Samantha & Chance
A wedding built around music
November 7th, 2025
Our OMG moment:
You could feel the energy from the start. Samantha and Chance put serious thought into their playlists — every song had meaning for them and their families. From the Red Clay Strays’ “Wondering Why” for their first dance to Paul Simon’s “Fathers and Daughters” and Noah Kahan’s “You’re Gonna Go Far” for the parent dances, the emotion was there all night.
And once the party started, it didn’t stop. Erin and Spencer kept the dance floor packed with a perfect balance of the couple’s requests and crowd-pleasing favorites. By the end of the night, no one wanted to leave — the final song, “Rivers and Roads” by The Head and the Heart, had everyone singing and swaying together.
Every now and then, there’s a song that just sticks — and for Dan & Ken, it was “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer.
When those first notes floated through the room, everything slowed down for a second. Guests smiled, couples held each other closer, and it turned into one of those rare, cinematic moments you don’t forget.
And just a few minutes later, the dance floor was anything but slow. Let’s just say the “drop it low” moment hit hard — and they’re still recovering from it (their words, not ours!).
What we’ll remember:
Samantha described herself and Chance as “pretty picky and high maintenance” (her words, not ours 😅), but she and Chance were a dream to work with. They knew what they wanted: good vibes, meaningful music, and a celebration that truly felt like them.
We loved being part of this day and can’t get over how perfectly everything came together at DelRay 817.
The Playlists:
Samantha and Chance picked songs that actually meant something — and you could feel it. Every moment had heart.
The awesome crew behind it all:
Venue: DelRey 817 with Alicia Happ
Wedding Planner: Juliana Rosentrater
DJs: Spence and Erin with @alternativeweddingdjs
String Quartet: Summit String Quartet
Photographer: Emma Leigh Photo
Florist/Decor: Rose Joy
From the couple:
“Erin and Spencer were amazing professionals that handled everything perfectly with our venue. We were pretty picky and high maintenance and they kept our dance floor packed and everyone happy! We cannot recommend them enough and loved working with them!”
- Samantha Redfern & Chance Kennicutt
Mia & Aaron
When the rain joined the party
November 8th, 2025
Our OMG moment:
Mia and Aaron brought so much warmth to a chilly November night. From the start, you could tell how intentional they are — every choice had a story behind it. The guys wore thrifted brooches, each one personally chosen by Mia for its meaning. Their sunset ceremony was timed perfectly because it’s their favorite moment to watch the sky together. Little things like that said a lot about who they are.
And just when it looked like the weather might mess with the plan, the universe had other ideas. A little rain turned into something beautiful — portraits under a rainbow. Like their photographer Molly said, “They surrendered to the universe.” We couldn’t have said it better.
What we’ll remember:
This wedding had a perfect mix of heart and fun. A surprise Mamma Mia flash mob (organized by Mia’s sister) turned the night into a full-blown party, and the Umbrella Photobooth team made sure everyone left with Polaroids and laughs.
Once the music kicked in, DJs Spencelove and Riche Niche from @alternativeweddingdjs took it from heartfelt to hype — blending personal picks with dance floor favorites. Between the Husker football buzz, the wine, and nonstop energy, it was one of those nights that just kept going.
The Playlists:
Their list was the perfect blend of “these are our songs” and “okay, let’s get this place moving.” Nothing felt out of place — it just worked.
A little note from Mia:
“Everything was amazing — and I’m still physically recovering from dancing all night. I still can’t walk normal. Spencer and Erin totally killed it!!”
Vendor squad:
Venue: @bosonaevents
Photographer: @itsmollysheppard
Second shooter: @bigramsheep
Planner: The bride, Mia
Creative / Print Materials: Designed by Aaron and printed at Firespring
Florals: Trader Joe’s florals arranged by Aaron’s sister
Catering / baked goods: @venuecaters
Linens & Dinnerware: Coordinated through Elite Rentals (via Venue Catering)
DJs: Spencelove and Riche Niche with @alternativeweddingdjs
Photobooth: @umbrellaphotobooth
Dress: @ellynnebridal
Menswear: @shannonformalwear
Hair: Kim Strazdas with @avantomaha
MUA: @aliciasmakeupartistryllc
Special Details:
– Men’s brooches were a mix of thrifted finds and pieces from Aaron’s late grandmother, each chosen with personal meaning
– The bride’s jewelry was all family heirlooms
From the couple:
We left that night reminded of why we do this — couples who don’t just plan a wedding, but create a whole experience around love, laughter, and their favorite people. Rain and all, Mia and Aaron made it magic.
Big thanks to Molly Sheppard (@itsmollysheppard) for capturing this day exactly as it felt — warm, intentional, and full of life.
Dan & Ken
October 25th, 2025
Our OMG moment:
Every now and then, there’s a song that just sticks — and for Dan & Ken, it was “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer.
When those first notes floated through the room, everything slowed down for a second. Guests smiled, couples held each other closer, and it turned into one of those rare, cinematic moments you don’t forget.
And just a few minutes later, the dance floor was anything but slow. Let’s just say the “drop it low” moment hit hard — and they’re still recovering from it (their words, not ours!).
What we’ll remember:
From the start, this night had heart — and humor. The Admiral’s Sam (the site manager) deserves an award for being one of the most memorable, helpful people we’ve ever worked with. Everything ran like clockwork.
Dinner by Eddie’s Catering kept everyone happy, but the late-night Orsi’s pizza drop was next-level genius. And for those who knew about it, the secret menu of Polish sausage, sauerkraut, and dumplings? Chef’s kiss.
Family and friends came together to create custom centerpieces, the bar menu, and even a throwback cigarette station — every detail had a personal touch.
It was one of those nights that reminded us why we do what we do — big energy, bigger love, and a crowd that truly came to dance.
The Playlists:
Every song felt like them — a blend of fun, love, and total freedom on the dance floor.
What it sounded like:
The crew that brought the vibe
Venue: The Admiral (@theadmiralomaha) — Sam and team, total pros.
Catering: Eddie’s Catering + Orsi’s Pizza (late-night perfection)
Photographer: Royce Studios @roycestudiophotography
Florals: On Parr Florals
Photo Booth: Premier Party Rentals @premierpartyrents (Stephanie, you crushed it!)
DJ: @brentcrampton with @alternativeweddingdjs
Planning & Details: Friends and family — the best kind of team.
From the couple:
“Saturday was a freaking BLAST!!! The amount of compliments and aching knees were expressed to Ken and I all day. (We are still hurting from dropping it too low).”
- Dan Podjenski & Ken Zeiger
Shoutout to Royce Studios (@roycestudiophotography) for these incredible shots — you captured the vibe perfectly.
Ellie & Christian
And then a saxophonist surprised us all …
October 4th, 2025
Our OMG moment:
No one saw it coming (except the bride and the DJ who made a secret plan).
One minute, the DJ dropped the opening chords of ABBA’s Dancing Queen. The next, a live saxophonist sneakily walked into the room, stepped onto the dance floor, and began weaving through guests while playing that unmistakable melody.
Phones shot up. Cheers exploded. The element of surprise hit in the exact way the bride had hoped for.
What we’ll remember:
Ellie and Christian have a lot of personality. And that absolutely came through at their October 4th wedding at The Cottonwood Hotel.
Note the disco balls, the disco ball helmet, the disco ball backdrop. Even disco-ball balloons. We approve!
We had everyone wave their napkins during the grand entrance. The dessert was a freezer full of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream. And everything came together super smooth.
The Playlists:
We love this line-up of music, hand-picked by the couple.
Ceremony: Listen here
Cocktail Hour: Listen here
Reception/Party: Listen here
Vendors who made the magic happen:
Photography: @brooklynash.co
Day-Of Coordination & Bouquet: @the_gathering_co
Venue & Catering: @thecottonwoodhotel
Rentals: @catalysteventrentals
DJ: @brentcrampton with @alternativeweddingdjs
Saxaphone: @sandrocuato
Hair: @tyzimmermanhair
Makeup: @makeupxmadisonne
Dress: @thewhiteroommpls @sarahseven
Alterations: @livisdesignsbridaltailoring
Bridal Shoes: @sam_edelman
Suit: @designedbyraphael @bespokecc_
Purse: @shopfivenine
Balloons and Hydration: @sidney_miller_
Ice Cream: @coldstone
Photography by Brooklyn Ash Photography (@brooklynash.co)Like what you see?
Book a meeting with us and we’ll make your wedding as great as theirs. :)
Picking the right music
How to set your music vibe
We all know music can make or break the party. You don’t wanna mess that up, so here’s our guide for how to navigate setting your music vibe.
And to save you from doing the same old Google search everyone else does, I’m going to give you access to successful playlists other wedding couples have given us.
Let’s go! …
How great wedding DJs program the night.
For the party portion, our DJs know to start the night with older, more multi-generational music. As the night progresses, it gets younger (and, if you’re that type of couple — dirtier, lol).
We also have go-to playlists we’ve refined over time that work at most weddings. Combined with our ability to read the room, we could walk in blind and usually figure out how to make the celebration pop.
All the above is pretty standard protocol for our DJs or any good wedding DJ you’ll find.
How you can make it better.
You have special insider info. You know specific songs that’ll connect with your crowd. We don’t have that info unless you share it with us. And when you do, we can create epic moments much more quickly and consistently.
Think about that one summer banger that you and your college friends partied to. Or whatever song was playing that your uncle did the goofy dance to.
Whatever that is, you’ll want your DJ to play it. The more you have like this, the more likely you’ll be to see people singing the words together or jumping up and down.
How to organize your lists.
In your preferred streaming service (Spotify, iTunes, Tidal), start these playlists …
Pre-ceremony music
Ceremony music
Recessional music
Cocktail/dinner (some separate, some don’t)
First dance songs
Party songs
Could be 10 songs, could be 100 (Also helpful to denote any “must-play songs” in case your list is long)
Optional: what would be the best song to kick-start the dancing?
Do you want any slow songs? They can be good for bringing people back to the dancefloor if there’s a lull
Last song of the night: make it an epic sing-a-long
Do-not playlist (no need to add this to compile this on your streaming platform)
You’ll also want to note your preferences for requests. I think of it like three categories: some requests with discretion, no requests, or all requests. And some people switch that in the middle of the night, which is totally fine.
Then, when you are close to your wedding date, send direct links of these playlists to your DJ. They can easily incorporate that playlist into their DJ software with just a few clicks.
Don’t do this.
Avoid sending a typed-out list. This adds a bunch more work for them to look up that song individually and manually add it to a list.
Scan through these lists from our past weddings.
If you have Spotify, you’ll want to scan through these lists, find what you like, and then drop and drag them into your own playlist.
Pre-CEREMONY
CEREMONY Walk Music
Cocktail & Dinner
DANCE PARTY
The low-stress way to do this.
If this seems like a lot, no worries. Our DJs are gonna do great work for you regardless.
But if you wanna do a version of this the low-stress way, the good news is that you probably have time on your side.
From now until your wedding, whenever you’re listening to music while making food or going on a road trip — if you hear something that catches your attention, drop it in one of your streaming lists.
After several months, you’ll have compiled a pretty good list of things. And you’ll have fun doing it.
I hope these guides have made your planning journey easier. Reach out if you have questions!
Omaha and Lincoln Recommended Vendors
Photographers/Videographers
The Mullers (who Brent used for his wedding)
Samantha Goes There (for elopements)
Wedding Planners
Florist
District 2 Floral Studio (super eco-friendly)
Venues
Le Bouillon: for small weddings wanting a foodie experience & the charm of Omaha’s Old Market
Cottonwood Hotel: Simply the most beautiful (and best smelling) hotel in Omaha.
Bohemian Gardens: Hidden gem that will blow away your guests.
Hillcrest Country Club: A great Lincoln location for that luxurious country-club experience
Officiants
The case for a 5-hour reception
Here’s our time-tested advice for how to time your wedding reception to maximize the fun. You’ll get a fill-in-the-blank timeline and our best insight into how we’ve seen weddings in Omaha and Lincoln go.
I have DJed at over 100+ weddings. If you wanna avoid guest fatigue, read this to gain invaluable insights on how to time your wedding. Plus I’ll give you a timeline you can copy and paste for a peak experience.
— Brent Crampton, founder of AWDJ
Courtesy of Mackenzie Hope Photography
If you’re gonna get your family and friends together, you want to throw a great party, right? To do that, most couples focus on the big 3 — food, music, and venue. But as someone who’s a professional party thrower, I’ll let you in on a little overlooked secret.
A make-or-break party element that most overlook is … timing. How do you space things out so your guests don’t get bored, hungry, fatigued, or too drunk?
I’ll cut to the chase: I think you should consider a 5-hour reception. From the first click of the glass at cocktail hour to the clapping at the end of the last song. Five hours.
Don’t worry—if you want to make the moment last longer, my team and I are in it with you. But I’ve done 5-hour receptions and 9-hour receptions. There’s a big difference, so let’s take a look at that …
Many wedding receptions last 7 hours. Some even go 8 or 9 hours(!). Don’t do this.
Ladies and gentlemen, that’s what we call a marathon. People train for marathons. And they’re exhausted afterward.
At a recent 7-hour reception, I had a conversation with one of those guests and one of those vendors, and both — unprovoked — mentioned just how long the reception was.
Do you want these types of side conversations taking place? Do you want your parents, who are never up that late, to stay out of obligation? Or have the peak of the night to be long gone and end your night on a fizzle?
No. You want your wedding to be kick-ass and have people leaving wanting more. So, let’s explore some alternative thinking …
Let’s talk about Nick Gray’s 2-hour cocktail party format for perspective.
Author Nick Gray has a book called The Two-Hour Cocktail Party. In it, he recommends that people regularly host two-hour cocktail parties to increase their friend circle and deepen relationships. He credits doing these parties with helping him launch and sell a multi-million dollar business called Museum Hack.
Now, if you’ve ever been to a party, two hours is fast. Why only two hours? I’ll get to that in a moment. But first, do you want to know what a more natural length of time is?
It’s 4 hours. How do I know? It’s eerie, actually.
Four hours is a natural party cycle.
Yes, 4 hours is something I’ve witnessed over and over as a natural start and end time. People subconsciously lean to it. I’ve institutionalized it as a thing based on my lived experience. Just ask my wife. She’s tired of hearing about it. Here are some examples that have solidified my worldview…
When doing club/bar gigs, 90% of the time, they book you for 4 hours. No one really knows why. It’s just the way it is. Go look at any DJ-related event flyer. Minus a festival, I bet it’s set as a 4-hour event.
When bars used to close at 1 am in Omaha, DJ slots were typically 9 pm-1 am, which is 4 hours. When it changed to 2 am, that moved to 10 am-2 am. We tried to keep the start time at 9 pm, but we realized that everyone started coming out an hour later now that bars were open an hour later.
Whenever I go to dinner parties or house gatherings, I notice that people naturally start to wrap things up in around 4 hours. Less seems like you weren’t there long enough. More feels like a bender. Try it out yourself next time you go to a friend’s house. It’s crazy.
So, going back to the two-hour cocktail party, this advice flew in the face of my time-tested theory. But I immediately and instinctively knew what Gray was going for.
A 2-hour cocktail party leaves people wanting more.
That’s a positive association they’ll have with you. They didn’t get enough. They can’t wait to go back. Plus, it avoids fatigue.
The psychology of fatigue.
What else is designed to avoid fatigue using a 2-hour time frame? Movies, college lectures, and sporting events.
Psychology supports this. Research by psychologists like Daniel Goleman and John Medina suggests that human attention spans can wane after about 90-120 minutes of focused activity. There’s also this thing called ultradian rhythms, which is basically our body’s 24-hour cycle. Within it, the theory suggests that the body craves a change after 90-120 minutes of sustained activity.
Now, 2 and 4 hours are too short for a wedding. So, let’s tie all of this together …
Based on all that, here’s my suggested timeline.
Let’s think about your night in distinct segments. Let’s call them mini 1 to 2-hour “cocktail parties.” It looks like this …
5-6 pm: Cocktail Hour
You want this capped at an hour. We’ve seen some go for 1.5 hours, and it’s too much. With free booze, people are noticeably drunker and hangrier. It can make for a sloppy start.
6-8: Dinner, Dessert, Speeches, First Dances
Make 2 hours for all of this. Be sure to tell your toasters to cap things off after 5 minutes. Anything over is an unnecessary word salad. Your guests will appreciate getting all the greatest hits in a shorter amount of time.
8-10: Open Dancing
Two hours of dancing is wonderful. Your DJ will give the best of the best. It’ll feel exciting and swift. The likelihood of having dips and lulls in the energy decreases. Plus, you’ll have plenty of time for encores without feeling like you’re stressing out the staff. And if people still have a party in them afterward, that leads us to …
10-12: The After Party
The conceptional lure of an afterparty is exciting, right? It says, we’re having so much fun; we’re not stopping. It also gives you a potential choice to go exactly where you want to go rather than settling for a wedding venue that inherently feels a little uncomfortable.
On that note, bring a change of clothes. Hit a nearby bar or take a limo bus around town. Have an epic night out while everyone buys you drinks, and you’re in a once-in-a-lifetime situation surrounded by a hand-selected cast of your favorite friends and (hopefully tolerable) family.
Plus, those who like to stay up late and drink will be thrilled you’re heading to a bar. In contrast, those who like their sleep will be thrilled to get home at a decent hour. Everyone wins.
This has been for your consideration & amusement.
Okay, so maybe 5 hours isn’t for everyone. But the point of this is to get you to think about timing in the context of advice from professional party throwers and psychological cues.
Do this, and your wedding will be noticeably more enjoyable than the average experience. Some will be happy to have a reasonable end time. Others will leave wanting more, and that’s a great gift to give your friends and family. And all due to your mindful, expertly-led planning.
I hope you enjoyed reading my ideas, and I wish you the best in your planning and party experience! 😊
Action:
Download our timeline guide. Use our tried and trusted guide to program your night using a 5-hour reception model.
Turning Your Event into a Dance Party in 7 Steps
Not every wedding venue is set up for party success. From our expert-level experience, we distilled our wisdom into 7-steps you can take to maximize the fun.
Here’s an industry insider piece of knowledge:
Even most wedding planners don’t know what we’re about to share.
Here’s the secret: Long before your DJ ever drops the first song, the quality of your dance party is being determined by the venue choice and arrangement of the room.
Collectively our crew has played thousands of gigs over hundreds of venues. If you want an epic dance party at your wedding, here are the top 7 things you should consider before the day arrives …
Marry the bar and dance floor.
Space can be limited in wedding venues, so it’s common to place the bar in one room and the dance floor in the other. But that’s a mistake. People will always congregate where food and drink is. Not necessarily the dance floor. So if you put them together, you never give your guests an excuse to leave the party.
ACTION: Ask us for input on the floor plan, and always put the bar & dance floor as close together as possible.
Cozy rooms make crazy parties.
We call it room psychology. When you have 100 guests in a big room, it feels empty and (worst-case scenario) awkward. But take that same crowd and put them into a slightly-to-small room, and … BAM! Social interactions increase, the potential for dancing increases, and the overall energy goes up.
ACTION: Go for smaller venues or room arrangements that create tighter spaces.
Clap test it.
When touring wedding venues, stand in the middle of the room, clap your hands, and listen for an echo/reverberation. If you hear one, it means there’s plenty of reflective surfaces, like concrete, metal, and bare walls. Avoid if possible.
Ideally, you want a room with materials like wood, drapery, or paneling. This absorbs sound and makes a world of a difference in audio quality while reducing ear fatigue (which subconsciously gives people the urge to leave the room).
ACTION: Do the clap test, and if it echoes, either switch venues or look for ways to add sound-absorbing materials.
Adore the wood floor.
Along with helping the room sound better, wood floors are also friends to your feet. That’s because it has a slight bounce, whereas concrete wares on our feet. One thing we’ve learned from booking club events for salsa dancers: it’s wood floors or bust.
ACTION: Pick a venue with wood floors or bring in a makeshift wood dance floor.
Make the lights go low.
The whole goal is to reduce inhibition. Alcohol does that. So does darkness. When people feel less like they’re being watched, they’re given more license to be in the moment. The most important time to make that low-lighting transition is right when the dance floor opens up to the guests.
ACTION: Give ownership of this to your DJ, and they’ll discuss lighting transitions with the venue.
Gotta get up to get down.
Removing even the slightest barriers to make way for dancing makes a difference. So think about how and where people sit or stand. When you’re sitting down with your knees under a table, it takes more effort to stand up. That effort can inhibit some from making the transition to the dancefloor.
Bar stools are slightly better, cocktail tables are great, but no seating is best (if the old folks can swing it).
ACTION: If possible, don’t use dinner tables during the dance party and place cocktail tables without seating in and around the dancefloor to act as an anchor to draw people in.
Trick them onto the dancefloor.
Our signature move: When you’re ready for guests to flood the dancefloor, the biggest hurdle is getting them to pay a visit. So we like to “trick” them into gathering for a group photo. We have everyone smile, then do something silly, then throw their hands in the air as the music goes up and the lights go down
For evidence, see the photo at the top of this blog post.
ACTION: Let us know you’d like to do this and we’ll coordinate with the photographer.