Michigan or The Islands – An Island Themed Wedding Reception

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tropical michigan wedding reception theme

It was a beautiful day in Troy, MI as Tony and Christy got married in Dearborn, MI and partied at Petruzello’s in Troy.

Location – Petruzello’s in Troy, MI
Bride & Groom – both soon to be doctors and unbeknownst to them I dj’d for 2 of their guests last year in Ann Arbor. Anna and Joe. Anna met them in medical school. Anyway, Tony and Christy were super cool, super polite and personable and just great people to be with. Apples don’t fall far from the tree as their friends and family were just as great to work with.
Facility – well it’s Petruzello’s – The Location is superb and the facility is really well managed with Frank and ma man… Michael! It was well lit as well. Advanced Lighting and Sound tweaked it out with some lights that complimented what Petruzello’s already had. I liked especially the under the table (head table and cake table) lighting. I always think that’s a cool effect. Even if it’s all you light.
Different – they did a nautical theme and had tropical colors in the room, a palm tree gobo on the floor and complimentary colors to give it that Caribbean Jimmy Buffett feel (yeah, I trademarked that description).
Timing – Traffic that day was hellacious all over metro Detroit. I am glad I leave with a ton of extra time for such setbacks because even the surface sideroads were bad. So, they were about 25 minutes late getting there. Between Michael (the banquet manager) and I we bumped some things around and worked it out with the kitchen and staff. Bride was a little stressed over it but I kept reminding her to relax, this was her day.  That’s why one should hire wedding pros – we know how to make things smooth no matter what goes down.
Party Favors – They donated “favor funds” to a needy cause.
Music – because of the island themed reception, she wanted reggae and steel band. After being a dj on the Infinity and Ovation Yachts for over a decade, i was well prepared for this music and have to tell you — it was super. It put people into a bright happy mood. Steel band is soothing and it fit with their style. She also had about 25 songs she new she wanted with everything from Rod Stewart to Flo-Rida, Usher and Eric Clapton for her dad. The great thing is the songs were super choices and really didn’t limit my ability as a dj. I should say the choices didn;t handicap me – they were fitting for the crowd as well as the bride and groom. All in all I think the steel band music made me really re-think what i do as a dj. I already know the dj sets the rhythm and pace of the evening but I was re-reminded how being just a bit different can really impact the flavor of an evening. I heard a guy on his cell phone telling whoever that “yeah, they got this whole laid back island thing going with the music and decor, it’s really cool”. Hiring the right dj is everything to making your Michigan Wedding Reception be all it can be.

Food – baked chicken, beef, potatoes,  pasta – well Petruzello’s always does a super job with their food. It wouldn;t be a diet my cardiologist would recommend on a daily basis but then again if you want tasty find me a meal that would? I really liked the salad actually. It was a huge family style bowl with plenty for guests seeking seconds.
Cocktail hour – guests were greeted with a pink martini ala the island theme. Music was very much the same as dinner with the reggae stuff and steel band as well as Jimmy Cliff, Steel Pulse, Buffett, Marley, Lucky Brown (Michigan Reggae Guy) and a few others.

Michigan Wedding DJ – “The Most Professional DJ in Michigan”
248-648-1669

New Years Eve Reception at The Colony Club in Detroit

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted an update and I have a few events I want to share with you. Well, this wedding reception on New Years Eve in the “D” was pretty darn cool. The bride and groom were totally cool and were actually referred to me by wedding coordinator Misty Trompeter of Bells & Bliss . She said “Dan, i just think you guys would be a good fit.” Well she was right.

I’d have to tell you that one of the greatest things about this reception besides the dancing was the food. Here we are at this very high end event venue and in each corner of the room were food stations. Station 1 had the busiest of all food offerings. They had tacos — not off the shelf standard Ortega variety taco shells but real mexican village style with nacho chips that were out of this world. In fact I need to contact the chef to find out where he got them. Corner number 2 with the second busiest station had stir fry with peanut and soy sauce to lay over the great chicken, shrimp and rice. Station number 3 was a pasta bar and the least busy station was I think prime rib and turkey. I am telling you people were getting 3rds and 4ths as I played music with Detroit Roots per the bride’s and groom’s request. Because I couldn’t help myself I threw out some cool salsa and merengue music into the mix (must have been those tacos) including Ray Barretto and Grover Washington. So their you have it – the food really stood out because they took the leap and went for it. Don’t get me wrong most of the food I eat in this industry is excellent but this was “excellenter” (I love adding er to words).

In addition they did this evening in a strolling fashion. What that means is there is no real assigned seating, stations open up and people are free to go anywhere in the room.
AND it also allows anyone at anytime to get up and start dancing. This is not always a good thing though for a number of reasons but it worked out fine at this Detroit Michigan Wedding Reception with Michigan Wedding DJ – yours truly.
Musically we were all over the board but the younger generation was doing most of the voting with their bodies so there was a decent dose of hip-hop both old and new sprinkled in with their more classic motown requests.

OH… one more thing they did right was to give me some direction on what they were after musically but also they made sure it was ultimately up to me to do what was necessary to get people out dancing.

Courtesy of Mod4.com
Courtesy of Mod4.com

Northville Hills Golf Club of Michigan – Pre Wedding Reception Video Tour

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Northville Hills Golf Club in Northville, MI is a beautiful place for a wedding reception. The video tour I’ll share with you will give you an idea what a wedding reception there looks like. I was super early so it wasn’t totally set up yet but if you’re a bride looking for a pretty venue for your Michigan Wedding Reception then you may want to give this venue a look. It was neat, clean, and well laid out. Michigan Wedding DJ (ME) drove from Royal Oak and got there in just under 40 minutes. The food was good, the manager Diane was wonderful, the staff had great personalities and the dynamics from a dj perspective were great. Smaller dance floor, near the bar with guests not too close to the speakers… ahh it was nice.

The main dining/dancing room had a nice patio right off the main room which was convenient for guests to go enjoy the outdoors. You’ll note the room is long and narrow with high ceilings.

Northville Hills Driving Directions via Google Here

It is west of Sheldon north off 5 Mile rd.

15565 Bay Hill Dr
Northville, MI 48168-8655

(734) 667-4653

* approximate times

northvillehillsgolfclub.com‎

Photo

Enjoy the virtual tour by Michigan Wedding DJ – Dan Nichols of Northville Hills Golf Club in Northville, MI.

Fox Hills Plymouth MI Virtual Video Tour of Banquet Facility

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I in error published my venue review of Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center in Plymouth, MI as a page not a post. So I am posting it here as well.

Fox Hills (I kept calling it country club) is located off N. Territorial Rd. in Plymouth, MI not far from Ann Arbor or the Metro Detroit Suburbs. I was able to make it without any problems in about 40 minutes from Royal Oak. I have always really liked this facility. As a dj I am inclined to say this because it always seems I have a great dancing crowd here. The facility itself plays a role in the success of a wedding reception as well. It’s not just all dj or all crowd. The variables contributing to a great wedding reception definitely include the room itself. Anyway… Fox Hills has 2 facilites onsite. One is the Fox Hills Classic (the older but renovated site) and the other is the Fox Hills Golden. I am sure I played in the Fox Hills Classic before but it has been a very long time. This review will cover the Fox Hills “Golden”, the newer of the 2 banquet facilities onsite.

On its own, with no decorations, no chair covers or flowers etc., I would say its a cut above average. However because of its location on the golf course and amazing views, with just a little bit of dress up it is on par with most any other place in the area. The food has never let me down and coming from a professional banqueteer that is saying something. The rolls actually stand out as excellent and coming from a guy that has tried rolls in hundreds of different places, that is some serious testimony.

The drive into and up to the facility is top shelf as it is nestled into a very country setting. It gets a 9.5 for drive up. I’d give it a 10 but it would need a few more trees. They really clear cut for this golf course and a ten only goes to the entrances with canopies of trees like Addison Oaks in Leonard, MI.

One thing that stood out especially for older guests is the bathrooms are fairly far away. This bride told me no hustles or line dances so… I never got that 5 minute break to make it there and back! How’s that for more than you needed to know?

Like most of the Michigan Weddings I dj at, it’s like splitting hairs when saying which one is the best. It’s like art – it’s comes down to a personal decision. In fact of the handful of Michigan Weddings I review on my Michigan Wedding DJ blog, you should make your decision based more on logistics from the church or core group of your wedding guests. When you see a review on my site I can assure you it’s a nice place. Why I like one place over another is probably tied more to my experiences there as a dj than anything else. It’s a feel thing. I personally love Fox Hills because I have really had great wedding receptions at that location. Not only were the bride and groom great but the guests were too and people danced!

A couple notables on Fox Hills taken directly from their website is:

Protecting the environment has always been a top priority of the family. In 1996, Fox Hills achieved the designation as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by the International Audubon Program sanctioned by the United States Golf Association. At that time, Fox Hills was third in the State of Michigan and among the first 40 in the nation to achieve this award.

Fox Hills was named “National Course of the Year” for its overall management, excellent facilities, programs and environmental practices in 2002 by the National Golf Course Owners Association. The Michigan Golf Course Owners Association named Fox Hills “Michigan Golf Course of the Year” two years in a row in 2001 and 2002.

The Environmental Improvement “Gold” Award recognized the Golden Fox gazebo’s beautiful multi-level perennial garden enhanced by giant boulders and plants selected to attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

The National Association of Women Business Owners named Fox Hills as one of the top 25 women-owned businesses in the State of Michigan.

I hope you’ll find these virtual tours beneficial. Feel free to help me improve them too by leaving a blog post for other things you’d like to hear or see on the tours.

Fox Hills is located at 8768 N. Territorial Rd. Plymouth, MI 48170 their phone number is: (734) 453-7272

Map is HERE

Enjoy the Fox Hills Golden Video Review Below!

Walnut Creek Country Club South Lyon, MI

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If you’re considering a wedding in South Lyon, MI you may or may not have heard of Walnut Creek Country Club. I played an event there in August of 2008 as the Club Banquet Manager needed a better dj experience than he had the last couple of years for a summer members only party. He was actually referred to me by another wedding professional who values my work. What can I say – the drive up was lush green and beautiful. The inside of the club was absolutely beautiful as well. Marble, granite, wood crown moldings, ornate mirrors, high ceilings and more. What struck me was it was “rich” in feel but more contemporary in it’s look. The chef is apparently amazing as he had a huge culinary trophy in the halls from a 2006 award he received. The food was truly outstanding. I’ll give it a 10. It was as good as the best I have eaten and I can assure you as the Michigan Wedding DJ I have dined in most venues in Michigan. Michigan Wedding DJ brings you a virtual tour of this facility. I hope you enjoy it. NOTE: though I have been deejaying in Michigan a long time (nearly 2 decades) this was my first event at this facility. It was a short drive from Royal Oak and took just under 40 minutes from my home near the I-75/696 interchange.

They are located:

25501 Johns Rd
South Lyon, MI 48178
(248) 437-7337
Get directions

Their website is here – Walnut Creek Country Club

Michigan Wedding DJ virtual tour of Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, MI is below.

The Walnut Creek Country Club of South Lyon, MI VIRTUAL TOUR VIDEO (click the pink link if video doesn’t show below)

Lovett Hall Dearborn, MI – Michigan Wedding DJ Virtual Tour

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If you’re considering a wedding in Dearborn, MI at Greenfield Village you probably already know one of the beautful places to have a wedding reception is Lovett Hall. This historic building is kept in amazing condition through continuous maintenance and will prove a special place for the right bride and groom. Michigan Wedding DJ brings you a virtual tour of this facility. I hope you enjoy it. NOTE: as a dj of 18 years I have never had bad food at any of the Henry Ford Facilities. They are run really well. In fact the food as I recall is excellent and the service seems to be very good as well. They are located:

20900 Oakwood Blvd
Dearborn, MI 48124
Phone Number (313) 271-1621

Info Below From the Lovett Hall Site

Lovett Hall Ballroom
The elegance and glamour of the Lovett Hall ballroom can now be yours. From the moment your guests enter this remarkable 1930s gem, they are surrounded by unsurpassed refinement.

  • Facility fee, $800-$2,000 for daytime or evening events
  • Serves up to 350 banquet or 600 reception, 300 with dance floor
  • Minimum food expenditure applies

Michigan Wedding DJ virtual tour of Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village is below.

THE LOVETT HALL OF DEARBORN, MI at GREENFIELD VILLAGE VIRTUAL TOUR VIDEO (click the pink link if video doesn’t show below)