Wedding Wednesday {Best Cleveland Area Wedding Vendors, Tips, & Ideas}

I am so thrilled to introduce an great company to you today.  I was out at their studio a few months back and I have to tell you I was very impressed.

Hi Leigh, Have you been with Jerry Bruno Productions long?  What do you do there?  What’s the best part about your job?

I have been with Jerry Bruno Productions since July of 2005. I started out just a couple days a week, then began doing event coordination but realized sales isn’t for me. So I proposed to take over website editing and begin internet marketing, which is in line with my degree and experience in Public Relations. I love getting a chance to utilize creative skills and learn about internet marketing daily.

In 2006, Jerry put together a new band called The Avenue and invited me to be one of its singers. I asked a friend that I used to sing with in a girl group at Pickwick & Frolic, Tiffany Marchak, to join, and we pieced together the rest of the band via connections and ads.

(Leigh, singing with The Avenue)

When did Jerry Bruno Productions begin as a company?  How did it get started?

The Bruno family has long standing music roots in the Cleveland area. Jerry Bruno moved to Los Angeles in the 80s and created The Jerry Bruno Music Network there. His clients included the likes of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan, Princess Di, and the casts and crews of “Cheers” and “Taxi.” He conducted a string ensemble for Bon Jovi’s after-Oscars party in 1990.

Jerry returned home to Cleveland in 1995 and began growing what is now known as Jerry Bruno Productions.

Your website describes your company as a “wedding entertainment source,”  what do you mean by this?

About 90% of our booked jobs are at wedding ceremonies and receptions. But in addition to over 20 bands and 20 DJs, we represent countless musicians and acts for all aspects of an event. We’ve booked string quartets to play everything from Bach to Metallica at ceremonies, and Elvis impersonators to entertain at rehearsal dinners.

We also have a lot of clients needing entertainment for corporate events and private parties, as well.

If a couple walks in, who should they expect to talk to?

Currently, most of the booking and event coordination is handled by DJ Scott Jones and and Geoff Short. Scott is our General Manager and has been working at the office for a decade, and Geoff is band leader of and singer in The Avenue. They both have extensive experience planning and performing for weddings at all the major local venues.

(The amazing Scott Jones)

When would you recommend a DJ for a wedding and when would you recommend a band?

It can be a matter of taste and/or price. Some feel that a band provides an air of class, while others just want someone to be in charge of playing music at the right time and making announcements.

There are exceptions, but most of our bands excel at playing a wide range of popular genres and songs, which is great if your guests range in age from 8 to 80. If most of your dancing crowd is younger and into primarily modern music, a DJ might be a better fit. Many clients hire a band for the first four hours and then a DJ for the final hour or two, for the younger crowd.

What unique qualities does each have to offer?

A DJ is usually more affordable than a fully stocked band, and you’ll hear the original, familiar versions of all your favorite music. A band will provide more crowd interaction and bring more energy and personality to the room. (Our DJs pretty much stay at their booth, no dancing on speakers or singing along.)

If a bride is interested in a particular band, how far in advance should she be sure to book?

At least a year. As of July of 2010, we already have some bands and DJs booked for dates in October of 2011.

If a couple has no idea what the best entertainment choice is for their wedding, can you help guide them to a perfect match?

Absolutely! First, we can narrow choices down using availability for their date. Then, we can show them some choices on DVD. If a client isn’t feeling the vibe of a band or DJ, we’re pretty good at reading that. No problem, we move on to other choices. We’ll find out about their venue, their budget, their guests and their favorite music, and usually one or two bands or DJs will come to mind as a good fit.

What question should every couple ask their entertainment before booking with them?

They should find out if the individual they are meeting with, or those featured in the video, will be the same individuals who will be performing at the event. Some companies book under one name, then farm out the work to anyone available. But one song can sound VERY different sung by different singers, and different DJs have very different personalities. Not to mention one song list doesn’t fit all bands.

At the same time, conflicts can occur. Once or twice a year, we may need to replace a lead singer or DJ due to illness. The fact that we have a pre-screened talent roster in our pocket is a major plus to booking through an agency. We can easily fill-in a role at the last minute if needed, and the bride won’t be bothered with added stress the day of her wedding.

Leigh, thank you so much for your time.  I look very forward to working with you guys in the future.

Canton Engagement Session {Brian & Jen}

He was driving like a maniac.  That’s her side of the story anyway.  She was so mad she even asked around town and found his address.  She completely intended to knock on the door and give him a piece of her mind.  She knocked and he answered, but apparently she forgave him, because soon after they were dating.  Then, last December, Brian set out on an elaborate plan to ask Jen to marry him.  To keep her from being suspicious, he worked with 94.1 to be sure that Jen would win tickets to a Cavs game.  On the night of the game, she came home to find a Christmas tree decorated with a box next to it.  She said yes {of course!} and they went to see the game as a newly engaged couple.

We began our session at Silver Park in Alliance.  Brian and Jen brought their other love, Daisy, along and she snuck in a few photos.  :)

She is a cutie, huh?

Jen, you look beautiful!

After a quick clothing change, we headed over to Mount Union…

Here’s Dave’s perspective of the fire escape:

And mine:

Brian & Jen have visited Bubba Gump and wanted a bus stop shot.  We couldn’t find a good bench but this worked just fine.  Daisy seems to like it too, don’t you think?

Thanks Brian and Jen!  We are looking forward to your wedding this September.

Classy Akron Wedding Photography {Donny & Maris}

Maris was joyful when I arrived at the salon as she and her friends and family got ready.  She knew the day would be the one she’s been waiting for.  The one she’d done all that traveling for.  They had prepared for every detail–a perfect location, a classy band, an elegant dress.  There was only one aspect that couldn’t be cared for in advance–the weather.

It  rained that day.  Actually, it poured.  But, the rain couldn’t stop the joy.  Donny & Maris were married under the cover of the Conservatory at Stan Hywet.  Despite the last minute changes, the wedding was beautiful and the bride and groom glowed along with the rest of the festivities.  I think in the end, they made their own sunshine.

I think the difference between great weddings and fabulous weddings is the details.  And trust me, details there were.  Here is Maris’s head piece.  Gorgeous, right?

Stan Hywet made the perfect backdrop for the day.  Donny and Maris were actually the first couple to ever be married in the front of the Conservatory.

Donny and Maris opted for a First Glance.  I love it.  I love capturing this moment when they first see one another and they can be alone for a time before the ceremony begins.  Some brides and grooms have confessed that it was their only time alone the entire day.

Maris has such grace about her.

More yummy details.

I had to include this shot.  Look at the cool stitching on the programs.

Donny’s father toasted the couple…

…followed by Maris’s sister.  And it may have been one of the cutest toasts I’ve ever heard.

Donny and Maris, thank you both for sharing your day with us.  It was a pleasure.

Some of the wonderful people and places who made their day possible:

Ceremony & Reception Location: Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens

Colors: Black & White with Pops of Red

Florist: The Towne Florist

Bakery: West Side Bakery

Gown Boutique: The Country Bride and Gent

Videographer: Aaron Ruegg

Hair Stylist: Martha Vale

Makeup and Bridesmaid’s Hair: Carol Martin’s

Click below to view the slideshow.  {Please be patient.  It may take a moment to load.  Anyone viewing on Facebook or in an RSS feed, click here.}

Cleveland Wedding Photography {The Story of David & Elisha}

I shared the wedding photographs with you a few days ago here, but I wanted to also share their story:

Elisha wasn’t sure about the whole blind date idea.  Her cousin insisted he was a good guy…but spending the evening with a man she’d never met did not sound like a night she was up for.  She reluctantly agreed to go, but in the end begged her cousin to stay.  That’s how it started.  Dave, Elisha, and her cousin.

In fact their first few dates went this same way.  Elisha’s cousin had a front row seat to a relationship that blossomed to become this bride and groom.  And, fittingly, she had the same front row seat to Dave and Elisha on the day they pledged their lives to each other.

Dave and Elisha…all the best to you both.  Congratulations.

{Cleveland Wedding Photography} David & Elisha Engagement Slideshow

Dave and I will be traveling to Cleveland tomorrow morning to shoot David & Elisha’s wedding.  We will soon have some awesome wedding images to share but until then, here is their engagement slideshow.  Enjoy!

{It may take a minute to load…I promise it’s worth it.}

Those viewing on Facebook or in an RSS feed, please click the following link to view:  http://www.heritagestudioandgallery.com/2010/cleveland-wedding-photography-david-elisha-slideshow.

A Wedding Wish Feature

I am excited to announce that the amazing Angela Wish featured one of our photos on her blog this week.  Remember Scott & Kelli?  Their beautiful wedding featured tons of great images, but in particular this one Dave shot is fantastic.  Click on the image below to view the post.

Oh, and while you are there say hello to Angela.  I would highly recommend every bride hire a wedding planner and Angela’s talent ranks high.

Cleveland Area Engagement Session {Aaron & Rachel}

Never again, she had decided.  That very night Rachel swore off dating a guy from the bar ever again.  At the Loft in Kent, where she bar-tended, the guys weren’t exactly Prince Charming.  But then, he walked in.  She noticed him with his friends and thought he seemed so different…so “normal.”

A week later Aaron was back again, and she remembered his favorite drink.  He was impressed with her memory and with her and later asked for her number.  She hesitated.  Didn’t she just swear off this kind of thing?  But clearly Rachel has good instincts because she relented and handed it over…right after asking him if there was anything crazy she should know about him, of course.

They are good together.  Really good.  I love what Aaron says about her: “She’s genuine.  She never tries to project herself differently than who she really is inside. I know that she is always being herself around me, and because of this, I  knew from the start that I could always be myself around her.”

If that isn’t a recipe for a successful marriage, I don’t know what is.

Their pictures are especially cool because we did some of them in the fall and then Dave headed out with them in the middle of February.

And, here is they are with their son, Bosco.  {Ten points if you know where that name came from.}

I love this next one.  I told you they are great together.

Here they are outside the home they recently bought together:

Congratulations to Aaron & Rachel!  And Bosco of course.

Aaron is Dave’s son and I am looking very forward to photographing their wedding this September in Toledo.  If these engagement shots are any indication, it should be a great time!

Here’s a slideshow of more engagement photos.  Give it a minute to load…it’s worth it.  {If you are viewing this on Facebook or an RSS Feed click here to view and then scroll down.}

Rachel had plans for the images with writing on them…but I decided to have some fun with them in the slide show.  Cute, huh?

Wedding Wednesday {Best Cleveland Area Wedding Vendors, Tips, & Ideas}

(I know.  I know.  It’s Thursday.  But doesn’t Wedding Wednesday have a much better ring to it?)

Allow me to introduce Ryan to you.  He is one of the DJs at Beach Boyz Entertainment and I asked him to tell us a little bit about himself and the business.  I firmly believe that your wedding entertainment is an essential piece of hosting a wedding people enjoy.  If your guests aren’t having fun you will be disappointed and believe me so will they.

Some DJs in the industry are fantastic and others are just so so.  Do yourself a favor and hire a fantastic one like Ryan here.  :)

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am a person who loves to have fun and take life by the horns. I have been married now for 7 years and I have two sons. Austin and Trevor. Austin is 6 years old and in the first grade and Trevor is 3 years old. They are incredible. I just recently bought a home in Firestone Park and loving it. It’s so nice to have the freedom of owning and doing whatever I want, which means, I was able to get a Pet! We have 1 cat named Charlie and a Dog soon to come!

2. Tell us about Beach Boyz Entertainment…where are you located?

Beach Boyz is a wonderful DJ Service. The customers come first. That’s how we separate us from everyone else. It’s not our show, it’s theirs. We want to cater to all that our clients want. We have around 20 guys at the present time working for Beach Boyz. Range from Rookies to guys who have been there for 15 years.

3. How did you become a DJ?

I used to work at Todaro’s Party Center in Akron as a busboy so I got to see DJ’s first hand and got to see how much fun people had. I wanted to be that guy who provided the fun. I loved it when Beach Boyz DJ’d the parties because they made it a night to remember. So that’s why I decided to become a DJ. Didn’t know music too well and was a little quiet, but wanted to try. Now I know thousands upon thousands of songs and have been with Beach Boyz for 11 years. I get to provide the entertainment and provide the smiles as people walk out the door remembering how much fun their event was!

4. What do you think is the most important role of a DJ at a wedding reception?

The most important thing about the role of the DJ is becoming the one to take care of the flow of the night. For Weddings, we make sure that all events are planned, ready to go…and we keep a good pace. If you let the party drag out and check in the guest(s) of honor, then people lose interest and the client thinks “what’s next…” Being able to work the flow of the music is most important too! Anyone can hook up an IPOD and run music off of it all night, but do they really know how to work the crowd. Do they know what song to play next to keep people dancing? No. They usually just have a pre-determined list and just the play button. We don’t do that. We work the crowd off the lists the Client provides plus what we feel would keep the dance floor alive. Also, our DJ Service works closely with all Photographers and Videographers. That’s the last thing a Bride and Groom would want…no pictures for a special event on their Wedding Day…a Father-Daughter dance could be missed. All Vendors know what is coming up. We Emcee the event and Coordinate all events.

5. What should a bride and groom look for in a DJ?

As you look for a DJ, get to know them. Get comfortable with them. The reason I say that is because they are the one’s DJing the night you are going to remember the rest of your life. The DJ makes or breaks your reception. People don’t really remember the food, or the drinks…but they remember the music.

6. What are some unique things you (Beach Boyz) offer?

Beach Boyz offers a variety of unique things. We have basic lighting to intelligent lighting…Fog Machines/Snow Machines/Bubble Machines/the list keeps going. We have props for all kind of events when it comes to Kid Parties (Hula Hoops/Miniature Bikes/Wide Selection) to keep people entertained. We also interact with the crowd. We don’t stand behind the DJ Table with our arms crossed the whole night or sitting down eating and drinking alcohol. We don’t eat and we don’t drink alcohol at events. Our concern is the Bride and Groom…not our party life!

7. Do you have any fun stories or experiences that you can share?

I have tons of stories that could take up pages as to things that have happened in my 11 years so I will keep it short and sweet. The experiences I have meeting new people every weekend are awesome! But the best part is when you run into those people down the road and they remember you! They say they still talk about their reception and how much fun they had. They say that every family gathering they have, their reception comes up as a topic every time and memories start flying out their mouths and they can’t stop talking about it. That is the best experience. I once had a Bride and Groom I DJ’d for 5 years ago…well, their friend got married this past summer and they were guests. They came up to me and said “you were our DJ and I am so happy to see you here tonight. We told them to go to Beach Boyz and get Ryan.” So for couples to remember me that far down the road is the most amazing feeling. I love being a DJ and I will leave you with a quote that I will hold true to and you will see how much I love being a DJ by this quote:  ”The day that this becomes a job is the day that I call it quits”

Thanks for talking to me and hope to see you all soon!!

Here’s a couple shots from a wedding last season where Ryan is keeping the floor hopping:

Should we see each other before the wedding? {Wedding Wednesday}

When I was planning our wedding I went with the traditional custom and didn’t see Josh before the ceremony.  Not seeing him just seemed like the “thing to do.”  But, if I had to do it all over, I would opt for a first glance.  After being right there as so many others have enjoyed this special moment…I just with I would have known.

Many of our brides also choose not to see their groom ahead of time.  Please know we would never try to talk anyone into seeing their hubby-to-be if they felt strongly about it, but for those that are just not seeing each other for the same reason I did…I have a few reasons why you may want to opt for this newer trend.

1. It’s often the only time of the day when the bride and groom get to be together alone.
2. It’s comforting.  When a couple sees each other they often are able to calm one another’s nerves and focus more on the day.  (I spent most of my own ceremony thinking, I have no idea what is being said.  I can’t focus at all.)
3. I’ve had more than one couple tell me it was their favorite time of the day AND resulted in their favorite photographs of the day.
4. We can still capture both of your faces the first time you see one another; it’s just not in front of everyone else, making the moment much more intimate.  (Dave and I have become pros at orchestrating the location and placement in order to get some great shots.)

Here are two examples of the first glances from 2009:

Jasmine Star, a photographer in Southern CA who I adore, also blogged on this same topic.  I would highly recommend checking out what she has to say here and here.

Ohio Wedding Photographer {Casey & Jennifer}

They say she was always pretty cool about guys.  She dated but always kept her head.  Then she went out with him and something was different.  She was falling in love.  And so was he.

We spent the last hours of 2009 watching as Casey and Jennifer were married in front of their friends and family.  New Years Eve promises so much: a new future, fresh opportunities, starting over.  What could represent more of a new beginning than the joining of lives?  The night was magical as each of them pledged their hearts and lives to the other.  Everyone gathered around them waiting to say goodbye to a year and to wish blessings on two people who are so in love.

With all my heart I wish these two the best in everything.  I hope 2010 brings so much happiness and joy to both of their lives.

Here’s Jennifer with her made of honor.  And Jennifer was, well, Jennifer was beautiful.

Casey and Jennifer chose to see each other before the ceremony (an idea I just LOVE) and Dave and I were there to capture every second of it.  A “First Glance” allows for an intimate moment where the couple can be together before the stress of the day begins.  It’s also one of my favorite moments to shoot…because it is always so special.

I think he’s impressed…what do you think?

Casey…hamming it up.

The hotel lobby had some incredible spots to shoot.  This lobby + This couple =

We stepped outside for a few shots, but the chill chased us away pretty quickly.  I think it was worth it though because look at these:

Here’s one of the moments that makes you melt.  I love the way he loves her.  He whispers in her ear and although no one but Jennifer knows what was said…you know it was sweet…because her smile gives it away.

Casey’s sister sang at the start of the ceremony.  She may have one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard.  Seriously.

There’s something about the next one I love.

After the toasts, Casey shared some words of his own.

Casey was planning the following surprise since he got down on one knee.  He secretly had their engagement photographed and added the photographs to the end of their reception slideshow.  Look closely at the screen…it says, “Will You Marry Me?”  I think Jennifer’s reaction was priceless.

Isn’t she radiant?

Less than 30 seconds from 2010.  I love this shot Dave captured…Casey and Jennifer with all their loved ones crowded around them.

Welcome 2010.  Welcome a new life together.

Thank you both for inviting us to share your day.  Blessings to both of you.

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