Christina + Nimit: April 25, 2009
When I’m being interviewed by a prospective client, I’m often asked how much flexibility I allow when it comes to music selections. Most people ask this question because they want to be sure that I’ll play their requests (I will). Occasionally, someone will ask if I’ll stick to a playlist they provide and play only those songs. In those cases, I prefer not to accept the booking, because I end up looking bad when guests can’t figure out why the DJ playing “Free Bird” for the second time in the same hour.
Christina & Nimit asked if I’d stick to their playlist only, and I agreed to. Here’s why: Many of their 100 guests were coming in from other parts of the world, and to most of them, English was not their first language. In the case, I truly believed that they understood their guests’ musical tastes better than I’d be able to approximate in a four-hour timeframe. The end result? Success!
The reception, which took place at Boston’s Doubletree Guest Suites, began at 4:00 with cocktail hour. Unbeknownst to me, the cocktail hour’s location had been moved from just outside the hotel’s ballroom to a space located a full floor up from where I was set up. This was no problem, thanks to the wireless audio senders that I take to every event – I simply carried one speaker up to the cocktail hour area and sent the audio from my main console. It worked perfectly.
Once dinner service had finished and dancing began, it was time to test the playlist that the bride and groom had assembled for the evening. Their list of selections was quite extensive, and I was free to play their requests in the order that I thought would work best. So, I began with the popular oldies that they had chosen and then worked in a number of popular Banghra songs. There were also a few surprises on the playlist, including the 80s classic “Tarzan Boy”. It was apparently very popular in India, and it kept the dance floor filled.
The night ended with a special dedication from the Bride & Groom: “Thank You For Being A Friend”, the theme from the Golden Girls. It was a perfect ending to an absolutely wonderful reception.
Introduction Music: “Balle Balle (Punjabi Wedding Song)” – Bride And Prejudice
Christina & Nimit’s First Dance: “Imagine” – John Lennon
Cake Cutting Song: “Sugar, Sugar” – The Archies
Bride/Father Dance: “My Girl” – The Temptations
Last Dance: “Save The Best For Last” – Vanessa Williams
The ballroom at Doubletree Guest Suites
The head table
Photos of the bride and groom in traditional Indian dress were displayed as guests arrived.
The *new* location of the cocktail hour. It's a terrific space.
The lobby of the DoubleTree features numerous skylights and glass elevators.
The wedding cake.
