During my DJ career I’ve played for corporate events, Christmas parties, and a few clubs and bars throughout Pittsburgh.  I’ve recognized that my true passion is being the DJ for wedding receptions.  It’s the only type of event where each event is a unique celebration.  There is an energy and excitement that only exists when friends and family gather to acknowledge of the love of two people.  I was lucky enough to be part of the tremendous excitement that existed at the amazing party for Kelly Ryan and Todd Sabo, held at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center.

Kelly and Todd were open to input from everyone for their big day.  Friends and family participated in many ways to help make the day unique.  Kelly’s grandmother played piano during cocktail hour.  Reverend Rick Roberts, his wife, and Dennis Hack provided a variety of entertainment throughout the reception, including a Johnny Cash impersonation.  It all helped to create a warm, wild, and fun atmosphere.

I was asked to introduce the Bridal Party as a giant basketball team.  It really got the guests excited for the rest of the night.  Kelly and Todd kept each other laughing throughout the evening.

The music was filled with a fun variety of classic hits and new songs that kept everyone dancing.  Kelly and Todd clearly LOVE music, which makes my job SO easy!

If you haven’t guessed by now, all the guests came ready to party.  When the music started the dance floor EXPLODED with excitement.

No, this is not YMCA, it’s “Hang On Sloopy” by the McCoys.  Buckeye fans came out to spell O-H-I-O!

Kelly and Ryan found me through Amie and Greg Donahue.  I played their wedding way back in 2008.  It was great to see them again.  Clearly marriage suits them well!

Once one of the guests busted out some glow sticks I knew I had lost control!

Dancing lasted for more than three hours, Kelly was still going strong at the end of the night!

At most weddings, the guests look to the Bride and Groom to determine the overall mood of the reception.  Kelly and Todd did an amazing job in conveying to their guests a feeling of overwhelming joy, happiness, and downright craziness.  It’s always great to leave your guests wanting just a bit more, and when I announced the last dance it was obvious that no one was ready to leave.  Now that they’ve thoroughly celebrated their vows, the newlyweds are off on their honeymoon in Paris and Greece.

Venue: Pittsburgh Marriott City Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Photography: R. Fritz Photography

Ashley & Zach spend their time living in various parts of the country, but chose to hold their reception at the beautiful and elegant Concordia Club.  This was the last wedding to be held at the club, since it was recently sold to the University of Pittsburgh.  It was a fabulous celebration to serve as the final event for this venue.  Ashley’s family and friends all pitched in to help with all of the amazing decorations throughout the club.  There were a lot of special touches everywhere that really personalized the venue.

Ashley and Zach gave me the most fun and upbeat song list I’ve ever seen.  Songs from every genre were included so that all the guests had the opportunity to dance to their favorites.  Zach even came out and did N’Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye” dance routine!  It was awesome.

There were Terrible Towels everywhere!  The bridal party were each given towels that were embroidered with their initials.

One of my favorite moments of the evening was before Zach removed Ashley’s garter.  They had the best time dancing around the chair to Usher’s “My Way”.  It was so clear to see how connected these two are and how much fun they have being together.

Ashley is a fantastic singer.  Everyone was thrilled when she took the mic and sang with Zach!

Although I hadn’t met Ashley or Zach before the wedding, it was great working both of them online and on the telephone.  They are so friendly and fun that I knew from the first time I talked with Ashley this was going to be an amazing evening.  Even though they did most of the planning from outside of Pittsburgh, they had no problems creating a wonderful celebration that their friends and family will never forget.

Venue: Concordia Club, Pittsburgh, PA
Photography: Elliot Crammer Photography

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

George did an amazing job and everyone cheered after his performance. He asked if I could record it for him since he sings at various events in Florida, I was so happy to help out in helping create this special memory.