Boston Wedding Blog

It’s 1am and I’m trying to stay with my commitment to get to the blog while information & ideas are still fresh. If you read the last post you’ll now that I arrived early to take pictures but found my camera card was full. This time I have the opposite problem - too many pictures; I took 150 today. There were some great ideas and the location was beautiful so it was a worthy invesment.

I’m really loving my new “get there really, really early philosophy”. In addition to me being able to capture all these great ideas for this blog, it also provides a safety cushion to traffic jams and any other delay that could come up.

After the ceremony, guests entered the Habitat ballroom to find their table seating place cards. Instead of the traditional method where guests look for their name, Marilyn & George cards with photos of each of their guests. It really made a fun display.

Each table was marked with a large hand painted number. The numbers were painted, by the bride & her friends, with a floral pattern that matched the wedding flowers.

To get the guests to mix & mingle, the couple created an ice-breaker. At every place setting was a paper titled “Somebody in this room or Who done it??” Inside were fun conversation starting facts about everyone in the room. Once the guests hit the tables, you could see the conversations starting.

To get everyone’s attention for the cake cutting, I announced that we’d be giving away the flower arrangemnts on the table. The bride and groom came up with a clever way to do this. I was provided an envelope for each table. Inside was a picture of each of the table’s guests. After lunch, I went to each table and had someone close their eyes and pick a face from the envelope. Of course the person matching the image received the centerpiece.

Envelope Containing Photos of each Guest

Floral Centerpiece

The cake cutting was set to a special song for the bride & groom - “Mr. & Mrs. is the Name” by Dick Powell. Previously the groom had only been able to track down the song on a home recorded audio tape. With todays technology, I was able to track down and purchase a cd which I gave to the bride & groom as a memoir. Their cake topper actually resembled the two. Here’s a picture:

TBC

Note to self: “Empty camera card before leaving for work”. I get to the event 2 hours early planning to shoot some pictures. When I pulled my camera out of my bag and see the message CF full . . . I did manage to delete some blurry pics to make a little room.

If you’re looking for a reception space with a great water view, a nice outdoor area for ceremonies & a large wrap around deck, the Plymouth Yacht club might be worth looking at. In addition, the dance floor is spacious and the food, catered by Plymouth Bay Catering, is very good.

Ben & Grace Johnson were married on the club’s lawn just before the pier this afternoon. The service was officiated by Ben’s dad Reverend Samuel Johnson.

The musical score was provided by the youngest chamber group I had ever worked with. It appeared as if it was a teacher and 3 young students although you’d never know it by listening to them the sound was amazing. Tip: When hiring musicians for a ceremony be sure to ask about any special requirements. Musicians typically require a shaded area and some sort of platform. The Plymouth Yacht Club happens to have a location on the back lawn perfect for this - a small tiled patio.

It was nice to work with an old friend at the reception. Kristin Young was Ben & Grace’s choice for photographer. If you’ve never met her, she is just a great person to spend time with. In addition to being a great photographer, she’s fun, bubbly and enthusiastic. I especially like the effort she puts into taking a shot. It’s not uncommon to see her in some sort of back bend, on her knees or sliding across the floor in pursuit of a great photo op. (Well maybe not sliding across the floor.) Here’s Kristin angling a shot of Ben and Grace.

Kristin Young Photography In Action

After the ceremony and cocktail hour, the guests moved indoors for dinner & dancing. The dinner service was set up in stations and open seating gave the cocktail reception an unstructured-fun feel. The tables were a mix of high pub style & traditional round banquet tables which aided the flow. Keeping people moving & mixing were a big part of Ben & Grace’s plan. Here’s what the room looked like before the guests moved in:

It’s hard to tell from the pictures but there were several of the high tables maybe 5 or 6 spread around the room. These tables were set without chairs to encourage mingling. Here’s a pic from another angle.

Here’s a photo of the pasta station before the food arrived. The white lights beneath the skirting were a nice touch.

As I mentioned before, my camera card was full so from here on in it’s text only.  The bridal party was introduced to kick things off. The B&G were big punk music fans and walked into “Ball & Chain” by Social Distortion a favorite of theirs. I love it when a couple finds a song that fits them and this did to a “t”. Their first dance was to Warrrant’s “Heaven” which represented their second musical love - 80’s hair bands. Guests were invited to join in and they did, in great numbers. If you’re looking for a way to encourage a dance party, getting your guest to the floor before eating goes a long way.

Once the dancing started it never stopped. The music covered all generations & styles but both the punk & the 80’s hair bands resurfaced to fill the dance floor with the B&G’s closest friends and even some older looking guests who were just out for a good time.  It’s these sets that I love the most; The one’s where it’s obvious that the newleyweds are really enjoying themselves. 

Some musical highlights of the night, (in no particulat order):

Jump Jive & Wail - Brian Setzer
Your Love - The Outfield
Proud Mary - Creedance Clearwater Revival
Back that Thang Up - Juvenille 
Sweet Child of Mine - Guns & Roses
In The Mood - Glenn Miller
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Barbara Ann - Beach Boys
Pour Some Sugar On Me - Def Leppard
Mr. Big - To Be With You

and the grand finale’ Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. That was the last scheduled song and made for a great finish. At the end they weren’t ready to stop so I obliged with 1 more - Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer”. The combination of songs encouraged singing & group huddles and the dancing that comes after a few drinks - basically a perfect ending to a great wedding.

On September 8th, my assistant Dave & I, were off to Sherborn MA for Wendy & Dave’s wedding at the cozy Sherborn Inn. We brought a camera and allowed for plenty of time so we were able to get some pictures. We are by no means professional photographers which you’ll soon see but never the less, we captured some great ideas & some photos of the Inn for those who might be considering it.

Wendy and Dave were very creative & into their reception which I love. I’m going to share some of their ideas with you to possibly inspire some creativity in others.

At every place setting there was a fun favor for the guests. Wendy & Dave prepared an semi-transparent envelope that contained a lottery ticket & a “lucky” penny minted in 2007 (the year of their wedding). Affixed to the envelope was a circular label with the phrase “A Whole LOTTO Love”, their monogram & wedding date.

I apologize for jumping around but I just got this thank you card from Wendy & Dave today. I’m not sure if this was their idea or their photographers (Rachel McPherson of Decent Urban Weddings).

Dave’s best man is an artist and designed a seating chart that fit perfectly. You can see below caricatures of Wendy & Cave at table #4. And the dance floor is designated by the disco dancer in the leisure suit - I hope that’s not supposed to be me.

To be sure the guests didn’t leave the reception empty handed, the Bride & Groom set up a candy buffet.

To help remember the day, a special guest book was prepared with a Polaroid photo station. Basically couples, groups & individuals were encouraged to get their pictures taken for the book. Each picture had it’s own page for thoughts & comments.

After Dave and I set up, we decided to take a walk around and snap some pics of the Sherborn Inn. Here’s Dave out front with the Sherborn Out sign. Although we didn’t make it in the “Out”, the website states that among other things the Sherborn Out caters & sells more than 500 wines, along with microbrews and specialty craft beers, and a wide range of liquors and spirits. Now that I know that before my next wedding I’ll take a trip inside. In case you’re wondering, Dave’s my younger brother. He’s in training to someday become a wedding dj.

Live Cello & violin music really fit this beautiful outdoor wedding ceremony.

After the ceremony, I spoke with the Cellist, Tara Chiatovich. She was very nice and mentioned she was available for weddings. I highly recommend her.

Here’s Wendy & her Dad walking down the aisle.

Here’s their wedding photographer Rachel McPherson hard at work.

And Wendy & Dave after the ceremony.

After the ceremony, the guests moved to the tented pavillion for cocktails.

Then indoors for dinner & dancing. Here’s a shot of the dining room empty.

OK I admit, my postings haven’t been as frequent to either my blog or my forum as I originally expected. It’s a very big time commitment but that’s not the issue. Part ot the problem is that neither outlet really had a specific purpose, except to pass on information. I’ve decided to clearly define the purpose of each in hopes that it will make both more effective.

The Blog will now be a place where I post regularly after events. I’ll do my best to document my experiences at different facilities and list any new songs, ideas, etc. The Forum will be now used as a space for content management. For instance, I might have different topics, 1 being Sign in Boards, or Song Selections, etc. Under these topics will be listed the specific ideas. So if you’re looking for inspiration, I would recommend the blog. If you’re looking for something specific visit the forum.

One of the benefits of participating in nearly 100 weddings per year is that I get to see some unique and interesting ideas. I believe it’s these details that make receptions stand out. Maybe it’s a unique idea to welcome the guests to a reception site like: a Polaroid Photo Sign in Book; a silver serving platter and an etching pencil to sign with; or seating place cards featuring photos of your guests. Maybe its a unique song that fits a situation or relationship perfectly. Or maybe it’s an Ice Cream or Candy buffett.

I want to get that information out to as many couples as I can, at least to my clients. So check back as often as you can. If you find an idea that you might use, please shoot me an email. It’s the only real feedback I get to see if this really makes a difference.

Greg

Going back fifteen or twenty years ago there really weren’t many appropriate song choices available for a groom to dance with his mother. Because ballads are typically written for couples, they usually have some sort of romantic connotation. When I first started as a dj in the mid 80’s, the song I remember requested most for this dance is “Sunrise, Sunset” from the musical “Fiddler on the Roof”. This song is memorable for me because of its first line - ”Is this the little girl that I carried”. To me, it just didn’t fit.

Over time, there have been several attempts by artists to create a song to fill this niche. In our market a very popular choice over the last several years has been “A Song For My Son” by New Traditions, a Massachusetts based company. Information and lyrics for that song can be found here: http://www.new-wedding-traditions.com/index.htm.

Well, now there’s a new option that’s starting to pick up traction. It’s called “I’ll Always Be Your Mother”. You can read the lyrics and take a listen here: http://www.shopmysongs.com/. I’ll be using it for the first time on Friday and well let you know the response.

Although I haven’t used the song yet, I’d encourage you to take a listen. I had a great experience with one of the co-writers this week and I’d like to pass it along.

It was just 2 days before my Friday wedding reception at White Cliffs Country Club of Plymouth, when I received word that the Groom’s mom heard a great new song on the internet. She requested that I play it for the dance with her and her son. Normally a last minute request like this is not an issue, but this particular song was not available locally or via the pay music download sites. Wanting to please my client, I quickly Googled the song and found that it was for sale on Ebay by the artist. Using that site I was able to make contact with the singer. After explaining my situation she, Lynn Leonti, agreed to take time out of her day to overnight a copy of her song. It’s now in the hands of UPS due for arrival tomorrow. Thanks to her, tomorrow, I’ll have a very happy Mother of the Groom.

This may come as a surprise but, the list of “preferred vendors” supplied by your wedding reception site may not include the most qualified and capable disc jockeys, photographers, videographers & other wedding experts. In many cases, the best vendors have been bumped by others willing to pay money for the privilege of being referred. In the following article I will detail three scenarios where this occurs most frequently. I will also give you the 10 insider questions you should ask before considering using a vendor referral list.  Read the rest of this entry »

OK, you’re trying to find the perfect song for your father/daughter dance or cake cutting but are struggling to find something that fits. Usually it’s because the lyrics aren’t quite right or the song you want has been over played. Well consider this - try finding a song that’s been popular in the past, but use a different rendition.

Here’s a great example. From ‘04 to ‘05 I played “At Last” by Etta James for a first or last dance more than 35 times.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the song and can see why people have chosen it, but at some point it gets to be cliche’. If you like the song but want a different twist, listen to the same song by Eva Cassidy. She does a very nice alternative take that really stands out. If you’d like to add a male vocalist to the mix, Lou Rawls & Dianne Reeves do a smokin’ duet version.

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley has always been an old stand by at wedding receptions. If you like the message in the lyrics but want to be a bit untraditional, try the reggae version by UB40. The upbeat tempo will set the tone of a fun reception while the familiar lyrics keep the focus on “Love & Marriage”.

“The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra makes the playlist as often as any of the big wedding songs. For some, the tempo isn’t quite right, it’s a bit fast. If you want to slow it down a bit, listen to Tony Bennett’s version from “My Best Friend’s Wedding” or the slightly faster version from “Father of the Bride”. Steve Tirrell does the latter version in a very raspy, more contemporary style.

Another popular song that’s been replaced by yet another popular song is “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. In 1998 I first heard “Over The Rainbow” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole in the movie Meet Joe Black. The song is a medley of “What a Wonderful World” & “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. It has since been made famous by several other movies including Finding Forrester & 50 First Dates, but more notably in Dr. Mark Greene’s final scene in ER. Good alternates include the instrumental sax version of “Over The Rainbow” by Richard Elliot or Eva Cassidy’s vocal version (If you can’t tell, I’m a fan of Eva’s). If you’re a Coldplay fan check out their version of “What A Wonderful World”.

I’ve started the list and will write back with more. If you have an “alternate” that you’re considering, please post it here. I’d like to create a lists that’s an ever expanding resource.

Happy Planning,

Greg Hodges
Boston-Wedding-Blog
5 Star Events

For some people, one of the biggest challenges planning for their big day is picking the right song for the first dance. Aside from the vows at the ceremony, this event captures more attention and carries more drama than most anything else that day. That’s why perfect song is so important. It’s the backdrop or soundtrack to one of the days highlights.

There’s a great new song I’ve been trying to track down for the last month or so. I think it will make a great first dance song at somebody’s wedding. I first heard the song in the new Debeers Diamonds - Christmas commercial.

The setting is a man & woman in bed asleep. The man wakes up, leans over and places a diamond necklace around the woman’s neck. Of course she wakes up with a big smile on her face. The music playing during the scene has the words ”How Can I tell You That I Love You, I Love You,  I Long to Tell You That I’m Always Thinking of You, Always Thinking Of You.”  The words are perfect, but it’s more than that.

A little research turns up that this song is a cover of a Cat Stevens song titled “How Can I Tell You”. The version in the Debeers commercial is covered by a woman who goes by the name of Cat Power. Her real name is Chan Marshall. I spent some time on her MySpace page and after 5 minutes listening to her online music, I’m hooked. I’ll be tracking down her music this week fo rsure. She reminds me of a cross between Nora Jones & Eva Cassidy. If you like either I recommend giving her a listen.

Well back to the song. It turns out the song isn’t going to make it to anyone’s wedding soon. Sadly, her label has no plans on releasing it for distribution. This song, like others were recorded specifically for commercials. There’s been quite a bit of buzz about this song in particular. Hopefully the public pressure will change their plans. Some of you have wedding dates over a year away. A lot can happen in that time. I’ll keep on top of it.

 In the meantime, here’s a link to the video.

“How Can I Tell You” - Cat Power - Video

Happy Planning,

Greg Hodges
Boston Wedding Blog

Welcome to Boston Wedding Blog in it’s new location.  I’ve always intended this site  to have a life of it’s own so to this end I’ve purchased a dedicated server where BWB will reside. You can always get here by typing http://www.boston-wedding-blog.com/.

So for all the new-comers, Boston Wedding Blog, is a space that will eventually contain an up to date record of some of the best wedding secrets & tips found anywhere!! I’ve been a wedding disc jockey for almost 25 years and have attended nearly 2000 wedding receptions. Along the way I’ve kept mental notes of the little nuances and differences that made some of the best weddings I’ve been part of stand out. I’d like to make this information to you as well as keep you up to date with the newest wedding trends & wedding song selections.

My plan is to post weekly over the near term. The approaching holidays signal the start of wedding ”slow season”, so this will be a good time for sharing ideas that I’ve been holding onto from past weddings. Please check back often as there will be some great information that some will be able to use almost right away.  

If any of my posts interest you, please login and include your thoughts. That will really be my only barometer to wether this is providing a service or not.

Happy Planning!!

Greg
Boston Wedding Blog