Real Wedding: Jay and Dayna

What do you get when you mix Sri Lankan, Lithuanian, Greek and Aussie heritage, with a penchant for pop-punk music? You get a unique, amazingly good time that was the wedding of Jay and Dayna!

It was a beautiful spring Sunday afternoon in Bowral, and two high-school sweethearts were ready to officially begin something that had been years in the making.

The sun was shining, but there was plenty of shade at the grounds of the beautiful Centennial Vineyards. The lovely bride Dayna stepped out of a stretch Rolls-Royce. However, the day only continued to impress from there.

The Ceremony

Dayna’s dress elegantly trailed behind her as she strode up to meet her handsome groom Jay in his crisp tuxedo. The ceremony was conducted by the warm and upbeat Andrea Beaumont, who gave a beautifully personalized service. Andrea then set the mood right for a comfortable and exciting evening, as she continued on as the master of ceremonies for the reception. The vibes were high!

The Canapes

Cocktail hour was held in the courtyard, adjacent to the ceremony area. This is where my job began, setting the tone with some relaxing music, sneaking in a few bangers, and prepping everyone for the party to come – think ABBA and the Backstreet Boys. Neaton Photgraphy was working the magic all the while getting some group photos and video, and the all-important couple portrait shots at golden hour.

The catering staff were roving with trays of canapes and sparkling wine, while guests mingled and started tapping their toes and nodding their heads to the tunes. Meanwhile, Belinda was working away doing live sketches of wedding guests.

The Reception

When we moved inside to the hall for the reception, the evening was kicked off with a lamp-lighting ceremony, a Sri Lankan tradition that honours both families of the couple and signifies the two families joining and becoming one.

After the lamp-lighting ceremony, the proceedings for the evening were hosted by our celebrant, Andrea, who helped the night flow smoothly as we rolled from dinner into speeches, into cake cutting.

The Party

Then came the time for dancing and partying! In the weeks and months leading up to their wedding, Jay and Dayna were lovely to work with, and had full trust in me to bring the party to them when it came time to dance. Together we worked on a playlist and ensured we understood each other to get the best outcome for their guests on the night.

For me, this wedding presented a unique challenge in that I was briefed to play a mix of current pop and some 2000s pop-punk music, but also mixing in some cultural music from their heritage, which included Sri Lankan, Greek and Lithuanian music mixed in along with the top40. This was no easy feat, but the crowd definitely helped by being ready to party and dancing along to everything for the night. There truly was no stopping this party!

On the topic of the dance floor, the initial draft schedule sent to me had allowed for only one hour of dancing. This would not do! The party was very important to both Dayna and Jay, and one hour of dancing would become even less if things did not run to schedule (which weddings rarely do!).

I, along with Andrea, managed to negotiate on their behalf with the venue and catering team and together we came up with a new run sheet that doubled their partying time. It must be said, the coordinators at Centennial Vineyards were super accomodating to all our needs.

The Wrap-up

All in all, things worked out perfectly and an amazing, unforgettable night was enjoyed by all. This was truly one of the most memorable weddings I have attended – and I am certain many guests would have similar sentiments! Jay and Dayna, it was an honor and a privlige 🙂