One of our couples recently brought an amazing local resource to my attention. Maria and Peter, a May Bride and Groom, were looking for something more than a simple gold band. They had some big ideas about what they wanted, and they were able to find a unique opportunity to participate in the design and creation of their own wedding bands!
A Custom Commission by TAP Studios
A Custom Commission by TAP Studios
A Custom Commission by TAP Studios
A Custom Commission by TAP Studios
TAP Studios, known for its superior-quality custom design work (some of their commissions appear above), is making this opportunity accessible to everyone. In addition to designing and forging custom commissioned pieces, TAP Studios, located at 1667 East Fortieth Street, Suite Three B in Cleveland, offers a fantastic two-day make-your-own rings workshop called "Forging Your Own Way." Couples are able to actually forge their own gorgeous custom rings from beautiful recycled precious metals, conflict-free diamonds, and fair-trade gemstones, again reducing mining and pollution. How green of you!
The TAP Studio workshop and tools
This workshop is a perfect opportunity to incorporate heirlooms that may not quite fit your more modern style by restyling them into a setting that suits you better, or perhaps simply recycling cast-off of broken jewelry already in your jewelry box. Best of all, you can gift your new spouse with a unique and special reminder of your commitment to one another that you made yourself especially for him or her.
No experience with goldsmithing is necessary, though of course more advanced participants are certainly welcome. TAP Studios will provide all the tools you need, as well as advice and technical support. They offer a number of different approaches including beginning from ingots and using the lost wax technique.
For those worried about how "home made" rings will look, remember that these are professional instructors who will ensure that you achieve professional results. Rest assured that under the guidance of founders and instructors Debra Rosen and Todd Pownell, you will create couture-quality rings, extremely well-made and finished, even surpassing the quality of mass-produced rings. Just check out Maria and Peter's process below:
Stones from Mars, the Moon, and an Asteroid.
It all started with a vision.
In addition to recycled gold and conflict-free diamonds, Maria and Peter had some very special stones they wanted to incorporate into their designs -- a moon rock (yes, really!), a rock from mars (yes, really!), and a meteorite. Want some cool rocks from space of your own. Check out Wandering Star Meteorites online, e-mail Greg Catteron, or call 828-773-1864.
The two-day workshop begins with wax ring tube sized to fit each ring's destination finger. To hold the delicate engraving that Maria and Peter desired, they chose the hardest grade of wax tubing. Wax tubing comes in two other grades -- Purple, which is medium-hard, and Blue, which is soft and flexible. Depending upon your project, you might use one of these softer grades for your rings.
Green Wax Ring Tubes
Cutting the wax ring tube to width
The wax ring, after shaping
Peter begins engraving the wax ring
After the initial shaping, Maria and Peter checked the placement of the stones. Then, the wax ring is encased in a mold made of a fireproof material with a melting point higher than the precious metal being used, often a Chrystobolite solution. A wax "stem" is included extending from the rear of the piece in order to allow passage into the mold. The mold is then heated in a kiln until the wax itself is vaporized, and a hollow space remains. The molten metal is then poured into the mold and allowed to cool before being removed.
The engraved wax rings and placement of stones
The cast metal rings, before finishing
The cast metal rings, before finishing
Unfinished cast metal rings with stones placed
When the cast metal rings are removed from the mold, they often have a rough exterior and seams that still need to be finished. Holes for stones may also need to be deepened or shaped.
Catch a glimpse behind the scenes of a Something New Bride's Wedding in this interview with real-life Something New Bride Michelle Horton! Special thanks to Life's Moments Photography for allowing us to share some of the special moments of Michelle and Erik's day in photographic form! Thanks, Steve!
DJ Missy P., Erik and Michelle Horton, and DJ Justin
Justin, Missy, Anna-
We can’t thank you all enough for such a wonderful time at our wedding! We still keep thinking about how much fun it was! We can’t wait to see the video our videographer made because we know that it will bring a smile to our faces!
We want to recommend you to everyone we know, partly to ensure we will have a great time haha and more importantly so they can rest assured that they are getting THE very best.
Justin, I can’t tell you how many compliments/comments I received about how incredibly kind you were and so helpful. Whether it be you offering the wedding party drinks or keeping the party rolling, you ultimately impressed everyone. I can’t thank you enough for everything!
Michelle Horton: Being the crazy dancers that we are, we just so happen to win the Battle of the Grooms dancing contest at the Today's Bride bridal show in Akron at the Sheraton and won a fabulous gift bag from Something New. We went over to talk to Anna and Justin and just felt like they really cared about their clients and they just let off a great vibe.
SNE: What made Something New DJs stand out as the right choice for your wedding ceremony accompaniment and wedding reception disc jockey service/master of ceremonies (DJ/MC)?
Michelle: We saw that they were real people who viewed us the same way. They were always very concerned with our concerns and made us feel like they not only knew what they were doing but they also ENJOYED what they were doing. We knew this would show through on our big day.... I knew as soon as we walked in with our introduction song [(I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas)] that it was really “GONNA BE A GOOD NIGHT”!
Dancing! Photo by Life's Moments Photography
I can honestly say I have never seen a dance floor so packed at a wedding and I believe that is not only because my friends and family are awesome but because Missy and Justin from Something New Entertainment really brought their A game and made the night a true hit. I may be biased but I’ve never had so much fun at a wedding.
Everyone says “You don’t even get to have much fun at your wedding because your running around all night” well all I can say is “ I feel sorry for those people because I could not have asked for a more fun time!!”
SNE: We hear all kinds of worries from concerned brides looking to choose the right DJ, and it seems like hiring a DJ can sometimes be a frightful process! When you first started planning your wedding, what were some of your biggest fears and DJ nightmares?
Michelle: Dancing is a BIG part of my family so my biggest fear was not being able to find a DJ that was in our price range but still does a great job keeping the party going. I’ve been to way too many weddings where there were only a few people on the dance floor and knew I didn’t want ours to be that way. We were also concerned that the DJ would possibly run the show without taking what we wanted into consideration.
SNE: What were the most important factors in choosing your DJ?
Michelle: Price was really important to us because we were paying for everything on our own. However, we didn’t want to be stuck with people telling us “you get what you pay for.” We wanted someone who was willing to take our ideas and expand upon them.
Michelle and Erik's beautiful indoor ceremony Photo by Life's Moments Photography
Michelle and Eric's ceremony at Lake Forest CC Photo by Life's Moments Photography
SNE: We thought it might hold out, but unfortunately, it rained and your ceremony could not be outside as originally planned. Was it disconcerting to make other arrangements on the fly?
Michelle: I believe Justin and Missy did great organizing and getting everything flowing to accommodate the change.
SNE: You and Erik requested to hear Maniac by Michael Sembello from Flashdance and went absolutely crazy on the dance floor when we played it -- what's the special significance of this song to the two of you?
Michelle: Erik and I are BIG goof balls and we like to dance silly and have fun. At his brothers wedding... the song came on and we apparently felt it from our feet to the top of our heads and fingers (haha) and just went crazy. We had people cheering for us and taking pictures and brought a light feeling... into the room... Every time after that night, when we hear the song we go nuts haha! When one of us [is] upset, all you have to do is start singing that song and we are popped back into reality.
Come on, ride the train! Michelle is the engine! Photo by Life's Memories Photography
The Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper, Michelle's favorite! Photo by Life's Memories Photography
SNE: We saw you really rocking out for most of your reception. Tell us: which did you enjoy more, leading the train in Come on Ride the Train or dancing to the Cha Cha Slide?
Michelle: I LOOOVE any type of line dancing so I have to say the Cha Cha Slide was my favorite! I like that everyone does the same moves (for the most part) and everyone has fun!
SNE: You were wearing a pretty fantastic gown with an equally gorgeous headpiece. Who designed those?
Michelle: My dress was the Monalisa Royale, Maggie Sottero gown... I felt like an absolute princess in it! The veil was borrowed from my sister and was a Jessica McClintock veil. I got a beautiful hair piece to wear when I wanted to let down and have some fun and that was purchased in Akron at Coming Attractions.
SNE: Did you fall in love with the first dress you tried on or was it a perilous journey to find “the perfect dress?”
Michelle: I was certain I found “THE DRESS” about 10 times haha.
When I first put on the one I actually got I thought.. hmm not so much. After about an hour of me still having on the dress I thought okay I must really like something about it because I haven’t gotten out of it yet.
I can say I never really got stressed over any of the dress shopping experiences because I always found one that was perfect I just couldn’t fully commit.
I am lucky my best friend loves me so much and was willing to go anywhere and everywhere with me until I was certain I had “THE ONE”. I ordered my dress so far in advance that I almost changed my mind because I had forgotten what it looked like. It was tough because I had to guess what size I needed and pray that I liked the White one I ordered because I only was able to see it in Ivory.
When I walked into my first fitting, tears came to my eyes and I knew I made the right choice!
SNE: Your flowers were also really beautiful. What was your inspiration? Tell me about your process of working with them.
Michelle: I actually did the flowers myself along with help from my bridesmaids. We went to JoAnn Fabrics on numerous occasions for hours at a time but in the end it was less then a week before my wedding when we finally got everything we needed..and the day before until we had it all actually put together! But boy it was fun and memories in the making! I knew I really wanted something bright and my only requirement for flowers was I had to have hydrangeas because I think they are so elegantly classic yet pretty!
Aww. Aren't they sweet? You'd never suspect... Photo by Life's Moments Photography
...what happens next! Well - they're still SWEET! Photo by Life's Moments Photography
SNE: You had a really classic cake (and we know you had a great time cutting it, LOL). Which bakery created it for you, and what flavor(s) did you choose?
Michelle: We knew to look no further than good ole Giant Eagle! We love their cake and get it quite often... We gave them a picture of what we wanted and they told us what they could do. We had a 3 tier cake so we had a full cake layer of white cake and 2 of chocolate with the butter cream frosting. It was delicious and we were happy with our decision. We def did love smooshing it in each others faces!
SNE: How did having your ceremony followed directly by your reception work out without the traditional cocktail hour photo sessions?
Michelle: Looking back, we did not like having the ceremony lead right into the reception. We didn’t get to get enough pictures and we even had to see each other before the ceremony so that we could get pictures. We felt really rushed around (which could have to do with the weather we saw coming in) but we just really wish we had more time to breathe and relax. It was convenient for our guests which was important for us, but we needed to think about ourselves too since it was our big day.
SNE: How did you and Erik first meet and what made him the "keeper?"
Michelle: Erik and I met at Kent State University. We had a speech class together and apparently I impressed him with my introduction speech because he went home and Facebooked me.
Now this was at the beginning of Facebook days and I couldn’t figure out who this kid “befriending” me on Facebook was. He mentioned we had a class together and while I was a little leary of him we talked and ended up hanging out.
He felt our friendship was blossoming into something more, however I wasn’t convinced and went my own way. After not talking much for about a year, Erik expressed to me that he missed me and couldn’t go out with anyone else because he always thought of me. I thought wow maybe I’m missing something and I realized I was ready for a nice, caring, kind person.
We started dating and I knew that I would never find anyone else who was as great, loving, and fun to be with! The rest is history!
SNE: Dish: tell us about the proposal!
Michelle: Well, about 6 months in I knew that I wanted to marry Erik and build our lives together. We were inseparable and just perfect for each other.
He knew it too, but was too broke to buy a ring haha. I liked to sing “Put a ring on it” [fromSingle Ladies by Beyonce] to him all the time and hint at it every chance I got. I even would drag him to the jewelry stores and try on rings to show him.
Then, as cliché as it is, Erik bought a ring and had everything set to propose on Valentines day 2009 while we were out at dinner.
Me, being the weirdo that I am thought it would be great to eat at my favorite resturant Don Pablos..forget it being Valentines Day and not romantic I just wanted to go there. Erik started to panic and realized he was NOT proposing at a Mexican resturant so he decided to do it right at home in our living room.
We decided to exchange presents before dinner and he gave me some chocolate and a stuffed animal. I was quite disappointed because I had a feeling it was coming yet it didn’t appear that way. He handed me a cute mushy card and at the end was “Now I have one more surprise..look up..” and it was then that he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.
I thought it was a joke until he said “look: it's even the ring you asked for!” haha. I knew I had no doubts in my mind and I was one LUCKY girl!
The New Mr. and Mrs. Mark and Heather Padgett share a slow dance with friends and family Photos by Callie Mercury and Travis Bukach of 831 Photography (limited photos by DJ AJ9)
On Saturday, May 29, 2010, DJ Justin, MC Squared, and I (DJ AJ9) had the pleasure of providing wedding ceremony music and sound support, as well as wedding reception disc jockey and master of ceremonies services for the wedding and wedding reception of Heather and Mark held at Happy Days Lodge located at 500 West Streetsboro Road (Rt 303), in Peninsula, Ohio, a beautiful rustic venue that is part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The event was photographed by Callie Mercury and Travis Bukach from 831 Photography.
Heather's "so her" cowgirl boots Photo by 831 Photography
The bride wore a gorgeous sleeveless V-neck sheath gown with an embellished lace overlay by Emerald Coutouriers (style number 8118), as well as -- fulfilling what seems to be becoming a Something New Bride theme -- fabulous footwear that very much fit her individual spirit (see photo). The bridesmaids wore J. Crew's "Gracen", a short, strapless silk taffeta dress, in the color "spiced wine." The wedding ceremony was held on the Lodge's lovely screened-in porch area and was officiated by Pastor Joe Cameneti of Believers Christian Fellowship. Also true to a Something New Bride's style, Heather had some very specific and innovative ideas about music for the ceremony. Preludes included A River Flows In You by Yiruma, the song originally rumored to be the first choice for "Bella's Lullaby" in twilight, as well as The Rain by Shane Walsh, and instrumental versions of Franz Schubert's Ave Maria as played by the O'Neill Brothers, and I Will be Here by Steven Curtis Chapman. The parents were seated to an instrumental version of The Wedding Song by Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul, and Mary. Many of these songs were chosen by the bride from a compilation CD called A Day to Remember by the O'Neill Brothers. It seemed like this CD was a particularly great resource for Heather as we discussed a play list that would bring in some more "traditional" music in to the very eclectic mix for the wedding ceremony and seating.
The Unity Candle & Family Candles decorated by the bride, herself! Photo by 831 Photography
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The couple chose Enya's Silver Inches for the processional of the bridal party and Enya's A Day Without Rain for the procession of the bride escorted by her father. The ceremony included a unity candle lighting ceremony using a unity candle decorated by the bride, herself. Heather had hand crafted so many special little accents; it was very obvious that she had put quite a lot of effort into these beautiful homespun decorations over an extended period of time. They looked great – like stuff you see in Magazines like Martha Stewart Weddings or Today's Bride. Heather’s the sort of kind and modest person who would never toot her own horn, so to speak, so it’s very important to me that I brag on her. You worked hard, Heather, and I want to make sure everyone knows what a great job you did!!! Heather paid attention to little details from the very beginning of her guest's experience to make them feel truly at home at Happy Day's Lodge. On their way driving in, guests were encouraged along the long driveway with chalk signs declaring "Almost there" and "You made it!" before being greeted in the foyer with a cheerful arrangement of family photos. Click below to enlarge for more detail!
"Almost there!" 831 Photography
Hand-crafted "You made it!" sign Photo by 831 Photography
Clothes lines full of family photos Photo by 831 Photography
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Wishes on the wish tree. 831 Photography
Parchment programs and calico aisle "pomanders" Photo by 831 Photography
The more "traditional" guest book was paired with a "Wish Tree" (shown at left) hung with blank tags that guests could write a special wish for the couple upon before returning it to a branch on the tree. In addition to the previously-shown Unity Candle setup above, Heather's works for the ceremony also included the calico pomanders that decorated the aisle as well as the ceremony programs (shown at right).
A very "welcoming" clothes-pinned escort card rack made out of old shutters (shown below) directed guests to their seats in style, to tables where Heather had designed the centerpieces of galvanized steel buckets filled with seasonal wildflowers, herself, as well as chalkboard table names (in lieu of table numbers) of places and things close to the couple's hearts -- including "Ford," "Candy Apple," "Country Living," "Cowboy," "Ft. Lauderdale," and (of course!) "Happy Days Lodge" -- and more than a hundred little copper bells tied with twine for guests who wished to inspire the bride and groom to kiss.
"Welcome" escort cards rack made from shutters. Photo by 831 Photography
Cake by Michael Angelo's Bakery atop a tree slice Photo by 831 Photography
The look of the wedding reception was equally warm and unassuming. Decor included Mason jars, a big round slab of tree trunk (shown above) where a gilded silver cake plateau just didn't fit in, simple, natural browns, wines, and greens, instead of jeweltones or pastels. Hand-tied bouquets and other bridal party flowers were provided by Art N Flowers Florist in Garrettsville. Butter for the bread was even served on fresh little green leaves by Robert J. Catering.
The bride and groom rejoin the party in style Bouquet by Art N Flowers Florist, Garrettsville Photo by 831 Photography
DJ Justin announces members of the bridal party & the happy couple as they make their entrance. Photo by 831 Photography
The parents and bridal party made a VERY grand entrance to a custom mix of several songs, before the bride and groom returned in style toElectric Feel by MGMT. Both the best man and maid of honor made very moving toasts before we heard a few words from the father of the groom and a blessing for the meal was given by the father of the bride.
"Newlywed Special" chalkboard menu for BBQ buffet Photo by 831 Photography
The couple cuts their Michael Angelo's cake Photo by 831 Photography
Robert J. Catering staged a country bar-be-que fit for a king (and queen -- or maybe just a sweet Northeast Ohio couple who wanted a simple country feel for their wedding!). The buffet included fire-grilled bar-be-que chicken, salad, green beans amandine, yams, and more. The food was prepared fresh and with a flair right on-site; Robert J. brought in a HUGE bar-be-que grill and cooked just outside the screened-in porch. After dinner, Heather and Mark cut their cake, a towering raspberry-filled confection by Michael Angelo's Bakery, before feeding it to each other very sweetly without even a hint of smash. It was "Aww" inspiring.
The traditional first dance as husband & wife Photo by 831 Photography
The traditional first dance as husband & wife Photo by 831 Photography
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The bride and groom shared their traditional first dance as husband and wife to Green Eyes by Coldplay, (a song that became special to the couple because of Heather's green eyes) followed by the Father-Daughter Dance to Have I Told You Lately? by Rod Stewart (Heather chose this song because her father always says this to her "have I told you lately that I love you?"), and then the Mother-Son dance to The Man You've Become by Molly Pastutti chosen by Mark's mother.
Check out some of the other fun times we had later in the evening in the photos below!
A fun shot of the Couple's Grand Entrance Photo by 831 Photography.
Father-Daughter Dance "Have I Told You Lately?" Photo by 831 Photography.
On Saturday, May 8, 2010, we had the privilege of providing disc jockey and master of ceremonies services for Jenny and Pat's Youngstown-area wedding reception at the Lake Club in Youngstown, Ohio, coordinated by on-site coordinator, JoAnn Yova.
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We first met Jenny and Pat in person several months after they had booked with us from out-of-town. As a Tennessee native, I have a special understanding of the additional pressures involved in planning a wedding from out-of-town. As a result, Something New Entertainment serves many clients planning from out-of-town, who seem to appreciate our responsiveness, availability, and creative problem-solving during the planning process.
Jenny's gorgeous gown - complete with pockets. POCKETS!!! Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
Something Blue -- dancing shoes! Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
Jenny has a great sense of humor. Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
What stands out to me most about Jenny and Pat is that they're the kind of fun-loving people who don't take themselves too seriously -- the kind of people who throw a party you know you'll have a great time attending. True to form, Jenny incorporated lots of whimsical touches into the evening's design elements.
The bride wore a gown by Paloma Blanca that had pockets (style #4006).
Yes, that's right, ladies, you heard me right: POCKETS! Goodness gracious, I do wish that this didn't have to be notable. Why can't women have more pocket-ed clothing options? We can't wear jeans everywhere, you know! I look forward to the day when I'll say "the bride wore a gown that didn't have any pockets. Isn't that bizarre?!?!?"
In any case -- this gorgeous dress had 'em. How cool is that? She sported a special "something blue" -- a deep blue pair of peep-toe pumps by Nina. And last but not least, a Twigs and Honey (etsy) hair flower. Her hair was styled by Cheryl Cornich at X-Tatic About Hair.
The bride's gift to the groom. Star Trek insignia cuff links. Pretty cool, huh? Photo by DJ AJ9
DJ Justin's feet (left) and the groom's feet (right). Nice shoes, boys! Photo by DJ AJ9
The Lake Club's stage and dance floor. Uplighting by Something New Entertainment. Paper lanterns by Something New Florist & Events. Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
The Lake Club's bar. Photo by DJ AJ9
The Lake Club was decked out in style with dozens of green and white paper lanterns provided by Something New Florist and Events which were suspended from the dropped ceiling's metal framework using these cool little magnetic hooks. We've seen Something New Florist and Events at a couple of different trade shows this season, but this is the first opportunity we've had to work at an actual reception that they've bedecked and beflowered. They always have really beautiful and unusual offerings from simple and classic to clean and cutting edge, and this wedding reception was obviously no exception.
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The tables, on the other hand, featured sturdier glass and metal lantern centerpieces with candles and modern floral designs (both also by the talented folks at Something New Florist and Events), as well as linen accents chosen and sewed by the bride and the mother-of-the-bride.
Table decor. Linens by the bride and mother. Metal lanterns and paper lanterns both by Something New Florist and Events. Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
Table decor. Linens by the bride and mother. Metal lanterns and paper lanterns both by Something New Florist and Events. Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
As you can see from the photos, the results were elegant, very polished and pulled-together effects that still retained rustic, fanciful qualities. You know -- that difficult-to-achieve "oh-we-just-so-happened-to-have-all-this-stuff-lying-around-here-and-it-just-so-happens-to-match-and-be-lots-of-fun-all-together" look that keeps guests comfortable and engaged. Nicely done, team!
The cake. Holy smokes, Batman (and Wonderwoman)! Photo by DJ AJ9.
The cookie table is a Youngstown tradition. When a wedding is planned, friends of the family offer to bake cookies for the reception. Being the sort of fun folks that they are, Jenny and Pat have quite a lot of friends, and that means two things for their wedding reception: lots of people and lots of cookies! While the Lake Club's generously-sized dining area was plenty large enough to seat all approximately 400 of their guests, there wasn't quite enough room left over to seat all the cookies they brought. ;) The Lake Club has a fantastic set-up to accommodate situations like this, extending the dining area by adding an elegant tent annex.
The club's adjoining tent housed the enormous Youngstown-style cookie table crowned by an elegant two-tier cake (made by the bride's cousin, Dawnyel Monroe) boasting a very unique "cake topper."
Jenny also set up a fun DIY photobooth with lots of crazy props from hats and glasses to a microphone, a mustache, a feather boa, and more. Definitely click to enlarge that first photo, below, of all the cool props they had to play with! This made for a fun activity for guests of all ages for the entire evening!
Lots of fun props for the DIY photobooth. Photo by DJ AJ9
DJ Justin leaving a fun photo for the couple. Photo by DJ AJ9.
A cute photo for Jenny and Pat from the DIY photobooth. Photo by Jenny and Pat!
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Speaking of which: you know what else the guests enjoyed the entire evening? Dancing! Jenny and Pat have a very eclectic musical taste ranging from Michael Buble and Frank Sinatra to Insane Clown Posse, Flight of the Conchords, S Club 7, and the Black Eyed Peas.
Gorgeous and tasty food by the Lake Club. Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
We started out the evening slow with some special requests from the bride by a Madeline Perot, a jazz singer with a Billie Holiday/Ella Fitzgerald sort of style, as well as Northeast Ohio's own Joshua Radin, Jack Johnson, Josh Groban, and others.
This music really set the tone for an elegant and optimistic evening as the guests enjoyed cocktails, cookies, and conversation around the Lake Club's gorgeous modern bar and later, a beautiful and delicious "surf and turf" dinner prepared by the Lake Club including a filet of beef served atop a large crouton along with colossal crab-stuffed shrimp, new potatoes, and broccoli.
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Did you know you can eat orchids? Yeah -- me neither. They're pretty good, kind of like red leaf lettuce. I would eat one, again.
Later on, Jenny and Pat shared their first dance to Meiko's How Lucky We Are, followed by the traditional father-daughter dance to Sinatra's The Way You Look Tonight and the mother-son dance to Mother's Day by Jim Brickman.
Getting down at the Lake Club! Photo by Jaci Clark Photography
We had some great dancers! Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
Afterwards, the dance floor opened, and it didn't stop for the rest of the evening! The couple ended up extending their contract to include additional time to accommodate the energetic dance floor! They rocked out to a variety of songs including Love Shack by the B-52s, Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meatloaf, Don't Stop Believing by Journey (which one groomsman declared to be "the song of the night!"), All That She Wants by Ace of Base, as well as tunes by Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, the Beatles, some Motown, and a variety of 80's rock and dance hits.
The groom rocking out with his friends. Photo by Jaci Clark Photography
Having a great time on the dance floor. Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
Bridesmaids. Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
Jenny chose a midnight blue convertible-strap transforming bridesmaid dress from Dessy, which allowed each girl to express herself from the comfort of breathable cotton stretch knit. Ahhhh.
Each dress was tied in a different configuration, and some of them were pretty creative with complicated twists, cap sleeves, one-shoulder action, etc. I was pretty impressed! Click that thumbnail to enlarge.
This great idea led to a freer range of motion for dancing for our bridesmaids, who were ready to boogie down! It also accommodated a variety of body types flatteringly, including the bride's sister, who is with child. Plus, these dresses are so en vogue right now that they probably will be able to actually wear them again! They all looked great!
Bridesmaid/sister of the bride in her (very practical) dress. Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
A little karaoke to sing the little one to sleep? Photo by Jaci Clark Photography.
Client feedback: In Pat's own words, Something New Entertainment "played all the songs on the 'must play' list and stayed away from songs on the 'Do not play' list. Kept the evening flowing very smoothly. Overall, great people to work with. Very customer oriented."
Thanks, Jenny and Pat, for allowing us to be part of your special day! We enjoyed working with you, too, and I'll be expecting a call for entertainment for your fiftieth anniversary party!
Getting down at the Lutheran High School East Prom on the Goodtime III
Last weekend, we had the honor and privilege of providing disc jockey and master of ceremonies services for this important rite of passage on the Goodtime III with the small but spirited classes of 2010 and 2011 from Lutheran High School East in Cleveland. One of our favorite parts about DJing at proms is being able to interact with the crowd. More than any other type of casual party or dance, proms carry a very upbeat energy, and it's great to be able to be around so much enthusiasm!
A couple dancing at the Lutheran High School East Prom on the Goodtime III
More dancing and fun times at the Lutheran High School East Prom on the Goodtime III
Despite the classes' small size (there were maybe 40 people in attendance), they clearly came out to have a great time. Once the students finished dinner, it wasn't long before absolutely everyone was on the dance floor, and we had quite a few really, really good dancers in the bunch, too! It's rewarding to DJ for people who love to dance, and it really seemed like they were enjoying it, too! There was a lot of feet stomping, hands clapping, and laughter, and the Lutheran High School East students were even briefly joined on the upper deck by some of the students from the Jackson High School Band Banquet on the lower deck. It was cool for the kids from two different schools to be able to dance with each other for a few minutes. That's why you'll see a glimpse of a few casually-dressed students in some of these photos like in the left of the right-hand photo, above!
One of the many very well-coordinated couples at the Lutheran High East Prom on the Goodtime III
But, wait; I need to tell you something really, really important about this prom, and Lutheran High School East classes of 2010 and 2011, I hope you're reading this:
Every. Single. One. Of these young adults was absolutely dressed to the nines with both flowers and a date to match! I have never seen prom couples be so well-coordinated! This prom looked like it fell out of a prom catalog, walked of the runway, or jumped off the pages of Seventeen magazine -- they definitely deserved a magazine spread or two of their own! As I said before, Lutheran High East, you may have been one of the smallest proms we've served, but you were also one of the very best-dressed, hands down! They truly lived up to their theme, "Black Tie Affair."
The ladies all looked very elegant. Many of their dresses were made of fine gauge bias-cut satin and had beading , sequins, pleats or other special detailing, and many of them were backless or had interesting cut-outs, as well, featuring interesting asymmetrical shapes at the neckline, hemline, or waist. These young ladies are clearly style-setters, so I wouldn't be surprised if the fashions for the rest of the proms we see this season follow suit with the colorful and glamorous evening gowns we saw this past weekend.
One of the many well-coordinated couples at the Lutheran High School East Prom on the Goodtime III
At Something New DJs, we're all about uniquely expressing your individuality through music, and it was clear to us that these ladies had spent time carefully choosing the special dress that best suited her. All of the dresses were so very different, but so very beautiful, just like each of you young ladies!
Likewise, the gentlemen were all very dapper in their tuxedos and suits, and, like the ladies, it was clear that each young man had put some considerable effort into looking good that evening as himself, not just as some anonymous guy in a suit. No one wore the "standard" black on black tuxedo -- each one was unique and fabulous, and like the ladies' dresses, displayed lots of cool colors and textures. There were even several white tuxedos with and without tails! I was really impressed with their attention to detail and level of fashion.
Really, I just can't imagine how proud the families of these students must be to see their sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, or grandchildren looking so fantastic and so mature. The world is your oyster, now, baby! On behalf of Something New Entertainment, we wish you the very best and brightest futures, and congratulations on your upcoming commencement! You were a joy to work with!
DJ Justin taking requests at the system
The students enjoyed dancing well into the evening with DJ/MC Justin taking their requests. He mixed a very upbeat mix of mostly newer hip-hop with an urban flair including "Dream World" by Robin Thicke, "Next to You" by Mike Jones, "Never Ever" by Ciara featuring Young Jeezy, "No Games" by Serani, "Dream Girl" by Tay Dizm featuring Akon, "Find a Way" by Bayje, "Therapy" by India Arie featuring Gramps Morgan, "From My Heart to Yours" by Laura Izibor, "Halo" by Beyonce, "My Love" by the Dream featuring Mariah Carey, "Sexy Ladies" by Ray J featuring Truth, "Jump" by Flo Rida featuring Nelly Furtado, "I'm Goin' In" by Drake featuring Lil' Wayne and Young Jeezy, "OMG" by Usher featuring will.i.am, "Break Up" by Mario featuring Gucci Mane and Sean Garrett, "Freaky Gurl" by Gucci Mane featuring Lil' Kim and Ludacris, "My Chick Bad" by Ludacris featuring Nicki Minaj, "Stanky Leg" by G-Spot, "Say Something" by Timbaland featuring Drake, "5 Star" by Yo Gotti featuring Gucci Mane, Trina, and Nicki Minaj, and "All I Do Is Win" by DJ Khaled featuring T-Pain, Ludacris, Rick Ross, and Snoop Dogg.
When it was time to announce the newly-elected Prom King and Prom Queen, the entire Prom Court lined up in the middle of the dance floor, and it was very easy to see any of these young ladies as queens and young men as kings in their own right.
The fabulous Lutheran High School East Prom Court
DJ Justin at the Goodtime III upper deck system
When the Prom Queen's name was announced, it was obvious that she was really surprised! She stopped, sort of stunned in disbelief before composing herself to claim her crown.
The Prom King was also crowned, and the two danced together briefly before being joined on the floor by their respective dates as well as the rest of the group for a slow dance to an old school Boyz II Men track.
The Lutheran East 2010 Prom Queen is crowned
The Prom Queen was very surprised
The Prom King and Prom Queen's traditional dance
The Goodtime III is a really cool location to have a prom for a number of reasons; first, of course, Something New Entertainment is the exclusive Disc Jockey company the Goodtime III, so it's easy to book really awesome entertainment for the evening Second, there's just no matching the ambiance of being on the water. It's exciting and romantic, and the cool breeze off the water is often a welcome refreshment since dancing can make one feel overheated.
Third, and perhaps from a more practical standpoint for parents and teachers, the Goodtime III is a very safe environment. Many of you already know that I come from a teaching background, myself, and that both my mother and grandmother taught, as well. As a child, I remember my mother dressing up to go chaperon the prom for the high school where she taught. (When I was four, I actually dressed up one of my Ken (TM) dolls in his tuxedo and suggested she take him as a date. She had her photo taken with him -- it's hilarious.)
The most important duty of the prom chaperons is basically to make sure no one wanders off and gets hurt or into trouble. Well -- wandering off isn't much of a concern on a ship in the middle of Lake Erie or cruising down the Cuyahoga River, and that relief of concern creates a number of great advantage for parents, students, and teachers:
Good times on the Goodtime III with Lutheran East
Dancing with Lutheran East on the Goodtime 3
Cool location, awesome DJ, and safe? That combination means less worry for concerned parents, less "policing" for chaperons, and students will be able to relax and enjoy themselves without that feeling of being under surveillance or like they have baby-sitters. We all like to feel independent and are a little bit creeped out when we're being watched, right?
If you're interested in booking a prom, dance, wedding, banquet, bar or bat mitzvah, birthday party, anniversary, corporate event or other special event aboard the Goodtime III, contact the Goodtime III directly by phone at 216-861-5110 or via e-mail at info@GoodtimeIII.com
We were narrowly bested by a larger entertainment company that has been on the Fox 8's Akron-Canton HOT LIST for disc jockeys for much longer than us. At the time that standings were hidden, we trailed them by a only a single percentage point, and since I know several of you who indeed voted after that point, we know that the DJ competition must have remained very close up until the end! From where I stand, I've got to tell you: it's a tremendous accomplishment! We are so moved by the loyalty of our past clients, fans, and wedding vendor colleagues.
Looking over the results of this contest, I see representatives of several very, very different styles of DJing, and I can see why each of us has risen to the top of our category, appealing to the select needs of a certain niche of the market. We look forward to continued excellence, and we feel so privileged to work in a market where we have so many very worthy competitors such as these, since it means that each bride has the opportunity to select a DJ company that best suits her needs and her personality.
Something New's unique mix of interdisciplinary studies in live music and theatrical sound and lighting tech/design and computer engineering paired with a deep belief in the power of music as a driving force and the importance of having a DJ who is personally available to you for consult prior to your event has certainly set us apart in the market as a champion pioneer for comprehensive customer service. In addition, we believe that our equal opportunity employment practice of encouraging all DJs (including female DJs such as myself) to excel through the same opportunities has afforded us a broader perspective to continually assist our clients in crystallizing their goals for their wedding ceremonies and receptions both musically and through our coordination efforts.
A special congratulations to all nominees, especially the folks at Hats Off Entertainment (1st Place), as well as to the DJ Crew (3rd Place), Beach Boyz Entertainment (4th Place), and DJ Larry's All-Occasion Sound (5th Place). Good show!
To each and every one of you readers out there, and to your friends, family, and coworkers: thanks for voting. Your support made this possible!
In order to ensure that your Disc Jockey is on the same page music-wise as you and your fiancé, consider brainstorming with your DJ to create a "Must Play" list and a "Do Not Play" list for your wedding reception. It's always a great idea to enlist the expert help of your DJ, who should have quite a bit of experience managing these lists. Your first scheduled planning consultation with your DJ is the best place to get the ball rolling, but here are a few tips for the beginnings of your brainstorming about which songs and artists might deserve a spot on your lists. I guess this is kind of a "how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-list-and-your-DJ" article.
Priorities, priorities. It's extremely important to note that these lists are sort of like a VIP room -- there's limited space, and the more full it is, the less room there is for wiggle. Keep in mind that the average reception is about 5 hours long and the average song is about 4 minutes long, so your DJ can play a maximum of about 75 songs during the course of your reception and about half of that will be cocktail, dinner, and special events music.
Flexibility (aka wiggle room) allows your DJ the best vantage to keep your crowd pleased (and dancing), even while still staying within reach of your most favorite sounds. That way, your "Must Play" list can be reserved for songs that you absolutely will not feel like you're married if you don't hear that particular song, and your "Do Not Play" list can be reserved for specific songs/artists that will cause you or your guests to feel sad, angry, or offended.
For example -- let's say I don't want to hear the song "Brown-Eyed Girl" because I have green eyes (true story) and it offends me (extreme exaggeration). If I hear the song "Brown-Eyed Girl" on my wedding day, I will be crushed because I will feel so unattractive with my second-rate green eyes (again -- |hypothetical situation -- green eyes, and eyes of any color, for that matter, are great).
On the other hand, let's say that I don't want to hear "Cotton Eyed Joe" because I generally just don't like line dances or country music. If the DJ plays "Cotton-Eyed Joe," I will probably use those 3 minutes to score another glass of champagne. In this case, "Brown-Eyed Girl" has earned a place on my "Do Not Play" list, but "Cotton Eyed Joe" has not.
Why? Because I know that if the "Do Not Play" list gets too long, it will be difficult for my DJ to manage it practically as the night progresses. For efficiency's sake -- generalize anything you can into a group. When at all possible, I recommend that you strike an entire artist or an entire genre or sub-genre rather than a list of 20 songs with very, very strong similarities. This simple practice will turn a list of half a dozen or more specific songs that follow a pattern ("the Chicken Dance, the Electric Slide, the Cha Cha Slide, the Cleveland Shuffle, the Cupid Shuffle, the Hokey Pokey, Cotton-Eyed Joe, the Hustle, YMCA," etc.) into a single entry ("no line dances"). Now, instead of sorting through a long list trying to make sure a track is not listed, your DJ will be better able to more effectively manage the evening knowing that you just don't like line dances.
When choosing your "Must Play" songs, consider the same VIP concept, as well as dancability, variety, and crowd-appropriateness -- if your wedding will be having a Michael Jackson theme and you have 25 particular Michael Jackson songs that you can't make it through the evening without, then by all means, let us know what they are so we'll be sure to have them available. However, if Michael Jackson happens to be just one of the many artists you enjoy, or if you're flexible about which song in particular is played, then he might not be listed on your "Must Play" list at all. That doesn't mean we won't play any Michael Jackson, necessarily, it just opens up more latitude for your DJ to apply his or her knowledge and experience to choosing from within the realm of your music preference which tracks and artists might best suit your dance floor.
But, wait, I know what you're thinking, and I'm on it: what if there's an exception? What if you have just one "Must Play" line dance? Not a problem -- obviously, specific entries on these lists kind of trump the generalizations. For example -- let's say that you love Michael Jackson, but you would prefer not to hear the song "Thriller," or that you hate line dances except for the "Cleveland Shuffle." That's not a problem -- it's all a matter of noting these things in the most efficient way possible to ensure that your DJ's focus is only minimally occupied by reading during your event.
Does this mean that if you bring me a list of 75 specific songs that you want played at your 5 hour reception that I will refuse you? Absolutely not. We have had very organized brides give us a spreadsheet of songs with the exact time and order in which they should be played, and if that's what you'd like, we will absolutely do that for you. Likewise, we have had couples who prefer for us to use our discretion alone to determine the musical selections for the evening, and we are happy to accommodate you through that approach, as well.
Only you know what's best for your wedding, and it's our job to assist you in executing your vision. If your vision involves a lot of people dancing into the late evening (or even the wee hours of the morning), then your DJ may offer suggestions to help you achieve a blend of music with a wide-reaching appeal, however, the final decision always lies with you and your fiancé.
These choices are tough! If you're having trouble sorting out your "Must Play" and "Do Not Play" lists, please feel free to contact your DJ at any time during your planning process; this is exactly the reason why you get the personal contact information for your wedding reception's actual DJ/MC. We're here to help when you need us, and we're happy to do it for you!
On Saturday, May 1, 2010, we had the privilege of providing disc jockey, master of ceremonies, and uplighting services for Lisa and Scott's Youngstown-area wedding reception, catered by Mr. Anthony's at the Maronite Center at 1555 South Meridian Road in Youngstown, Ohio.
Lisa and Scott's color scheme was inspired by the springtime colors of French Impressionist painter Claude Monet's gardens at Giverny as featured in one of his many paintings of his Japanese footbridge (below), including rose, lavender, periwinkle, yellow, and green.
Japanese Footbridge by Claude Monet, 1899. Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Lotus Blossom Napkins -- Photo by DJ AJ9, Something New Entertainment
First Dance Under Green Uplighting -- Photo by DJ AJ9, Something New Entertainment
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Since the painting itself features lots of flowers, trees, plants, and other vegetation, and since Lisa and Scott had pink napkins (which Mr. Anthony's had beautifully folded into the shape of lotus/waterlily blossoms), as well as pink, blue, lavender, and yellow flowers, we added green uplighting to transform the room from a simple ballroom to something simply spectacular. One of the huge advantages of working with lighting -- you may not be able to change the wallpaper in your hall to suit your color scheme, but you can certainly "paint" it with light!
We were fortunate to work with photographer John Popio of Robert Senn Studio of Photography, who has generously provided many of the images for this blog post, sparing you for the most part from the arduous task of trying to decipher meaning from looking at DJ AJ9's dark, grainy photography. Thank you, John and Ashley from Robert Senn Studio!
Custom Cake designed by the White Flower Cake Shoppe -- Photo by John Popio, Robert Senn Photography
Lisa's gown -- Photo by John Popio, Robert Senn Photography
Detail of Lisa's bodice -- Photo by John Popio, Robert Senn Photography
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Lisa had a gorgeous custom cake designed by Marianne Carroll and Missy Elsbury of the White Flower Cake Shoppe and inspired by her bridal gown (David's Bridal V8820). This magnificent confection featured delicate piping with pink floral appliqués just like Lisa's dress. The cake was topped and accented with the same pink roses used for bouquets, boutionneires, and corsages created by Janet at Bloomin' Crazy Florist. Don't be fooled by its demure exterior, though; this cake was filled to the brim with excitement inside featuring chocolate cake with a variety of different fillings including raspberry and Oreo! Yum!
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Scott and Lisa are big jazz-lovers and were so excited to be able to hear tunes by their favorite band, Flim and the BB's, a very tech-savvy jazz/fusion group well-reviewed in the jazz world, but somewhat difficult to acquire at your local music store. After the third time Lisa thanked us, I started teasing her -- I said "when I tell you 'we'll play what you like' what I mean is: we'll play what you like! We'll make it happen."
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Flim and the BBs is a great example of a common challenge that as wedding DJs, we face every day. Often, a couple will have a special affinity for a certain artist or genre of music that for whatever reason they feel is not the best "dancing music," and sometimes they're quite right, but just because you can't boogie down to a song does not mean that it doesn't have a place at your wedding. Your special songs are very important to us, and we have quite a bit of insight to offer regarding great "placement" of songs during the course of the evening or even over the course of the entire day, if you've contracted Something New to provide music or sound support for your wedding ceremony. There is absolutely nothing that pleases us more than the look on a bride or groom's face when they hear that perfect song -- it makes the moment.
Maid of Honor, Nicole, and Best Man, Sam -- Photo by John Popio, Robert Senn Photography
Lisa, Scott, and Mother of the Bride, Lori -- Photo by John Popio, Robert Senn Photography
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Lisa and Scott chose a variety of classic and non-traditional music for their special events, including the ever-popular "How Sweet It Is" by James Taylor for the cutting of the cake and Etta James's "At Last" for the first dance. Since Lisa loves Disney Movies, especially the fairytales, and chose the title track from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" as sung by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson for her dance with her father (fun fact: animator/Film and the BBs percussionist Bill Berg worked on this film!). Then, Scott escorted his mother for a twirl on the dance floor to Patsy Cline's "Crazy" before breaking into what was one of the best choices for a bridal party dance I have ever seen, "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats. We had a very lively dance floor, making the lyrics " 'cause your friends don't dance, and if they don't dance, then they're no friends of mine!" particularly appropriate for this group!
Conga! -- Photo by John Popio, Robert Senn Photography
Conga! -- Photo by John Popio, Robert Senn Photography
FILLERTXT
The evening also featured favorite songs by an eclectic mix of artists both new and old from Al Green and the Beatles to Prince, Beyonce, Z Z Top, Gloria Estefan (above), and Madonna.
DJ Justin, Lisa, Scott, and DJ AJ9 after a long night of dancing! -- Photo by Best Man, Sam
Client feedback: "We were highly impressed by Something New Entertainment's broad knowledge base. They were able to assist us with selections that we would not have thought of on our own. We found them extremely accommodating to our vision for our event, making our wedding reception even more perfect." -- Lisa and Scott.
Lisa and Scott: you have touched our hearts with your kind regard for one another, and it was a pleasure to provide the official soundtrack to your fairytale. Congratulations on your happily ever after!
