Mike & Amaya’s Theatrical Maryland Wedding

Here’s an old joke (that I just made up): 

“How can you tell if someone is into musical theater?” 

“Ask them how many minutes are in a year.”

(IYKYK.)

Musical theater lovers, cocktails, and a dance floor are a potent combination. If you ever find yourself in such company, be prepared for a cacophony of show tunes that would make Rodgers & Hammerstein blush.

Maryland wedding DJ Ryan Walburn got a front-row seat to the show at Amaya and Mike’s Oxford, MD wedding in early October. The bride and groom are both New York City-based actors, so their friends are naturally big in the theater scene. And as any self-respecting theater nerd knows, a wedding isn’t a wedding until at least one show tune is belted at a fever pitch.

For their Talbot County wedding venue, Mike and Amaya chose St. Paul’s Wesleyan Church, also called Pilgrim Holiness Church. This charming church dates back to 1865 and is adorned with East Coast clapboard siding and narrow stained glass windows. 

After the ceremony, the party relocated to Tred Avon Yacht Club for fun and merriment. This members-only club and venue in Oxford, MD is home to sailing races, lessons, and leisure activities for its members. The reception was held in a white, open-sided tent that took advantage of the views of the Chesapeake Bay.

The bridal party was introduced to the party tent to that 1999 classic, Livin’ La Vida Loca by Ricky Martin. Then we met the married couple for the first time, to the tune of Love on Top by Beyoncé. They chose Louis Armstrong’s La Vie en Rose for their first dance, followed by Little Miss Magic by Jimmy Buffet for the father/daughter dance and I Hope You Dance by Lee Ann Womack for the mother/son dance. 

As a couple of New York actors, it’s hardly surprising that many of the 125 weddings guests were also actors, singers, dancers, and performers of all kinds. They brought their big party energy to the reception. DJ Ryan opened the dance floor to Crazy in Love by Beyoncé ft. Jay Z. From there, it was on. 

Several members of the crowd had taken acting classes together—including the bride. Apparently, one of their projects included learning a choreographed dance to The Hustle by Van McCoy. So the acting class crew got together and did the dance, including the bride in her wedding gown. 

Another highlight had to be when the musical-lovers in the crowd (and there were many) gathered on the dance floor to belt Seasons of Love from RENT at the top of their lungs. By the by, there are 525,600 minutes in a year. Listen to the song if you’re confused. ;-)

Rather than the standard bouquet toss, Amaya chose a different way to “pass the torch” to the ladies at her wedding. They did a ring pull. In this tradition, there are 10-15 ribbons baked into the bottom of the cake, with one attached to a ring. All the single women grab a ribbon and pull. The one to pull the ribbon with the ring is the next to get married! This is a lovely tradition, and a bit less violent than the common bouquet toss!

For the last song of the night, the couple chose Send Me On My Way by Rusted Root. This is one of DJ Ryn’s go-to’s for the last song of the night, but this time it was a more personal selection.  The groom’s uncle is in the band! 

Whether you’re a musical theater maniac, a jazz junkie, a Latin lover, or simply partisan to pop, the crew at Maryland’s DJ can make your day perfect. Contact us today to get on our calendar for 2022 and start planning your dream wedding!

All photos by Scratch Studios