Every wedding is special, and every time I’m chosen to DJ a bride and groom’s wedding, I feel honored, yet sometimes, the reasons for being chosen take on a much different significance. When Jessica’s mother Julie first gave me the call to reserve the date for her daughter’s wedding, I was speechless, not because I was the chosen DJ – for which I of course was honored – but because only fifteen years before, I had been the DJ at Jessica’s Bat Mitzvah!

Jessica and David’s wedding was held at Spring Mill Manor in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and the guests came ready to celebrate. Both Jessica and David were great to work with, both because they really wanted to make it a great party, but also because they were very open to the idea of making sure we played something for everyone, to ensure all had an amazing time. In many respects, they gave me a “DJ green light” to play what they entrusted would be what we thought would really work.

For a DJ, “reading a dance floor” or, evaluating what song to play next to get the maximum impact from the guests is something that comes with experience. David’s family hailed from the great state of West Virginia, while the Bride’s family was made up of lots of Bucks County folks with a little bit of Cuban flavor, which made for a diverse crowd, but along with my DJs for the evening – Steve and Justin – we knew just what this crowd needed. David, Jessica, and their family and friends were out dancing even when they weren’t supposed to be – the energy was just that infectious. The guests came dressed to the nines and ready to party, and when things were at their peak, Jessica and David were right out there in the thick of it.

On a more personal note, Jessica’s parents are awesome folks who I’d worked with before and love very much, but David’s parents – whom I’d only met at a preliminary meeting – were warm and endearing, and greeted me that day with a West Virginia University shot glass (where the bride and groom met), and a bottle of West Virginia Moonshine! David’s mom was out on the floor all night and gave me the biggest hug at the end of the reception.

Thank you to Jess and David for allowing me to share in your special day as your wedding DJ, and to your families and friends who were just plain awesome. I wish you both all the best, and I look forward to seeing you both again.

-Craig

Images courtesy of Hy Paul Studio

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

On August 27th I rocked out another memorable wedding. Laura and Curt were a couple I enjoyed working with, because they were fun, high energy people. I felt I was a perfect match to be their wedding DJ. This wedding is one I will not forget because Hurricane Irene was wreaking havoc all day and night outside. I have done events in the past during some horrendous weather, but this was my first hurricane.

The wedding was held at the Buck Hotel in Bucks County, PA. Although the weather outside looked brutal, the bride and groom looked amazing. As you can see by the photos, the bride, groom and their guests had no problem finding the dance floor. I had the opportunity to play a lot of music from different eras, genres, and artists. However, the big hit of the night was Bon Jovi’s “Living On a Prayer”. The bride, surrounded by her bridesmaids, swarmed the dance floor with their hands in the air. One of the first things I learned about Laura when we met was that she loves Bon Jovi. Not only does she own all of their albums, been to many of their concerts, but she also knows all the lyrics to most of their songs.

The staff at the Buck Hotel did a great job. I have worked many events at this venue, and I am continually impressed by their courteous and outgoing staff. Also, thank you Artistic Imagery for the outstanding photographs. As always, they were a pleasure to work alongside.

Congratulations to Laura and Curt! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of an event I will never forget.

-Richie

Images courtesy of Artistic Imagery

The Buck Hotel

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

September of 2011 was an incredible month, full of amazing weddings.  My month started out with the wedding of Lauren and Kevin.  They were a fun couple, and they really wanted to have lots of dancing at their reception, which I felt made me the perfect match as their DJ.  This was a high energy couple and, as it happens, I consider myself to be a high energy disc jockey… so it was a great fit.  The wedding reception was held at Spring Mill Manor in Bucks County, on what couldn’t have been a more gorgeous September day.  The guests enjoyed a cocktail hour outside on the patio of Spring Mill Manor overlooking the pond. We provided music in the background as the guests arrived, mingled, and enjoyed the fantastic weather.  Once the cocktail hour ended, everyone was seated in the ballroom and we introduced the parents, bridal party, and of course the bride and groom.  As soon as Kevin and Lauren entered the room, we had them take center stage on the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife.  The staff at Spring Mill Manor provided an awesome dinner for the guests, and did a phenomenal job accommodating everyone (as always).  Once the guests finished their meal we wasted no time getting them all up and dancing.  This was a great group and we had the floor packed the rest of the night.

We played a few line dances like “The Cha Cha Slide” and “The Cupid Shuffle”,  interspersed between lots of high energy Top 40 music from the likes of Pitbull and LMFAO.  I say “we” because my assistant for the night was our cool DJ Jake.  Not only is Jake making great strides as a DJ, but he is also interning in the office during the week for school credit.  He is quickly becoming a valuable member of the Cutting Edge Team, and we’re lucky to have him.  This was my first wedding working with Aaron Mitchell Photography, and Aaron and Cheryl are great photographers, who do a great job capturing the moment.  I look forward to working with them again soon.

I’m pretty confident in saying the bride and groom had a great time at their wedding.  They were dancing the entire time, and the smiles never left their faces.  Congratulations to you both, and we wish you all the best!!

-Richie

Images Courtesy of Aaron Mitchell Photography

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

During our busiest seasons there are instances where events can blur together and every song can sound the same. However, more often than not, each event has a unique spark that cannot be duplicated and makes that evening stand out from all the others. The spark on this night was provided by cheese-heads, booty bumping and one fun and silly couple.  Stacey and Jay shared their nuptials at the historic Aldie Mansion in Doylestown, Bucks County on June 17, 2011.

Immediately following our wrap-up meeting I knew that this evening would be full of memories, but more importantly, it was full of laughs. From the very beginning it was evident that this couple was ready to begin their new life together and they were going the distance with smiles’ on their faces. The joy was evident during introductions as the parents danced into the room to ‘Surfin’ USA” (Beach Boys); after the bridal party entered to “Pump It” by the Black Eyed Peas, Jay and Stacey “shuffled” their way to the floor to “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO. The simple notion that our Bride and Groom had a specific cue-point in mind for their intro song –one that builds the momentum of the moment- told me that they know the difference between “planning a reception” and “throwing a party”.

The rest of the night was a blend of romance and hilarity. Dinner and formalities –except for the Garter removal/toss, which was quite silly- were handled with the utmost care and serenity. Then the cake’s came out…that’s right, “cake’s”. Although it is traditional for the Bride and Groom to cut a piece of their cake and feed one another, it has become commonplace to have a secondary “groom” cake. The second cake is usually a symbol of a mutual interest between our newlyweds; I’ve seen everything from family-oriented to movie-themed confections. Tonight, it was the sports-themed cake. In a room filled with football fans, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers to be exact, the ideal choice was a cake that fit those interests…except, they leaned toward the direction of the current champs. As a surprise to Jay, Stacey had a cake designed in the shape of the Green Bay Packers logo and placed the ceremonial “cheese-head” hat onto his head. It was a fun moment that everyone got a kick out of.

Our dance marathon took up the remainder of the party as we played a song list custom made for Stacey and Jay, which was a mix of 80’s dance, 90’s hip-hop and current Top 40. Even some gone, but not forgotten, tracks (“Jump” by Kris Kross and “Faded” by Soul Decision) made their way into the air. The crowd danced, laughed and sweated ‘til the night was through. This was a dancing-crowd, which always makes the DJ’s job easier. Like I tell each couple I’ve had the honor of working with; I’m the guy who brings a second pair of shoes to dance in, tonight was the first time I’ve been dragged –okay, so you can’t really “drag” someone to a dance floor who lives to be on one – to the floor by a bride.  Thank you Stacey for making me part of the party and not just the “MC”.

Thank you to the staff at the Aldie Mansion for all of your assistance in creating a smooth and flawless event.

Thanks to Neil Van Niekerk for the images. You gracefully captured a wonderful experience.

Congratulations Stacey and Jay on your wedding! It was a pleasure joining you on your perfect day.

Everyday I’m shufflin’…

~Brian

Images Courtesy of Neil Van Neikerk

The Aldie Mansion

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

I am very grateful to get the opportunity to work with so many awesome people – weekend after weekend – just like Rachel and John, the bride and groom from this wedding. Rachel and John were laid back and their primary concern was with making sure that their friends and family had a great time at their wedding reception. At our wrap up meeting just prior the wedding, we spent a lot of time going over the music for the ceremony, dinner, and dancing. We sat together for close to two hours just listening to music and looking for the perfect grand entrance, cake cutting, and parent dance songs. The best part of my job is getting to know my clients and share in their excitement for their big day, and sitting down with them face to face really gives my the chance to do just that.

The wedding and reception were held at the Pen Ryn Mansion in Bucks County.  The ceremony was held outside with the Delaware River serving as the background. We provided all of the music for the ceremony, as well as a lapel microphone for the officiant. When the ceremony concluded, the guests entered the mansion for cocktail hour. Guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and drinks, while we provided background music from the likes of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nat King Cole. After this hour was up, the ballroom doors opened and guests took their seats. Just outside the room I quickly lined up a very excited bridal party, going over how they would make their entrances.

Once we introduced everyone, the bride and groom took the center stage for their first dance as husband and wife. After the formalities ended dinner was brought out by the staff. As the DJ, I’m always please to see well-fed guests, as this group was going to need their energy, because once dinner was over it’s time to celebrate. Like most of my weddings, this was a great group who were out on the dance floor all night, singing along while I played “Build Me Up Buttercup” by the Foundations, and twisting the night away with “The Twist” by Chubby Checker, and pumping their fists in the air as we went into “The Time” from the Black Eyed Peas. A great party with only one negative side effect at the end, a lot of sore feet; quite common when dancing for two and half hours straight.

The wedding would not have been as successful without Cindy and the rest of the staff at Pen Ryn Mansion. It is one of my favorite places to work, and a lot of it has to with the people that work there. The staff did an excellent job and I know the bride, groom, and their guests would all agree. I also worked with Ron from Litrato Photography. Ron is a very friendly guy and as you can see by some of these images, can really capture the moment.

Thank you to Rachel and John; I had a blast being your DJ. It was great to be a part of your wedding celebration, but even more it was great to get to know you both.

~Richie

Images courtesy of Litrato Photography

Pen Ryn Mansion

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As soon as I found out that Denny Laine and Laurence Juber – both former members of Wings – would be performing at Havana in New Hope, I got right on the phone with my Photographer friend Kevin York. The conversation went kind of like this…

“Kev, we’re going to New Hope next Friday to meet Wings.”
“Ummm… Wings Wings?”
“Yeah, like as in Paul McCartney and.”
“Ummm… Okay.”

It was really that simple. Denny Laine and Laurence Juber were slated to perform at Havana, in New Hope, Bucks County Pennsylvania on Friday, June 10 of 2011, and for me, it was a unique opportunity to not only see two legendary performers together on stage, but, a chance to really get up close and personal. It’s a Beatles adventure, one of which I’ve dragged Kevin on many times in the past. He doesn’t ask questions, he just knows to bring his camera because something’s going to happen.

Now it’s probably important I add a few more little details that made this such a magical opportunity. First, Havana in New Hope is a world-class establishment in my humble opinion. Not only do they have great live act after great live act, but the venue itself is intimate, classy, and totally conducive to awesomeness… And the food is to die for. It’s like dinner theater meets totally hip. Knowing this ahead of time, and also knowing I happened to know the owner and manager, I was fairly certain that we would literally be ‘hanging out’ with the two former Wings members by the end of the night… Which we were.

The second bit of magic is Photographer Kevin York, my friend and partner in crime. Like Havana is a world class establishment, Kevin York is a world class (and former NASCAR) photographer, who has the knack and skill for getting that live performance shot (as you can see in the photos here).

Now the last part of the magic was – of course – Laurence Juber, Denny Laine, and the band ‘Fooling April’. Juber opened the show with an amazing acoustic guitar performance of both original tunes, hits by The Beatles, along with The Pink Panther theme thrown in for good measure. He brought down the house, and that was just the opening act. Juber was followed by Laine, who played familiar tunes (Mull of Kintyre) and pub singalongs, while charmingly bantering with the audience and having a great time with everyone. The highlight – for me – was when Fooling April took to the stage, and were joined by Juber and Laine for an electrifying performance of Wings classics ‘Live and Let Die’ and ‘Band On The Run’. They had the entire audience on their feet, singing and dancing, while transporting me back to my childhood.

On the ride home I nor Kevin could wipe the smiles from our faces. We both shared the feeling of having not just met a couple of our Rock n Roll heroes, but, for a moment, had shared in the epicness of it all.

Thank you first to the great folks at Havana in New Hope for being so amazing, particularly Ernie, David and Mark. Thanks to Kevin York for sharing this adventure with me and grabbing these spectacular images, and lastly, thanks to Laurence Juber and Denny Laine for being such great people and letting us get close. I wish you both the best of health and happiness, and congratulations to Laurence on the upcoming wedding of his daughter. Cheers, and thanks.

-Craig Sumsky

For other thoughts and suggested reading on The Beatles, click here
The Beatles

Images by Kevin York

Havana in New Hope

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Spring is here and Cutting Edge is in full swing with lots of weddings. This wedding was held in late April at the Aldie Mansion in Bucks County, and Jamie and Matt were a fun, outgoing couple, whom I had a blast working with. As a DJ it’s important to play all sorts of music from all different genres and eras including many diverse artists. Many brides and grooms are concerned with making sure we play a little bit of something for everyone. In my opinion four to five hours is more than enough time to keep everyone happy, whether it be with Big Band, Jazz, Motown, Rock and Roll, or Top 40, I have no problem fitting it all in. This was very important to Jamie and Matt, simply because as in most wedding receptions, their guests varied in both age and musical taste.

This wedding was a lot of fun to be a part of, and the energy of the bride, groom and all their guests was contagious. I have worked with some brides and grooms in the past that sometime worry that not many guests will dance, because they are shy or just not big dancers – when I hear that I always smile, because most times these couples underestimate their guests. People do not get all dressed up in their fancy suits or dresses to just sit at their table and listen to music; they came to have a great time and because they love you and want to celebrate your special day with you. I feel it is up to me to make sure I create that fun, relaxed environment to allow people to let loose and party hard. Now of course the bartender always helps us out, we will never deny that, and once the party begins it is up to the DJ to make sure that all of the guests are out there, whether they are dancing, singing along, or just clapping their hands off to the side, I know they’re having a good time. In my opinion, once the party is over – and days, weeks, months and even years go by, you may forget what you ate, you may forget what you wore, there is even a good chance you may forget what kind of music we played, but you should always be able to remember the great time you had.

This was my first time working with Jenn of Jennifer Childress Photography, and I look forward to working more with her in the future. She is very talented and was great to work along side with. Thank you for letting me feature these impressive images for the readers of our blog to see. As always, the staff at Aldie Mansion did an outstanding job. Kim and the entire staff there are amazing and I enjoy working with them. Joe and Justin are great DJs and did a great job helping me rock things out all night long. We provided the bride and groom with both up-lighting and a customized monogram gobo which added to the beautiful atmosphere at Aldie Mansion. And of course, it is pretty easy to have a good party when you are working with a great couple like Jamie and Matt.  Thank you again for having us be a part of your wedding day, it was my pleasure to be your DJ!

-Richie

Images courtesy of Jennifer Childress Photography

Aldie Mansion (two sites)

www.aldiemansion.com

www.heritageconservancy.org

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Friday the 13th, is usually associated with a day filled with bad luck; however, the only bad luck one could have faced on Friday May 13th, was missing out on Shannon’s Sweet 16. The Buck Hotel in Bucks County was the site of Shannon’s party, and the room was illuminated with blue light. With the lighting and the stylish décor, the room looked more like something out of a James Cameron movie, rather than a birthday party.

The way the blue up-lights danced around the ballroom at the Buck was incredible. They fit right in with the theme of the party. Shannon and her friends packed the dance floor all night long and were singing right along to every song as they rocked out. The night seemed to fly by as the partying was broken up periodically with prize bags that Shannon and I gave away to her friends. The give always were put together by Shannon’s parents and there was always tons of cheers and excitement when it was time to draw a name. I had a blast dancing and jamming out with Shannon and everyone who was there. – Tony A.

This Sweet 16 provided me another opportunity to work with Renee from All About Events, and as always the decorations looked spectacular, and the party ran flawlessly. The photos for the evening were provided by Erin Duffy; Erin, it was a pleasure to work with you as always, and your work is outstanding! Jessica and the rest of the staff at the Buck Hotel did a fantastic job coordinating everything and making sure the entire night ran smoothly. Thanks also to my staff, Jack on the lights, and Tony A as my dancer. With such an amazing team surrounding me, I knew that the party was going to rock as much as it did; together, I’m certain we gave Shannon a night that she will never forget. When I received Shannon’s DJ request list, I could already tell she had every intention to dance all night long, and dance all night was what Shannon and her friends did.

To Shannon and the rest of her family, thank you for allowing me to be your DJ, and be such an integral part of your event. It was a pleasure working with all of you, and I am so thankful for all you did for and my staff and I. Happy Sweet 16!

- DJ Foltzy

Images courtesy of Erin Duffy Photography

Planning by Renee from All About Events

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

The best part of working as a DJ is that I have fun at my job. At the office, at a party, meeting clients, or behind the mixer, most of the time I am having a blast. Now if you go to meet a doctor you expect and probably want him or her to be serious, because your health is important, however, when you are meeting with me, well, I’m a DJ, and the main purpose of my job is to make sure you and everyone at your party is dancing and having a good time. Most wedding receptions are fun celebrations you share with your friends and family. I have a great time meeting with brides and grooms and talking about their wedding, going through a timeline, talking about the music they like to dance to, and just visualizing the day with them. I feel that many folks who choose to book Cutting Edge Entertainment because they have a good time meeting with myself and our staff, and if we can have fun in a meeting for a hour, it’s likely  that we will have a great time at a four or five hour reception. I am confident that is why Julia and Mark chose Cutting Edge to DJ their wedding.

The wedding was held at the Spring Mill Manor in Bucks County, and I was happy to be back at this venue. We have been working at both the Spring Mill Manor and Spring Mill Country Club for years and it’s always nice to work at a familiar place. We added some green uplighting to the already beautiful ballroom, and then once cocktail hour ended, we introduced the parents, bridal party, and the bride and groom into the room. It was when I saw a lady climb up on her chair to see one of the bridesmaids give a groomsmen a piggy-back ride into the room, a big smile appeared on my face because I could already see this was going to be a wild night.

Once dinner ended we had the whole room up on the dance floor, playing a little bit of everything from the sounds of Motown, to a little Rock and Roll, of course some Disco, and progressing all the way up to the current Top 40 hits of today. To go along with the dancing, we gave out some party prop giveaways. We don’t do as many parties with these giveaways anymore, because some consider them cheesy. Now if I may, I would like to defend this option that we offer to clients, because, well, not that many other DJs do. I don’t mind if people say that dancing with a hat on your head, sunglasses on your face, and an inflatable guitar in your hands is cheesy but while some may like it, and some may not, we think they can be a great add-on. I know many wedding magazines and professionals may frown upon things like party giveaways because they are goofy, but I think being goofy is fun. Imitating the guitar solo in “Shook Me All Night Long”,flipping around your hat like Michael Jackson does for “Billie Jean”, or showing off your blinky ring during “Single Ladies, Put A Ring On It” is awesome. In my opinion, there is nothing cheesy about letting loose on the dance floor, and then a few weeks later once you get the pictures back being able to laugh at yourself. To me that is just having a good time, and like I said earlier, that’s part of my job.

This is my first time featuring images from Casual Candids on the Cutting Edge blog and I’m looking forward to working with them again soon.  Joyce and Jessica are an awesome mother/daughter photography team and they do a great job.  Speaking of teams, I need to mention my awesome DJ Assistant for this party – Joey. The best part of working with and training DJs is watching them progress and get better. Joey is becoming a flawless beat mixer, and is able to read a crowd as good as any DJ I’ve worked with.  Finally, to Julia and Mark, thank you for having myself and Cutting Edge Entertainment at your wedding. I think that was the first time I saw a couple roll in the piano from the lobby onto the middle of the dance floor at Spring Mill Manor. With Julia on top of the piano singing and Mark playing “Piano Man”, so happy to have been your DJ.

-Richie

Images courtesy of Casual Candids

Spring Mill Manor

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

It isn’t often that a DJ company can boast that it had the great honor and privilege to be the Bar Mitzvah DJ for the President of the United States of America, and to my knowledge, none has yet to date – but a future President of the United States? – now that’s a totally different story.

Meet Allen.  Allen’s Bar Mitzvah theme was just that… Presidential.  From the moment I first spoke to Allen’s mother while she was inquiring about Cutting Edge Entertainment performing as Bar Mitzvah DJ at Allen’s Bar Mitzvah, she couldn’t have spoken more highly of her son, and his aspirations to become Commander in Chief.   Upon meeting Allen for the first time I could clearly understand why.   Allen is an upstanding young man of character, mature beyond his years with a sense of humor and wit that simply amplified his charm. As far a Bar Mitzvah kids go, Allen was ‘the man’.

His Bar Mitzvah party was held in April of 2011, and I, Craig, presided as the MC to the President and all of his presidential guests, colleagues (his friends), and most significantly his family.  Now, all kidding aside, Allen’s parents couldn’t have been more perfect clients, and were a pleasure to work with throughout the planning process.  I was accompanied by DJ Steve (Foltzy) and his assistant Cameron, who achieved a fantastic mix of Russian and American popular music keeping the dance floor packed all evening.  I had Carl, our production manager, design the lighting for the reception held at Middletown Country Club in Bucks County, and Nate, Brittany and Jessica were the dancers who kept the kids and adults engaged in dancing and games all evening.

But back to Allen’s parents, I really must say that mom was great. She was organized, and had specific and creative ideas of what she wanted the Bar Mitzvah party to be like. Dad, whom I dealt with more directly regarding some of the requested Russian selections that were to be played, was insightful, and would sit in my office discussing with me not just music, but politics, the economy, and any other topic that came up.  Having such a learned and wise father and an intelligent and creative mother it’s no wonder that Allen is the man he is (not to mention the rest of his delightful family, particularly his grandparents), and may very likely reach for that office of offices someday.

So Allen, if you do run for office someday, know I’ll be watching, and you have my vote. In the meantime, Mazel Tov on your Bar Mitzvah.

-Craig

Image courtesy of Boris from Classic Photo and Video
www.classicphotoandvideo.com

Decor by The Party Decorator

Middletown Country Club

www.cuttingedgedjs.com