It’s Spotlight Day! Where we introduce you to incredible Orlando wedding venues and vendors, and the stories behind their companies who help Wedding Venue Map couples have their best wedding day.
It gives us great pleasure to introduce Nate Rodriguez from Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos.
When people ask “what do you do”, how do you answer?
I’m a performer and Regional Director for Felix and Fingers, an all-inclusive events entertainment company that focuses on interactive musical experiences, mainly dueling pianos.
What did you do before you did this?
I’ve been a professional musician for most of the last 17 years, I don’t really remember what I did before that anymore!!
However, I did graduate from college with a degree in Computer Science, and I still occasionally do a little programming.
When and how did you get into the wedding industry?
As a touring musician, I fell in love with the logistics that go into planning and coordinating a tour. However, as I grew older, the touring lifestyle became less appealing. Further, being a “cool rock band doesn’t always fit with my personality (I’m a goofy ham.) Then I found weddings and events. It involves all the planning of touring, I get to be a goofball, and I still get to perform for wonderful people.
What is your favorite thing about what you do? What’s your WHY?
My “why” is that moment in every wedding when the couple looks around and sees every person they know and love having an amazing time. I know how much people care about their guests having fun, and being able to deliver on that promise in spades is my all-time favorite thing. Every moment of hard work I do is to achieve that goal.
What motivates you to do this every day?
My motivation comes from the people I get to talk to every day. most people enjoy a wedding maybe a dozen times in their lives. I get to experience the joy of that special day every weekend. What more motivation do you need?!
What is the best compliment you have received from your clients?
The compliment I always aim for is: “I can’t believe it! You guys got everyone singing/dancing/laughing!! I didn’t even know (insert normally stick-in-the-mud guest) could have that much fun!!” – I take special pride in the fact that everyone in attendance has an amazing time at each of our performances. We specialize in FUN!
What is important for clients to know about your company before they book you?
We book by-the-event, not by-the-hour, so make good use of us!
We provide music and sound for your ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and reception, so let us help make your planning easier and the music amazing!
What type of events do you specialize in?
We specialize in events of all shapes and sizes. Wedding and other social events, corporate events and fundraisers, even mitzvahs!
Our motto is simple and true: You set the date. We’ll bring the party!
Tell us about your favorite type of engaged couple.
My personal favorite type of engaged couple are those that are looking to share a unique experience with their guests. Couples that want everyone to have fun and love to connect with their friends. Our shows are super interactive, and any couple that is seeking a once-in-a-lifetime experience that everyone will still be talking about on their 1st anniversary will certainly find it with us!
Why do couples hire you?
I mean, why not?! In all seriousness, most couples hire us because they want fun and engaging live entertainment, and they want to know that all their music and sound needs will be expertly handled all day long.
What does your most popular package include?
75% of our couples book some form of our dueling pianos package.
This includes two performers playing piano, singing, MCing, and DJing all night long!
We provide live piano and/or pre-recorded music for the ceremony, DJed music for cocktail hour, background music and MCing for dinner, and our interactive, all-request dueling pianos show for the reception, and even DJed music for the late-night portion of the evening!
Tell us about some of your package options and the price range for these packages?
Every package we offer is by-the-event, not by-the-hour, so we always provide the music and sound for the ceremony, cocktails, dinner, and reception.
Dueling Pianos, our most popular package, includes live music for ceremony, dinner, and reception and includes two performers who MC, sing, play pianos, and even DJ! The package can be expanded with additional musicians of the client’s choice, from drums to guitar to sax and even violin! Weekend pricing is typically in the low-mid $3k range.
What are the most common questions you get asked by brides and/or grooms?
Are there any limits on the types of music you play? – Nope, we play all styles, eras, and genres of music!
Can you play our favorite song for our first dances? – Absolutely! Our performers know tens of thousands of songs, but even if we have to learn it just for your wedding, we love to play what you love to hear!
How he heck do you get pianos into the venue? – It’s a secret, you’ll have to call to find out! ;-P
The best piece of advice for brides or grooms.
Never be afraid to ask questions, and trust your wedding pros! – No couple ever feels 100% prepared when trying to plan a wedding. That’s ok. Most folks only ever get married once, and maybe attend a dozen weddings in their whole life. So ask questions, seek advice, and take it to heart.
We, wedding professionals, have participated in hundreds, if not thousands of weddings, and we are always happy to share what we’ve learned. We know what works, and we will always seek to make your big day absolutely unforgettable!
www.RHatfieldPhotography.com
Tell us some venues you enjoy working at and why.
Mission Inn: The venue is gorgeous and wonderfully flexible, but the main reason I love Mission Inn is the coordinators; Jessica and Bri are some of the most professional wedding planners I’ve ever met, and also the kindest. Working with them is always a joy!
Orlando Science Center: They are a super-unique venue, and of course, as a super-unique entertainment option, we fit together perfectly! The staff there is also always exceedingly professional and lovely to work with. Helen is one of my favorite people at weddings.
The Balcony: Brooke and Brianna are really who make The Balcony a favorite. They put a lot of care into each event at their space, and their whip-smart approach to weddings fits perfectly with the Industrial chic vibe at The Balcony. Both the indoor and outdoor spaces are wonderfully modern and different from anything else you’ll find in Orlando.
Alfond Inn: Kelly and Jane at the Alfond Inn make even the most complicated weddings seem effortless. The Solarium at the Alfond is one of the most beautiful spaces in Orlando for a ceremony, and they just knock it out of the park every time.
Here is what some previous couples had to say…
“OUTSTANDING entertainment for our wedding!! All of our guests can’t stop talking to them. They seriously made our special night complete. I can’t imagine having had a regular DJ at our reception. They brought the whole night to the next level! Nate & Brandon are incredibly talented, funny & charismatic! They made the night fly by (in the best way), and even had the older guests out on the dance floor. And maybe even most importantly, communication with the guys at Felix & Fingers was excellent from day one. They earned and kept my trust throughout the whole process, and made everything easy & fun! I seriously can’t recommend Felix & Fingers enough!!! ” – Kelsey P., Station House, St. Petersburg FL
“Felix and Fingers (Nate and Brandon, in particular) made our wedding extra special! They went above and beyond: the venue was wary of dealing with a musician that wasn’t on their list of folks that they typically work with, so Nate traveled to Key Largo and got on the phone with the venue owner to demonstrate that he would meet all of the venue’s requirements. The service was top notch for all F&F reps I dealt with, the emceeing was flawless, the performance got everyone dancing (including my 60-something y/o mom, who I have NEVER seen a dance like that), and dancing lasted well into the night! These guys are the absolute tops, and I cannot recommend them enough for your wedding or other events.” – Joanna D., Lighthouse Beach, Key Largo FL
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