Westin Great Southern Wedding
Mandy and Jon planned a Westin Great Southern wedding and reception for the ages! After the wedding, the groom, Jon, wrote the nicest thank you. We think his note sums things up pretty well:
“I had multiple people tell me you’re the best wedding DJ they’ve ever seen. One friend accused you of trying to murder them because they wanted to dance to every song and never got a break.”
This is what happens when you combine a fun couple, a beautiful venue, and a very experienced DJ who is all in on helping make this wedding THE BEST WEDDING!
So, how did we get here?
These two are so much fun, and have an expansive friend group that matches and compliments their energetic personalities. DJ Steve knew from the very first consultation that this wedding was going to be epic. While getting to know them and their wedding vision, DJ Steve began to really look forward to being on Team Mandy and Jon!
You’ll never guess who else was on the team. {Drum roll please!} Academy Award winning superstar, Brendan Fraser! Check it out. Mandy, Jon and friends had such a blast dancing with their celebrity wedding crasher. Isn’t this a fun idea?
We always encourage our wedding couples to let us in on their unique musical tastes. We want to create the best moments from the pre-ceremony music through the last dance, and we can best accomplish that when we really understand the music preferences of our couples. Our goal is to know it all, and then in the moment, we’ll play the perfect song at the perfect time. It’s what we do.
Check out some of these eclectic songs that Mandy and Jon had played at their wedding.
Grand Entrance What Dreams Are Made Of by Hillary Duff
Cake Cutting Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles
1st Dance i2i by Brent Morgan
Father/Daughter You’ll Be in My Heart by Phil Collins
Mother/Son Forever Young by Rod Stewart
Some of Mandy and Jon’s fun dancing playlist ideas…
Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl by Chappell Roan
Call Me Baby by EXO
Man, I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain
Bad Romance by Lady Gaga
Informer by Snow
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA
You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift
The Reason by Hoobastank
Do you need some music ideas for your celebration? Check out these resources.
Thanks again to Jon and Mandy for trusting us to give them the wedding they dreamed of. It was our pleasure. Thanks to The Westin and to photographer April Graber.
The Anniversary Dance at your wedding reception
Do you love the idea of including an Anniversary Dance at your wedding reception? Taking a moment to celebrate all of the married couples can be very special. If you think you might like to include this in your celebration, we offer a few different suggestions to make this happen.
Chloe and Cameron enjoy the Anniversary Dance with their guests at Bryn Du Mansion. Photo by Lauren Anne Photography
Anniversary Dance Idea #1
For a fun moment, it’s great to kick things off with the most recently married couple – YOU! We then slowly call out years of marriage, and invite your married friends and family to join in. By continuing to add couples to the dancefloor we create some excitement and a full dancefloor! This works perfectly if the longest married couple is not able to dance for the entire song, or if they would be uncomfortable by themselves on the dancefloor. Once we find the longest married couple, we make sure they receive lots of applause and love from your guests!
Anniversary Dance Idea #2
Some couples like the idea of starting the Anniversary Dance with all of the married couples on the dancefloor, and then slowly asking couples to step to the sides as we call out years. It’s so fun to see fewer and fewer couples on the floor, and try to guess who’s been married the longest! This is perfect if you think the longest married couple at your wedding would love a spotlight moment by themselves on the dancefloor!. It’s a special applause moment, for sure! We then bring everyone back to continue your fun dance party.
The Anniversary Dance fills the dance floor at Chelsea and Jamie’s Athletic Club of Columbus wedding. Photo by Stephanie Kase.
“Can we do this without the dancing part?” YES you can!
We’ve coordinated this activity as an interactive way to kick off the dinner hour, or to have a little fun before dancing begins. Inviting all of the married couples to stand up at their tables is a very easy way to involve everyone, and get a great photo! As our favorite newlyweds, you will be invited to sit down first, slowly followed by other couples in order of how long they’ve been married. Finally, the last couple standing is recognized and applauded as the couple who has been married the longest. We love the newlyweds to pose for a picture with the longest marrieds – this is a great time for that!
Alexa and Michael start the Anniversary Dance at their Columbus Museum of Art wedding. Photo by Style and Story.
Think of your friends and family members. Do any long married couples come to mind who might enjoy a special dance? Does that sound fun to you? Make sure to let us know if you would like to add this to your celebration. We promise to make it great! Need some more activity ideas for your wedding reception? CHECK THESE OUT!
Nikki and David’s fabulous Ivory Room Columbus Celebration
Nikki and David had a wedding reception vision for a sophisticated, relaxed and elegant cocktail hour and dinner, followed by a blowout dance party to end the night. We’re happy to say that they got exactly what they wanted!
Their Ivory Room Columbus celebration was the perfect spot for all of this, with a sky-high view of downtown Columbus partnered with food and service perfection from the extraordinary Cameron Mitchell Premier Events team.
We worked with Nikki and David to musically craft the Bridgerton vibe they imagined early on, transitioning into a FUN and eclectic mix of all of their dance favorites – old and new. And WOW! Did Nikki and David and their friends LOVE to DANCE! What a blast.
We’re Grateful for these kind words
“Steve was absolutely the best DJ my husband and I could’ve asked for. He absolutely made our reception one that no one will forget – SO many compliments! He was so down to earth and easy to work with – I knew with our first meeting that his vibe was exactly what we needed. The forms he provided for music planning/reception planning were extremely helpful and he was always available to bounce ideas off of and even give us some ideas where we weren’t sure what to do. We had SO MANY family and friends absolutely raving about how amazing he was. He kept the dance floor full, fun, and was able to read the vibes of the room to play the right song next – the whole evening just ran so smoothly. I am so beyond happy with my decision to use Night Music DJ Professionals as my vendor and could not recommend them highly enough.”
Here are a few of their spotlight songs
Bridesmaids Group Introduction: Run The World (Girls) by Beyonce
Groomsmen Group Introduction: Shut Up and Dance by Walk The Moon
Bride and Groom Introduction: Crazy in Love by Beyonce f: Jay-Z
First Dance: Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez
Shout out to this talented vendor team
Cameron Mitchell Premier Events at The Ivory Room Columbus
Robb McCormick Photography
Alice’s Piece of Cake
Madison House Flowers
Choosing the music for your celebration? We have lots of ideas here.
A Pop-a-Shot Wedding Reception!
What do you do when you realize that the March Madness basketball tournament kicks off during your wedding weekend, and that you and your friends are fans of a team or two that made the bracket? Well, if you’re Rita and Brian, you decide to lean in, and incorporate some basketball fun into the reception. We’re so glad they did!
Our friend Chaz from Photo 243 caught this awesome image of Rita and Brian playing the first pop-a-shot round.
Long time loves Rita and Brian decided to have some unique fun during their reception. Instead of a traditional dance with Mom and Dad, they organized a family bracket pop-a-shot tournament. And, guests could sign up for the friends bracket that happened later in the evening. Everyone had a blast with this both playing and watching. The “Jock Jam” type music was perfect for keeping the game vibe going, while still packing the dancefloor during the tournament moments. What a fun night!
We love to help our clients plan perfect events, and then guide things to make it all happen in the moment. This was a blast. The very last song of the night was Love Story by Taylor Swift, and we’re grateful that we got to be part of Rita and Brian’s Love Story. Looking for some fun ideas for your wedding reception? Check these out!
Thanks to Chaz at Photo 243.
Can we talk about the Wedding Dress Bustle?
Hooks, Ties, Buttons, Oh My!
Your GORGEOUS wedding dress with that stunning train will look amazing in your ceremony photos! We LOVE it. But at some point, that stunning train will need to be bustled so that you can transition from your ceremony elegance to your reception ready beauty. Once your train is securely and beautifully bustled, you will be comfortable, and ready to fully enjoy every moment of your reception without worries!
Chances are, your wedding dress bustle will be designed and added at one of your fittings. And because there are so many ways to add a beautiful bustle, we can’t give you direction on how to accomplish this. Rather, we want to encourage you to make sure you have a trusted team ready to take care of you and easily handle this job on your wedding day. The goals here: happy bride, beautiful gown, and no bustle-drama!
Have a Wedding Dress Bustle Party
We think a genius trend is the Wedding Dress Bustle Party! It’s simple … a couple of weeks before your wedding, gather your favorite beverages and a few snacks. Invite AT LEAST four of your bridesmaids or special friends, maybe a fun and capable aunt, and your mom. Model your beautiful gown, and then have each of them practice bustling your dress alone or in teams! It will make for a fun get together, and on your wedding day you will have several people who can confidently take care of you and your bustle!
If this idea isn’t possible, try to take AT LEAST two people to your final fitting, and practice the bustle a few times before leaving. Also (and we’re not kidding) take some pictures and a video of the process, no matter how simple it seems.
Why Practice Bustling?
Simply put, the bustle can take up too much precious time on your big day if no one knows how to do it, leading to some frustrations. Your perfectly planned reception, beautifully decorated room, excited guests, delicious food, and more can all be thrown off if the bustling process is taking too long, or if no one knows how to do it. With a little preparation and a tiny bit of practicing, this moment will be fun and simple and will prevent wedding day bustle-drama. Happy, beautiful, confident – yes please!
Need some more ideas for your wedding celebration? Check these out!
Find out more about the types of wedding dress bustles here.
Best of Columbus Weddings. It’s Official!
Once again, thanks to our many wonderful wedding couples and fantastic vendor friends, Night Music DJ Professionals AND Fizzy Cat Photo Booth have each been nominated for BEST of Columbus Weddings! We are grateful to be included among the elite of Columbus Weddings, and we’re thrilled with this honor.
What could be better than that?
Well, we think it would be fun to WIN this year, and we could really use your help! Just click this link, and vote for Night Music DJ Professionals in the DJ category, and also vote for Fizzy Cat Photo Booth in the Photo Booth category. (If you come across more vendors you love in the other categories, help them out, too!) Do it today, because voting ends soon.
This past year, we were lucky enough to be involved in making wedding dreams come true for so many memorable couples. We can picture and remember the fun, the love, the music, the party and the unique feeling of each and every event. That is the real reward … this is just for fun.
CLICK HERE to VOTE for Night Music and Fizzy Cat.
Voting ends February 3rd.
Thanks for all of your support. We couldn’t do it without you!
DJ Jodi & DJ Steve
Visiting your wedding guests.
So many guests … so little time.
Our wedding couples sometimes ask us how they can visit with or thank all of their guests during the reception. These are dear family and friends who have traveled to celebrate this big day, but, with a limited amount of time, this can be a tough task. As a worried bride once told us “We have 120 guests. If we talk to each one for a minute, that’s two hours. What are we going to do?” By the way, we figured that one out, and her Visit-Guests-Mission was accomplished using one of these ideas below.
Kelly and Tyler say HI to their guests. Photo by Story Told Photography
Here are a few ideas we have seen in action.
The perfect idea for visiting your wedding guests might be here, or this might spark another solution that is JUST RIGHT for your wedding.
1) Release rows or pews from the wedding ceremony
2) Receiving line after the ceremony or into the reception
3) Casual socializing during cocktail hour
4) Table Visits.
5) Table Touches
6) Ballroom Blitz, with a set amount of time (usually about 15 to 20 minutes total)
7) Table Photo Challenge (usually less than 5 minutes)
8) Thank You Toast from the couple to the guests on the microphone
9) Just knowing you’ll catch up with friends and family at the dessert table, the bar or on the dance floor!
If you have any questions about making one of these ideas work, just let us know. In fact, check out the the Ballroom Blitz HERE. And always, remember to talk with us about your vision and hopes for your celebration. We are happy to consult and brainstorm with you to make it all come true!
Songs for the parents dance at your wedding.
Rachel and her dad on the dance floor. Photo by Nicole Dixon.
Here are sixteen handpicked songs to consider using for dancing with a parent at your wedding reception. We’ve included good ones that were selected by some of our recent couples. These ideas include songs old and new, country and pop, with slow or mid-tempo beats. Maybe one of these will be perfect for your traditional parent dance at your wedding. Let us know if you’d like even more ideas … we’ve got bunches.
Listen to the songs on a Spotify playlist HERE
Need more ideas? Check out these playlists.
Understory. A new venue from Wolf’s Ridge Brewing
Finally! A truly beautiful location to meet for drinks or host a wedding in Old North Columbus! Understory at Open Air, 2571 Neil Ave, is a place we know you will love.
Going in for a tour we knew we would love it because it combines so many things that we appreciate. Understory is close to nature, and has repurposed an unused historic building with beauty and intention so that it seems like this gorgeous NEW lounge and event space was this building’s destiny all along. Because we are long time fans of Wolf’s Ridge famous and award winning craft brews, commitment to service, and elevated chef driven food…well…let’s just say we were admirers before we even got the tour.
The patio overlooking pretty old growth trees and the Olentangy Trail is so inviting. We are sure that this will be a very popular place to meet friends or wow your out of town guests.
Put Understory on your Columbus Bucket List for a must visit place! And, if you have a special event or wedding in your future, get in touch with the super friendly and helpful Understory team for a tour or a chat. Your friends will be so impressed that you discovered this hidden gem.
Sarah and Christian’s Wedding at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Wells Barn
Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is without a doubt one of the most sought after locations in Columbus for a beautiful wedding celebration. It’s easy to see why, as they offer so many gorgeous venues within the park, and plenty of flexible indoor and outdoor spaces to host a perfect event. For many years, we have been proud to be one of the Conservatory’s preferred and trusted wedding vendors. It’s really an honor for us to be considered among the best of the best in helping the talented team at The Conservatory take great care of their clients!
A very happy day for Sarah and Christian – photo by Adam Lowe
One of the reasons that weddings at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens are so fantastic is Sarah, who helps wedding couples as their lead event coordinator. We were completely thrilled when Sarah contacted Night Music, and asked us to DJ and MC her wedding and reception. Sarah knows so many wedding professionals, that we were over the moon that she chose us to help make her day the best! Sarah and her husband Christian met at Miami University, and they had lots of fun friends to join in the celebration for their Miami Merger!
The dance party rages! – photo by Adam Lowe
Some of Sarah and Christian’s highlight songs
Grand Entrance: Sirius by Alan Parsons Project
Cake Cutting: Sugar by Maroon 5
Bride and Groom First Dance: Die a Happy Man by Thomas Rhett
Mother/Son Dance: My Wish by Rascal Flatts
Mother/Daughter Dance: The Best Day by Taylor Swift
Not only did we have fun on the dance floor with hot cuts from Lizzo, Harry Styles, The Kid Laroi and Halsey but rocking throwback sets with tunes from Mayday Parade, 3OH!3, and The Killers sent this party over the top!
The dance floor was alive with energy! photo by Adam Lowe
We love being part of weddings at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and The Wells Barn is a great setting for a wedding and incredible reception.
Any day we get to work with Ryan Pitts and his excellent team from Cameron Mitchell Premier Events is a good day! Good food, great location, and happy guests. Every single time!
Thanks to Adam Lowe for being so much fun to work with, and for capturing such beautiful images of Sarah and Christian. Sarah knows all the best wedding professionals. Gorgeous flowers by SunflowerKate Florals, and the yummy treats from Carrie’s Sugar Buzz really delighted the guests!
Special Thanks to friend and fantastic coordinator Julie Wagner for everything!
See another Night Music Wells Barn wedding here
Night Music is a Preferred Vendor
Night Music is proud to be a preferred vendor at many of the city's best event venues. Listed below are just a few of the most spectacular party and reception venues where Night Music is a preferred vendor. Click the venue name to visit their website.
Franklin Park Conservatory
Jorgensen Farms
Retreat 21
Heritage Golf Club
Columbus Museum of Art
The Medallion Club
Athletic Club of Columbus
The Westin Great Southern
Granville Inn
Wedgewood Golf & Country Club
The Exchange At Bridge Park
OSU Faculty Club
Vitria on the Square
Scioto Country Club
Hilton Downtown Columbus
Le Meridien, The Joseph
Swan Lake Event Center
The Blackwell
Understory
East Market Trolly District
The Stack at Municipal Light Plant
Bryn Du Mansion
Tartan Fields Golf Club
The Golf Club at Little Turtle
Ohio Statehouse
High Line Car House
Columbus Country Club
Combustion Brewery
Brookside Country Club
Hilton Columbus at Easton
Jefferson Country Club
Creekside Event Center
Nationwide Hotel & Conference Center
Magnolia Hill Farm
Renaissance Columbus Downtown
The Club at Corazon
Night Music DJ Reviews
