Cut a Rug DJ Archives | The Bride's Tree

Simone loves Corey | Cotton Tree Wedding

Sally Townsend — Sun, 24 Mar 2019 19:00:06 +0000

Simone and Corey spent a couple of years planning their Cotton Tree wedding, the key thing they attribute to its success. Having given so much time and thoughtful planning to the day, even an unexpected change of venue didn’t rattle them.

Their organisation allowed for a relaxed day and made way for some seriously sweet details, like the surfboard they had made which became both their ceremony signing table and guest book.

The local Mountain Creek couple were married in a beach ceremony at Cotton Tree, and followed it up with a reception at Maroochy Surf Club overlooking the ocean.

Simone has shared all her wedding planning experiences and best tips for those wanting a day as perfectly calm and enjoyable as hers…

The Proposal

“On NYE 2016 Corey took me for a picnic on Alexandra Headland hill. We then went down for a walk on the beach where he asked me to turn around and close my eyes and got down on one knee. His friend hid in trees and captures the moment, which is so nice to look back on.”

Wedding Planning Priorities

“After looking at many wedding venues we decided a beach wedding was important to us because we spend so much of our time together there. Good entertainment was also important as we love a good party.”

Stand-out Suppliers

“Mallory Sparkles (photography) is incredible, Natalie Hunter did a beautiful job with our makeup, and Ceri fromEvalyn Parsons (hair) was amazing. Emilia from Bloodwood Botanica is so talented, her flower creations took my breath away. Aaron from Cut a Rug (DJ) was so much fun and really knows how to work a crowd. Maroochy Surf Club was great too, they made everything to do with the planning so easy.”

Images by Mallory Sparkles Photography

Unforgettable Moments

“There are so many special moments. Walking down the aisle and seeing Corey’s face, our first dance which was different to a traditional wedding dance – it was a Brazilian style of dance called Zouk. And dancing on the beach under the fireworks.”

The One Thing We Wouldn’t Change for the World

“Having our dogs at our ceremony. They are our babies.”

Simone and Corey’s Next Adventures…

“Our next goal is to buy our family home and to go to Europe for a holiday.”

Wedding Secrets

Biggest splurge: Fireworks

Best bargain: We bought our cake from The Cheesecake Shop and decorated it ourselves

Bridal gown: Made with Love Bridal from The Sphere Collective

Bride’s accessories: Etsy

Bride’s shoes: Betts

Bridesmaids’ dresses: Lulus

Bridesmaids’ accessories: Colette by Colette Hayman

Groom’s and groomsmen’s attire: Myer

DIY: Bombinerres, cake decorating and we got a surfboard made (by Beckham’s Surfboards) and used it as our signing table then got everyone to sign it as our guest book.

Honeymoon: Maldives

Number of guests: 85

Wedding budget: $20,000

Actual cost of wedding: $25,000

Wedding Songs

Walking down the aisle – Latch by Sam Smith

Reception entrance – You’ve Got the Love by Florence and the Machine

First dance – Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

Check out this Spotify Playlist comprised of real couples’ picks for their songs to walk down the aisle to, and a few suggestions of my own…

The post Simone loves Corey | Cotton Tree Wedding appeared first on The Bride's Tree.

Spotlight on a Supplier: Cut a Rug DJ

admin — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Aaron Duncan is a family man, a musical encyclopedia, a super cool guy and an awesome DJ. And not your average DJ, we have discovered. Some things we love about Aaron, or as he is more commonly known as Cut a Rug DJ, is that he has style, oodles of experience (17 years of DJing, in fact!), and he’s eco-conscious.

Aaron will fine tune your musical selections to suit your occasion, be it all the latest funky tunes for in fact cutting a rug, or the smooth stylings of the best jazz and blues crooners for your elegant vintage affair. Being aware of his carbon footprint, Aaron outlines all about his green practices here. Seriously, more businesses should do this! It’s awesome!

We learnt so much more about Cut a Rug when we shot him a few curly questions, so you could get all the goss. Enjoy!

Where is your fave music store on the Sunshine Coast?

Most of our music is sourced digitally these days. I download music from iTunes and Beatport. It’s a totally different experience from the days of digging through crates of records for a hidden gem. On one hand it has made music more easily accessible, but on the other hand there is so much more music to sift through. Having said this, I can’t resist having a fossick through a pile of old records if I’m in an op shop!

What/who is the thing that is most important to you in your life?

I’d have to say my daughter, Leah. Nothing can prepare you for becoming a parent – it is the most incredible experience. Leah never ceases to surprise and amaze me as she grows and learns more and more. Before we had her I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be a dad and now I can hardly remember what it was like before!

Are you a toughie or a softie?

Generally I’m a big softie – but when it comes to myself, I’m tough as nails.

What’s the best thing about being a wedding DJ?

Contributing to the success and enjoyment of a couple’s big day. I love watching the night unfold from the romance of the first dance through to the shenanigans later on as people loosen up and have a great time. For that couple, their wedding is the celebration of a lifetime. What an honour to be part of someones big day – it’s something that I don’t take lightly.

Which song always gets people up and busting a move?

There is no one song that works with everybody – it always depends on the crowd in attendance.

Generally, you can’t go too wrong with some classic Michael Jackson, a cheesy fun sing along like the Grease Megamix, or whatever is the most popular song of the moment – lately that’s been Thriftshop by Macklemore. But it always changes and I’m constantly surprised by what song actually breaks the ice and get’s people up and dancing. A few weeks ago, after being hounded for a good part of the night, I relented and played I’ll Be There by Jimi Jameson (The Baywatch Theme). I witnessed people running across the dance floor in super slow motion to ‘save’ people who were pretending to drown on the opposite side of the room. As entertaining as that was, I can’t see myself playing it again any time soon!

What advice do you give to brides when they are choosing their first dance song?

Pick something that means something to you both and don’t worry about what anyone else thinks. It’s your day – do it your way! Traditionally the first dance has been a slow one, but these days anything goes. You can still have a romantic slow dance, or have some fun to a contemporary upbeat tune. As a general rule of thumb though, you’re going to want to pick a song that has some nice, meaningful and romantic lyrics and avoid songs that feature inappropriate content. There are plenty of ‘Top Ten’ lists out there (we have one too – click here) that can help you with ideas.

On the other hand, many couples opt to jump on the latest fad and do a fun, choreographed dance to something like Gangnam Style or Harlem Shake. Ultimately it’s all about your own unique style and music tastes.

Where do you do your best thinking up of mixes?

I come up with some of my best mixes and combo’s when I’m DJing live and in the mix.

When it’s going great and the dance-floor is packed, I might take a chance and mix something in that people may not be expecting. This can be risky, but with risk comes reward.

I get a lot of requests, and every now and then someone will ask to hear something that I would not have thought of playing. If there is a chance it will fit in, I’ll take the plunge and try it out.

I’ve witnessed a few dance floors thin out – but that’s just given people a chance to have a breather and grab a drink. I get to start fresh and lure everybody back to the dance-floor with a certified floor-filler.

It’s when I’ve taken these chances and it’s gone well that I’ve received some of the best reactions!

Hear some of Cut a Rug’s awesome, many and varying mixes here. WARNING: These had The Bride’s Tree gals busting moves in the office left, right and centre… so depending on your working environment, this may be a NSFW situation!

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