Joy and Brendan Dance the Night Away!

Date: September 4th

Location: Greentree Club, New Rochelle, NY

First Dance: Everything, Michael Bublé

Special Dedication: I Wanna Be There, Blessid Union of Souls (played and sung to Joy by Brendan with a little help from Nite-Time)

Joy and Brendan had a lot of fun planning their wedding, and we had a lot of fun being a part of it. Music was an incredibly important part of the day for both of them. Their bridal party entrances were a well orchestrated event in and of themselves.

Brendan got two of his cousins to do all of the announcing, which was a very nice personal touch that we’ve seen a few times in the past couple of years. (It’s a great way to include more people in your big day, especially if you have a large family, like both Brendan and Joy). They had a fairly large bridal party which included parents and sponsors, which is a tradition in Filipino culture. For their parents and sponsors they chose the song I Feel Good by James Brown, which segued into Dynamite by the Taio Cruz for the bridal party.

For their own entrance they worked with Yves to come up with an arrangement of Don’t Stop Believing by Journey into What I Like About You by The Romantics. The band played the section of Don’t Stop Believing that has that iconic guitar lick, which crescendos right into two strong accented hits by the full band, just as Joy and Brendan entered. From there we kicked right into What I Like About You and the couple danced to a verse of that. At that point, the lights shifted and Yves switched into DJ mode to play a mix that Brendan customized himself for a dance number that the bridal party joined in on. I must say, these folks brought it on the dance floor. They choreographed the whole dance themselves and put on a show for all of the guests (and the band). I was seriously impressed with all of their dancing skills. It was a great way to set the tone for a night of dancing and celebration!

After the intros, things slowed down for a heartwarming moment between Joy and Brendan, the first dance, Everything by Michael Bublé.  Half way through the song all the guests were asked to join in and everyone was ready to hit the floor!

When Brendan proposed to Joy he did so in the park with guitar in hand, serenading her with the song I Wanna Be There by Blessid Union of Souls. We weren’t there for that part obviously, but when Brendan wanted to surprise Joy with a recreation of that moment at their wedding reception we were excited to be a part of it, and Brendan was excited when he found out that I had written with Blessid Union’s producer a few years back. Nite-Time backed Brendan up as he serenaded Joy, who ended up joining in herself for some harmonies.

Another tradition we saw come back a bit this year is the money dance. I, for one, am all for it! If you’ve never seen this done it’s actually quite fun and can be pretty humorous. The couple gets out on the dance floor and the band starts up the music (we played several money themed songs). Meanwhile their guests line up on the floor with cash in hand, ready to pin it to the clothing of the happy couple. (If you try this, I would suggest doing what Joy did, tie an extra ribbon around you to pin the cash to, thus saving the dress).  This is supposed to give them a helping hand to start their life together. I wish we had done it at our wedding! It’s so simple, so fun and totally interactive…

I wasn’t kidding when I said the music was very important to Joy and Brendan, they chose I Just Called to Say I Love You for Brendan to dance to with his mom, and My Girl for Joy to dance to with her dad, during which Brendan cut in. My Girl went right into The Way You Do the Things You Do and launched another great dance set. That brought us right to the cake cutting, the bouquet and the garter. Joy and Brendan embraced all of these wedding traditions and chose a great classic for each one. The cake? Sugar Sugar by The Archies. Bouquet? Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Garter? Pretty Woman.

We had such fun with Joy and Brendan from our first meeting to the last note of the night, because they had fun and enjoyed the planning process together. We wish them all the best of everything life has to offer, and I’m sure they’ll have just the right soundtrack behind each moment!

Nicole and Arnaud Weather the Storm…

Date: 8/27/11

Location: The Candlewood Inn, Brookfield, CT

First Dance: The classic jazz standard, That’s All

Number of Approaching Hurricanes: 1

Nicole found us online in the midst of the Holiday season and booked us before the new year started.

During the last week of August we were all watching Hurricane Irene as it swirled up the coast, but none so closely as Nicole and Arnaud. Their wedding was scheduled for the weekend that Irene was projected to make landfall…in the early morning hours of August 28th…in New York City… about 60 miles from their wedding venue. Yikes!

The morning of the wedding Nicole called Yves to “make sure you guys are still coming”. “Of Course” was his reply. Apparently several guests would be unable to make it to the wedding because of travel restrictions, and Nicole was worried that the band might fall into that category. Never! We knew what was coming and all planned to head out early to beat the storm to Nicole and Arnaud’s wedding. After the wedding? We would cross that bridge when we came to it.

The ceremony had been planned for outside overlooking a beautiful lake…

But, by the time the ceremony rolled around the view from inside looked like this…

No worries though, the good folks at The Candlewood Inn have seen weather before, so plan B was enacted and the ceremony was set up in the main reception room with just a little bit of adjustment. The guests would have thought that was the way it was planned. Once we were all safely inside (a few guests short) the ceremony went off with out a hitch. Nicole and Arnaud, a mixed religion couple, had both a Rabbi and a Minister present who worked extremely well together. The ceremony was touching and heartfelt with some humorous and lighthearted moments thrown in. Solo classical piano was the perfect backdrop to it all.

Solo piano continued for the cocktail hour, but switched genres to light jazz. Appetizers were passed while the room was reset from ceremony to reception seamlessly. At this point I think most of us forgot there was a storm bearing down on the east coast, nonetheless, Nicole offered to get us all hotel rooms if anyone needed to stay. It was truly gracious of her, and if she was stressed out by the storm in any way she sure didn’t show it.

As the cocktail hour ended and we transitioned to reception it was time to get the dancing started with Nicole and Arnaud’s first dance, That’s All. This beautiful jazz standard love song is a perfect choice for a first dance. Check out the lyrics, they would make great wedding vows! From That’s All we went into a hora medley to wish the bride and groom good luck.

People really got into dancing that night to all kinds of music. We went, as usual, from Van Morrison to Ke$ha and back again. All the hurdles of the storm had been overcome, the news was that it was slowing down, so most people would be able to get back home and everyone cut loose!

 

Even Yves!

We played until midnight and beat the storm back home by a few hours…

We were very lucky during Hurricane Irene. We made it home safely, we were able to be there to celebrate with Nicole and Arnaud and we didn’t suffer any losses from storm damage. That’s not true for a lot of our neighbors here in the northeast, a lot of whom are still struggling to overcome the losses they suffered and will continue to do so for quite some time. To find out how you can help the victims of Hurricane Irene go to: www.facebook.com/Support4CatskillMtns

Several weeks later, Nicole posted this review on our WeddingWire.com page…

AMAZING BAND! PROFESSIONAL. FLEXIBLE. Extensive song list. Yves worked with us during the planning stages. He is friendly, easy to communicate with and I had complete confidence in their service from the moment we first spoke. They were EVERYTHING that we could have wanted, and more! We would absolutely hire them again in the future. There is nothing that they could have done better or differently. We were extremely impressed and so were our guests. THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Hillary and Brian in Twilight Park!

Date: August, 21

Location: Twilight Park, Haines Falls, NY

First Dance: God Only Knows, The Beach Boys

We met Hillary and Brian through Hillary’s parents Karen and Larry, who had seen us at the Greene County Council on the Arts annual Beaux Arts Ball at Hunter Mountain. They enjoyed getting down to Nite-Time at the event so much that they thought we would be a perfect fit for their daughter’s wedding in nearby Twilight Park.

Like many of our weddings this past summer, rain was in the forecast for the day, which threatened to put a damper (literally) on the beautiful outdoor ceremony setting. The morning started with heavy rains and cloudy skies, but the sun arrived, seemingly out of nowhere, just in time for the ceremony (the only portion of the event that was scheduled to be held outside). If I didn’t know any better, I would say we’re good luck when it comes to outdoor events, the rain holding off has been an ongoing theme of this year…

After the ceremony, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served on the porch of the main cabin where the reception was to take place. Hillary and Brian opted for solo piano for the hour. It was a lovely back drop to the delicious apps, signature pink lemonade cocktails and breathtaking views…

Shortly after the cocktail hour ended, the rain returned, but it didn’t matter, because we were all safely inside for the reception, dinner and dancing. We got the dancing started with Hillary and Brian’s first dance God Only Knows by the Beach Boys, a unique choice on their part, and really a lot of fun for the band to perform (the vocal breakdown section at the end was a challenge we were all psyched to meet). After that we launched into a medley of horas and then we were off and running.

Hillary and her mom Karen, did an amazing job of decking the place out for the wedding. Hillary mentioned to her mother that she would love centerpieces of snapdragons (one of my favorite flowers) and white birch. Karen got to work and made the most beautiful centerpieces that she accented with succulents that the guests were invited to take home after the event. Mine are thriving by the way, thanks guys!

All in all it was another great wedding with a wonderful couple in an amazing setting. Hillary and Brian had a great time as did their parents, family and friends. The rain held off while we were all outside and once we moved indoors there was so much dancing and revelry that I don’t think anyone noticed the occasional showers outside!

Hillary sent Yves a note of thanks a couple of weeks ago, check out A Thank You from Hillary and Brian on our review page.

Janet and Josh, Dancing All Night in Camp Hill!

Date: August 13th

Location: West Shore Country Club, Camp Hill, PA

First Dance: Manhattan by Kings of Leon

 

Janet and Josh found us online back in February, they had been looking for a band to play their wedding in Camp Hill, PA, a suburb of Harrisburg, and they were psyched when they found out we were available. As was the case most of this summer, there was a bit of rain that day, but they didn’t let it get them down. Their outdoor cocktail hour went off without a hitch, after the addition of a tent to the lawn at the West Shore Country Club. Their guest enjoyed passed appetizers and cocktails along with light background piano music, which was mostly scaled down versions of classic rock tunes with a few modern twists.

After cocktails everyone moved inside for dinner, Janet and Josh’s first dance, Manhattan, was a great way to start the evening. They did an amazing job getting it going with their solo dance after which we went right into a pre-salad dance set! Both Josh and Janet wanted to get everyone up and dancing, so we made sure that’s just what happened.

After dinner, Josh danced with his mother to In My Life by The Beatles. It was a touching moment for everyone, that song is just so perfect for a mother/son dance. Next came Janet’s dance with her dad, and I love their pick! They chose to get the dancing started again by shakin’ it to Get Down Tonight by KC and the Sunshine Band. Janet asked that Yves invite everyone to join them on the floor half way through the dance, which was a great way to kick off another rockin’ set of dance music. We hit on some modern dance hits from Ke$ha and Rihanna as well as 80′s classics like Billie Jean, complete with guest vocalist (one of Janet’s work colleagues totally nailed it).

Janet and Josh were a vibrant, fun loving and gracious bride and groom, they were a lot of fun and we had a great time working with the two of them. I love it when the bride and groom dance all night, and they certainly did.

Check out our YouTube channel for a great video of their first dance, Manhattan.

Amanda & Ryan on the bay in Bar Harbor.

Date: August 6th

Location: Bar Harbor Club, Bar Harbor, ME

First Dance: Fly Me to the Moon

Number of meals consumed that contained lobster that weekend: 7!!

Amanda and Ryan live and work in CT, but fell in love with Bar Harbor when they went there for a weekend trip a few years back. When Ryan popped the question, they knew it was the only place to throw their dream destination wedding. Ryan contacted us to come up to play after seeing us online and reading reviews, we were thrilled that they had chosen us to be a part of their big day. I, for one, had never been to Bar Harbor and so Yves and I made a weekend out of it and it was great.

View from the hotel pool.

Amanda and Ryan chose the Bar Harbor Club for their wedding because of it’s beautiful view of the bay and it’s convenient downtown location. Once you get there you can walk to everything, which is great after the long drive, and makes it a perfect spot for a destination wedding. The couple scheduled events throughout the weekend, but of course the biggest was the wedding itself.

For the ceremony they had a quartet of flute, piano and two violins (who joined us from the Bangor Symphony) which played classical selections such as Suite IV from Handel’s Water Music and Pachelbel’s Canon in D.

Classical quartet for ceremony.

When it came time for the cocktail hour the pianist and flutist stayed on to play some light jazz which set the backdrop for mingling, munching and cocktails. The fact that the weather was gorgeous that day helped out as well. In a month of rainy days here in the northeast, Amanda and Ryan really lucked out. The rain (which had been forecast for that afternoon) held off until the next day, which allowed them to take advantage of the outdoor space and the beautiful views.

The ceremony site, moments before the wedding.

The reception kicked off with their first dance, the classic, Fly Me to the Moon and ramped up from there. As always, the dance floor was packed to the edge all night. Ryan really wanted Yves to play a drum solo and so he obliged. Everyone loved it, even the band. It’s been a long time since someone requested a drum solo. I got so into it that I forgot to take a picture! (I think Yves had fun doing it too.) Other musical highlights included the song Free by Zac Brown Band, which Amanda and Ryan requested for their cake cutting, but ended up dancing to anyway…

We mixed it up a lot for Amanda and Ryan, like a lot of our couples they have eclectic taste in music, so we mashed up a little bit of everything from Usher to The Beatles! The evening was a huge success and we all had a lot of fun up in Bar Harbor.

More Beautiful Views!

One of the amazing flower arrangements at the cocktail hour!

So, about the lobster…

Shore Dinner!

Lobster Cobb Salad

Lobster Eggs Benedict

Lobster Sliders

Capellini with Lobster

And because I told Yves that no one would ever see this pic…

Good Times

Chris and Katie, Happily Ever After!

Date: June 11th

Location: The Waterview, Monroe, CT

First Dance: You and Me, Dave Matthews Band

Chris and Katie are an adorable couple, very sweet, generous of spirit and a pleasure to work with. They made some notable selections as far as special songs. Katie wanted the Theme from Sex and the City for her bouquet toss, which I thought was fun and showed her upbeat nature and sense of humor, and I guess that could also be said for Chris’ choice for the garter of Welcome to the Jungle! I love when people think outside the box for things like that.

Huge fans of all things Disney, the couple got engaged at Disney World, and so for their cake cutting they chose the song Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast. It was a sweet moment. We didn’t know the details when they first picked the song, but it all made sense when we heard the best man and maid of honor’s speeches.

Like a lot of our couples they wanted variety when it came to the song list. Katie is a fan of more contemporary artists while Chris likes a lot of classic rock and alternative. For their parent dances they chose two of my favorite picks. Lullabye by Billy joel was perfect for Katie to dance to with her dad, and when Chris and his mom spun around the floor to Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole there wasn’t a dry eye in the house!

You and Me was a perfect choice for a first dance, and we were happy to get to play it again. It’s not one that comes up too often, and we hadn’t had a request for it since Maribeth and Gary back in September. It’s a great song that gets the party started on a high note!

…and speaking of a high note! Chris and Katie had the most rockin’ dessert of any wedding we’ve done so far this year. In addition to traditional dessert and wedding cake, they had an amazing array of candy! Yes, candy! There was a beautifully done table of every imaginable kind of candy that guests were welcome to stock up on. Everything from Pixi Stix to full size Twix was there and it was a trip. People kept saying they felt like kids again. This is the best pic I could get through the feeding frenzy…

Lisa and Rafael, “Cause Down the Shore Everything’s Alright…”

Date: 6/4/2011

Location: Matisse Restaurant, On the Beach in Belmar, NJ

First Dance: Such Great Heights, Iron and Wine

Ceremony: Right on the sand!

Lisa and Rafael are an adorable couple that wanted a beach wedding, and boy did they get one! The day was perfect. The sun was shining, it wasn’t too hot and they chose a wonderful location for their wedding. Matisse Restaurant is right on the boardwalk in Belmar, NJ just a few miles south of Asbury Park and the legendary Stone Pony, where Bruce Springsteen got his start.

The ceremony took place right on the sand. They had a friend perform it and play a little guitar as well. One of the highlights was the sand ceremony which has become very popular in the last few years. (Yves and I did one at our wedding, which was also beachy). The sand ceremony symbolizes the joining together forever of the couple’s lives. Two containers of sand are poured into one larger container, the sand can then never be separated again. It’s actually quite beautiful.

Inside, they set the tables up in more of a family style setting with long rows of tables so more people could dine together. There wedding was small and intimate, so this set up was really great for the guests.

The decor was vibrant and joyful with a “Lemon, Lime Orange” theme that ran throughout the place settings, and bridal party dress. It complimented the beachy background wonderfully.

Musically, Lisa and Rafael liked a lot of different things, including Beatles, Rihanna and Neil Diamond. Their first dance was a first for us and I though it was a great choice. Such Great Heights by Iron and Wine got things started off right. They served lunch buffet style, so we kept the music light in the beginning and then ramped up to a dance set of all of their favorites. Even Lisa’s 90 year old grandmother got up to dance! We played a taratella at her request and she got down! Honestly, when Lisa’s aunt pointed out that Grandma was 90 I was shocked. She really did not look it, and she certainly didn’t move like it…

We had a great time working with Lisa and Rafael and the amazing staff at Matisse. Believe it or not that was my first trip to the Jersey Shore, and I can’t wait to go back! There wasn’t a Snooki in sight!

Yves and Lisa at the end of the party!

A candid moment while Lisa and Rafael listened to their Best Men toast them!

Lindsay, Justin and the Amazing Technicolor Cupcakes!

Date: 11/6/10

Location: Prospect House, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

First Dance: That’s How Strong My Love Is, Otis Redding

Number of different kinds of cupcakes: 5, yes 5!

Lindsay and Justin are both Princeton grads, they’re tall and adorable and looked like models from a wedding magazine all night!

The First Dance

We first met Lindsay and Justin at the annual PCDI event we do down in Princeton. The good folks at the Princeton Child Development Institute were nice enough to let them peek in to check out the band. We got a chance to talk on our break and hit it off instantly. Maybe it’s a tall person thing. I don’t know.

Lindsay and Justin had their wedding reception at the historic Prospect House on the campus of their alma mater, Princeton. It’s a beautifully restored Italianate Victorian mansion that was built circa 1850. Yves and I were enthralled the minute we saw the place, since we have been renovating a French Second Empire Victorian built circa 1882 for the past three years and we still have a few years of work left!

The fireplace in the rear parlor.

The reception was done in an increasingly popular, European style. We played background music, sometimes just one or two of us at a time until dinner was finished and then we ramped up the dancing starting with Lindsay and Justin’s first dance, That’s How Strong my Love Is by Otis Redding (great pick).

We took one brief break for the cake cutting, or shall I say the introduction of the most delicious wedding cupcakes ever into our lives (I say that, acknowledging fully, that Yves and I also had cupcakes at our wedding). Now, I generally stay away from dessert at the events that we do. If I ate cake every time it was offered to me I would weigh 300 pounds! So, when Lindsay offered us cupcakes I graciously passed mine along to the guys in the band. At least that was the plan. There were five different kinds of cupcakes, and when Danny and Bill started oo-ing and ahh-ing over them I was intrigued. So, I wrangled a bite from Yves. These cupcakes tasted even better than they looked – and they looked great! Lindsay told me that they were made by the in house caterers at the Prospect House, Restaurant Associates.

Once dessert was served we went back to rocking the house. Lindsay, Justin and their guests danced the night away, but I’d like to give a special shout out to the man who married them, Paster Yoder. Not only did he quote Snoopy in his blessing stating, “to dance is to live”, but he clearly practices what he preaches. I think I was half way through the first verse of Bad Romance when I looked out and saw the nimble man of the cloth deftly cutting quite a rug on the dance floor. Paster Yoder, you are welcome to rock my dance floor any time!

-Amy

Stephanie and Adam

Date: 10/2/10

Location: Roton Point, Rowayton, CT

First Dance: Nobody But Me, Lou Rawls

Stephanie and Adam’s wedding was quite unique and a lot of fun for the guests and the band. First off, it was in one of the most beautiful settings we’ve encountered this season. Right on the water on Roton Point in Rowayton, CT.

 

View of the LI Sound

 

 

The Ceremony

 

 

 

 

 

The sun was shining off of the bay when the guests first arrived, which gave the perfect back drop to Stephanie and Adam’s ceremony, which was personalized by several readings from friends and family. It adds so much to have these personal touches as part of the ceremony.

 

 

 

 

The format that Stephanie and Adam chose for their reception was a bit different from the norm. It’s a great way to do it though, more of a European style wedding.

 

Guests Cocktailing

 

 

 

 

 

They chose to have their cocktail hour directly after the ceremony, which is pretty standard, but they served dinner in it’s entirety, family style, before any dancing took place.

 

Tables Set Beautifully for Family Dinner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the cocktail hour they chose solo guitar to set the tone for guests to mingle, have a drink (or two) and sample some delicious appetizers.

 

 

 

 

During dinner the upright bass and saxophone were added to the solo guitar to form a jazz trio that was the perfect backdrop to their meal.

 

Bill, Danny & Richard Jazzing Out

 

What I haven’t mentioned up to this point is that Adam is Australian, and there is a tradition in Australia that you have a friend MC the event. We’ve encountered this tradition before, but not so hilariously as we did when their friends Craig and Joe took the mic that night. They had the group in stitches with stories and jokes about the happy couple that they interspersed with the music.

After dinner Nite-Time‘s full compliment of musicians took over. Starting with Stephanie and Adam’s first dance, we proceeded to play dance music that kept the crowd up and moving until the end of the night. It was another successful wedding for another great and unique couple.

One more fun fact: at the end of the night we said goodbye to Stephanie and Adam and asked Adam where they were going on their honeymoon. He told us he could not divulge any details, because it was a secret still well hidden from Stephanie. Too intriguing!  As Adam put it, “she’ll find out when we get to the airport.” I still wonder where they went. I’ll have to ask when they get back!

Amy

Maribeth and Gary

Date: 9/18/10

Location: Tarrytown, NY

First Dance: You and Me, Dave Matthews Band

Maribeth and Gary are an incredibly fun and energetic couple. They danced non-stop all night, as is evidenced by the collection of blurry dancing pictures I have of them.

Good thing they had the folks from All That’s Video and Photography there to get the real pics!  Maribeth had an in, since her dad owns the company. They’re real pros that have been providing photo and video services in the area since 1986. They were great to work with and so were Maribeth and Gary. An easygoing and fun loving couple, these two just wanted to dance, and dance they did. After the party Gary confided in me that he wasn’t a huge Lady Gaga fan, until we segued from the Black Eyed Peas, I Gotta Feelin’ right into Bad Romance. Gary, I promise if you make it down to Pete’s Saloon for the show on Oct. 8th I’ll kick a little acoustic Paparazzi!

Seriously though, I’m used to seeing our brides and grooms dance their newlyweds butts off, but not as much as these two. They even whipped the band into a frenzy!

Yves jamming out at Maribeth and Gary's wedding!

We had a great time playing for them and you can even check out their first dance on YouTube! Scott and Danny did a great job with a simple guitar/vocal version of You and Me by Dave Matthews Band as per Gary’s request. A great first dance choice! Thanks again to Maribeth and Gary for having us and for being such a great couple. We hope to see you again soon.