Jessie: Hey everyone! I am Jessie with Our DJ Rocks. Thank you for joining us on another live episode of Backstage Pass! Tonight, I am so excited because I have DJ Stasia with me and one of her past couples, Rachel and DeeDee, and their daughter Skylar. I am really so excited to hear all about their wedding day. They got married at Club Lake Plantation; thank you so much for being here with us.
DJ Stasia: Yeah! Thank you guys!
Rachel: Of course! We are so excited to be here.
Jessie: Yeah, absolutely! My first question is, "How is marriage treating you? How have you been since the wedding?"
Rachel: I think we have been doing pretty good considering everyone knows the virus and the quarantine… we got married in October so we are 7 months in and we have kind of had to learn how to be around each other 24/7; so we survived that and I think we are on the road to a great, great life.
DeeDee: And also, thank goodness Rachel is better in math, because we have also had to take on schooling. *laughter*
Jessie: I was gonna say, it’s like a really long honeymoon, but maybe not if you’re also being a teacher.
Rachel: Right! I think she wants to go back to school now.
Jessie: So tell me: how did you guys meet?
DeeDee: Oh boy, long story short, we met online because we are a little older—well, I’m older. And I was actually in the hospital when I found this lovely lady, scrolling through, bored and finally decided to message her. Instead of sending a standard message, I think it was a long paragraph/essay about my life and that I had a daughter and what I was looking for. I got ZERO response; a week went by, nothing; two weeks went by, nothing. So it took about two and a half weeks for you to respond…
Rachel: Yeah, about two and a half.
Jessie: She had to digest it in how to respond, haha.
Rachel: Well, for me, I had never been online. I had never dated online, so it was all new to me. When I signed up, I signed up to get for what it feels like and how to do it.
DJ Stasia: And now you’re MARRIED!
Rachel: Haha yes; I wasn’t really looking for a life partner, I was looking for fun, and lo and behold, her picture popped up and I went, “Wow! I kinda like her!” And she did, she put a long paragraph of life and what she’s been through and I thought if someone could put their life out there like that, she is believable.
DeeDee: It’s interesting too, because the tagline that people put out… Skylar and I pick a new motto out every year that means a lot to us and that year was, “Embrace the Change” because we had been through so much. I was in a previous relationship and unfortunately it didn’t end well so we had a really tough time together, Skylar and I. So for us we were kind of scared and came up with “Embrace the Change” and that was what I put on there.
Skylar: And ever since then we have made a new sign every year.
Jessie: So what’s this year’s?
DeeDee: Well, it was “This Just Got Real,” which was on our shirts! And the other one that you came up with was….
Rachel: Trust the process.
DeeDee: Because Rachel kept saying to me to trust the process.
Skylar: During the whole wedding and everything.
DeeDee: Yeah and our overall relationship and how we had to trust each other and trust what we were going through and just believe. There are different stages in life that you go through stuff and that’s what kind of led us… because we are kind of different; I was bringing a 13-year-old into the relationship, so it was really important to me to have someone that could have us all blend into a kind of family…
Rachel: To accept that, because a lot of times when you’re single, you want to get into a relationship and you have a child involved, some people can handle it and some people can’t. I think I had a good thing coming into it, because I have grandchildren, so I already know how to handle children, I know how to talk to them. I know how to be loving and kind and understanding and be that other ear. What I think has complemented us, is that she has the ear for her mom and she also has that ear for me and she can trust both of us to be honest. And one thing led to another, and a year later it was… a marriage.
Jessie: Awwwww! Oh my gosh, true love.
Rachel: It was the best day of my life, no doubt about it.
Jessie: Awww. Okay! I’m gonna jump around with the questions a little bit; Skylar, you were kind of a big part of the wedding day! So let’s talk a little about that. How did you implement these amazing family values that you already had, how did you implement that into the wedding day?
Skylar: I think the best part of.. I don’t know how to really say it. I had this moment with Papa, a really special moment with him, because he’s been battling health issues and stuff and the family wanted to make sure I had a special moment with him. So it meant a lot to me to have that special moment with him and take him to dance for one song and that was the best family part I had. Or walking with [Rachel + DeeDee] down the aisle…
DeeDee: We included so much; Skylar walked me down the aisle and Rachel met us halfway, so we walked the rest of the way as a family and walked back down as a family. During the vows, because we wrote our own vows, I didn’t realize this but Rachel called Skylar up and actually read her vows that she wrote for Skylar, and I think all three of us all cried at that point.
Rachel: I don’t think there was a dry eye.
DeeDee: I didn’t expect it so that was really good.
Jessie: That’s awesome! And you had a few dedications throughout the night with the music, so tell us how you made the music make all those moments extra special? Anyone can give the answer! DJ Stasia, you helped create those moments; how was the feeling of pressing play on those special moments?
Rachel: I think, originally, when trying to pick out our genre of songs, we are country people. Some people just have a few country songs thrown in but, as Stasia will tell you, we had a LOT of country requests. We had other ones but picking out our songs, through the relationship times there were songs that popped up, DeeDee sent me a song early on that I just melted with. We just knew there was a point in time we were going to use them and we wanted to make sure they fit in at the times that they did and that lady there, Stasia, putting it in the background, she was the BOMB at doing that. She really listened and told us what she thought on when, where, and how and was just amazing.
Skylar: And my favorite one was when my mom and I, we kind of have this theme song, it’s “Thrive” by Casting Crowns, it was a little bit religious but it was the one that brought us through tough times and we played it at the wedding and it was really memorable.
DeeDee: These two know music and titles really well, and I don’t so it was really helpful that [DJ Stasia] knew her music and was really helpful. I would say, “This is what I’m looking for,” and she would say, “I got it; I got you covered!”
Rachel: At one point, we just said, you pick the music, we’re good.
DJ Stasia: You guys knew what you wanted and I felt like I just helped you guys find the right songs. You had a moment with Skylar and Rachel, a moment with Skylar and DeeDee, a moment with Skylar and Pops, we had the first dance and last dance covered, you guys knew all the little parts, and I’m just there to put all the music behind it. It was a lot of fun for me.
Jessie: I love that! I always say they’re magical, or they’re like wizards. You can name one song you like and they’ll go, “Oh you’ll probably like these other three songs.” And I’m like, how did you do that? You’re a Spotify and know what is going to autoplay next for me or something.
Okay, let’s talk about the wedding planning process. What was your biggest fear in picking a wedding DJ? What was most important to you?
Rachel: I know, for one thing, we had talked to a couple other companies and what stood out with this one was we felt comfortable. Because we are women, we aren’t your traditional guy and girl getting married, so we wanted to make sure our DJ could understand that. After our first meeting, we knew this was it, she was for us. It was a really easy choice.
DeeDee: We had a lot of older people there and we had Skylar, so we had a unique mix of people and song choices so we left it up to you to get people dancing and it was important to have those key moments.
Jessie: I think that’s always people’s biggest fear is when you have that wide gap in ages and that’s all the same music genre. And hopefully DJ Stasia got everyone on the dance floor.
Rachel: That’s the other big fear, is everyone going to be on the dance floor? Is it fast enough? Was there a good mix? Were they getting bored? There wasn’t a huge fear in that though, because we trusted Stasia. She got a couple eye glances from me throughout the night because some of the songs are longer songs so we just had a look that I would look at her and she knew to just switch to another song.
DJ Stasia: I tried to catch you guys together through the night and would think, okay I can play this song right now!
Rachel: It was perfect!
Jessie: My next quick question is for DJ Stasia: What was your first impression of Rachel and DeeDee? And Skylar?
DJ Stasia: Like I said, I feel like they’re not going to agree with me on this, but I felt like they knew what they wanted. This was their wish, their dream come true. At the end of the day, Rachel and DeeDee, we got this feeling and we vibed; I loved you from the moment we met.
Rachel: And we genuinely felt that. That’s why we came into the whole wedding knowing that we had so much confidence in you because we had that strong connection. We knew you would handle it.
Jessie: We always make the joke, that are we ready to put a ring on it? Like we’re dating you, and you guys were like DJ soulmates.
Skylar: I loved that you were wearing sparkly shoes! When I saw that I thought, “Oh my gosh, I love those shoes.”
DJ Stasia: I know I’m at home right now but I had to show you, I’m wearing my sparkly shoes right now. I know you can’t see the lower half of me but I miss weddings so I am wearing them.
Jessie: Oh my gosh, I am cracking up right now!! I haven’t put shoes on in like a month so that’s perfect.
Rachel and DeeDee, was there anything that DJ Stasia did to surprise you?
Rachel: Well I can tell you one thing, I have been to a lot of receptions, and Stasia you went around to everyone and introduced herself and beyond the list we gave her, she put herself out there and said that she can play any songs that were requested. We got some great compliments; everyone thought you were related to us! You did a really great job at going around and making sure everyone felt comfortable and laughing and the music was up.
DeeDee: And you covered for me when she couldn’t find me!
Rachel: Yes! Remember when I asked, “Where’s my wife??!” And you said, “I got this.”
DJ Stasia: I had a lot of fun! I had a lot of fun meeting them and I don’t remember their names but I remember faces and went out to the dance floor a few times.
Rachel: You’re in one of the big team pictures! The one with everyone on the dance floor. Everyone said she was like family, so that was nice.
Jessie: Awww that’s so cute! Everyone in the comments is obsessed with you guys, by the way. Stasia, what was your favorite part of their wedding day?
DJ Stasia: I think the last dance when it was just the two of them, was my favorite part. It hit me a different way because of how close I got to them and it was nice to see them at the end of the night just sharing each other and Skylar was around as well.
Rachel: It was a picture perfect moment because it was “This I Promise You” and it’s a big step; marriage isn’t a joke, it’s a big commitment and we knew from the three of us coming in at different parts of our lives, and our age, and Skylar, and having this good fit—it’s worked out very well. We’re gonna have moments that she’s not going to like what I have to say and vice versa but that's a part of life and beautiful DeeDee over here has allowed us to have that kind of relationship as well.
DJ Stasia: It was awesome seeing it, what you just described, and it was awesome seeing it just work. With music to me, music does things to me I can’t explain, and when moments like that have music added in, it’s like *chef kiss*.
Jessie: Rachel and DeeDee, what is your most vivid memory of your wedding day?
Rachel: Mine, because I worked very hard and Stasia was helpful in this, was the first song coming in. I worked it, there’s two parts and I wanted to come in first, and the song was “For a Lifetime” by Ryan Darling. But there’s a certain verse in there that I wanted to walk through the doors, because I had been walked in, prior, with my best friends too, and I wanted to make sure these two ladies walked in at that time and then the other part of the verse connected the three of us. SPOT ON. So my most vivid memory was watching those two ladies walk through those doors knowing I was going to spend the rest of my life with them. It was magical knowing I was going to connect with their hands at that time. It was priceless, the best moment of my life.
DJ Stasia: I was crying at that point.
Jessie: I have chills right now! That’s so special when you find that one song and you think that that represents us and I’m so glad that you found that.
Rachel (to DeeDee): What was your magical moment?
DeeDee: Oh mine? Oh, wow. Probably when we read the vows. When we were standing there doing stuff, I just remember it being the three of us.
Jessie: Aww. Stasia, what’s your most vivid memory?
DJ Stasia: The DANCE FLOOR. I mean, we had fun and they said a lot of people wouldn’t be dancers, but a lot of people WERE dancers. We went from a lot of country to a lot of mainstream, it was so much fun for me. I can also say there were a lot of emotional parts because I can relate to you guys in a lot of ways so there were definitely a lot of emotional parts that were vivid for me.
Jessie: What was your favorite musical moment of the night?
Rachel: If I could pick one, it would be the last dance, knowing I was holding her in my arms with all our friends and family loving and supporting us. The song was “Picture Perfect” and it really did get real, it just happened.
DeeDee: Mine was my dance to Skylar to “Thrive” that was a good one too because we got to let go of past stuff and have a new beautiful person with us. It was a sigh of relief and a good feeling to be happy.
Jessie: Stasia, when you think of Rachel and DeeDee what song comes to mind?
DJ Stasia: There were a lot of songs they incorporated into the day that describes them very well, but I think the Enya one, maybe it was the moment with the song. I definitely teared up, it was the beginning of my journey with them and it was very special and memorable for me.
Jessie: Rachel and DeeDee, what advice would you give to someone who is planning their wedding and thinking about booking with Our DJ Rocks?
DeeDee: Everyone talked about Our DJ Rocks from the get-go. I want to talk about how comfortable I felt and knew the vibe I wanted and wasn’t able to articulate it and you were able to figure out the songs and recommendations and you had us fill in the blanks. They are professionals and have done a ton of weddings and let them get to know you. Once they know you, they know what direction to take and run with it.
Rachel: I think, too, if you want to have someone who is passionate about music and their job and has a good vibe about it, it shows. Anastasia, it showed!
Jessie: I’m getting emotional; I am so proud of Stasia.
Rachel: We have had a lot of friends say it was one of the biggest weddings they have ever attended.
Jessie: Definitely! And you have to make sure you trust all your vendors, not just DJs, it’s a lot of trust, it’s a big leap. Especially with music too. Thank goodness people like Stasia are good at it.
Okay this is my last question: there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes on a wedding day, is there anything that went on that day that they might not know?
DJ Stasia: Well, I wanted you to know when you guys changed, I kept the party going! Everyone kept dancing and didn’t skip a beat. Thank you so much for the opportunity!
Jessie: Thank you so much for joining us tonight and sharing all about your wedding and your awesome family! We could not be more grateful for couples like you. Thank you to everyone watching and thank you Rachel and DeeDee for trusting us with your wedding. We are so glad we got to reconnect with you. Is there anything else you would like to say?
Rachel: We just want to say, be safe, have fun, LOVE WINS, love everybody. It’s time for everybody to love everybody.
