Wollongong DJ Claude Spinelli stops brides’ worst nightmare at City Beach Function Center | Illawarra Mercury

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A Wollongong wedding DJ is hailed as a superhero after saving the receptions of two newly married couples from ruin when a severe storm literally rained down on their parade. Hundreds of people gathered for two weddings at the City Beach Function Center on Saturday afternoon, awaiting the arrival of the brides and grooms when the skies opened at around 5:30 p.m. Read more: How a Volcano Forced a Tsunami Warning on the Illawarra Coast Water began to pour in and down the walls, patio furniture was picked up and smashed before the power went out, blanketing everything in darkness and then the fire alarms going off. Pro Sound and Lighting’s Claude Spinelli was hired to host one of the parties and said his “heart was just split in two” when he saw the agony on both brides’ faces. “The music stopped, the kitchen stopped, everything stopped,” he said. “But I believe the show has to go on and when someone has a special day you can’t send them home.” Read more: Symphony and Sky shows planned for Australia Day at the Illawarra As Mr Spinelli one of the brides in Seeing tears break out, he confidently told her everything would be fine and “this will be the wedding of a lifetime.” “Everyone just stood there and watched her cry and I don’t know what came over me — kind of a superhero,” he said. “‘So I said, ‘We’re going to try and make it happen.'” He ran back to his Auburn Street shop and grabbed as many battery-powered lights as possible, generators and portable PA systems to try, both parties to bring back to life. Operations Manager Therese Ly initially had concerns as to whether the DJ’s plan would work, but everyone – including some guests – simply “came in” to restart the party. “I was literally dripping with water trying to get sandbags in the rain, we’ve had guests wiping up water with mops,” she said. “We were a little worried. We also had fire alarms so we had the fire brigade on call so we had the couples take pictures with the fire engine – everything happened.” Luckily there was still gas in the kitchen and with ad hoc lighting everyone was able to dine , which could be prepared in a deep fryer or on a stovetop, were sent out to ensure guests were fed. At the time Mercury spoke to Ms Ly, she was yet to assess the physical damage to the building but expected extensive water damage to carpets and possible damage to the balconies as patio furniture had been thrown about. She said Mr Spinelli was a “superhero” and they couldn’t have done it without him. “We couldn’t have done it without the lights and the music…it made the night of her dreams a little different, but it happened.” The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to our journalism here.

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EXCLUSIVE

January 16, 2022 – 6:16 p.m

Hundreds of people gathered for two weddings at the City Beach Function Center on Saturday afternoon, awaiting the arrival of the brides and grooms when the skies opened at around 5:30 p.m.

The City Beach Function Center parking lot after Saturday’s storm. Image: Claude Spinelli

Water began pouring in and down the walls, patio furniture being picked up and smashed before the power went out, engulfing everything in darkness and then the fire alarms going off.

Pro Sound and Lighting’s Claude Spinelli was hired to host one of the parties and said his “heart was just split in two” when he saw the agony on both brides’ faces.

“The music stopped, the kitchen stopped, everything stopped,” he said. “But I believe the show has to go on, and when someone has a special day, you can’t send them home.”

SUPERHERO: Newlyweds Joseph and Monique and Monica and Daniel will sing the praises of DJ Claude Spinelli for saving their wedding receptions from total disaster. Image: Wesley Lonergan

Seeing one of the brides in tears, Mr Spinelli confidently told her that everything would be fine and “this will be the wedding of a lifetime”.

“Everyone just stood there and watched her cry and I don’t know what came over me — kind of a superhero,” he said. “‘So I said, ‘We’re going to try and make it happen.'”

He ran back to his Auburn Street shop and grabbed as many battery-powered lights as possible, generators and portable PA systems to try and bring both parties back to life.

A Wollongong wedding venue became the scene of a bridal horror film on Saturday when a freak storm wreaked havoc on the center minutes before two newlyweds were officially due to move in. Image: Claude Spinelli

Operations manager Therese Ly initially had doubts as to whether the DJ’s plan would work out, but everyone – including some guests – simply “came in” to restart the party.

“I was literally dripping with water trying to get sandbags in the rain, we’ve had guests wiping up water with mops,” she said.

“We were a little worried. We also had fire alarms, so we had the fire department on duty, so we had the couples take pictures with the fire engine – it all happened.”

Newlyweds Joseph and Monique, and Monica and Daniel will sing the praises of DJ Claude Spinelli, who saved their wedding receptions from total disaster. Image: Claude Spinelli

Luckily there was still gas in the kitchen and with ad hoc lighting, any food that could be prepared in a deep fryer or on a stovetop could be sent out to ensure guests were fed.

At the time Mercury spoke to Ms Ly, she was yet to assess the physical damage to the building but expected extensive water damage to carpets and possible damage to the balconies as patio furniture had been thrown about.

A Wollongong wedding venue became the scene of a bridal horror film on Saturday when a freak storm wreaked havoc on the center minutes before two newlyweds were officially due to move in. Image: Claude Spinelli

She said Mr Spinelli was a “superhero” and they couldn’t have done it without him.

“We couldn’t have done it without the lights and the music… It made the night of her dreams a little different, but it happened.”

A Wollongong wedding venue became the scene of a bridal horror film on Saturday when a freak storm wreaked havoc on the center minutes before two newly married couples were officially due to move in. Image: Claude Spinelli