Cutting Edge Entertainment provided Wedding DJ services more weddings in 2011 than ever before. A big part of that is certainly due to the relationships we have with wedding venues, and one place we have a great partnership with is the Loews Hotel Philadelphia. On October 22nd I once again had another opportunity to DJ an awesome wedding at The Loews Philadelphia.

The wedding couple – Gabi and Dean – found Cutting Edge Entertainment through the staff of the Loews Hotel. I met with them months before their wedding, when they decided on having me as their Wedding DJ. In my opinion, getting to know the couple before the wedding is as important as the wedding itself. Not just to go over music and a timeline with the couple, but also to build a rapport and have the bride and groom be comfortable with me as their Wedding DJ. I feel the better they know me, and the more trust I earn, the better they will be able to relax the day of the wedding and just trust in the DJ.

This was an especially fun wedding to DJ. Gabi, Dean, their family and friends were a crazy (‘crazy’ in a good way), party crowd. In fact, I witnessed my first ever ‘Family Pyramid’ (see the photo below). The crowd was up and dancing to everything from Motown, to Funk, to today’s Top 40 dance music. After my last song of the night I was swarmed by guests chanting “One More Song, One More Song”, and with permission from the staff at the Loews Hotel, I happily complied. I also had the chance to work with Shea from Roggio Wedding Photography. He did an awesome job and his images came out looking outstanding. He is a top notch photographer and I look forward to working with him soon in the future.

Like every wedding blog post I write, I can not finish before thanking the bride and groom. Gabi and Dean you’re an awesome couple and it was confirmed to me by meeting all their friends and family that were there to celebrate.

Congratulations!!

-Richie

Images courtesy of Roggio Weddings

The Loews Philadelphia

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

October of 2011 was a packed month of weddings, with one of my favorites being the wedding of Leigh Ann and Kurt, with the reception held at the Radisson in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. I first met Leigh Ann a couple months prior to the wedding at our office, and after spending some time getting to know one another, and going over the details of her dream wedding, she decided that Cutting Edge Entertainment was a good fit. Leigh Ann is one of those people who is just so sweet and genuine that I wanted to do everything in my DJ power to give her the best reception possible. A few weeks before the wedding, I met with both Kurt and Leigh Ann, and we had a great time going over all of the details for the party. We spent nearly two hours going over a time line and listening to lots of music to select a perfect grand entrance song. I had a great time and was super psyched to be a part of this celebration.

The day of the wedding had finally arrived and myself and DJ Michael got to the reception site about two hours before the start time. I feel it’s important to get there early to set up, sound check, coordinate with the other event professionals (maitre d’, photographer, party planner, etc), and also give myself a chance to get settled in before guests arrive. This also gave us plenty of time to set up up-lighting, which created a soft purple glow in the room. I provided music for cocktail hour, dinner, and of course, dancing. The crowd was so much fun, and all of the guests – both young and old – made their way out to the dance floor to have a good time. The staff at the Radisson did a superb job, accommodating all of the guests and making sure the flow of the party went smoothly. I also got to work with photographer Chrissy K, along with her assistant Lisa, who did a great job.

A few weeks after the wedding Leigh Ann and Kurt posted the following testimonial on Wedding Wire.

We hired Richie  as our DJ for our wedding and we can’t say enough good things about Richie and Cutting Edge! Richie did an amazing job. He was professional, flexible and was also available to meet to discuss the wedding anytime. Since the wedding so many of our guests have told us how much they loved the DJ. Richie really interacted well with our guests, allowing them to have an amazing time. We would highly recommend Cutting Edge and especially Richie!

Thanks so much for the kind words. Congratulations to you both and I look forward to keeping in touch.

-Richie

Images courtesy of Chrissy K Photography

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

On Sunday, September 4th of 2011, I had the opportunity to DJ the wedding of Scott and Jaime. The wedding reception was held at the beautiful Northampton Valley Country Club, located in Richboro, Pennsylvania, a venue I have worked at many times over my sixteen year DJ career, and one of my favorites. I also had the opportunity to work with Artistic Imagery yet again at this wedding, where Nick and the entire crew do an excellent job, and were kind enough to provide some of the images from the wedding for our blog.

The groom and I first met when I was about twelve years old when we attended the same middle and high schools, and playing baseball and soccer together. Even after graduating, we were able to stay in touch. Upon proposing to Jaime, I was the first and only DJ they called. Getting to know my clients is one of the most important parts of my job, and when I already know the client, well, it makes my job a whole lot easier. Even though I already knew the groom, we still had our wrap up meeting and spent a lot of time – weeks and months – prior to the wedding, going over all of the fine details.

The day finally arrived and, like always I was pumped up to rock this party out, but first we had to get through the ceremony. The bride and groom asked me to provide a microphone and all of the music for the ceremony. Since the ceremony was outside and the guest count was over one hundred and fifty, it was a good idea to have a microphone to guarantee everyone – particularly the people sitting in the back row – would hear every vow. Once the ceremony ended, cocktail hour began and again I provided the soundtrack. I covered all eras of music during cocktail from Frank Sinatra to John Mayer, satisfying all ages. When cocktail hour concluded, like most weddings, we started out with our introductions followed by the bride and groom’s first dance. After a few toasts, dinner began and as always, the staff of the Northampton Country Club did an outstanding job of accommodating all guests and providing an excellent dinner. Once everyone was done, we got the party going. Both myself and DJ Jake worked hard to read the crowd, and kept the music going back to back and beat to beat. Since this was a Jewish Wedding, one of the highlights of the night was the Hora, which had everyone out of their seats and on to the dance floor. This was a great crowd and a fun wedding to DJ.

Thank you Scott and Jaime! From myself and the entire staff at Cutting Edge Entertainment, we wish you all the best in the start of your lives together as husband and wife.

-Richie

Images courtesy of Artistic Imagery

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

This past September was perhaps the busiest month of my DJ career. Many of the blog posts I have written over the last few weeks have been weddings we have done at Cairnwood Mansion, as it seems we are providing a DJ for a wedding there almost every weekend at this point… so I hope you guys are ready for one more post about a rocking Cairnwood wedding. Stephanie and Steve were a couple I met at a Cairnwood Open House, so they were Cairnwood from the get-go. A few weeks after our initial contact, they made an appointment to meet at our office in Huntingdon Valley. I encourage all clients to meet one of or DJ staff in person, before they make a decision on whether they would like to book Cutting Edge Entertainment. Some companies will show you pictures, reviews, even video, however nothing compares with actually meeting your potential DJ face to face. After sitting down with Stephanie and Steve for about an hour, we just clicked, and they chose me to DJ their wedding… The rest is history.

This wedding was a lot of fun for me to do, and I know I say that often, but it’s true – perhaps of all the wedding I DJ, but Stephanie and Steve’s guests truly came ready to party. After dinner concluded it was party time, and this crowd was ready to go. I played everything from “Your Love” by the Outfield to “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO. It was an awesome party, but of course it could not have been as good if not for the superb team I worked with. First there was Terri and the crew from Robert Fair Caterers, who did an amazing job (as always) providing a five star meal. I also got a chance to work with photographer Ryan Schwartz who was kind enough to let us feature his photos from the wedding. However, like all weddings the most important ingredient to a fun wedding is an awesome bride and groom. Stephanie and Steve were perfect, their high energy really propelled the celebration to a whole other level.

To the both of you, I wish you all the best, and thank you again for the opportunity to work with you and help create a great event.

~Richie

The bride and groom were nice enough to write the following review on my performance on Wedding Wire, and allow me to share it here on our blog.

Richie is exactly what couples look for in a DJ; motivated, accommodating, professional and personable. From start to finish, Richie was an absolute Ace in terms of coordination and planning. At no point did we have to chase Richie about details, if anything he was consistently following-up with us. Our wedding was at Cairnwood Mansion, in Bryn Athyn, PA, and not only is Richie highly recommend by the venue, but demonstrated working knowledge of the layout. We had full control over the music played, which provided a wide variety of music and excluded anything that we didn’t want to hear (line dances or heavy rap music). In addition, Richie gauged the audience on the dance floor and adjusted accordingly, essentially achieving exactly what we wanted, a fun environment with a great mix of music and keeping everyone on the dance floor. An absolute pleasure to do business with, I would recommend Richie in a heartbeat.

Images courtesy of Ryan Schwartz

Cairnwood

Robert Fair Caterers

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

This summer, I was the DJ at so many Cairnwood Mansion weddings that I think I’ve lost count.  It’s definitely one of my favorite venues at which to DJ not only because the folks there are awesome, but, admittedly, because it is only a few minutes drive from our office. I have been there many times either for weddings or attending their open house, where I meet potential brides and grooms checking out the venue.  In fact, it was at an open house when I met an amazing mother of a bride to be, Judie. Judie shared with me all about her daughter and soon to be son in law, and promised that this was going to be one of the most fun weddings of all time.  After a few phone calls and a meeting they decided I was the right DJ for the job.  I highly encourage all future brides and grooms  to meet their DJ in person before making a decision to book a DJ.  Sure you can view our website and read reviews online, but in my opinion the best way to know if a DJ is right for you is by meeting him or her in person.  For m,e I prefer meeting brides and grooms, because I like to get to know them, listen to what they envision for the reception, and of course find out what kind of music they like.

Lindsay and Justin were one of the most fun and easy going couples I have worked with. Getting to know them was more like making new friends then working with a client, and as it turned out we had so much in common. Their wedding was one of the highlights of my summer, and by the pictures featured here you can tell this was one great crowd.   Of course when I DJ a wedding I consider it a team effort, and the wedding can not be successful unless all of the wedding professionals work in sync. The caterers for the wedding were Jamie Hollander Catering, where the father of the bride – Mark – is a Chef. Allure West Studios did an awesome job capturing the images of the event. Natalie and Jung are a superstar husband and wife team that do great work.  Finally, a successful wedding can’t be complete without the bride and groom, and Lindsay and Justin were perfect.

A few weeks after their wedding Lindsay posted the following review of my performance on Wedding Wire.com

Richie did an absolutely amazing job and my husband and I could not be happier!! He is very professional and personable. We went through a time line before hand, so we knew exactly what to expect on the day, and things couldn’t have gone any smoother than they did. He is extremely patient and helped us pick out all of our songs – from the entrance song, to the last dance. The dance floor was packed the whole night and people were fighting to keep their spot on the dance floor. He played a variety of songs, including all of our requests. All my guests were raving at how much fun they had due to Richie and his amazing DJing skills!!! I would highly recommend working with Richie at Cutting Edge DJs.

Thank you, and congratulations to Justin and Lindsay.

~Richie

Images courtesy of Allure West Studios

Cairnwood

www.cuttingedgedjs.com

Being a member of any industry for over a decade – in my case, seventeen years to be more specific – can give you a unique perspective on how to perform on any given night. Many people think that monotony can set in and that “job” can become simply that, a job. However, when you spend your weekends “working” to entertain and provide a service that creates lasting memories it never really becomes “work”…even when the locations are often repeated.

On October 22, 2011 I had the honor of performing as the DJ at Cairnwood Mansion for the wedding of Jennifer Malloy to Ryan Brennan. Cairnwood is one of the venues that I find myself at on a regular basis, but its one that NEVER gets old. It’s like the “Transformer” of wedding venues, in that it can be designed and redesigned based on the individual vision of the bride and groom. This night was no different; the back patio was covered with a full-length tent that insulated the guests from the elements –it was unseasonably cold, even for October- but created a custom entrance between the tent and the castle.

The reception began with a bang as the entire bridal party entered the hall to the official hit of 2011, “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO. This led to the introduction of Jennifer and Ryan to “I Wanna Go” by Britney Spears. This short, yet super-hype, introduction only laid the foundation for what became a dancing machine. Before the fun continued the bride and groom shared their first dance to a custom edit of “All I Ask Of You” from the Phantom of the Opera.

As the night progressed we bounced between classic dance tracks and a few of today’s current jams. It really didn’t matter what flow we decided on, Jennifer and Ryan had friends who knew how to party. This is where Cairnwood truly shines; the dance area always looks filled. Some may describe the room as intimate, but it looks fantastic when it’s filled with “body groovin’”.

Thank you to the staff of Feastivities, and to Cairnwood Mansion for their hospitality and courteous service.

Thank you to the John and Doris Costello for the amazing images.

Congratulations Jennifer and Ryan on your perfect day. Best of luck to both of you on your journey together.

To Ryan…persistence really does pay off!

~Brian

Images courtesy of Costello Photography

Cairnwood

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

In June of 2011 I had my first opportunity to DJ a wedding at The Manor House at Prophecy Creek, located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. This is a new and unique venue which is perfect for all types of events, particularly weddings. I’ve been spending my Tuesday nights at Prophecy Creek for their Open Houses, meeting with future brides and grooms just beginning the planning stages of their weddings and touring the venue. The property is being run by Robert Fair Catering, and they’ve done an extraordinary job renovating the Manor House and beautifying the landscaping, which looks truly breathtaking. I’ve worked with Robert Fair Catering many times at other venues and I am very happy to have such a good working relationship with their whole staff. Terri does a great job working together with her clients to make certain they have an amazing event, while her husband Kerry can be found in the kitchen, putting together the mouth-watering meal. Their entire staff truly do an amazing job accommodating the guests and seeing to every detail.

The wedding for Kyle and Yoomi, just happened to be the second ever wedding at the new venue. The ceremony was held on the property, and we were happy to provide a microphone for the officiant and the vows. Sometimes, when having your ceremony outside, it is nice to have a microphone to guarantee everything is heard by all attendees. Following the ceremony we provided music for the cocktail hour, but were very concious of the volume of our music. Of course we want people to hear the music we are playing, but, at the same time, we don’t want people shouting at each other as they are trying to mix and mingle. Once cocktail hour was over, guests headed in to the Great Room, where we introduced the parents, bridal party, and our bride and groom. Once we introduced Kyle and Yoomi into the room, we had them begin their first dance. After these formalities, the two hundred plus guest headed to the Terrace to enjoy their dinner, after which the dancing began.

A few weeks after their wedding Kyle was kind enough to post the following review about his experience with Cutting Edge Entertainment on Wedding Wire.

Richie is FANTASTIC!!!! I was a bit worried at first, because its our wedding and we wanted it to be perfect, but we realized that everything cant always go as planned, but let me tell you that Richie and his crew really impressed me, and went above and beyond our expectations. They were prompt and ready to go about an hour and a half before the ceremony, Richie went over all the plans he had for our guests that night. He was more than a DJ, and really brought the wedding to life. It was really kind of him to be respectful to come ask me if he can do an activity. He asked me even though it was an awesome idea. I’m happy to say that Richie was a professional through the whole process, and even called me after the wedding to thank me for using his services, which in our day and age, is really thoughtful and considerate. Thank you Richie for your time and service!

I really enjoyed working with Kyle and Yoomi as their wedding DJ, and I look forward to keeping in touch with them.

-Richie

Images Courtesy of Jenny Yang

The Manor House at Prophecy Creek

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