A Midsummer Night In The Manor House

Ellen & Curt
July 24, 2009
Manor House at Commonwealth
Horsham, PA
Web Site

I absolutely LOVE the Manor House at Commonwealth National Golf. There is nothing quite like the feeling of celebrating a reception in a facility designed to feel like a home away from home. In my opinion, it's the more unique facilities that encourage guests to really relax, unwind, and just "be themselves".

Ellen and Curt's photographer, Ken Lee of Marsella Studio, is someone I always enjoy working with. He not only takes great photos, but is someone I can count on to always be nearby, ready to capture the next important moment.

I can't tell you how many times I have searched for a missing photographer... It's a little stressful.

Do you see the video below? That was the second song played after the bridal party was introduced and Ellen and Curt shared their first dance. You read that right. The second song after the first dance.

Their friends and family came to party!

From dancing to singing to laughing and shouting, there was activity on the dance floor nearly all night long! By the way, Curt... I personally enjoyed hearing you and your best man singing some Bonnie Tyler. It's been awhile since I've played "Total Eclipse of the Heart".

Congratulations, Ellen and Curt!



Click here to see some photos from their reception!

Agenda

7:00-7:55 PM Cocktail Hour

7:55 PM Grand Entrance
Parents: "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith
Bridal Party: "Forever" by Chris Brown

8:00 PM First Dance
"Then" by Brad Paisley

8:05 PM-8:15 PM Open Dancing

8:15 PM Blessing & Toasts

8:25 PM-9:35 PM Dinner

9:00 PM Bride & Father Dance
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow..." by Iz

9:05 PM Groom & Mother Dance
"Through The Years" by Kenny Rogers

9:35 PM Cake Cutting
"(How Sweet It Is) To Be Loved By You" by James Taylor

9:40 PM-12:00 AM Open Dancing

11:55 PM Final Song
"Take Me Home Tonight" by Eddie MoneyPermalink

Rain, Rain Go Away...

Alicia & Dean
June 13, 2009
Manor House at Commonwealth
Horsham, PA
Web Site

Despite a torrential downpour, Alicia and Dean's wedding at the Manor House at Commonwealth was fantastic.

The day began with Alicia and Dean's wedding ceremony. Originally slated to take place on the lush green grass of the golf course, it was moved indoors. I had the pleasure of spending some time before the ceremony with my good friend at Shaw Strings, Virginia Schawacker.

Virginia (affectionately known by everyone as "Mom") and her team had all learned to play some selections by U2, Verve, and Peter Gabriel for the ceremony. I must admit, nothing compares to hearing a live string performance of "Bitter Sweet Symphony".

Before Alicia and Dean's ceremony, I presented Alicia with a vial of rain water I collected as both a "good luck charm" and offered for her to save it for the day they would Christen their first child.

I remarked that while many people might say "rain on your wedding day is good luck", no one ever explains why. My feeling is that since rain is water and water is the the source of all life, rain might just be God's way of saying he is going to breathe new life into an already strong relationship. It seemed to put the weather in a whole new perspective for her and eventually, Dean.

By the time the dancing hours were winding down, it was clear that everyone in attendance was very happy and had the highest of hopes and expectations for an awesome couple.

Congratulations, Alicia and Dean!



Agenda

6:30-7:00 PM Ceremony

7:00-7:55 PM Cocktail Hour

8:00 PM Grand Entrance
Bridal Party: "Philadelphia Freedom" by Elton John
Bride & Groom: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder

8:05 PM First Dance
"You're My Home" by Billy Joel

8:10 PM Blessing & Toasts

8:15-9:35 PM Dinner

8:55 PM Cake Cutting
"Accidentally In Love" by Counting Crows

9:00 PM Bride & Father Dance
"Count On Me" by Jefferson Airplane

9:05 PM Groom & Mother Dance
"My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

9:40 PM-12:00 AM Open Dancing

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A Passionate Event At The Manor House

Laurie & Paul
July 12, 2008
Manor House at Commonwealth
Horsham, PA
Web Site

It's not often that I get to perform at a wedding where everyone in the room is so definitively passionate and completely focused on the bride and groom and the celebration at hand.

More often than not, I notice that a majority of guests will divide their attention between the newlyweds and each other (which is totally cool and to be expected).

However, on this night all eyes were locked on the bride and groom and their every move. I can honestly say that I've never seen anything like it.

One especially endearing moment occurred just before Laurie shared a dance with her father.

After surrendering my microphone to her father, he shared a few words about not only his daughter and her childhood, but also led into their dance by singing the first verse of "Daddy's Little Girl" to Laurie.

Congratulations, Laurie & Paul!

Click here to see some photos from their event!

Agenda

5:30-6:25 PM Cocktails

6:30 PM Grand Entrance
Bridal Party: "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" by Paula Abdul & Randy Jackson
Bride & Groom: "Forever" by Chris Brown

6:35 PM First Dance
"Ever The Same" by Rob Thomas

6:40 PM Blessing & Toasts

6:50-8:15 PM Dinner

7:25 PM Bride & Father Dance
"Daddy's Little Girl" by Al Martino

7:30 PM Bride & Stepfather Dance
"My Wish" by Rascal Flatts

7:35 PM Groom & Mother Dance
"What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong

7:40 PM Bride & Mother Dance
"You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban

8:15 PM Cake Cutting
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow..." by Iz

8:20 PM-10:30 PM Open Dancing

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Laurie & Paul's comments about their wedding entertainment: "Steve was incredible! He was smiling the whole night and was on top of everything! He gave my husband some good tips too, for example, for the father daughter dance, Steve encouraged my husband to walk me up to the dance floor to give me to my dad. It was a nice touch that my dad loved! He really put us at ease enabling us to enjoy everything. His creativity and originality was astounding! Everyone is still talking about the "Italian Tradition" he presented to get the dancing started! We had so much fun dancing with our friends and family. I have never seen so many people enjoying themselves and dancing at a wedding. What a great memory! I credit that to Steve, his pacing, and his song selection. We were so happy with Steve and I already recommended him to a friend for her wedding. We can't thank Steve enough for his hard work that night and friendly personality. We can't wait to see our video to relive the whole night. Thanks again!"Permalink

Long Island Comes To Philadelphia

Candace & Benjamin
June 15, 2008
Manor House at Commonwealth
Horsham, PA
Web Site

In my humble opinion, The Manor House at Commonwealth is one of the most underrated facilities around. Housed in a humble, yet stately 18th century fieldstone farmhouse, the service and cuisine never seems to fall short of guests' high expectations.

Despite the rustic exterior, the interior is has a contemporary design, holding spacious and beautiful rooms for hosting the most elaborate events.

Candace and Benjamin's day began with a beautiful outdoor ceremony, with Candace and Ben standing nearby the pond at the Manor House.

After the ceremony and cocktail hour, the bridal party excitedly entered the ballroom. Candace and Ben shared the first dance, Candace danced with her father, then Ben danced with his mother to a unique song.

When Ben was a little boy, his father (a recording artist) was playing a song which Ben decided to join in on. The result was a very moving song, with Ben's father singing in harmony with a six year-old Ben! Awesome!

It was a real honor having the opportunity to provide entertainment for what seemed to be a very close-knit group of family and friends. It was hard to determine where one family ended and the other began!

Congratulations, Candace & Benjamin!

Click here to see some photos from their event!

Agenda

4:30-5:25 PM Cocktails

5:25 PM Grand Entrance
Bridal Party: "Get The Party Started" by P!nk
Bride & Groom: "Let's Get Married" by Jagged Edge feat. Run-DMC

5:30 PM First Dance
"Hallelujah" as performed by Bon Jovi

5:35 PM Bride & Father Dance
"Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on The Roof

5:40 PM Groom & Mother Dance
"What I Did For Love" as performed by Ben and his father

5:45 PM Blessing & Toasts

5:50-6:50 PM Dinner

6:50 PM Cake Cutting
"When I'm Sixty-Four" by The Beatles

6:55 PM-9:30 PM Open Dancing

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Candace & Benjamin's comments about their wedding entertainment: "Steve Croce was a really super nice guy and totally got our party excited. He was very organized and made things work smoothly all night. Thanks, Steve!"Permalink

A Hot Day In Horsham

Karen & Aaron
August 25, 2007
The Manor House at Commonwealth
Horsham, PA
Web Site

The Manor House at Commonwealth Nation Golf Course is an 18th century farmhouse converted into a elegant facility. The staff at the Manor House's attention to detail is really second to none. They go completely out of their way to satiate the needs of every guest.

During cocktail hour, the event was hosted in the lower club rooms. Guests enjoyed each other's company while some light island-style music played. The island music was sort of a tease to Karen, I think. Aaron had made complete preparations for their honeymoon and kept their destination a surprise to Karen.

When the doors to the main ballroom opened, the party got well underway. Guests streamed in to take their seats and eventually witness Karen and Aaron share their first dance as husband and wife.

As a gesture of respect, I usually ask the guests to rise from their seats, just before the bride and groom are introduced into the room, then ask them to remain standing for the first dance. It makes it awkward to chit-chat while the bride and groom share in that five minute time span they've waited for for more than twenty plus years.

Because Aaron, a veteran who recently served our country in Iraq, had proposed to Karen in front of the Lincoln Memorial, his Best Man presented them with (on behalf of the entire bridal party) a bust of Abraham Lincoln.

It's becoming increasing popular to skip the throwing of the bouquet and removal of the garter. Karen and Aaron decided they wanted to honor a couple who had recently celebrated 61 years of marriage by presenting them with a bottle of champagne and two crystal champagne flutes.

Despite the very hot weather, everyone had a great time dancing, getting loud, and generally celebrating the union of two great people!

Congratulations, Karen and Aaron!

Click here to see some photos from their event!

Agenda

6:00-7:00 PM Cocktail Hour

7:05 Grand Entrance
"Gimme Some Lovin'" by The Spencer Davis Group

7:10 PM First Dance
"Into The Mystic" by Van Morrison

7:15 PM Blessing & Toast

7:20-9:00 PM Dinner

8:00 PM Bride & Father Dance
"I Loved Her First" by Heartland

8:05 Groom & Mother Dance
"Blessed" by Elton John

9:05 PM Cake Cutting
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" by James Taylor

9:10 PM-11:00 PM Open Dancing

9:40 PM Anniversary Dance
"The Way You Look Tonight" by Steve Tyrell

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Karen & Aaron's comments about their wedding day:

"Absolutely the best. Steve made the party. We received so many compliments about him. I wouldn't have changed a thing. Everyone was sorry to see it end..."

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