Photograph: Rachel Mercer Photography
Wedding story
Revel RunChelsea, MichiganSeptember 6, 2026
A Sunday in early September, a four o'clock ceremony, and a first look under the old trees.
Katie and Dennis were married on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Revel Run, the 150-acre venue on South Dancer Road outside Chelsea. In Rachel Mercer’s photographs the sky is full of white clouds and the trees around the lawn are still summer green.
The paper came first: an invitation suite in white and shades of blue, with the same peach dahlias, cosmos and blue delphinium that went into Katie’s bouquet. Her bridesmaids wore dusty blue. Dennis wore navy with a light-blue bow tie.
They saw each other for the first time that day on the lawn, under a row of tall old trees, before the ceremony. The portraits that open this page were taken later by the pond below the lawn, with the fields rolling away behind them.
Dave Menzo played their whole day, from the first notes of the ceremony to the last song of the night. Here is how it unfolded.
The day
01 · Beside the pond · 4 pm
Guests were asked to arrive for four o’clock. Dave opened the ceremony on acoustic guitar, welcomed everyone, and asked them to put their phones away and be present for the vows.
“…live acoustic guitar at our ceremony…”
Dennis
02 · The lawn and the patio
After the vows, guests moved up for drinks while Dave kept singing and playing, so the hour between the ceremony and dinner had a live soundtrack of its own.
“…singing and putting an amazing vibe on for our lawn cocktail hour…”
Dennis
03 · The Overlook
Inside the timber-framed hall, Dave took the microphone for the grand entrance, the toasts and each part of dinner, keeping the evening on its timeline without the room ever feeling rushed.
“…making every aspect of our wedding dinner run like clockwork…”
Dennis
04 · Until the last song
Then the tables cleared and the floor filled: lights down, cowboy hats on, a hora with the couple up on chairs, and a packed room until the final song.
“…absolutely ROCKING the dance floor all night long…”
Dennis
“Dave is the end-to-end entertainment man.”
If I wanted to count the number of people who went out of their way to rave about how awesome Dave was at our wedding, I'd run out of fingers and toes.
Never an awkward moment or stall, just seamlessly moving from segment to segment of the wedding.
I would recommend him 100 times out of 100 to anyone looking.
If I wanted to count the number of people who went out of their way to rave about how awesome Dave was at our wedding, I'd run out of fingers and toes. He was exceptional, from the live acoustic guitar at our ceremony, to singing and putting an amazing vibe on for our lawn cocktail hour, to MC-ing and making every aspect of our wedding dinner run like clockwork, and finally absolutely ROCKING the dance floor all night long. Dave is the end-to-end entertainment man.
He has such an amazing feel for an event. His musical talents are absolutely evident, but I think a lot of people underestimate how important it is to have someone who is an incredible MC that can guide guests through the night. Dave is phenomenal at this. Never an awkward moment or stall, just seamlessly moving from segment to segment of the wedding.
I would recommend him 100 times out of 100 to anyone looking. He's also an amazing person to work with. Always down to hop on the phone or text, workshop different ideas, and do something that's tailored to you. Every conversation with Dave was like talking to an old friend who is as excited for your wedding as you are. Just go with Dave, you won’t regret it.
Photographs: Rachel Mercer Photography
Read our guide to Revel Run, with its spaces, guest counts and music rules, or see more weddings across the Ann Arbor area. For your own day, start with the Wedding DJ and MC, live ceremony music and cocktail hour music, then check your date.
The gallery
Photographs by Rachel Mercer Photography, shared with permission. Use the arrows or swipe for more; tap any photo to open it full screen.
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Revel Run is in our Ann Arbor region. Read about the venue.
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