Here at Maryland’s DJ, some of us were born and raised in the Old Line State. Others were born in other states but settled in beautiful Maryland before long. But no one has traveled as far as Andrew Reef before joining our dynamite crew of wedding and music enthusiasts!
Settle in, because this is quite the story.
Andrew was born in South Africa and raised in Baltimore. He joined the Marine Corps Reserve just after high school in 2007, and enrolled at American University in Washington, DC. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 2011, Andrew continued with his Master’s of Science.
But he put his education on pause when he volunteered for deployment to Afghanistan. After four months of training, he was sent overseas in 2013 to do logistical support. When he came back after six months, he was able to complete his Master’s degree.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Andrew didn’t exactly relax after finishing his education. Instead, he did what any young man would do! He moved to China to teach English to kindergartners and explore the country. After about a year, he took a break from teaching and enjoyed what was supposed to be a short trip to the Philippines. But he liked it so much he decided to stay.
As he says, “I had to find something to do there, so I bought up a local spot for a bar and built The Reef.” (The Reef...Andrew Reef...Get it?) It takes a pretty special person to turn “I need something to do” into “I’m going to create the best spot in Bohol for New York-style pizza and beer. Just for funsies.”
Life changed again for Andrew in 2019, when he met his now-fiance. They had a daughter in 2020 and decided to head back to the states in July 2021 to build a life together as a family. But even though Andrew is back in Maryland, The Reef is still going strong in the Phillippines!
Whew! What a ride! It’s exhausting just thinking about it.
As you can tell, Andrew is a pretty amazing person. He’s gone diving with Great White Sharks. He’s met Nelson Mandela. And now that he’s settled back in Maryland, he’s a Sales Consultant for Maryland’s DJ. As he explained, “I have the privilege of being the first person to engage our couples and introduce them to the Maryland’s DJ family.” He gets to know each couple that consults with us, and introduces them to the right DJ to help execute their wedding vision.
As the couple starts to work with their DJ, he’ll check in with them to make sure the relationship is going well! “I love getting to know each and every couple,” he says, “taking the journey with them from first contact to seeing their big day come to reality. Every wedding is given the custom touch!”
We’re so happy to have Andrew working with us! Here are a few more fun facts about this world traveler.
Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
What’s your favorite thing about weddings?
The food!
Actual footage of Andrew at a recent wedding
If you were getting married this weekend, what would your first dance song be?
There Will Be Time by Mumford and Sons & Baaba Maal.
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What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen at a wedding?
Flower cannons! They were handheld tubes stuffed with flower petals. They were popped from the balcony above the dance floor as the couple came into the room for their grand entrance. So the flowers cascaded down from the ceiling as they spun around the dance floor and kissed.
What's your favorite wedding movie and why?
Wedding Crashers...because, "Crab Cakes and Football! That's what Maryland does!"
When you're not working, what kind of music do you listen to?
Nineties alternative rock!
We’re so glad that this globe-trotting adventurer made his way back to Maryland and to the Maryland’s DJ team. With his education and experience, he’s an amazing asset to our operations crew and makes every couple feel like the only couple!
Contact Maryland’s DJ today to connect with Andrew and start designing your perfect wedding day.
Published on:
Thursday, February 10, 2022
