Married In Montgomery County

Sara & Mark
August 29, 2009
La Massaria at Bella Vista
Gilbertsville, PA
Web Site

La Massaria is one of my most favorite facilities to entertain in. They offer imaginative menus and original, cutting edge event planning and production. Their careful attention to every detail enables you to enjoy being a guest at your own wedding reception! As a matter of fact, I like to joke with Brad Williams (La Massaria's Wedding Specialist) that he is "too efficient" and "provides his clients with WAY too much dancing time".

I also had the pleasure of working with Rick Blanco. You should check out his web site. They take some outstanding sparklers photos! I just got off the phone with Maria at Blanco Photography, who said she'll be sending some photos for my blog. Stay tuned for them to appear!

I also had the pleasure of working with another true professional, Steve Bonetz of Absolute Video. In addition to keeping me humble, I enjoy the times I get to work with Steve because of his unobtrusive approach to capturing an event.

Sara and Mark's guests were AMAZINGLY friendly! I was really struck by how they were not only really nice when they came up with requests, but EVERYONE seemed to have "PermaSmile". Everytime I looked up, the dance floor was filled and every face had a smile on it! Awesome!

Check out the video below, by the way. I decided to test some new lighting for the dancing hours. What do you think?

Congratulations, Sara & Mark!



Click here to see some photos from their reception!

Agenda

5:30-6:25 PM Cocktail Hour

6:25 PM Grand Entrance
Parents: "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley & The Comets
Bridal Party: "Got To Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn
Bride and Groom: "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" by Will Smith

6:30 PM First Dance
"Angel Of Mine" by Monica

6:35 PM Blessing & Toasts

6:40 PM-7:30 PM Dinner

7:10 PM Bride & Father Dance
"The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra

7:15 PM Groom & Mother Dance
"In My Life" by The Beatles

7:30 PM Cake Cutting
"(How Sweet It Is) To Be Loved By You" by Michael Buble

7:35 PM-10:25 PM Open Dancing

8:35 PM Bouquet Toss
"Man! I Feel Like A Woman" by Shania Twain

8:40 PM Garter Removal
"Can I Get A..." by Jay-Z

8:45 PM Garter Toss
"Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)" by The Offspring

8:50 PM Garter/Bouquet Union
"Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen

10:25 PM Final song of the night

Montgomery County DJs - Steve CrocePermalink

Another Penn State Wedding

Kari & Christopher
June 6, 2008
La Massaria at Bella Vista
Gilbertsville, PA
Web Site

I always look forward to the weddings I get to entertain at La Massaria. In addition to it's relaxing atmosphere and elegant old world style, the banquet staff there is very attentive to detail and always available to satiate the needs of every guest.

When I entertain at some other facilities, I often find it frustrating when I am unable to locate the banquet director. At every event, I strive to work in a concerted effort with the banquet manager to orchestrate and execute a flawless delivery of the day. Whenever I am at La Massaria, Brad Williams is almost always just an arm's length away, directing every nuance of the reception.

Although the afternoon sun was blazing in the sky, everything inside La Massaria was cool and comfortable with the drinks continuously flowing and the food bountifully being served.

By the way, what is it about Penn Staters that makes them so wild? I cannot remember EVER meeting someone who attended Penn State who I found to be boring and/or lethargic. It felt like a blazing inferno outside and that did not slow anyone down the slightest bit! The dance floor was bouncing all evening long with only one break from the dancing for a signature sparklers photo taken on the putting green outside; with all the guest smiling and waving from the windows above while the photos were taken down below. Awesome!

The only thing missing from this event was the Nittany Lion doing backflips on the dance floor!

Congratulations, Kari & Christopher!

Click here to see some photos from their event!

Agenda

7:00-7:55 PM Cocktails

7:55 PM Grand Entrance
"Kernkraft 400" by Zombie Nation

8:00 PM First Dance
"By My Side" by Ben Harper

8:05 PM Blessing & Toasts

8:10-9:30 PM Dinner

8:35 PM Bride & Father Dance
"I Loved Her First" by Heartland

8:50 PM Groom & Mother Dance
"My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

9:30 PM Cake Cutting
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You" by James Taylor

9:35 PM-12:00 AM Open Dancing

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Kari's parents, Kathy & Denny's comments about their wedding entertainment: "Thank you for making the evening for all of our family and friends so much fun and so memorable! The music, dancing and all of the special moments you highlighted were perfect. You personalized every moment so wonderfully. We recieved so many complements about you, the music and the touching and fun evening you created! Everyone loved the "old Italian tradition" and how you got everyone dancing! I don't think there was a moment after that that the dance floor was not filled with family & friends dancing and celebrating."Permalink

Married In Montgomery County

Stephanie & Jon
April 19, 2008
La Massaria at Bella Vista
Gilbertsville, PA
Web Site

Lately, I seem to be surrounded by nothing but the most laid-back and friendly people! Not only Stephanie and Jon, but the entire guest list was very genuinely happy, relaxed, and ready to party!

I always look forward to the opportunities where I get to work with my good friend, Brad Williams, Director of Catering at La Massaria.

I have known Brad for almost ten years and truly appreciate his precision and attention to detail. His ability to deliver the dinner expeditiously is nearly unmatched in the Delaware Valley! You can most assuredly expect to have your dance time maximized when Brad and his staff are on the job.

The event flowed nicely between the first and second floors as cocktail hour ended and the dinner and dancing portion of the evening arrived. Once again, two days in a row, the crowd was chomping at the bit, ready to get out on the dance floor with little effort coming from my direction.

As a matter of fact, I'm just going to go ahead and extend an open invitation to the guests from both weddings this weekend to attend ALL of my weddings. Just kidding...

As you can see from the photos, everyone had an awesome time, including a "worn-out-at-the-end-of-the-night" bride and groom. They were the kind of storybook couple that you know is going to have a great marriage!

Congratulations, Stephanie & Jon!

Click here to see some photos from their event!

Agenda

5:30 PM-6:25 PM Cocktail Hour

6:30 PM Grand Entrance
Bridal Party: "Eye Of The Tiger" by Survivor
Bride & Groom: "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti

6:35 PM First Dance
"Lost In This Moment" by Big & Rich

6:40 PM Toast from Stephanie's Father

6:45 PM Bride & Father Dance
"My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

6:50 PM Groom & Mother Dance
"Because You Loved Me" by Céline Dion

6:55 PM Toast from the Best Man & Blessing

7:00-7:50 PM Dinner

7:50 PM Bridal Party Dance
"Alcohol" by Brad Paisley

7:55 PM Cake Cutting
"Luck Be A Lady" by Frank Sinatra

8:00 PM-10:30 PM Open Dancing

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Stephanie & Jon' comments about their wedding entertainment: "Steve was great to work with throughout the whole wedding planning process. He understood exactly what we wanted! We trusted that he would play music that our guests and we would enjoy. Everyone had a wonderful time and commented on how great Steve was because he interacted with all of the guests. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who is getting married. A couple who is planning their wedding for Oct. '09 already asked for his name. Thank you so much for making our wedding day so memorable!"Permalink

Nothing But Blue Skies From Now On

Kelly & Jonathan
September 28, 2007
La Massaria at Bella Vista
Gilbertsville, PA
Web Site

Kelly & Jonathan's day began with a ceremony on the terrace of La Massaria, under a sky that threatened rain all afternoon. Just when it started to look as though the ceremony would be moving indoors, the sun parted the clouds and the sky changed from an ominous gray to a deep blue.

During their ceremony, they performed a sand ceremony and listened while a soloist sang "I Will Be Here" by Steven Curtis Chapman.

On Kelly and Jonathan's place card table, there was a small truck handcrafted by Jonathan to commemorate the passing of a family member. A talented woodworker, Jonathan had also crafted a crate that held the ceremony's programs.

After a grand entrance into the ballroom and a first dance as husband and wife, dinner began. One of the things I have noticed about La Massaria is how quickly and precisely they can deliver dinner. There never seems to be any snags holding up the meal, ever. It is definitely not a commonplace quality for a facility to be as efficient as these guys.

After dinner, the guests shared a few drinks at the bar, strolled the front porch area, and danced the night away.

It was especially nice to see how much Kelly and Jonathan seemed to love one another. They could be seen, at nearly any moment throught the evening, sharing a slow dance, standing close together, and always looking at one another like they were just falling in love again for the first time. Awesome...

Congratulations, Kelly and Jonathan!

Click here to see some photos from their event!

Agenda

5:30 PM-5:55 PM Ceremony

6:00 PM-6:55 PM Cocktail Hour

7:00 PM Grand Entrance
Bridal Party: "Tequila" by The Champs
Bride & Groom: "Born To Be My Baby" by Bon Jovi

7:05 PM First Dance
"Making Memories Of Us" by Keith Urban

7:10 PM Blessing & Toasts

7:15 PM-8:50 PM Dinner

7:45 PM Bride & Father Dance
"My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw

7:50 PM Groom & Mother Dance
"The Perfect Fan" by The Backstreet Boys

8:55 PM Cake Cutting
"Recipe For Love" by Harry Connick, Jr.

9:00 PM-11:00 PM Open Dancing

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Kelly & Jonathan's comments about their wedding entertainment:"Steve was more than a great DJ, he made the ceremony and reception run smoothly. I did not have to worry about anything. He was at the ceremony long before it started to ensure everything was setup and to meet with the soloist and minister. During the reception he interacted with the guests and also updated the many Phillies fans of the current playoff scores. The best thing about Steve is his awesome personality!! I have been to over ten weddings this year alone and I have to honestly say, Steve by far was the best! After the wedding people were still talking about Steve and I had three people ask for his name, that says a lot! Thanks again, Steve!"Permalink

A "Beautiful View" Of Old World Elegance

Eileen & Andrew
June 22, 2007
La Massaria at Bella Vista Golf
Gilbertsville, PA
Web Site

On this somewhat cooler afternoon, there was a nice break from the uncomfortably warm days leading up to Eileen & Andrew's wedding. With their wedding ceremony being held on La Massaria's vast outdoor terrace, a decrease in the humidity and searing heat was exactly what was needed.

La Massaria, the latest addition to Bella Vista Golf Course, is a breathtaking banquet facility created out of the original stables of a farm. Careful attention was paid to keep the stone walls and reuse the barn board and beams from the original structure, that dates back to 1802. This intense attention to detail has resulted in a facility that makes you feel as though you have stepped back in time to the grandiose ballrooms of the past where no expense has been spared.

Eileen and Andrew had invested a lot of personal time in the small details of their reception's presentation. In addition to naming each table after Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream flavors, there were numerous little things that added to the entire event.

When dinner had ended, the dance floor exploded with energy, never thinning out until the very end.

At the conclusion of the night, all of Eileen and Andrew's friends and family members stepped outside and sent the new bride and groom off with a sparkler exit. It was a magical end to an outstanding party!

Congratulations, Eileen and Andrew!

Click here to see some photos from their event!

Agenda

7:00-8:00 PM Cocktail Hour

8:05 PM Introductions
"Sexyback" by Justin Timberlake

8:10 First Dance
"Come Away With Me" by Norah Jones

8:15 Blessing & Toasts

8:20-9:30 PM Dinner

8:40 Bride & Father Dance
"I Loved Her First" by Heartland

8:45 Groom & Mother Dance
"My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

9:35 Cake Cutting
"Love You Madly" by Cake

9:40-12:00 AM Open Dancing

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