Who would have known that one day I would have to DJ a wedding and play “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and really mean it?
This past weekend, I was the DJ for a fun wedding in Poestenkill, up on the mountain. Everything was beautiful. The people came dressed nicely and were enjoying some drinks and pictures with some friends they haven’t seen in years. Yes, all was well, until, as luck would have it, a bastard-of-a-storm would start up hard, five minutes before the bride was to walk the aisle.
That first cold smack of rain was the first of a series of bands that would comrprise Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene.
The Original Ceremony Site
The wedding ceremony was to take place just outside a huge white wedding reception tent, underneath a pretty apple tree. There was an elegant white arch decorated in flowers and everything looked picturesque, that is until the sky turned dark as the bride was stepping out of her limosine.
So at preceisely 6:30, we figured we would try and wait it out. Fifteen minutes or so, we decided our efforts were to no avail. The rain only started coming down harder. As the rain really started to dump on us, I could see that the guests were upset and that something needed to be done so I acted as wedding planner and ran back to the log cabin where the bride and her mother were gathering umberellas.
“How about we just switch it to under the tent on the the reception intro entrance way?” I asked. We quickly shifted gears. A few guests helped me move a few tables and it was on. As the town justice took his place with the groomsmen, it was evident that there was no way the people were going to hear him over the hurricane raindrops pounding on the vinyl roof above. Easy fix; give the justice a microphone.
Everything came off perfectly, except for one thing just before the bride could say, “I do.” As the bride’s aunt read a prayer into the mic, water began to flood all around the electrical panel set up, right behind my DJ Booth set-up. It seemed that the tent was a little off-level and all of the tent’s rain water was irrigating and collecting finding its exit-spout right behind me. That is when the water started to short out the power surges for the bar and myself.
We lost microphone power for all of 20-30 seconds, but people just smiled. I quickly re-routed the cord to the power line that lit the tent lights and all came off without a hitch.
Just as Murphy’s law would have it, five minutes after the ceremony, the rain stopped for about an hour, but it didn’t matter. In the end, people had a great time!
There is a new contemporary wedding advice decorating idea out there to “liven up” your wedding centerpiece, of late and the formula simply works like this… ADD FISH!
That is right. FISH!
Recently at a wedding in Mechanicville, NY, the bride and groom had fighter-fish in the same vase that the flowers were in for their centerpieces on the dinner tables.
Purchasing bowls rather than vases allows for the same decoration ability with a floral side to it, but also gives room for a fine-finned friend to enjoy the festivities.
The new man and wife had flowers that actually matched the fish in each bowl. It was incredible and a great conversation piece.
People also use goldfish too for their wedding centerpieces. With the countless different types of goldfish out there and the multiple different colors they come in, a trip to the petshop could really be worth it!
Stones, flowers, artificial gems and candles are all great accessories for the bowls. Check it out!
Want everyone to have a chance at ALL of the entrees? Thinking about having a buffet at your wedding? If you are, there is one thing you absolutely have to remember. Make sure you make your line is double-sided.
I have seen many many weddings get really tied up with time when the kitchen puts the buffet tables up against the wall. Not having access to both sides of the table from a guest’s stand point, means you will have double the wait.
This may not mean much in a small wedding, but if you have a guest list of 100 plus people, you will likely end up with half of the people done eating before the other half has even started.
A great way to set p the tables when possible is to put a double setting of each dish on the table back to back, so people on either side see the same dishes on the opposite side.
Believe me, if you set up your buffet line like this, there will barely be any wait and allow extra time for any even more fun evening.
Waterford Banquet caters throughout the Capital District and surrounding communities, but handles weddings and special events at The Saratoga Elks.
As far as the food is concerned, Waterford Banquets offers some really good prices and some great wedding favorites on their menu options. I believe their Prime Rib, which I would classify as medium-sized cut of beef, is somewhere around $23 a head, which really isn’t bad! Check out their website above for the menus options – or click here.
The Saratoga Elks, conveniently located near Northway Exit 15, has a bright and modern look with great lighting. It features a bar and a suitable wooden dance floor. There is great access to hall with a nearby back door, making things easy for decoration purposes.
Lodge Facilities
250 plus guests banquet hall with spacious seating
Great bar/lounge area with seating for up to 100
Located in historic Saratoga Springs, near all activities
Patio and Gazebo area for beautiful ceremony
A decent-sized banquet room to fit 175 plus guests…
Overall, I would suggest that the hall is a great size; not too small and not too big. It seems ideal for weddings between 125-200 guests.
I would rate them about 8 stars out of 10, only subtracting a little for an unusable disco ball (people wanted me to turn it on as the DJ, but it didn’t work) and a few minor eye sores, like the Elks Logo sign in the banquet hall and what I believe was a bingo board on the wall covered by curtains.
(EDITOR NOTE: Since this blog in 2011, the disco ball is back in working order!)
In Albany, NY come this time of year, people usually begin to call their wedding DJs and their wedding photographers to plan their weddings. Common places customers are looking for their wedding receptions often include higher-end golf green clubs and also large ski resorts, like Jiminey Peak. However, the early booking seems to be a little late this year.
With all the snow and coldness we have experienced in Upstate NY, party planning as a whole for a while their had been put off a little, for fear of inclement weather. Because of the late start, I expect to see more weddings being scheduled for later in the year, than usual.
It’s not all bad, however. If you are a bride or groom in The Capital Region, you can still be an optimist and look at the positive side of things. Right now in Lake Tahoe, California, the spring/summer wedding season might be one big snow day cancelation altogether! If snow on your wedding day means a lucky sign of fertility and prosperity, Lake Tahoe couples being married today, need to get out and play the lottery.
31 Feet of Snow Hits Lake Tahoe Wedding Hotspot
Yes, ladies & gentleman… Friends family…. This is exactly what over thirty feet of snow looks like, on the ground, at one time. This picture is real. It is not Alaska, or the North Pole, or the icey planet Hoth from the Empire Strikes Back. This shot was just taken in front of Tahoe Donner Ski Resort in California, where they hold many weddings, just like our Jiminey Peak.
Tahoe has received over 50 feet, that’s 600 inches of snow this season alone. Different storms recently dumped over 100 inches each, in only the span of few days. And it is not over. The Weather Channel says that there is even more on the way.
Can you even imagine driving up to your wedding on a road like this?
Hulk Hogan's appearance on American IdolHere is a review on Hulk Hogan’s recent appearance on American Idol, as well as the show itself. DJ Kenny Casanova is a pro wrestling personality and a professional disc jockey. This makes him the perfect expert to review the recent Hulk Hogan appearance on American Idol. “Huh? Wait. Did you say you are a pro wrestling wedding DJ?”
As you may or may not know, I have had an extensive history in sports broadcasting experience. I was a ring announcer and a pro wrestling personality, including experience with a few announcing spots right here in Albany, NY for the WWE at The Times Union Area. This, of course, coupled with my keen karaoke-laden and disc jokey musical background, makes me an expert to speak my mind and review the recent Hulk Hogan appearance on American Idol, and the new direction of the iconic show.
So, enough about me. What did I think of the show? First off, for those of you who missed it, here is a clip of Hulk Hogan’s appearance on American Idol:
Hulk Hogan’s Idol appearance was perfect… Not too short, and not too long. It was just enough Hulkamania to add flavor to the show. Arguably, Ryan Seacrest may have “over sold” the Hulkster’s punch and this may be considered ridiculous to the avid hardcore wrestling fan. However, Ryan’s work rate in this spot was the perfect balance of fun for mainstream and young viewers on network TV.
What you actually missed from this clip was a vignette of the two Idol contestants having a mock wrestling match in their hotel quarters. The big reveal was that these singers hit it off due to their love of pro wrestling. Therefore, the big surprise was that the biggest name in wrestling came out to give them the thumbs up, personally. I think the spot was classic. It was a great moment, overall.
Following up on a previous blog about American Idol that I posted here on whether or not the new judges had what it takes, I have to say that until now, I honestly had lost interest in following every broadcast. The audition tapes were good stuff, as always, but when it went live, I didn’t think the judges were living up to their post-Simon challenge this year, due to being overly nice to every contest. It seems that, for the most part, there wasn’t much of any judging going on.
The judges need to show some tough-love, rather than tell everyone that they “loved it.” No one this season had the pistachios to step up and pick up Simon’s slack. Nobody has been brutal enough to tell someone, “you had a poor performance,” when they really did, without couching it in a lame hard-searched compliment. Nobody had the guts to tell someone they suck. That is, until Hogan did a run-in on Ryan Seacrest.
On a positive note, however, I believe that the performance music quality may have been improved by the AI band, and also the singing has been better by some of the singers this year. Also, the entertainment value has gone up. This clip, which I missed live, made me actual wish I was viewing in.
