Family, or perhaps in this case I should say la famiglia, is one of my favorite parts about DJing at weddings.  The wedding celebration is an opportunity for every relative to do their best to create the perfect day for the bride and groom.  Last night I saw a wonderful example of  the importance of la famiglia at the reception of Heather Wojtowicz and Nicky Papa held at the LeMont overlooking downtown Pittsburgh, PA.

During cocktail hour the flower girls were dancing to the Italian music – too cute for words!

When I first met Heather and Nicky it was clear how much they loved music.  We had a great time coming up with songs to use throughout the reception.  They wanted to make sure everyone had a good time so they told to play anything necessary to keep their friends and family dancing.

Instead of wedding cake, guests were treated to a dessert of tiramisu.  A great twist on an old tradition.

Once the dance floor was open, it was packed with family and friends of all ages!

Heather and Nicky knew the words to every song I played.  I loved watching them both sing along to some old school rap songs.

All of Heather and Nicky’s relatives were so much fun, they made everyone feel like part of la famiglia.  After a wonderfully perfect evening surrounded by their loved ones, the newlyweds are now ready for their Bahamas honeymoon. Congratulations to everyone!

Venue: LeMont, Pittsburgh
Photography: Bellissima Photography
Wedding Coordinator: Ambassador Events

I absolutely love being a wedding DJ.  I love it even more when my clients get me involved in ways to make their day special.  Sometimes I hear from people who feel they need “just a DJ”, and typically I’m not a great match for them.  Instead, my clients are those who recognize ways I can help make their day run smoothly.  Just yesterday I was able to play several different roles at the ceremony and reception of Amanda Reistadtler and Jonathan Newcomer at Greystone Fields in Gibsonia, PA.

I was able to provide music for the Ceremony on what I think might have been the most beautiful day of the year.

Amanda and Jonathan provided me with a great song list to use throughout the day.  They were so kind to their guests to allow a few of the “do no play” selections to be heard. Then they even danced to them!  Awesome!

Amanda provided me with a CD of her singing a song as a surprise to Jonathan.  They danced to it right after their first dance, what a romantic gift.

A special thanks to the amazing team at Weddings By Heather who referred Jonathan’s mother to me.  Heather’s work, attitude, and passion for weddings inspires me every time we work together.

Once the sun went down, the dance floor went wild!

Amanda and Jonathan spent the entire evening dancing, laughing and having a great time.  I had the best time getting to know them.

The Newcomers also hired me to create a photo montage of their childhood photos to display throughout the reception.  It’s always a treat to see photos of my clients’ lives leading up to this special day.  I’m so thankful that Amanda and Jonathan took full advantage of my services, and that everything they had planned worked so incredibly well.  The happy couple is now ready for some relaxation on a wonderful honeymoon in Mexico.

Venue: Greystone Fields
Photography: WeddingsbyHeather

If you’re having problems playing this video, try turning off the HD option.

If you jump to the videos page, you can see the photo montages I prepare after every reception.

The Renaissance Hotel is a spectacular place for a reception.  The view of the city from the ballroom is simply breathtaking, and their attention to every detail is simply perfect.

Once again, I had the chance to work with Heather of Weddings By Heather.  She is so great at capturing wonderful moments.

As you can tell by these photos, Maria and Steve’s wedding was one crazy fun party.

Maria and Steve were kind enough to write me a fantastic reference after their wedding.  I feature it on my testimonials page because it so perfectly addresses the important concerns potential clients have. I have such a wonderful time at this reception, I was glad to get know this sweet and wonderful couple.

Location: Pittsburgh Renaissance Hotel
Photographer: Weddings By Heather

I was extremely happy to hear that one of my clients from 2009 were going to have their wedding featured in the 2010 wedding edition of Pittsburgh Magazine.  Karen Kurey & Jeremy Rocco had an amazing reception held at the Sheraton in Station Square.  It was so much fun working with them to create such a beautiful, unique and wildly fun evening.  The photos featured in the magazine were taken by none other than the amazingly talented Heather Lahtinen of Weddings By Heather.  Because Heather’s work is so spectacular, she has two weddings featured in this special issue.  You can see more of Karen & Jeremy’s beautiful wedding photos at Heather’s website.

You can get a look at the article on the Pittsburgh Magazine website.

I believe part of the magic behind every wedding is how friends and family pull together to achieve the perfect day for the bride and groom.  Weddings are such a special time when everyone is called upon to do their best to pitch in and do what they can.  This past Saturday I was able to play a part in the wedding of Jessica Hughes and Aaron Kassner at the Brady’s Run Lodge.  What made the occasion even more special was how much others (and one woman in particular) were willing to give to make this day possible.

Jessica and Aaron met almost 2 years ago while Aaron was undergoing dialysis.  Jessica was his nurse.  During their time dating, Jessica mentioned Aaron’s kidney problems to a fellow church member while on a mission trip.  That church member, Peggy, selflessly offered to donate one of her kidneys to Aaron.  To show their gratitude to Peggy at the reception, they had a special “Kidney Dance” to allow Aaron to dance with his generous donor.  After the dance was finished all 250 guests gave her a standing ovation.  It was truly beautiful.

To read more about Aaron, Jessica, and Peggy’s remarkable story, read the Beaver County Times article here.

Jessica and Aaron were very relaxed about the music selections for their reception, leaving lots of room for requests.

Jessica told me that she and Aaron weren’t big dancers, but she did come out for a line dance to Shania Twain’s “Any Man Of Mine”

I just love the Jr Bridesmaid dancing to “Single Ladies (Put On Ring On It)”

Aaron and Jessica weren’t sure people were going to dance… but the dance floor was full all evening long.

At the end of the evening, everyone cleared the floor and allowed the newlyweds to have the last dance to the themselves.  It was a very touching evening full of special moments.  There were many people who gave of themselves to make sure this day would happen.  It was a wonderful day of love, faith and happiness.

Venue: Brady’s Run Lodge, Falston PA
Photography: Patsy McDonald
Videography: Ambiance Video Productions

Download a copy of the video montage here

I frequently have people ask me if my clients really take advantage of the level of customization that I make available.  Truth is that most of my clients enjoy the knowledge that any part of their reception music can be customized to their preferences or needs.  Occasionally I get to work with a couple that gets truly creative, not only with the playlist, but also with tweaking the individual songs.  For example, this past Saturday I had the extreme pleasure of playing at the reception of Meghan Ferris and David Tintera at the Circuit Center and Ballroom in Pittsburgh, PA.

I had met Meghan and David last year, at the reception Amanda & James Kelly.  Before that, I met Amanda & James at the reception of Mitch & Nicole Patterline.  I was so excited to get to see BOTH of these two of wonderful couples again!  Not only are they incredibly awesome people, but they also LOVE to dance and party.  I need them to come to all of my weddings!

Meghan & David decided it would be fun for cocktail hour and dinner music to have a mix of oldies from the 50′s & 60′s as well as some contemporary hits from artists like Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson.  For their introduction and special dances they requested certain songs would be tweaked to start or end at certain points.  Meghan had a special dance with her mother where I was able to remove a verse that didn’t apply.  None of these requests were unreasonable or difficult, but it made the music feel completely customized to this special day.

Meghan assured me that everything was perfect, especially since I had made her mother cry with tears of joy.  I get the feeling that was going to happen no matter what I played.  It was so obvious how proud all the parents were to see their children so happy.

At one point in the night a group of guys tossed the newlyweds high in the air…

Meghan’s look in this picture says it all…”Hey, be careful with that!!!”

I will honestly miss working with Meghan and David on creating such a wonderful and unique celebration.  They’re off now for their honeymoon in Mexico but perhaps when they return they can start planning a HUGE first anniversary party!  I’ll be ready!!!

Venue: Circuit Center & Ballroom, Pittsburgh, PA
Photography: SkySight Photography
Videography: DMB Videography

Download a copy of the video montage here

Reception planning usually starts with choosing the right venue. Throughout Western Pennsylvania there are literally thousands of places where you can choose to celebrate, socialize and party the night away. As with most wedding details, it’s SO important to choose a place that represents who you are as a couple. Recently I performed at the reception of Erin McTeague and Matt Hungerman at the PPG Aquarium, located at the Pittsburgh Zoo.

The aquarium creates a unique atmosphere for the reception that is far from typical. During cocktail hour guests were able to enjoy their appetizers while having full access to the exhibits. The guests were then seated on the lower level for dinner and dancing. The staff at the Aquarium is top notch and really helped keeping everything on track throughout the evening.

Erin & Matt put great care in selecting the music for the entire reception. The music was varied, but perfectly reflected their taste and style.

Once again I had the pleasure of working with one and only Weddings By Heather. Immediately after the formal introductions, All the guests posed for a picture on the dance floor while Heather was up on the second floor balcony. What a tremendous keepsake!

The aquarium offers a very special setting for an intimate reception. There was a surprisingly nice amount of room for dancing once it was time to open the dance floor. Erin & Matt’s guests were extremely friendly and warm. Everyone had a great time dancing, singing and being a bit silly!

Matt’s friend even took the mic to sing The Jackson 5′s “ABC”!

Finding the right location for your reception can be crucial to the success of your wedding. Erin & Matt chose the venue that worked perfectly for them on every level. The guests had a rare opportunity to spend so much time in a different and fun environment while getting to celebrate with the newlyweds. Erin & Matt spent a lot of time on the dance floor and enjoying every moment of their big day, I was certainly thrilled to work with them to create a reception that was so special!

Venue: Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Photography: Weddings By Heather
Do you like the video montage above? Download a full resolution copy here.

People will always tell you that time on your wedding day will come and go too quickly. It is truly something you can’t understand until you experience it for yourself. Because there is only so many hours at the reception, I encourage all of my clients to make the most of the time they’ll have. It’s so important include the things that are special to you and to be certain not to waste precious moments or to let others rush you away from enjoying yourself throughout the day. I recently had the pleasure of DJing at the reception of Brooke Warren & Greg Baker. Greg & Brooke used their time EXTREMELY well all day and were able to include everything they wanted in their perfect celebration.

The wedding and reception were held at the beautiful Oglebay Resort & Conference Center. Both the outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour featured music from an amazing string ensemble provided by Pittsburgh Music Live. Brooke & Greg requested special songs for the trio to play during cocktail hour that were familiar and lovely.

Brooke & Greg were tons of fun to work with. They wanted to make sure their reception matched their style and I think they did a remarkable job. It was a great mix of fun and elegance that really led to an awesome party. We ended up staying at the resort for much longer then we originally had planned, which left a lot of room for some terrific requests.

One of the hardest parts of the event is knowing when to switch from quiet socialization to the dancing portion of the evening. Greg & Brooke handled this great and knew when it was time to get the party started. Once the dance floor opened, guests of all ages went wild. Brooke’s grandfather made a tribute and even sang for everyone. (See the George Foreman post below).

This may be one of my all time favorite pictures. Every bride should get to be so happy!

I feel that the reception is an opportunity for newlyweds to show their friends and family a bit about who they are as a couple. I love the fact that Brooke & Greg were so true to themselves in the planning of the reception. The entire day was full of special, unique and touching moments that clearly reflected the love they share.

Venue: Oglebay Resort & Conference Center
String Ensemble Pittsburgh Music Live
Photography: Studio Bash
Do you like the video montage above? Download a full resolution copy here.

Next year I will celebrate the 25th anniversary of my first DJing performance. (Ok, I was 15 so I’m not sure how much of a performance it was, but my mother did pay me $25). The biggest lesson I’ve learned over the many receptions I’ve played since then is this: Always listen to the client. While my experiences have helped me help people make music choices that create an amazing reception, there is nothing more valuable then the input of a Bride and Groom. I was reminded of this lesson again this past Saturday at the reception of Eunie Suh and Frank Popp held at the Carnegie Museum Music Hall in Oakland, PA.

Eunie and Frank held a traditional and stunning ceremony at the museum’s Hall of Architecture before the guests made their way down the hallway to the Music Hall.

I can’t say enough about how fantastic the Carnegie Museum works as a wedding and reception venue. The surroundings are truly breathtaking. The entire staff, led by Andrea Verosko, makes sure that every detail is absolutely perfect.

During cocktail hour, Frank & Eunie held a small Korean ceremony which honored the members of both their families. While the guests watched from the Music Hall’s balcony, Eunie’s brother, Yulgene explained the details of the unique and sweet service.

Frank and Eunie planned most of the details of their wedding from their home in New York City. They had very specific ideas for the dancing portion of the evening and we were able to coordinate their ideas through phone calls and online. While the music list they submitted to me did not contain most of the ‘typical’ Pittsburgh wedding songs, I could tell that they had taken the time to create a list of songs that their guests would enjoy. The results were spectacular. The dance floor was completely full throughout the evening, during many songs that I have never had the opportunity to play for a wedding crowd before. Their playlist contained a wide variety of fun upbeat music that really made the evening feel extraordinarily customized just for this group of friends and family.

After dinner, while Eunie danced with her father, Frank joined them with Eunie’s mother.

Once the music started the guests grew more excited with every song that came on. I had the best time using the songs from Frank & Eunie’s list… they knew their guests’ tastes so well!

Eunie and Frank truly knew the songs that would make their wedding day perfect. They had people fly to Pittsburgh from all over the world to celebrate their marriage, and they knew songs that would be fun and familiar to everyone. While it’s easy as a DJ to fall back on reliable dance song ‘standards’, I always remember to listen to my clients who personally know the people who are going to be running to the dance floor for a particular song. Having such a unique dance playlist made a spectacular ending to a wonderful day.

After all the excitement of pulling off the perfect wedding & reception, the newlyweds are now headed off to Africa for a two week honeymoon safari in Tanzania!

Venue: Carnegie Museum, Music Hall Foyer
Photography: Annie O’Neill
Florist: Gidas Flowers
Do you like the video montage above? Download a full resolution copy here.