Duke Gardens – Durham, NC Wedding Venue

Sample Wedding at Duke Gardens (Duke University)

Allison and Paul first heard me DJ back in 2015 when they attended their friends Amelia and Evan’s wedding. I was so thrilled to be their DJ on October 21st at Duke Gardens and see Amelia and Evan again!

The Wedding Ceremony

Their ceremony was held in the back amphitheater and I ran mics for their officiant, Paul, 2 readers, a singer, and a guitar.  As the 140 guests arrived they were treated to live music by a harpist.  After their very touching and personal ceremony, the guests recessed to “The End” by The Beatles.  They made their way to the lawn and patio area for the cocktail hour and I started a music mix of classic standards.

The Dinner

After pics were taken by Caroline Lima Photography and video by Jon Clark, I invited guests to find their seats on the patio for dinner with help from planners Grace Leisure Events.  It was beautiful out with an open-air tent that had market lights hung inside it and floral arrangements by Tre Bella.  Allison’s Father gave a heartfelt welcome to everyone and Franklin Golden blessed the meal.  The Sage and Swift buffet opened inside and I played a mix of light classical music during dinner.

The First Dance

After dinner we had toasts on the patio, and I invited guests into the ballroom for dancing.  I introduced the wedding party to “All I Do Is Win” and they danced in as a huge group.  I introduced Alli and Paul to “Moonage Daydream” by David Bowie and they came in for their first dance to “Christmas In The Room” by Sufjan Stevens.  She then danced with her Father to “I Got My Mind Set On You” by George Harrison.  She had a huge grin on her face and they were having the best time!!  Paul danced with his Mother to “What A Wonderful World”.  I invited all the married couples to join them for an anniversary dance next to “Unchained Melody” with the winners at 48 years married.

The Dancing

I opened the floor to everyone with some Motown ad Top 40 that filled it instantly. For the next 2 hours, they danced to lots of early 2000’s hits, Top 40, classic rock, and some oldies.  We paused for the Details Cake Design cutting to “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka, then Allison grabbed Paul to dance and sing to the rest of it.  So sweet!!!  Back to dancing until the end of the night.  We ended with “Last Dance” and I invited guests to the front for a sparkler exit.  Then, comes the sweetest moment of the night.

The Private Last Dance

After everyone had left the ballroom, they had a private last dance with the lights off to “I Want You To Be My Lover” by Over The Rhine.  No one was in the room except them for the song.  As it ended I walked back in and they truly weren’t ready for the night to end.  As a DJ, that’s all you can ask for really!

Thank you, Allison, Paula, and Grace, and thank you for the wonderful memories!

Bunn DJ Company believes DJing is more than just showing up and pressing play. It’s also more than just knowing how to choose songs and mix them together. Being wedding DJs at the Duke Gardens is about creating experiences and atmospheres. That’s what our DJing philosophy boils down to. We don’t want to just provide the perfect music. We want to create the perfect day. That’s why we excel in what we do. And this wedding was a perfect example of that. Working with this awesome couple to create the day they envisioned is something we’ll never forget. And it’s a service we provide all our weddings again and again.

Photo Gallery From Duke Gardens