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Piano Wars! entertained at our final wedding of the decade on Saturday, 11/09/19 at the Garden Theater, on Woodward in midtown Detroit, Michigan.

Dakota & Kennedy’s ceremony took place inside the theater with the bridal party on the stage. Their faithful rescue pup, Marty, assisted as ring bearer. Marty was always on his best behavior, whether his leash was being held by a family member or Jennifer the wedding planner.  Jennifer was an absolute breeze to work with and she was on her game.

The hitching went down without a hitch. Afterward, BJ, the theater’s expert team leader, led the Garden Theater staff in flipping the room for the reception while the guests enjoyed cocktails in the theater atrium and mezzanine, where we provided pre-recorded cocktail music.

An outstanding dinner was prepared and served by the on-site catering staff. Everyone enjoyed a plated salad with thinly sliced strawberries, with a main course choice of tender filet of beef, salmon, or a vegetarian ravioli, plus mashed potatoes and asparagus spears.

Following dinner, the toasts were unusually entertaining, combining genuinely funny barbs with warm congratulations and sincere well-wishes.

The bride and her brother, Gaaron, performed a rehearsed brother/sister dance to a medley of fun songs like “Uptown Funk” and “YMCA.” I had met Gaaron and some of the family before, when I accompanied him on piano for his school festival saxophone solo. His other sister and his grandmother had taken turns shuttling him to my house for rehearsals. It was nice to see everybody again.

Our interactive dueling pianos sets were a hit, and so were the line dances, which this group relished.

During one of our DJ sets, Kennedy and her grandmother danced together to Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight," with Kennedy singing the words to her dance partner. That little moment was one of many highlights of the evening.

Later on, we got a request to play Toni Basil’s “Mickey,” so we handed out pompoms to the bride and each of her bridesmaids who, along with a surprise joiner, led impromptu cheers, just like in the 80s music video.

We got several requests to sing “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The guests gathered on the dance floor, along with several members of the bridal party, and sang along enthusiastically while some of the groomsmen jumped up on stage with us to carry on like rockstars.

Such a fun evening! Our congratulations to Kennedy and Dakota! Thanks for trusting Piano Wars! with your wedding entertainment! -- Dave Caruso / Piano Wars! Entertainment “You guys were awesome! Everyone has been telling me how much fun they had with you guys! It was a blast, thank you for everything!” -- Dakota & Kennedy / Married in Detroit, Michigan

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Dennis & Sabrina were married at an Air B&B in Whitmore Lake, MI. With only 15 guests, it was the smallest wedding I've ever been hired to play.

They chose a nice mix of live, instrumental piano for their ceremony, pre-recorded music for cocktails and dinner, and piano and vocal entertainment after dinner.

It rained throughout the ceremony, but thanks to Justyna and her team of wedding planners from Innes & Marie, the guests were able to sit beneath a tall, portable tent and I was provided a smaller tent to protect the music gear. In the very short time before the bride walked from the house to the ceremony area, I played The Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun.”

The small group size allowed dinner to be served at a single table. Following dinner, I asked everyone to bring chairs and use the easy chairs and couches, spilling into a second room, and led them in singalong and played their requests. Most everyone stayed, even when I took a break in the middle, and reconvened without having to be invited back to the piano.

Because the rain forced everyone indoors, the entertainment gave the party a nice focal point after dinner.

Since the bride & groom had called off their first dance at the previously scheduled time (after dinner), instead of performing a finale, I asked everyone to lower the lights and we had them do their first dance to end the night. It was absolutely perfect.

Congratulations, Sabrina and Dennis!

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Cedarville, MI Wedding Reception

Cynthia & Dan tied the knot in Cedarville, MI. From start to finish, it was a unique wedding day.

The ceremony and dinner were at two different locations, one being on an island. Then the 123 guests were brought by a number of boats to a third location, Les Cheneaux Distillers, where Piano Wars! emceed the wedding reception and entertained them with live dueling pianos and DJ dance music.

Traditionally, the bride selects a group of bridesmaids plus a maid/matron of honor, while the groom chooses his groomsmen plus a best man. But this couple put ladies and gents in both groups of what the couple called their "wedding clan." Also, they had single ladies and men compete together in the bouquet throw.

The group loved the bride’s suggestion that we play some music from Disney movies and musicals, which had groups of people singing and doing interpretive dance. ‘90s music and boy bands were also hits on the dance floor, with everyone singing along. A requested Bollywood tune went over in a big way. There were some very talented dancers, including a few couples who could swing dance and a gentleman who free-styled with back flips.

Owner Jason and Manager Katie from Les Cheneaux Distillers did a fabulous job in providing a cool venue with a friendly and attentive staff, and in serving up Chicago-style hot dogs, poutine and beverages.

Nicole from Knots & Kisses was terrific as the wedding day coordinator.

Photogs Abby & Dave worked smoothly with us throughout the night.

Congratulations, Cynthia & Dan!

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Saturday, Labor Day weekend 2019 was an absolute love fest for the 120 wedding guests at Dave & Andrea's beautiful home, situated on the Anchor Bay shore line of Lake St. Clair. Piano Wars! was honored to provide live and DJ music, dance lighting and entertainment planning, from the start of their wedding ceremony, throughout the reception and into an hour of entertainment overtime. The barefoot-quality lawn in the couples’ back yard served a dual purpose as ceremony seating area and reception dance space.  After dark, I found that the textured surface of the grass also made an enchanting background for a light projection of the couple’s married initials and wedding date. The groom’s mother ran into us at the stage area and asked our names.  We introduced ourselves as “Dave” and “Paul.”  She said, “Those are my son’s first and middle names — Dave and Paul.“  She took that as a good omen for the party’s success.  With that in mind, later we snuck in the “Dave” and “Paul” reference a third time, while singing Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” which mentions Paul (the “real estate novelist”) and Davy (who’s still in the Navy). A large tent was set up over their volleyball court at the side of the house,  where their guests enjoyed a wonderful buffet dinner of salad, dinner rolls, green beans, corn on the cob, potatoes, roasted chicken, pulled pork, kielbasa, and ice cream for dessert.  After coordinating the timing of dinner with the lead caterer, I asked him if there was anything else he needed from me.  He joked, “Yes, there is.   When you announce that the food is ready, please can you please play ‘Nobody Does It Better?’”  (Ha!) In the final half hour, a nice gentleman approached the stage, told me that he is also a DJ, and asked if I could play a Celia Cruz song called, “La Vida es un Carnaval,” an exciting latin-flavored dance song.  With our colored dance lights spinning and flashing at the darkness, he proceeded to step through a stately but exciting solo salsa, smiling with confidence as he moved.  It was one of the coolest moments in a very fun evening. As planned in advance by the newlyweds, their last song of the night was Semisonic’s “Closing Time.” Congratulations, Andrea & Dave!

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On Saturday, August 24th, Andrew and Chelsea were married at the Catawba Island Club in Port Clinton, Ohio. The bride and groom hired Piano Wars! for their ceremony music, live and DJ entertainment, emcee services and complete entertainment planning.  Several weeks before the wedding, we held two planning phone calls which were productive and fun, determining the timeline and particulars of their entertainment. The weather was warm and clear in the afternoon and comfortably cool in the evening for our second time playing at this outdoor venue.  Everyone in the bridal party looked sharp! We arrived early and set up in the tented reception area, with additional speakers aimed toward the ceremony and cocktail areas, located off two sides of the tent.  Heather and Jessica from the CIC did a fabulous job as lead venue hosts and we enjoyed coordinating with them. The ceremony was short and sweet.  The bride walked down the aisle to a violin instrumental version of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.”  Later, after repeating their vows, their officiant introduced Andrew & Chelsea for the first time as man and wife, and strutted back down the aisle as Queen’s music jubilantly announced, “You’re My Best Friend.” After the grand entrance and toasts, the 172 guests enjoyed a delicious meal, catered by The Catawba Island Club.  Chelsea’s stepmom baked the delicious dessert cupcakes in multiple flavors and the small cake which the couple cut and tasted. One music highlight later in the evening was a request for “Oh, Baby, You,” (a.k.a. “Just a Friend”).  It’s a mid-90s novelty song by Biz Markie that people love to sing along with and this group sang it BIG!  The couple chose Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” for their last song, capping off a wonderful evening. The photos were screen-grabbed from video which we gifted the bride and groom. Congratulations, Chelsea & Andrew!

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On Friday, June 28th, 2019, Josh & Emily upgraded their couple status from “engaged” to “married.” Their ceremony and reception took place at the The English Inn, Restaurant and Pub, a spectacular stately manor in Eaton Rapids, Michigan that’s bursting with natural beauty, authenticity and character, and adorned with several gardens and ponds. Emily & Josh hired Piano Wars! Entertainment (PianoWars.com) to provide complete entertainment planning, plus live and pre-recorded music for their outdoor wedding ceremony, and dueling pianos and DJ entertainment for their indoor reception, with a party of about 50 in attendance. The ceremony pergola (think “roofless pavilion”) — located at the base of rolling green hills and stone walkway — was replete with grand white pillars, a raised patio for the guests, and surrounded by immaculately manicured greenery and trees, all nestled beside a softly rolling river. Ryan Makowski officiated their wedding ceremony by seamlessly weaving tidbits of conversations he had with the bride and groom into his narrative script.  This practice isn’t uncommon, but few officiants perform it as masterfully as Ryan did. The result was one of the most natural and original ceremonies I’ve ever attended. My friend, Paul Bickel, coordinated with Ryan and played the pre-recorded music while the guests were being seated.  Then, as requested by the bride & groom, I played “Canon In D” by Pachelbel and “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” made famous by Elvis Presley, live on piano. The wedding vows overflowed with happy tears from our couple, which quickly became contagious in the guests and ourselves. The cocktail area consisted of an outdoor patio in full view of the breathtaking grounds, along with an indoor area situated one floor below the banquet room. Highlights of the reception included the father-daughter dance.  Emily’s dad plays the guitar and has played the McCartney song, “Blackbird,” for her while she was growing up.  I was glad that they asked me to sing and play it live for their special dance, since it’s one of my favorites, too. During the toasts, the Matron of Honor (the bride’s sister), had spoke of the bride and her sisters playing a video dance game where they have to perform choreography to the song “Proud Mary,” as sung by Ike and Tina Turner.  It was fun to DJ that song and watch them recreate their super fun dance moves for their family and friends. At one point in the night, I followed up a slow song with Frank Sinatra’s uptempo (bouncier) version of “The Way You Look Tonight.”  Emily and her mom chose to dance playfully to that one together, and it was very moving. The staff at English Inn were top-notch in customer service and planning, led by Adrianna and Rebecca.  It was a real pleasure to work with them.  The meal consisted of a plated salad, followed by beef & chicken with asparagus and mashed potatoes.  It was absolutely delicious.  I didn’t confirm whether Emily’s mom baked the cake, but she was the one who brought it in and set it up, and it was quite beautiful. Amber, Joe and Alex — The team from Auburn Muse Photography — did a fabulous job on a very warm summer day.  We enjoyed their company during dinner and coordinated with them as smoothly as if we’d all worked together many times. Note: The long / wide photos are not mine — they’re from the English Inn website. Congratulations, Josh & Emily! --- “We recently had Piano Wars! as our wedding entertainment. They played at the ceremony and the reception. They were awesome and I'm so glad we decided to go with them instead of just the typical wedding DJ. They were so fun, interacted with guests, and knew just what to do to get everyone on their feet. They were great in the planning process too - they communicated well, laid out the whole night in an organized way, and made sure everything was exactly the way we wanted. Thanks again!” -- 5-Star Review for Piano Wars! by Josh & Emily at Google My Buisness

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Chris & Heather called me several months ago to hire Piano Wars! to provide live and DJ entertainment and emcee services at their wedding ceremony and reception.  They were married last Saturday, June 1st, 2019 at one of our favorite venues, Fenton Winery & Brewery, in Fenton, Michigan.  

During the late morning, and even while I was setting up our equipment for the indoor reception, the area experienced fierce thunder, striking very close by.  Miraculously, the fireplace patio (where the FWB hold their outdoor ceremonies) cleared up in time for Heather & Chris to be married outdoors.  A few hours later, with everyone safe inside, rain returned and began pelting down, so the rain’s timing couldn’t have been much better.

The bride requested some of her favorite music to be played during the cocktail hour, including “I Want You To Want Me” (the awesome Kay Hanley / Letters to Cleo version), Tenderness (General Public), and Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order).  Although most of Heather’s music requests were for music from the 90s, she clearly had a lot of favorites from the 80s, too.

During dinner, Paul Bickel and I found that the bride and groom had left us each a little gift at our table settings — drinking glasses etched with a small keyboard and the words “Piano Man.”

One song the bride requested that we play during our live dueling pianos set was “If It Makes You Happy” by Sheryl Crow.  Since singalong is what we do, that seemed like a great choice to me.  She and her girlfriends belted out every single chorus from the dance floor.

While we entertained, two female guests danced kinetically on the dance floor, feeding off each other’s energy.  It was very entertaining for everyone watching.  Early in the night, I joked in the mic, “I’d like to hire you two as aerobics instructors.”  They kept dancing, hollered back, “OK!,” and we all laughed.  Then they said, “We’ll be out here all night.”   (Which was good for our business of keeping the dance floor busy!)

After playing what our couple had chosen for their last song of the night, we still had a little time left, so I played the only remaining request on my piano, which was for “any song by Queen.”  We sang Bohemian Rhapsody, which has seen a resurgence in popularity since the recent movie about the band was released.  While singing the opening lines, I got one of my fiendish and silly ideas to customize the last two words of the intro for our guests of honor:

“Any way the wind blows, doesn’t really matter to me...   _______ski.”  

I had inserted their new shared last name.

Congratulations, Chris & Heather!

“We just wanted to take a moment to thank you guys for everything!  The whole day went smoothly and was perfect.  We got so many compliments about how great the entertainment was and our guests had a great time!” —Heather & Chris

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In addition to our private events, Piano Wars! has these 3 shows in 3 Michigan cities this summer, all open to the public!  Come on down!