Just off the shores of Lake Wawasee on 27 acres of forested land in Syracuse, Oakwood Resort provides a stunning backdrop for almost any type of event. The only type of event it's not good for is one that doesn't want beautiful lake views, well-manicured grounds or a helpful staff to make sure the event goes off without a hitch. Those events may be out there, but we have yet to find one - ha!
We met Carrie and Nick via Facetime for their initial consultation. We knew that they were going to be a great couple to work with for a lot of reasons. Not only were they fun, they also became aware of The Music Place from their support and participation of the Wawasee Kiwanis Trivia Fundraiser we are a part of every year.
When it came time for the final consultation, we actually met with Carrie and Nick via Facetime again. While we love to meet couples in-person, Facetime (or Skype, Google Hangout, etc) works great when schedules don't align perfectly and allows us to get to know the couple before the big day.
Another unique aspect of this celebration was the fact that it was taking place on September 21, aka the fabled “21st Night of September” referenced in the Earth, Wind, and Fire hit “September”, a wedding reception song staple. We’re not sure how often September 21 occurs on a Saturday night, we don’t remember the last time it happened, which made this night even more special.
Carrie and Nick were married at St. Martins in Syracuse and has their reception at the Event Center at Oakwood Resort. Guests arrived around 4pm and enjoyed a cocktail hour with contemporary music to set the stage for a great evening.
Oakwood Resort catered the buffet-style meal and guests raved about how delicious it was. After dinner, the Best Man and Maid of Honor gave heartwarming speeches and the night officially started. By the way, and nearly needless to say, Carrie and Nick entered the reception to the sounds of “September” and the guests LOVED it. Sticky Boots was sure to drop a special remix of it later in the night too, to a full dance floor!
Nick comes from a Polish family (with a last name like Goralczyk, you'd be surprised if he wasn't!) and this Polish family was ready to dance! We did some fun interactive dances like the Git Up Challenge and the Chicken Dance (a family tradition for the groom), but the Polish polkas really rev'd up the party.
It was important to Carrie and Nick to have a great reception, but they did not drag the evening on for too long. They made the best choice by limiting the reception to just about two hours of dancing. This proactive choice leaves guests wanting more and we love when couples want their guests to leave not wanting the party to end - it creates such a fun high-energy ending that everyone will remember forever.
Nicholas Goralczyk · married on 09/21/2019
5.0 Stars
Exactly what we wanted!
Blake did a phenomenal job. Almost a week after the wedding and I'm still getting compliments about how good our DJ was. He was helpful and met every expectation, then exceeded them.
It was the exact evening we wanted and The Music Place was a huge part of that success.
Reception song selections:
Grand Entrance: Bring ‘Em Out – TI & Jay Z.; September – Earth, Wind, and Fire
Cake Cutting: Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leppard
First Dance: You Are The Best Thing – Ray Lamontagne
Father-Daughter Dance: My Wish – Rascal Flatts
Mother-Son Dance: You’ve Got A Friend In Me – Randy Newman
Anniversary Dance: When A Man Loves A Woman – Percy Sledge
Bouquet Toss: Wishin’ & Hopin’ – Dusty Springfield
Garter Toss: Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye
Vendors:
Oakwood Resort and Conference Center
Tracy Green Photography