Awesome Mendenhall Inn Event

I love it when we get clients that want to drape out the dance floor! I love it even more when they want to use the drape for a reveal later on in the night. And that is exactly what we did at Stacie’s wedding.

In September, Stacie needed a way to block off the ballroom section of Mendenhall Inn for her ceremony so the guests wouldn’t see the rest of the room. She wanted them to come into a room that looked like a ceremony space, as well as have a nice backdrop for the photographer, Jennifer Childress.

We accomplished just that and more. In talking to Stacie, we told her that she should just leave the drape up around the dance floor. We can pull it back and create a cabana style effect to surround the dance floor in.

It was a great idea. You can see from the pictures that it looked really different! The guests loved it, the staff had never seen anything like it and even the DJ was snapping pictures of it left and right.

Let us help you in creating something a little different that can add a unique design to the wedding. All it takes is a simple phone call, 215.633.122, and some brainstorming. We are waiting to listen to your ideas!

Jasmine and Aidan

Located in Blue Bell, part of Montgomery County, is a great historical hotel and conference center called Normandy Farm. I'm sure a number of you have driven by Normandy Farm without knowing it, as it is surrounded by white, stucco-covered stone walls. Once you enter through these great walls you'll see just how much character it has. Jasmine and Aidan, like many other couples, loved the charm and history of Normandy Farm.

Jasmine and Aidan are a very laid back couple. At our meeting, they stressed that they just wanted to have a great time. They told me to do whatever I had to do to get everyone dancing, while staying away from worn out "corny" music. They selected a couple of must play songs and left the rest up to me.

Unfortunately, as their wedding day approached, we had one of the first rain storms we had, had in awhile, but Jasmine and Aidan did not let it affect them. With the help of their amazing photographer Jennifer Childress they were able to get some great pictures before the ceremony even though they could not go outside. Due to the rain, the ceremony was also forced inside. It was held in the Silo Ballroom, the same place the reception was to be held.

Jasmine and Aidan chose our conventional lighting and DJ package with purple up lighting and a wash on the dance floor. We arrived earlier than normal due to the move of the ceremony. We wanted to put the up lighting around the room to add to the ambience and make it more special for them, (just something we try to do a Synergetic). We did amber gels instead of purple so it would have a different feel when guests came back into the room after cocktail hour.

Once the ceremony ended and the guests moved to another area for cocktail hour, we set up our DJ system, replaced the amber gels with purple and projected the wash onto the dance floor. The rest of the night went on without a hitch, thanks to the staff at Normandy Farm and of course Jennifer Childress and Joe Bleiler (her second shooter for the night). This was one amazing reception! The crowd danced to everything from "Ain’t Too Proud To Beg," to "Dirty Bit" and "Sandstorm." I felt like I could play any kind of music at this wedding and they would dance, it was just that great of a crowd. Come to think of it they may have just kept dancing even if I shut the music off for a couple of seconds.

All in all it was an amazing wedding even with the weather. Jasmine and Aidan are two genuine people who were just happy to marry each other and wanted their family and friends to share in their happiness. They threw one ROCKIN’ WEDDING!

-Kurt

Thanks to Jennifer Childress Photography for the amazing images.

Ceremony Lighting

With so many ceremonies happening at reception venues, many couples are unaware that some subtle lighting or draping touches can make a world of difference in setting apart their ceremony.

There are a number of ways to set your ceremony apart. From simple backdrops of drape to an elegant canopy or chuppah, we can create the perfect setting for your ceremony. We can also add some elegant lighting to warm up the room and enhance the backdrop or chuppah. Not only will this add to the look and feel of your reception - but it will show beautifully in your photographs and video.

This is your special day, make sure you stand out.

Jenn Childress Photography

Catherine Hennessy Photography

-Jason

Attack of the Generic Ceremony Music

Your wedding ceremony is arguably the most important facet of your wedding day. It is the reason you’ve been planning hours upon hours for over a year. Typically one of the first steps in the planning process is deciding what type of ceremony you want to have and where it will take place. Traditionally, the ceremony is held at a church (or Temple), with an organ playing "Here comes the Bride," (or perhaps "Sunrise, Sunset"). But, what if you don’t want a traditional ceremony? Shouldn’t your ceremony music reflect your personalities and style?

If you plan on having a jazz trio or string quartet play live music at the ceremony then your options are limited in terms of what music they can play. Most ceremonies that have live music are filled with Canon in D, Bridal March, and other classical selections. By having your DJ handle your ceremony music, you now have a wider variety of songs to choose from. Not only will you have a microphone so your guests can hear your officiant more clearly - as well as you and your fiancé when you say your vows -but you will also have the ability to play any music you like. As your guests are sitting in their seats waiting for you to come down the aisle tell them your story through music. Think about how many weddings they’ve been to. Why not make your ceremony stand out? We’ve played anything from "Clocks," by Coldplay, to "It’s the End of The World As We Know It," by REM.

Your ceremony is an event that describes you and your fiancé’s love for one another. If music is an expression of feelings, then use your ceremony music to help you express your love for your husband or wife to be.

-Matt