Love and Marriage After 63 Years

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[Originally at Husband drops down on one knee to propose to wife again after 63 years of marriage by CAITLIN O’KANE]

After 63 years of marriage, one couple from Texas is stronger than ever. Karl and Donna Von Schwarz are high school sweethearts who have been through it all together. They’ve overcome a lot, especially in the last year, and Karl wanted to make a recommitment of his love to Donna. So he dropped down on one knee and re-proposed — more than six decades after he did the first time.

The couple married in 1956 and had four kids together — followed by nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, with one more on the way, their granddaughter Karly Gibbs told CBS News.

Source

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See the rest of this uplifting story at https://www.cbsnews.com/news/husband-drops-down-on-one-knee-to-propose-to-wife-again-after-63-years-of-marriage/ or read more awesome stuff at www.DowOakEvents.com/Blog 

I go into reading a lot of stories with a very cynical “this is click-bait” mentality. That’s how I went into this story. But after actually reading through this story, I came to see it was actually very nice. With all the focus put on the day itself, it’s cool to see the other side and what that one big day can lead to. 

9 Tips For The Perfect Wedding Timeline

[Originally at 9 Wedding Day Timeline Rules Every Couple Should Follow by Kim Forrest]

When it comes to your wedding, timing is everything! That’s why creating a wedding day timeline is absolutely vital — even running a few minutes late can throw the whole day off-track (and annoy your guests). Keep in mind though that each couple’s wedding timeline will be unique to their own wedding day, and is dependent on vendors and venues and families and more, so be sure to work from scratch when creating your own wedding day timeline. (See tip #2!) That being said, there are some tried-and-true wedding day timeline secrets that, if followed, will help your big day go off without a hitch.

Check out these tips on creating a wedding day timeline that will help your wedding run like clockwork!

1. Think about your wedding’s unique logistics.

There are several decisions you’ll need to make before you can start creating your wedding day timeline. If you can answer these questions, you’re probably ready to start creating your wedding schedule!

• Will you be getting ready at your ceremony location or somewhere else (like a hotel with a room block reserved for you and your guests)?
• Are your ceremony and reception in separate locations? If so, you’ll have to factor travel time into your wedding timeline.
• Will you be providing transportation for your wedding party members and/or guests? If so, this can make travel a bit smoother and quicker.
• Are you planning on having a “first look” and doing photos before the ceremony? Or would you rather wait until cocktail hour to do couple and group portraits?
• How long will your ceremony be? This will require a discussion with your officiant.
• Will your cocktail hour take place between the ceremony and reception or before the ceremony?
• Will you have a receiving line?
• How many toasts or special dances will you have?
• Does your reception venue have a curfew, meaning you’ll have to end the reception at a specific time? Your wedding reception timeline will be tighter if you have to end the party at a predetermined time.
• Are you doing a first dance or other ceremonial dances at your reception?
• How much time is included in your vendors’ contracts? How long will your photographers (DJ/band, videographer, etc.) be present at your wedding?
• Are you hosting an after-party or parties?

See the rest of the timeline tips at https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/wedding-timeline or read more awesome stuff at www.DowOakEvents.com

I’ve said before (and will probably continue saying into the future) that timeline questions are some of the most common I get. It is very important, after all. Sooo whenever I encounter anything timeline related, I can’t help but posting it. Knowing is half the battle, after all.

An Otterly Perfect Proposal

[Originally at Singapore otters photobomb UK couple’s marriage proposal from the BBC] 

Singapore's famous urban otters have delighted two British otter fans by photobombing their marriage proposal.

Jordan Doyle and Mary Lister had gone out otter-watching with a wildlife photographer when the animals appeared.

"I'd had the ring with me for a while and Mary is a huge fan of otters, so I thought to myself, right, this is the time to propose," Mr Doyle, 28, told the BBC.

A group of otters then swam over to gatecrash the romantic moment.

"When I asked them to pose for a photo, the otters came out of the water and approached the couple," photographer Bernard Seah told the BBC.

"I was like, oh my god, I cannot believe this."

'Completely special'

The otters are part of a group known as the Bishan 10, one of several otter families thriving in Singapore's urban areas.

They have featured in multiple news outlets, a David Attenborough documentary and have whole Facebook groups dedicated to them.

Mr Doyle and his now fiancée Mary Lister are travelling around the world and had contacted Mr Seah, who regularly follows and photographs the otters, to see if he could help them see them while they were in town.

See the rest of this awesome story at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46273058 or read more awesome stuff at https://www.dowoakevents.com

This Wedding Was A Zoo (Literally)

Read the original post: This Wedding Was A Zoo (Literally) from Dow Oak Events DJs or read it below.

A Flamboyance of Flamingos

We’ve been to a lot of venues in South Carolina. But after we went to Riverbanks Zoo & Garden we knew we had to write our next blog about it. And due to all our traveling, you can believe us when we say: this one was worth writing about.

When we first showed up at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden, we knew immediately it was gonna be a good night. The way everything came together was absolutely a sight to see.

We don't really know where to begin with this one... the most notable thing about it was probably that it was at a zoo.

We honestly didn't realize the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in Columbia was a venue. But, as we learned, it certainly is. But when you've been to as many weddings as we have and seen all the different types of venues, nothing really surprises you.

We've had weddings in science centers, art museums, backyards, and even in the middle of fields. But this was the first wedding in a zoo we've encountered.

It’s hard to overstate just how many different venues and receptions we’ve seen and hosted. As traveling wedding DJs, it’s our job to create custom celebrations all over the Carolinas. There was something unique about this one though.

We recently had a wedding in Western NC at a pony farm (which was AWESOME). But this was a whole new level of animals.

The ceremony took place new to a whole flock of flamingos (actually, we learned a group of flamingos is called a "flamboyance." We won't forget that one). Though the flamingos didn't seem very interested in the ceremony, it was definitely a sight to behold.

We loved Dow Oak Events at our wedding. Henry was professional and very on time. He let us select everything we wanted and we were never disappointed. Great price and they had some very cool options like lighting and photo booths! Loved them

In the Jungle

There are many factors that go into creating a unique wedding. And in our travels through South Carolina, we’ve seen too many great weddings to count.

And as professional wedding DJs, cultivating the vibe is our specialty.

We've had nothing but good experiences with every Columbia venue we've been to. As we've made our way from Greensboro, North Carolina down South, we've encountered nothing but awesome vendors, beautiful venues, and great people.

Terri and Steve definitely had some awesome tastes.

We had a dance party featuring everything from Bruno Mars to Stevie Wonder and Guns and Roses. And as DJs, that’s always something we appreciate.

Our skillset is in music in general. Occasionally folks ask us if we can do a particular kind of music or genre, and our answer is always a resounding yes. If it’s the music our couple wants, then it’s the music they’ll get.

And it’s always the best when that translates onto the dance floor. What makes for the best reception throw-downs is a wide variety of music. That’s also what keeps the dancing crowd on their toes.

We could go on and on about Terri and Steve and their celebration at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden in Columbia, SC. But for now we’ll just stick to saying that we had an amazing time. We’re always grateful to be able to be a part of anyone’s big day. That’s why we got into this business. Being able to craft custom Columbia celebrations is something we’ll never get tired of. We can’t wait to come back to Columbia!

Final Thoughts

And as a final note, we just need to say… We absolutely love what we do. Being a part of the unique and personal ways couples celebrate is why we do it. And we loved being a part of this celebration. It’s always awesome to see how couples choose to celebrate.

In conclusion, we’ve learned that being a wedding DJ isn’t just about playing the music. So we take our role seriously. Facilitating such a big day is a serious job! That’s why we always give every wedding or event our all.

A Carolina Full Circle

Read the original post: A Carolina Full Circle from DowOakEvents.com or read it below.

A Barn Or A Cabin?

We’ve been to a lot of venues in Florence. We’ve even been to a lot of venues in South Carolina. But after we went to The Cabin at Old Spur we knew we had to write our next blog about it. And due to all our traveling, you can believe us when we say: this one was worth writing about. Florence is just outside Columbia, which is one of our favorite cities in SC. That Midlands aesthetic really can’t be beat. And, truth be told, we have kind of a soft spot for Florence in general.

When we first showed up at The Cabin at Old Spur, we knew immediately it was gonna be a good night. The way everything came together was absolutely a sight to see.

The Cabin at Old Spur is a very very cool barn/cabin-style venue in the woods in Florence, just outside of Columbia, SC. Which was cool for us. We got our start DJing receptions in the piedmont of North Carolina. So now that we've expanded into South Carolina, it was an interesting experience to be DJing a barn wedding in our southern neighbor.

It’s hard to overstate just how many different venues and receptions we’ve seen and hosted. As traveling wedding DJs, it’s our job to create custom celebrations all over the Carolinas. There was something unique about this one though.

Something that's cool about weddings is that for the most part they're the same. The places, people, and customs vary place-to-place, but the general celebration is the same. It's about two people and two families coming together and celebrating. And no matter where the wedding is happening, that fact remains.

We hired Dow Oak events for our wedding and I could not be happier that we did! DJ Kameron was absolutely the perfect fit for our perfect day. She was so professional and had the ceremony running without a hitch. The reception was a blast, and Kameron had everyone dancing all night. I don't think anyone wanted it to end. Kameron is so special, she actually had a family emergency the day of the wedding that she shared with my mother-in-law, and I had no idea until the next day. She just pushed through and gave us the reception of our dreams. Kameron, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. We are so happy we got to share our special day with you.

A Carolinian Celebration

There are many factors that go into creating a unique wedding. And in our travels through South Carolina, we’ve seen too many great weddings to count. But what really makes any Florence wedding great is the vibe.

And as professional wedding DJs, cultivating the vibe is our specialty.

We never say no to music choices. If a bride or groom wants a song or genre, we make it happen. That's part of what we do. And part of being a good DJ is being able to go with the flow. So even later in the night, if our couples want a specific kind of music or a newly released song, we make it happen.

Devon and Matthew definitely had some awesome tastes.

We had a dance party featuring everything from Meat Loaf to Will Smith and Biggie Smalls. And as DJs, that’s always something we appreciate.

Our skillset is in music in general. Occasionally folks ask us if we can do a particular kind of music or genre, and our answer is always a resounding yes. If it’s the music our couple wants, then it’s the music they’ll get.

And it’s always the best when that translates onto the dance floor. What makes for the best reception throw-downs is a wide variety of music. That’s also what keeps the dancing crowd on their toes.

We could go on and on about Devon and Matthew and their celebration at The Cabin at Old Spur in Florence, SC. But for now we’ll just stick to saying that we had an amazing time. We’re always grateful to be able to be a part of anyone’s big day. That’s why we got into this business. Being able to craft custom Columbia celebrations is something we’ll never get tired of. We can’t wait to come back to Florence!

Final Thoughts

And as a final note, we just need to say… We absolutely love what we do. Being a part of the unique and personal ways couples celebrate is why we do it. And we loved being a part of this celebration. It’s always awesome to see how couples choose to celebrate.

In conclusion, we’ve learned that being a wedding DJ isn’t just about playing the music. So we take our role seriously. Facilitating such a big day is a serious job! That’s why we always give every wedding or event our all.

Real-Life Southern Charm

Read the original post: Real-Life Southern Charm from The Best DJ Company in North Carolina or read it below.

A Versatile Venue

We’ve been to a lot of venues in Gilbert. We’ve even been to a lot of venues in South Carolina. But after we went to Southern Oaks we knew we had to write our next blog about it. And due to all our traveling, you can believe us when we say: this one was worth writing about. Gilbert is just outside Columbia, which is one of our favorite cities in SC. That Midlands aesthetic really can’t be beat. And, truth be told, we have kind of a soft spot for Gilbert in general.

When we first showed up at Southern Oaks, we knew immediately it was gonna be a good night. The way everything came together was absolutely a sight to see.

Southern Oaks is one of the coolest venues we've seen. The combination of indoor and outdoor spaces really work to create a sense of flow. Moving from an outdoor ceremony to an indoor reception feels seamless. And that's not a trait shared by every venue.

It’s hard to overstate just how many different venues and receptions we’ve seen and hosted. As traveling wedding DJs, it’s our job to create custom celebrations all over the Carolinas. There was something unique about this one though.

It takes a talented staff to keep everything moving smoothly. Often it's the venues that make it look effortless that are actually putting in the most work behind the scenes. And that's definitely what's going on with Southern Oaks.

Dow Oak did a fantastic job for our wedding. Kameron was amazing! She took the time to get to know us and what we wanted and needed and totally ran the show for us, taking a lot of stress away! I highly recommend Dow Oaks and especially Kameron for your DJ needs!

Southern Charm in Spades

There are many factors that go into creating a unique wedding. And in our travels through South Carolina, we’ve seen too many great weddings to count. But what really makes any Gilbert wedding great is the vibe.

And as professional wedding DJs, cultivating the vibe is our specialty.

Picking the ideal music for a reception is something we excel in. Sometimes, our couples aren't looking for specific songs, they want more of a whole vibe. They'll say to us they want "chill then hype" or "crowd-friendly the whole time" or even "just background music."

We really have seen it all. In this case, the couple just sent us some of their favorite songs for inspiration. They didn't say we had to play them, they just wanted us to know what they liked. And we're definitely able to work with that.

McKenzie and Davis definitely had some awesome tastes.

We had a dance party featuring everything from Noah and the Whale to KISS and Usher. And as DJs, that’s always something we appreciate.

Our skillset is in music in general. Occasionally folks ask us if we can do a particular kind of music or genre, and our answer is always a resounding yes. If it’s the music our couple wants, then it’s the music they’ll get.

And it’s always the best when that translates onto the dance floor. What makes for the best reception throw-downs is a wide variety of music. That’s also what keeps the dancing crowd on their toes.

We could go on and on about McKenzie and Davis and their celebration at Southern Oaks in Gilbert, SC. But for now we’ll just stick to saying that we had an amazing time. We’re always grateful to be able to be a part of anyone’s big day. That’s why we got into this business. Being able to craft custom Columbia celebrations is something we’ll never get tired of. We can’t wait to come back to Gilbert!

Final Thoughts

And as a final note, we just need to say… We absolutely love what we do. Being a part of the unique and personal ways couples celebrate is why we do it. And we loved being a part of this celebration. It’s always awesome to see how couples choose to celebrate.

In conclusion, we’ve learned that being a wedding DJ isn’t just about playing the music. So we take our role seriously. Facilitating such a big day is a serious job! That’s why we always give every wedding or event our all.

Gone With the Wind in Columbia

Read the original post: Gone With the Wind in Columbia from The Best DJ Company in North Carolina or read it below.

A Very South Carolinian Venue

We’ve been to a lot of venues in Lexington. We’ve even been to a lot of venues in South Carolina. But after we went to Corley Mill House & Garden we knew we had to write our next blog about it. And due to all our traveling, you can believe us when we say: this one was worth writing about. Lexington is just outside Columbia, which is one of our favorite cities in SC. That Midlands aesthetic really can’t be beat. And, truth be told, we have kind of a soft spot for Lexington in general.

When we first showed up at Corley Mill House & Garden, we knew immediately it was gonna be a good night. The way everything came together was absolutely a sight to see.

The Corley Mill House & Garden describes itself as straight out of the pages of "Gone With the Wind." And after we took a look around, we would have to say we agree.

The Corley Mill House & Garden is a stately old house framed by pecan trees. It's a quintessentially South Carolinian venue.

It’s hard to overstate just how many different venues and receptions we’ve seen and hosted. As traveling wedding DJs, it’s our job to create custom celebrations all over the Carolinas. There was something unique about this one though.

After expanding from our home in North Carolina, we've really enjoyed taking in the sights of cities in our Southern neighbor. Venues near Columbia have consistently been some of our favorites, and this one in Lexington is definitely at the top of our list.

DJ Freddie was amazing to work with! We used him for the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. Planning on the portal made everything super easy, followed by a detailed phone call to ensure all details a few weeks prior. Freddie was accommodating and took on making announcements to keep the night on track. Every single person at our reception ended up on or around the dance floor, and we could not have been happier. We had the time of our life celebrating with the ones we love. Thank you!!

The Sights We've Seen

There are many factors that go into creating a unique wedding. And in our travels through South Carolina, we’ve seen too many great weddings to count. But what really makes any Lexington wedding great is the vibe.

And as professional wedding DJs, cultivating the vibe is our specialty.

Choosing the right wedding music is as much an art as a science. It's about finding music that suits a couple's personalities but also fits with the vibe of the day. If your favorite genre is metal, but you're not having a metal-themed wedding (which, admittedly, sounds cool), then metal may not be the way to go.

Charlotte and Mike definitely had some awesome tastes.

We had a dance party featuring everything from Ed Sheeran to Brittany Spears and T-Pain. And as DJs, that’s always something we appreciate.

Our skillset is in music in general. Occasionally folks ask us if we can do a particular kind of music or genre, and our answer is always a resounding yes. If it’s the music our couple wants, then it’s the music they’ll get.

And it’s always the best when that translates onto the dance floor. What makes for the best reception throw-downs is a wide variety of music. That’s also what keeps the dancing crowd on their toes.

We could go on and on about Charlotte and Mike and their celebration at Corley Mill House & Garden in Lexington, SC. But for now we’ll just stick to saying that we had an amazing time. We’re always grateful to be able to be a part of anyone’s big day. That’s why we got into this business. Being able to craft custom Columbia celebrations is something we’ll never get tired of. We can’t wait to come back to Lexington!

Final Thoughts

And as a final note, we just need to say… We absolutely love what we do. Being a part of the unique and personal ways couples celebrate is why we do it. And we loved being a part of this celebration. It’s always awesome to see how couples choose to celebrate.

In conclusion, we’ve learned that being a wedding DJ isn’t just about playing the music. So we take our role seriously. Facilitating such a big day is a serious job! That’s why we always give every wedding or event our all.