ISES meeting at The Academy of Music Ballroom

On Wednesday, May 26th, we were the A/V sponsor for the ISES (International Special Events Society) event at the Academy of music. Wow! What a place. The meeting was held in their recently renovated ballroom and it looked stunning. Kelly Benedict, who works for the Academy and the Kimmel Center was a pleasure to work with, as she always is, and Mike Chowansky, Catering Director of Restaurant Associates was his usual smiling self. Restaurant Associates is the preferred caterer and they did a great job with the unique cocktail hour’derves and dessert.


It was a great meeting - I got to catch up with the usual gang - and meet some new people. One of the things I love about networking events is seeing places that I have never seen or worked at before. Plus, I can always count on Gene Blum from Drexelbrook catering to let me know what national holiday it is. I think May 26th was National Blueberry Cheesecake Day!



We provided the 7 microphones and projector/screen for the event and I must say, the panel was very informative. i have already put some of the things I learned into place. A big thanks to Eric Allen for putting that program together!

The panelists

A little about the Academy of Music Ballroom-
The Academy of Music Ballroom ushers in a return to traditional elegance and gracious entertaining in a landmark setting overlooking the Avenue of the Arts. Shimmering chandeliers and hand-gilded walls create an oasis of refined luxury, a classic setting for weddings, holiday parties, corporate receptions and celebrations. It took two years and $10 million to renovate the Ballroom to its original look when it was built in 1857. Currently, all of the shows for Broadway, Opera and Ballet reside at The Academy, which falls under the Kimmel Center, Inc. umbrella in which the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Academy of Music, and the Merriam Theater are a part of.

Thanks so much to Jean Valentin Photography for the pictures!
-Jason

Heather and Kevin

Heather and Kevin had a beautiful reception at The Sofitel in Center City. They also picked some wonderful professionals to help them throughout their special day. Mark Kingsdorf of The Queen of Hearts was on hand that day to keep everything on track (he also helped them throughout the planning process), Clair Pruett was there capturing each moment and Eric and Kyle of Synergetic enhanced the look and feel of the room and kept the dance floor busy. The dance floor was draped in white and down lit in a soft blue. That same blue was used to up light the entire room. They also pin spotted the centerpieces. The room looked absolutely beautiful!

Congratulations Heather and Kevin! We wish you all the best! Thank you so much for choosing us to be part of your special day!

-Becky

The Pricing Game

Unfortunately, in this industry, or any service industry for that matter, there is a wide price range for the service you need. This happens for a couple of reasons. One, because it is up to that company to figure out what they think they are worth and that isn't an easy to do. Especially if you think you are worth more than someone may be willing to pay. For every service based business, I can find you someone who is cheap, someone in the middle and someone who is expensive. But in each price range, you have to make sure you're comparing apples to apples.

I think it is fair to say, that you know exactly what to expect when you hire a business that is cheap. You may not know exactly what to expect when you hire an average priced company, but you should know exactly what to expect when you hire a more expensive company.

People generally hire a less expensive company just to get the job done. It doesn’t have to be perfect, you just want it done. The average priced company is tough to get a read on, because you're just not sure. They are just what the price says they are, average. And the company that is a little more expensive, you know won’t let you down, but the price might be a bit too high for you. And that is the hard part for you, the customer. You know what you want, you know that this particular company can provide you with that, but can you afford it? You have to decide what the service is worth to you. Once you've decided how important that service is to you, it will make your decision that much easier.

Something to consider. When you are first doing your research and trying to find a company that is a good fit for you, try not to worry about the price right away. In fact, try not to ask how much the particular service costs. I know that seems like the most important thing to find out and you may not know what else to ask, but it really doesn't help you learn anything about the company and what they do.

Instead, try asking questions about what the company actually does. For example, if you're looking for a company to help with an event you're planning, ask something like, “what is your idea of great of event?” or “what does your company do that would make my event stand out from the rest,” or my favorite, “what makes you different from everyone else I have talked to today?” All of these questions will help get the conversation flowing and allow you the chance to really understand what each company does and who really would be the right fit for you.

-Jason

May Employee of the Month - Ed

Every month Jason chooses an employee of the month - someone who stands out among all of our (fantastic) employees. Jason sends out periodic updates to the staff and always includes the employee of the month, we also have an "employye of the month" section in each of our Newsletters.

We deicded it was time to share our employee of the month with all of our readers here and our fans on facebook as well. Not only do you all deserve to know, but our employee of the month deserves to be "shown off."

So, the Synergetic employee of the month for May is Ed.

"It would be impossible for Aaron to do everything when it comes to getting our events ready and packed each week. So in steps Ed.

On the weekends he is one of our lead production guys and during the week, you can find him out back in our wharehouse handling all the little things that Aaron needs help with.

Ed is a tough guy who played quarterback in highschool and college, so he knows how to lead and can handle a lot - which is good because we throw a lot at him! You can’t imagine what our warehouse looks like on a Monday after 20+ events! Sometimes I really feel bad for him.

Needless to say, when we play our annual football game every year, he is always the quarterback, and does his best to make us look good.
-Jason"

Congrats Ed! Keep up the good work!
-Becky

Dawn and Anthony

Dawn and Anthony had an awesome reception at the Inn at Penn. Mark and Ed kept the dance floor busy (as you'll see in the pictures), added to the warmth of the room with amber up lighting and show cased the beautiful centerpieces by Carl Alan with pin spotting. We also got to work with some awesome professionals - Sabrina of Blushing Bride Events and our friend Tony of Hoffer Photography.

Thanks so much for the images Tony!

-Becky

Back up plans

When professionals talk about having other people on their team as backup, they aren’t trying to “sell” you something. I know some people respond with, “what's the worst that could happen?” Well, on Sunday, June 6, "the worst" happened to the photographer I was working with.

Let me set the stage for you.
Carley and Adam are such a great couple - down to earth, easy going and recent medical school graduates - who just really got you excited to work with them. They hired the awesome Erin Proud, from Proud to Plan, to help them organize their day and surround them with the right professionals. Erin went to work right away and suggested professionals for them to meet with. On Erin's suggestion, they met with and booked, us for DJ and lighting, and Jenn Childress for photography. From the moment I met with them, I knew we were in for a great time. Erin, Jenn and I work together often - and we always have a great time - but we were even more stoked to be working this wedding together because of how great the couple was.

Skip ahead to the wedding day and upon my arrival I see a very poised and hard working Erin Proud. Now, for those of us that know Erin, she is always relaxed and laid back. I had never seen her so focused and so in control. She sees me and immediately fills me in on what is going on.

Before the ceremony had started, Jenn was busy at work taking some awesome pictures - Carley and Adam were the perfect couple for Jenn. She knew it was going to be a great day at Pen Ryn Mansion. As Jenn was getting ready to create a shot, the unthinkable happened - she fell and badly hurt her ankle. She was in a lot of pain, and Jenn is a tough cookie. “Shake it off” is her motto. But this time, no amount of shaking it off was going to suffice, she had broken her ankle.

Luckily there were about 15 doctors at the wedding, so within 15 minutes she was all wrapped up and ready to go to the emergency room. But Jenn wasn’t about to go anywhere. You see, Carley and Adam hired Jenn, and even if she couldn’t shoot, she could still be there. This is the sign of one heck of a professional.

While all this was going on, Erin and her staff did what they were there to do. Jenn told Erin who to call and she and her staff got on it so the bride and groom wouldn't have to worry. Joy Moody was at the bike race in Manayunk when she got the call. Without any hesitation Joy was in her car and on her way to Pen Ryn. Ryan Estes was in a client meeting when he got the call, but said he'd be there in 30 minutes. Now, even if these incredible photographers could not have made it, Jenn always has another photographer with her, so with Joy and Ryan on their way, Mike Landis was already there shooting.

All I have to say about these professionals is wow! Joy, Ryan and Mike, you guys are the best around. To come in and help a friend out like you did was incredible. Not only were you so great to work with (we all had a blast), but your pictures for the slide show were A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I could not have been more proud of the group of professionals I was with that night and I am so happy to be able to call you all my friends.

Jenn ended up staying the whole night and sat right behind us. And she edited one heck of a slide show! She eventually went to the ER around 2:00 am and found out that she broke her ankle and foot.

If you take anything from this story let it be this, hire a wedding planner. You never know what is going to happen on your wedding day, and in case something out of the blue happens, you want to be prepared with someone like Erin on your side. This wedding was still a success due in large part to Erin, and Jenn's photographer friends.

So when you're choosing your professionals make sure to ask them about their back up plans - the professionals that are worth it, will make sure that you are covered no matter what. Carley and Adam had four amazing photographers at their wedding and I can’t wait to see the pictures.

So to Ryan, Joy and Mike - thank you for helping out my friend and an awesome bride. To Erin and team - you had so much going on and handled it all with grace and tremendous poise.
And to the staff at Pen Ryn - Wow! Great job working with all of us.

-Jason

Charlene and Kirk

Charlene and Kirk had a beautiful reception at Bear Creek Mountain Resort. We up lit the room, did a break up pattern and monogram on the dance floor, and pin spotted the centerpieces. It was a beautiful room and the lighting gave it such a warm feeling.

Here is a very sweet note we received from Charlene-
"Kirk and I were completely thrilled. Our guests could not get over the warm ambience and the monogram on the dancefloor! That's all my dad talked about when were dancing. And I know Therese at Bear Creek was really impressed with the pinspotting and setting them up in the ceiling the way you did. And your crew was amazing, very friendly and professional.

Thank you so much for your help with everything. I wholeheartedly believe that the lighting completely transformed the room into the beautiful setting we had dreamed of for our once in a lifetime day.

Thanks again for everything!
Charlene"

Charlene and Kirk, we're so glad you were pleased and your wedding was everything you dreamt it would be! We wish you a lifetime of happiness!

Thanks to Paula Galante Photography for the images.



-Becky

Eclectic Mixes

Not every couple agrees on everything. So when it comes to choosing the music for your wedding reception, you may not see eye to eye. And that’s OK. Because when you hire a beat-mixing DJ, you do so knowing that you’ll both be happy with the music that is played.

A beat-mixing DJ is one who can seamlessly mix two different songs together, with no break, from two vastly different genres and keep the dance floor busy. He has honed his skills and mastered his art.

The goal is to play the music the couple wants to hear, at the right times, and make sure the guests have a great time. Not everyone likes the same music so it can be a challenge to keep grandma and great uncle Bill dancing when the next song the bride wants to hear is a rap song. This is where the DJ can really prove himself.

A song that has been requested a lot lately is “Down,” by Jay Sean. It has a good melody and beat and mixes well (with the right song of course). Half way through the song, Lil Wayne comes in and raps – this is where you could lose grandma – so if you take the beat just before the rap starts, and mix in the beat of a popular Rock song like, “You Shook Me All Night Long,” by AC/DC, the younger crowd will keep dancing because they like the original song, and your older relatives will stay on the dancefloor because the new song a rock song they’ve heard before.

When you are dancing, there is nothing worse than the music coming to a screeching halt as the DJ drastically changes the speed of the music and the beats don’t match. This gives your guests a chance to decide whether they want to keep dancing or get another drink. Don’t give them the chance to make that decision - make it for them. Hire a beat-mixing DJ, who can properly read your crowd - your guests will never have a chance to think about getting that next drink, with no “break” in the music.

Not too long ago we had a groom who only wanted to hear Guns N Roses at his reception. Guns N Roses is a great band, but they don’t have a lot of “dancing” songs, so the DJ had his work cut out for him. At one point during dancing, the DJ was playing, “It’s Tricky,” by Run DMC. There is a break in the middle of the song where you just hear the beat. Matt looped that part of the song, so there was a continuous instrumental, and mixed in “Sweet Child of Mine,” by Guns N Roses at a specific guitar riff. The grooms eyes lit up and everyone kept dancing. If Matt had played “It’s Tricky” all the way through, and then played “Sweet Child of Mine,” it wouldn’t have worked. The reason what Matt did worked is because he knew the music well, knew how many beats per minute each song was and was able to match them up at the right points.

So when you start researching DJ’s/entertainment for your reception, think about what is most important to you - whether it be the type of music you hear, how it’s played or that the dance floor is packed - and then find out what their style is and see if they fit into your vision. If you’re unsure, ask for referrals or testimonials from previous clients. If you are a couple with vastly different tastes in music and it is important to you that the dance floor is packed all night with people of all ages, then a beat mixing DJ is for you.

-Becky
(This post was written for and posted on The Chestnut Club's blog a couple of months ago)

Diana and Dan

Diana and Dan were married in March and had a fantastic reception at the Waterford Ballroom. Jason and Dan go WAY back, all the way to grade school, so it was very important that Chris rock his wedding. And rock it he did!

Here's a note we receivced from Diana and Dan shortly after their wedding-
"Just wanted to check in after the wedding and let you know what a great team you have working for you. Your guys were incredible. Everything was perfect. The monogram looked great and we received countless compliments on the music and how good the DJ was. Chris did a great job getting everyone in the right place at the right time for the intros, kept the party moving all night, and did a great job with the requests.

Thanks for everything, you guys were a pleasure to work with, helped make our wedding even more memorable, and we will happily recommend you guys to everybody.

Thanks again,
Dan & Diana"

Diana and Dan, we're so glad you were happy and enjoyed your special day! We wish you all the best!

Thanks so much to Meyer Photography for the images.

-Becky

Synergetic Staff- Aaron

A companies success almost always goes hand in hand with their sales team - the people constantly getting business and bringing in the revenue. But the sales team can only do so much. Once the job is sold, it is time for the real work to begin. In steps Aaron. Aaron is the magic behind getting 30 shows a weekend to run flawlessly. He makes sure that each job is fully prepared and equipped. Many people never see him, but he always busy planning, preparing and managing our upcoming events.

Every company needs someone like Aaron . We are lucky to have found him and appreciate all that he does for us. Next time you stop by the office, if you see a guy with long, rock star hair who kinda looks like Steve Perry, that’s Aaron. Make sure you say hello!

-Jason

Answering your calls

Everyday is a new chance to earn your business.


Each day we field some 50 telephone calls from prospective clients, current clients and our industry friends. And everyday we take a little pride in the fact that we field those calls.

It may seem trivial, but we understand that when you're planning an event, you want to be sure there is someone there to answer your questions. It matters to us and I promise to make sure that it stays that way.

Jason

We have a winner ...

Congratulations to Kelly and Ryan, the winners of our WOW MY WEDDING contest! We're so excited to WOW their wedding this summer at Congress Hall. Keep an eye out for a post about their wedding!

Thank you again to everyone who shared their story with us and to those of you who voted.

Here is Kelly and Ryan's engagement story in Kelly's words.

We got engaged on my birthday – November 2, 2008. Earlier in the week Ryan asked if I wanted to go up to the top of the Sears Tower for my birthday. We had been living in Chicago for a little over a year at the time an he knew I had wanted to go up it but hadn't been yet. The morning of my birthday it was pretty nice outside, but for some reason Ryan was in a rush claiming he wanted make sure we got to the tower before it got cloudy. So, off we were!

Neither of us had taken into account that it was day light savings (everything was an hour earlier) since we had been in such a rush to get there early. As a result, we ended up arriving so early that the tower wasn’t open yet and we stood in line for a bit! After it opened, we got our tickets, watched the tourist video and headed up the elevators to the observatory deck. At the top there were a bunch of viewfinders that you could put a quarter in to magnify your view of the city. Ryan was looking out one and then told me to look through it. I looked for a bit, but then the time ran out. I said it was fine but Ryan insisted that I should try it again.

Now, Ryan was in grad school for art at the time. He had a painting studio, which was located within view of the Sears Tower. When I looked through the viewfinder, he kept trying to get me to look at the building where his studio was located. Finally I got the viewfinder pointed at the right place. Then, Ryan asked if I could see the window where his studio was located. I did. It took me a second to realize what was happening. Ryan had spelled out ‘MARRY ME?’ in the windows of his studio building. When I turned away from the viewfinder to Ryan, he was down on his knee with a ring and he said, “well, will you?” Ryan had a beautiful ring made by a Pittsburgh artisan. He had it made out of a wedding sapphire and worked to design a ring that reflected my painting and drawing style (we had start dating at art school). Stupendous day!

-Becky