Drew and Ashley Hinrichs celebrated their happiness with a wedding ceremony and Kansas City wedding reception at the Boulevard Brewery in the crossroads of Kansas City, MO. It was an unforgettably fun evening as they were joined by over 150 of their closest friends and family. And, Ron Ruth Wedding Entertainment was invited to serve as their Wedding Entertainment Director and Kansas City wedding DJ.

One of the coolest things about Drew &  Ashley having their wedding ceremony and  at the Boulevard Brewery (other than the fact that it was at a brewery) was the amazing backdrop created by the skyline of downtown Kansas City. We’re just as anxious as Drew & Ashley to see the photos taken by The Parsons Photographers and the video shot by Reclaim Creative Video.

While we wait, we thought we’d share just a few of the not-so-professional pics and home-style videos we were able to grab at the evening’s festivities.

Every couple is unique. It is those unique traits that can be (should be) incorporated into a Kansas City wedding reception to create a signature celebration…one that is exclusive to that couple’s personality and style.

As their Kansas city wedding DJ and Wedding Entertainment Director, helping Drew and Ashley discover those distinct qualities was easy and fun. Including those individual characteristics as a part of their one-of-a-kind Kansas City wedding reception was not only enjoyable for them…but will remain a lifelong memory for all.

One of the favorite surprises of their Kansas City wedding reception coincided with the cake cutting. Drew’s dad owns the franchise rights to Dairy Queen in Cass County, Missouri. As young men, Drew and his brother, Chris, worked in their father’s stores. That experience was a big part of Drew’s life. It was only natural to include his (and, of course, Ashley’s) love for Dairy Queen ice cream into their wedding day memories.

Once Drew & Ashley had cut their cake, the guests were told that “we need to pause for a moment for a word from our sponsor.” They were then instructed to watch the 2 video screens along the wall of the Boulevard Brewery ballroom. Their family and friends filled the room with laughter as they viewed one of the best and funniest Dairy Queen commercials ever produced along with a brief, vintage DQ slide show, accompanied by a Dairy Queen jingle.

At the conclusion of the video commercial, the guests went crazy as the servers entered the Boulevard Brewery ballroom with trays loaded with dozens of small, DQ cups filled with Dairy Queen ice cream for everyone.

To add to the excitement, Drew & Ashley also provided hot fudge and sprinkles.

New rule! Every Kansas City wedding receptionshould have Dairy Queen ice cream with all the fixin’s to serve along side the wedding cake.

You know those Kansas City wedding receptions you’ve been to where the Bride & Groom have their First Dance and nobody pays any attention? That didn’t happen at Drew and Ashley Hinrichs wedding celebration. No way! Their guests were so engaged in all of the fun of the evening that they couldn’t help themselves…they had to see what other special thing Drew & Ashley might have in store for them.

And, they weren’t disappointed as you’ll see in Drew & Ashley’s awesome First Dance video. They not only took a few dance lessons to make themselves comfortable on the dance floor and entertaining to watch, they also included a few words of love to each other throughout the song. Pay close attention to the reaction of their family and friends.

But, as much fun as the activities and formalities were, an unforgettably fun, Kansas City wedding reception has to include an awesome party with loads of dancing!  

We thank Drew & Ashley Hinrichs for allowing Ron Ruth Wedding Entertainment to be a part of their Kansas City wedding reception as their Kansas City wedding DJ and Wedding Entertainment Director.

Love it or hate it, the “Money Dance” remains a popular custom at wedding receptions throughout the Midwest. In the Kansas City area, the “Money Dance” is also referred to as the “Dollar Dance” or “Honeymoon Dance.” No matter how it’s named, however, it ultimately means that guests, who wish to dance with the Bride and Groom, at a specifically designated moment in the reception, must “pay” for the privilege.

Very few Brides and Grooms are ever “on the fence” when it comes to choosing to include the “Money Dance” in their wedding reception. Many couples decide very early on in the planning process that it is a “cheesy and tacky” formality and adamantly rule it out without hesitation or regret. The “Honeymoon Dance” simply does not fit their personality and style and that’s OK.

But, there are also couples that enthusiastically look forward to the opportunity to spend a few, personal moments with their guests on the dance floor while, at the same time, graciously accepting the generosity of their family and friends to help them with their honeymoon expenses.

At Ron Ruth Wedding Entertainment, we assist with the “Dollar Dance” at about 50% of the weddings where we perform. And, those couples that have chosen to embrace the tradition have held their receptions in every conceivable venue from modest halls to lavish hotel and country club ballrooms.

The custom of the “Money Dance” was originated in America in the early 1900’s by the European immigrants who wanted to assure that the young couple had a few extra dollars to get them started on their future together. It has endured in certain areas of the United States, while many other regions are less familiar with the tradition.

Along the upper east coast, some believe that the custom of a “Dollar Dance” has its direct roots in both the Italian and Polish heritages, two groups of people who appreciate a good time and love traditions.

The aim of this article is not to convince anyone to include the, “Money Dance,” “Dollar Dance” or “Honeymoon Dance” in their reception…like that would even be possible. But, if you’ve already made up your mind that you wish to make it a part of the festivities, here are a few things you should know. 

Here in the central Midwest, a successful “Money Dance” (not just in dollars and cents) relies on 3 key factors; timing, presentation and time allotment.

TIMING: If you plan to have a “Dollar Dance” at your reception, it should be a part of the natural flow of events. We suggest that it be held after the traditional, dancing formalities but before the bouquet and garter toss. All of your guests, particularly older family members who will surely want to participate, will still be in attendance. And, few, if any, of your guests will have had so much to drink that you have to hold them up while they step on your toes. Plus, your photographer will still be on hand during the “Honeymoon Dance” to capture those special photos of you with your closest friends and family.

PRESENTATION: A talented Wedding Entertainment Director™ or highly experienced Kansas City wedding DJ can help you find extremely creative, engaging and entertaining ways to introduce the “Money Dance” into the planned activities of your reception. Make sure to ask him/her to share those ideas with you if you want your “Dollar Dance” to be just as much fun and memorable as the rest of your reception. If presented properly, your guests will not only be anxious to dance with the 2 of you, they will “pay” handsomely for the pleasure.

TIME ALLOTMENT: You’ll also want the “Money Dance” to move along at a pace that allows you enough time to thank your dancing partner for coming to your reception without the conversation turning into a long and drawn out exchange. A dance with each new partner should only last about 20-30 seconds. Overall, we suggest that the “Dollar Dance” take no longer than about 15 minutes to complete to keep other guests from getting bored.

The background accompaniment to a “Honeymoon Dance” is usually a series of back-to-back slow songs, played at low volume levels to allow you to comfortably converse with each guest while dancing.

The Best Man & Maid/Matron of Honor are generally given the responsibility of collecting the money for the Bride and Groom. The minimum donation for the “Money Dance,” of course, is one dollar, although larger denominations are routinely contributed.

Regardless, those guests who join in the “Dollar Dance” are happy to be able to share a dance with the newlyweds on their wedding day.

Jay & Laura Hackett were married on Saturday, June 19, 2010. They celebrated their happiness at the Ball Conference Center in south Olathe, KS with 250 family and friends.

Jay & Laura Hackett - June 19, 2010

Kansas City Wedding DJ and certified, Wedding Entertainment Director™, Ron Ruth, was invited to serve as Master of Ceremonies and provided the entertainment and music for the celebration.

Ball Conference Center - Olathe, KS

Jay's Groom's Cake. What a hotdog!

Jay & Laura wanted a wedding reception that would be fun, personal and memorable for everyone. They were not disappointed.

To kick off the festivities, the 12 members of the wedding party entered the ballroom to specially selected, upbeat music that Jay & Laura chose for each couple. The guests were then treated to a fun, personalized introduction that included a story about each attendant. Those signature intro’s created a ton of laughter and the first of many incredible memories of the night.

After dinner, Jay & Laura kept the excitement and laughter going, participating as contestants in a very special version of the “Newlywed Game,” where the guests provided the questions. It was a hoot!

And, there’s no way that those in attendance will ever forget the telling of Jay & Laura’s “Love Story.” It was just one of many highlights of the evening. But, there was no topping Jay & Laura’s extremely romantic and unforgettable first dance to “Lucky” performed by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat.

The guests had so much fun with the activities and formalities that Jay & Laura selected, that they stayed late into the evening to party with the newlyweds.   

In the end, Jay & Laura’s “amazing” wedding reception can best be summarized in their own words.

Matt & Rachel Fowler celebrated their happiness with over 200 friends and family on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at Drexel Hall in Kansas City, MO. Kansas City Wedding DJ and certified, Wedding Entertainment Director™, Ron Ruth, was invited to act as Master of Ceremonies and also provided the entertainment and music for the celebration.

Matt & Rachel Fowler Celebrate Their Happiness!

Matt & Rachel’s “Love Story,” just one of the fun activities they chose to include, began 25 years ago when they, both, attended the same grade school, then middle school, high school and, oh yeah, the same college. Throughout those many years, they remained nothing more than casual friends. Fate & destiny did not realize a possible connection for the newlyweds until their high school’s 10 year class reunion in 2007.

Just 18 months later, Matt & Rachel were engaged! He proposed to her by one of the fountains on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City on New Years Eve, 2008.

At the conclusion of the personalized wedding party introductions, which included lots of fun information about each attendant, Matt’s father offered a toast that was, well…you would have had to been there to fully appreciate.

Matt & Rachel selected hot pink and black as their colors. Instead of the traditional wedding cake, they served yummy, dessert shots to their guests.

Matt & Rachel’s first dance as husband and wife was to ”The Luckiest” by Ben Folds.

In the end, everyone had an unforgettably fun time and Matt & Rachel were extremely happy. How happy? Check out the video below.

You can celebrate your happiness with an extraordinarily entertaining and memorable reception, too! Contact Ron Ruth Wedding Entertainment at ron@ronruthweddings.com or 816-224-4487 for a personal, no-obligation, entertainment consultation. We’ll share the rest of what Matt & Rachel had to say about their wedding reception and tell you more about some of the other, fun activities they chose to include in their one-of-a-kind wedding reception.