Craziest Weddings Ever!

What am I talking about?

I absolutely love entertaining at all of our bookings.  I get the opportunity to meet new people, to create lasting memories, and of course I get to have fun.  Doing this for such a long time I have seen alot of things.  99.98% (a very statistical average) of the places we work are extremely normal.  Fun little things set them apart and often there are a few people that are really fun or friendly, and they are memorable for that reason.

Two events stand out in my memory that represent the .02% of events that go the opposite of anything I could have expected.

The Air is Electric!

About 8 years ago, we took an out of town event in Murphy North Carolina.  It was for a fantastic couple that were getting married at a new venue.  At this time the cool Barn wedding events were just starting to become popular and they had chosen a location that was perfect for them.

As the event got closer the wedding couple were concerned that the new venue would not be ready.  The construction was taking longer than expected.  When we had our final planning meeting the couple was relieved to have recently learned while the venue was not completed, it would have a finished shell that would provide shade or cover from inclement weather.  The only parts not completed are the exterior walls.  Think of a sort of pavilion to hold your reception.  It was still going to be beautiful and rustic.

The big day came and we loaded up the trailer and started driving.  The weather was a little wet all that day.  Some downpours came along the way, while most of the trip was spent driving in light rain.  We checked the weather report and did see what looked like a large weather front coming thru again during the reception.  

When we arrived the weather cleared and we unloaded and set up inside the barn.  The inside was fantastic, however looking at the progress the construction crew had made revealed the roof was not complete.   It had tar paper on it but no shingles.  Also, we were to use the temporary power pole just outside our setup location.  It is one of those power meters that are used only during construction.

The wedding attendees soon arrive and we do our thing.  Everything is going according to plan.  Dinner is being served buffet style and now it’s time to pick it up a notch and open the dance floor.  About this time the sky opens up.  Not only was it a very powerful and memorable storm because of the heavy rain and high winds, it didn’t take long for the water to start leaking in spots thru the roof.  

I’m hired to provide entertainment, and since not much will stop me from doing that, we solved the leaking roof problem by moving our speakers and lighting away from the drips.  Often new drips would appear and another move was needed.  By the end of the night my gear was strewn all over the space nothing ending up where it started.

On many of these events my wife Jamie comes and helps me.  She is great at running the gear and selecting music.  She was up to bat and was keeping the party going.  Not long into her time a blinding light, an enormous boom, and a huge shreeaaak!  Everything goes black.  The place silent except for the continued thunder and lightening.  Jamie is shaking and obviously a super shocked.  Definitely unlike her.   It didn’t take us long to figure out what had happened.

Lightening struck the temporary power pole and much of that power went thru to the metal equipment she was controlling.

She was certainly ok after a few minutes, and the good news is it only destroyed our power distributor.  

The venue was able to get the power going again and we finished the event.  

I am wondering if lightening ever strikes twice.  Hope not…

Keg Stand Anybody???

This was probably among the first 10 weddings I ever did.  It was so long ago I really don’t know when.  Originally we started our business in Louisiana, and this wedding reception was to be help at the local VFW hall.   It was quite some distance outside of Baton Rouge where we lived.  A beautiful area for sure.

Like the previous, everything went according to plan.  We are all set up and waiting for the wedding couple to arrive.  Everyone comes and begins enjoying the light appetizers that were set out.  The first dance has been completed along with some of the other items we always do.  Time to open up that dance floor.  Wasn’t long before things changed for the worst.

While everyone was dancing, right in the middle a fight breaks out between two girls.  This is a real fight, hair pulling, punching, the whole nine yards.  Of course I have never been in a situation like this being a new DJ, so what should I do?  I just turned off the music and watched.  A few family members broke the two up.  Turns out the boyfriend was dancing a little too closely with another girl, so the girlfriend decided to let the other lady know that wasn’t ok.  Music continues, so does the dancing.  Timed perfectly to the beat was a line of Keg Stands in the back.  Alot of drinking going on here.  Did I say alot of drinking?   Now I’m no prude, drinking is fine with me, but this is alot!   Never seen so many Keg Stands in my life.  

All that liquid courage builds up and guess what, another fight.  At this point I am wondering should I just pack up and go?  Well I don’t want to stop early and of course this isn’t the wedding couple’s fault right?  We kept on going and this is where the craziest thing we have ever seen happened.  At the end of the buffet was a table full of two liter sodas.  No-one was drinking them, and why let them go to waste right?  The rational decision would be nothing less than shaking them up and dumping them out over everyone and everything around.  The bride, groom, everything and everywhere was doused via the soda war.  This was unbelievable.  Oh look what time it is, my time is up!

Luckily we were on an elevated stage and were spared any soda.

This story is so unbelievable I sure wish I had pictures.  I only have my memory.