On June 12, 2010 I had the opportunity to be the disc jockey at Danielle and Chris’s wedding. The wedding reception was held at The Cock and Bull in Lahaska, Bucks County (Peddler’s Village).  Danielle and Chris expressed to me at my wrap-up meeting with them, that making certain that everybody was up dancing was extremely important to them, and I couldn’t have agreed more.   Why else would someone hire a DJ?  The reception of a wedding is a celebration of the marriage.   Once the ceremony is over, it is time to party.

Danielle and Chris were a laid back couple who were mostly interested in showing their friends and family a good time.  I was very happy to learn that they loved all sorts of different music styles and genres.  We played “Shout” (the good version by Otis Day and The Knights), which is one of Danielle’s  father’s favorite songs.  We were playing dance classics from the sixties all the way up to today.   The bride and groom, along with their guests were dancing non-stop.  At the end of the wedding, you could literally see people out of breath from all the partying, which means we did our job.

This wasn’t our first time at The Cock and Bull, and in fact we have another wedding there in just a couple of weeks. Lisa was our event coordinator for that day and did a phenomenal job.  Guests complimented the food, which I was lucky enough to eat and I would have to agree… Delicious!  I look forward to my next party at The Cock and Bull and working again with their truly amazing staff.  The photographer was Andrea Funkhouser, who was kind enough to provide us with these photos to go along with this blog post.  It was great working with her, and she did a great job capturing the special moments of the event.

Thank you to Danielle and Chris, I’m glad you had a good time, hope to see you again at future parties.

-Richie

Photos courtesy of Andrea Funkhouser – www.funkhouserphotography.com

The Cock and Bull

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

On June 11th I had the opportunity to DJ at Huntingdon Valley Country Club for Linda and Julian’s wedding reception.   The Club is very close to our office and we’ve done many weddings and parties there in the past.  I was really looking forward to this wedding because the Club’s staff really do a great job, and they’re accommodating to the guests and the other event staff.   I also knew that the bride and groom were pumped up for a fun time.  I always tell brides and grooms while I meet with them before their wedding, that my goal is to make this reception the best that any of their guests have ever been to.  I know that may seem like I’m setting the bar really high, but I feel that with my experience and talent as a professional DJ, that it’s a promise I can not only keep, but one I can be consistent with.  At Cutting Edge Entertainment we take time to get to know our clients, because each wedding is uniquely different, and a great deal of preparation goes into each event to ensure success.  We are in touch with our couples weeks, sometimes months before their wedding to go over each and every detail and be certain nothing is overlooked.

The day of the wedding was as close to perfect as you could ask for.  The weather was amazing outside, which made for a great cocktail hour outside on the terrace.  Inside Cutting Edge lit the room with up lighting, creating a great effect and really setting the mood.  The bride and groom, along with their guests, danced and partied non stop the entire night.  We played lots of fun sing-along classics like “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey and “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond.  I even played some music from Argentina which went over great with many of the guests (a few of who happened to be Argentinian).  I was very happy to hear so many nice compliments from guests at the end of the night.  I’m glad that everybody had such a good time.

The photographer that night was Michael Smith from Ash Imagery.  I was very excited when Michael sent me some pictures to post on our blog.  Also, I want to send a shout out to the staff at Huntingdon Valley Country Club.  Whether it’s a wedding, sweet sixteen, anniversary party, or whatever, they do a good job and always are great to work along side.  Thank you very much to Linda and Julian.  I look forward to seeing you guys again in October at Jordan and Theresa’s wedding.

-DJ Richie

Huntingdon Valley Country Club - www.hvccpa.org

Photos courtesy of Ash Imagery – www.ashimagery.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

On Saturday afternoon, May 29th of 2010 I got the chance to once again MC a wedding at one of my favorite venues, Cairnwood Mansion.  We have been a part of many wedding celebrations at Cairnwood, and although  I have even written other blogs about weddings I have done there, this wedding ranks among one of my favorites.

Kathleen and John were a great couple to work with.  They were laid back, fun and I could tell they were really looking forward to having a good time.  They had a large group of guests to share the special day with them (perhaps the largest I’ve seen at Cairnwood), and we provided music for them during the cocktail hour, outside on the terrace for their meal, and of course we rocked it out with some great dancing tunes inside.  Whether I was playing some traditional Italian music, the sounds of Motown, or the popular music of today everybody was out there on the dance floor.

Once again, I had the opportunity to work with the incredible staff from Feastivities.  The food and service was excellent!  It’s always great to get to work with them, and I’m looking forward to another wedding I’ll be doing with their staff again in July.  I also want to thank Jason and Nick from Ultimate Images.  We appreciate them letting us use their pictures from the wedding.  They are extremely talented and I look forward to working with them in the future.  Finally, to Shannon, Evelyn and the entire staff at Cairnwood Mansion, I really enjoy working with all of you.  I’m glad that I get to work so often at such a majestic estate (it really is a very cool place with an awesome staff0.

Thank You, and congratulations to Kathleen and John.

DJ Richie

Photos Courtesy of Ultimate Images – www.ultimateimages-photography.com

Feastivities Catering – www.feastivitiescatering.com

www.cairnwood.org

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

There seems to be a new trend in Philadelphia… band booking agencies selling DJ services.  I think it’s worth mentioning that – for the most part – I’m on pretty good terms with my competition, and by competition I mean both the area’s larger and more prominent Disc Jockey companies, as well as the independent DJ who operates single operation outfits.  Of all of these companies, only one offers an option for a live band or orchestra, and that’s because the owner is in the band.  Otherwise, DJ companies do offer percussionists, an occasional bassist and a keyboard player for cocktail… but DJ companies in Philadelphia don’t sell bands.

We don’t need to.

So why is it then that the larger band booking agencies in Philadelphia are all offering DJ and Disc Jockey services on their websites?

Could it be because they need to?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love… LOVE live bands, and I’m a DJ.  I have a great appreciation for live music and can clearly see why they have a place at weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs.  The energy created by live musicians is unique and exciting, and has a perception of sophistication and elegance.

So why is it then that these band agencies are scrambling to hire DJ entertainers of their own?

Personally, I don’t think they “need” to.  I think that they might think they need to … which could have to do with a lot of things.  The demand for quality and talented DJs hasn’t diminished in this economy, in fact it  has increased.  In speaking to my competitors, it seems that business is good, and the more reputable DJ companies seem to have weathered the storm of the recession.  Additionally, the DJ has become more and more popular in the past two decades . At a fraction of the cost of a band or orchestra, the DJ would understandably seem like an attractive alternative.

In trying to grasp this, I’ve looked at my own DJ company, as well as a handful of my competitors/colleagues in the Philadelphia area, and I have to give credit where credit is due. The DJ companies in my market, whom I compete with on a regular basis, have better DJs than the band companies.  They work more, doing their own events, they have more experience, a higher skill level and a better understanding of what it is to be a DJ than those that work for band booking agencies. The caliber of a DJ or MC working on his own or for a DJ company is reflected even more clearly in the fact that he or she doesn’t depend on the table scraps of a large band booking agency. Their skill, talent, and ability ensure that their calendar is full.

If you are looking to hire a DJ, we would be more than happy to speak with you  (and as counter-productive as it  might seem for me to say this )  so would a dozen other DJ companies in Philadelphia.  Disc Jockey services specialize in DJ entertainment, it isn’t something secondary that we also sell, it is what we do.

If a client asks me about booking a band or orchestra (which they ask fairly often), I give them a recommendation.   I don’t want to be in the band business, and I don’t need to be.

Craig Sumsky
Director
Cutting Edge Entertainment

DJ Brain Illustration by Sean Gallo – seangallodesigns.wordpress.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

On Sunday April 25, 2010, I had the opportunity to be the MC at Danielle and Brad’s wedding reception.  The party was at the Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia, and it was truly amazing. People were dancing the entire night, and I had a lot of fun being a part of the action.   A couple weeks after the wedding Danielle emailed us with this to say…

Rich at Cutting Edge is the BEST DJ/MC you could ask for. We had such a pleasant experience working with him, he’s a true professional and I would recommend him to my friends. Rich kept the dance floor packed during our wedding reception and all of our guests had the time of their lives dancing to all the great songs Rich had to offer. Go with Cutting Edge and you will have an amazing party!

This was my first opportunity to do a wedding at the Rittenhouse Hotel, and I enjoyed working with their team.   I got to work with Lori, Emil, and the rest of team. The food they had was great and the staff provided the guests with excellent service.  I also got to work with Nicole Leigh Photography.   Nicole does a great job and took the newlyweds all over the hotel and in the park to take pictures.   Thank you Nicole, for providing us this great picture of the bride and groom.  Finally, a thank you to Eddie Bruce for referring Danielle and Brad to Cutting Edge Entertainment. Eddie is a very good friend to Cutting Edge and we enjoy working together with him when we get the chance.

-Richie

Photo courtesy of Nicole Leigh Photography - www.nicoleleighphotography.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Wedding season is in full swing, and I have plenty of weddings I’ll be blogging about for a long time to come. For now, let me tell you about a wedding I did recently at the Lake House Inn on a Sunday afternoon. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect, and neither could the outcome of the day. Now if you’ve never been to the Lake House Inn before, it’s name says it all… a big and beautiful house situated on a beautiful and scenic lake. The ceremony was right outside, with the lake as the backdrop for the bride and groom to say their “I do’s”. Cocktails followed inside the house, but even though the food and drinks served were inside, people mingled outside on the terrace enjoying the fantastic weather. We moved on into the tent for the reception, beginning with our introductions and first dance. During dinner the bride and groom surprised their guests with a performance by an Indian dance group. Once everyone was finished eating we got everybody up and dancing. Playing everything from the Four Tops to the Black Eyed Peas, guests both young and old filed on to the dance floor.

The bride and groom were wonderful to work with. They are blessed to have a multitude of family and friends that love to dance, which made the party a great time for all. Of course it’s always a privilege to work at the Lake House Inn, and Robyn and her staff did an amazing job as usual. The flowers were done by Suesan and her team at Murphy and Klein Floral Studios, and the photographer was my good friend Kevin York. Finally, a big thank you to Priya and Marcello (the bride & groom) for having us DJ the wedding. Congratulations, and all the best.

Your DJ,

-Richie

The Lake House Inn

Kevin York Photography – www.kevinyorkphotography.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

I stood watching the bridal party make their way up the stairs to the overlook where the ceremony was to be held, led by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Faye, the bride, naturally followed behind arm in arm with her father who was about to give away his daughter to the age old tradition of matrimony… and that’s when Faye saw me, and in this moment caught on film by Photographer Kevin York, stepped out of the procession, gave me a big hug, and said “Thank you”.

No Faye, Thank YOU.

There are moments in my career that I am reminded of why I do what I do. Yes, Matthew and Faye were a really great couple to work with, and they are really nice people, but what truly made all the hard work worthwhile – and I think I speak for all of the professionals involved – is that the bride and groom were grateful for everything. I witnessed Matthew and Faye thanking everyone, sometimes several times, for many of which Faye’s eyes would fill with tears of utter joy. It is good that Faye and Matthew Glass won this wedding, because they deserved it.

Faye updated her Facebook status to say that she was the luckiest girl in the world, which I heard her repeat to so many of the colleagues who we worked alongside (with honorable mention to the team at Eclatante Event Design, who really pulled it all together).

I’d have to say we all were about as equally, if not more lucky to have had Faye and Matthew as our Bride and Groom. Thank you both for being so thankful and grateful, it really means more than you could ever know, and keeps us all doing what we do.

Good luck Mr. and Mrs. Glass.

-Craig

Here is the re-cap/day-of of the event courtesy of the folks at CinemaCake filmmakers. Be sure to check out the credits at the end of the video for a listing of all the professionals whose contribution made the day possible.

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/25/love-of-a-lifetime/feed/ 1 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/18/manor-house-at-commonwealth/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/18/manor-house-at-commonwealth/#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 05:58:12 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=1891

In all the years of being a professional disc jockey, I’ve had the opportunity to work in many different venues.  I took it upon myself to start writing blog posts on some of my favorite places to work.  There are a lot of great places to hold an event, and hopefully, in time, I’ll  get a chance write about them all.

This past Thursday afternoon, photographer Kevin York and I drove out to Horsham, Pennsylvania to visit the Manor House at Commonwealth.  Now I’ve had many opportunities to work at this venue which, in my opinion, is one of my personal favorites.  We at Cutting Edge Entertainment have entertained at Weddings, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Sweet Sixteens, and all sorts of other events at The Manor House, and they’ve all been a great success.  Naturally,  I like to say it’s because we’re amazing entertainers and DJs, and that probably has a lot to do with it, but looking back at the past parties I’ve done there, I have to say Commonwealth’s staff deserve much of the credit.  The people there friendly and accommodating, and they do a great job keeping their clients and guests happy.  It’s probably also important to point out that they do an outstanding job of coordinating with all of the other event professionals at the function.  At a party, it’s very important for the DJ to be in constant contact with all of the other professionals, particularly the kitchen.  The key to a great party is eliminating any lull or downtime,  while always keeping the guests occupied with either dancing, eating, or traditional party formalities.  In my opinion, even the slightest pause in the party time line can really throw things off, so it’s always best that to work together with all the professionals at the event to keep all attending entertained.

When Kevin and I went over to the Manor House at Commonwealth we learned some history of how the venue came to be.  This was originally a farmhouse built in 1709, however it was only a farmhouse.  It wasn’t until 1840 that the first expansion was made.  Then, in 1990 it became the Commonwealth’s Clubhouse for the golf course the surrounds it.  Finally in 1996, it changed to the Manor House.  At this time it began a host for affairs, and today it does approximately ninety-five weddings per year, along with Barand Bat Mitzvahs, Sweet Sixteens, Graduations, and Anniversary parties.

I’d to thank both Jennifer O’Neil and Cristy Peltzer, for giving myself and Kevin the tour around the house.  Jennifer and Cristy are a big part of the all star Catering Sales team at the Manor House at Commonwealth, and they’re really great people to work with. They honestly care about the service they deliver, and it really shows.

And last but not least, thanks to my partner in crime Kevin York, who took time out of his schedule to take some photographs of the venue.  We were very lucky to have such a beautiful day and the shots turned out great.

If you are looking for a unique and scenic venue, be sure to check out The Manor House… You won’t be disappointed.

-Richie Abrams

The Manor House at Commonwealth – www.commonwealthmanor.com

Kevin York Photography - www.kevinyorkphotography.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/18/manor-house-at-commonwealth/feed/ 0 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/07/springtime-wedding-at-cairnwood/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/07/springtime-wedding-at-cairnwood/#comments Fri, 07 May 2010 17:55:50 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=1828

On Sunday April 18th, I had the privilege of being the Master of Ceremonies for Ron and Yin’s wedding reception that was held at Cairnwood Mansion in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania.  It was an incredible spring day for the outdoor service, which took place on the terrace of the mansion.  Their ceremony was decorated with dazzling floral arrangements designed by Flower Sculptures.  Mickey Young, of Journeys of the Heart, conducted a serene ceremony.  I provided all of the music for the event, and I think everyone would agree that Yin looked breath taking when she walked down the isle.  After the proceedings, the guests, while enjoying hors d’ouevres, had a chance to explore the elegant, historic mansion during cocktail hour. Afterward, the party moved into the Great Hall, beginning with unforgettable introductions of the parents, flower girls, ring bearers, a bubbling bridal party, and, for the first time as husband and wife, Ron and Yin.  The bride and groom left the entire crowd, including myself, in utter amazement with a well rehearsed first dance. Once the performance ended, the room erupted with applause.  Next on the agenda was dinner catered by Robert Fair Catering. Terri and her team did a flawless job providing amazing food throughout the entire wedding.

One of my favorite parts of a wedding is that first moment when it’s time to get everyone up to dance.  Usually, I will play a slow song to open the dance floor. At that moment, many think to themselves “No big deal right? Who doesn’t mind a nice dance with someone special?” Then before anyone realizes what’s happening, I end the slow song and kick it into top gear.  We at Cutting Edge work really hard before the wedding with the bride and groom so we will know exactly what songs will get everyone shaking and moving out on the floor.  This group was awesome; just take a look at the pictures snapped by John and Doris of Costello Photography!

Congratulations Ron and Yin. We at Cutting Edge Entertainment, I in particular, would like to thank you for allowing us to be part of your wedding day.  We wish you all the best in your life together.

-Richie

Photos courtesy of Costello Photography – www.costellophotography.com

Cairnwood – www.cairnwood.org

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

]]> http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/05/07/springtime-wedding-at-cairnwood/feed/ 0 http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/04/14/a-great-band-sold-on-cutting-edge/ http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/2010/04/14/a-great-band-sold-on-cutting-edge/#comments Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:42:29 +0000 Cutting Edge http://www.cuttingedgedjs.com/blog/?p=1693

My Name is Wayne Gustafson and I’ve been performing as a bandleader for Weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs in the Philadelphia area for almost three decades.  In all those years I’ve seen both trends as well as entertainers come and go, yet some things I’ve found I can always depend on.

One day in the fall of 1995, after ending my tenure with The Entertainment Group, I was scheduling my musicians and dancers for upcoming events.  Speaking with my lead dancer, she informed me that she was retiring from the mitzvah dancing business.  I was disappointed, but more than that, unsure of where to start looking for a replacement.

Not ten minutes later, I answered a phone call from Craig Sumsky, who introduced himself as the owner of Cutting Edge Entertainment, and was calling to offer the services of the dancers from his company for my Bat and Bar Mitzvah clients.  He told me how well they work with bands at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and . . .

“Stop”, I said.  “I’m sold”.

He went on to say how well they are trained, and . . .

“Stop”, I said.  “I’m sold”.

He also added that they were very experienced with working with kids, and . . .

“Stop”, I said.  “I’m sold”.

You get the point, I was a motivated buyer.  But after all these years, I am still very fortunate to have a great relationship with Cutting Edge.  I have had the privilege of working with many different artists – Alison, Justin, Monica, Pedro, Regina, Kelly, Shoshana and Tony just to name a few.  Throughout the years there has always been one constant;  every single dancer has been the consummate professional.  They are overly prepared, energetic, enthusiastic, and extremely easy to work with.  It’s no wonder that every party that I do with them is a huge success.

So I look ahead to a bright future of many great parties with Cutting Edge Entertainment, and yes Craig, I’m still sold!

Wayne Gustafson
The Untouchables
www.wayneron.com

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

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