Some venues feel like a stage. Trentadue feels like home, if my home was a heavenly winery… Redwoods behind the ceremony lawn, a gorgeous grape arbor over the dinner tables, a garden made for mingling, and an outdoor dance floor that knows exactly what to do once the sun drops. 2023 was my Trentadue summer. It felt like I had a wedding here every month, and some months twice. Here is how three of those nights went.
June 24, 2023: Kayla & John
Kayla and John kept their palette neutral and leafy, with champagne uplights glowing as the evening went on, and about 90 guests came along for it. Couples who book me get a say in what I wear, and these two picked the Pink Linen suit. Soft pink against all that greenery looked right at home.
Guests arrived to live guitar, and the ceremony took place on the North Lawn, up against the redwoods. Cocktail hour is where I got to be a little selfish. I set up in the shade of the dance floor patio and sang live covers while guests meandered through the garden. R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” was a favorite to sing, because it is a song I sang with my dad all the time when I was a boy. Incubus’s “Drive” was another, from a band that soundtracked my formative years as a musician. Singing songs that mean something to me for a crowd catching up with each other is one of the best parts of this job.
Dinner was family style under the grape arbor, then the dance floor opened on the patio. Kayla and John asked for nostalgia: eighties, nineties and 2000s songs that make you say, “I haven’t heard this in forever,” and then sing every word anyway. We closed the night with “Mr. Brightside.”
August 11, 2023: Gabriella & Alex
Gabriella and Alex brought blush pink and sage green to Trentadue, with about 70 adults to celebrate with them. They also chose the Pink Linen suit, so Pink Linen got a repeat run at Trentadue that summer. Their ceremony was on the North Lawn, in front of the redwoods, with a group blessing of the rings and a Colombian blessing. Gabriella walked in to “Enchanted.” At dinner I announced them as “your newlyweds, Gabriella and Alex,” to “Do You Believe in Magic,” and later the champagne tower went up to Prince Royce’s “Stand By Me.”
The photo booth lived in the gazebo, kitty corner from my DJ setup. That was on purpose: put the fun next to the dance floor and the party stays near the dance floor. We also ran a “how long have you known the couple” dance, which is a lovely way for a room to see who has been in the couple’s corner the longest. Around 9:00 the late night French fries came out, and the last dance was James Morrison’s “Precious Love.”
August 25, 2023: Stephanie & James
Stephanie and James went black tie for 120 guests, so I did too. They chose the Black Paisley Sport Coat / Smoking Jacket with a bow tie, which is about as close to a tuxedo as paisley gets. Stephanie walked down the aisle to a piano instrumental of “Here Comes the Sun.” At dinner the bridal party came in to Riton’s “Friday” and the couple followed with the B-52’s “Love Shack.” Dinner was family style under the grape arbor, with Sinatra, Dean Martin and big band swing in the background. Their must play song was the Isley Brothers’ “Shout,” the kind of song that turns a dance floor into a group project. Then there was Travis. My assistant Travis played live drums over my DJ set, and his encore over the Taylor Swift “Love Story” remix was epic. He kept building the energy on the dance floor all the way up to Rihanna’s “We Found Love.”
Where Is the Audio Coming From?
I like to keep the sound system out of your photos. My ceremony speakers are unpowered, which means I can run long audio cables to them and tuck them into hidden spots, including trees. Here is one of my hiding places at a Trentadue ceremony. Can you find the speakers? Read more in my hidden ceremony sound systems post.
Pick Your DJ’s Suit
Two of these couples chose Pink Linen and the third went black tie with the Black Paisley Sport Coat / Smoking Jacket, but the wardrobe goes much deeper: velour, linen, a navy suit and more. Browse the full suit collection and choose what I wear to your wedding.
Planning a Wedding at Trentadue Winery?
I know where the shade falls at Trentadue, how the sound carries across the lawns, and how to move a crowd from the redwoods to the arbor to the dance floor without losing anyone along the way. If you are planning a Geyserville wedding, tell me about your day and I will tell you how I would play it. Feel free to reach out at Brandon@TheCelebrationDJ.com.