DJ + Sax Hybrid Bring the Party to Rosewood Wedding
Photographer: Sarah Ellefson
Party Proper began an entertainment company focusing on DJ talent and has since grown to include a suit of live musicians. This summer wedding in Montecito highlights many of the things we love to offer: acoustic singer songwriter for cocktail hour, saxophone & percussion to kick off the dance floor, and DJ taking it away for the final two hours of the dance floor. Really when combined right, the DJ + Live Music Hybrid highlights the best that both can offer.
Here are all the details from Courtney and Shane’s wedding at the Rosewood Miramar Hotel. You might want to take notes because this one was one for the books.
The day began at the Rosewood Miramar Hotel where the bride and groom prepared for the day ahead.
Then bride, groom, and wedding party made the short trip to to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a nearby church to exchange vows.
After the “I Do’s” the real party began, as guests and wedding party headed back to the Rosewood for a cocktail hour featuring live music and Aperol Spritzes.
The lawn at the Rosewood offers an atmosphere that is both elegant and laid back– the perfect place to unwind and transition between the ceremony and an evening of dancing. One of our favorite parts of this venue is how its wide range of event spaces helps create many different atmospheres within a single evening. This, alongside the fact that wedding planner Tyler Speier and his team had every. single. detail. dialed in made the transitions from ceremony, to cocktails, to dinner, to dancing absolutely seamless. During cocktail hour, guitarist Dante Brunetto played everything from Al Green and Aretha Franklin to Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber. The sun was shining and drinks were flowing, promising a fun, free, and wild dance floor.
After a healthy dose of sunshine, small plates, and mixed drinks, it was time for the next part of the evening, which took place in the Rosewood’s Chandelier Ballroom. This room is absolutely stunning, and once again, wedding planner Tyler Speier struck the perfect balance of classic elegance and simplicity, without feeling stiff or overdone.
One of the most memorable moments of the night?
The USC Marching Band’s guest appearance. They played the USC Fight Song just before the Grand Entrance and the crowd went wild. This definitely got everyone riled up and ready to dance, and was a completely unexpected twist that was a great precursor for the DJ + live music combo that was coming later.
The wedding party walked out to Dua Lipa’s “Levitating”, each one busting out their best moves on the dance floor, and by the time the bride and groom walked out the room was roaring with enthusiasm.
The First Dance, Father-Daughter Dance, and Mother-Son Dance are some of the most impactful moments of any wedding, and this wedding was no exception. For the First Dance, the couple chose “Beyond” by Leon Bridges. Courtney and her Dad chose “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong for their dance, and Shane’s Mom surprised him with a custom recording of Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers,” performed by one of their close family friends.
After reading a couple of toasts, and shedding a few happy tears, it was finally time to take the dance floor.
And when we say that people hit the floor… they really did. Sweat was dripping, fists were pumping, and general wildness all. night. long. In the words of the bride, “there was never a dull moment on the dance floor!”
One of our favorite parts of the combination of a DJ with live drums and live sax means that the possibilities are quite literally endless. The night can unfold in whatever way feels most natural, and the added energy, engagement, and movement that live music add to the dance floor is truly unmatched.
After an hour, the live instruments turn in for the night and the DJ took it away solo, bringing guests on a sonic journey of total joy and sweaty chaos. :)
A special thanks to all the wonderful vendors and talented artists we got to work with at this wedding.
This event would not have been the same without them.
Planner: Tyler Speier
Photographer: Sarah Ellefson
Saxophone: Gerry Smith
Drums: Elias
Guitarist: Dante Brunetto
Marching Band: USC Marching Band
Videographer: B Studios
Venue: Rosewood Miramar Beach
Artist: K Designs
Transportation: Santa Barbara Trolley Company