5.27.12: Diem & Toan | Lawrence Park Golf Club - Erie, PA

 I've often said that to always stay at the top of your game, you have to continuously learn no matter what business you may be in. When Diem first contacted me in October about being part of hers and Toan's wedding day, I was a bit nervous. Diem is Vietnamese, as is Toan. I had never been a part of a wedding celebration like theirs would be, but I was up to the challenge! Diem and her family had moved to Erie many years ago when she was very young, and while on a vactation in recent years, met and eventually fell in love with Toan.


As the months went by, I was in email contact with Diem and Toan, culminating with our final consultation on May 20th. They not only had chosen me as their reception entertainment, but to be a part of the ceremony as well. Diem and Toan rented a large screen and projector from me for their slide show and video introduction to run before parents and bridal party introductions, and had chosen uplighting in red, to later be programmed to the beat of the music during dancing.


In our consultation, I learned I'd be working with an MC, (Tommy Thanh Tung Nguyen), photography and video from Toronto Wedding Dreams.com. On the day of event, I coordinated everything very carefully with Tommy. I must say, the entire day was so educational and FUN!
Tommy did an amazing job of coordinating with not only me, but the staff of the beautiful Lawrence Park Golf Club as well!


The American style ceremony took place at 2pm, with reception taking place at 6pm. Diem and Toan had chosen some American style music for the ceremony for all of the traditional activities.
Diem and Toan are so much in love, and they looked so wonderful during the entire ceremony.


During the down time after the ceremony, it allowed me to set up their uplighting and screen and projector, all the while coordinating the evening's activities with Tommy as the staff prepared the room for the reception. After the video and official family and bridal party introductions were made, Diem and Toan cut their cake, and had their first dance as a married couple. Guests then enjoyed a wonderful, and might I add, DELICIOUS sit down mean prepared by Chef Dana Roeback and his wonderful kitchen staff. After dinner, there was dancing, some Vietnamese Karaoke, and more dancing! So much fun!


My thanks to the staff of Lawrence Park Golf Club, Tommy and his team professionals from Toronto Wedding Dreams and of course, Diem and Toan. They will relocate to California as a married couple, where Toan has been living. This was such a wonderful experience to be a part of this day long celebration! Congratulations and thank you again!

5.26.12 Samantha & Brett | Masonic Temple - Erie, PA

Memorial Day traditionally marks the 'unofficial' start of summer each year. For some, it may mean a long weekend spent with family members and friends. Add in a wedding celebration and it makes it even more special! 

The weather on Saturday couldn't have been more perfect as Samantha and Brett exchanged their vows as husband and wife. They chose the beautiful Camelot Room at the Masonic Temple in downtown Erie as their reception location. I arrived around noon to begin the setup process, including uplighting behind the head table and next to the beautiful pillars in the room. 


Guests arrived shortly before 5pm to enjoy cocktails, appetizers and wonderful conversation as they listened to some of Samantha and Brett's favorite country and rock music, which extended into dinner. Towards the end of the cocktail hour, Parental introductions into the Camelot Room were first, followed by the exuberant Bridal Party, who entered to "Welcome To The Jungle" from Guns 'N Roses. After some wonderful toasts from Brett's Best Man and Samantha's Maid of Honor, everyone enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner prepared by staff of Sabella's Catering. Bill Miller, owner of Sabella's, was on hand to ensure everything ran smoothly, which of course it did!


Following dinner, Samantha and Brett cut their beautiful wedding cake, baked by Kathy Yochim,  had their first dance, parents dances and completed the formalities. Guests danced to love songs and many dance favorites. All in all, a wonderful evening for a charming couple, Samantha and Brett!


My thanks to the staff of Sabella's who always are very welcoming and nice to work with, photographer Allan Thayer, and of course, Samantha and Brett! It sure sounds like you're enjoying your honeymoon in Hawaii! I'm grateful you chose me as your wedding entertainment! Thank you again!

5.19.12: Katie and Jim | Ambassador Banquet Center - Erie, PA

A couple who makes plans to get married often has a unique tale on how they first met. For Katie and Jim, a chance meeting at a bus stop while attending Edinboro University is how the first meeting took place. A friendship was born, eventually feelings developed and they fell in love, laying the groundwork for their wedding day on Saturday, May 19th. The weather was absolutely perfect...sunny and warm!

Following the church ceremony, Lead Photographer Rob Frank, and his assistant, Steve Puskar, utilized their creativity for the post-ceremony pictures! Locations included the roller coaster at Waldameer Park, on the field at Jerry Uht Park and at Presque Isle State Park.

The evening reception took place in the beautiful Hemmingway Ballroom at the Ambassador Banquet Center in Erie. Guests arrived to enjoy a wonderful cocktail hour with delicious hors d'oevres. I added to the ambience with uplighting in white during cocktails and dinner, then programmed to the beat of the music once the dancing began.

Once everyone was chimed to their seats, and parents were introduced, the energy level escalated as the bridal party made their way into the song, "This Is How We Do It" from Montell Jordan. Following a delicious buffet dinner, the formalities took place, including a wonderful first dance perfect for Katie and Jim..."You And I" from Michael Buble, the dance floor filled up with eager family members and friends ready to dance the night away! What a fun-filled night for a wonderful couple!

To add to the excitement, Mark Lorei from Prestige Portraits had a photo booth in operation, complete with props, making for some truly memorable photos of friends and family!

My thanks go out to the amazing staff at the Ambassador, including Coordinators Emily and Paula and Banquet Manager, Shannon. They always make sure each event is perfect in every way! Also thanks to Rob and Steve from R. Frank Photography in Erie, true professionals in every sense of the word. And, of course, my gratitude to Katie and Jim, for choosing me to be on board their dream team! It was my pleasure to be a part of your amazing wedding day! Congratulations, again!

5.5.12 - Elks Club - Meadville, PA

Falling in love for a lifetime is something we all strive for in our lives. Family and friends often play an integral role. For Alicia and Steve, family played a part, as did maple syrup! Steve had come to PA to visit his his sister and niece and they all met for dinner. The following day, Steve came to Alicia’s family’s sugar house to see how "Aunt Jemima" was made. Over the next several months, Alicia and Steve became good friends.

About 3 months after first meeting, Steve asked Alicia out on their first date. Was it dinner and a movie? NOOO. How about mushroom hunting in the Ohio woods! Alicia remembers they were walking through the woods and Steve kept hitting her in the face with trees and brush. He told Alicia that she was following too close to him. After mushroom hunting, they went back to his house and Steve cooked Alicia spaghetti with the fresh mushrooms that they had found that day. Steve remembers Alicia drove out to Ohio to visit him and when she arrived, she showed up carrying a gun with her! Alicia said that she was coming prepared because she had only met Steve one other time and wanted to be safe!


On Saturday, at the Elks Club in Meadville, family and friends gathered for Alicia and Steve's wedding reception! It was an absolutely perfect day weather wise, and people were full of smiles as they arrived at the Elks Club, eager for the celebration to begin! Food stations were set up during cocktails and dinner so guests could eat at their leisure.


Once the formal introductions took place, Alicia and Steve took part in a rousing round of the Newly Wed game, which prompted laughter and applause from the audience. Then, the happy couple made their way to the dance floor for their first dance, "One Friend" from Dan Seals. After dinner, the cake was cut, parents dances took place, then the dance floor opened those eager to dance the night away! All in all, an amazing day for sure!


My thanks to Amy and the staff from the Elks Club, who were very gracious and made everyone feel right and home, to Jane Canfield and her assistant for snapping some wonderful pictures throughout the night. And, thanks to you, Alicia and Steve, for choosing me as your entertainment at your reception. I had such a blast and am glad everyone else did too! 

4.2.12 - Vintage Wedding Invitations

It’s been a month or so since my last blog post, and from time to time, I like to share information I think you may find interesting in your wedding planning in the Erie area. Evan Nasseri has written a wonderful article on Vintage Wedding Invitations.

“Have you ever thought of having vintage wedding invitations? There are many occasions in our lives which are very near to our heart. The memories associated with those few days never fade from our memory. One of those days is the day of our marriage. The day of marriage holds a very important place in the life of every couple. Due to such great importance, it becomes obvious that the celebration should be grand and everlasting.

Types of Vintage Wedding Invitations:

Vintage Wedding Invitations will never fail to impress your guests! Though designing such invitations can take time, it is a complete fun activity where you canshow your creativity and the outcome will be just worth the effort. There are many innovative ideas with these wedding invitations that you can try and some of those ideas are like:

1. Get into the mood of Eastman color era! Select any of the most romantic scenes ever from classic movies like Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Bell, Book and Candle and get printed them on your cards. This will create a romantic theme for your wedding and the guests will surely not stop boasting your romantic concept.

2. You can even try out little crazier by selecting a postal theme. This will add a retro effect to the entire invitation theme as letters were the first systematic and reliable mode of communication. Be a little creative and add stamps with funky and personalized photos.

3. Instead of using normal paper, you can go for Kraft paper. They are the best example of the by-gone vintage style. Without adding any added effects, simply use the use of the paper and pen down your message on Vintage Wedding Invitationswith perfect retro script.

Choose a Unique Theme with Vintage Wedding Invitations

If you love historian culture, Vintage Wedding Invitations is the answer for your wedding theme. You simply peep into history and get ideas about the elegant and grand wedding of those days. If you want your entire marriage theme to adopt a vintage style, you need to focus on many things like flowers, decorations, food,costumes etc apart from the invitations card.

To go with the flow of your vintage wedding invitations, you need to choose a wedding gown very wisely. A Victorian wedding gown will be your ultimate choice for such a theme. It will not only compliment the theme of your big day but also add a touch of class and elegance to your wedding outfit. If you are not willing to wear an antique outfit, you can even go for modern gowns with vintage touch. Do not forget to add diamonds, pearls or ivory in your jewelry item as they signify a lot from those by-gone eras!

The overall decoration of the wedding venue, apart from the vintage wedding invitations, plays an important role in creating the ambience of the vintage theme. Everything right from your costume and cards will go in vain if you fail to build up an environment related to the theme. Choose vintage ivory laced hand fans, lovely birdcages, antique paintings of history, vintage crockery, royal candle stands and much more to create those apt surroundings for your guests. Apart from this you can select a 3 tier wedding cake and happy married life sign boards at the entrance to add that special effects to your theme. Do not forget to include flowers in vintage decorative vases on the way and on each table as they will add blooming effect to the environment.

The venue of your wedding should be an ideal one. Try selecting barns or countryside locations, with lot of fresh farms and animals like horses and cows, to add the vintage touch. After keeping in mind these few essential things, you can have an absolutely dream marriage! It needs a deep thinking and creativity and you have it all! Start planning for your big day with vintage wedding invitations!”

3.2.12 - 9 Wedding Splurges That Are Worth It

Planning a wedding in 2012 or 2013? Are you looking to step outside the box and really make the day truly stand out? Anja Winikka from The Knot writes that there are 9 Wedding Splurges (That Are Totally Worth It!)

1. Lighting

The right reception lighting can help camouflage sore spots like less-than-stellar windows or even shabby ballroom curtains, and highlight your favorite details (such as the incredible centerpieces or your cake table). Have a lighting designer use colored lights to punch up a drab hallway and pick a different, complementary hue for the rest of the reception area. Decorative hanging lights, lamps with patterned shades or crystal chandeliers are also ways to transform a space from plain to standout exceptional.

The Upgrade

Order a custom-made gobo light of your monogram, or project a design from your invitation over the dance floor.

2. Ceremony Decor

First impressions matter. A personalized ceremony space will make your guests feel at home immediately. If you're having an outdoor summer wedding, hang orchid leis, colorful ribbon streamers or sun-catching glass ornaments on surrounding trees. For church nuptials, have your florist create arrangements for the pews as well as the door. (Hint: Those arrangements can all be reused at the reception on the tables, at the bar and in the bathrooms.)

The Upgrade

Ask your florist to cover a canopy with lush flowers and hanging votive candles or blossom-bedecked lanterns to really create focal points. Your guests' jaws will drop.

3. The Entryway

Often overlooked by wedding planners, the entryway can be given a little attention to create an unexpected wow. It doesn't take much, either; even the slightest bit of decor will personalize it. Hire your florist to create an impressive display for the escort card table. Right outside the reception hall entry, place a tall Manzanita tree decorated with hanging candles and flowers or a grouping of mix-and-match vases filled with rich flowers of various textures to match the rest of the space.

The Upgrade

Ask servers to greet guests with glasses of champagne or a signature cocktail so that they feel taken care of from the moment they stroll into the room.

4. The Photo Booth

This is one of those nuptial ideas that made its way from totally niche concept to wedding reception standby. The reason: It works double duty. Your guests will take a whirl in the photo booth at least once in the evening (providing a perfect opportunity for mingling), and they'll get to take home their photo booth pics as favors at the night's end. Rent a photo booth that also provides an online gallery or a CD full of images, and that way you've taken care of your guest book.

The Upgrade

With some rental packages, you can get projections of pictures from the photo booth. So while your guests snap shots inside the booth, the images will appear over the dance floor for everyone to see -- providing a great way to illuminate the room!

5. A Lounge Area

Give guests a place to mingle during dance breaks by having a lounge area at your reception. Look into renting couches, chairs and other furniture that you can then stage with pillows and votive candles in your wedding colors. It's the perfect way to involve everyone in the party even when they're resting.

The Upgrade

Really want to wow 'em? Close off the area with curtains, draping and special lighting to create a VIP vibe.

6. Welcome Bags

Fill baskets or canvas totes with water bottles, wine or locally brewed beer, something salty, something sweet and a piece of fruit. Don't forget to include a welcome letter as well as a detailed itinerary for where the guest needs to be and when. Leave the whole thing with the hotel concierge for guests to pick up when they check in. And be sure to provide maps and lists of local restaurants, museums and other attractions in case they want to explore on their own.

The Upgrade

Hire a videographer to create a welcome video of the two of you traipsing around the city showcasing all your favorite places -- edited with a soundtrack of your favorite dance songs.

7. Special Entertainment

Sometimes the best parts of a reception are the elements guests don't see coming. Surprise them with a jazz trio or a Spanish guitar player. To get the party going during the cocktail hour, hire a mariachi group, a bluegrass band or even a barbershop quartet to perform some seriously memorable melodies.

The Upgrade

You'll blow everyone away with a marching band that leads them all from the ceremony to the reception on foot (if possible); belly dancers during the cocktail hour; or even break dancers to get things started on the dance floor.

8. Late-Night Snacks

Just when your guests think the fun is winding down, liven up the party with late-night nibbles to prepare everyone for an after-party. If you want to ensure the festivities will last all night, arrange for the caterers to bring out trays of late-night munchies like crinkle-cut French fries or fresh chocolate-chip cookies and milk shooters. If you provide low-key comfort foods, the guests will wish the party would never end. Another great idea: Offer a hot coffee bar complete with special syrups and toppings to keep folks caffeinated.

The Upgrade

Jump on the latest cuisine craze with a fully loaded food truck arriving on the scene to dole out bites to guests. Think about it: Add a waffle truck, a taco truck or a Korean barbecue truck. The options are endless!

9. Draping

This is a pricey detail, but after you've draped your reception space, you won't even be able to tell it's the same room. The technique works for indoor and outdoor spaces: Create an intimate vibe beneath an open-air tent or lend some serious drama to an already cozy dining room.

The Upgrade

Drape the reception entryway with gauzy white fabric or deep-red curtains to create the ultimate dramatic walkway.

Thank you for such wonderful ideas, Anja!

2.18.12 - Avalon Hotel - Erie, PA

Think back to the first time you first met the one special person you'll spend the rest of your lives with. Was it a case of love at first sight? Was it impeccable timing that you were in the right place at the right time? I think for Katie and Daniel, the above is very close to an accurate description. When this charming couple first met, Daniel and Katie both attended Edinboro University and Daniel was a working as a cashier at Walmart in Edinboro and Katie went through his line at the register. Shortly after meeting, Katie got a job at Walmart so they could spend time together. On New Year's Eve, 2009, Katie and Daniel got engaged. Last weekend, a small group of family members and friends gathered at the Avalon Hotel in Erie for their wedding ceremony and reception.

Following the ceremony in the Presque Isle Ballroom, guests made their way to the Niagara Ballroom for the reception. The room was beautifully decorated with chair covers accented with bows in cyan. After introductions and wonderful heartfelt yet humorous toasts, everyone made their way through the mouth watering buffet. After a delicious meal, the formalities took place...first dance, bride/father dance, bouquet and garter. Guests then made their way to the dance floor for a night full of dancing, laughing and lots of fun! All in all, a wonderful day for a wonderful couple!

My thanks to Erica and the banquet staff at the Avalon for yet another smooth running reception. It's always a pleasure to work with professionals who make sure each detail of the event runs smoothly. And, of course, a big thank you to you, Katie and Daniel! It was such an honor and true pleasure to be a part of your wedding day! I am so excited for you both as you begin your married lives together in your recently purchased house! I am grateful to have been your wedding entertainer and host and so pleased everyone had so much fun! Glad you're enjoying your honeymoon in Jamaica and thank you so much once again.