C.U. Retirement party for Richard – Dec 3, 2011

Posted on December 3, 2011 by Michael

Most of the events that I’ve been entertaining at recently have been wedding receptions. To be able to provide the entertainment for a retirement party was a change of pace for me that resulted in the opportunity to play a lot of different types of music for the very diverse crowd that attended the party.

The caterer for the event was La Cocina Latina and they did a wonderful job with hors d’oeuvres and the main meal. Their specialty is Caribbean, Central & South American Cuisine.

One surprise event during the party was a sing-a-long directed to Richard. “The Evil Landlady” organized the sing-a-long and provided vocal and musical accompaniment. Lyrics were provided and there were verses sung in English then in French. What fun!

The music played really covered a lot of different genres. I started with a healthy dose of “standards” featuring Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and others. After the sing-a-long, I let-er-rip with Cee Lo Green to kick things off and then a mix of current dance hits, Salsa, Merengue, Motown and lots of other goodies.

The floor was packed all night long and it was great fun. The candles surrounding the room and the balloons floating near the ceiling added to the festive atmosphere.

Here are some of the photos I took. Thanks to Susan and Richard for having me provide the tunes for this fun celebration.

Deborah & Brian – Nov 26, 2011

Posted on November 26, 2011 by Michael

Deborah and Brian had their wedding reception at The Springside Inn, in Auburn, NY. It was a beautiful day especially considering it was November 26th. It’s not unusual for there to be snow on the ground at this time of the year. Instead there were pleasant temperatures and that made for a great day for a wedding.

I made the formal introductions at the end of the cocktail hour and then there was a special Polish Blessing given by Sharon Anderson. Following the blessing was the Bride and Groom first dance, Strawberry Wine by Deana Carter. Deborah had a dance with her Father to Stealing Cinderella by Chuck Wicks, then Brian and his Mother danced to Can You Feel The Love Tonight by Elton John.

After the formal dances, toasts were given by the Maid of Honor, Karen and the Best Man, Gary.

A family style meal was served and then everyone enjoyed music and dancing for the rest of the evening.

Thanks for having me be a part of your day, Deborah and Brian. Enjoy these photos I took, from your wedding reception.

Jane & Mark – Oct 1, 2011

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Michael

Today was a good example of hoping for the best but planning for the worst. The weather forecasts the preceding few days had been in a state of flux making it difficult to plan details. First it was supposed to be party cloudy but windy, then it changed to maybe a chance of rain and windy, then it appeared that it was going to be cloudy, windy, cold with rain and on and on it went. This was not the type of weather forecast you want to hear when you are planning a lakeside wedding ceremony. As it turns out, we got all of that; cloudy, rainy, windy and chilly. The thing is, if you plan accordingly, everything works out. The Fontainebleau Inn not only had all the bases covered, but spirits were still high even though the weather was not ideal.

Ultimately, the Fontainebleau Inn shines in inclement as well as perfect weather. It was actually quite beautiful to see the muted Autumn colors, mist and wind while the ceremony was taking place underneath the tented patio. Once the ceremony ended, the chairs were cleared, tables were set up, the tent sides were rolled down, heaters turned on and a nice atmosphere for cocktail hour was created.

We had formal introductions after the cocktail hour, followed by the Bride and Groom first dance (At Last – Etta James.) A series of toasts were given and then a scrumptions meal was presented by Word of Mouth catering. Jon Reis was the photographer for the day.

It was just a bit chilly so a decision was made to move the dancing to the banquet room instead of the tented patio. It took a few minutes to quickly move the sound equipment into the new location but as soon as that was done, the dancing began and continued the remainder of the evening. There was another formal dance for Mark and his Mother and they danced to “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” by Israel K. After that, open dancing continued and it was a FUN time enjoyed by all.

Jane and Mark, you were one of the most relaxed couples I’ve had the pleasure of working with. I’m happy to have been a part of your special day and hope you enjoy the rest of the photos I took.

Sarah & Chris – Sep 24, 2011

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Michael

The colors of Autumn are just beginning to appear and The Fontainebleau Inn is one of those places that showcases that change so well. Nestled next to a small lake and surrounded by mature trees, it was where Sarah and Chris chose to have their Wedding ceremony and reception. The ceremony took place at the neighboring Lawrence Chapel. The photographer for the day was Jeffrey Foote, the videographer was Suzanne of SZF Productions and Joe’s of Ithaca was the caterer.

It was a beautiful day with pleasant temperatures and that created a good environment for all the dancing that was about to occur. I announced the wedding party on to the patio and the Bride and Groom had their first dance as they entered. The song they chose was “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. Guests then moved into the dining room where toasts were given by the Mother of the Bride-Anita, The Best Man-Matthew and The Matron of Honor-Catherine.

After a great meal guests joined in on the dance floor along with Sarah and Chris and danced up quite a storm. Things were rocking until 10pm at which time the last song was played, “Time of my Life (Dirty Bit)” by the Black Eyed Peas.

Great people and a fun time. Thanks Sarah and Chris…enjoy these photos I took during your wedding reception.

Hanalei’s Bat Mitzvah – Sept 10, 2011

Posted on September 10, 2011 by Michael

This was a really fun event for me and a departure from the normal wedding receptions that I do during the summer months. I had the honor of entertaining at Hanalei’s Bat Mitzvah. The celebration took place at the Statler Hotel on the Cornell University Campus in Ithaca.

I just love the Cornell Campus. It is not only beautiful with its views of Cayuga Lake and its diverse architecture, but I just feel smarter when I’m there. I arrived on campus early just to give myself some time to walk around and snap a few photos of the campus.

The Bat Mitzvah celebration was in the Terrace Room of the Statler Hotel. The staff there had done a beautiful job of setting up the room and the meal that was presented was wonderful and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Hanalei and her guests had a really fun time having their picture taken at the “photo booth” (see the photo below as an example) and of course I played lots of popular music for the guests to enjoy on the dance floor. We had lots of party props, including glow necklaces, LED blinking rings, inflatable feet and guitars, and other assorted goodies.

It was a fun-filled evening, the highlight of which was the Candle-lighting ceremony that was put together by Hanalei. She put her own unique twist on this traditional ceremony that included every single person in the room. It was a very touching moment by a very special young lady.

I realize how lucky I am at events like this. To be able to share in such an important event means a lot to me. Hanalei, you are an amazing person and I’m so glad I was able to share in your Bat Mitzvah celebration.

Here are a few photos for you to enjoy.