I can handle big groups of people – that’s easy.  This time around, the nervousness came with being at a venue that I hadn’t worked at previously, seeing two couples that I’ve seen at at least four and probably five weddings in the last three years, and offering a new service – the B-Sharp Photobooth – for the very first time at a wedding reception.  It’s also worth noting that this was my first wedding of 2012.  No sweat.  :)

If this reception was any indication, then all of this year’s B-Sharp weddings are going to be incredible.

The reception took place at Kirkbrae Country Club in Lincoln, RI – an absolutely gorgeous venue with one of the best views of Northern Rhode Island, and the ballroom looked great thanks to the work of The Perfect Setting at Felicia’s and their fabulous chair covers and linens.

Guests arrived at 5:00, with cocktail hour taking place just outside of the ballroom – this is where the Photobooth was set up.  Everyone also had the opportunity to play a wedding-themed “Mad Libs” game, which also got people talking.  After cocktails, the doors to the ballroom were opened, and once guests were seated the introductions began.  Marc & Vicki entered the room to thunderous applause, and took the dance floor for their first dance.  It was an incredible moment.

The dinner music playlist featured lots of Country music, per request of the bride.  Guests loved it, and threw in a few requests of their own, too.  It set the mood for a fun, festive, and at times all-out wild party, breakdancing and hand-balancing included.  Everyone had a great time.  As for that nervousness, it wore off as soon as the dance floor was filled.

What surprised me most about this wedding was the diversity of my music selections that night – I take pride in staying away from the Chicken Dance no matter what, but I also like to change things up at every event so that couples who are seeing me for the fourth and fifth times can’t predict what song I’m going to play next.  The 44 songs that I played in 2.5 hours spanned four decades and at least four genres of music.  You can see the whole playlist here.

Alicia Schneider was the evening’s photographer, and Mike Picard of Mike Picard Videography captured the evening beautifully, as he always does.  I especially like the music video recaps that Mike puts together for his clients – here’s Vicki & Marc’s:

As you can tell, I get to work for some really fun couples.  Congratulations, Vicki & Marc!

Introduction Music: Welcome To The Party – Kid Rock / Slow Ride – Foghat
Victoria & Marc’s Introduction: Kickstart My Heart – Motley Crue
First Dance: You Save Me – Kenny Chesney
Cake Cutting: You And Me – Dave Matthews Band
Bride/Father Dance: There Goes My Life – Kenny Chesney
Groom/Mother Dance: Never Alone – Jim Brickman feat. Lady Antebellum
Last Dance: Smile – Uncle Kracker
Farewell Song: The Load-Out/Stay – Jackson Browne

The timing of the inquiries I received was surprising – it’s as though five brides suddenly realized that they’ve got six months to go before their wedding day and they should probably secure their entertainment NOW. Unfortunately, now is too late, for me and most of the colleagues that I recommend. But after some quick polling among my Facebook friends and Twitter followers, something else came up – that a well-known and respected wedding website publishes a checklist for brides. And sure enough, six months before your wedding day, they tell you that it’s time to hire a DJ.

I won’t tell you that they’re totally incorrect and that you need to reserve your entertainment three years in advance (although getting my 2015 calendar filled early would be nice). What I will tell you is this: the wedding professionals who truly deserve your business are sometimes booked at least one year in advance. This is especially true if your wedding is taking place during the busy season (here in Southern New England, May, June and July are popular times, but the busiest months for me are actually September and October, when I’m usually booked 12 to 14 months ahead).

Checklists are helpful, and the wedding checklists provided online or in bridal magazines usually cover the basics you’ll need to think about when planning your ceremony and reception. Just remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to getting everything accomplished. In general, it’s best to follow suggested timeframes lightly, and secure most of your wedding vendors sooner rather than later. By doing so, you’ll be saving yourself from unneeded stress as your wedding day gets closer.

This will be my first year exhibiting at this show, and I’m really excited about it – many of my events are taking place in Rhode Island this year, and I’ve been fortunate to network with a number of other great wedding specialists in the Ocean State.  The location, at 950 North Quidnessett Road in North Kingstown, is beautiful, with scenic water views and superb service.  Best of all, it’s just 20 minutes from Providence.

The show will feature six stages and a continuous fashion show, as well as more than 50 vendors showcasing everything you need to plan the perfect Rhode Island wedding.  You can get more information the show by visiting www.ribride.com.  You can also pre-register for the show and receive two complimentary admission tickets (admission at the door is $10).

So then why so few blog posts this year?  This guy’s partly to blame:

Benjamin Mark Lafferty at 2 months

My wife and I recently welcomed a new baby boy  – Benjamin Mark Lafferty.   Actually, he’s almost six months old now.   Balancing a busy schedule and being a loving husband and father of two boys under the age of 3 means that it takes at least six months to get almost anything accomplished (unless it’s kid-related… but dont’ get me wrong, I absolutely love my kids).  Case in point – I started reading Gary Vaynerchuk’s book “The Thank You Economy” in the hospital delivery room, and I’m still stuck in Chapter 1.  Sorry Gary.   Someday I’ll find the time.

Secondly, this website has been a work-in-progress for much of the past year and I didn’t feel comfortable keeping the blog fresh when the rest of the website clearly needed more attention.   Fortunately, things are coming together nicely now… just in time for the END of the 2011 wedding season.  Great timing!

So what’s new?  Let me tell you:

• I’ve entertained at some truly amazing events this year, from Mrs. Zebra’s well-documented reception at the Providence Biltmore to last night’s unbelievable wedding reception at the Pawtucket Country Club.
• I’ve brought some talented people on-board, including my friend Len Palmer.  He’s a terrific pianist and I’m thrilled to have him at some of my events.
• I’ve added some fantastic new options for my clients, including custom music production and color-controlled wireless LED uplighting.  I hope to have some video footage posted soon to explain more about these services.

Finally, this is the biggest reason for the check-in here:  October 2011 marks my 25th year as a working DJ, and I’m extremely proud of this milestone.  I’ll be posting more about that in the coming months, and I’ll also have some new event recaps to share, too.  Stay tuned.

Also, since you’re reading this – be sure to like the B-Sharp Entertainment page on Facebook, as I tend to post a few quick tidbits there each week.

Here’s one that stands out: Amy & Troy’s wedding reception in July 2009.

Amy & Troy had a tradition of doing fun (and slightly over-the-top) things to commemorate special occasions.  So, for their wedding day, the Best Man (Troy’s brother Todd) turned the tables on them, by making their wedding the lead story on the evening news.  At the end of his toast, and in front of 130 guests, he invited the newlyweds to the dance floor, where they sat in front of a large screen to catch the night’s top story, courtesy of NBC10′s Gene Valicenti:

The bride and groom’s reaction?  Priceless.    The audience’s reaction?  Also priceless.   And when it was the best man’s turn to tie the knot in 2010, Amy & Troy sought (and received) personal well-wishes from all of the living U.S. Presidents. The traditions continue!

I put this together a couple of weeks ago, and sent it out to friends on the B-Sharp Facebook page last week – it’s my Spring 2011 Megamix, and it’s 35 minutes of the best music on the radio right now, digitally mixed  in my new home studio.  I’m really proud of this project, and the feedback I’ve received on it has been great so far.  Take a listen – you can check it out right here, or click on the arrow on the right side of the player to download the mp3.  Comments are welcomed.

We’re off to a busy start to 2011 here at B-Sharp, and we just picked up our first award for the new year.  It’s with great pleasure that we announce that we’ve been rated by local brides  and voted The Knot Best of Weddings 2011 Pick in the Rhode Island DJ category.  This is truly an honor, and a testament to the high level personalized service that we provide.  The Knot, in association with their partner site WeddingChannel.com, selects the recipients for this prestigious award based on feedback from previous clients.  We currently have a 5-Star rating on the WeddingChannel website.

A full list of Rhode Island award winners can be found here.

The 2011 Bridal Show starts at noon and runs until 3 PM.  For directions or more information, please visit www.hawthornecountryclub.com