The B-Sharp Entertainment Blog

Despite a rough economy, 2009 was actually a very good year for me, business-wise. To finish it off, I was thrilled to be selected to provide the entertainment at Kristen & Tom’s New Year’s Eve wedding at the gorgeous Westin Providence. Kristen was referred to me by Glenn & Anne Turgeon at All 4 You DJ.

The evening began at 7 pm, with the wedding ceremony performed by Rev. Michael Egan. This was my second time working with Michael, and he’s easily one of the best officiants in the area. After the ceremony, guests made their way up to the hotel’s third floor for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres; I used my Bose L1 Compact speaker system to fill the room with contemporary sounds from the likes of Dave Matthews, Matt Nathanson, and Norah Jones. All of the music for the cocktail hour was programmed from my main console and sent to the cocktail hour room wirelessly. The advantage to this setup vs. using a separate mixer/player or iPod is that the audio transition from room to room is absolutely seamless, so guests moving from the cocktail hour area into the main ballroom hear the same song playing without any interruption or delay.

Kristen & Tom didn’t give me much in the way of musical direction, so I pretty much had free reign as far as the playlist was concerned. Basically, my instructions were simple: Play great music, make sure everyone has a great time, and coordinate the New Year countdown at midnight. Tom did throw in a few requests during dinner, which I happily played for him (all of my meetings prior to the event had been with the bride and her mom, so this was my first time meeting the groom). Fortunately, all of the songs I suggested for the evening’s formalities fit well with Tom’s musical tastes.

The New Year’s countdown was timed perfectly, and the “Happy New Year” hats and headpieces supplied by the newlyweds were a big hit – the dancefloor was packed, thanks in part to a music mix that included everything from Flo Rida to The Outfield, Pitbull to Michael Jackson to the Beatles. We wrapped up the party at 1 AM, with a sing-a-long of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin” and a slow dance to East Mountain South’s “So Are You To Me”. If you’re not familiar with that one, check it out… it’s a perfect wedding song.

Kristen & Tom’s First Dance: Steady As We Go – Dave Matthews Band
Song played during the cake cutting: Sweetest Thing – U2
Groom/Mother Dance: I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack

Photos are provided courtesy of Gabrielle Marks Photography – Gabrielle and her husband Matt are fantastic to work with, and they did a great job capturing the excitement of the night.

The Bride and her Mom, walking down the aisle

Party on the dancefloor

Rhode Island's got talent!

Party In The USA - Hands Up!

The dancefloor at midnight - Happy 2010!

The bride and groom sharing a kiss at midnight.

It’ll be a few weeks before I recap their wedding, but I want to share a clip of Bryan & Lauren’s first dance – I was the DJ at their reception last Saturday night at Venus De Milo in Swansea MA. What a great way to kick off the reception!

Every once in a while I get the privilege of working for a couple who really goes above and beyond to put their own unique “stamp” on their wedding day. These receptions sometimes require a little more planning and coordination on my part, but they’re always worth the extra effort because they’re sure to be remembered in the years that follow. One of the first really unique receptions for me took place back in 2003 at the Red Lion Inn in Cohasset; it featured a game of “Cranium” led by the bride and groom and played by all of their guests, followed by a karaoke sing-a-long. Another memorable reception was Caryn & Sean’s wedding last October; I wrote about it in this post.

This year’s most memorable reception just might be Keith & Stacey’s celebration at the Old Yarmouth Inn in Yarmouthport, MA. When they first hired me back in September of 2007, I had no idea just how much I’d enjoy working for them. That’s partially because we never met in person before they decided to hire me. They had found me on the Massachusetts Online Wedding Guide, enjoyed some of my early blog posts, and spoke with me on the phone only once or twice before signing a contract. When I did finally meet them in January, it was at a bridal show – they took a drive down to Dartmouth to see me and check out some of the other vendors, even though I’m pretty sure they had already booked all of the important ones by then.

When we met again in September to go over all of the details for their reception, the one thing I heard pretty frequently was that “…we want to do something different”. For starters, that meant providing ceremony music in a really small chapel with no electrical service:

It also meant that the bride and groom would be serving Hostess cupcakes in lieu of a traditional wedding cake:

And it meant that the dancing would be taking place in the Old Yarmouth Inn’s bar area, which is about as big as my living room. No complaints from me about that – I love being able to say that the dance floor was packed from the moment Keith & Stacey started their first dance:

After that first dance, everyone took their seats in the dining room, where we were treated to a number of toasts and lots of singing. Note to future clients: if you tell me you’d like your guests to sing a song with lyrics that include the word “love” in order to see you kiss your new husband or wife, there will be more singing and laughter than you could ever expect.

Speaking of singing and laughter, Keith and his co-workers put together a vocal tribute to the bride in the months leading up to the wedding. This included the groom serenading his new wife with a rendition of Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe”.

You’re probably wondering about the woman in costume… that’s Keith’s co-worker, Denise. Denise paid tribute to Keith & Stacey with her parodies to songs from “The Sound Of Music”, because Keith claims to be an expert on all things Do-Re-Mi. I knew about the songs – I had sent her the instrumental tracks prior to the wedding. However, I don’t think anyone expected the Austrian attire.

Before and after the musical tribute, Keith & Stacey’s guests filled the dance floor while I supplied a variety of party hits. Among the requests: “My Humps”, “Super Freak”, Danity Kane’s “Damaged”, and “Baby Got Back”.

Needless to say, Keith & Stacey’s wedding reception will definitely be one that their guests and I will never forget.

Congratulations, Keith & Stacey!

Introduction Music: “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” – Dropkick Murphys
Keith & Stacey’s Introduction Music:
“You’re The First, The Last, My Everything” – Barry White
Keith & Stacey’s First Dance: “Let’s Stay Together” – Al Green
Song played during the cake cutting: “How Sweet It Is” – Michael Buble
Bride/Father and Groom/Mother Dance: “What A Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong

It’s no secret that I absolutely love my clients. While I’m sure there are many DJs who are in business simply because of the opportunity to party every weekend while making some extra cash, there’s one underlying reason why I do this job: I really like the people I get to work for. The only downside is that I generally don’t see them much, if at all, after their events have taken place. With that said, it was truly an honor to be part of Corinne & Ralph’s wedding day. It will be one of the most memorable and treasured events of my DJ career.

Corinne had first contacted me last October; I was the DJ at her sister’s wedding last September on Cape Cod. I was happy that she liked my work and wanted to check my availability, but also a bit surprised – the wedding was taking place near Utica, New York – not exactly close by. After sending a quote for my services and not knowing what to expect, I received the news: “We would really love to have you as our DJ”. Fast forward to yesterday, when my wife and I made the 300 mile trip to the reception location – Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY. We arrived at 3:00 pm, which gave me plenty of time to check out the venue, set up for the wedding and relax a bit before my 7:00 start time.

The reception actually began at 6:00 in a smaller room at Turning Stone, with an elaborate selection of hors d’ouevres and music provided by a harpist. One hour later, one of the smaller room’s walls opened up to reveal a HUGE dancefloor and seating for nearly 400 guests. I invited them in with some great upbeat selections – from an outstanding instrumental rendition of Kool & The Gang’s “Get Down On It” to Dean Martin’s “Ain’t That A Kick In The Head”. Corinne & Ralph’s guests really liked my choices – some were even dancing a bit while finding their way to their seats.

After introductions (there were lots of Italian names, which required lots of practice on my part), the bride and groom shared a first dance and then took their seats. After a blessing and then a toast by the best man, the Turning Stone waitstaff emerged from the kitchen to “Be Our Guest” from Disney’s Beauty & The Beast. This was well-received by the guests; it’s something that Turning Stone does at every wedding reception they host.

After dinner, the cutting of the wedding cake and some special dances, I opened the dancefloor with a slow song and then went right to some of Corinne’s requests – with so many guests and so much food to be served, we didn’t have as much time for dancing as I’d hoped. The dancefloor quickly filled; in fact, I’m pretty sure that the bride danced to almost every song that I played. For the most part, I stuck with a mix of oldies (”Runaround Sue”), some party classics (”Love Shack” – a request from one of the guests), and more recent hits from the likes of Rihanna and Black Eyed Peas. I also threw in a number of Frank Sinatra songs, as Ralph’s family really enjoys Frank’s music. We finished the evening with “New York, New York” (complete with ‘Chorus Line’-style kicks), and then a song that I picked out at the very last second – Earth Wind & Fire’s “September”. While it wasn’t quite the 21st night (we were just a day too soon), it was the perfect finish to an absolutely wonderful day. After saying goodnight to the newlyweds and their families, I packed up my gear and headed up to my hotel room on the 17th floor – it offered a tremendous view of the New York countryside.

In the morning, my wife and I joined Corinne & Ralph’s family and friends for a post-wedding brunch – there was an invitation tucked into the gift bag that was in our hotel room when we arrived. That’s why I mentioned the earlier “downside” – not seeing my clients after their events have taken place. When my wife and I walked into the room, Ralph got up from his seat, walked right over to us, shook my hand and told my wife “It was awesome… he did an awesome job”. I was elated beyond words.

I really hope that all of my clients feel the same way that Corinne & Ralph do. More importantly, I hope I get to see Corinne & Ralph again. If I had the opportunity to travel to New York and entertain their families again, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

Parents’ Introduction Music: “Eye Of The Tiger” – Survivor
Wedding Party Introduction Music: “This Is How We Do It” – Montell Jordan
Corinne & Ralph’s Introduction Music: “Party Like A Rockstar” – Shop Boyz
First Dance: “This Is The Time” – Billy Joel
Song Played During The Cake Cutting: “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Def Leppard
Bride/Father Dance: “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life” – Stevie Wonder
Groom/Mother Dance: “I Hope You Dance” – Lee Ann Womack
Groom/Grandmother Dance: “Al-Di-La” – Jerry Vale
Last Dance: “New York, New York” – Frank Sinatra
Farewell Dance: “September” – Earth Wind & Fire

The Oneida Room at Turning Stone, before guests arrived.

The Dancefloor - Those two narrow speakers fill the room like you wouldn't believe.

The table setting.

The Wedding Cake

The bride, dancing with her father.

Twirling napkins to 'Lazy Mary'.

Everyone was on the dancefloor, and there was still some extra room!

Jon & Kim’s wedding reception at Hawthorne Country Club in Dartmouth was my last wedding of August; I was recommended to them by Larissa McLaughlin at Blush Beauty Bar in New Bedford (Larissa’s mom used to work at Hawthorne, so she’s had a chance to see me work many times).

Jon & Kim met in high school and have been together for a number of years, so their family and friends were definitely ready to celebrate – this was absolutely a party crowd. I knew that the bride and groom were fans of country music and classic rock, and it was evident from some of the requests that I’d be playing a wide variety of music. Case in point: I received requests for songs by Phil Vassar, Peter Frampton, and the Gap Band in the same hour.

Jon’s grandfather served as the best man – he’s in his 90s and did a great job with toasting the bride and groom. Because Jon’s a firefighter, “Fire” by the Ohio Players was a big hit with the dancing crowd (at Jon’s request, I played it twice). Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures from this event, but a great time was had by all. Congratulations, Jon & Kim!

Introduction Music: “Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne
Jon & Kim’s Introduction Music: “I Feel Good (I Got You)” – James Brown
Jon & Kim’s First Dance: “You’re Still The One” – Shania Twain
Song played during the Cake Cutting: “When I’m 64″ – The Beatles
Bride/Father Dance: “I Loved Her First” – Heartland
Groom/Mother Dance: “A Mother’s Day” – Jim Brickman
Last Dance: “Amazed” – Lonestar