Donald McKinney and Brianna Kearns Wedding

As of this writing, I have been DJing in the Central New York area since 2007, so close to ten years.  I can unequivocally say that there has not been a wedding that kept me guessing, filled with fun and memorable features than the McKinney/Kearns wedding in August of 2014.  It was a wonderful reception jam packed with interesting moments, that I still talk about today.

We began the day at the gazebo outside of Lake Shore Yacht & Country Club for the ceremony.  The guests had been seated and prelude music was just beginning to wind down when the ceremony introductions began.  The bridal party were the first to walk down the aisle (A Thousand Years – Christina Perri) followed by our lovely bride, Brianna, who walked in to a mix of two classic songs (Canon in D – Pachelbel, Here Comes the Bride – Richard Wagner).  It was a quick ceremony and combined with the location, it was very nice as far as ceremonies go.  The ceremony officially ended with the recessional (I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas) and cocktail hour began outdoors in the exact same location.

The fun features with which I always associate this wedding, began almost immediately.  During cocktail hour, while the guests were enjoying refreshments and the bride and groom were getting pictures taken, they arranged for someone in a remote location to control a drone.  The drone was used to fly over the cocktail hour for the duration and take overhead pictures from both up close and up high, and despite the rise in popularity of drones throughout the years, this is the first and last time I have seen a drone at a wedding reception.  At one point during the cocktail hour, all of the guests gathered to take a group shot from the drone on high.. and this was just the beginning of the fun.

The guests made their way inside for the reception and the wedding party lined up for their introductions.  The parents of the bride and groom got their introductions while they were seated at their tables, and after that the Grand Entrance music (Boogie Shoes – K.C. and the Sunshine Band) played.  Another surprise was in the works as two of the members of the wedding party had giant heads of Don and Brianna, reminiscent of the giant Jim Boeheim heads made popular by the crowds at Syracuse University basketball games.  When Don and Brianna made their entrance, they went straight into their First Dance (Made To Love – John Legend), which was followed by some family dances.  Brianna was first up, dancing with her brother, Kolby (My Wish – Rascal Flatts), while Don followed dancing with his mother (A Song For Mama – Boyz II Men).  Finally, after a few speeches from the sisters of the bride, it was time to eat dinner and wait for some more surprises.

As the night went on, it was quickly revealed that this wedding would not be the typical affair.  Almost immediately after dinner was over one of the guests busted out a hula hoop to add to the fun of the dance floor.  Guests were dancing throughout the night, in fact at one point a few of the guests added the giant heads onto the dance floor so those were going around as well.  At one point it seemed that everyone on the dance floor were wearing sunglasses, as it seemed everyone was ready to have a good time.

 Although there was a cake cutting (Hungry Eyes – Eric Carmen), it was told to me shortly after by the sisters of the bride that Brianna wasn’t a big fan of cake, so as a surprise, it was arranged to have an ice cream truck arrive to the venue for a second dessert for everyone.  Although Don and Brianna had first dibs at their choice of ice cream, but one the announcement was made that the ice cream truck was there, everyone flocked to it.  The ice cream truck feature was a massive success with the line several people deep to get their second dessert.  People had their choice of ice cream and were even dancing with their ice cream on the dance floor, amidst hula hoops and giant heads.

There was a few formalities left, namely the bouquet/garter where Brianna tossed the bouquet (Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyonce) and Don tossed the garter (Another One Bites the Dust – Queen).  All that was left after that was the rest of the night of dancing, all culminating to the final dance of the night (Moment For Life – Nikki Minaj).  It was the cap on an unpredictable wedding that constantly kept this old pro guessing and the guests on their toes

Congratulations to Donald and Brianna.  Thank you for choosing Salt City Sound Machine and we wish you the best of luck in the future!

Soundtrack

• A Thousand Years – Christina Perri (Ceremony – Processional)
• Canon in D – Pachelbel, Here Comes the Bride – Richard Wagner (Ceremony – Bridal Processional)
• I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas (Ceremony – Recessional)
• Boogie Shoes – K.C. and the Sunshine Band (Grand Entrance)
• Made To Love – John Legend  (First Dance)
• My Wish – Rascal Flatts (Brother/Bride Dance)
• A Song For Mama – Boyz II Men (Mother/Groom Dance)
• Hungry Eyes – Eric Carmen (Cake Cutting)
• Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyonce (Bouquet Toss)
• Another One Bites the Dust – Queen (Garter Removal/Toss)
• Moment For Life – Nikki Minaj (Last Dance)