The B-Sharp Entertainment Blog

I’m really starting to think that this is THE year for great wedding receptions – and here’s the best part – there are still five months left in 2010, two of which are the most popular months for weddings here in Southeastern New England.  Although I did have quite a few events in July, most were for other types of events, including a road race, two anniversary parties, and a birthday.

I’ll admit that I was somewhat anxious in the days leading up to Pam and Shane’s wedding.  Not for any specific reason, just because I truly care about the success of my clients’ events.  Even though I’ve done a number of events at LeBaron Hills Country Club this year, this was the first time someone had requested my piano playing talents during the cocktail hour there.  It was also the first time that my services had been included as part of LeBaron Hills’ Grande Wedding Package, along with photography by Through The Lens and videography by Silver City Video Productions.  Needless to say, I wanted Pam and Shane’s reception to be the absolute best.

Pam and Shane are somewhere in Italy as I type this, but I’m sure they’d agree that it was.  You simply couldn’t have asked for anything better.

Cocktail hour began at 5:00 on the patio.  Shortly after 6:00, guests were asked to take their seats.  For introductions, Pam and Shane had requested an assortment of Michael Jackson songs to be played, one for each couple being introduced.  Things like this have to be pre-produced, but I was happy to oblige.  It’s the details like this that make my receptions unique and memorable.  And when Pam and Shane entered to the sounds of “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”, everyone knew that this was going to be an amazing party.  The bride and groom entered the room dancing… and kept on dancing once they reached the dance floor.  I was hesitant to fade into their actual first dance song, as they were clearly enjoying every second of MJ.  In fact, by the time we reached the chorus, the entire wedding party had joined the bride and groom on the dance floor.

After dinner and cake, the dance floor quickly filled.  Pam and Shane had given me a list of only ten songs to play – all great choices, ranging from “Jump Around” to Wyclef Jean’s “We Trying To Stay Alive” to one of my current favorites, David Guetta’s “Gettin Over You”.  I mixed these with a number of current hits, like Usher’s “OMG” and another of my favorites, Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite”, and also included a few tried-and-true party favorites.  A highlight of the night was Shane’s rendition of “Friends In Low Places”.  It’s something he’s been singing at friends’ weddings for a number of years, so he definitely wanted to sing it at his own wedding.

The evening wrapped up with a return to the Michael Jackson theme – “Thriller”.  However, with a packed dance floor at the very end, I was happy to play a couple of extras.  Those two, “Mo Money Mo Problems”, and Usher’s “Yeah”, made for a fun ending to an outstanding reception.

Congratulations, Pam and Shane!

First Dance: “Smile” – Uncle Kracker
Song Played During The Cake Cutting: “That’s Amore” – Dean Martin
Bride/Father Dance: “Because You Loved Me” – Celine Dion
Groom/Mother Dance: “Danny Boy” – John McDermott
Bouquet Toss: “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) – Beyonce
Last Dance: “You Are So Beautiful” – Joe Cocker
Farewell Song: “Thriller” – Michael Jackson

Our setup at LeBaron Hills Country Club

Pam & Shane's First Dance

The dancefloor filled very quickly.

The chair cover ties became the night's most popular fashion accessory.

Just before 10pm

An impromptu Conga line broke out towards the end of the night

The last dance.

My west coast DJ colleague Scott Faver once wrote a piece called “Where’s the party?”.   He’d ask the question to his clients, and when they answered with the name of a venue, city, or other location, he’d tell them they’re wrong.  In short, at a wedding reception, the party is wherever the bride and groom happen to be.  And when they’re both on the dance floor, you can be assured that their guests will be there too.

At Lisa & Mike’s wedding reception, the party was on the Tirell Room’s dancefloor.

The bride and groom were referred to me through Lisa’s sister Denise, whom I’d previously met when she sang at Keith & Stacey’s memorable 2008 wedding.   Denise is a fantastic vocalist – in fact, the first question I had for Lisa and Mike was about whether or not Denise would be singing at their wedding.   Of course, the answer was yes.   But as an added bonus, we’d have another vocalist as well.

Guests arrived at the reception in great spirits, despite a rainfall that kept everyone indoors.  And when Lisa & Mike were introduced into the room, the level of applause was proof that we were in for a fun night.   There was dancing, singing (Trisha London sang the song for the Groom and his Mom – a rendition of Molly Pasutti’s “The Man You’ve Become” that easily outdid the original version), more dancing, more singing (Denise’s take on “When You Say Nothing At All” kept everyone on the dance floor and was easily as good, if not better, than Alison Krauss’ well known version), and yes, more dancing.   This was a great reception.  And to top it off, guests were provided with a CD of some of Lisa and Mike’s favorite songs AND Denise’s performance (Denise and I booked some studio time at Bongo Beach about a month before the reception, with the super-talented John Mailloux in charge of recording and mastering – well worth the investment)!

Did I mention there was dancing?   Oh yes.  Lots of it.

The bride and groom also chose some songs that will certainly find their way into my repertoire at other guests’ events, most notably Maroon 5′s version of “The Way You Look Tonight”.  It was a perfect song to cap off a fun and talent-filled night.

Congratulations Lisa and Mike!

Introduction Music: I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
Lisa & Mike’s Introduction: A Little Less Conversation – Elvis Presley
First Dance: I Do (Cherish You) – Mark Wills
Song played during the Cake Cutting: Makin’ Whoopie – Rod Stewart & Elton John
Bride/Father Dance: Daughter Of Mine – John McDermott
Groom/Mother Dance: The Man You’ve Become – Molly Pasutti (live vocal performance by Tricia London
Last Dance: The Way You Look Tonight – Maroon 5
Farewell Song: Life Is A Highway – Rascal Flatts

The Tirell Room, Quincy MA

Lisa & Mike's First Dance

Dancing Bride

Dancing Groom

Denise sings "When You Say Nothing At All"

Mike & the Groomsmen start the conga line.

Hands up!

More dancing.

Last Dance

Mike shares the farewell dance with Lisa's grandmother.

You probably wouldn’t think it, but there’s a lot of planning that a skilled wedding DJ does in the weeks and months leading up to a client’s wedding.   For me, the preparation process includes meeting with my clients, going over the reception timeline, making sure I can properly pronounce the names of the bridesmaids and groomsmen that I’ll be introducing at the reception, preparing playlists and tracking down hard-to-find music requests, making backup copies of important songs,  and then typing up the notes that I’ll be using at the event.   That process takes anywhere from 4 to 10 hours, but it’s absolutely necessary.   My goal is to provide to my clients the best service possible on the most celebratory night of their lives.

Despite all of the prep work that I do, there are still some things that I just can’t predict, like guests arriving at the reception venue more than an hour before the scheduled start time while I’m still setting up, or the mother of the bride who somehow gets hold of the microphone and wants to say a few words just as I’m about to introduce the Best Man’s toast.  My experience and a year’s worth of improv comedy training has taught me how to roll with these types of  changes smoothly.  And fortunately, I get to work for really fun couples, like Ellen and David.

Yes, their guests did arrive early, which was no problem at all thanks to Andrew Beuttler and the staff at LeBaron Hills Country Club.  I can’t tell you how many venues would have turned people away until the scheduled start time.  Instead of making people sit in their cars for an hour, the events staff moved quickly to finish the room preparations, direct guests into the venue’s lounge area, and then out to the patio for cocktail hour. Andrew would probably want me to tell you that this type of accommodation was an exception to the rule.  Still, it was a generous move on his part.  Great job.

I gotta feeling… that tonight’s gonna be a good night…

I don’t often get to meet the parents of the bride and groom until it’s time to line them up for introductions.  In retrospect, I wish I had met Ellen’s mom sooner.  She’s terrific.   I realized this right after the officiant who said the blessing before dinner handed her the microphone.   Not knowing what she might say, and because there was no previous mention of her making a speech, I reached out to take the microphone.  And in front of 175 guests, into an open microphone, Ellen’s mom said these six words in the softest, sweetest, slightly-nervous voice:

“…but I’m the mother of the bride!”

First, there was laughter.  And then there was overwhelming applause.  I turned to Ellen, got a nod of approval, and then brought her mom out to the center of the dancefloor with the microphone.

Her speech was very impromptu, but fabulous.  You can’t plan a moment like that.

With everyone in great spirits (they were dancing before the main course was served), I knew for sure that the night would be even better than I had imagined.  Ellen must have danced the entire night; her friends requested some great songs that I love but don’t usually play at weddings, and the energy level in the room was unbelievable.  For the DJ, there’s nothing better than getting high-fives during the reception from the bride, groom and guests… it’s the ultimate seal of approval.

Congratulations, Ellen & David!

Introduction Music: “I Gotta Feeling” – Black Eyed Peas
Ellen & David’s Intro Music: “Say Hey (I Love You” – Michael Franti & Spearhead
First Dance: “All I Want Is You” – U2
Song played during the Cake Cutting: “Sugar Sugar” – The Archies
Groom/Mother Dance: “A Mother’s Song” – T. Carter
Bouquet Toss Song: “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” – Beyonce
Last Dance: “I’ll Be” – Edwin McCain
Farewell Song: “Dont’ Stop Believin’” – Journey

Ellen & David's First Dance

The wedding cake.

Dancing began immediately after the cake cutting...

...and continued even before dinner was served.

Dancing under an indoor moonlit sky.

Last dance.

Genevieve & Holland’s wedding marked my first visit to Regatta Place – it’s as close to the harbor as you can get, as it sits on Newport’s Goat Island, near the gorgeous Belle Mer and the well-known Hyatt Regency, two of many Rhode Island wedding venues.  Because most of my Newport wedding experiences have taken place at other locations, including Astor’s Beechwood and Castle Hill, I was looking forward to new scenery.  Not that I’m complaining… I mean, can you really grow tired of Newport?

Genevieve & Holland found me by way of one of my colleagues,  Victor Rodrigues, a/k/a Victor from Party Time.  He gets overwhelmingly positive reviews from his clients, so I’m honored that he recommends my services when he’s not available.

There was another reason why I was looking forward to this wedding: outstanding vendors!   Genevieve and Holland assembled an all-star team, which included photographer Faith Dugan, day-of coordinator Colleen Kimmel, and the steel drum sounds of George Zecher.  This was my second time working with George; he’s a lot of fun and a terrific musician.  His tropical renditions of well-known hits from the likes of Elton John, Jimmy Buffett and Bob Marley segued perfectly into my dinner mix of reggae and summer-inspired tunes.

The chilly late-spring temperatures of Newport worked to my advantage, as they kept everyone under the tent for dancing, save for some of the older couples who opted to make an early exit.  For the folks that stuck around, I provided a seamless set of current hits, and accommodated all of the evening’s requests, which ranged from Usher’s “OMG” to Madonna’s “Ray Of Light“.

The night ended with the bride, groom and their guests dancing to the carnival-like strains of Bruce Springsteen’s “Jersey Girl” (a favorite of Genevieve’s).  It was a perfect finish to a wonderful wedding reception.

Wedding Party Intro Music: Love Is My Religion – Ziggy Marley
Bride & Groom’s Entrance: I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Genevieve & Holland’s First Dance: Making Memories Of Us – Keith Urban

Cake Cutting: January Wedding – Avett Brothers
Bride/Father Dance: My Little Girl – Tim McGraw
Groom/Mother Dance: You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
Last Dance: Jersey Girl – Bruce Springsteen
Farewell Song: Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Tables were tastefully decorated for the event.

The Wedding Cake

The extensive patio at Regatta Place

George Zecher on Steel Drums.

The view of Newport Harbor from Goat Island

Under the tent at Regatta Place

The dancing crowd at Genevieve & Holland's reception

Jessica & Michael first met me at the LeBaron Hills Country Club Bridal Show last November, and they chose me to be their DJ based on a recommendation by Andrew Beuttler, the Sales & Catering Director at LeBaron Hills.  I was the DJ at Andrew’s wedding last October, and one of the reasons he and his wife Taryn chose my services was because of my willingness to accommodate music styles that one might not expect to hear at a wedding reception while also mixing in songs that their guests would know and enjoy.

For Michael & Jessica’s wedding, the order of the day was Classic Rock.  I was happy to serve up a cocktail hour mix of Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith that was well-received by their guests, and I included some more recent artists as well, including the Counting Crows and Kings of Leon.

Prior to cocktail hour, I provided the music for Jessica & Michael’s wedding ceremony.  My Bose L1 Compact sound system is perfect for ceremonies, as it can be set up almost anywhere.

Dinner at this reception didn’t last for very long, as this was definitely a party crowd.  I picked up on this as soon as Jessica & Michael entered the room: Not only did guests give a standing ovation to welcome the newlyweds, they all moved in closer to the dance floor without any prior instruction by the DJ.  It was absolutely magical, and the start of a perfect evening.

Wedding Party Introductions: “Good Times Roll” – The Cars
Jessica & Michael’s Intro Song: “Do Ya” – Electric Light Orchestra
First Dance: “Thank You” – Led Zeppelin
Cake Cutting Song: “In My Life” – The Beatles
Bride/Father Dance: “Father And Daughter” – Paul Simon
Groom/Mother Dance: “Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World” – Iz Kamakawiwo’ole
Last Dance: “She’s Got A Way” – Billy Joel
Farewell Song: “Don’t Stop Believin’” – Journey

Jessica & Michael's Wedding Cake

Jessica & Michael's First Dance

Party on the Dancefloor

Tiny Bubbles... and a great party!

The last dance.