Wedding Advice from Brandywine Valley Talent - View from the Stage

View from the Stage: Creating and Capturing Memories

Kurt Titchenell is President and owner of Brandywine Valley talent, as well as band leader and trombone player for the renowned Philadelphia area dance band Jellyroll.  Kurt has performed and organized the entertainment for more than 1500 weddings over the years.  He has developed a unique perspective on current wedding trends as well as do’s and don’ts.  We hope this insight valuable and interesting as you plan your wedding.  Recently named a wedding expert by Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, Kurt offers advice here on Brandywine Valley Talent’s new “View from the Stage”:

Event planning is all about one thing: creating and capturing special moments. The making of long-lasting memories together is the entire reason behind throwing an event. With that in mind, it is important to note that our memories aren’t always foolproof. Those details that once stood out so clearly to you about your special day may slowly begin to fade…What was the punch line of Uncle Jimmy’s hilarious golfing joke again? Exactly which cousin was it that danced onstage with the band during the reception?

No worries. This happens to the best of us. That’s why you hire the professionals to help you create and capture those memories for you – permanently.

As a bandleader working in the special events industry, I consider it a privilege to create those moments that will later become cherished memories for my clients. I find that some of the best moments tend to come from interactivity between the entertainment and the guests. For example, whenever Jellyroll plays at an event, I make sure to get our singers integrated into the goings-on at said event. Sometimes, they will go and sing to Grandma and Grandpop at their dinner tables. Other times, they will go and tear up the dance floor with the bride and groom. In these ways, I can kill two birds with one stone by setting up a great photo or video opportunity and by making sure that we are putting on a wonderful performance for partygoers.

However, my view isn’t the only one that matters at these events. In order to get a different perspective on the creation of fantastic memories at events, I’ve asked noted photographer, Gabe Fredericks, and videographer, Tim Sudall to offer me their valued opinions on the matter.

Gabe Fredericks is one of the most sought after wedding photographers in the industry. Gabe runs and operates the esteemed Philip Gabriel Photography outside of Philadelphia, which has earned itself a sterling reputation with clients as well as WeddingWire’s Bride’s Choice Awards for the years of 2009, 2010, and 2011.

As owner and president of Video One Productions, Inc . in Havertown, Tim Sudall prides himself on providing his clients with unique and beautiful films of their special days. Video One Productions has received numerous awards and has been recognized by Event DV as one of the top 25 Wedding Film Companies in the World.

Both Gabe and Tim had their own helpful comments to make in regards to the creation of special moments at events they have worked at. Gabe was up first!

Gabe Fredericks, Philip Gabriel Photography

Gabe: My job is all about taking advantage of important moments. Sometimes, I’m in the middle of the action because I want to be able to capture moments of great emotion up close.

At other times, I’m actually responsible for helping to create special moments. During photo shoots, for example, I help to guide the process along by telling some clients to move into the light and others to shift to the front. But a wedding reception is a wedding reception. That’s something that’s going to unfold no matter what I try to do to shape it. So, I just let it be and watch for those moments that are going to matter in the future.

It’s during times like those that I rely on a kick-ass band and entertainers to get the party going and help guests have fun. It’s particularly great to work with other professionals who are aware of what needs to get done. I love when the band and clients are integrated and doing things with one another because it helps to create distinct moments.  For example, I love to capture reaction shots at events that I’m hired for. I had one wedding where the groom got up onstage with the band and sang a song to the bride. Naturally, I took plenty of pictures of the groom singing but I also got several shots of the groom’s parents as they watched their son perform onstage at his own wedding. It was a special moment and it’s something that I’m sure means a lot to them even to this day.

All in all, working a great event is a team effort from everybody involved. We all rely on each other and that chain of communication is a must because without it, we wouldn’t be able to work together to give our clients the best experience imaginable.  

And now to Tim with his input:

Tim Sudall, Video One Productions

Tim: When you work with video, you become a documentarian of life. You learn not to ever create a moment, but to experience them as they happen. My job is about interacting with people and working with them to help them tell their story.

Days go by so fast. Often times, the hosts of the events themselves aren’t actually in the party room. They could be chatting with guests outside or off seeing to some other aspect of the event. That’s when it becomes important for me to be the eyes and ears for them, so that I can capture the moments that they are going to want captured for the future.

There have also been times when I have had to work extra hard to get certain moments to happen. For example, say the Mother and Father of the Bride aren’t feeling up to dancing at the wedding reception. Clients generally want to see a balanced story and they will miss it when they go to watch their wedding film and realize that nobody captured video of their parents dancing. It’s times like those that I may want to talk to somebody close to the family and hint at the idea of them getting the parents on the dance floor. In that way, I can ensure that I’m capturing every important aspect of an event.

Like Gabe said, everyone at an event has a role and works together with the goal of being teammates with everybody. Everyone has their own challenges to work out. The band has a tough job because it’s mostly up to them to manage time and make sure that everyone is having the time of their lives. There’s always going to be hiccups but we all work out the bumps together. And for us, it’s not all about playing great music or recording great video. It’s about learning how to throw a party. When you have a band that integrates with guests and you work with professionals who can communicate and help one another out, then the event is flawless.

I love when I can leave an event and know that I’ve done my job in the best way I know how. My clients can leave the venue knowing that they have just experienced something more than just music, more than just moments. They can leave with memories. And video can provide them with more than just a visual representation of those memories. They can re-watch their videos and actually hear the reception speeches, experience the music of the bride and groom’s first dance. I’ve provided my clients with a way to re-experience the night’s memories by going back and pressing ‘rewind.’ And that makes me proud to do my job.

Well said, gentlemen! Stay tuned for more helpful tips on how to make your event the party of the decade! And, that’s all folks!

 

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View from the Stage: Dos and Don'ts of Announcements

Kurt Titchenell is President and owner of Brandywine Valley talent, as well as band leader and trombone player for the renowned Philadelphia area dance band Jellyroll.  Kurt has performed and organized the entertainment for more than 1500 weddings over the years.  He has developed a unique perspective on current wedding trends as well as do’s and don’ts.  We hope this insight valuable and interesting as you plan your wedding.  Recently named a wedding expert by Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, Kurt offers advice here on Brandywine Valley Talent’s new “View from the Stage”:

Whenever there are a few hundred people in one room on a given day, the likelihood is that you are not the only one for whom that day has a special significance.  The same is true for your wedding.  You will probably have a grandmother with a birthday, a brother who just had a new baby, and a crazy uncle celebrating his promotion to Robert E. Lee in his Civil War reenactment club .  The natural temptation is to try and accommodate everyone by announcing all the special occasions of your guests, but you have to think carefully before doing this.  

If there are three occasions that you know about, there are probably ten more that you don’t know about.  What happens when you announce Grandmom’s 85th birthday, and neglect Aunt Ethyl’ s 90th?  What if you announce that Cousin Jennifer got the lead role in the play, but forget about Cousin Tommy winning the three point shooting contest?  Point being, there are just too many unknowns and announcing one special occasion might ruffle a lot more feathers than it’s worth.  Unless there is something huge that everyone needs to know, it is better to err on the side of caution.

That said, if you have any guests under the age of twelve who happen to be donating their birthday time to your wedding day, you had better have a cake .

This has been another installment of Brandywine Valley Talent’s View from the Stage.  Check back soon for more tips on how not to snub your guests and other important advice for planning your special day!

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The Inaugural View from the Stage: Pacing Your Event

Kurt Titchenell is President and owner of Brandywine Valley talent, as well as band leader and trombone player for the renowned Philadelphia area dance band Jellyroll.  Kurt has performed and organized the entertainment for more than 1500 weddings over the years.  He has developed a unique perspective on current wedding trends as well as do’s and don’ts.  We hope this insight valuable and interesting as you plan your wedding.  Recently named a wedding expert by Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, Kurt offers advice here on Brandywine Valley Talent’s new “View from the Stage”:

When you perform at, and plan as many weddings as Jellyroll, you develop an understanding of the wedding process.  From the planning stage to the last dance of the night, the band leader sees almost everything. Not only do we have the unique pleasure of working with our brides and grooms throughout this process, but we’re usually a foot or two off the ground at the reception.  We have a different perspective literally and figuratively than most others.  It was with this in mind that we decided to start View from the Stage.

To give a few different views from the stage, I have invited Karen Pecora of Karen Pecora Events to chime in and give us her “take “ on our ideas.

Karen Pecora Events has been working with BVT for as long as we all can remember…15-17 years at least.  Jellyroll even played at her wedding 10 years ago.

Karen Pecora Events is a vibrant, fresh thinking event design company which specializes in creating, producing and managing exceptional weddings, events and private parties.  Karen Pecora Events mission is to make your wedding or party experience the least stressful and most exciting time of your life!  They are known for stylish yet elegant events!  You can check them out at www.KarenPecora.com

So let's get started.  For the first every entry of View from the Stage, I want to talk about a most important element in making your wedding reception a success.  It’s not as beautiful as your dress, and it’s not as delicious as what to serve for your main course, but the pacing of your reception is probably the most integral part of creating a great party 

Make sure you discuss the pacing of your event with all relevant parties, including your caterer, your bandleader, and your wedding planner.  You won’t believe how much smoother your wedding will run if everyone is on the same page.

Here are some considerations:

Bridal Party Introductions: Lately, the trend has been moving away from introduction of the entire bridal party.  These announcements, and corresponding preparation can often take much longer than you anticipate, causing your guests to get antsy, while eating into time you could be dancing.  If you have your heart set on introducing the bridal party, make sure you plan ahead.  Nothing stops a reception in its tracks like having to wait for the bridal party to assemble before kicking the night off.  In my experience, it’s a good practice to make the Best Man and the Maid or Matron of Honor the unofficial team captains of the bridal party.  Come up with a game plan beforehand, and let them know that it’s their job to make sure everyone is ready to be lined up on time and in the correct order.  If the band is going to announce the bridal party, you should review the line up this as part of your pre wedding planning meeting.

Karen’s Take:  Of course as a planner I am going to say hire a planner to round up everyone and keep everything moving and organized.  A wedding day coordinator can keep you stress free and allow you, your family and friends to be guests and enjoy the day!  If in the event that you do not hire a planner it is a GREAT idea to assign this to someone.  Another great idea is to ask if your banquet manager at the venue can help with this.  Most venues have extra staff on hand that can help out during this time.  We find that one missing person could potentially hold up the night and conflict with dinner service or worse yet, cut into your time on the dance floor!

Meal: Make sure your bandleader knows exactly how the meal is going to be served.  An experienced bandleader should be able to react on the fly, but for your peace of mind, it is always better to plan ahead.  The itinerary that a band leader develops should be consistent with the catering director’s timeline and you should see this in writing.  Knowing when the courses of a meal are expected will help determine the best plan to maximize open dancing time.

Karen’s Take: I cannot agree enough!!!!

Toasts: If you are going to have several toasts during the reception, make sure to plan them around the night instead of planning the night around the toasts.  Planning is the key to a great party, but when it comes to toasts, flexibility is paramount.  You never want to stop the party for a planned toast.  At any reception, there will be an ebb and flow on the dance floor.  Have your toasts at natural lulls in the party.  This way you will inject the party with some life when it starts to die down, and you won’t derail it when it’s really starting to roll.  Again, plan this as part of the itinerary, but give the band leader flexibility if your goal is to maximize dance time.

Karen’s Take: LISTEN to this advice!  They are GREAT words!  Your evening should flow flawlessly!  Once your catering staff has served a course and when guests are eating it is a nice element of entertainment to have toasts taking place.  This keeps the evening enjoyable but does not conflict with dance time!  Encourage “Group” toasts as well.  It is proper that if parents want to speak they give a “welcome” not an actual toast.  If you have two best men, suggest they give a joint toast.

 These are just a few simple tips to help you pace your event.  If you follow these, you’ll be well on your way to having an exciting night that flows from start to finish.

 Check back soon for more tips on ways to make your wedding the best it can be!

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