Location, Location, Location

A current client said to me that her day was based upon family, music and food.  In that order.  (I personally like that music comes before food.)  Yes, picking your event site is important.  You want a place that is attractive to the eye, that has a staff that can handle whatever is thrown at them, and has food that won’t force your guests into making a side-trip to Mickey D’s on the way home.  The following are banquet facilities John and I have worked at in the last few years where, I think, prospective clients should take a peek.  Unfortunately, I can’t help with prices.  You’re on your own with that.  [Please note: I have a thing for “character.”  Hence my recommendations.]

Poconos Area

*** Stroudsmoor Inn—this place has it all.  Location, location, location.  They have multiple reception areas and, if you want a ceremony on site, they have that as well.  The staff is top notch, and the food?  To die for.  (It helps, of course, to mention that Funtastic Sound is on their “Preferred Vendor” list.)  http://www.stroudsmoor.com/WeddingInner.cfm?itemCategory=40417&siteid=425&priorId=0&banner=s

Poconos Manor—again, they have various reception rooms and an area for an outside ceremony.  This is an OLD Poconos Golf resort.  Think Dirty Dancing.  http://www.poconomanor.com/weddings

Shawnee Inn—the main banquet room is huge, and there is a great little reception room in the lower level.  One of the neatest things we ever did was to be the deejays for a ceremony on premises in the Shawnee Playhouse—right before Christmas—in the middle of a snow storm.  Absolutely magical.  The staff is great.  http://www.shawneeinn.com/weddings/default-en.html

Lehigh Valley

The Lehigh Valley has a wide variety of places to have your wedding (or party).  As I mentioned above, I love out of the ordinary.  So, my first mention has to be:

Allentown Brew Works—yes, the location can be scary.  It’s downtown Allentown.  BUT I LOVE the reception site.  Upper level of the Brew Works.  Your guests take an elevator to the top floor and enter a room that is surrounded by windows and beautiful hardwood floors.  http://www.thebrewworks.com/banquets-weddings-private-events/

Saucon Valley Acres—extremely rustic (dark woods), with locations for an outside ceremony.  This place is magical (to me, anyway).  (Check out the home page to our website.  The bride and groom posted there had a costume-themed wedding at this location.)   http://www.svacres.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=79

Hotel Bethlehem—a deejay’s nightmare!  LOL  (Or at least it was at one time.)  The location puts this apart from the others.  The hotel is located in historic Bethlehem.  Think Colonial and cobblestones.  (And, if your guests  want some action after the party, they are only a hop, skip and carriage ride from the Sands Casino.)  http://www.bethlehemweddings.com/

Honorable Mention:  The Barrister’s Club, http://www.thebarristersclub.com/BALLROOM.html

Berks County

Bear Creek Mountain Resort—this is between Lehigh and Berks Counties.  To honestly appreciate this location the best?  Plan your event for late October through April.  Snow.  It’s all about the snow.  Your main banquet hall has one wall that is nothing but glass overlooking the skiers and the mountain.  Amazing.  http://www.bcmountainresort.com/events-bear-creek. 

Stokesay Castle—It’s a castle.  In Berks County.  I’m a King Arthur and the Round Table geek.  Need I say more.  http://stokesay.net/

Inn  at Bally Spring Farm—I wish I could post a website link.  I think it is down.  (I understand they recently re-opened.)  Again, rustic and beautiful.  (Is there a theme here?) 

Philly-ish

The Water Wheel—Down near Doylestown. This place has historic value.  (Read the info on the website). There is a beautiful place for outside ceremonies.  And a creek.  It has a creek that has frogs.  That may not mean much to you, but as far as I’m concerned, it was part of its charm.  http://www.thewaterwheelrestaurant.com/banquet.htm

Joseph Ambler Inn—By now you must have realized, if you haven’t before, I LOVE atmosphere.  If you want a place to have an outside ceremony and cocktails, this is a great place.   http://www.josephamblerinn.com/weddings.htm

 

So, that’s it.  There are hundreds and hundreds of party and reception sites.  Everyone has their favorites.  I tried to give you a list of some of the places John and I have worked that are a bit out of the ordinary—for one reason or another (mostly atrmosphere).

I am hoping that some of my previous clients will add to this list, or make comments adding to or subtracting from my comments above.

Relay For Life 4th Annual Dance - PSA

Relay for Life of Exeter (Dragonflies) will be holding their 4th Annual Dance. Luau Theme on Saturday, April 13, 2013.  Doors open a 7:00 p.m.  Funtastic Sound will be DJ'ing the event (again) this year. Snacks, soda & beer will be provided. Cash Bar available. Take a chance at winning one of the Door Prizes or bidding at the AUCTION . Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door.  Call (484)824-5004 for tickets (and directions).  Come join us for an evening of fun for a great cause.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow? How it effects your party.

Yes, it’s pretty.  Yes, we all dream of a white Christmas.  Yes, a lot of people enjoy frolicking in it.  But for a deejay, it can be a total nightmare.

 With times the way they are (what with global warming, freakish weather patterns, etc.) booking parties anytime between the end of October through mid-April can be a source of much agita [N.B. for those of you unfamiliar with the Italian term, it means heartburn or distress.]  We deejays promise the client we will be there for him/her/them.  We have the deposit in hand.  We have the car/van/truck packed and we’re ready to entertain.  Then it happens.

IT SNOWS!!!  or IT SLEETS!!!  or there is FREEZING RAIN AND ICE!!!  Hellfire and Damnation!

Now, as a deejay, unless you have a dogsled, you may start to sweat profusely and get the beginnings of a migraine.  You take another look at your timetable and try to figure out how much earlier you should leave to get to the event location—taking into account, of course, for how quickly the snow is accumulating outside your door.

You arrive at the party.  Phew!  The party starts on time and you smile and joke and do your job – make sure everyone is having fun and enjoying themselves.  Are you having fun?  Hell no!  There are niggling little thoughts constantly in the back of your head … like “How am I going to get home from here?” or “Wonder if the roads have been treated?” or “Why didn’t I buy that dogsled when I had the opportunity?”   But do the guests know what is going on in that sometimes overly-neurotic brain of yours?  Nope.  Because, as the saying goes, “Don’t let them see you sweat.”

You may or may not be aware that PA and NJ were hit by a rather nasty nuisance of a winter storm yesterday.  Absolutely lovely to behold.  You know, that pretty fairy snow?  The stuff that sparkles as it lands?  It started in PA around 1:00.  Last evening John and I had the pleasure of deejaying a 40^th birthday party in Clinton, NJ.  It had an 8:00 start time and was to run to midnight.  We smiled.  We danced.  We (well, I) schmoozed.  [N.B.  John says to mention he schmoozed, as well.]  And we worried.  A LOT.

So - just remember party planners – your deejays really do everything they can to be there for you.  But, if you happen to book a deejay and it snows?  Just ignore the glaze in his/her eyes.  He/she is dreaming about a Laughing Husky Yukon Flyer.  (Now, I wonder where I put that link to their website.)