One Philadelphia DJ dedicated to one purpose... The flawless wedding reception...
Sunday, October 21, 2007
It Snowed In Arden Hills Tonight
I just saw something VERY COOL over at my friend, Michael Anderson's blog.
Sine 1996, Michael has owned and operated Creative Memories Entertainment, proving himself to be one of the most requested wedding entertainment directors in the Sacramento area.
From Michael's blog: "No your eyes do not deceive you, I said we made it snow inside Arden Hills on Thursday night. How you might ask? That is a secret to my clients; however I would like to share with you a clip from the wedding. Georgeeanna and Mario had worked very hard on choreographing their first dance and wanted to really wow their guests. I suggested to the two of them that they book the Snow Elegance package to surprise everyone. With their guests eyes contently glued to the dance floor the guests erupted into applause as they realized that their beautiful dance made it snow. They continued without hesitation and it seemed as though they were the only two in the room."
The Columbia Station Contact: Stephanie Ryan or Noreen Gilbert Phone: (610) 933-6336 Web Site - Contact
Robert Ryan Catering and The Columbia Station are located in a renovated train station, which was once the main source of transportation for the residents of Phoenixville to other cities serviced by the Reading Railroad.
Renovated in 1998, this historical facility is a spectacular venue, not just because of it's nostalgic feel but also the very accommodating staff.
Robert Ryan Catering is family-owned and operated, always keeping their clients' needs at the front of their focus. They treat every bride and groom as though they are family, making certain that no detail goes overlooked. They work in a concerted effort with the bride and groom to help deliver their vision of their special day.
The main ballroom can accommodate up to 225 guests. Outside, a completely restored caboose is available for the bridal party upon arrival, along with a gazebo and perennial gardens for ceremonies and wedding pictures. There is also ample parking, an often overlooked facet of selecting a location.
I have not only provided my wedding entertainment direction at their facility, I am also a former client. As such, I can personally vouch that the menu is fresh, delicious, and fulfilling; their creative flair makes events memorable; and they make every client feel comfortable and confident that they chose the right place to host their event.
If you are looking for a unique location to host your event, I suggest you look at what Robert Ryan Catering's Columbia Station can offer YOU.
Click here to view photos from The Columbia Station!
Candace & Ralph October 12, 2007 Hotel du Pont Wilmington, DE Web Site
The Hotel du Pont is luxury redefined. Located in the heart of historic downtown Wilmington, Delaware, this internationally renowned facility caters to the most sophisticated style and the demand for exceptional quality. If you expect the best, you can find it in the walls of the Hotel du Pont.
Candace and Ralph's wedding day was absolutely no exception.
Starting with a cocktail hour hosted in the Du Barry Ballroom, the always decadent presentation displayed by the staff of the Hotel du Pont was without flaw.
After cocktail hour ended, the guests adjourned to the Gold Ballroom, enjoying a choreographed first dance by the bride and groom. Their first dance was a rumba, a sensual Latin dance, known for its relatively slow rhythm and the hip movement.
During dinner, the guets were treated to the vocal stylings of Don Felice, an Italian crooner hailing from Molise, Italy. He was not only very entertaining, but was a true gentleman in every sense of the word.
After dinner, the lights dimmed and the chefs of Hotel du Pont wheeled out four golden carts to the center of the room to prepare a flambéd Baked Alaska.
I have seen numerous facilities attempt to properly prepare flambéd Cherries Jubilee, Bananas Foster, and Baked Alaska, but no one does it with the distinct flair and panache as Hotel du Pont. Just awesome...
Candace and Ralph's guests filled the floor from start to finish, dancing the night away and taking time here and there to congratulate the newlyweds.
Valerie & Scott October 7, 2007 Mendenhall Inn Chadds Ford, PA Web Site
If you've never been in the Grand Ballroom at The Mendenhall Inn, the moment you enter the room can be a little overwhelming. Stepping into the vast, multi-leveled ballroom is like stepping back in time to spend an evening with Colonial aristocracy. In other words, it's like having dinner in General Washington's mansion.
Valerie and Scott began their day with a ceremony in the Garden Terrace. A string duo provided their music as they walked down the aisle.
After the ceremony, cocktail began in the Garden Terrace, while the classical music continued to play.
Upon entering the room, the guests found their seats and enjoyed watching Valerie and Scott share in their first dance as husband and wife. Immediately after their first dance, the floor was flooded with friends and family alike, as they danced to The Hora!
Valerie and Scott were hoisted high into the air and carried around the floor throughout the song. I can't be certain, but I think Scott may have gotten a little "out-of-the-chair-air-time" from being bounced up and down.
While the ha-motzi was performed over the challah, I learned that any woman who would eat the "end-cuts" of the bread would bear a son. I never knew that... :)
I really enjoyed working with Valerie and Scott, not just because they were so fun-loving, but their friends and family were great! They all had REALLY GOOD song requests and wanted to dance as much as possible.
UPDATE: I just received an email from Valerie. It seems that eating an "end cut" didn't work... They are expecting a BABY GIRL in August!
Agenda
2:00 PM-2:25 PM Ceremony
2:30 PM-3:25 PM Cocktail Hour
3:30 PM Grand Entrance Bridal Party: "Sexyback" by Justin Timberlake Bride & Groom: "The Office Theme" by The Scrantones
3:35 PM First Dance "It's Your Love" by Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
3:40 PM Ha-motzi & Toasts
3:45 PM-4:55 PM Dinner
5:00 PM Cake Cutting "It Had To Be You" by Harry Connick, Jr.
5:05 PM Bride & Father Dance "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack
5:10 PM Groom & Mother Dance "I Am Your Child" by Barry Manilow
5:15 PM-7:30 PM Open Dancing
Valerie & Scott's comments about their wedding entertainment:
"Scott and I just wanted to say thank you for everything! Our wedding day was perfect and to have you as our "wedding entertainment director" made everything so much better! We are so thankful that you were around when we signed the Ketubah - having forgotten that we should have the photographer around for that! When you get a chance can you send me those pictures? Being a Sunday afternoon wedding, I have to admit that I was a little nervous that people wouldn't dance. BOY was I wrong - I think the dance floor was packed the entire time! Everyone enjoyed themselves and I had many people tell me how awesome you were. Thanks again for everything and being a part of our Wedding Day! Oh, one last thing - on your website about us you wrote about the ha-motzi over the challah... It should be the end cuts...not the in cuts. I'll let you know if its true... Again thank you for everything!"
Monica & Kevin October 6, 2007 Waterfall Banquet & Conference Center Claymont, DE Web Site
Set in the Northern most part of Delaware, Waterfall Banquet & Conference Center is a fantastic location for a wedding.
Upon entering the building, a giant waterfall pours overhead, passively changing color and immersing the entry in a truly unique ambiance.
Monica and Kevin had a very cool idea for their guest book.
As guests entered the cocktail area, they immediately had their photo taken by a Polaroid camera. After the photos developed, they were inserted into small pockets in a guest book/album. The guests could then write their "well-wishes" to the newly married couple, directly under their photo. Viva low-tech!
From the moment dinner ended, everyone was on the dance floor dancing to a WIDE variety of music. Monica's "favorite favorite" Uncle Paul lead the floor when Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" and The Romantics' "What I Like About You" were played.
Something that really struck me was the overwhelming sense of "family" in the room. Every wedding has a distinct feeling of togetherness and celebration, but Monica and Kevin's wedding had that extra little spark of love in the air that I don't often see.
When the dancing hours came to a close, you could see that the friends and family had not yet begun to party. It could have gone well into the following morning!
It was really great to work for such a nice and fun-loving couple. I definitely feel honored to have had the opportunity to entertain such an awesome group of people.
Adriana & Eric October 5, 2007 Pen Ryn Mansion Bensalem, PA Web Site
Beginning in the late afternoon with an outdoor ceremony, Adriana & Eric's wedding was elegant from start to finish.
Situated on the banks of the Delaware River for over 250 years, the Pen Ryn Mansion is a beautiful location, surrounded by dense woods and water.
While the guests enjoyed each other's company on the terrace, in the library, and in the study, Adriana, Eric and the bridal party made their way to the river's edge for photos.
The party began with a high energy entrance of the bridal party, making their way directly to the dance floor to serve as a backdrop for the pictures that would be taken of Adriana and Eric's first dance. Adriana and Eric's 10-month old daughter, Briana Lee, cut-in halfway through their dance for a few moments, then let her parents finish out their dance.
After the first dance, Adriana danced with her father, Erica danced with his mother, and dinner began.
After dinner and a trip to the Viennese Dessert spread, the friends and family filled the floor dancing to traditional Italian songs like "Calabrisella Mia", "Lasciate Mi Cantare" and the Angelo Venuto remix of "L'Italiano". There were also some Italian-American favorites like "Lazy Mary" and "Eh Cumpari" played as well.
The night wrapped up with a variety of new and old music, followed by a final slow dance to end a perfect evening.
6:30 PM Grand Entrance Bridal Party: "Shake Your Booty" by KC & The Sunshine Band Bride & Groom: "You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate
6:35 PM First Dance "Making Memories Of Us" by Keith Urban
6:40 PM Bride & Father Dance "I Loved Her First" by Heartland
6:45 PM Groom & Mother Dance "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts
6:50 PM Blessing & Toasts
7:00 PM-8:20 PM Dinner
8:25 PM Cake Cutting "That's Amore" by Dean Martin
8:30 PM-10:30 PM Open Dancing
Adriana & Eric's comments about their wedding entertainment:
"Steve did an awesome job at our wedding! We had to cut out the garter removal/toss & were a bit worried about the "down" time...We worried for no reason at all. Steve came up with fun, creative ways to get people on the dance floor and also incorporate my Italian heritage into the mix. I can't say again how much fun my husband and I had. I'm sure our guests had a blast as well, which was in part due to Steve! I'd recommend him a million times over! Thanks Again!"
From finding the gown shop with the best service in Boston to the most professional wedding photographers in New York, Chicago's top cakes, and L.A.'s best-rated reception sites-wouldn't every engaged couple like to know the inside scoop from recent brides in their area?
The Knot, the #1 wedding website and most trusted multimedia wedding authority, announced the arrival on newsstands of The Knot Best of Weddings magazine, a "by brides for brides" guide to the top wedding sites, photographers, florists, and more in over 40 key cities across the United States.
The Knot conducted a massive survey of 25,000 recent brides and grooms-the first of its kind-to capture detailed feedback on every wedding business that couples hired, from reception sites to planners, cakes and limo companies. The newlyweds were asked to rate their vendors on multiple criteria, from creativity to professionalism, and to comment on their experiences. The resulting ratings-and detailed feedback-were aggregated by the editors of The Knot to create this one-of-a-kind publication highlighting the best wedding resources in each region according to local brides. The survey was administered by Harris Interactive.
Janeen & Peter September 29, 2007 Villanova Conference Center Radnor, PA Web Site
Without hesitation, I would describe the Villanova Conference Center in Radnor as a hidden gem. Situated in a dense wooded area, the grounds of this facility are fantastic. With it's stone walkways and fountains, it is an outstanding setting for an elegant event.
As guests arrived, they entered the Montrose Mansion section of the conference center and were greeted with a slideshow presentation playing on a large TV, showing images from Janeen and Peter's childhood and recent past.
During the cocktail hour, their friends and family strolled the grounds, watched the Phillies clinch the NL East, and enjoyed some signature cocktails that were specially designed for the bride and groom.
An ice sculpture of Robert Indiana's Love Statue was a great Philadelphia-esque centerpiece for the newlyweds' cocktail hour.
After cocktail hour, the guests made their way to the main ballroom for the Grand Entrance and the bride and groom's first dance, sung by Peter's brother, Tom.
As dinner drew to a close, Tom also favored the audience with an original composition he penned especially for his brother and new sister he titled "Reverse".
There were very few dry eyes in the room as he sang to his brother, new sister, and their family and friends.
The father of the bride took over as MC after dinner ended, inviting everyone to the dance floor to dance and have some fun celebrating the new bride and groom's wedding day.
He wasn't nearly as polished as a true Wedding Entertainment Director, but with a little coaching, I would offer him a job with Silver Sound. :)
8:55 PM Cake Cutting "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies
9:00 PM-11:00 PM Open Dancing
Janeen and Peter's comments about their wedding entertainment:"Steve knew what he was doing and helped us get set-up from the beginning. Janeen and I had a great experience with Steve. We know that it was our wedding, but Steve by far was the best wedding entertainment director we have ever seen in fifteen plus weddings we have attended!"
Candace & Ralph
Valerie & Scott
Monica & Kevin
Adriana & Eric
From finding the gown shop with the best service in Boston to the most professional wedding photographers in New York, Chicago's top cakes, and L.A.'s best-rated reception sites-wouldn't every engaged couple like to know the inside scoop from recent brides in their area? 
Janeen & Peter
