Planning a wedding can be a balancing act. I think one of the hardest part of preparing for the reception is finding the balance between what you want and what you think your guests will enjoy. Since I do think that the wedding day should be customized to the wishes of the Bride and Groom, I leave it up to the couple to determine what they believe their guests will enjoy most along with their requests. I was lucky enough to work with a couple who was able to achieve the perfect balance this past Saturday. I performed at the reception of Jenn Lee & Paul McCaffrey at the Pittsburgh Golf Club in Pittsburgh, PA.

Jenn & Paul put forth a great deal of effort to be certain their guests had a great time throughout the entire day. Even though there were close to 200 guests, the newlyweds let their meals wait while they spent time at every table during dinner. It was clear how important it was for them to visit with everyone who was there to share in the celebration. Jenn & Paul had selected a wide variety of music, and I was able to make a playlist that was both elegant and fun for everyone. I can tell when the mix is perfect when I get compliments on the music before we reach the first dance!

If you’ve read some of my other posts, you’ll know how much I love when people come up with special ideas to make their day unique. Everyone made over these cute M&M’s that were available during cocktail hour…

Also, there was a Polaroid camera available with the guestbook so guests could take a snapshot of themselves for Jenn & Paul. What a great idea!

There were quiet a bit of younger people at the reception, so Jenn had requested that we play some music for the kids such as Taylor Swift & The Jonas Brothers. Once again, they had found a way to include everyone in on the fun.

Paul and Jenn knew their guest’s musical tastes extremely well, once the music got going everyone came out and got a little crazy!

Jenn & Paul were so sweet to work with, and their desire to make sure everyone had a great time at the reception was fantastic. They were able to have all the special requests and events that were important to them, but also allowed enough flexibility to ensure that by the end of the day, all of their guests had the most amazing time.

Venue: The Pittsburgh Golf Club, Pittsburgh, PA
Photography: Melody Farrin
Do you like the video montage above? Download a full resolution copy here.

I’m so fortunate to get to entertain every week at some fantastic celebrations. This past Saturday my luck continued as I played the reception of Kate Aiello & Kevin Hershock at the Pittsburgh Golf Club in Squirrel Hill.

Kate & Kevin are a great young and fun couple who really love music and love to dance. They chose some great song choices that really got people dancing even while it was still light outside! Kate is a big David Archuleta fan (from American Idol), so we kicked off the dancing with his version of Chris Brown’s “With You”, the dance floor never emptied from that moment on.

Click here to see the playlist from the reception

The Pittsburgh Golf Club is a great venue for elegant reception. Everything ran smoothly all evening thanks to their great staff and Kate & Kevin’s photographer, Fiona Scerri. It’s great to get to work with experienced and professional vendors.

I knew it was going to be a great evening when Kate busted out her 80′s dance moves!

Kate & Kevin were so easy to work with and even spent time making sure I had everything I needed. It was easy to be sure they never got stuck in a “pickle”. They created a perfect mix of class and fun. I was so excited to be a part of their special day and was glad I could help with the amazing celebration.

Venue: Pittsburgh Golf Club
Photographer: Fiona Scerri Photography
Videographer: Peter Wolff