Brittany and Rhett met in college, but it wasn’t until a chance meeting at a friend’s wedding that they really talked and “clicked.” From their first date to the final minutes of the reception at The Stables at Connoquenessing, they knew that they had something special.
We were honored to be this amazing couple’s Pittsburgh wedding DJ.
Since we work as Pittsburgh wedding vendors, we’re often in the heart of the city, so it was a nice break to head out to The Stables, which is a 40-to-60-minute drive (depending on traffic).
Rustic, Elegant Barn Wedding
The Stables at Connoquenessing is an amazing venue. It was originally a part of the Spang Estate in the 1920s, but has since become a refurbished two-story barn venue. The rise of rustic barn weddings led to the renovation of the barn in 2017.
Modern-day amenities, a dining area downstairs, covered patio, and second-floor banquet hall make it the perfect choice for a wedding.
With rustic-themed weddings on the rise, we’ve been to a lot of barn-style venues in the Pennsylvania countryside. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t say that this was one of our favorites.
Pittsburgh Wedding Vendors Bringing the Party
Our experience at The Stables has always been amazing. The exterior has a rustic, southern charm with beautiful landscaping and ample opportunity for couples to take pictures. Inside, you find beautiful vaulted ceilings with exposed beams that bring everything together perfectly.
Two giant chandeliers hang from the ceiling and four massive windows at the end of the room provide beautiful natural lighting. This makes for great photography, for daytime or for nighttime weddings.
For us, it’s always important that guests are dancing and having a good time. A good wedding DJ can get people on the dance floor, but it makes it easier for us when it’s an excited crowd looking to have a good time. Since we offer a variety of wedding services, we know exactly when to change up the tempo of the wedding and when to wind things down to let the couple thank everyone for coming.
We work off the natural energy in the room, changing pace and learning what songs seem to get guests to their feet and which songs don’t hit the mark in the way that the couple had hoped.
We can say one thing for certain: every wedding is a party when our Pittsburgh wedding DJs enter the room. But it’s the charm of a venue like The Stables at Connoquenessing that really makes any wedding a night to remember.
Why We Love What We Do
There are so many reasons to work in the wedding and entertainment industry. Being a part of the biggest day in a couple’s lives is an experience like no other. In fact, we liked being a part of these big days as wedding DJs so much, we decided to become more involved.
Those who know us know we’re more than just a single-service wedding vendor. Though we’ll always love being Pittsburgh wedding DJs, we’ve expanded into offering everything from wedding planning to dance lessons to videography.
We also love the relationships we build with our couples along the way. When you’re covering multiple parts of a wedding day, you usually get pretty close with your couples. By the wedding day itself, we find ourselves part wedding planner, part confidant, and part day-of coordinator. Which is exactly how we like it.
Ultimately, we’re in the wedding business because we’re passionate about what we do. We love providing entertainment and creating celebrations. There’s no bigger celebration than two people and two families coming together. But deeper than that, we love seeing couples having the day of their lives and being a part of that celebration.
Long-Lasting Love for a Wonderful Couple
We worked with the couple to select songs and create a soundtrack that fit their wedding perfectly. The selection was a hit, with guests dancing the night away on the banquet floor. You could feel the love in the air.
Today, I’m sure that the couple is still laughing and enjoying their lives together. It's not often that we come across a couple that clicks as well as Brittany and Rhett. They brought the love and laughs, and we brought the music. It was the perfect triple threat on a night we won’t soon forget.
Final Wedding Thoughts
In closing, we just wanted to say thanks. Thanks to The Stables at Connoquenessing for being accommodating and gorgeous and an even bigger thanks to Brittany and Rhett. We can’t thank them enough for letting us be a part of their wedding day. We had the best time DJing and MCing this amazing day.
We also just wanted to say that we love what we do. Being a part of the best day of a couple’s life is something you can’t get in any other line of work. From wedding photography and videography to DJing and MCing, we’ve been involved in many capacities in many, many Pennsylvania weddings. With the coming year, we’re looking forward to being involved in many, many more!
If you found some inspiration from this wedding blog, we’d love to hear about it!Contact Loyalty Entertainmentfor Pittsburgh wedding photo booths, photography, videography, wedding planning, DJing, or just to chat about how your big day can be the best day ever.
Just north of the airport sits a self-described “hidden gem” of a Pittsburgh wedding venue. After providing wedding DJ services for Katie and Austin’s October wedding at the Fez, we would say that “hidden gem” is definitely an appropriate term to describe this venue.
We’re involved in many parts of the wedding industry. From wedding videography to first dance lessons, we really shoot to do it all. But one part of the festivities will always be near and dear to our hearts: wedding entertainment. Providing the music and being the wedding MC is undeniably one of our favorite roles as wedding vendors. That means that we’re always on the lookout for wedding venues in Pittsburgh (and across the state) that are perfect for providing the best entertainment.
After taking a look around the Fez, we could tell it checked all of our entertainment boxes. With an amazing dance floor and designated DJ spot, the Fez is a wedding venue that works with the entertainment. After working at dozens of wedding venues in Pennsylvania, we can tell you that not every venue is set-up perfectly for DJing. So it’s always refreshing when everything comes together and makes for an amazing reception. When it works, it works.
Why We Love What We Do
There are so many reasons to work in the wedding and entertainment industry. Whether you’re inspired by wedding design or a lover of beautiful places, the motivations to work in weddings are countless. But what it comes down to for us is being invited to be a part of the biggest day in a couples lives. That’s an experience like no other. In fact, we liked being a part of these big days as wedding DJs so much, we decided to become more involved in weddings as a whole.
Those who know us know we’re more than just a single-service wedding vendor. Though we’ll always love being Pittsburgh wedding DJs, we’ve expanded into offering everything from wedding videography to photo booth rentals to dance lessons.
We also love the relationships we build with our couples along the way. When you’re covering multiple parts of a wedding day, you usually get pretty close with your couples. By the wedding day itself, we find ourselves part wedding planner, part confidant, and part day-of coordinator. Which is exactly how we like it.
Ultimately, we’re in the wedding business because we’re passionate about what we do. We love providing entertainment and creating celebrations. There’s no bigger celebration than two people and two families coming together. But deeper than that, we love seeing couples having the day of their lives and being a part of that celebration.
A Lively Night on the Dance Floor
Part of being a good wedding DJ is understanding the energy of the night. Some couples would rather have a low-key celebration. Other couples want a full-blown throw-down. Neither is better or worse than the other, but they require different approaches from the DJ. That’s why we take the time to get to know our couples. We’ve found it’s next to impossible to get a full picture without some kind of meeting.
When we met with Austin and Katie and started discussing their wedding day music choices, we knew right away we were in for a fun night. They chose music that was both unique to them as a couple and that would go over well when it was time for dancing.
Sometimes couples ask us “what music should I choose for my wedding?” Which is a reasonable question, but not an easy one to answer. We usually advise a mixture of music that means something to the couple and some “crowd-pleasers.” That way, they can have some personal touches that make their wedding unique, but also songs everyone can sing along to.
When it was time for dancing, that mixture of personal favorites and timeless classics made for an amazing mix. The dance floor was rocking as we seamlessly mixed from 90s into top 40 into disco. When done right, flawlessly mixing between styles and genres makes the dance floor fun for everybody at the reception. We love it when we see grandparents getting down with the members of the wedding party. Which is exactly what we saw with Katie and Austin’s reception.
Being the best wedding DJ in Pittsburgh is a skill, but it also requires practice. You have to keep your skills sharp and also be up-to-date on the latest popular music. While DJing is fun, you also have to take it seriously. The MC is the voice of the wedding, after all.
It’s receptions like Austin and Katie’s where that skill and practice pay off. We get to be a part of their memories of their perfect day. That’s something we’d never trade.
Final Wedding Thoughts
In closing, we just wanted to say thanks. Thanks to the Fez for being accommodating and gorgeous and an even bigger thanks to Katie and Austin. We can’t thank them enough for letting us be a part of their wedding day. We had the best time DJing and MCing this amazing day.
We also just wanted to say that we love what we do. Being a part of the best day of a couple’s life is something you can’t get in any other line of work. From wedding photography and videography to DJing and MCing, we’ve been involved in many capacities in many, many Pennsylvania weddings. With the coming year, we’re looking forward to being involved in many, many more!
If you found some inspiration from this wedding blog, we’d love to hear about it!Contact Loyalty Entertainmentfor Pittsburgh wedding videography, photography, photo booth rentals, wedding planning, DJing, or just to chat about how your big day can be the best day ever.
When a couple is starting to plan their wedding, there are “firsts” in the planning process. You have to find a venue, you need to decide on catering… the list goes on. Often, couples don’t think about music until closer to the big day itself.
There are, obviously, exceptions. Couples very into music or who already knew they wanted a specific wedding DJ generally consider things like ceremony music towards the beginning of their planning process.
Even if you already know the kind of music you want for your wedding day, there are other factors to consider to make sure you’re getting the best musical experience possible.
Some of those include
What songs are needed for a wedding reception?
What are the most popular wedding songs?
How do I pick the music at my reception?
Luckily, we have some answers. After being in the wedding business for as long as we have, we’ve learned a thing or two.
What Songs Are Needed For a Wedding?
The short answer is: it’s up to you. Some couples don’t want much music at their weddings at all, and would rather their DJ be more in the background. For other couples, the music is the pièce de résistance that the day is centered around. In our years providing the soundtrack to weddings, we’ve seen both and everything in between. So it’s hard to say which songs are absolutely needed in a wedding.
That’s not to say there aren’t songs we would recommend. As a general rule, wedding music is divided between ceremony and reception music. Let’s take a look at what many couples do for their ceremonies.
How Do You Choose Wedding Ceremony Music?
When you’re getting started planning the music for your wedding ceremony, first consider which parts of the ceremony you want music for. For example, we typically see music for the entrances and music after you’re pronounced.
Some couples get a little more creative, and there’s definitely room to add some personal touches in there.
One way to personalize your ceremony music is to have music for the ceremony prelude, transition into music for the family and bridal party or groomsmen, then have a separate song for the bride or groom. That way, each group has something of their own to walk down the aisle to.
The music you pick for your ceremony sets a tone. More traditional couples will go for string music or Canon in D. We see less of that these days, but a high-quality rendition of Pachelbel can (and does) bring many guests to tears.
For other couples, it’s more important to have something unique and individualized for the ceremony. They tend to lean more towards songs that mean something personal to them as a couple. This also typically goes over very well with guests.
In terms of recessional music (when you and your dearly beloved are leaving as a married couple), we also have some advice. Whenever our couples ask us our thoughts, we usually say to pick something upbeat. Being pronounced a married couple is the high point of the ceremony. It should be a moment to celebrate! Find a meaningful song that captures the spirit of the culmination of all your planning. You just got married. Choose a song that exemplifies that!
When it comes to ceremony music, our advice is to choose songs that are personal to you. Whether that’s Canon in D or Little Richard, it’ll be amazing because it’s meaningful.
What About Picking Wedding Reception Music?
Deciding on the music for your reception can be a little trickier. It’s not more difficult per se, there are just more factors to consider. Ultimately, the reception is a celebration of the ceremony that just took place. Consider what a celebration looks like to you.
As we’ve previously mentioned, some couples prefer it low-key. They want a small ceremony and an intimate reception. This usually translates to the DJ being more in the background. Usually the playlist for a reception like that would entail softer music or instrumental covers.
For other couples, celebration is synonymous with partying. In that case, it’s usually smart to go with upbeat tunes throughout the reception, with the party really getting started when it’s time for dancing.
The music you choose sets the tone of your wedding. It’s hard to have a small, personal reception if top 40 hits are blasting. Consider what you want your atmosphere to be, and work from there. If you want a party, then blast those top 40!
Now comes the trickier part: choosing individual songs for the big reception moments. We usually see specific songs selected for the bridal party/groomsmen entrance, cake cutting, bouquet or garter toss, and the grand exit.
An Exciting Grand Entrance Song
If being pronounced wed is the highpoint of the ceremony, the wedding party’s grand entrance is the highpoint of the reception. Choose a song that matches the energy level. If you’re triumphantly entering to thunderous applause, the music should match.
A Perfect Cake Cutting Song
When you’re cutting that beautiful wedding cake, it’s nice to have a song to set the moment apart. It’s also one of the moments of the reception that guests will want to crowd around and take photos of. So having a musical cue makes this easy to facilitate.
Many couples choose something cake-related. Songs like “Sugar, Sugar” or “How Sweet It Is” have been favorites we’ve seen.
A Fitting Garter Toss or Bouquet Song
The garter or bouquet toss is another one of those reception moments that guests want to gather ‘round and witness. For moments like these, it’s best to go with something that will capture guests attention and create memorable moments.
An Ideal Grand Exit Song
Your reception grand exit music should capture the spirit of your day as a whole. If it’s been more of a low-key day, then if your grand exit song is incredibly upbeat, the transition could be jarring. Your DJ will also probably have an extensive collection of suggestions if you need some inspiration.
Note: Choosing your first dance song is an entirely different consideration than other reception music. We have an upcoming blog about how to choose a first dance song. Stay tuned!
What Are the Most Popular Ceremony Songs?
Wedding Processional Songs
We’ve put together a list of the most popular wedding processional songs. Some are more traditional and some are a little more contemporary. Whichever vibe you want for your ceremony, there is a soundtrack for it.
Classic Wedding Processional Songs:
“Canon in D” - Johann Pachelbel
“Bridal Chorus” - Richard Wagner
“Fur Elise” - Ludwig Beethoven
Modern Wedding Processional Songs:
Anything by Vitamin String Quartet
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” - Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole
“At Last” - Etta James
“A Thousand Years” - Christina Perri
“Can’t Help Falling In Love” - Elvis Presley
“Marry You” - Bruno Mars
Wedding Recessional Songs
After you’ve been pronounced a newly-married couple, the celebration begins. Whether you go the traditional route or for a personal favorite jam, it’s all about celebrating.
Classic Wedding Recessional Songs:
“Allegro Maestoso” (from Water Music Suite) - Frederic Handel
“Brandenburg Concerto No. 1” (Allegro) - Johann Bach
“Wedding March” - Felix Mendelssohn
Modern Wedding Recessional Songs:
“Signed, Sealed, Delivered” - Stevie Wonder
“I Feel Good” - Little Richard
“Firework” - Katy Perry
“I Gotta Feeling” - the Black Eyed Peas
“You Are the Best Thing” - Ray LaMontagne
“All You Need Is Love” - The Beatles
What Are the Most Popular Reception Songs?
When asked what the best reception music choices are, we usually ask, “for which part?” There are different moments and different moods throughout any wedding reception. So different music choices are needed for these moments.
We’ve said it several times, but music choice comes down to the couple. However, there are some favorites we’ve seen across many weddings. To make things easy, we’ve decided to break it down a little bit.
Reception Grand Entrance Songs
After a cocktail hour, your guests are ready and waiting for your grand entrance. We usually recommend going with an upbeat song to get that energy high.
Best Grand Entrance Tunes:
“You Make My Dreams Come True” - Hall & Oates
“Uptown Funk” - Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars
“Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe” - Barry White
“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” - Whitney Houston
“Crazy in Love” - Beyonce
“Crazy Little Thing Called Love” - Queen
“Party Rock Anthem” - LMFAO
Cake Cutting Songs
You may notice that many of these songs are cake or sugar themed. For cake cutting, it definitely works well, though.
Best Cake Cutting Jams:
“How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” - James Taylor
“Cake By the Ocean” - DNCE
“Sugar, Sugar” - the Archies
“I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” - The Four Tops
“Pour Some Sugar on Me” - Def Leppard
“Sugar” - Maroon 5
“I Want Candy” - Aaron Carter
Garter and Bouquet Toss Songs
While not featured in every wedding these days, there still are many great songs for throwing that bouquet or removing that garter.
Best Bouquet Toss Soundtrack:
“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” - Beyonce
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” - Cyndi Lauper
“Hit Me With Your Best Shot” - Pat Benatar
“It’s Raining Men” - The Weather Girls
“Man! I Feel Like a Woman” - Shania Twain
“Wannabe” - Spice Girls
Best Garter Removal Songs:
“Pony” - Ginuwine
“Hot in Herre” - Nelly
“Whatever You Like” - TI
“Shook Me All Night Long” - AC/DC
“Who Let the Dogs Out” - Baha Men
“Everybody” - the Backstreet Boys
Reception Grand Exit Songs
After a successful and amazing reception, it’s time for the grand exit. Make your exit in style and leave them speechless.
Best Grand Exit Songs:
“We Found Love” - Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris
(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” - Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
“Celebration” - Kool & the Gang
“Can’t Stop the Feeling” - Justin Timberlake
“I’m a Believer” - The Monkees (or Smash Mouth)
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” - Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
So How Do I Choose My Reception Music?
It Comes Down To You
In the end, the best advice we can give future brides and grooms is to go with what you like. If you’ve always dreamed of walking down the aisle to a song that isn’t on these lists, then go for it! Your wedding day is a celebration of you and your love. If you want Pachelbel for the ceremony and N*SYNC for the reception, that’s great too.
At first, wedding music selection can seem like a daunting task. But once they got started, we’ve had couples tell us that they had “so much fun” designing their wedding soundtrack. Once you dive in, it absolutely can be an enjoyable experience. Plus, it’s an awesome experience to see it all come to life on the big day.
On a Final Note…
There’s one last thing we wanted to share. When we’re the DJs, we get a lot of song requests. We’ve had requests that range from the good to the bad to the inappropriate. So we wanted to make a final quick list of songs that should be avoided on your wedding day.
Songs Not to Play at a Wedding:
“You’re So Vain” - Carly Simon
“You Give Love a Bad Name” - Bon Jovi
“Suspicious Minds” - Elvis
“Love Will Tear Us Apart” - Joy Division
Anything that doesn’t fit the vibe of the day (for instance, no Metallica if there’s no other metal)
Note: We’re not saying we don’t like these songs. They’re great songs, but much of their subject-matter is not 100% wedding friendly.
“Do Not Play” Lists
Your DJ should want to get a feel for your tastes and preferences before they perform. The most common way they achieve that is with a “Do Not Play” List. With such a list, you’re able to put the songs you would rather not hear on your wedding day.
Common Wedding “Do Not Plays”
Line dances (The Wobble, Cha-Cha Slide, Electric Slide)
Dirty songs (Especially if there will be guests of all ages)
Specific genres (For example, some couples don’t want country music)
Overplayed Radio Hits (Songs that have lately saturated the radio-waves)
Takeaway Thoughts
No matter what music you end up choosing for your wedding day, if it’s from the heart, it’ll be great. You can’t go wrong choosing songs that are meaningful to you and your betrothed. So the best advice we can give is to sit down together and start brainstorming your perfect wedding day playlist.
Just to summarize, when you’re planning out your wedding day soundtrack, it’s a good idea to consider
Which songs you need for a wedding ceremony and reception
Some of the most popular wedding songs (for inspiration)
When to sit down and begin working on your playlists
The most important piece of advice we can give is just to have fun! It’s a celebration, after all.
If you found some inspiration from this wedding blog, we’d love to hear about it!Contact Loyalty Entertainmentfor Pittsburgh wedding DJs, photography, photo booth rentals, wedding planning, videography, or just to chat about how your big day can be the best day ever.
Being Pittsburgh wedding vendors, many of our weddings are in cities. From Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, we’ve seen a lot of beautiful venues in a lot of great cities.
From time to time, though, we have the pleasure of being a part of weddings a little closer to nature. Which is exactly what happened the last time we were at the Gardens at Stonebridge.
After traveling just outside Pittsburgh, we found ourselves face-to-face with the Pennsylvania countryside. When you spend so much time in Pittsburgh, it can be easy to forget all that’s out there. But Stonebridge is an excellent reminder of the natural beauty of our state.
Don’t get us wrong, though. We love all our Pittsburgh weddings, brides, and grooms. There are countless fantastic wedding venues for DJs near Pittsburgh that make for some of the best places to get married in the state.
This, however, is a blog about a more countryside aesthetic.
Why We Love What We Do
There are so many reasons to work in the wedding and entertainment industry. Being an integral part of the biggest day in a couple’s lives is definitely one of the top reasons, though. In fact, we liked being a part of these big days so much, we decided to become more involved in the wedding industry.
Those who know us know we’re more than just a single-service wedding vendor. Though we’ll always love being Pittsburgh wedding DJs, we’ve expanded into offering everything from wedding planning to dance lessons to videography.
But what’s a wedding without the couple? They’re the cause for all of this, after all. Which is why we always try and build relationships with our couples along the way. When you’re covering multiple parts of someone’s wedding day, you usually get pretty close. By the end, we find ourselves part planner, part confidant, and part day-of coordinator. Which is exactly how we like it.
Ultimately, we’re in the wedding business because we’re passionate about what we do. We love providing entertainment and creating celebrations. But deeper than that, we love seeing couples having the day of their lives.
Why Even Hire Multiple Vendors?
Venues like the Gardens of Stonebridge are great for vendors like us. The open nature of the outside space makes it perfect for setting up a DJ booth and keeping everything moving smoothly. Paired with the beautiful scenery (also perfect for wedding photography and videography), Stonebridge is unforgettable.
Corie and Timothy’s wedding is also a perfect example of how Loyalty Entertainment can provide more than just the best music. For this couple, we provided the DJ, wedding photography, videography, and photo booth.
We always want to be able to be involved in as many parts of a wedding day as possible. It’s amazing to be able to see the day from many angles and perspectives. Those new perspectives have taught us that a wedding videographer has a far different experience on the big day than a wedding DJ does. That experience isn’t worse or better, it’s just different. Through understanding these different angles, you become a better wedding vendor overall.
Playing many roles at a wedding also lets us really form connections with our couples. It’s important to us that they get the day they imagined (and more). So when we met Corie and Timothy, we made sure to get to know them so we knew exactly what kind of vibe to create and what kind of day they wanted.
We’ve learned that a successful wedding is the result of a vision brought to life. It’s something that was well planned and perfectly executed. So we’re always appreciative when a wedding venue and vendor team is able to accommodate the vision of the bride and groom.
After being in this business for as long as we have, we can tell you: no two weddings are the same. More than that, no two couples are the same. The way a couple chooses to celebrate is entirely unique to them. That’s why we spend the time we do getting to know all of our brides and grooms. When you actually get to know a couple, you can make sure the day goes just how they imagined.
Celebrating the Couple of the Evening
We always have a great time with each of our couples, and this time was definitely no exception.
As Loyal opened the dance floor, more and more wedding guests started making their way down. Eventually, we had the whole wedding party and most of the reception guests dancing the night away.
During our set, we were able to mix timeless classics, top 40, and even a few special requests (which all made for a very diverse playlist). Many times, it’s the mixes that flow seamlessly between genre and time period that get people the most excited. Between Corie and Timothy’s awesome music choices and an energetic crowd, it was quite a celebration. We didn’t want the night to end, and we could tell the guests didn’t want it to either!
Final Wedding Thoughts
In closing, we wanted to say thanks. Thanks to Stonebridge for being accommodating and gorgeous and an even bigger thanks to Corie and Timothy. We can’t thank them enough for letting us be a part of their wedding day and their planning process. We had the best time DJing and providing videography, photography, and the photo booth.
We also just wanted to say again that we love what we do. Being a part of the best day of a couple’s life is something you can’t get in any other line of work. From wedding photography and videography to DJing and MCing, we’ve been involved in many capacities in many, many Pennsylvania weddings. In the coming year, we’re looking forward to being involved in many, many more!
If you found some inspiration from this wedding blog, we’d love to hear about it!Contact Loyalty Entertainmentfor Pittsburgh wedding DJs, photographers, photo booth rentals, wedding planning, videographers, or just to chat about how your big day can be the best day ever.
Thursday, January 14, 2021
How This Pittsburgh Couple Made It Work Despite Covid 19
[Originally at Love in the time of corona: How these Pittsburghers made the most of a pandemic wedding by Rossilynne Culgan]
While some couples are postponing their wedding days, others want to get married now, COVID-19 be damned.
Emma and Jay Kober had one of those unstoppable weddings.
As the bride put it, “I would’ve gotten married in a parking lot if I had to. We just wanted to get married.”
It was far different than the day they imagined, but it was special in its own way.
They traded a packed 200-person wedding for a 10-person wedding with guests spread far apart in the pews. The ceremony moved from Fox Chapel Presbyterian to Parkwood Presbyterian in Hampton Township, closer to the bride’s hometown.
Even though just a fraction of the guests could attend in person (tiny weddings have become a hallmark of the pandemic), more than 100 watched a Facebook Live video of the ceremony. The couple are Pittsburgh-area natives now living in the Boston area, and they didn’t want to ask guests to travel into town.
“I was still able to walk down the aisle and have organ music playing, just no one there to see it,” Emma said. “(The Facebook Live) worked out OK in a weird way. People felt like they were a part of it.”
Plans for a night of dancing at the Renaissance Hotel Downtown were traded for a quiet evening at the bride’s parents’ house with immediate family only.
Even though the odds were against them, this couple really showed how well things can turn out, even when things don’t go as originally intended. With a little compromise and quick planning this couple was able to have a wedding they will always look back on fondly.
Pennsylvania has a lot of great venues that could be described as “rustic.” And being Pittsburgh wedding vendors ourselves, many of our weddings are city-based. So it’s always a breath of fresh air to offer our services somewhere off the beaten path with a more country-side aesthetic.
And the Gathering Place at Darlington Lake in Darlington, PA has definitely captured that rustic aesthetic.
It’s a mix of an indoor and an outdoor venue, but at times it feels like it’s an outdoor venue. And with the gorgeous western Pennsylvania landscape, having views like this can’t be beat.
We love traveling all over the state. There’s so many sights, venues, and different couples to celebrate with. And the Gathering Place is a great example of that.
When you have a great venue and a great couple, you know it’s gonna be a celebration. Especially when we can get in there with DJing, dance lessons, and photography or videography. And when couples come up to us after saying “we just had the best day ever” it reminds us why we do what we do.
Why We Love Being Full-Service Vendors
Anyone who knows us knows that we’re more than a one-trick pony. We’ve expanded into a full-service wedding vendor, offering everything from wedding DJing to wedding photography and dance lessons.
Our relationships with our couples are important to us. We usually find ourselves part planner, part confidant, and part day-of coordinator. And that’s just how we like it.
We’re in the wedding and event business because we love to entertain. But deeper than that, we love seeing our couples having the day of their lives. A wedding should be a day to celebrate, whether it’s in Pittsburgh, Darlington, or anywhere else.
One Venue, Many Jobs
Venues like the Gathering Place are great for wedding vendors like us. The open floorplan of the main reception space makes it easy to set up a DJ station, while also allowing for dinner and drinks. And when there’s a Loyalty Photo Booth in the mix, there’s room for that too.
Venue design can be one of those make-or-break factors. An intimate space may be great for a 50-guest wedding, but if you try to host a 250+ guest wedding in the same venue, you may be in for some difficulty.
For many of our clients, we’re not just the wedding DJ. We’re also the wedding photographer. So venues like the Gathering Place that look great inside and outside are what we like to see. And venues that are accommodating to all kinds of vendors are definitely the best type of wedding venues.
A Seriously Great Couple
We love all of our couples. Every wedding is so unique, and it’s great to see the personal touches every couple adds to their day. And we love getting to be a part of those personal touches.
With many of our weddings, our contribution is dancing. Whether it’s dance lessons from Loyal or getting everyone on the dance floor with the best wedding DJing around.
And, like many of our Pennsylvania couples, this couple knew how to get down. We usually do bring the party, don’t get us wrong. Our combination triple-threat service of DJing, videography, and dance lessons usually do help get people moving.
Why Wedding Music Selection Is Important
Choosing the right music is a skill. And it’s easy for an inexperienced DJ to mix into the wrong song and clear out the dance floor. But the most experienced DJs (or as we like to call them, the Loyalty Entertainment DJ team) are masters at reading the room and picking the next best song.
But what makes a wedding truly great is when the couple puts their own unique spin on the day itself. And that especially applies to the music.
We always make an effort to connect with our couples. Even if they’re just getting dance lessons, that personal connection is what makes it great. And when you know a couple and have a feel for their vibe, you can incorporate that into the music, photography, or videography. Those special touches are what our couples will hit us up about months later raving about.
A Few Final Thoughts
We love what we do. Being a part of the best day of a couple’s life is something you can’t get in any other line of work. From wedding photography and videography to DJing and MCing, we’ve been involved in many capacities in many many Pennsylvania weddings.
Whether our couple is from Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, or even outside of PA, we’re always honored to play a part.
And couples like this are why we’re always excited for our next wedding. We love hearing unique ideas and being a part of personal traditions. That really is the best part of working in Pittsburgh weddings.
If you found some inspiration from this wedding blog, we’d love to hear about it!Contact Loyalty Entertainmentfor Pittsburgh wedding videography, photography, photo booth rentals, wedding planning, DJing, or just to chat about how your big day can be the best day ever.
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Local Couple Makes the Best Of Their Big Day
[ Originally at Local Couple Adapts Wedding Plans Due To Coronavirus Pandemic, Makes The Best Of Their Big Day by John Shumway]
MOON TOWNSHIP (KDKA) — The pandemic has impacted everything from restaurants to stores, to birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, and weddings.
For Kristin Ogden and Josh Hutchinson, the latest COVID-19 restrictions kicked in on Saturday, the day they were to be married.
“We got engaged on November 30, 2019,” says Kristin, “We picked our date, pretty much immediately, I think we booked our venue on like the fifth of December maybe. I had been asked, starting in March, whether we were going to be rescheduling. And at that point, I said, December will be a totally different time. I mean, I think that everything will be much, much better by then.”
But then came the November surge, “I actually had three of my bridesmaids back out of the wedding, a week before the RSVP’s were due. And so I started contacting everyone, I thought, you know what, maybe I should call everybody.”
She says it was agonizing, “We were nervous, especially because we had people like grandparents coming in to town and, and were gonna be there. And we were nervous about that. After we made all these calls, we ended up having about 90 people that agreed that they would be there.”
Then two days before the big day, they listened as Governor Wolf announced the new restrictions. “It was just gut wrenching at that point,” Kristin says.
But then came an offer from the Grand Concourse, their rehearsal dinner site, to host the wedding on Friday before the new restrictions went into effect. “All of our vendors were available for Friday, we went down we looked at it. And unfortunately, the room was just too small, it would have just been too crammed. So we just put the kibosh on all of that. And we thought, let’s do something small and intimate.”
It’s always so inspiring to hear a story like this. It just goes to show that no matter the circumstances, the beauty of love shines through even the most trying times. Things don’t always go according to plan, but when you’re meant to be together, they always turn out ok.
