Location, location, location.  Not only true in real estate, but maybe even more so when choosing the right wedding and reception venue for your special day.  Your choice of venue will determine how your day will progress, and clearly it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.  I love when I get to DJ at locations that are a little different, as I did this weekend for the wedding reception of Kara Piazza and Luke DeJohn at the Grand Concourse in Pittsburgh, PA.

Kara and Luke were married on the stairs at the Grand Concourse.  What an amazing way to begin their new lives together!

Later in the evening, they used the same area to have their first dance.

Since the Grand Concourse is a large, spectacular venue, I placed speakers in a few areas to be sure guests could hear and enjoy the music.  Kara and Luke chose a wonderful variety of songs throughout the evening that really suited them and their guests.

The newlyweds planned to use the different areas in the Grand Concourse creatively.  There was the main dining area, the bar, and in a separate area was a photo booth, cookie table, donut machine and video slideshow .  Even the dancing was in a space that made for a nice, louder party area, while there were plenty of places for people to go to visit and relax.  Once the dancing started, the area filled up right away and things got a little crazy!

Love the look on Kara’s face as Luke’s friends carried him around the concourse.

Towards the end of the night, Kara and Luke were able to dance and spend quality time with their close friends.  They were able to have the entire day at one amazing location.  From getting prepared, all the way to the late night after party, their choice of venue made for an amazing celebration.  They’re now headed to St. Lucia, for what I’m certain will be the perfect honeymoon.

Photographers: The inspiring Annie O’Neill Photography
The pictures above are by DJ Eric Schiemer. Please visit the photographer’s site to see professional photos from the entire day.

Venue: The Grand Concourse, Station Square in Pittsburgh, PA

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