Night Time is The Right Time – A Tune for Tuesday

High Society learned this song a few weeks ago for Beth and Scott Murin’s wedding at Gallery 1028 in Chicago.  We had so much fun with this song that we are considering adding it to the regular repertoire.  This is the 1958 version recorded by Ray Charles, but this song dates back to 1937 when the original recording was made by Roosevelt Sykes.

I am embarrassed to admit that the first time I heard this song was on the Bill Cosby Show when the Huxtable family lip synced it.  I liked it immediately, bought my first Ray Charles cassette tape, and spent many happy hours listening.  Enjoy!

 

Holiday Weekend Weddings

Last week I was chatting with some friends and told them that High Society was performing at 2 weddings this Thanksgiving weekend.  My friends were surprised that anyone would get married on such a busy weekend.  I explained that I could think of several reasons to get married at this time of year.

First, since it tends to be a long weekend off work for many folks (not the retailers though!), some friends and family that might not have been able to make the time, can now squeeze it into their schedule.  Additionally, many family members may already be in town for the holiday.  I think, too, that its probably the last weekend before the full Christmas season pressure hits (Company parties, school events, concerts etc.)

I think any weekend that has an extra holiday attached to it makes a great occasion to have a wedding.  Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Fourth of July when it falls on a Monday or Friday, all create a nice opportunity to make it easier for out of town guest to attend your wedding.

The big question for me is… Will there be turkey served at any of our weddings this weekend? Pumpkin Pie for wedding cake anyone? Hmmmmm.

A Wedding Surprise

When we play most weddings, High Society is THE entertainment for the evening.  We love having that honor.  Sometimes, however,we have a special treat and we get to work with other entertainers we would not normally get to meet. Last weekend at Nichole and Larry Fohrman’s wedding at the Metropolis Ballroom, we had great fun working with the Bottle Dancers.  If you’ve never seen this group, they do a very fun recreation of one of the great wedding moments from the Fiddler on the Roof.  To make it even better their show was a total surprise to Larry and Nichole.  Here’s a video of their show from another wedding …..

A Tune for Tuesday – Peg by Steely Dan

We get asked to learn a lot of songs for the great weddings we play.  Often it’s a special song for the bride and groom, but sometimes it’s a family favorite with special meaning to the guests in attendance.  I will admit that we don’t love all of the songs we gladly perform, but last weekend we were asked to play a great song by a great band.  The song was “Peg” by Steely Dan.

It was a great event all around.  The folks at Just Say Yes Events had done a great job.  The University Club in downtown Chicago never looked better. Congratulations Caylen and Joe!  We had a great time at your party.  Here is Steely Dan playing “Peg”

We Love Your Wedding Pictures and Video Too!

On 8/13/2011 our band played a very fun wedding reception at the Allerton Hotel in downtown Chicago.

We often get to see some video or pictures after our events but the bride Katy Petersen Weade was nice enough to pass along this great video that shows everything we love about weddings including some dancing toward the end.  I thought the videographer Jon Romashko did a great job.  Thanks for sharing Katy!

What do you do about the Cake?

I go to a lot of weddings. (I’m in a wedding band after all) So I have the luxury of seeing how lot’s of different couples handle all the details of their wedding.  It’s always interesting how many ways there are to do stuff, like the cake.

There’s lots of options today.  Some people have the traditional layer cake, others cupcakes, a few couples are not having cake at all.  What is the right option for you?

I propose you ask the following questions:

1.       Is your crowd going to eat cake? I have been to weddings where most of the cake just gets served and then ends up in the trash.  I’m sorry, but that seems like a waste to me.  Just like in all aspects of planning your wedding, know your people.  Make sure it’s the right choice.

2.       Are you having a sweet table? Honestly, cake and the sweet table compete with each other.  One idea is to serve the cake as part of the sweet table.  You can then get a smaller cake.  This might save you some money or allow you to spend more money to get the best tasting and looking cake.

3.       Is the cake for looks or eating? Believe it or not, this is a decision that need to be made.  Often, the best looking cakes do not taste good.  I was told by a cake bakery that certain types of frosting, look great but cannot be made to taste good.  The same can be said of the cake itself, some designs require the cake to be so stiff, that it won’t be moist or flavorful.  Talk to your baker and make the right choice for you.

4.       What is your personality? I think you should reflect who you are in all of your plans.  Cake is no exception.  Cupcakes can show a fun individual style.  One couple we worked with donated the money they would have spent on a cake to their favorite charity.  Who are you?  Make your cake or no cake a reflection of your unique person.

Whatever you decide, have fun, check out a lot of cake options, eat a lot of sample cake, and make the right choice for your wedding!

How to make sure that your wedding reception flows smoothly – All Night Long

Ok, let’s admit it.  We have all been to wedding receptions that seem to drag along, stall out in spots, or really just seem a little dull at times.

How can you keep your wedding from falling victim to the same result? It’s really simple.

Make sure you have something interesting happening every 10 to 15 minutes.

I know you might be thinking that seems like a lot of work, but it can easily be done for you, if you hire the right band and emcee.  Some people call it East Coast Style, others call it Dancing between Courses, but it really is a fun way to keep your night moving along.

This is how it works….

One of the most common spots that the night starts to stall out is while you are waiting for the next course of dinner to be served.  Think about how long it takes to serve 150+ people.

You want to have something to do in the middle.

Ask the band and emcee to play dance music and invite your guests to dance during the downtime, it will give everyone something to do. Dancers will dance, spectators will watch, and the whole night will be filled with activity and a festive mood.

Then, when dinner is over, the crowd is all warmed up to hit the dance floor hard for a fun filled party.

Ask about an East Coast Style reception, and see how much fun it can be.

How to Make Sure the Music Played at Your Reception is Perfect!

Choosing the perfect music playlist for your wedding reception is a complicated job, and you want to make sure it’s done right.  Getting it wrong will mean an empty dance floor, and a dull party.  You sure don’t want that to happen at your wedding.  Here’s 3 steps to getting it right.

1.       Tell the band leader what songs are a “must play” for your group. You know your friends and family better than anyone else.  Are there special songs your friends always go nuts for?  How about frat or sorority songs?  Grandma and Grandpa’s first dance song? Do you need a few swing or salsa songs? Can you think of any others?  Communicate all of these to the band in the planning stage to make sure your favorites get played.

2.       Choose a band that can cover all the music you want to hear.  Besides the “Must Play” songs, what other music do you want to hear?  You probably have 3 or more hours to fill so how do you make it interesting all night.  Also, most weddings have attendees that range in age from 7 to 75+.  How can you make sure there is something for everyone?  Make sure to ask the band leader if they can play music from many different styles and eras.  Hopefully you can see the band play these live.

3.       Let the Pro’s do their job.  It’s easy to get caught up in the planning process and “over plan” your dance music.  Experienced bands can make the night magic by feeling out the crowd and mixing up the set list to fit the mood of the room.  A dance floor filled with people takes on a life of its own and you don’t want to kill the mood by playing the wrong song just because it’s next on the set list.

To recap: Choose a versatile, experienced band, give them some hints and guidelines, then, let go and have a great night!

How to choose a band for your Wedding – Part 1

The #1 way to choose a band for your wedding is to see them perform live.

Video is ok, but not the best.  Ask the band to let you come to a real event. On most websites, you don’t see the ACTUAL BAND PERFORMING LIVE.  You just see a crowded dance floor. HOW DO YOU KNOW IF IT’S THE BAND YOU ARE THINKING OF HIRING?

Many band leaders will say you can’t see them live; and they will have a lot of excuses why you can’t see them perform at a wedding.  Almost always we have received permission from brides and grooms to allow us to have ONE couple stop by briefly to see the band.

Many bands show video of crowded dance floors, and you will even find similar video’s on our website. DON’T BE FOOLED, TO CORRECTLY CHOOSE A BAND , DRESS APPROPRIATELY AND GO SEE THE BAND PERFORM LIVE AT A WEDDING!

The Number One Rule for Having a Great Wedding

Thanks for reading our first blog post.  As I was thinking about what to write on this momentous occasion, I had 2 thoughts.

First, Just get it done.

Second, Make it relevant.

So, here goes…..

Take it Easy!

As you plan your wedding, I’d like to give you one piece of advice…. Relax (a little) .

I know that you want your big day to be perfect.  I also know that your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, but, don’t forget that you need to enjoy your life up to that day, and more importantly, all of your years after your wedding day.

Now, I know you’re thinking that this is so obvious, and of course, everybody knows this……. BUT……

The TRUTH is, everybody knows it, but most people forget to do it.

So don’t forget….

1.       You have to live with your family and the family of your fiancée forever.  Do everything possible to be kind and considerate in the planning process.  Many marriages suffer for years because of damage done before, or on the wedding day.

2.       Have fun in the planning process, take “field trips” to see wedding bands you are considering.  Watch the crowd and the band.  Is everyone on the dance floor having fun? Is this the kind of event that you would want guests at your wedding to experience? Please, however, keep in mind that this event was planned specifically for someone else, so song selection, volume, band/crowd interaction, will be different when you are the one making the decisions.

3.       Plan, Plan, Plan but when your wedding day arrives, relax and have fun.  Stay in the moment and experience your wedding.  The time for worrying about the details is over.  Have a great time and let the pro’s you hired, do a great job for you.

I wish you, a great time in planning your wedding, an amazing wedding day, and a fabulous married life.  I also hope that if you are planning a Chicago wedding or a wedding in the Chicagoland area, that High Society can be a part of your amazing day.