DRS Music: Chicago Wedding band winners of National Award for Chicago Wedding Band performances.

You are unlike any other couple.

In our high tech username password world,  I think it's important not to lose the humanness of what we do. Weddings are about people. Their families, their stories and what make them special.

I LOVE getting to know each of you personally.

Tell me what YOU love, what makes YOU special.

All our clients are emailed our "Tell Us About You" form. 

TAKE A LOOK.

These are some examples of special personal touches we've have done just as a way of showing how much I personally care for our clients. 

"Your special touches like the book for our guests to sign, along with your very warm and engaging personality set the tone for a wedding we will never forget." - Lisa and Jason Shelton

I look forward to creating something special for you!

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  Molly and Tim were HUGE Chicago Bears fans. For their gift, we learned and played "Bear Down Chicago Bears." They and all their guests sang along with our 10-Piece Orchestra. We bought them an autograph NFL Bears football. All their guests signed the ball and we gave it to them at the end of the night! Later in the night Tim sang "Go Cubs Go" and we gave him a baseball signed by Hall of Fame Cubs pitcher Lee Smith. Go Cubs, Bears, Tim and Molly!

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  Michelle and Doug love two things more than anything: Traveling and Finding great restaurants. We found a wonderful book that includes photos and info all about the best restaurants from around the world. All their guests signed the book which we gave to them at the end of the night. We also gave them a Michelin restaurants guide to the very best restaurants in Chicago. Bon Appetite!

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  Holly and Chris loved The Beatles. I wanted to create something special for them. The band learned 9 Beatles songs. We found The Beatles Monopoly game and a book called Beatles 365. It had lots of photos, lyrics and stories all about the Beatles. All their guests signed the book. We gave it to them at the end of the night as a one of a kind gift.  

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  Mike and Julie love watching Football games together. Even though she's a New York Giants fan and Mike's a Chicago Bears fan, they love to root for each other's teams. For their special gift, we bought them an authentic NFL Bears helmet. All their guests signed it and we played "Bear Down Chicago Bears". The Best Man wore the helmet during a song. So Fun!! 

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  Laura and Brian's Favorite movie is "UP".  I loved that movie too so I wanted to create something truly special for them. We found an original movie poster on Amazon. It was high gloss 24" x 36". Since we had it foam core mounted, all the guests were able to sign it.   To make it extra special, we bought a dozen brightly colored ballons and taped them to the back of the poster. After the weding all the kids got a ballon to take home. It was a fun surpise to create!

   

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  Joel and Georgette might be the biggest Chicago Blackhawks fans in the city! They had their entire bridal party wear jerseys for the introductions while we played Chelsea Dagger. I went to a store on Michigan Ave called Hawkquarters. They only sell Blackhawks official licensed products. I bought them an official Stanley Cup Final program, 2 key chains and an actual hockey puck that was designated to be used in Game 2 of the Finals. They were surprised and thrilled. I loved seeing their enthusiastic reaction! GOOOOOAL!!

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  Shelia and Mike were Big Baseball Fans. Mike is actually a baseball umpire. For their gift we bought three major league baseball bases and had all their guests sign them. Since there were 340 guests each of the bases were covered with signatures from everybody. Mike's umpire buddies really had some fun with them! It was a real Homerun!! Our band also learned 10 Irish Waltzes.

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  Jenna and Peter Jenna and Peter LOVE the Cubs! I wanted to create something one of a kind for their wedding about the Cubs. This is a canvas photo of the sign outside Wrigly Field. All their guests signed it. We invited the bride and groom up to the bandstand to sing, "Go Cubs Go" with the band. Since they were also huge Bears fans they sang " Bear Down Chicago Bears" with the band. We also gave them an official jersey of Bears player Matt Forte which all their guests signed. Go Bears, Go Cubs, Go Jenna and Peter!! 

   

   

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  Stephanie and Kevin both went to University of Dayton in Ohio. We contacted the University bookstore and spend about 20 minutes on the phone while going through the website looking for a unique gift which all their guests could sign. We found an autograph basketball.We had it shipped via FEDEX next day. To make it that much more exciting we also learned and played the U.D. fight song. About half the crowd knew all the words! They and all their guests were surprised and thrilled! GO FLYERS!

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  Beth and Eric were big fans of bowling so I went to three bowling alleys until I found one that would sell me two brand new bowling pins. To make the gift special I had their guests sign the bowling pins. At the end of the night, I gave them to Beth and Eric as a one of a kind gift. To make it even more fun I included a DVD of the classic bowling movie, The Big Lebowski. This was right up their alley! This was REALLY fun to put together. They guests got a kick out of it too!

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  Tracey and Geoff were big time New York Yankees fans. I went to several antique stores in Chicago and finally found a great photo of Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig and N.Y. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. The photo was taken in 1938 at Wrigley Field when the Yankees were playing the Cubs. I spray mounted the photo on a HUGE sheet of black cardboard and had all their guests sign it with a silver Sharpie. We also played "New York, New York". Many of the guests commented how much they enjoyed seeing the photo. It was one of those once in a lifetime photos. I was happy to give it a terrific couple like Tracey and Geoff!

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  Vanessa and Richie are an amazing couple. She had endured years of medical problems including spending 3 months of the summer before their wedding in the hospital. The wedding was nearly cancelled. Through it all Richie stood by her side. I found this to be incredibility inspiring. They reminded me of Rock and Adrian. For their gift, I created a poster of the famous couple and bought 2 boxing gloves to symbolize how hard they have fought for their love. All their guests signed them. We played "Gonna Fly Now" and everyone gave them a standing ovation to celebrate their love story. It truly was out of a movie!!

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  Mike and Regan's Mike and Regan's favorite T.V. show is Friends. They told me they even have all 10 seasons on DVD. For their special gift we found a great 3' X 4' Poster from the show and had it foam core mounted. Once all their guests signed it, it became a one of a kind gift! This was maybe the most excited I've seen a couple be about their gift. We hope they had the time of their life!!

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  P.J. and Sarah had their first date at a restaurant in Roscoe Village called Piazza Bella. I went there during the week. Spoke to a few managers, told them I needed their help to create something special for the bride and groom. They agreed to my idea and gave me a menu as a special gift for them. They were VERY surprised and thrilled! P.J. and Sarah had forgotten they even told me about that. Since they also were huge Blackhawks fans I bought them two white baseball caps which their guests signed. We also played the theme song when I introduced them. Watch the video to see their reaction!

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  Shannon and Eric were giant Cubs fans. They go to games whenever they can with their family and freinds. One of their favorite other things to do is BBQing with their family and friends. For their special gift,  we had made by a company in the suburbs a custom Cubs Bean Bag toss game. All their guest at the wedding signed the boards. They said they were so much fun to use this summer and a great memory from their wedding!

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  Rachel and Aaron loved the Cubs. Since their wedding was being held at the Chicago History Museum I wanted to create some that about the Cubs, but also historic. We searched through a few antique stores in the city and came across this photo of Babe Ruth up to bat in Wrigley Field in 1934. To make it an interactive with their guests we spray mounted the photo onto a large black poster board. Then with a silver Sharpie marker all their signed the poster board. They presented with their one-of-a-kind gift at the end of the night!

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  Mike and Katy LOVED Seinfeld. We wanted to create something really special since we are all Seinfeld fans too! After a few phone calls, we found a store in Hollywood where the studios drop off the scripts once they're done shooting. They had the Mike and Katy's favorite episode, "Non-Fat Yogurt". They FedExed to us and gave it to them as a gift at their wedding. Ya Da Ya Da...Our 10-Piece band learned and played the Seinfeld theme song. It was a fun surprise for Mike, Katy and the band!

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  Sarah and Matt were now both White Sox fans. She used to be a Cubs fan, but for the sake of a happy marriage became a fan of Matt’s favorite team. All of Matt’s family are HUGE Sox fans. I bought them Sox hats and we learned the 1959 Sox Song, "Go Go-Go White Sox".
  
  Sarah’s 80-Year Old Grandma is a life-long Cubs fan so I gave her a special Pink Cubs hat I bought at Wrigley Field. She tried to get to me to play "Go Cubs Go", but I knew it wouldn’t go over to well with all the Sox fans. We did our own private duet. She wore the hat all night, even on the dance floor! SO FUN!!

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  Lauren and Eric love drinking wine, going out with their friends, watching their favorite TV shows, Golfing and Skiing. For their wedding in St. Charles, IL, I created an exact copy of the Monopoly Card for St. Charles Place. I changed the info on the card to include all their favorite things they do together. I had it printed on a 5’ X 5’ Poster board. All their guests signed the poster and at the end of the night we gave it to the Bride and Groom as a gift. Everyone really enjoyed it. Lauren and Eric were thrilled and amazed that we made that kind of effort for them. This was one of my favorite gifts we’ve created!

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  Lindsay and Adam both love one of my favorite T.V. shows, Mad Men. I found a website that sold everything about the show. I gave them baseball caps, which I had all their guests sign. I also bought a mouse pad from the Mad Men's advertising agency on the show Sterling Cooper. We even played the theme song to the show. They LOVED it! The guests had a blast signing the hats. Since they met at The University of Colorado, we learned the CU Fight Song. This brought down the house!! What a FUN night for everybody!!

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  Brian and Melissa wrote on their Tell Us More About You form that their all-time favorite movie was Shawshank Redemption. I found a 3 foot by 4 foot original movie poster at store in Chicago called Beyond the Wall. To make the poster last much longer I had it mounted on foam core. To make it a one of a kind gift, all their family and friends signed it with a special Sharpie marker. Shawshank Redemption is one of my all time favorites too. To quote the movie, "Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying!" They both really enjoy the surprise gift!

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  Lindsey and Chris loved cooking and watching cooking shows on the Food Network. I bought them Professional Chef Jackets. I found special markers for writing on clothes. I had all their guests sign both jackets. They were surprised and were thrilled. "This was So Perfect!" I also found some cute oven mitts with the bride and groom's image. We learned 3 extra songs for the First Dance, Father/Daughter and Mother/Son Dances. THEY LOVED EVERYTHING!

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  Sara and Alex - Their favorite TV show is "The Office" so I bought them the box set including the first 5 seasons. We also learned the theme song which we played live. They were absolutely thrilled and surprised! Sara's dad was a real character and a great guy. Even though he's a Doctor, one of his favorite things to do is to wear a Gorrila Suit for family parties. I bought him a little book about Gorillas. Two of their friends even sang with the band. They were great too!

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  Kevin and Laura were giant fans of Bruce Stringsteen and the E Street Band. We learned 3 of their songs including "Glory Days", "Born in the U.S.A." and their first dance "When You Need Me". For their special gift, I got them a wonderful scrapbook of Bruce and the E-Street Band. It contained tons of photos stories, set lists, stickers, concert posters, programs and interviews with each member of the band. Hours of fun for any fans of "The Boss". They loved it!

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  Victoria and David met at Indiana University. Many of their guests were also enthusiastic alumni. We learned and play the IU fight song, "Indiana, My Indiana". They all sang along as if they were at a pep rally instead of a wedding at The Drake. I bought them IU hats and had all their guests sign them. Her dad owns Oak Lawn Toyota so we played "COROLLA SALLY". Since he’s a Huge White Sox fan, I found and gave him a photo of the 1959 White Sox players standing next to their new Cadillacs. There were so many fun personal moments all night long.
  
  Go Indiana and Go-Go White Sox!

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  Amy and Andrew commute together every day to work. I wanted to find something they could use and also bring them great memories of their special day. I did some research and came across these commuter cups. They look just like paper coffee cups, but are actually made of high quality ceramic. All their guests signed them. I hope they smile each time they use them.

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  Quinn and Lynette are a great couple with different tastes in entertainment. Lynette loves Audrey Hepburn classic movies like Breakfast at Tiffany's. I gave her a beautiful photo book with about Audrey and her movies which all their guests signed. Quinn on the other hand likes the T.V. Show Dirty Jobs. So he got the first three seasons on DVD. They are both big Blackhawks fans so we learned two Theme Songs, which really got the crowd pumped up!

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  Nicolette and Jim were big fans of movies and movie stars. They also own a dental supply company. So I thought a book about movie stars smiling would be perfect! I had all their 260 guests select their favorite celebrity and sign the page. Once all their guests had signed the book, I presented it to them as a special gift. We learned four brand new songs they requested and played three more which the guests requested that night. After the wedding, we donated their flowers to a Nursing Home just in time for Mother's day.

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  Michelle and Vince love to travel together. They have done quite a bit both in the U.S. and Europe. So, I bought them a book entitled, "The Travel Book: a journey through every country in the world." It included gorgeous photographs and information about what makes each country unique. All their 190 guests signed various pages throughout the book and I presented to them as a gift. They were excited to get something that was filled with beautiful photographs and wonderful words from the people they care about most.

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  William K. Kellogg III - is the grandson of the founder of Kellogg's. Our band played for his 80th birthday party. I wanted to create something special for him. I found an antique shop that had magazine ads from the 30s and 40s. I found two ads for Kellogg's Corn Flakes. I went to a framing shop and had them spray mount the ads onto black cardboard. To make it extra special, I brought a sliver Sharpie so all his guests could sign the ads and give it to him as a gift. He was both thrilled and amazed!

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  Loren and Matthew - are both professional Violinists with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra. I went to Orchestra Hall where The Chicago Symphony performs. In their gift shop, they had this beautiful China plate. It was perfect for them. They LOVED it! We did a special arrangement of "My Girl" which her dad sang with our orchestra. After the wedding they donated all their flowers. I brought them to the Sunrise Nursing home the next morning. Another great wedding!!

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  Suzanne and Jon are one of those "opposites attracts" kind of couples. He’s a good ole country boy. She’s a big city mouse. We played "I’m a little Bit Country, I’m a Little Rock and Roll." To make it even more fun I had Donny and Marie T-Shirts and had their guests sign them. Their favorite TV is "Wheel of Fortune." So we learned and played the theme song. They were so surprised and thrilled!! Such a fun night for such a fun couple!!

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  Samantha and Jeff - Sam worked for the Cubs so I purchased a 24x36 color poster of Wrigley Field. I had it mounted on foam core and asked all their 250 guests to sign it. We learned and played, "Go Cubs Go" and even bought them a Cubs Monopoly game. As a lifelong Cubs fan, that was fun for me too!

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  Alicia and Ryan - They both went to school at University of Iowa. We played 3 U of I fights songs while all their friends sang loud and proud along with them. I brought them his and her Iowa baseball caps and had their bridal party sign them. I even bought them a mini Iowa football. A few months, later I saw that the Iowa Hawkeyes were on the cover of Sports Illustrated. I mailed them a copy of the issue. They loved it!!

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  Sarah and Ray - Sarah was from Chicago and Ray was from Philadelphia. For their special gift I purchased a Cubs and a Phillies hat and had all their guests sign them. Since Ray was from the hometown of Rocky Balboa, we learned the theme song to Rocky as a special surprise. He ran to the middle of the dance floor and jumped around with his hands in the air. My friend in Philly got me a Rocky t-shirt. They loved it!

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  Katie and Perry and their families were huge Beatles fans, so we learned 9 Beatles songs for their big day. I also bought them a Beatles anthology book, which all their guests signed. At the end of night everyone sang arm in arm, "We all live in Yellow Submarine." I found out that they met at Dirkin's bar so I went to the bar and bought them T-Shirts. They also said it was Perry's sister's birthday. So we played "Happy Birthday" and even gave her a birthday card.

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  Emily and Mark - Mark was from Brazil, so we gave them our Brazilian percussionist for free. He sang played all night. We learned and played 10 Brazilian songs, which he sang in Portuguese. Mark was also an aspiring guitarist, so as a gift our guitarist/arranger, Jeff Sanders, gave him a private lesson for free. Mark even played with the band at the wedding. Emily was just as excited to see him play as he was to get to play with us. He was the Guitar Hero that night!!

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  Antonella and Brendan - Antonella's family was from Italy. She said 30 guests were coming to the wedding from Sicily, so I purchased a book titled, "Italian Americans." It had beautiful photos and stories about life in Italy during the turn of the century, Ellis Island, and what life was like for Italian Immigrants in New York. I had their guests from Italy sign the book in Italian and gave it to them as a gift. We also learned the North and South Tarantella. Congratulazioni!!

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  Sara and Andrew - The bride's sister, Lisa said she played clarinet. I thought it would be great for her to play a song with our band as a special surprise gift for Sara. We created a special arrangement of a Benny Goodman song, "Begin the Beguine" for her to play with us. The bride was so surprised and thrilled!