Pair of performers wear many hats at wedding receptions

BY HEATHER MCDONNELL • BRIDE

Randy Rodriguez is NOT Adam Sandler. This is a key point to understanding his role in a wedding. Yes, he is a wedding singer. No, he does not wear a powder blue suit and sing “Ladies Night.” Or, heaven forbid, “Love Shack.”     Rodriguez, along with his friend and disc jockey Jonathon Starr, bring a unique style of entertainment to Colorado weddings — they blend live performances with traditional DJ services.     But all that wedding singer cheesiness? They’ve left that back in the ’80s, where it belongs.     “It’s difficult for people to grasp the concept, because people always think of Adam Sandler’s cheesy ‘Wedding Singer,’” Rodriguez says. “But at the end of the night they say, ‘Wow, we’ve never seen anything like that at a wedding.’”     At any given wedding, Rodriguez — donning a classy tuxedo — may only perform a few songs, perhaps serenading the bride with a personalized version of “The Way You Look Tonight” or singing “It Had To Be You” to the couple’s grandparents. The rest of his time is spent emceeing the event and keeping the wedding moving with a smooth flow.

All the while, Starr, who had been a DJ for 15 years, keeps the music coming. And while playing music isn’t difficult, choosing the right songs is more complicated.     “There’s an art to it,” Starr says. “It’s not hard to play the music. Where the art comes in is judging the crowd. There is a psychology to it. You don’t want to keep the energy too high for too long.”     This skill, called “turning the dance floor,” is something Rodriguez and Starr believe they do rather well. In fact, the pair often challenge each other to come up with the next song to keep people dancing. Sometimes, to keep the energy up, Rodriguez will sing a song among the guests, with everyone partying together on the dance floor. At one July wedding, Rodriguez’s rendition of “Shout” on the dance floor had guests singing along into the microphone, with everyone clearly enjoying themselves.

“Some songs have way more impact when you sing them,” Starr said, motioning to Rodriguez on the dance floor.      At some point during the wedding, Starr will turn the DJ responsibilities over to Rodriguez and take over with the crowd. A professionally trained dancer who studied with the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago, Starr is as much of a performer as Rodriguez. At weddings, he teaches the crowd dances — usually line dancing, but at times something like a merengue — and helps to keep everyone involved.     The pair also help couples prepare for their first dance, if necessary. During preliminary meetings before the wedding, couples often claim they can’t dance.     “We tell them, ‘You know what, we’re going to teach you a basic spin or two, because it’ll be great for the pictures,” Rodriguez says.     Meetings and consultations are a big part of the wedding portion of

D J JONATHON STARR • BLACKFORESTPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Rodriguez’s business, known as Randy Rodriguez Entertainment. Rodriguez insists on meeting personally with brides and grooms before their weddings, usually a few times. Even when couples are coming in from out of town for a destination wedding, Rodriguez wants to see them once they arrive. This helps him understand the bride and groom and what’s important to them.     “I know what they expect and what they want, and to me that one-on-one time with both of them is very, very important,” Rodriguez says.     With his background in catering and as the event’s emcee, Rodriguez knows how to help such an important event run smoothly. He stays aware of timelines — from his own, to the photographer’s, to the hotel’s — and sometimes even helps to make sure food at the buffet is being replenished.     As for what it takes to be successful in his profession, which also includes performing at corporate functions and with his band, The Stardust Orchestra, Rodriguez says, “I think for the most part you have to have a commanding presence. You have to speak eloquently. You have to definitely know when something happens and you’re thrown a curve … how to get back on track.”     A challenge for any DJ is getting the guests on the dance floor when everyone’s feeling reluctant to strut their stuff.     “The dance floor is a scary place,” Starr says, and he and Rodriguez have perfected a few techniques for helping guests break the “fear barrier.”     By the end of the evening, don’t be surprised to see Grandma out on the floor dancing to hip hop.     Rodriguez says that he and Starr have never had a bad wedding, and being a part of such a special event is always rewarding.     “I’m always honored to be there for their special day,” Rodriguez says. “They could have chosen anyone, and they chose us. That’s a big responsibility, and I never want to let them down, that’s for sure.”