Jellyroll Blog

This was another busy week for Jellyroll, including performances at four events! The first event took place on Tuesday evening, July 27^th. Jellyroll performed at the St. Catherine of Sienna festival in Wilmington, DE. The food, rides and games at the festival drew in guests of all ages, and Jellyroll performed tunes that brought them all to the dance floor. It is not often that Jellyroll performs for a crowd that includes so many children. This was a fun experience for them and opportunity to get a little silly.

On Thursday, July 29^th, Jellyroll performed at the Best of the Main Line party at Drexelbrook Catering & Banquet Facility. Jellyroll received the title of “Best of the Main Line” in the entertainment category. Bill Henley, from NBC's the 10 show, acted as emcee for this years party.

Casey McGrath and Brian Grady were married on Saturday, July, 31^st, and Jellyroll was there to perform at the reception! The reception was held at the Scranton Cultural Center. This location is most well known as a premier venue for concerts, plays and ballets, but it is also an elegant site to host a wedding reception. The bride and groom shared their first dance together in the main ballroom of the Center to “Have I Told You Lately” by Rod Stewart. They later danced with their parents to “What a Wonderful World.”  One of our favorite, award winning Photograher friends, Gerard Tomko referred Jellyroll for this event.  The wedding was attended by many of Northeastern Pennsylvania's most influential dignitaries, including Senator Casey.

On Sunday, Jellyroll made their way to Cherry Hill, NJ to the Temple Beth Sholom for the wedding reception of Pamela Baskies and Scott Kramer. This was a traditional Jewish wedding and reception which included a lively Hora and Crowning ceremony.  One of the many highlights: Pamela and Scott were introduced to Jellyroll's rendition of "Hail To The Victors", the Michigan State University then surprised their guests to a very energetic first dance, "Don't Stop Believin".

Many talented professionals were involved in making this wedding a success, including the photographers at Marks Photography, the videographers at Video Coverage, and the florists at Sweet Pea Floral Design.

What a busy, busy week for Jellyroll! The weekend started early for the band with a employee appreciation party on Thursday for PNC Bank at PNC Headquarters. This event actually took place in the early afternoon. It was a rare experience for the band to perform at an event that ended earlier than most others start!

On Friday, July 23^rd, Jellyroll performed at the wedding of Kelly Winther and Tim Sweeney at the Curtis Center. Erin Proud, of Proud to Plan, was the wedding planner for the event. She is a good friend of Jellyroll and it was a pleasure to work with her in coordinating all the details of the evening. Everything went off without a hitch, as can always be expected when Erin is involved!

Jellyroll incorporated some special requests from the bride and groom into the set list including: “Pride & Joy” by Marvin Gaye, “Proud Mary” and “Mustang Sally.” The guests showed their appreciation by staying on the dance floor all night long! Bob and Nancy, the parents of the bride, showed their gratitude, as well, by sharing these kind words, “The feedback from our guests has been phenomenal!  We were EXTREMELY pleased and thank you!”

On Saturday, Jellyroll headed to Atlantic City to perform at a new event venue, One Atlantic. One Atlantic is very unique and modern. This, added to the fact that it is right on the beach, makes it a beautiful location for a wedding reception. The bride and groom, Maureen Callahan and Keith Aucoin, are a match made in heaven! Performing at their wedding was a real pleasure. The couple shared their first dance together to “The One I Love” by David Gray. Later they danced with their parents to “Daddy’s Little Girl” and “My Wish.”

The groom, Keith Aucoin, is MVP of the American Hockey League, and a member of the AHL champion Hershey Bears.  Keith also played in the NHL for the Washington Capitals. It is absolutely true that hockey players can party!  The players were also extremely friendly and respectful!

Here are some pictures of Jellyroll performing at One Atlantic:

Sunday, Jellyroll performed at the wedding of Kate Wittels and Ira Fertig. The reception was held at the Curtis Center. This was Jellyroll’s second appearance at the Curtis Center this weekend! Luckily, the band never grows tired of playing at this beautiful venue. They have really gotten to know the staff here and are always happy for the opportunity to work with them.

The reception was lovely, and guests enjoyed themselves on the dance floor with the bride and groom. The couple requested some “funk” music, and Jellyroll was happy to oblige. The band also played a foxtrot for the grandparents of the bride who have been married for 62 years!

As summer continues, Jellyroll continues performing weddings each weekend!

On Friday, Jellyroll performed at the reception of Kathryn Wojcik and Keith Eckenrode at Talamore Country Club. This fun-loving bride and groom knew they would be having such a good time that they asked to extend the evening an additional half hour before the reception even began! Jellyroll was happy to oblige and kept the party going all night long. Gary Nevitt, of Clair Pruett Studios, was the photographer for the evening and captured shots of the bride and groom dancing the night away. The couple shared their first dance together to "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green.

Saturday, Jellyroll made their way to Lime Spring Farm, in Lancaster, PA, for the wedding of Maggie Bennett and Brian Biggs. Lime Spring Farm is a truly unbelievable location for a wedding reception. Extending the party seemed to be a trend this weekend, as this bride and groom also chose to add an hour to their reception. Again, Jellyroll made sure the party did not stop. Maggie and Brian's first dance was to "Hold On" by Michael Buble. The photographer for the evening was Daniel Mast and Kelly Stedman, of All Things Beautiful, provided the floral designs.

Here are some pictures Jellyroll took at the Bennett-Biggs wedding:

 

Jellyroll performed at two weddings this Fourth of July weekend. The first wedding, of Brigid Coghlan and Christian Johnson, took place on Friday evening at The Desmond Hotel. Jellyroll is very familiar with The Desmond, as they play open-to-the-public events on their outdoor deck throughout the year. Performing in the elegant ballroom at The Desmond was a nice change for the band. Florist, Amy, of Blue Moon, made the room look even more enchanting with her elegant floral designs. David Campli was the photographer for the evening and caught every precious moment shared between the bride and groom. Below are some of the photos taken by David of the band and the crowd dancing along to the sounds of Jellyroll!

On Saturday, Jellyroll made their way to Wilmington, DE to the always breathtaking ballroom of the Hotel du Pont, for the wedding of Lauren Reuter and Jarad Villecco. This upbeat couple danced the night away, along with their guests, to Jellyroll’s renditions of contemporary hits including Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” Their first dance together was to Brad Paisley’s ballad, “Then.”

There were many professionals who worked together to make this wedding as magnificent as it was. A special thank you to wedding planner, Erin Proud, photographer Jennifer Childress, videographer Martin’s Video, and, of course, Jennifer Houser and the rest of the Hotel du Pont staff.

On Friday, June 25^th, Jellyroll performed at the wedding of Mike Salimbene and Eileen LaFauci at the beautiful and always classy, Rittenhouse Hotel. Special thanks to Lori for coordinating such a wonderful reception!  Mike and Eileen were all smiles, from the ceremony to the cocktail hour and into their first together as husband wife to Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You.” Who couldn’t help falling in love with this fun bride and groom? The guests at the wedding were also having as good of a time as the couple as everyone filled the dance floor. Jellyroll kept the party going by playing such favorites as “Come on Eileen” and “Don’t Stop Believing.” Congrats Eileen and Mike!

Saturday evening, Jellyroll performed at the wedding of another great couple, Meredith Goeller and Charlie Gerbron. The wedding was held at a venue familiar to the Jellyroll band, the Hotel du Pont. The ballroom looked as spectacular as ever thanks to the wonderful hotel staff, andthe floral arrangements brought in by Flowers by Yukie. Cliff Mautner was the photographer for the event, and he captured some great photos of the couple and their guests enjoying themselves on the dance floor! And Jellyroll kept them dancing! Special dances included:  “How Sweet It Is” as the bride and groom’s first dance, and “You Are My Sunshine” and “Circle Game” for the parent dances.

Cliff was able to capture some great images of the band! Check them out!

Jellyroll ended the weekend on Sunday with another amazing wedding! Angela Pica and Todd Oandasan held their reception at the Crystal Tea Room. As always, it was a pleasure working with Nicole, of Finley Catering. Alan Harris was the photographer and videographer. The popular and talented florists at Ten Pennies supplied the floral arrangements. There were many special dances at this wedding, as the groom could not choose a favorite for the couple! Their first dance together was to “King and Queen of Hearts,” but they danced together again, along with their guests to “Gotta Believe in Magic” and “Storybook Love.”

The Nemours Children's Hospital in Wilmington, DE hosted its annual Black Tie Fundraising Gala on Friday, June 18th. The event included cocktails, dinner, and dancing to the sounds of Jellyroll! The Nemours Hospital does so much for the children and families that visit the hospital, and Jellyroll was pleased to be a part of their fundraising efforts. All net proceeds from the event went to the Hospital's Trauma Center.

Here are some pictures of the band performing on the Hospital's Mansion Grounds!

On Saturday, June 19th, Jellyroll performed at the wedding of Kristen Linge and Ryan Schoenfeld at the beautiful, Hotel du Pont. Thanks Jillian and the rest of the Hotel staff for organizing and facilitating a fantastic reception! Ron Soliman,of Litrato Photo, was the photographer for the evening and Derek Dienner, of Lavon Films, was the videographer.

Photographer, Ron Soliman, was able to capture some truly special moments between the bride and groom.

Special dances for this wedding included the classic love song by Elvis, "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You," as well as "Unforgettable" by Natalie Cole and "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban.

On Friday, June 11th, Jellyroll performed at the Moonlight & Roses Gala at the Morris Arboretum. Proceeds from this event support the Arboretum's Summer Concert Series. This was Jellyroll's eighth consecutive year appearing at the Gala, and they are proud of their partnership. The Gala seems to get bigger and more fun each year. This year was no exception, as the dance floor was packed all night! Jellyroll was able to kick off a summer of fantastic concerts and live music for the Arboretum!

Below are some pictures from the event.

On Saturday, Jellyroll made their way to the lovely and luxurious, Rittenhouse Hotel, for the wedding of Rachel Kuehn and Brian Kill. The Rittenhouse is top of the line when it comes to wedding venues in the Philadelphia area. Each wedding held there is beautiful and exquisite. This June wedding was no exception. Bruce and the rest of the staff at the Rittenhouse were a pleasure to work with, as always. Other prominent professionals who played a part in this wedding and reception were photographer, Cliff Mautner, videographer, Dave Williams of CinemaCake, and the lighting professionals at Toner Sound. The famous and talented, Queen of Hearts, were the wedding planners.

Rachel and Brian shared their first dance together as husband and wife to "Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillatt. This song is about being in love with your best friend and is a romantic and sweet first dance song. Nice choice, Rachel and Brian! Other important songs for the evening included: Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" and Boyz 2 Men's "Mama."

Sunday, Jellyroll had the oppurtunity to perform at a party for some very special friends at a private affair in West Chester. The band was excited about this event, not only because they would be performing for such close friends, but because the fun and casual setting was a nice change of pace from the more formal and structured affairs the band is used to playing. It was a great way to end a fantastic weekend!

Jellyroll was super excited to perform at the premiere opening of the newest exhibit at the Franklin Institute showcasing Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile! The Franklin Institute is the first stop on the international tour for the Cleopatra exhibit, making it an even greater honor for Jellyroll to be a part of this event. The band was able to catch a sneak peak of the exhibit before getting on stage, and did it look spectacular! Definitely try and make it out to see the exhibit for yourself if you get a chance! As for the premiere party, there was delicious food, creative cocktails, and of course lots and lots of dancing! Jellyroll started the night by performing the Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian," and continued playing up-beat, high energy music throughout the night. Dr. Wint, president and CEO of the Franklin Institute, made a speech remarking on what an honor it was to host the exhibit and acknowledging all the dignitaries in attendance.

The dress for the evening was "creative cocktail attire." Everyone in attendance was dressed to the nines, and some guests took the "Cleopatra" theme to the next level by dressing in costume. Everyone looked fabulous! There was even a live actor dressed as Cleopatra on site. Guests had the opportunity to have their picture taken with the Queen of the Nile. All in all, it was a fun evening at a cool venue. Special thanks to Maani Waldor, the special events coordinator, for pulling together all of the evening's details. Jellyroll hopes to be back at the Franklin Institute soon!

Below are some pictures taken by talented photographer, Edward Savaria Jr., at the event.

May is always a popular month in the event industry. The blooming flowers, green trees, and wonderful weather create the perfect atmosphere for weddings, galas, and special events. This May was no exception, and Jellyroll was busy, busy, busy performing at TEN events over the course of the month!

May 1st- Jellyroll, along with a DJ, emcee, and four dancers, performed at the bar mitzvah of Robert Hoffman. The event took place at the Buck Hotel, and Jellyroll really rocked the house! Guests, both young and old, couldn't be kept off the dance floor. Marlene, from Confetti, was the planner for the evening and provided the elaborately appropriate decor. Mazol tov, Robert!

May 8th- Amy Reindl and Joe Pollaci held their wedding at the always classicly elegant, Hotel du Pont. Jennifer Houser was the planner for the event and the band's primary contact at the hotel. She was wonderful to work with and pulled together all of the evening's details without a hitch! The photographer for the evening was the talented, Cliff Mautner. Dan Scofield, of Spring Gardens Video, provided the videography. The bride and groom shared their first dance to "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by Frankie Vallie. Later in the evening, the bride danced with her father to "Landslide." The groom and his mother shared a special dance to "My Girl," a song they have been dancing together to since 1988.

May 14th- Jack Shield's 60th Birthday Party/was held at the Ramada Inn, Vineland, NJ.  Jack originally saw Jellyroll perform last year at the Levitsky wedding, held at Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Hotel.  After the wedding, Jack told BVT owner and Jellyroll bandleader, Kurt Titchenell, that the band had to perform at his 60th.  Of course, the band obliged!!

May 15th- Jellyroll headed to Keenan Motors in Doylsetown, PA for the wedding of Christina Peruta and Kevin Post. Kevin and Christina looked nothing less than phenomenal as they danced together across the reception hall to Jack Johnson's "Better Together" for their first song. They continued to look great and have a great time, along with their guests, throughout the rest of the evening. Familiar faces, Cliff Mautner, of CM Photography, and Tim Sudall, of Video One Productions, provided the photography and videography for this wedding. Tim posted a great video of Jellyroll performing with Chez Vito Strings at this wedding on his site. Check it out! 

May 20th- Jellyroll performed at "Cheers to Charlie," a gala supporting the Heart Institute of Doylestown Hospital and honoring Charlie Manuel. Jellyroll was truly honored to be a part of this event. Read the full blog highlighting all the details, "Jellyroll Cheers for Charlie."

May 22nd- Cescaphe Ballroom is a beautiful and upscale venue in Philadelphia's chic Northern Liberties section, frequently performed at by many BVT bands. Jellyroll was happy to make an appearance here for the wedding reception of Lauren Senesac and Giancarlo Ciccarone.  Cescaphe not only provides a picturesque setting for a wedding reception, but they also provide excellent cuisine and offer the services of their own top-notch florist, Alicia, of Il Fiore Bianco. Photography for the event was provided by Frank Barbera. Frank captured all of the special moments of the reception, including a special dance shared between the groom's grandparents who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary just two days prior to Lauren and Giancarl's wedding. And he of course captured the bride and groom dancing together, as well, to their first song, "All the Way" by Frank Sinatra and Celine Dion. The groom and his mother danced together to "What a Wonderful World," and Lauren's father surprised her by choosing "Thank Heaven For Little Girls", a song learned by Jellyroll specifically for this event, for their special dance together.

Here are some picture's Jellyroll's bandleader, Kurt, was able to take of Lauren and Giancarlo's wedding.

 

May 23rd- Adrienne Jerud and Adam Rosenthal were married at the beautiful new Congregation Beth El, in Voorhees, NJ.  BVT's Stringsations performed as a string trio for this beautiful Jewish wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. The doors then opened to Jellyroll performing a high-energy 20 minute Hora for the bride, groom and their guests.  The bride and groom later shared a very special first dance to "You Are The Sunshine of My Life".  Another highlight included the father of the bride, Dr. Jerud's speech which included a surprise, where Jellyroll performed a portion of Sam Cooke's "What A Wonderful World It Would Be".  This was coordinated in advance and resulted in a very special moment.  Jellyroll also learned a special version of Sinatra's "I Get A Kick Out Of You" for Adrienne and Dr. Jerud's special dance.  Our friend, Michael Leslie was the photographer and Video One handled the video.  The ballroom at Beth El looked specatacular thanks to the beautiful decor supplied by Carol Powers Gordon.  Betty The Caterer was the Kosher Caterer, and as always, Peter and his staff surpassed all expectations and was a total pleasure to work with.

May 28th- Radley Run Country Club is an exquisite, family-oriented club that takes pride in its beauty and its members. On May 28th, Jellyroll performed at their Summer kick off event for the third consecutive year. The event was a lot of fun. Everyone in attendance seemed to be truly enjoying themselves, and Jellyroll had a great time performing!

May 29th- Jellyroll made their way to center city Philadelphia to the Hyatt at the Bellevue for the wedding of Amy Alsentzer and Patrick Whitworth. Stringsations, another BVT musical group, provided the ceremony music. Then, Jellyroll took over for the cocktail hour and reception! Special dances for the evening included "Save Room" by John Legend, "I Loved Her First" by Heartland, and "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders.  Special thanks to Lisa McGraw, Rich and the entire Hyatt at The Bellevue staff for helping Jellyroll make this such a memorable evening!

Here are some pictures Kurt took at the Hyatt.

 

May 30th-  For the third time during the month of May, Jellyroll performed at the Hotel du Pont. The atmosphere and setting of the Hotel is perfect for each wedding held there, and the wedding of Rachel Dein and Greg Dolsky was no exception. Jillian Cournouyer, was the band's primary contact at the Hotel for this event, and working with her is always a pleasure. Phil Drucker was the photographer, and Norman Einhorn, of Unique Video, provided the videography. The beautiful floral arrangments were brought in by Carl Alan Creations. The flowers and room looked beautiful, but nothing could compared to the lovely bride as she shared her first dance with her new husband to Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight." 

 

 

 

On Thursday, May 20th, Jellyroll partnered with the Philadelphia Phillies and CBS Sports Radio by performing at "Cheers to Charlie," a benefit honoring beloved Phillies' manager, Charlie Manuel. The members of Jellyroll, along with everyone at the BVT office, are huge Phillies fans, so the opportunity to perform at this event was truly an honor. The fact that proceeds from the event went to such a great cause, the Heart Institute at Doylsetown Hospital , was an added bonus.

"Cheers to Charlie" took place at Finley Catering's always beautiful and elegant, Crystal Tea Room. Miguel was the maitre d'. As always, he handled all the details of the evening with detailed precision. A special thanks goes out to Joe Zarzulo, of CBS Sports, and Corie Moscow, of Gloss PR, for their central roles in the planning and execution of the event.

Guests at the event had the opportunity to meet and receive autographs from the fabulous Charlie Manuel, along with some select Phillies players, Kyle Kendrick, Placido Polanco and Ryan Madson. Other superstars in attendance of this event, were the hosts and MCs for the evening, former special teams, all pro Philadelphia Eagles line backer, Ike Reese, and Phillies' all star reliever, Ricky Bottalico.

Ike, Charlie and Ricky on stage

 

Along with mingling with top-notch athletes, guests enjoyed fabulous food, cocktails, and of course dancing to the sounds of Jellyroll! One highlight of the evening was when Tony Luke, owner of the famous Philly sandwich institution, joined Jellyroll on stage to sing a special song for Charlie along with guitarist/song writer, Skip Denenberg.

 

And how could we forget, the biggest personality of all that was in attendance, the Philly Fanatic!

 

Here are some more pictures of Jellyroll performing at "Cheers to Charlie!"

 

Charlie Manuel addressing the crowd!