Tag Archive for: pittsburgh dj
Interview with Natalie Berger
Wenning's Wedding Tip Wednesday
Hiring a Professional Event Planner can prove to be far more valuable than you may have thought. Imagine, you are planning one of the most important days of your life and you do not want anything to mess that up. You want your venue to be beautiful; your vendors to be on the same page as well as ensuring your guests have a wonderful time! Have you ever taken a moment to think about what goes on behind the scenes and what could possible go wrong on such a busy day? Hiring a family friend to get you through this day may not be the best idea because although they “know how you think” they probably have not done as many events as a professional planner has and they do not know how to handle certain situations that could go wrong! We got the chance to catch up with Professional Event Planner Natalie Berger in the midst of her busy schedule to pick her brain a bit and have her shed some light on some planning do’s and don’ts to help guide you to a very special Wedding Day!
- What separates your services from other Planners?
“I am an event planner that takes care of each client…you meet me, you hire me, you GET ME!!! No associates will run your event that day, I am there for you!!”
- What advice can you give to New Brides and Grooms about planning their wedding?
“Make a budget…..stick with it!!! More does not mean BETTER!!!!”
- What would you say to Brides and Grooms in having their “Friends or Aunt’s” be their Planner?
“Having a relative or friend help plan and run your special day is not fair to them or you…they will not be able to enjoy your day with you and things may come up, that they do not know how to handle. It is much easier to delegate things to do or correct to a paid professional…”
- What’s one of the Biggest Mistakes you see that Brides and Grooms make in planning their wedding?
“The #1 thing to hire when planning your event is great entertainment!!! Having fun at a wedding is what you remember, not the color scheme or food choices, music selections, dancing and having a fabulous time with family and friends is the key to a great event!!!!”
- Anything else you want to add?
“When hiring vendors, get references, make sure they have worked the venue, and they should make you feel like you are their only client!!!”
If you are planning a grand event and want to contact Natalie for her professional assistance you can do so via email at [email protected] or by phone at (412) 298-4638. Check back next week for more Wedding Planning Tips!
Happy Thanksgiving
As with years past, I can imagine that we all have more and more reasons to be Thankful than we think. This year, with the help of all of my amazing staff, I am grateful for the delightful and awesome clients we continue to encounter year after year. In addition, we have been honored to work with several wonderful Venues, Planners as well as Photographers and Videographers and soo many more Industry Professionals. Our business is continuing to grow and new divisions are being created in order to continue to fulfill the need of our clients. We thank you all and appreciate all of the kind words you use when mentioning Wenning Entertainment to potential clients. This year, try not to let the holiday season and all of the activities we have to keep us busy overlook the true meaning of today.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends, family and clients. We hope you enjoy this day with your loved ones. God Bless!
4 Alternatives to the Worst Wedding Day Clichés
Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life and you should do what you can to make it special for yourself, your spouse and your guests. Unfortunately, it is also very easy for a wedding to fall victim to some horrible clichés. People seem to have an idea of what should be at a typical wedding, and the sad fact is that many of these ideas have become trite and dated. If you want your wedding to be truly unique, you would be wise to take heed to these 4 Alternatives to the Worst Wedding Day Clichés.
Using the Same Tired Music
If you’ve been to at least a few traditional weddings, you’ve no doubt heard the Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel. Even if you’ve never been to a wedding in your life, you’ve probably heard the Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel. It is a beautiful piece of music, but it is also played at a lot of weddings. The same goes for The Wedding Marches by Richard Wagner and Felix Mendelssohn. They are forever associated with getting married, and it’s a safe bet that nobody really wants to hear them anymore.
Instead of the same old music that gets overplayed, pick out songs that actually mean something to you and your spouse. Even if your favorite songs don’t sound like traditional wedding music, there are bound to be some Pittsburgh wedding DJs who can find some nice arrangements that will still sound beautiful and suit the occasion.
Musical clichés don’t just apply to the wedding ceremony, either. Often, it seems like there is a standard playlist for wedding receptions as well. This includes alleged crowd pleasers such as The Chicken Dance, The Electric Slide and Every Breath You Take (a song about a creepy stalker, incidentally). You can almost set your watch by what gets played at a typical wedding reception, so find some Pittsburgh entertainers who aren’t afraid to dig up some more obscure yet memorable music for your reception, especially if it fits you and your spouse’s personalities.
Smashing the Cake Into Your Spouse’s Face
Not only do a lot of people find this kind of tacky and cliché, but it could ruin makeup, hair and clothing. Sharing a piece of cake with your spouse is cute, but there’s no need for you to shove cake into each other’s faces.
Too Much Posing for Photographs
The best part about photography is how it captures a moment in time. Some setup and posing before a wedding photo is fine, but going too far to achieve the perfect wedding photograph just makes things look and feel awkward. A few candid photos of the happy couple and their guests having a good time is much better.
“Ball and Chain” Jokes
This isn’t always on the wedding planner or the couple getting married, but jokes about “the ol’ ball and chain” went out of style years ago. And yet, people still think they’re hilarious when they imply that the groom doesn’t want to be at his own wedding. If you’re planning your own wedding, don’t try to make this joke in photos or anything else. It stopped being funny years ago and comes off as kind of tacky and offensive now. No good Pittsburgh wedding DJ or entertainment service would make those jokes, and neither should you.
Make your wedding one of a kind with help from the Pittsburgh entertainers, photographers and wedding DJs at Wenning Entertainment. Featuring some of the best entertainers in the industry, Wenning Entertainment has the knowledge and expertise needed to take your wedding day to a whole new set of heights and leave your guests raving for years to come. Contact Wenning Entertainment today, and discover how we can make your special day truly a once in a lifetime affair.
Labor Day
Happy Labor Day Monday! This 3-day weekend has been reserved for relaxation and spending time with family and friends as we quickly approach the end of summer. Businesses and government offices are closed today because Labor Day was created to celebrate working people. Today commemorates the day we honor working men and women for the various achievements they have made towards the well being of our country. School is in session, the weather will be colder soon and evenings will be shorter. Whether you take this time to enjoy a backyard picnic, a local parade, or simply recharge yourself before fall arrives. However you like to celebrate, we hope you enjoy your day!
Remember those who have Served…
Remember those who have served and that are still serving for this great country!
Memorial day is one of the busiest and most traveled weekends in the US – unofficially, the beginning of the summer season. While you enjoy the outdoors and time with friends and family take the opportunity to commemorate the lives of the men and women who have died during military service for the freedoms we enjoy today. These men and women made the decision to put aside their jobs, and more importantly, their families to defend our country during times of crisis. Thank you to the servicemen and women and the family members they left behind.
4 Tips to Make Sure Your Next Corporate Event is a Big Hit
If you are planning a large corporate event in Pittsburgh, there are many factors you must take into consideration, above and beyond the number in attendance. Whether your event is all fun, or a mix of business and pleasure—the tips below will help you to plan a successful event.
Select Your Event Theme and Décor
Your event is likely to have some sort of theme. For example, if it is an annual brand conference, you may title the event around a bullet point from your vision statement. If it is an end of year party, you may go with general New Year décor. Your theme will help you build excitement, and select your event décor.
Plan for The Catering—Even If Only Beverages And Finger Foods
Catering must be taken into consideration when planning your event. If your event is several days long—you may opt for 1 or 2 meals each day, or at least provide snacks and plenty of time for dining outside of the event.
- If you are planning an event directly after work, you may opt for seasonal or traditional appetizers and desserts.
- If you are planning a formal event, you must decide if you prefer a buffet or table service.
- If you are planning a short event, at the very minimum you want to provide basics such as water, coffee, tea, juice—and maybe even fruit and cookies.
Identify Host, Speaker, Or Entertainment
One of the most important elements of your event, whether it is a conference or a party—is identifying appropriate corporate event entertainment. Your entertainment is what will make the event memorable, so you must choose wisely. An event production company in Pittsburgh can help. They are familiar with everything from the most effective forms of entertainment—as well as the best entertainment to complement the theme of your event, and culture of your company.
You may opt to have a familiar face host the event, or you may want to seek out an outside host. To motivate and inspire your team, you may also want to hire an event speaker—either from within your industry, or who has a story to share that translates across many genres.
A/V Equipment
The corporate event entertainment you select will require A/V equipment—which is most often not available from the location you are hosting your event. If you are not sure what kind of production equipment rentals you are in need of—reach out to a local event production company.
Aside from microphones, speakers, and sound system—don’t forget the importance of lighting to highlight your entertainment, and set the mood for your event. Your event production company will help you to create custom Pittsburgh lighting design.
The four tips above will help you to throw a successful corporate event your guests will remember for years to come. If you’re looking to give your guests a bit more of a ‘wow’ factor with your next corporate event, contact the team at Wenning Entertainment. From screen projectors and staging to equipment rentals and lighting design, our corporate event production team can handle all of your planning needs. Don’t leave the success of your next event up to chance, contact Wenning Entertainment for all your corporate event production needs.
New String Chandeliers and String Curtains
We now have MORE to offer our Clientele for their Unique Event Ideas, String Chandeliers and String Curtains!
Don’t miss the “Pittsburgh Sports Show” at the Fountain with music produced by Wenning Entertainment!
Pittsburghers have supported their favorite teams in many ways and now Station Square’s Fountain at Bessemer Court has given the City of Champs a new way to reminisce about the city’s rich sports history.
For the past 11 years, the fountain has featured various themed shows choreographed to have hundreds of multi colored water jets dance to soundtracks such as Classic TV Theme Songs, Michael Jackson and 80s Hair Bands. Brand new to the line up is The Pittsburgh Sports Show! This custom show is set to an electrifying soundtrack just shy of 11 minutes, produced by Wenning Entertainment. Complete with celebrated announcer clips, this show is sure to get you excited about ALL your favorite Pittsburgh teams!
Stations Square’s Fountain Shows are free and run daily from April-November. The Pittsburgh Sports Show will run 9 times a day at:
9:40am
10am
11:20am
1:20pm
3:20pm
6pm
6:40pm
8:40pm
10:20pm
Don’t miss your chance to experience the beautiful view of the colored jets against the night sky!
Be Flexible in your Budget for the Important Parts of your Wedding!
Have you ever heard someone say they don’t see the need in hiring professional wedding entertainment because they think it’s a waste of money? We don’t think this is an area you should cut costs in. It may not seem important prior to the reception, but we believe entertainment can make or break your special day.
A guest’s top memory about a wedding is the entertainment. While planning a wedding there are many important details to handle, but keep in mind there are also many details that could be a waste of time. Don’t sweat the small stuff! Be sure that you have budgeted 10-15% of the total wedding budget towards your DJ or choice entertainment. Although it may seem that bridal magazines and websites are your guiding light, remember that the price of your DJ will vary depending on your location. Most couples only budget $500-$1000 for a DJ, this is NOT enough! Do your research; find out how much the professionals start at in your area. Most Full-Time Professionals in the Pittsburgh, PA area will start around $1500 and go up from there.
In addition to playing music, make sure your DJ will help keep your reception on schedule with signatures events like the bouquet toss, father/daughter dance, cake cutting, even an anniversary dance. They should also have backups of everything from equipment to personnel and proper insurance! Don’t let a bad DJ ruin your wedding! Try putting yourself in your guests’ seats as you think about how you want your big day to be remembered. Do you think your guests will remember the one of-a-kind hand made centerpieces, or your favorite Uncle following small interactive dances that can be easily taught by our DJs? Your entertainment will play a huge part in that so choose wisely!
Think about that house party or wedding you went to with no music and poor atmosphere. We can only imagine how boring that was; so take our word when we say a party with Wenning Entertainment is like a great house party times 20!