On our last blog post of 2011, I decided to take some time to reflect on all of the amazing opportunities and experiences we have had over this past year and to share them with you.

On the whole, 2011 has been an amazing year. We have been able to expand SOUNDBAR’s reach at more events and venues than I ever expected, and I am so happy to know that we have made a positive impact with some truly amazing people. In addition, our vendor partners really came through both professional and personally to make this year one to always remember. I truly wish that I could mention each one of our wonderful clients and colleagues here by name, but that list would be way out of control. Thanks in advance to all of you for your understanding.

So, without further delay, here’s the list of what I am thankful for in 2011.

I am thankful for the love and support of family and friends. This is absolutely first and foremost. Clearly, without the unconditional love and support of family and friends, SOUNDBAR would not be able to exist today. When situations begin to look futile or uncertain, I know that I can turn to you for the clarity and inspiration to see things though. I learn something from you every day, and you always unknowingly
remind me why you are so special to me. I truly thank and appreciate you for everything you do.

I am thankful for our colleagues old and new. I have made contact with more industry associates and colleagues this year than any other year we have been in business. I’m not sure whether it’s due to taking advantage of social mediums, joining vendor associations or just plain luck, but either way it’s been a really great year for meeting and working with some remarkable people. All of these folks are masters at their craft, and I feel privileged to be able to work, socialize, share with and learn from them.

I am thankful for the gift of our amazing clients. I am incredibly fortunate to be able to have a career where I can meet and help so many wonderful people. I always hear stories about clients who are “…zillas” or “impossible to deal with”, but I can truly say that this was not the case for us this year. Each and every one of the events we performed at came with the added bonus of having the best clients ever. I am truly honored to have worked with each and every one of you, and I’m happy to do it again for you anytime.

I am thankful for the ability to share our passion with so many people. Anyone who has hosted an event knows that entertainment is everything. I am so happy that this year we were able to exceed the expectations of our clients and their guests by providing an alternative to the type of entertainment they had been accustomed to. We have the ability to set moods and evoke emotions, and to have the opportunity to incite joy and laughter from our clients and their guests is truly priceless.

I am thankful for the events we produced this year. Let’s face it; it’s been a pretty rough economy lately, and many long-standing companies have either reduced in size or even gone out of business. Not only were we were fortunate enough to stay afloat in these tough times, but we were also able to successfully produce a large number of events this year, thanks in part to the great feedback we received from our clients. Thanks to you for letting us be a part of your celebration.

I am thankful for the opportunity to give back. What’s really great about my job is that every so often I get to use our talent to help those that are less fortunate. This year, I had the honor and pleasure to provide music and entertainment for both the Northern New Jersey Walk Now for Autism Speaks event and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk event. I can’t speak highly enough about these organizations, and I am so proud to have been a part of these events. We met some amazing people and became inspired to do even more.

I am thankful for the technology that makes it all happen. Anyone who knows me can attest that Iam a technology junkie. But it’s not just because I like how things light up; technology has really made things so much easier for us. From our new and improved website with access to our availability calendar to online information request forms, electronic contract signing and even mobile payments, technology has made the experience for our clients much better. And I’m all the more grateful for it.

I am thankful for all of the exciting new opportunities that await us in 2012. Each year we increase our client base, and thanks to all of our successes this year we have been able to book a record number of events for 2012. It’s very exciting to know that we’ll be making more friends during the next year, and even more exciting to know that we’ll play a part in the happiness of some many wonderful lives. I’m also eager to exceed our accomplishments for this year!

Lastly, thanks to all of you for your continued interest and support; you have each helped us in improving what we do, and I look forward to continuing to improve our services and share our thoughts and ideas with you in the coming year. Happy holidays and see you in 2012!

Personally, I think the selection of wedding music is a great way to put a personal touch on your once-in–a-lifetime event, but also provides a unique opportunity for couples to express themselves in a way very few other mediums allow.

Because of the very personal nature of wedding music, it’s very hard for me (or anyone I suppose) to say, “These are the songs you should go with,” without getting to know the couple and what they are looking for in regards to their wedding. However, what I can do is provide you with some guidance on which moments you should select music for and some resources for those of you who might need a bit of inspiration.

Important music selections

I could probably write a post on each one of these, but I’ll just provide a quick overview for now. To me, I think the most important music choices to make for your wedding (in somewhat of a chronological order) are:

Bride Ceremony Processional – Have you noticed that no one ever announces the arrival of the bride? That’s because the music is doing it for them. This is a very beautiful and memorable part of the ceremony, and one that should be savored by selecting a song that allows the bride and her escort to proceed in a relaxed yet pronounced tempo.

Bride and Groom Ceremony Recessional – This is a time to celebrate, and your music should reflect this! Whether it’s classic or contemporary, this music should be used to announce to the world of your joy and happiness in marriage. Don’t be afraid to have fun with it!

Bridal Party Reception Entrances – This music gets the party started and puts your guests in the right mood to have a good time. Depending on your entertainer, playing songs to announce the bridal party can be done in several ways. You can select one song for the entire bridal party, a different selection for the best man and maid/matron of honor, or any other combination.

Bride and Groom Reception Entrance – They don’t call this part the “grand entrance” for nothing! All of your guests have been waiting for this moment, so be sure to make it memorable!  Up-tempo, high-energy music is usually the way to go here, but feel free to add some personalization by selecting a song that signifies your relationship or holds a special memory for you.

Bride and Groom First Dance – This is such a special song selection. This moment puts the couple in the spotlight, and all of your guests are watching. You will always remember this moment whenever you hear this song going forward, so make sure it’s special to you. The song should be meaningful, yet easy to dance to (think ballads here).

NOTE: Some couple come up with a special choreographed “surprise dance” that makes this moment even more unique (I’ll discuss this in a future post).
 
Where to go for help

If you get stuck on selecting some of the songs for your wedding, there is plenty of help available all around you. Your DJ can be a great resource for information, and don’t forget to also ask your venue coordinator or event planner for suggestions. Your family and friends can help here as well.

The internet has some great sites and pages that can help you find some recommendations for music. For example, WedAlert has some great song lists which are categorized help make your search easier.

There are even some mobile apps that can assist with this, such as Wedding Song Planner , My Wedding Music or FunWedding. These are great tools that you can use while you’re at a venue, meeting with a vendor or on the go.

While we provide our clients with an online planning form to easily send us their music selections, not every company uses this technology. Whatever music you select, make sure you let your DJ know about your selections as early as possible.
 
Although making song selections may seem like a tremendous task, it’s really a fun thing to do, and the effort will result in a memorable time on your special day.

Photos courtesy of Tim Kuder/Authentic Photo.

The event was held at the scenic Riverview Caterers located in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. The festivities were in the beautiful Terrace Room, which features panoramic windows along one side that have amazing views of the Palisades and the Hudson River, as well as an adjacent outdoor patio for guests to enjoy.

The photography for the event was handled by Ken Worth of Worthy Photography, and also produced Ciara’s photo montage, which we played on our plasma screen during the event. I think he did an amazing job on both fronts – definitely check out his web site to see more of his work!

Ciara had a candy theme for her party, and her guests were appropriately seated at tables named for and themed after a particular candy bar, such as “Snickers”, “Kit Kat” and “Milky Way”. The rest of the room (as well as the cake) was decorated in white and turquoise colors, which gave the room a simple but elegant feel.

The evening began with custom grand entrance complete with specially picked songs for the court and guest of honor, and was followed by a traditional shoe exchange (symbolizing the transition from youth to adulthood) and a dance with her father. Later in the evening, Ciara performed a traditional candle ceremony to honor the friends and family that made an impact in her life, and she selected special songs for each honoree. Afterwards, we hit the lights and kept everyone dancing until the end of the night. See here for yourself!

We wish Ciara all the best for many years to come. Our thanks again go out to Ken and everyone at the Riverview for doing such a wonderful job, and to Yvonne for allowing us help with the celebration!

Photos courtesy of Worthy Photography

With all of the planning, the organization, the bookings (including entertainment!), the expenses and the stress you’ve been dealing with, there may be an important factor you may wind up overlooking…the care of your wedding gown. But don’t worry; there’s a company that can help you with protecting your once-in-a-lifetime dress for years to come.

Hallak Cleaners is a company that specializes in preserving and caring for wedding gowns and other highly specialized garments. In fact, they have been doing it for over half a century. Hallak has been featured on television, in magazines and The Knot for their expertise in wedding gown cleaning and preservation.

But what I really like about Hallak is that they had the bright idea to put together a Bridal Emergency Kit and make it available to anyone who is getting ready to walk down the aisle. For only $25.00, you get a beautifully adorned box filled with essentials to take care of any unexpected mishap on your special day. The kit includes:

• A sewing kit with needles, threads, buttons, snaps, tape measure, scissors, and nail clipper
• Replacement pearls and sequins
• Safety and bobby pins
• A dry spot remover
• A scented sachet
• An emery board
• Facial tissue
• A lint roller
• Hand lotion
• Hair spray
• Mouthwash and emergency mints!

You also get a handy guide on removing stains, information about Hallak’s gown preservation service, and a certificate for $75.00 off their preservation services. Not only does this kit save you the time of putting all of these things together yourself, but it also makes a great gift for a bride or for your bridesmaids.

Hallak Cleaners has locations in Manhattan and in Hackensack, New Jersey. Check out their website, and connect to them on Facebook and Twitter.

Photos courtesy of Hallak Cleaners

For a long time, photo booths have been an extremely popular option for wedding receptions, Sweet 16 parties, corporate functions and other major celebrations. Props such as hats, boas and sunglasses are commonly added to a photo booth package to make the photos more fun and festive. But what if you wanted to do something that was a bit more personal and out of the ordinary? Fortunately, now there’s a company that puts a spin on the classic photo booth props.

Say Cheese Paper Props is a Maryland-based company that specializes in hand-made, custom and unique paper props and banners. These handheld props are produced on shimmery card stock and are attached to 10-inch wood sticks, ready to be used in your photo booth.

What’s great about these props is that they are simplistic in design, yet they just scream fun. You won’t see these props everywhere, so you’ll know that the memories your guests capture in your photo booth will be unique and one-of-a-kind.

Not only does Say Cheese offer photo booth props, they can also create banners to hang by your cake table, sweetheart table or elsewhere. Another clever way to use their products is for your engagement portraits or even your wedding day photos! Your photographer will love them as well.

Say Cheese also creates holiday-related props and banners perfect for your next Halloween or holiday party.

For more information on Say Cheese Paper Props, check out their website or their Facebook page.

Photos courtesy of Say Cheese Paper Props

This suggestion came from a bride who booked us for her wedding reception. She wanted a simple way for her guests to make requests without having them constantly come up to the booth to do so. I love getting requests from guests, as it allows me to get a feel for the different music tastes of the crowd. However, the bride wanted to make things a little different.

So, she suggested the idea of a set of DJ request cards on a table by our booth. I know that some DJ companies use their business cards for this, but this was a much more elegant solution.

The setup consisted of a small table with a frame, basket, cards and pens, and was placed adjacent to our booth. At their leisure during the reception, guests were able to come up to the table, fill out the card and put in the basket.

The back of each card had the words, “I’d like to hear…” and “by…”, to which guests can put the title and artist of the song they want to hear. The frame contained an insert which instructed guests how to make a song request.

We would regularly check the basket for cards, and we were able to easily incorporate the requests into our playlists without having to remember them all or having guests shout out the song titles over the music.

What’s nice about these request cards is that you can customize them to your taste, and even match them to your theme colors. You can print them yourself to save some money, or I’m sure you can even have an online print service or local print shop or office supply store make them for you.

You can find templates of the DJ request cards at The Wedding Chicks site (where our bride got hers), or at The Knot.

As a kickoff to New York Fashion Week, NYC Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) is a city-wide event that was created three years ago to celebrate fashion, encourage consumers to support the economy and put some fun in the shopping experience. In addition, proceeds from FNO apparel sales benefit the New York City AIDS Fund. Clothing and apparel stores of all shapes and sizes participated, and many celebrities, designers, fashion icons and sports figures came out to celebrate the evening in style.

Loehmann’s put together an amazing evening at their flagship store in Chelsea. For starters, the store hosted its first ever runway fashion show, complete with models wearing styles expected to be trendy in the coming seasons. The fashion show was conceived and hosted by celebrity style expert Felix Mercado, who did an outstanding job with making the event fun and exciting. He has a style blog called ShutUpandWearIt.com, which you should definitely check out!

The makeup for all of the models was put together by Makeup by Josephine. Check out her Facebook page for samples of her amazng work!

Attendees were also able to see a display of dresses owned by celebrities such as Khloe Kardashian, Jessica Simpson, Edie Falco, Felicity Huffman, Marlee Matlin, Carrie Ann Inaba, Ashlee Simpson, Angela Kinsey and others. The celebrity dresses were loaned by Little Black Dress Wines, who also provided complimentary refreshments during the evening.

Little Black Dress Wines also selected a contestant for a chance to win a $1 million prize during the event. The contestant had to guess which dress out of a hundred contained an envelope with the prize. She didn’t win the money, but at least she was able to keep the dress.

The evening also featured an exclusive designer sample sale featuring designers such as Oscar de la Renta, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Jean Paul Gaultier and many more. Shoppers also received discounts throughout the evening on everything in the store.

SOUNDBAR Entertainment provided music during the fashion show and throughout the evening for shoppers to enjoy. The evening was a huge success and enjoyed by all.

Additional photos from the event can be seen on our Facebook page.

We would like to thank everyone we met and worked with at this year’s FNO event. It was truly a joy for us to perform, and we look forward to working together on the next one!

SOUNDBAR Entertainment Top 20 Hot Tracks – August 2011

• Dev featuring Flo-Rida – In The Dark (Remix)
• Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo – Give Me Everything
• Britney Spears – I Wanna Go
• Pitbull featuring Marc Anthony – Rain Over Me
• Katy Perry – Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
• Chris Brown – She Ain’t You
• Alexandra Stan – Mr. Saxobeat
• LMFAO – Party Rock Anthem
• Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
• David Guetta featuring Usher – Without You
• Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger (Remix)
• Beyonce – Best Thing I Never Had (Remix)
• Enrique Iglesias featuring Usher & Lil Wayne – Dirty Dancer
• Jason Derulo – Don’t Wanna Go Home
• LMFAO featuring Natalia Kills – Champagne Showers
• David Guetta featuring Taio Cruz & Ludacris – Little Bad Girl
• Swedish House Mafia – Save The World
• Chris Brown featuring Benny Benassi – Beautiful People
• Nicole Scherzinger featuring 50 Cent – Right There (Remix)
• Nayer featurinig Mohombi & Pitbull – Suave

For more information on how our music can get your guests dancing all night long, contact us today!

-David Pellot
SOUNDBAR Entertainment