-10-24T09:17:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, October 23rd, 2010

Where: Masonic Center, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "I Need You" by Tim McGraw & Faith Hill

"Hey Robert! We wanted to say thank you for everything, you did an awesome job at our wedding reception! You were so nice to cater to all of our needs, plus we had a blast with you! If we come across anyone with DJ needs we will recommend you in a second! Thanks again, and congrats to you and your wife on your new baby!! PS Sorry about Andy!!! ;)" -Lindsey and Derrick

Their ceremony was at the Japanese Gardens (behind Altru Hospital) which is where I proposed to my wife. I'm here three days after my son was born but so far I haven't been distracted. Just after the bride and groom arrived, I noticed a red, lollipop+child related spot on Lindsey's dress. Fortunately I carry Shout! Wipes and took care of it very easily.

There are several couples here as guests that I worked for. Even the caterers. Since I was dismissing tables for the buffet, I helped out one couple by holding their beautiful two week old daughter, Stella, so they could hit the buffet line.

I edited both of the parent dances down to two minute versions of "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts and a slow version of "Forever Young" by Rod Stewart. This meant each Lindsey and Derrick got a moment with a parent, but without it taking up 10 minutes of the start of the dance.

We have an early start today, but already, before 8pm, they've requested I go until 12:30am. This is going to be a five and a half hour dance.

Bridesmaid Paige was promoted to Best Man after former Best Man Andy dissappeared a second time (right before the toasts and again before the dollar dance, even though I had told him to sit tight).

Never has there been a better reason to have the husband rather than the winner of the garter, take the garter off the bride's leg. Lindsey's dad won the raffle.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Our New Son, Jeb

2010-10-21T10:44:00.000-05:00

When: Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

I'll be a little extra busy for the next little bit. This morning our son was born (7lbs15oz). Everyone is doing pretty well. I have a wedding Saturday and will try resume a somewhat regular work schedule next week.

His full name is Jebediah Edward Benda. We'll just call him Jeb.

Laura Gaddie & Derek Wentz

2010-10-17T09:17:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, October 16th, 2010

Where: Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "This Year's Love" by David Gray

The first things I noticed when I walked into the Ramada today were the beautiful chocolate colored chair covers, the paper lanterns hanging, and their favors: candyed apples. Which they made themselves. Apples are from her mom's backyard. Laura unwrapped all the caramels herself. 200 candy apples in 4 hours. I think they're nuts.

The wedding party was ready to go when they arrived so we really had fun with the introductions into the ballroom. The issue is, they were also late, so we had to (rather awkwardly) move straight into the prayer for dinner.

I finally got to work with Darrel Deutz again. First time in over a year. He's in my top five favorite photographers (Shawna Noel, Katie Lewis, Brian's Photographry, and Milestone are the other four).

Only about 12 songs on the request list. Most interestingly, Lady Gaga.... for Derek's brother and Dad. Hmm.

They had a Catholic wedding, which are always early. They added extra 75 minutes so the dance could go til 12:30.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Amy Holm & Casey Lundquist

2010-10-02T09:16:00.001-05:00

When: Friday, October 1st, 2010

Where: Alerus Center, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Smile" by Uncle Kracker

"You did a great job at the reception/dance! We've heard so
many great compliments from people that said they had such a
great time! I will definitely continue to recommend you to
other couples! Thanks again!" -Amy Lindquist

Amy is the daughter of Brian Holm, of Brian's Photography (notable enough a man to have a store front on 32nd Ave ever since I started DJ'ing in 1998). Casey is her CaseyBear (sorry, Casey, I had to).

A late start to the evening meant an hor d'eourves buffet instead of proper dinner. Amy and Casey's head table was actually three rounds together in the center of the room. I really liked their display of pictures as you came in. Lots of individual pics in frames scattered across the table.

Amy had a nice list of requests for me to work with. Some younger boys (about seven) kept running over to request songs on behalf of some older guests at a table. Makes it tough to work with since the kids don't really understand what they're asking for.

My favorite moment had to be Amy's dad's toast. The entire thing is too long to repeat here, but he did everything right: he used an old memory of he and Amy when she was little to tell something about her as a person; it was sweet; and it was funny.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Nomani Bingham and Robert Benda

2010-09-08T09:15:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, September 4th, 2010

Where: Our home, Crookston, MN

Yes, that's me up there. My dearly beloved and I finally got married this past Saturday in a small ceremony and reception. 50 or 60 guests joined us at our home for the reception. No, I did not DJ my own wedding. In fact, because of a new bee problem in our attic (new, as in, found out today), which brought the pests into our yard, we didn't setup the music at all. We only went outside at all because my brother kind of set my oven on fire as guests arrived. The smoke was pretty bad throughout the house.

The picture is at the end of the ceremony, with our two girls. Gia is the 11 year old on the left, Aubrey is the 18 month old on the right.

Christy Sobolik & Shawn Luskey

2010-08-29T09:07:00.002-05:00

When: Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Where: Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Fever" by Michael Buble

My second weekend and third dance in a row at the GF Ramada. They were kind enough to let me store my gear here, which saved me quite a bit of effort.

This was a Catholic ceremony at St. Michael's church, a much earlier start than normal to a day. Ceremony at 1:30, Ramada opened at 4, and dinner at 5:15. For comparison, last week's lutheran service started at 4pm.

Every single member of the wedding party, 12, plus the bride and groom, did a toast. That took a little while (30 minutes). However, most were very good and the guests didn't seem to mind.

One huge item: they choreographed their first dance and her dance with her dad. Very cool. Nothing too complex, but it makes a big impression.

Her vocal coach was the winner of the garter raffle. He was a more than a bit uncomfortable coming up since he didn't realize he wasn't going to remove the garter. No, no, sir, you merely won it. When Shawn came out to remove it, one snap of his fingers and his groomsmen came out and formed a privacy barrier. Public without being public.

My standard contract has a three hour dance to it, which would have only brought us to 10:15. Despite the heat, they decided to add two extra hours (that pic above is from just after midnight). The plus to that is you start to play songs you've never played before. Deeper requests. One was "I Wanna Be Sedated," by the Ramones. In 12 years, hundreds of events, it's never been requested. Ever. I played it right away and they loved it. Sweet. Also unusual (but good), Christy's favorite, "Longtime" by Boston (you'd recognize if you heard it, probably, skip to the 3:30 mark).

One benefit to good equipment: a guest slipped (someone had spilled a drink) and fell hard into my table. Which in turn slid a foot or so, but the music didn't stop and everything was fine. Quality craftmanship courtesy Colorado Sound N' Light and their Super Table.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Mallory Winfield & Dustin Hiott

2010-08-24T08:58:00.001-05:00

When: Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Where: Clarion Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain

"We had seen Robert in action at the Alerus Center (we work there) for many weddings and have been very pleased with his ablility to provide a fun filled evening for many wedding events. Remember Mom's he is there for the wedding couple but did accomdidate our requests also. Thanks Robert for making it a great night for our daughter and son-in-law!" - Del & Jim Winfield, Mallory's parents.

I actually booked this wedding because Mallory's parents both bartend at the Alerus center and have seen me work many times.

A pretty straightforward evening. The fear of public speaking reared it's ugly head though. The best man (whose wedding is in three weeks) and the bride and groom were all terrified. I've never really related to that, and I've always wondered what, exactly, people think will happen.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Whitney Vidden & Cody Christie

2010-08-22T09:06:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Where: Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

"Thank you so much for agreeing to DJ for our wedding reception. We really appreciate you taking the time to meet with us to make sure our evening goes smoothly!" - Whitney & Cody Christie.

Custom coloring books and crayons were at the guest book table. For kids, in theory, though I noticed quite a few older folks grabbing them.

I can't recall a room getting so quiet and attentive when I've started my introductions. Ever. It was so.... polite.

As a surprise, Whitney and Cody had two extra cakes, one each for their own parents. Both sets are celebrating their 30th wedding anniversaries this month. We brought everyone up for a cutting before the speeches.

And, wow, what speeches. Our best man had three typed single space pages. Usually a big no-no, but it was very good. Most of the wedding party stood up, too.

I had occasion to use my pre-edited songs again. Both of their first two dances, the Brad Paisley followed by "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts, I've made two minute versions. It really helps move things along at the beginning without being abrupt.

The dance was pretty easy. Cody and Whitney provided a sizeable request list of their songs, with a couple marked as 'must' plays. Mixed with guest requests, I always had songs I knew they wanted. It really helps tailor the evening to their tastes.

Kylie Leddige & Todd Tanke

2010-08-21T09:05:00.000-05:00

When: Friday, August 20th, 2010

Where: Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Tupelo Honey" by Van Morrison

Another family affair. I worked Todd's brother's wedding in November 2008 (Jessica and Tanner) and one of his groomsman's Tanner Altendorf before that.

One obstacle tonight is that Todd gets cluster headaches. His body temperature will spike and bring on a migraine. During dinner he snuck away and took a quick cold shower. If it gets bad enough, he can take a shot, but, apparently, too early, and it doesn't work.

No cake, just cupcakes. Two different best men, maids of honor, and speakers from the crowd, along with his dad's speech. Somewhere, somehow, during the 1st dance, Kylie's dad managed to sneak out of the room and I didn't notice. So we bumped Todd's dance with his mom while I found Larry.

Todd, his brother Tanner, the other Tanner (Junior), and Chris have a bit of a tradition. Play the song "Wipeout," Chris is the surfboard, and the guys take turns. Hilarity ensued when Tanner took a spill, then Junior decided to ride the board on his tummy. Just stop and picture that visual.

After the dance wrapped up, the best man (and my past client) Tanner got attacked by cupcakes. In the ear.

On a more personal note, I'm exhausted. I barely recovered at all for my wedding the next day. If you're wondering: 7am to Noon, taking care of my 18 month old daughter and some household chores. During her nap, I was tearing up a floor on top of a floor on top of a floor on top of a floor as part of a bathroom remodel (yes, remove four floors in order to install one new one). At 3pm I loaded up the truck with my gear, cleaned up, drove to Grand Forks, setup, and worked the reception til 1am. No, I don't take breaks. During the reception I drank half a gallon of water and a V8 (great for replacing salt). Twice that the next day along with a couple of milks and an hour sitting in front of an air conditioner.

Megan Neppl & Austin Hauck

2010-08-15T09:04:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Where: Holiday Inn, Detroit Lakes, MN
1st Dance Song: "Fishin' in the Dark" by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

In between the ceremony and reception the entire wedding party hopped on pontoons for pictures on the lake. They reached shore just in time to avoid a downpour.

The photographer, Brian Walker, setup a photobooth. It printed a copy for the guest and one for Megan and Austin. Brian also did pictures starting before the ceremony and was at the reception until about 11pm. Quite a long day for him.

Along with my usual duties, I was hired to make a video slideshow and film the ceremony. The former I've done quite a bit, the latter, not so much. The slide show came out great with a little surprise. Each Megan and Austin recorded a message of love and thanks for their parents that I dropped in. It starts at the 3:15 mark of the video. The quality isn't the best since we improvised. Between the ceremony and reception I had them read these messages to my voicemail, which I then downloaded as mp3s.

If you get a chance to try the cupcakes from Central Market Grocery in Detroit Lakes, take it. They provided the dessert for the reception and I snuck one after the end of the evening. Fantastic frosting and pumpkin spice in the cupcake.

See more at Detroit Lakes Wedding DJ.

Michelle Sande & Josh Schake

2010-08-08T09:03:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, August 7th, 2010

Where: Clarion Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "When I Look At You" by Miley Cyrus

"Hi Robert! Just thought I'd drop you a line and thank you for the great work at our wedding reception. We had a fantastic time with you. I appreciated the fact that you listened to our music preferences and catered our dance to us! The little game during dinner was hilarious, too! We will reccommend you to our friends!" -Michelle Schake

Khaki suits instead of black tuxedos seem very fortuituous on a day like today. Hot and sticky. The photographer, Brian (of Brian's Photographry), had them rotating back inside between pictures to keep from sweating too bad. Also awesome was, instead of cake, a sundae bar! A soft serve machine with toppings at the ready.

Once again I digitally edited their first dance song to shorten it up a bit, from about four minutes down to two and a half. It's something I can't recommend enough when you'll be having multiple special dances at the beginning, thus excluding guests. The reality of it is, these songs are mostly for the two people dancing, not for the guests.

I pretty noticeable mistake on my part tonight. I missed a change. Josh was supposed to dance with his mom to a certain Brad Paisley song (Oh, Love). I had it, and it was taken care of quickly, but there was still my gaffe. I had already begun bringing out wedding party to start the rest of the dance. It's the kind of mistake I pride myself on NOT making and one that will stick with me for a while even though the net result was Josh's dance with his mom started about eight seconds late.

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Kaela Erickson & Derek Laudal

2010-08-07T08:59:00.001-05:00

When: Friday, August 6th, 2010

Where: Marriot, Moorhead, MN
1st Dance Song: "Whatever It Is" by Zac Brown Band

"Thank you so much for all of your time, help, patience, organization, and fun that you provided us for our wedding. We continously get compliments regarding the music DJ. We highly recommend you to others. Thank you for the perfect time at our wedding." Kaela and Derek

There are little things you notice when trying to get guests interested and excited. I should have noticed I wasn't quite engaging them. Not that I did bad. People still had fun. However, I left with that nagging feeling that I really could have done much better.

Milestone photographry was here tonight. Dave Arnson is his name. One of the four or so photographers I recommend.

Once again, the couple had very few specifc requests (that's been pretty common this summer). She likes Zac Brown Band and Brown Eyed Girl. They didn't want the YMCA, Mickey, Chicken Dance, Hokey Pokey, and C'Mon Ride It. That's about it. Naturally, Kaela changed it so her nephews could have the Chicken Dance and Hokey Pokey. Then, later, she requested C'mon Ride It (the Choo Choo Train), which I used to make Derek lead a conga line. I teased her that she only didn't like five songs and had me play three of them. That's how it works, though. We make compromises for family.

See more at Fargo Wedding DJ.

Lindsey Altpeter & Ryan Martens

2010-08-01T08:59:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, July 31st, 2010

Where: Alerus Center, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Look at Me" by Carrie Underwood

Ryan is Canadian, which brings with it a few different wedding traditions. The biggest change for me is they provide an MC to do the introductions. I haven't talked so little since my first year DJ'ing. Fortunately I still had people wrangling and setting up their video to keep me busy.

For their video, I supplied (no charge, as usual) the LCD projector and my custom portable screen (5'x6'). The benefit is I can set it all up and test the video before guests arrive. Then it all disappears until a few minutes before show time.

The best man is Brad Miller. He and Ryan used to play UND hockey together and were responsible for those sweet Brad Miller Time videos.

We did a fun elimination game to give away the garter. Scott, one of our ushers, won. Cool for me was getting to eliminate former UND Sioux standout and current St. Louis Blue TJ Oshie (not for anything in particular, just how many NHL'ers will I ever get to boss around in my life? At least one, I suppose.).

See more at Grand Forks Wedding DJ.

Ashley Skavlem & Jon Champagne

2010-07-25T08:59:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, July 24th, 2010

Where: Bestwestern Townhouse, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "All About Loving You" by Bon Jovi

"We were really impressed with the quality and performance from Robert Benda. We got married almost three weeks ago and we are still receiving compliments on how good of a job that Robert did. I would recommend him to anyone!! He knows how to keep things going and how to have a good time!! Thank you very much Robert for making our reception unforgettable!!!" - Ashley Champagne

I got to mix things up a little and we did their first dance song when they arrived, and cut the cake as a lead into the dollar dance.

I delivered a 2 Liter of Dr. Pepper for Jon. It's his favorite. And nothing says classy and romantic at a wedding like placing a giant 2 liter at the head table. He enjoyed it, though.

Unfortunately, Jon is a big Boston Red Sox fan. While we all can't be perfect, Ashely indulged him by having a few Red Sox items put into her bustle. That was sweet.

Tass Malsam & Joe Wood

2010-07-19T08:58:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, July 17th, 2010

Where: Hilton Garden Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "My Best Friend" by Tim McGraw

They stopped by the Eagles Crest for pictures at the golf course. Tass' heels sank right into the green. The limo broke down (that seems to happen a lot). Neither the broken one, or the replacement had air conditioning. It's 80 degrees today and very humid. They were very drained when they arrived at the Hilton. I got Tass a damp wash cloth for her neck, got them into the cool ballroom, and things got much better.

Tass and Joe are using the same cake knife Tass' parents used. Already engraved with the parents' wedding day, they'll add their own engraving and start a family tradition

A larger, single tiered cake for pictures. Slips of paper out gave guests a chance to offer congratulations or advice.

No bouquet toss (no single friends) or garter tonight. Just a few requests and the dollar dance. Even the first dance was a bit different. I cut out almost two minutes (the first verse and chorus), and we also invited guests halfway through to start things quickly.

Kate Priebe & Seth Sorenson

2010-07-12T08:57:00.000-05:00

When: Sunday, July 11th, 2010

Where: Under a tent, Outside Thompson, ND
1st Dance Song: "Come Rain, Come Shine" by Ray Charles

Only my third Sunday wedding in 12 years, and my only under a tent this year. The day couldn't be better, partly cloudy and temps in the upper 70's. Their guest book was (were?) fabric swatches for each guest to sign. Kate and Seth took a picture on the tree swing and kicked off our evening with a big introduction set to 'Crazy in Love' by Beyonce.

Seth's mom put together a nice slide show on Power Point. Multiple pictures up at the same time and the entire thing was only about five minutes. Very nice. I took care of the projector and screen, though it was tough with the sun peeking through the sides of the tent.

You can NOT do enough about mosquitos at these evenings. Once sundown comes, and they're everywhere, I don't care how much you sprayed your yard this week. If it wasn't an hour ago it won't matter. Oh, and bug zappers attract bugs. I ended up bug spraying (that's a verb, right?) guests, using my own stash.

The highlight was a two year old's request, a song called "Buzz's Jig."

The night capped off with Seth and Kate lighting two 'Wish Lanterns.' These are paper lanterns with a special candle at the bottom. The effect is the same of a hot air balloon. They each lighted the candles and sent them floating into the night sky. A proper send off and good night.

Brandie Cink & Eric Burckhard

2010-07-11T08:56:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, July 10th, 2010

Where: Hilton Garden Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Someone Like You" by Van Morrison

Today started earlier than usual. I was hired to videotape the ceremony. Brandie wanted video, but not to spend a fortune, and was OK with what I called "uncle" quality. My gal and I brought in a pair of cameras, recorded audio off the Hopper Danley sound system for a good quality (I hope, I haven't heard it yet).

Hey, look at that, the photographers are West Fargo's Milestone Photography, another fine vendor from Freshwed.com. My, what professionals! (Too much? Well, they were great to work with...)

Poured champagne was served by the Hilton for the speeches, except that everyone kind of forgot to do a toast with their speech. That left me. Don't worry, not my first time. I will say, it was the first time I saw a (clean) diaper used as a speech prop. Kudos to Jenica for that one.

Amy Samuelson & Chris Shields

2010-06-27T08:56:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, June 26th, 2010

Where: Vista Inn, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "Only You Can Love Me This Way" by Keith Urban

I usually stay positive on this blog but feel an exception today. Not for the bride and groom, or their guests, but for the Vista. The thermostat was set for the air conditioning to kick in at 80 (a 2nd thermostat was at 85). This made the beginning of the evening very unpleasant since the humidity was almost unbearable. And even though we complained, no staff did anything. It also brought other touches, like servers in blue jeans, staff items laying around the room, and not waiting for the bride and groom before serving dinner (they were there, but not at the head table), to the forefront.

The guests and the couple, however, were fun. Pom poms were passed out for Amy and Chris' entrance to the room (her mom is a big Sioux hockey fan, apparently).

April Kaiser & Tyler Grinde

2010-06-20T08:55:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, June 19th, 2010

Where: Touch of Magic, East Grand Forks, MN
1st Dance Song: "It's Your Love" by Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
Photos Courtesy Shawna Noel Photography

This couple was referred to me by Tony and Brandi Melicher, married May 2008. Since it's at the Touch of Magic, certain rules apply and I didn't start work til dinner was ending. I picked up for the speeches and moved right into their first dance.

The dance started slow (at 7:30pm, with the sun still shining bright), but picked up after 8:30, when the dollar dance got folks up and socializing. It really let loose later when Tyler got to, for lack of a better phrase, dance up on April (to OMG by Usher) which moved us into the garter (a raffle and contest) and bouquet toss.

They added an extra hour, again tonight. I got a request for The Stroke by Billy Squier (really?).

Deanna Beiswanger & Jonathon Betting

2010-06-19T08:55:00.000-05:00

When: Friday, June 18th, 2010

Where: Clarion Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison

Every wedding is different. Sometimes in small ways. Sometimes a bit bigger. Much of the reception for Deanna and JB is an understated elegant (courtesy wedding decorator Daryce Van Hoff). They also chose no wedding party. Their head table was themselves and their seven month old, Matea. No dollar dance and no garter tonight, either. Who cares. It took a bit for the socializing to die down and the dance to warm up, but we got there.

I was in their room prior to the reception, helping bussel her dress. Always bring the diagram, folks. It will help a lot.

Linsey Hegvik & Ben Davis

2010-06-13T08:54:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, June 12th, 2010

Where: Plains Art Museum, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "You Are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne

The setup at the Museum has us starting on the 1st floor for the social, moving up to the 3rd for dinner, then back to the 1st for the dance. I setup two complete sound systems on each, ran cable so the speakers upstairs were on the same setup as the downstairs, and also patched into their house system. Confused? It was actually not too hard. Though it made small volume adjustments and the video a bit more complicated (during dinner, speeches, and the video, the sound controls were two floors away... thanks Katie Lewis for the help!).

Along with a traditional guest book, a canvas was setup with paints nearby. Everyone made a brush stroke, or a smiley face or whatever. It turned out much better than I would have thought, pretty cool actually, though you can see the color turning mostly green on top (from no one cleaning the brushes, I suppose).

We did an anniversary dance, inviting all married couples to dance to "Could I Have this Dance" by Anne Murray. It was the first dance song for Ben's parents. One couple on the floor will have their 50th anniversary in October, another just did their 55th in March.

Moving 200 people up and down floors takes time, and we didn't start til after 9pm, which was complicated by museum's rule that we have to stop at midnight. I shoe horned in as many songs as I could, including beatmixing a string of six songs in about eight minutes (stayin Alive; Walk this Way; Another One Bites the Dust; SexyBack; Billie Jean; Kiss) then moved into new music.

Laura Bury & Marc Knutson

2010-06-06T08:54:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, June 5th, 2010

Where: Munincipal Golf Course Clubhouse, Bismarck, ND
1st Dance Song: "Happy Ever After in Your Eyes" by Ben Harper

The afternoon began outside. Dessert appetizers and a Jamaican band entertained guests in the beautiful sun until dinner was ready. Both dads gave a speech just after the salads. While Mr. Knutson's was good, he was one-uped by Mr. Bury when he showed the letter from UND that came today, accepting Laura into medical school.

Marc's speech was awesome. Just really awesome. He remembered to thank the important folks, which is awesome, and made sure to talk about Laura, also awesome. In fact, his awesome was totally awesome. See the awesome video of his awesome speech to see why I'm being awesome.

No dollar dance. No garter toss. Bouquet toss only, during which I introduced Laura's brother, Nick, who happens to be single, to all the ladies. You're welcome, Nick. The only line or group dance allowed was the Cupid Shuffle. The dance's start was delayed while we waited for the staff to clear tables off the dance floor. We still started about 7:45.

The highlight? A coordinated, five man worm across the dance floor. Awesome.

Kelly Olson & Chauncy Hendershot

2010-05-30T08:53:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, May 29th, 2010

Where: Holiday Inn, Minot, ND
1st Dance Song: "Better Together" by Jack Johnson

Chauncy had his heart set on doing the robot for their introductions. When the time came, we walked the entire wedding party out to the dance floor, where they all froze. As I introduced each to Pretty Light's "Hot Like Sauce", each pair came to life and made their way to the head table. A great opening, but could have been better if I'd brought some lasers, but what can you do (other than bring the lasers, I suppose).

Instead of a traditional guest book, a type writer. Type your names, a joke, whatever. They also had a table cloth for guests to sign. A dessert table set out (looked fantastic). Custom shot glasses for favors, available up at the bar. Just order a 'Hendershot' and enjoy. Centerpieces included a cleverly redisguised lights. Taped up with green (or maybe its fabric), bundled together, it looks like a little lighted tree. Beverage napkins were custom printed with a little phrase: "chauncy=crazy; Kelly=Awesome; Chauncy + Kelly = Crazy Awesome."

I digitally edited their first dance song, cutting out the middle verse and chorus. This made the song just about two minutes long, and a more enjoyable first dance for them (and I do it for free!). As a side note, when you think of songs that fill a dance floor, its not usually "Don't Stop til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson. Can you even think of the tune? In my first hour, though, it was the big song. Good. That song is as danceable as anything.

No dollar dance, tonight. Bouquet and garter tosses. One dance off to Missy Elliot's "Lose Control." Two of her cousins wrote some new lyrics to the Archie's "Sugar, Sugar." I caught the video and audio (video to the right). One of the groomsmen also sang karaoke "Pride and Joy" and was pretty good though he had to dodge a couple of drunks who tried to join him.

Elisa Benson & KC Flynn

2010-05-23T08:52:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, May 22nd, 2010

Where: Touch of Magic, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Drive On" by Jack Ingram

A few less responsibilities for me. A Touch of Magic has some very specific rules about what the DJ can and can't do. This means I didn't really start work until I got everyone ready for the speeches. Jazz on Tap handled the dinner music and welcomed Lisa and KC into the room.

Place cards assigned the seating. No dollar dance, no garter. Some excellent speeches here. One dad, best man, maid of honor, a bridesmaid, and a groomsmen. That's usually a bit long, but each was good, relatively short (under 3 minutes), and kept it moving.

For the bouquet toss, I brought out her brother, Alex. As the lone single groomsman, and recently turned 21, I figured he could use an introduction to our single ladies (not really though). He flew in from Australia. Another guest, from Argentinia. So no excuses about how you couldn't make it all the way from Fargo, people.

Nothing too demanding for their playlist. KC had some songs not to play, and Lisa likes the 80's. Their friends like newer top 40 and AAA rock (Modest Mouse, MGMT, Feist). Strict instructions that anything JT or MJ was to be played (Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson for those with the free time to say entire names).

Also present were superstar photographers, Shawna Noel and Kory Wallen. They setup a photo booth for guests until 10pm. All three of the photos here are courtesy of them (me, to the right) so that you nice folks don't have to look at my photography (It's bad. Just terrible pictures). Thanks, guys!

The weather took a turn towards 'Lightning' as the evening went on. When I went to load out my gear at the end of the night, it was a massive downpour and my tuxedo and I were soaked by the time I got to my car. But at least I forgot a change of clothes, right? Ugh.

Megan Malnory & Brad Fredrickson

2010-05-16T08:52:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, May 15, 2010

Where: Holiday Inn, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

"Dear Robert, thank you so much for the fabulous job DJ'ing our wedding reception. Seeing you in action at Kali & Dan's wedding, we knew you'd be great and we wouldn't have to worry about anything. Your fun and engaging personality really helped make the reception wonderful, and I can't count how many compliments we got from our guests about you. Keep doing what you're doing! :)" -Brad & Megan Fredrickson

Megan & Brad were at a wedding I worked in September of 2008. As a result, they felt full confidence in me. We met once last year, but only emails between then and the reception. That's their choice, but always make me nervous for some reason. I guess I just prefer face to face to be clear on what they mean when they say what they want.

They hired me to make their video slide show. Traditional style, but they made it shorter (seven minutes down from ten) and swapped their song choices with two of mine (Eight Days a Week by the Beatles and I Love You, You Imbecile). I noticed, during the video, that the groomsmen kept cheering for certain things. The Vikes, Twins, Fighting Sioux. After the video I tried a little experiment.... simply saying the work 'Vikes' over the mic got a big cheer from them. Good to know.

No Chicken Dance, no hokey pokey, no dollar dance. Requests were all over the place... Justin Bieber to an Irish jig and one for Whitney Houston's I Want to Dance with Somebody." The list included "Queen of Hearts" by Juice Newton. At Megan's mom's wedding 28 years ago that song was a big deal, and they were singing so loudly the police came and broke up the party. Its been a tradition ever since for mom and her siblings.

Ashley Bezdicek & Riley Morgan

2010-05-02T08:51:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, May 1st, 2010

Where: Community Center, Minto, ND
1st Dance Song: "Waltz Across Texas" by Willie Nelson

The Minto Community Center is my favoritest place. They have 48 speakers in the ceiling making it easy to be heard in the entire (very large) room. It keeps it loud on the dance floor and no where else.

Early in the dance, I got a special request for a very old waltz. Ashley wanted it for her grandmother, a widower, who danced to it with her husband. Unfortunately, the only version I could dig up on short notice sounded like a recording off the radio. In 1946. It was still appreciated, all the same.

No bouquet toss and no garter tonight. Just a dollar dance for the events.

Greta Lee & Chad Gerloff

2010-04-24T08:51:00.000-05:00

When: Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Where: Hilton Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Something" by Beatles

A few years in the making, apparently. They've been dating five years (or was itseven?). They have a wonderful daughter, Bailee, who is shy to start, but warms up quickly. She was supposed to give the blessing, but froze up. 30 minutes later you had to take the microphone from her, she was so enthusiastic (and apparently knows the alphabet backwards, already).

The picture (sadly, one of the few before my camera failed) is of Greta's speech. She wrote her notes on the back of a Target receipt. Which is still better preparation than most speeches.

Trisha Richter & Cody Miller

2010-03-14T08:50:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Where: Bestwestern Doublewood Inn, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flats

Apparently Cody had some trouble at the ceremony. Halfway through he turned white as a sheet and almost passed out. They sat him down, but he was a trooper and finished strong. He's much better now, thank you.

Turns out Bon Jovi is a big jerk. He was rude enough to schedule a concert at the Fargo Dome this same night which caused traffic headaches for guests trying to get from the church to the Doublwood.

Trisha made a video slide show. Rather than stopping everything to have guests watch, we put it on repeat in the corner. Guests could watch anytime they liked.

When it came time for the garter removal, Cody came prepared with head lamp flashlight. Pull the dress over his head and it all lights up like a lampshade. Very cool. Very funny.

Jill Morlock & Ryan Rood

2010-02-21T08:50:00.000-06:00

When: Saturday, February 20th, 2010

Where: Eagles Club, Valley City, ND
1st Dance Song: "Faithfully" by Journey

I'll be honest and say I don't really like working at the Eagles. Its my third or fourth time there and the dance floor area where I setup is about 50 yards from the start of the dinner area where guests are seated. I ran all my speaker cords so I could have two speakers in the other room for speeches and background music. It also means a very long walk to make simple adjustsments to the volume during speeches.

Jill and her mom put together a very cool guest book. A large photo album scrap book using pics of Jill and Ryan with space for guests to write. Votive candles on all the tables had Jill and Ryan's name and wedding date on them. Beer can cozys for the favors. A candy table setup for guests until dinner.

Dinner was delayed about 40 minutes when the party bus carrying our wedding party was delayed. The Eagles had four buffet lines so once we did start, all the guests were through quickly.

Its always fun to learn things about people... like Ryan recently hosting an impromptu 80's party at 2 in the morning. His passion for 80's music led me to play Huey Lewis' 'Power of Love' which I've certainly never done before... The best man, Cory, kept trying to panic the maid of honor about her speech. Repeating 'crickets', as in, that will be the only sound when its over, it will be so bad. On the contrary, hers was excellent and her delivery was almost relaxed (though I doubt she'd say that).

Shannon Woods & DeeJay Johnson

2010-02-14T08:49:00.000-06:00

When: Saturday, February 13th, 2010

Where: American Legion, Park River, ND
1st Dance Song: "She's Everything" by Brad Paisley

Hi Robert, Thank you so much---you did a great job, we had many compliments about the job you did!!! Thanks" - Shannon and Dee Jay Johnson

I had an assistant with me, James. This leaves me hands free for a few more things I like to do during a reception and not have to worry about starting the next song.

To the left, pictures of Shannon and DeeJay in a wedding when they were young.

No dollar dance, again, tonight. Bouquet toss and a garter raffle. For the raffle, the groomsmen sold decks of cards (tear them in half and you have tickets). They sold through three decks in only about 20 minutes. Easily the fastest I've ever seen. This setup a little game to give away the garter instead of drawing only one winner.

For the second week in a row we did a quick compatibility quiz for the bride and groom. See the video for what I'm talking about.

The cake was a barn with animals in between the tiers. They didn't cut it up, but served cheesecake in the buffet instead. Her son, Tucker, tried to feed frosting to one of the cows and you could see the kids' finger pokes in the frosting after about 10 minutes at the hall.

One of the groomsmen, Kelly, filled their car with shredded paper, covered their windows with spray snow. Apparently as revenge for DeeJay filling his car's heater unit with flour (when you turn the car on it *poof* sprays all over). Kelly's only mistake was admitting all this on camera. Woops.

Dance was fairly typical except that DeeJay wanted to add two extra hours and go until 1am. When your day starts at 1pm (or for the bride, 6am) that is one long day. But its not up to me and they were having fun. We also had some singing. First was Shannon's daughter, Jaylie. Then DeeJay sang two John Michael Montgomery songs (about an hour apart).

Lindsay & Justin Shulz

2010-02-07T08:48:00.000-06:00

When: Saturday, February 6th, 2010

Where: A Touch of Magic, EGF, MN
1st Dance Song: "Only You Can Love Me This Way" by Keith Urban

Lindsay & Justin were actually married on January 11th, in Jamaica. Today was a reception only, but they dressed up. Bad weather was a concern, but they still had most of their guests arrive on time.

I'll admit, though, I wasn't happy with myself. There wasn't much dancing at all. I know the guests were still enjoying themselves but I always feel I can do better if there isn't a packed floor (and I mean packed). In this case we weren't even close. I also had a container with some party and emergency supplies go missing. Nothing too vital (backup toss bouquet, garter, etc), but it meant our plans to embarras the groomsmen weren't gonna happen. We did manage an air guitar contest, though.

Fun for me were two past clients, Katie & Ryer Stark (August 1st, 2009) and Greta & Tom Beard (November 21, 2009).

We skipped several traditions... no speeches, no dollar dance, no bouquet. They hired me to put together a short video, combining pictures and video from the wedding ceremony. We also raffled the garter off.

Bizzy Slavens & Tyler Burslie

2010-01-24T09:52:00.002-06:00

When: Saturday, January 23rd, 2010

Where: Valley Clubhouse, EGF, MN
1st Dance Song: "The Nearness of You" by Norah Jones

The life threatening cold temperatures are gone, and replaced with rain that will surely freeze and create streets of ice tonight, when I'm trying to drive the 30 miles home. More importantly, this limited guests who were largely from MacIntosh and so that an already relatively small reception (125) shrank down to almost half size. Fortunately, weather isn't enough to stop a good time.

The ceremony was earlier, 1pm, to allow pictures and a field trip afterwards. Bizzy and Tyler met when they both worked at Sam's Club so long ago and made a stop there today. The first song Bizzy and Tyler ever danced to was Taylor Swift's "Love Story," which is unfortunate (it references Romeo & Juliet, which, I'd point out, is a tragedy, not a love song). Bizzy chose Norah Jones because, well, it wasn't Ella Fitzgerald. See, she was at a wedding a year ago with that song by Ella. She loved the song but didn't want to copy the other couple. Subtle.
The guest book was a custom book of photos from Shutterfly.com. Favors were cute little buttons with their name and date on them. Cake was a single top tier with cupcakes for the rest. Wine and champagne was made available for everyone.

Katelyn Hurley & Josh Salwey

2010-01-09T12:41:00.005-06:00

When: Friday, January 8th, 2010

Where: Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes

Another freezing day in North Dakota. The evening high was -18F. Ugh. This is cold enough to take hot or boiling water, throw it in the air, and it instantly turns to snow. Go ahead, google it. It's pretty cool. Fortunately, I had another great couple to celebrate with, my friends, the photographers Shawna Noel and Kory Wallen. Even my mom, Kathy Benda, provided the chair covers. Decorations (table runners, candles, and flowers) by Just Add Water (Miss Brooke Roche).
Katelyn wanted them introduced into the room to Hall and Oates' "Make My Dreams Come True." You might recognize it if you ever watched the movie "The Weddingsinger."

Another good set of speeches. Best of all was the grooms. As a surprise, his band, Yellow Stripe, played the music for the slide show. We kept this from everyone until we brought out the instruments. Not bad considering we had no time for a proper sound check or even a proper setup for live music on my part. I had to rent a mixer to handle all the instruments and extra microphones.

We tossed the bouquet and garter at the same time, and then segued into a dance for the groom. Once, many years ago, he did the dance for NSYNC's "Bye, Bye, Bye" on a bus trip to Washington, D.C. Katelyn has never forgotten it and had me play it for him again. Enjoy.

Kristen Vanek & Justin Carlson

2010-01-03T10:28:00.003-06:00

Kristen Vanek & Justin Carlson

When: Saturday, January 2nd, 2010
Where: Ralph Englestad Arena, Thief River Falls, MN
1st Dance Song: "Making Memories of Us" by Keith Urban

"Justin and I wanted to send a big thank you for going above and beyond for us on our wedding day. You did a wonderful job and we could not have asked for a better reception. We have heard countless times from our guests about how great of a job you did and how your work and personality made the evening so enjoyable. Also thank you for making all of our requests happen! No chicken dance!! ;) We are VERY pleased with how it all turned out! Thanks again!" -Justin and Kristen Carlson

First off, it was -33F at the start of this day. The good news, it didn't seem to affect the Carlsons or their guests because we hit 95% of the guest count for the reception. That excellent photo to the right is courtesy photographer Megan Sugden, http://www.meganphoto.com/.

The introductions into the room were simple. Kristen and Justin first, then he called out each group (guys and ladies) to their themes (Who Let the Dogs Out, and Single Ladies by Beyonce, respectively).

We drew numbers for which table went up to the buffet. That was fine. The real issue was only two lines for 400 people. It took about 70 minutes to serve everyone. Not the worst, but folks were getting cranky after a bit. Remember kids, 1 buffet line per 100 people or so keeps things moving along. One table offered me $5 to pick them next. Hmmm.... nope.

Their cake had charms baked in. The bridesmaids each pulled one out via its ribbon, each charm representing something in their future.

Very different was the beginning of the dance and video. I'm a big proponent of 'your video is too long.' Kristen solved that by combining the first three dances with the video. She and her uncle danced while her pictures appeared behind them, then Justin and his mom during his pics, finally Justin and Kristen during their couple pics. It worked perfectly.

For the garter, we sold raffle tickets. The drawing brought up a couple of guys who then competed. I called out something, they went out into the room and brought it back.

Lots of requests, but one stuck out. Johnny Prine's "In Spite of Ourselves." No, I didn't know it either. All the groomsmen do. They sing it when out hunting (which seems like it would scare away the deer, but what do I know).

Tera Bahl & Greg Paulson

2010-01-01T10:26:00.000-06:00

When: Thursday, December 31st, 2009
Where: Alerus Center, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

Happy New Years! Whoot!

Tonight was noticeably different from normal, at least for me. I was roommates with the groom back in college. Or, rather, back when I was supposed to be in college (sorry, mom). I knew all kinds of fun info on Tonka (Greg's nickname). More fun was what I learned. Like their first date was at Sam's Club. Hmm. I couldn't resist (see the video). I also got to be at the ceremony and brought my gal with.

Scored some Bavarian Almonds from concessions. They were open because First Night had events down the hall. Sweet.

To the left, our best man had his Halloween costume along (from the movie Dumb & Dumber). Sadly (or wisely) he did not wear it over to the church. Greg, meanwhile, is on his second tuxedo here. His first, from the rental company, was completely the wrong size... way too big in the coat and the pants were three inches too short.

Most importantly, we got to do the new year countdown before we wrapped it up. Always nice with 200 friends and family (nice for them, though I was with my gal).

Lisa Isaksson & Matthew Albright

2009-12-20T10:25:00.000-06:00

When: Saturday, December 19th, 2009
Where: Marriot Hotel, Moorhead, MN
1st Dance Song: "Fade Into You" by Mazzy Star

Matt met Lisa when she was a foreign exchange student nine years ago. The couple was married a five months ago in Sweden, Lisa's home country. No wedding ceremony today. And, yes, I managed to avoid bad jokes invoking Volvo, IKEA, or certain beloved muppet chef.

Six people got up to toast the new couple, including Matt, his dad, Lisa's dad, two friends, and Matt's sister. All were excellent and well prepared. One included chopping a tie off Matt's dad.

Pictures from the ceremony displayed on a screen during the social and dinner. No dollar dance, bouquet toss, or garter.

One nice aside. Matt hates Peter Cetera (of Chicago). Specifically his faux falcetto singing (I agree). Several people know this, so he chose Chicago's "You're the Inspiration" for the parent dance as a joke, then sang a bit for us. Thank you, Matt.

Fun, off-the-beaten-path songs I got to play: "Obsession" by Animotion; "The Look" by Roxette; "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes; and Matt's favorite, "Massive Nights" by the Hold Steady.

Greta Carlson & Tom Beard

2009-11-22T09:35:00.001-06:00

When: Saturday, November 21st, 2009
Where: Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Me and You" by Kenny Chesney

The decorations tonight were above and beyond. Below left, see the chandelier they put in over the cake table. Yes. That morning they put it up. Along with callo lilly centerpieces and a backdrop for the head table.

Tom and Greta asked me to repeat a game (they read about it on an earlier blog post). Its basically a elimination version of scavenger hunt. When I got to my last three and asked for an out of state driver's license, one contestant stole the father-of-the groom's wallet. Touche. Then I asked for something there was only two of. I meant the bride and groom. He thought I meant their rings and stole them too. He won.

Tom had preselected six volunteers for the game. Two were missing. Turns out they were absent but showed up for the dance. Their mistake. Originally I was supposed to get Greta's brother, Matt, to sing "You Are My Sunshine." He had to do it for Junior hockey. Instead, we tricked our missing men onto the floor and made them sing it, with Matt (6'5", 225lbs) standing behind them. They were good sports and learned the importance of punctuality.

My last memorable moment was a groomsman carrying Tom's mom, Carol, out onto the dance floor for.... "the Humpty Dance."

Courtney Arens & Tim Boyle

2009-11-21T09:32:00.000-06:00

When: Friday, November 20th, 2009
Where: Ramada Inn, Grand Forks, ND
1st Dance Song: "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton

"Thank you so much for all you did to make Courtney & Tim's wedding a truly memorable event. You went above and beyond."
- from Nate & Renee Arens (parents)

This evening was both a ceremony and reception. They didn't actually hire me for the ceremony, but when I heard what was planned (a CD player), I volunteered. It was simply playing the music, but my speakers instead of a little CD player can make a big difference.

For the reception, champagne for all the guests for toasts. To the left, their cake. Jokes aside, it really didn't seem to fit Tim (he was an enthusiastic participant). When the guests clinked their glasses, I called out a year. Any couple married that year had to stand and offer an example kiss for Courtney and Tim to emulate. Watching Tim's retired Marine dad try the Cha Cha Slide made my evening. No bouquet toss, no garter, just the dollar dance. Only one song, their first, to start, and we added the wedding party halfway through. The only song request was "Free Bird" in memory of Tim's best friend.

Tim loves heavy metal ("...the heavier, the better.") and Courtney loves country. We compromised by playing what Courtney liked. Sorry, guys, that's the way it works. Especially when your choice of music is more angry, less fun.

Tiffany Holmes & Travis Boespflug

2009-09-27T11:50:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, September 26th, 2009
Where: Ralph Englestad Arena, Thief River Falls, MN
1st Dance Song: "True Companion" by Marc Cohn

For this Ralph, guests entered on the main arena entance, then took the stairs or elevator down to the dressing room level where a kitchen and ballroom for up to 350 guests wait. I got to drive down to unload my gear, which was pretty sweet.

Something I've brought up but never done before.... we saved the cake until 30 minutes into the dance. The cake cutting was immediately followed by the dollar dance, which also gave guests a chance to serve themselves. I'm a fan because it means waiting to enjoy your dessert instead of while you're full.

The picture of me with all the purses... well, when the wedding party arrives, we introduce them into the room. This means someone has to get all the stuff they're carrying in so they don't have to during their grand entrance. That's five purses and a breast pump and it all weighed a ton.

Also on the list of duties, shortening their special dances. They wanted three: a first dance, her dance with her dad, and Travis' dance with his mom. Rather than that totaling 12 minutes of music, I digitally shortened each to about two minutes each. Those who have stood out there for a dance, just the two of you, understand that two minutes is long enough. The songs were intact, each got their moment, and we kept things moving as best we could.

Another new one, I inserted Travis and Tiffany's heads (a photo from the reception) into a disco dancing video, played it at the end of the garter giveaway. No one expected it. It wasn't planned. I figured out I could do it during the dinner thanks to the magic of WiFi and the internet. The site is called JibJab.com and while you can make some of the videos free, to actually download or post them to YouTube, you have to pay.

Kiley English & Jason Cossette

2009-09-20T18:50:00.007-05:00

When: Saturday, September 19th, 2009
Where: Avalon Events Center, Fargo, ND
1st Dance Song: "I Don't Know Much" by Aaron Neville & Linda Ronstadt

I got to put their slide show together and its was my favorite in years (see video below). As soon as I saw the pictures Kiley sent me I knew exactly what to do. The final result is to the right and, at only 3 minutes, it clips along nicely and even includes Kiley singing when she was, at most, two years old.

Kiley's dad put together a fun little quiz for the guests in lieu of a speech (How many times has Kiley seen New Kids on the Block Live? Three.). Both our Best Man Jon and Maid of Honor Hillary did very nice speeches, but Jason's was excellent. His was a great example to other grooms.

Apparently "for the night" means something different to the photographer, when asked how late he'd be here. If you're gonna pack up after the first dance, just say so. Otherwise I'm be looking all over trying to find you so you can get pics of the bride's brother performing his guitar live. At least I got the video and recorded the audio straight off the mixer (to download his song, right click this link and 'save link as' or 'save target as'). I also got CD recordings of her brother and dad in a band covering "One" by U2.

The dance had a real slow start, but what song was it that should break us through and get things going? You'd never guess... never. Kiley requested Jimmy Soul's "If You Wanna Be Happy". Umm... just check the lyrics here if you're not familiar with the song (meant in jest, of course). That single song kicked off the rest of the night, and directly led to a brief dance off (you better believe that's the video to the right).

Kathryn Schleisman & Jesse Bergstedt

2009-08-30T09:08:00.002-05:00

When: Saturday, August 29th, 2009
Where: A Touch of Magic, EGF, MN
1st Dance Song: "Me and You" by Kenny Chesney
Special Song: "A Bride's Prayer" by Kathryn Schleisman

Yes, that last song above is a live recording by Katie (right click and 'save target as' to download). For her speech, she wrote and sang a song for Jesse. It was a complete suprise. My role was to rent and setup a full keyboard and mic out on the dancefloor without Jesse noticing. That was shockingly easy. The song along with all the speeches and two videos (two!) brought quite a few people to tears. One video was the picture slide show you'd expect, the other was from her dad, and was comprised of home videos as he'd let you know what was happening.

Well, something new with the garter. We did a raffle, brought up four contestants competing by fetching items in the room. When I asked them to bring back a person wearing a boutinierre, Gary, our winner, wheeled over grandma in her wheelchair. She did not see the humor in it. He did, however, win.

I'm legally required to play "Jesse's Girl" at this wedding, aren't I?

Some random compliments from the evening: "You make it so personal." and "I have never seen a DJ put so much into it." Those are two of my favorite to hear because that is exactly what I strive for.

Coolest part of the entire day was being able to play Kathryn's song as our last slow song of the night.

Samantha Bopp & Chris McEntee

2009-08-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, August 8th, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Guesthouse Townhouse
1st Dance Song: "Your Song" by Elton John

Never let it be said I won't do almost anything for my clients. Tonight I gave the blessing, dismissed tables for the buffet, and tracked down some cornstarch in the kitchen (for the dance floor, to slicken things up just a little).

Chris and Sam kept things simple, made their own programs and guest book. Some floral centerpieces alternating with candles. No decorative cake, just sheets. Their Catholic ceremony meant an early start to the reception - the dance was seven to 11. Trust me, when you're day starts at 8 am (hair and makeup), 11pm isn't early. Again, tonight, we added the wedding party half way through their first dance song to kick things off quickly.

The groom-to-be for September 5th, Mr. Josh Windsor, is in this wedding party. Their wedding will be at the same location. With the same DJ. Umm.... here's hoping to impress. I did talk to his fiance during and we made some notes (likes and dislikes) for their night.

During the dance, I got a request for the Chicken Train by Ozark Mountain Daredevils. There isn't much to the song, but everyone gets in a circle, stomps the feet or hands, and a single dancer partners with a broom in the middle, passing the broom every so often. Not sure which part is best, the dancing with an inanimate object, or the people terrified of said dancing (if you come near them, they will flip out, like you just asked them to diffuse a bomb).

Rebecca Starr & Rich McFarlane

2009-08-08T08:42:00.000-05:00

When: Friday, August 7th, 2009
Where: EGF Touch of Magic
1st Dance Song: "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton

Rebecca and Rich are both teachers which meant tonight was an unusual combination of family, friends, and students from their respective schools. Rich teaches theater (and SPA) at Red River and the kids in attendance were pretty enthusiastic. Along for the ride were some faculty I knew when I attended, Doc Brown (the mayor, not the guy from Back to the Future), and some past clients' parents: the Wakefields (the DJ's earplugs courtesy Wakefield Hearing Center, conveniently located in Grand Forks) and Wingers (grandparents to the cutest fist-bumping baby you'd ever see).

Since the reception was at A Touch of Magic, I wasn't allowed there during the social and dinner to help (the facility places a lot of restrictions). I arrived in time to assist with the slide show and speeches, though, which led us directly into their first dance song. One problem was the video setup (provided by Touch of Magic). Turns out Magic runs your DVD player (yes, its provide your own) into a VCR (which causes the volume to be very quiet). Then the video kept going dim (either a bulb or cord on the fritz). It definetely put a damper on things.

Getting things going and keeping it that way was very big with Rich and Rebecca, so only their first dance song (with the wedding party, too) before inviting guests to join them. The only break to the dance was the bouquet toss. No garter, no dollar dance, no problem. My job was to shut up and play good music.

The most unusual item for the night was a pair of dance instructors. Friends of the couple, they came in from Minneapolis. We announced a few times they were available to help guests learn some dances. Very cool. I've always wished we had that available locally.

Katie Tallackson & Ryer Stark

2009-08-02T11:07:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, August 1st, 2009
Where: Minto Community Center
1st Dance Song: "Amazed" by Lonestar

The Minto Community Center, in a town of 650 people, is one of the nicest places I've ever worked. Yeah, surprised me, too. It was built and opened July 5th, 2008 and is pitch perfect. It was very easy for me to patch into their sound system - that made announcements and speeches very easy to hear in the large room filled with 400 guests. A large retractable screen graces one wall. One cord and I had video and sound ready to go for their slide show (which they had me make with a photo from their wedding day dropped in).

The poor ushers. They were feeling so left out that they grafitied the limo/bus. Then I skipped them in the introductions. Sorry, guys, but you just aren't going to be treated as well as the groomsmen.

Actually, poor Shawn. His girlfriend revealed to me (and, as a result, everyone) his secret love for the Kelly Clarkson song, "My Life Would Suck Without You." Not a good move for him. Hilarious for the rest of us.

Noah (Katie's nephew) is probably the youngest wedding guest I've ever played for, though I can't say he was really enjoying the music. A little too loud for the one month old.

Katie Pankonin & Jeremy Curran

2009-07-25T11:06:00.002-05:00

When: Saturday, July 25, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Masonic Center
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

"Robert-we can't thank you enough for a wonderful time at our wedding reception and dance. The first time we met with you we knew we would have a full dance floor! Our slide show was perfect and the night flowed so smoothly. We will recommend you to anyone! Thanks again!"

As much as I love the Masonic Center once its decorated, I will warn you that it is surrounded on all sides by, respectively: Police Department, county jail, the mission, and the back of a brick building. Once inside its beautiful, with a double grand staircase leading down to the reception area.

I was responsible for creating and playing the video slide show. Original photos came to almost 15 minutes. An extra day with me and we were almost down to ten and it flowed noticeably better.

I've never seen anyone turn "Thriller" into a line dance before, but sure, why not?

Pretty typical evening, events-wise: Dollar dance; bouquet; garter raffle. Unusual items: the party bus they hired provided a certain.... energy (see video) which I used in their entrance/introductions; the toasts were excellent; I played Ricky Martin (had to? Got to? Can't decide)

I also got to work with Brian of Brian's Photography. The man was the gold standard when I started DJ'ing in 1998 and is still great to work with. I'm DJ'ing his assistant's wedding Ocotober 2010. Shockingly, I had very few usable photos from my camera (somehow my picture taking was worse than usual) so I'll have to wait and hope to snag from photos from Brian.

Kathryn Stephan & Grant Korsmo

2009-07-25T11:05:00.001-05:00

When: Friday, July 24, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Celebrity Ballroom
1st Dance Song: "Heaven" by Bryan Adams
Special Performance: "Folsom Prison Blues" by Grant Korsmo & Chambers

Tonight's entire attitude was a bit different because the couple was actually married months ago in Hawaii, so no ceremony today. That won't stop us from kickin' up our feet, though. That special performance above is the direct audio recording of Grant's karaoke song, and quite a crowd pleaser. Enjoy part of it in the video, click to listen, or right click and 'save link as' to download for posterity.

No dollar dance, no bouquet toss, no garter. We did a few special dances, including Kathryn with her grandfather. Some requests that were interesting: a friend, Jackie, who could not attend, actually texted her request in (yes, Jackie, we did play Bel Biv Devoe). Also in the playlist were Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden," Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis," and Boyz II Men's "MoTownPhilly."

While the catering job by Bob Kincaid and his crew from 'Quality Catering' was impressive, I'll guess the taco grinders served at midnight actually appreciated most. Sorry, Bob. Cool centerpiece, though (photo left).

Most of Kathryn's bridsemaids are from Kodiak, Alaska, where she grew up. One even brought a paper fan, explaining, "it's cold in Kodiak, it's hot here (North Dakota)." First time I ever heard North Dakota described as hot, but I guess it's all relative (Friday's temp in Kodiak: ).

Last item is pretty unusual for our area (though its common in some parts of the country). We gave away the centerpieces at the end of the night. Anyone who wanted one, could have one.

Sarah Thoreson & Jeff Krumwiede

2009-07-19T10:16:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, July 18, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Hilton
1st Dance Song: "Grow Old With You" by Andi Thoreson

Yes, that's a recording of their first dance song, performed live by her sister. Its the love song from the "Weddingsinger" movie with Adam Sandler. Andi did a wonderful job dispite my recording (not really what I'm setup for, but I try). Right Click and 'Save Link As' to download it.

And if Andi hadn't done that, this would have been my favorite moment: the ceremony recessional was Starship's "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us." (apparently a reference to her childhood passion for "Mannequin.") I even caught a little of Jeff's brother, Jason, singing it for us all. Enjoy that in the video clip along with me trying to fix her bustle with my safety pins.

The great news is that the only mishaps the entire day were earlier, before the ceremony. There was a chemical spill and fire at the UND Engineering department that diverted traffic, making arrival at the ceremony site difficult. Then the limo was two hours late, so never took Jeff or Sarah to the ceremony. However, when they left, there were two. The one they actually hired, and a second, from a company Jeff had called, but never booked because they were already full. Apparently not.

Photographer Katie Miller can tell you all about me running into things... and people. A hostess, a little boy, and Andi (the singer) all fell victim to my clumsiness tonight. Sorry guys.

Sarah's only request, her only input for the music at all.... please don't play the Chicken Dance. Everything else was entirely up to me, as long as guests were having fun.

Nicole Jorissen & Paul Shanenko

2009-07-12T14:47:00.005-05:00

When: Saturday, July 11, 2009
Where: Valley City Sabir's Restaurant
1st Dance Song: "Forever" by Ben Harper

Sabir's is a great restaurant in Valley City with a heck of a view out the back. The dinner was inside, then we moved outside for the dance on a wooden deck. This meant I setup my gear outside, and my backup system setup inside to provide wireless mic and music during dinner.

The original version of their first dance song has a 60 second instrumental in the middle, so Nicole had me trim that out.

While we skipped a dollar dance and garter toss, we were supposed to toss the bouquet. However, there was no toss version. Rather than my artificial backup I always carry, I tied together the loose flowers around the cake with ribbon and ta da! (picture left)

Great news! The deck was built sturdy enough to withstand at least 75 people jumping up and down on it. I wasn't really worried, but the concern had popped into my head when I first saw everyone out on the dance floor.

I can't praise Nam Sabir and his restaurant staff enough. They did so many things that other banquet facilities ignore that added to the evening. Soft lighting, a fire pit, mosquito traps plus spraying made a very comfortable night outside. Drink service all night, including outside, meant people didn't have to wait in line at the bar.

Denelle Dilulo & Don Doescher

2009-06-29T14:43:00.002-05:00

When: Sunday, June 28th, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Clarion Inn
1st Dance Song: "Another Side of You" by Joe Nichols

This is actually my third wedding this same weekend, and only my second wedding on a Sunday in my 11 years. This weekend also saw my first Thursday night, and Friday delayed by a tornado.

The last time I saw Denelle before today was July of 2006, at her Matron of Honor Erica Speidel's wedding, catching the bouquet. A photo (left) I was more than happy to dig up from the archives. Side note: At the wedding this photo was taken at, the toss bouquet was missing at the reception and we used the spare I had brought.

The wedding party was huge. I announced a total of 20 people into the room for the Grand March.

Once I had dismissed all the tables for the buffet we got Denelle & Don over for their cake pictures. Rather than worrying about him smashing her face with the cake, she should have worried about crumbs. Apparently a chunk of the cake fell into the bustier of her dress and had to be fished out.

We started our dance a bit differently. Rather than Don and Denelle themselves, it was Denelle and their son Trey (Photo: Right. Before he got too cranky - it was past bedtime), and Don with his mom, Gloria. Then Denelle and Don got to dance together. We also had songs to recognize Denelle's dad, her mom, and, of course, Don's two little girls.

Jenny Newcomb & Tim Curry

2009-06-27T14:41:00.001-05:00

When: Friday, June 26th, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Alerus Center
1st Dance Song: "Stay With You" by John Legend

I worked Jenny's sister's wedding a couple of years ago. The same wedding where Jenny met Tim. Heavens, that is one good looking couple.

Hmmm, where to start, where to start.... how about, the second the wedding party arrived we were all ushered into the space below the main arena's bleachers just in case the tornado bearing down on Grand Forks decided crush us like bugs. Yes, that seems like a good thing to bring up.

We had our and another wedding's guests under the bleachers for protection (the Alerus is the city's emergency shelter, if you didn't know) for about 90 minutes until we finally got the all clear. Apparently the Alerus' emergency plan didn't dictate for anyone to update us, so, yeah! I got to do it. Trust me, you don't want to have to give continously bad news to large groups of hungry and cranky people. Its like training them to dislike you.

Once we got the all clear we retuned everyone to the ballroom and headed straight into: Grand March; prayer; dinner service; video; toasts; and the dance. All on a slightly truncated timeline. We skipped the dollar dance. I did get a really good stroll in. Plus, I got to play "Poison" by Bel Biv Devoe. I don't know if any request has ever made me so happy (maybe "Now that We Found Love" by Heavy D and the Boyz last December). OK, yes, I love bad 90's music, but that's exactly why you don't ever tell a DJ "just play whatever you like".

To the right, a photo of Jenny during the dance. I couldn't not share this. The look is priceless.

Margi Driscoll & Zack Yanish

2009-06-26T14:41:00.000-05:00

When: Thursday, June 25th, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Alerus Center
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

A wedding on a Thursday, while not terribly uncommon, is unusual to be so large. When I asked Margi & Zack about why a Thursday, her family does a reunion every year on this weekend, so everyone was already getting together. The result was about 250 guests partying til midnight before heading to the lake the next day.

The first thing you'd notice walking into their reception was the assigned table seating and RSVP'ed dinner entree (3 choices). Common in some parts of the country, I've only had about six receptions (out of about 400) do this. The host couples have the sheets for everyone to check in and to remind them what they ordered (very important).

To the left, one table was the beneficiary of some kids giving out shoulder rubs. Lucky folks.

Each of the first three dances (Margi & Zack; Margi and her dad; Zack and his mom) were brief. I created two minutes versions (in advance) by cutting out a verse and chorus. This meant each got their own song, but the entire beginning was still only seven minutes long. Also different was during the bride and her dad's dance, we invited all dads to bring their daughters up and join us. Same for mothers and sons for Zack and his mom. Wonderful turnout. The only negative was clearing the floor of fathers and daughters for Zack and his mom's dance but it wasn't a big deal and we did fill the floor right back up.

The rest of the night was reasonably typical except the guy who won the garter raffle was under two years old and at one point Margi got a little light headed. We got her setup with water and salted peanuts and she felt better soon, though. She and Zack did sneak out a little early (about 20 minutes). They were pretty tired and didn't want to break up the party before the rest of us wrapped up about midnight.

To the right, daughter of a bridesmaid and a flower girl herself, Bella, wearing the apron grandma made for her.

2009-06-21T11:58:00.001-05:00

Rachel Hillhouse & Cary Osowski

When: Saturday, June 20, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Eagles Crest Patio
1st Dance Song: "You & Me" by Lifehouse

Rachel and Cary farm just north of Oslo. I posted some pictures of them earlier this year taking a boat over the eight miles of overland flooding surrounding their home to get to a truck and a functioning road. Never the less, things came together for them today. The weather was gorgeous, they looked wonderful, and we got to the cakes before the frosting melted in the heat.

Their reception was on the patio at the Eagles Crest grill and overlooked the 18th hole of the golf course. An awning protected guests and, fortunately, the bugs didn't come out at all til late (and even then were pretty light).

We drew from the RSVPs for an example kiss each time the guests clinked their glasses. This led to me picking on a few of the trouble makers who kept starting things. I kept picking the same names over and over.

The video slide show was quite a challenge. Sunlight can make it difficult to see projector screens so I had a big screen handy just in case. I scanned the photos for Rachel (just over 300 of them) and used about 120 to craft a nice little nine minute film.

My favorite moment had to be when Cary's son got all the boys together and did a dance to Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Jump on It." Oh, did I mention I have video? Just a nice little 30 second clip here, but if anyone wants the full video, email me and I'll be glad to send it along.

Abby Emter & Chris Gergen

2009-06-14T11:55:00.002-05:00

When: Saturday, June 13, 2009
Where: Jamestown Gladestone Inn
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

Some totals for the weekend: 480 miles (round trip), 9 hours in the car (two asleep), 3 V8s, 3 liters of water, and a breakfast pizza from Fargo Stamart (normally, no, but great on the road at 8am).

To bad Chris and Abby weren't there yet to see it, but apparently, somebody (*chough* Abby *cough*) forgot to pull their homemade punch out of the freezer this morning. The result was the behemoth to the left (as flower girl Katie looks on).

Always follow up! Abby's uncle Bob prepared the video, brought the player, all he needed was a screen. Except, that's not all he needed. He had some trouble with his laptop, so we switched to my player (always have it with, along with my projector, just in case). The video was wonderful and funny. Not too long and plenty of great photos.

We gave away their garter a bit differently. We drew four winning raffle tickets. Once I had those four guys we did a nice elimination game. Last one to bring me what I ask for is out. A woman's shoe; some flowers, and a piece of turtle cheesecake.

Rather than a traditional wedding cake, mini cheesecakes adorned the tables for dessert. Abby did sneak in a groom's cake (to the right) for Chris.

I almost forgot to mention the polkas and waltzes. At most weddings I play a few, but not here. Abby's family has their own music theater and polka CDs. They passes two of the CDs along to me in advance. I played four different sets of two waltzes and two polkas. Or was it five? Its hard to remember these things.

For the second night in the row the couple added overtime, right up until the hotel allowed 12:30, before bidding their guests goodnight.

Lindsey Lommen & Jesse Kadrmas

2009-06-13T11:52:00.000-05:00

When: Friday, June 12, 2009
Where: Moorhead Marriot
1st Dance Song: "Then" by Brad Paisley

Whoops! Always double check everything before you leave! I got about 20 minutes behind schedule when I realized 2 miles out of Grand Forks that I didn't have my tux (construction meant I had to go 7 more miles before turning around). This meant I was setup and ready to go right on time (always leave early, kids!).

We had some fun with the wedding party introductions when they arrived. The sound of 180 people clapping and stomping their feet can be quite something. Lindsey also had me bring some karaoke. We let some of the guests (wedding party, mostly) sing about four or five songs throughout the night. Some.... noticeably better than others.

To the left are Cierra & Matt. I DJ'ed their reception last August 15th (I almost didn't recognize her as a blonde!).

A little side note, the roses Lindsey and Jesse were to give to their moms at the church were found at the reception. They suggested it was another item in a list and they weren't terribly satisfied with their wedding coordinator. I'd think not.

I'm short on pictures since my dear photographer friends Shawna and Kory were stuck working with me, again and I simply plan on poaching some of their photos since, you know, they'll look good.

Sarah Lappegard & Matt Abentroth

2009-06-07T11:47:00.001-05:00

When: Saturday, June 6, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Clarion (formerly Holiday Inn)
1st Dance Song: "My Best Friend" by Tim McGraw

Tonight went well most of the time. It can be difficult to be heard with 325 people in an odd shaped room... well, two rooms actually. Sarah & Matt had some nice touches, both in the room with the favors (boxes with Chippers), colorful cupcakes on the tables and a putting green by the head table. If you wanted to get Sarah & Matt to kiss, you had to sink a putt. Miss, and you kissed someone yourself. Video at the bottom, left hand side.

The best news (for me) was the photographers, Shawna Noel and Kory. You can see their photos below (you can tell which, because they're actually good).

A little birdie let me know that the Pastor had referenced "Turn, Turn, Turn" by the Byrds in his sermon at the ceremony so I played it immediately after the blessing.

Since Sarah & Matt were a bit shy about being the center of attention we altered their first dance song a little. Sarah provided the photos of them and I got a screen and projector. The net result was a backdrop of photos that looked great, but also drew a little attention away from the nervous couple. Video is below, on the right. The wonderful photo to the right is courtesy photographer ShawnaNoel.com

The remainder of the evening was pretty typical except for an impromptu dance contest between two of the guys. It went on for almost five minutes and was amazing. That led us up to a very tired couple making their except at 12:30 before I had to stop per Clarion Inn rules.

These photos courtesy Shawna Noel

Andrea Dreschel & John Sherlock

2009-05-24T08:52:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, May 23rd, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Townhouse
1st Dance Song: "Keeper of the Stars" by Tracy Byrd

Too....tired....to.....type. Egads, the original contract had signed me up for a three hour dance. Reality set in about 10:15pm when the groomsmen let me know they were adding two hours of time. Great for them, but have you ever stood in dress shoes for... (does the math)... seven hours? I don't take breaks at these things, you know. Enough whining, on to the details.

Guests started rolling in just before 6pm so I caught the host couples up to speed, found a high chair for a guest, and helped fill vases at the head table for the bouquets. At 6:40 we got Andrea's dad, Paul, up for the welcoming toast, then I started dismissing tables for the buffet. Oh, and it turns out one of the bridesmaids was one of the nurses when our baby was born. Hi, Haley!

Helped the photographer get all her shots since she was only there about two hours: cake, toasts, family, and trivia. Wait, I forgot to explain that last one. To get Andrea and John to kiss you had to ask a question. So if you knew John was the little drummer boy in the kindergardner Christmas program, you asked Andrea what part he played. She gets it right, you kiss your neighbor. She gets it wrong, she kisses John.

Speeches, then straight to the dance. Nothing too unusual (except that it was FIVE HOURS!) but we did a dance off to give the garter away. I had to sweep the dance floor after a glass was broken. Oh, and the Townhouse staff didn't know how late I was allowed to play until (it took five people to figure that one out). And... I can't believe I almost forgot... Andrea's dad's favorite song was: Tootsie Roll! Sweet! I got footage of that one.

Paige Nielsen & Bryan Sims

2009-05-23T08:49:00.000-05:00

When: Friday, May 22nd, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Holiday Inn
1st Dance Song: "Love of My Life" by Sammy Kershaw

Wow. My first wedding of the new season (11th year!) and I was actually a bit nervous. Fortunately, there was no cause. Things went very smoothly... or at least the things I could help with. There was the matter of the leaning cake (the photo doesn't do it justice). We took care of the photos quickly and started disassembling the cake before dinner, so no harm done.

This reception was a great reminder for me. Spend a little time chatting up guests, like Uncle Al, and you'll learn all kinds of things. Who can sing (or can't sing, rather), the bride's first hunting trip, and who is newly single so maybe you can get a hold of your photographer friend and try and introduce him to her (didn't work out). Important things that help make the evening a bit more individualized. That's how I got four different guests asking me how I knew the couple. They all assume we were friends, that I knew them personally. Good. That's what I'm going for.

Bryan and Paige did their first dance right when they arrived. I think they liked the idea of changing things up a bit.

The sign in the pic (to the right) is for the Twins game on Sunday. Paige bought them tickets for part of their honeymoon. We played a game of Hot & Cold for Bryan to find it (he needed help. Apparently its a game you need to practice).

By 12:30 am there were only about five or ten guests NOT on the dance floor. Everyone else was still eager to keep going, but sadly the Holiday Inn sets the rules and we had to call it a night.

Amanda Johnson & Tanner Altendorf

2009-03-29T08:48:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, March 28, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Ramada Inn
1st Dance Song: "Your Everything" by Keith Urban
Father/Daughter Dance: "I Loved Her First" by Heartland

Well, tonight was a welcome night since I haven't had a wedding dance in five weeks. Obviously plans changed because of all the flooding in the region and these two were from the Warren-Alvarado area.

The ceremony was in Alvarado at 4pm. Dinner was served at 6:30pm. At 6:10 there was only 40 people in the room (so I was a bit worried), but within 15 minutes about 250 more had arrived (what, did they bus in together?) and we were off.

Cupcakes for dessert and to the left is the evidence of what happened there. I'll say it to all the grooms: its NEVER a good idea to go for the smash. Trust me. Maybe a dab of frosting on the nose. That can be cute. Smash and we're talking about fixing makeup and its still early with lots of pictures to come. So let it go.

A quick buffet (the Ramada always does it right) and some speeches (the best man's was written in crayon during dinner). The first dance had a photo slide show behind them rather than done separately and I think it worked well for them. They were both introverted and liked the idea of pulling attention away from themselves.

The beginning of the dance was a bit slow, but they warmed up after a bit and ended up adding time to the end until we had to stop because of hotel rules. In attendance were Tanner & Jess Tanke whose wedding I DJ'ed last November. They were (tonight and in November) rather... energetic (photo to the left is during a slow song). They're a lot of fun and not afraid to show it.

Add in a quick fix of the bride's broken bodice (its fun to say!) with a safety pin before sending them on their merry way and a good night to all.

Tiffany Harbott & Kyle Page

2009-01-18T08:46:00.001-06:00

When: Saturday, January 17, 2009
Where: Grand Forks Ralph Englestad Arena
1st Dance Song: "At Last" by Etta James
Father/Daughter Dance: "Stealing Cinderella" by Chuck Wicks

This evening was noticeably different because both the ceremony and reception were in the Ralph lobby. In fact, I was more nervous for the ceremony than the bride and groom (I get worked up because I know there is no margin for error). As usual there were no issues and everything went smoothly.

The bride requested that I trim the first two songs to about two minutes each. This allowed us to move things along and get the guests involved relatively quickly.

There was one major request. The best man was married just last September. During that reception he made his best man, this evening's groom, Kyle, dress in a giant chicken costume. Revenge was nigh. That's the best man Tyler in the suit (that actually belongs to his wife).

Tera Field & Josh Langlei

2009-01-11T08:44:00.004-06:00

When: Saturday, January 10, 2009
Where: Fargo Radisson
1st Dance Song: "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts
Father/Daughter Dance: "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle
Mother/Son Dance: "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts
Wedding Party song: "Amazed" by Lonestar

I'm posting this a bit later than usual, in part because I slept for what feels like 15 minutes after getting back from this wedding, but also today we moved a whole mess of furniture in our home. That before heading out for family pictures with photographer Shawna Noel (oh, boy was I ever tired by that time).
I hadn't met or even talked with Josh prior to the day because they live in Georgia. It doesn't take long to learn a lot about someone at a wedding. Tera's dad started us off with a welcoming toast before dinner ("I've taken Josh hunting twice and he's still here so you know I think he's a keeper."). During the meal we learn of Josh and best man Casey's passion for green beans (left) and his favorite color is camouflage and favorite holiday is deer hunting opener (is that a holiday now?)

Tera sent me enough pictures for a video clocking in under 5 minutes. No music preferences from her so I picked 3 ("Ain't No Mountain High Enough"; "Days Like This"; "Eight Days Week"). Unfortunately there was an issue so I couldn't use the DVD quality version of the video and had to use the (lower quality) backup though no one seemed to notice.

Rather than have all four of the songs listed above string out the beginning of our dance, I shortened both Butterfly Kisses and My Wish so that guests were joining after a total of 8 minutes - had the songs been left in their original length it would have been about 17 minutes.

Erin Austin & Jordan Grasser

2008-08-10T20:35:00.000-05:00

When: Saturday, August 9, 2008
Where: Grand Forks Alerus Center
father/bride dance: "I Loved Her First" by Heartland
couples 1st dance: "Faraway" by Nickelback

"I told you I was going to write you a Thank You when we were at Brianna & Garrett's dance. I apologize for writing it 2.5 years later but things got hectic shortly after we were married. As you may remember, my Dad was battling Lung Cancer and four months after we were married, he passed away. One of my most treasured memories with my Daddy EVER is our dance together at my wedding--and you were part of it so seeing you at another dance made me emotional! Anyways, you did an AMAZING job at our wedding. Jordan and I did not have one worry. Meeting with you before the wedding reassured us that we picked the right person. The selections you choose are great for a wedding-you really kept our dance going. There was never a dull moment. You kindly suggested shortening the song I danced with my Dad because he got winded out so quickly and yet, it was still perfect. You were prepared when I stepped on a glass and had a band-aid which I so desperately needed :) You are much more than a DJ--you were our go-to person for the evening. You took great pictures which are some of my favorites...especially the cake-cutting pictures.No one else seemed to bother to take a picture! The recording of the speeches was another thing that was not expected, but greatly appreciated. You are a professional and I believe, the best at what you do. Again, better late than never--thank you, thank you, thank you!" ~Erin Grasser

First up, the couple was married at St. Michael's church which meant a 2:30 service in an unairconditioned church (poor kids). Erin was the smart one and had a handheld battery operated fan with water in the base to help keep cool and I'm very jealous I didn't have it back when I was in a wedding party at the same church.

The favors were small candles made by Jordan's mom. Guests enjoyed appetizers while the wedding party took pictures in University park. We drew RSVPs and asked for example kisses each time we heard the klinking of the glasses, which is how we got the photo of Erin's mom and dad to the left.

Erin and her dad started the dance because his cancer has left him exhausted. They danced to a shortened version of "I Loved Her First" before she was joined by Jordan for their first song. The wedding party stepped up halfway through that and away we went.

Unfortunately two different people broke a glass on the dance floor. We swept but there were still casualties. I'm pretty sure it still felt better than wearing heals the entire night (but that's just a guess) and I had band-aids in my first aid kit anyway.

We took the banner down from behind the head table and had guests sign it with markers provided.

To end the evening, I played the first song Erin & Jordan ever danced to ("Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews), then "We Are Family" while guests danced down the middle of the floor (a stroll); their second time through the gauntlet Erin & Jordan just kept going and headed for the door while I announced their goodbyes before playing one last song for the remaining guests.

Below Left: Jordan's sister & dad dancing; Below Right: Erin & her dad after she presented him with the garter.

Welcome

2008-08-03T09:11:00.002-05:00

New posts can be seen on Robert's website at http://www.robertbenda.com/blog.html, and will be updated every Sunday.

Anika Olson

2008-05-10T09:33:00.000-05:00

the following took place June 2004

Early in June I was sent two hours north to an outdoor ceremony and reception on a farm. They had rented a massive tent for the reception to fit all 300 guests. 100 yards away were 300 white wooden folding chairs facing a shade awning for the ceremony backdropped by a row of trees.

The day was a beautiful partly cloudy, 75 degrees and no wind. Everything was setup and sound checked with three hours until the ceremony when the black clouds appeared.

Within minutes the temperature had dropped 10 degrees, the wind picked up, and rain fell from a narrow strip of thunderstorm clouds. Before panic could set in, just as quickly as in blew in, it was over and the sky cleared and it was perfect.

Until, twenty minutes later, it happened again.

And again.

Now, as guests arrived, another strip of clouds could be seen heading our way. We put everyone under the reception tent in time for the start of the final storm with 45 minutes to go when it really came down.

Hail.

And lots of it.

I ran from the ceremony spot to reception tent to the farm house making sure everything was okay. 300 people were trapped under the tenting, cars were getting pelted, and there was the bride, on the porch, sipping a Coors light as calm as anyone I can remember on their wedding day.

Fortunately, the hail cleared, we wiped the water from the chairs and even began the ceremony (almost) on time. There was no more weather and the ceremony was perfect until the couple went to light the unity candle and the soloist came to the microphone to sing Etta James' "At last."

The song is notable because as the solist approached her microphone, a faint buzzing sound started and slowly becamse louder. As the prerecorded music introduced the song and the soloist opened her mouth the bi-plane buzzed the field 20 yards from the ceremony. It was a cropduster.

Zooom...."At Last...." Zoooom... "My love has come along...." Zooom.... "my lonely days are over...." The plane passed by three times before noticing the crowd and allowing the soloist to continue unopposed.

So a hail storm and a crop duster. What else could go wrong? Well, the rain softened the ground so that the entrance to the tent became pure mud beneath the feet of 300 guests coming and going. Women left high heels stuck in the lawn like so many lawn ornaments. Then, after the night was over I got my cargo van stuck on the lawn (there was an embankment..) so without my knowledge, a groomsman woke up the groom to borrow his pickup and pull me out of the mud. But no one in that town will ever forget that wedding. (actually, the next year, one mile away we abandoned the reception because of a tornado, but thats another story).

Fred & Sarah Steffen

2008-05-10T09:30:00.000-05:00

this took place leading up to September 23, 2006
The idea that something will go wrong or that a poor choice was made after all those decisions and all that money makes a wedding understandably stressful. So what happens when you do put your faith in the wrong people?

Either out of necessity or because they wanted something different, their reception was to be held at the college basketball arena. Backdrops would be brought in to shield the bleachers from view, but in the end, its still center court. Interesting, but as a DJ, it doesn't pose any problems.

Six months before the wedding, the bride calls the arena coordinator to ask some questions. Two things are discovered: 1) the arena coordinator she was working with no longer works there, and 2) the she never filed the (signed) contract that booked the reception. Instead, our bride learns from the new girl that center court will be occupied by the women's volleyball team that night.

The bride did accept the counter-offer to move her reception to center ice at the $100 million hockey arena. They'll drop a black floor over the ice, backdrops around the boards, and lower the scoreboard to show their video slide show. Kind of a cool idea. Plans change but this will work.

Three months before the wedding the arena coordinator calls. Sorry, the ice won't be in place so no black floor - just bare concrete. And the chairs we promised? They'll be metal folding chairs now.

Six weeks before the wedding yet another call. Sorry, the ice will be in place but now it will be used so you can't have your reception there. How about our lobby at the main arena entrance?

To top things off, the wedding photographer was missing. Calls and emails went unreturned for six weeks leading up to the wedding day.

With so much going wrong for this couple, by the time the reception started I was noticeably nervous. I imagined something going wrong and the bride snapping, diving at me with her salad fork (an unfair characterization considered how nice a couple they'd been, but hey, no one said fear is rational).

Fortunately, the arena lobby worked great, the new photographer seemed perfect (they'll even own their pictures), and there were only two small issues that had to be dealt with. The 160 guests had a great time, the bride and groom were the perfect couple (right down to him singing "When I'm 64" to her in front of everyone).

Don't feel too bad for them - they spent two weeks in Hawaii getting over it and now have their first baby.