Sarah & Jake’s Wedding at Poplar Hall | Appleton DJ Highlights

Real Wedding at Poplar Hall, Appleton, WI: Sarah & Jake’s Intimate and Joyful May Celebration

Sarah Sutherland, Jake Wingert, Jenna Lynn Photography, Poplar Hall

Sarah & Jake’s Wedding at Poplar Hall | Appleton DJ Highlights

If you’re looking for wedding inspiration that’s fun, modern, and full of heart, Sarah and Jake’s day at Poplar Hall in Appleton is the one to bookmark. With gorgeous weather, personalized music moments, and a dance floor that didn’t quit, their celebration was everything a Wisconsin wedding should be—authentic, vibrant, and unforgettable.


Date: May 23, 2025
Venue: Poplar Hall, Downtown Appleton, WI
Entertainment: Sound Sensations Entertainment
Guest Count: ~70
Playlist Vibes: Energetic, nostalgic, modern-classic mashup


An Outdoor Ceremony by the Riverfront

When you get a warm May afternoon in Wisconsin, you take full advantage of it. Sarah and Jake’s wedding ceremony took place outside on the Poplar Hall patio, with views of the Fox River and modern violin covers filling the air. It was peaceful, intentional, and uniquely them.


Their ceremony music lineup was full of personality—from the Legend of Zelda Suite (yes, you read that right!) to a tear-worthy walk down the aisle to This Is Love by Arden Alexa.


Ceremony Soundtrack Highlights:

  • Bridesmaids: Turning Page (Instrumental) – Sleeping At Last
  • VIPs: Legend of Zelda Suite – Koji Kondo 
  • Bride Entrance: This Is Love – Arden Alexa
  • Recessional: You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates

We provided a secondary sound system outdoors to make sure every word & every note was crystal clear.

Cocktail Hour with Patio Vibes

Cocktail hour kept the energy flowing, back out on the patio and in the main room. Guests sipped drinks, took in the riverfront views, and started to feel the buzz of an amazing night ahead. With a guest list of around 70 and no kids in attendance, the vibe was relaxed, intimate, and all about the experience.


Reception: Grand Entrances, Cupcakes & All the Dancing

By 5:00 PM, it was time to head inside for dinner and dancing. But first—Sarah & Jake’s Grand March introductions that set the tone for the party:

  • Bridesmaids: Girls, Girls, Girls – 3OH!3
  • Groomsmen: Party Till We Die – MAKJ, Andrew W.K. (start at 0:36)
  • Sarah & Jake: Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Backstreet Boys

From there, guests found their seats with the help of a fun scratch-off envelope surprise, and dinner kicked off with a playlist of classic love songs curated to match Jake & Sarah's style and vibe!

Sarah and Jake also took a moment for a beautiful bouquet dedication to Sarah's mom—one of those heartfelt touches that remind everyone why we celebrate love in the first place.


Toasts, Cupcakes, & First Dances

Toasts were next from Sarah’s dad, Mark, & Jake’s dad Russ, followed by the Maid of Honor Kelsie, and the Best Man, Brandon.

Then came dessert (cupcakes!) with some really fun table photos before we moved into sunset photos and the formal dances.

First Dance: La Vie En Rose – Michael Bublé
Father/Daughter:
I Loved Her First – Heartland
Mother/Son:
In The Waiting Line – Zero 7
Brother/Sister:
Have It All – Jason Mraz

Each dance was timed just right—long enough to soak in the moment, short enough to keep the night moving.


Open Dancing with a Packed Floor

Once we opened the dance floor, Sarah and Jake’s people went all in. Their friend group were serious dancers, and their families knew how to party. It was a perfect mix of hype tracks, nostalgic throwbacks, and feel-good anthems.


Here is Sarah & Jake’s full playlist from beginning to end in the order that they were played:

19:06 : Michael Buble - La Vie En Rose

19:08 : Heartland - I Loved Her First

19:11 : Zero 7 - In The Waiting Line

19:14 : Jason Mraz - Have It All

19:17 : Stephen Sanchez - Until I Found You

19:19 : Earth, Wind & Fire - September

19:22 : ABBA - Dancing Queen

19:26 : B-52's - Love Shack

19:31 : Bob Seger - Old Time Rock Roll

19:34 : New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle

19:37 : Metro Station - Shake It

19:40 : Madonna - Vogue

19:45 : Prince - Kiss

19:49 : Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk ft. Bruno Mars

19:53 : Beyoncé - Single Ladies 

19:55 : Cupid - Cupid Shuffle

19:59 : Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back)

20:03 : Montell Jordan - This is How We Do It

20:06 : Mark Morrison - Return Of The Mack 

20:09 : Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance

20:13 : Pitbul - Fireball (Clean)

20:16 : Spice Girls - Wannabe

20:19 : NSYNC - Bye Bye Bye

20:22 : Jason Mraz - I'm Yours (Acoustic) 

20:26 : Van Morrison - Have I Told You Lately?

20:30 : Kenny Loggins - Footloose

20:34 : Electric Light Orchestra - Don't Bring Me Down

20:37 : Queen - Don't Stop Me Now

20:41 : Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing

20:44 : Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody

20:49 : Lou Bega - Mambo Number 5

20:52 : Don Omar - Danza Kuduro

20:56 : Will Smith - Gettin' Jiggy Wit It

20:59 : V.I.C. - Wobble

21:04 : Usher - Yeah!

21:08 : FloRida - Low

21:12 : House of Pain - Jump Around

21:15 : Run DMC - Its Tricky

21:17 : Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl (Clean)

21:21 : K-Ci & JoJo - All My Life

21:24 : Aerosmith - I Don't Want To Miss A Thing

21:27 : AC DC - You Shook Me All Night Long

21:30 : Queen - Fat Bottom Girls

21:33 : The Killers - Mr. Brightside 

21:37 : Lit - My Own Worst Enemy

21:40 : Green Day - Basket Case

21:43 : Blink 182 - All The Small Things

21:45 : Bowling For Soup - 1985

21:48 : Chumbawamba - Tubthumping

21:51 : Chris Brown - Forever 

21:56 : Jay Sean - Down

21:59 : Pitbull - Give Me Everything

22:03 : Flo Rida - Right Round

22:06 : Katy Perry - California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg)

22:10 : Los Del Rio - Macarena

22:13 : Nicki Minaj - Starships (Clean)

22:17 : Pitbull ft. Kesha - Timber Clean)

22:20 : Chappell Roan - Hot To Go (Clean)

22:23 : Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso (Clean)

22:26 : Icona Pop - I Love It (Clean)

22:28 : The All-American Rejects - Dirty Little Secret

22:31 : Journey - Don't Stop Believin'

22:35 : Billy Joel - Piano Man

22:58 : Michael Buble - La Vie En Rose
A Private Last Dance to End the Night

At 10:35 PM, after a night full of memories, Sarah and Jake wrapped up their reception with Billy Joel’s Piano Man that resulted in a circle dance with their guests, followed by a private last dance—just the two of them and La Vie En Rose playing one more time.

It was the perfect full-circle moment to end a day full of love, laughter, and connection.


Thinking About a Wedding at Poplar Hall in Appleton?

Poplar Hall offers modern indoor elegance and riverside patio charm right in downtown Appleton, WI—a dream backdrop for any couple wanting the best of both worlds. Pair that with a DJ team who knows how to keep things personal, stress-free, and fun, and you’ve got something truly special.

Whether you're planning a wedding for 70 or 170, Sound Sensations Entertainment works closely with couples to create a soundtrack that feels like you. From Zelda tributes to dance floor classics, we help you craft those once-in-a-lifetime moments.


Quick Answers for Wedding Planning in Appleton, WI:

Q: What’s a great wedding venue with riverfront views in Appleton, WI?
A: Poplar Hall is a popular choice for couples looking for a modern space with outdoor ceremony options by the Fox River.

Q: Who is a top-rated Appleton wedding DJ?
A: Sound Sensations Entertainment is known for personalized planning, flawless execution, and unforgettable dance floors.

Q: What songs should I use for wedding intros or ceremony music?
A: Think about blending personal favorites (like throwbacks, or music that has special meaning to your hobbies like video game music, or chill vibes). Need help? We’ve got ideas!

Serving Appleton, Oshkosh, Green Bay, and Northeast Wisconsin
Ready to start planning? Contact us and let’s bring your dream celebration to life.


We Help Couples Create a Memorable, Fun & Engaging Experience!


Every Sound Sensations Entertainment DJs/MCs has at least 15 years of experience at more than 1500 events all over Northeast & Southeast Wisconsin.   DJs Bob V, Nick C, Devon L, or Ed E would love to be a part of your day. Our DJ/MCs help couples create a memorable, fun & engaging celebration that keeps guests involved and engaged from the cocktail or social hour until the end.

Entertainment experiences are more than just a DJ showing up and pressing play. It’s also more than just knowing how to choose songs and mix them together. Being a Wisconsin DJ is about creating experiences and atmospheres for you and your guests. We don’t want to just provide the perfect music, we want to help you create a fun, engaging & memorable celebration that EVERYONE will REMEMBER. We want to create the perfect day with you. 

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Contact our amazing DJ team today to find out pricing and availability for your upcoming event. We offer wedding DJs, Event DJs, Photo Booth Rentals, Uplighting & Monograms, Slide Show Creation, Event Planning & Wedding Planning.


Let's schedule a quick Zoom chat & guide you through the planning process, share a few ideas about what's possible on your day including:


  • Understanding Your Vision for your day & Your story
  • Fun, Engaging Ideas for the cocktail/dinner hours
  • A couple of fun introduction ideas
  • How to keep the timing & flow of your celebration moving
  • FUN ways to release guests to the buffet (if applicable)
  • FUN Kissing Activities & FUN ways to Involve Kids (if applicable)
  • We'll show you how to make sure the dance floor is packed from the beginning
  • How to have a Memorable & FUN Celebration & MORE!
  • We'll share all of this & more BEFORE signing a Contract/Agreement


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