Rick LeBeau's Birthday party.

This is Rick LeBeau’s Birthday Party,  Rick is a good friend and we wish him  many more  years of health and happiness .

Photo:  Rick, Jeanie and myself with his dad Dick Le Beau of  the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In any career, training is vital and central to improving your craft year to year.  Only one other entertainer (Kelly Burns) in the Pittsburgh area took the time, effort and expense to learn from the best, Peter Merry and Liz Daley.

“Peter Merry wrote the book on wedding entertainment and is fairly well known to just about everyone in the DJ industry. Liz, on the other hand, may not be as familiar. Her contribution as a facilitator, though, is extremely valuable. She holds a degree in the theater arts and was a working actress in New York for 12 years.  That stage background gives her a unique perspective when it comes to discussing performance technique.”  (The above quote was written for the May 2012 Issue of Disc Jockey News by Ron Ruth of Ron Ruth Entertainment attended workshop on April 23 and 24, 2012, in Cleveland, Ohio with us.  )

Peter Merry’s book (‘The Best Wedding Reception Ever!) should be familiar with all our Brides and Grooms, we gave you a copy.  Peter has been featured on David Tutera’s ‘My Fair Wedding’ and has provided the inspiration for many of the creative ideas in our weddings celebrations.  Both Peter and Liz are friends and mentors to me, and I respect them for their talent and knowledge.

The seminar focused on performing ‘Grand Entrances’ at wedding receptions more fun, personal and entertaining. The two day seminar focused on how to be an effective writer, story teller and Master of Ceremonies.  The most beneficial aspect of the seminar was being able to perform ‘live’ scripts and the ability to review and improve on your style and craft from your peers and instructors.  Liz’s background in acting and teaching acting was the key to improving our skills.

http://makeitgrandworkshop.com/?p=278

Master of Ceremonies Training

SNPJ Enon Valley

Here is nice overview how we can work with your ballroom’s decor. The feathers on top each column are both up-lite and pin-spotted.  As the guest entered the wow factor was definitely present.

SNPJ Enon Valley

Pittsburgh Bridal show 2012 The Fez Bridal Experience

This is a show with a difference.

A Project Pink Foundation

Brides Against Breast Cancer: Charity Gown Sale, The Fez, Jan. 8, 2012: 11AM to 4PM

“Brides Against Breast Cancer^TM” gown sales continue to be important fund-raising events for Making Memories. Our more than 32 yearly shows provide brides-to-be with an opportunity to find their dream gown (at an incredible savings) while making wishes and dreams come true for women and men who are losing their fight against breast cancer.

The worldwide support of designers, manufacturers, bridal shops and individuals (who donate a most treasured possession) make possible our Nationwide Tour of Gowns sales.  The proceeds from these events help bring a moment of joy into world of someone for whom a cure is too late.”

Stop by and Visit us.

Checklist for changing your name after your wedding date:

The top four need be done in order:

1^st:  Marriage license (Then get married and get a  Certified Marriage Certificate)
2nd: Social Security     (SS5 Form Needed, Need Original or Certified Marriage Certificate)
3rd: Driver’s license
4th: Bank accounts

This is an alphabetical list of  agencies and institutions that should be notified to officially change your name:

Auto insurance
Billing accounts, such as utilities, mortgage, etc.
Car registration
Credit cards
Dentist
Doctors
Homeowners/Renters Insurance
IRA accounts
Internet Revenue Service
Leases
Life insurance
Loans
Medical Insurance
Other insurance
Passport     (DSP19 Form Needed)
Pension plan records
Post office
Property titles
Safety deposit box
Stocks and bonds
Subscriptions
Telephone listing
University
Voter registration
Wills/trusts

Wedding Music: The Top 8 Wedding Music Mishaps and Solutions

Perfect Music for the Perfect Bride

 Mistake 1: Not meeting the DJ until the day of their wedding.

A face-to-face meeting is the best way to determine if the DJ is qualified and will give you what YOU want. Also, you can determine if you have a personality match with the DJ and if he or she is someone who will deliver a fun day.

 Mistake 2: Having too small of a dance floor.

If there is nowhere to maneuver, then congestion on the dance floor can be a nightmare because people get bumped into, glasses break, and drinks can be spilled. Having more room will encourage your guests to get on the dance floor.

Mistake 3:  Playing only one type of music.

Too much of a good thing is a bad thing in music. Weddings will always have a wide range of age groups, so you need to switch things up to keep the music fresh!

Mistake 4:  Forgetting to make a do-not-play list.

The last thing a bride wants to hear at her reception is a band she hates or maybe a song that reminds her of her husband’s ex!

 Mistake 5:  Requesting too many songs.

Keep in mind that a DJ plays approximately 12 to 15 songs per hour, so for the average four-hour reception, that’s only around 40 songs. A good rule of thumb is to keep your request list to about 25 songs or so. That way you get to hear all of your songs, plus you give your DJ freedom to take requests from your guests.

 Mistake 6: Not paying attention to the flow of the events.

To create energy for an active dance floor, make sure the wedding flow of events moves along nicely.  If you have a 90-minute cocktail hour and two hours of dinner your guests will be looking for a nap, not a dance floor. Keep your cocktail hour to “an hour” and then move into a well served dinner service process.

Another flow-of-events mistake has to do with the way you configure the room — A very common mistake is having the bar in a different room than where the dancing is supposed to happen. When couples do this, it splits the event into drinkers and dancers, and the party doesn’t really come together.

 Mistake 7: Picking too many obscure songs.

As music professionals, we certainly appreciate all kinds of music, however, the guests may not. They go to a wedding expecting to hear music they know and can dance to.  A simple rule for music selection is 90% of the music played should be known by 90% of the guests.

 Mistake 8: Not verifying your DJ.

Make sure the DJ you are talking with will be the actual DJ performing at your reception. Many DJ companies book multiple events on the same night and may subcontract to other companies using DJs with varying levels of skill. Be careful of ‘bait and switch tactics’ by making sure you evaluate the individual DJ and not just the DJ Company.