Chicago couple Cathryn and Chris met while attending Notre Dame, so it only made sense that they’d call all their friends and family back to South Bend for their wedding at the stunning Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the ND campus. The celebration would then continue in downtown South Bend with guests arriving by trolley at the newly renovated Doubletree Hotel atrium where DJ Iceberg was set and ready with our Gold wedding package to put his stamp on the evening.
We work with a large number of Notre Dame couples from out of state each year, and the ability with technology like Skype and Facetime to get to know our clients virtually from across the country makes the planning process simple. This was the case for Cathryn and Chris, and considering they had nearly 300 guests attending this shindig, attention to detail was critical.
There were so many unique touches to this reception it’s hard to name them all, but highlights included a themed Grand Entrance that recreated the bridal party entrance from Jim and Pam’s wedding on The Office; heartfelt speeches from the Best Man, Maid of Honor, and Father of the Bride; a touching blessing from their Notre Dame priest; and most notably, a family wedding reception tradition called the “Hat Dance”.
In brief, the Hat Dance has been preformed at every wedding for Chris’ family since 1983, after Bill Hayes somehow ended up on the dance floor wearing a woman’s hat at a reception in that same year. Bill’s selfless act of self-humiliation really broke the ice at that reception, and now Chris’ family says the party can’t really get started until Bill wears a lady’s at on the dance floor! Iceberg had a blast inviting Bill to the floor to start off the Hat Dance and then brought out all the friends and families together to the sounds of “We Are Family”. We LOVE unique traditions like these, and as predicted, the Hat Dance really set the tone for a tremendous night of dancing and celebration!
Cathryn · married on 07/14/2018
4.8 Stars
My husband and I hired the Music Place for our wedding reception in July. We were impressed with Blake's company from the start, as he was consistently responsive, friendly, and professional throughout the whole planning process. We purchased the "Gold Package" based on our budget, and felt it was certainly a good value for the quality of service we received. Jeff served as our DJ, but Blake coordinated the planning between us along the way. We felt assured that the two of them were prepared and took the time to understand the vibe we were looking for. We made our "Please play" and "please do not play" lists, and we were so happy with the way Jeff managed our reception! He was punctual and helped us keep on schedule, especially when the hotel had some hiccups in which the food was delayed a half hour- Jeff stayed calm and helped us move around the timeline to keep the guests entertained. When the dance floor opened, it was filled immediately, and it was truly FULL from 8:00 - 10:30 pm. Jeff played many of the songs we requested but also took requests from the crowd that fit with the vibe we had discussed. We would definitely recommend the Music Place to anyone!
Reception song selections:
Grand Entrance: Forever – Chris Brown
Cake Cutting: How Sweet It Is – Marvin Gaye
First Dance: How Sweet It Is – James Taylor
Father-Daughter Dance: Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder
Mother-Son Dance: My Wish – Rascal Flatts
Hat Dance: We Are Family – Sister Sledge
Vendors:
South Bend Doubletree by Hilton
Katie Whitcomb Photography