The Wedding of Tyler & Kathryn

The Rancho Bernardo Inn has been a witness to many love stories. From proposals, engagement announcements, and weddings, their 40-year experience as a wedding venue precedes it. I’d been at the Rancho Bernardo before but at a different location. Tyler and Kathryn chose this magnificent place as the setting for their grand day: their wedding day.

The Rancho Bernardo offers something for every taste. Of course, the landscape is impressive; anyone staring past beyond those green areas gets inspired by its beauty. But there are also cozy corners that offer intimacy and a sense of familiarity. As is if the couples are getting married at home.

A fun fact, John Lennon did not play on this song. It was that time when the two of them were not on the best terms, and the tension was reaching a boiling point. We are thankful because after they settled their differences, George Harrison collaborated in the ultimate Lennon’s hymn “Imagine.” 

“Here comes the Sun” is a testimony of the genius behind the often-underrated Harrison. It also speaks about witnessing something beautiful emerging after a long wait. We could totally sense the feeling as Tyler watched his lovely bride walking towards him, ready to seal their destinies together. 

I’ll treasure each and every day.

The Sun was shining, and the wind was indeed blowing, making Kathryn’s veil dance as she and Tyler pronounced their vows -talk about movie-like scenes!

After the ceremony was done, the couple and their guests began to enjoy the reception. The new Mr. and Mrs. chose “Joy of my life” by Chris Stapleton. In the song, the words speak about realizing how lucky a man can get as he finds the love of his life.

Sometimes, it is hard to pinpoint what stands out precisely in a couple. Tyler and Kathryn were different. There was something about them, relaxed, at ease with each other, and plainly happy that emanated good vibes.

The cake-cutting ceremony was a blast. Turns out Tyler followed a family tradition and chose a particular sword to cut the cake. There was nothing uptight about it! On the contrary, as I said, the couple reflected a peacefulness and a joy that were palpable to the rest of us. 

Believe it or not, Tupelo Honey was inspired by the domestic happiness the author enjoyed upon married the love of his life, Janet. Janet, the woman who inspired several other Morrison’s compositions, brought joy and tranquility to the prior Irish R&B band member. Tupelo honey comes from the flowers of a tupelo tree, this last one an abundant species in the Southern states. The last fun fact, for all the Friends’ fans out there, Tupelo Honey was mentioned by Ross as the most romantic song ever (his love interest, Rachel, said the most romantic song was The Way We Were). At any rate, romance did reign over Tyler and Kathryn’s wedding.

I can’t say which was my favorite part of the event. The tasteful decorations, the vows, the guests dancing their souls out with the greatest 1980s songs (you can’t fail with this decade). The way family, friends, and the couple sang Sweet Caroline at the end. It was a great wedding; it was a great day. 

Congratulations to the newlyweds, and thank you for inviting me to be a part of your wedding.

New + Wed Video Blog

The Wedding of Evan & Abby

She says she loves you.

Some brides enjoy the process of planning a wedding; other couples actually resent it. There’s nothing wrong with it; it is, after all, a crucial day, and there’s tons of stuff to do, organize and coordinate. For some reason, Abby and Evan gave the impression of genuinely delighting in the whole thing. Perhaps it was the way they spoke to each other, but mostly, you could see their personalities imprinted in every detail of the wedding.

It’s you she’s thinking of

Do you want to know something extraordinary? There was a lot of Beatles during the ceremony procession -as a Liverpool’s quartet fan myself, and a clients’ pleaser -we indeed include them. 

The song Evan and Abby selected for their grand entrance was even more fantastic: “Everybody” by the Backstreet Boys.  The tune and the video were a huge hit, and it is still a favorite when you want your audience to become enthusiastic and get in a party mood. Fun facts?

• The Backstreet Boys were huge in Europe before reaching the top in the States. This song was marked as a “comeback.”
• Once the video director met the band, he cataloged them as “little Michael Jacksons” and got the inspiration for the horror-based video from Thriller. Zombies, monsters, superb choreography, you get the gist.
• Believe it or not, the video meant so much more than four good-looking boys dancing. It was purposely racially diverse; if you remember, Los Angeles back then was insanely segregated due to the city’s riots. No one discussed this with the band -that was the beauty of it! Next time you watch the video, check out the dance partners. Nicely done, BSB!

Iconic, to say the least, this song is what actually started the Beatlemania. It has a fascinating -and funny -story behind it! Here you have, John Lennon and Paul McCartney obliviously writing their future hit at McCartney’s place. It was Sir Paul who suggested using a third party. So instead of composing another song that said “I love you,” they thought it would be more interesting to cast the song as a message -letting someone else know their beloved one still loved them! Isn’t that the best news anyone can receive? And how great it was to sign about someone else instead of them.

They basically crafted a little story, where one friend says, “She loves you,” and the other one replies, “yeah, yeah, yeah.” The funny thing is when the pair pitched the song to McCartney’s dad, who was present (picture Mr. McCartney senior, smoking cigarettes and watching some telly), he said: That’s very nice, son, but there’s enough of these Americanisms around. Couldn’t you sing, “She loves you. Yes! Yes! Yes!” Lennon and McCartney must’ve rolled their eyes at the comment!

Nonetheless, the message was beautiful -a message lacking selfishness, something along the lines of marriage. And on that note, we were very moved by Abby’s words during her vows. Abby said: “every moment I spent with you is a moment I treasure, and you should know how wonderful life is with you in the world.” What better discourse on love can exist? To let someone know the world is lucky to have them. 

We congratulate the happy couple and also remind them how lucky it is they have found each other. Love, a rare emotion displayed on a happy occasion. Thank you, Evan and Abby, for letting us accompany you, and bringing music, melody, and lyrics to your day. 

New + Wed Video Blog

The Wedding of Clayton and Renee

And I found you like a melody

Clayton and Renee’s wedding… where do I begin? 

And I wanna chase every high with you.

Clayton and Renee chose to have only their families as part of the wedding. Every choice shapes the tone of the celebration; in this case, Renee and Clayton opted for something more intimate. The cute flower girl and ring bearer walked through the flowery path, the groom and his mom, and finally, Renee appeared arm in arm with her dad. The beautiful melody by Christina Perry -A thousand years -resonated through the area, and I could tell Clayton was getting emotional with the view of such a stunning bride. 

I like written vows. There’s nothing wrong with traditional ones, but it must take courage first to come up with the right words and second to utter them without choking up mid-sentence. There’s a sort of built expectations around personalized vows, and these ones did not disappoint. My favorite part said by Clayton was: “You showed me what through love is through your generosity and your compassionate nature.” My favorite phrase from Renee was: “Vows her I promise you to encourage you to follow your dreams.” Both sentences, I thought, were fantastic and felt genuine. 

Not everything was serious, though. And it was terrific to watch Renee and Clayton practically hopping out from the ceremony -pure joy. Do you know what this meant? They were ready to p-a-r-t-y, and I was prepared to do my part.

After dinner and all the traditional protocols, Clayton and Renee took the dance floor to dance their first song as husband and wife. The chosen melody was “One band man” by Old Dominion. The band’s lead singer explained the concept behind it: “One of the things we talk about the most in this band is how we can’t imagine being on this crazy ride alone.” Isn’t it true what marriage is all about? The abandonment of oneself to become a couple; to have a partner for life. For better or worse. I don’t know what Clayton and Renee told each other during their first dance, but the complicity in their eyes was inspiring. 

That squared area with wooden floor transformed into a stage as soon as the party moved on. Watching all of the guests dancing and enjoying was terrific; the beats stumbled against the floor, around their waving arms, through their lips as they sang and celebrated their friends tying the knot. 

It was great to be part of your special day, Clayton and Renee. We wish you happiness and the best of lucks during the next chapter of your lives!

DJ Mark

Music that makes you smile

New + Wed Video Blog