Here are the weddings we were a part of the weekend of August 14th, 15th, and 16th, 2009.  We hope you like them!

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Jason and Liz, 8/15/2009 – Annapolis Marriott Waterfront, Annapolis, MD

DJ:  Evan Reitmeyer

The setting:  A perfectly clear, seasonably warm, day on the waterfront in beautiful downtown Annapolis, MD.

The first dance:  “Never Ending Road” by Loreena McKennitt, to which the bride and groom shared a beautiful choreographed dance.

A unique touch:  The bride and groom had a custom cake made by Charm City Cakes, with little cats crawling on it made in the likeness of their three real cats!

The playlist:  A very wide range of music – everything from classic rock to current hip-hop to punk!

Outstanding vendors:  A fabulous team on this wedding, including wedding planner Leslie Maloney of WeddingSavvy, and wedding photographer Pete Redel – who gave us pictures!

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Bridget and Stuart, 8/15/2009 – Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, Washington, DC

DJ:  David Johnson

The setting:  The beautiful, elegant Blue Room at the Mayflower Hotel, accented with warm peach and yellow uplighting throughout.

The first dance:  ”The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra.

An unique touch:  The couple’s wedding cake was a perfect replica of the Capitol building — it was truly breathtaking! (Picture below!)

A special moment:  A friend of the family composed and read a poem to the couple.

Outstanding vendors:  As always, wedding planner Sara Bauleke of Bella Notte was on top of her game and fantastic to work with!

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Danielle and Adam, 8/15/2009 - Stone Manor Country Club, Middletown, MD

DJ:  Jeff Brown

The setting:  Stone Manor, an 18th century manor home on 114 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, was a gorgeous backdrop.

The first dance:  “Syrup and Honey” by Duffy

A funny moment:  During the best man’s very funny and touching toast, he pulled out a special gift for the bride and groom — a pair of custom made Barbie and Ken “Marine Edition” dolls, commemorating the couple’s service in the Marine Corps!

A unique touch:  Trisha Cranor of Working Brides had a fantastic idea — after the father of the bride’s welcome speech, he invited the bride to join him on the dance floor for the father/daughter dance.  Later, after the cake cutting, the groom made a thank-you speech and invited his mother up for the mother/son dance.  It was that much more personal, and a great way to incorporate these traditions!

Outstanding vendors:  Trisha Cranor and her team from Working Brides were, once again, fabulous!  So were Brian from Stone Manor and the staff of Beyond Imaginations, who provided the incredible flowers.

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Evan and Dawn, 8/15/2009 – Evergreen House, Baltimore, MD

DJ:  Soor Kothari

The setting:  Evergreen House lent a rustic, rural and beautiful feel to the wedding celebration.

The first dance:  “Me and My Shadow” by Frank Sinatra

The music:  Guests enjoyed a mix of classic tunes, with many selections by the Rat Pack, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, as well as some oldies and 80s hits.

A funny moment:  The couple wore hilarious balloon hats during their cake cutting!

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Mary & Jonathan, 8/15/2009 - Manor Country Club, Rockville, MD

DJ:  Anthony Simpson

The setting:  Manor Country Club’s elegantly appointed clubhouse was warm and hospitable.

The first dance:  ”For Once in My Life” by Stevie Wonder.

A touching moment:  Immediately after the first dance, the bride presented her beautiful bouquet to her grandparents in honor of their 70-year marriage.

A unique surprise:  The matron of honor’s toast consisted of an original poem she wrote about the couple — it was very well received!

A funny moment:  During his toast, the father of the bride mentioned how the couple was on a budget and couldn’t afford the top hat and cane the groom had wanted to go with his tuxedo.  He then said that his cousin Pete had donated the exact top hat he’d worn at his own wedding years ago.  He called the groom up to receive it, but it wasn’t an actual top hat — it was a furry purple 70’s “pimp” hat!

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Callie and Brandon, 8/16/2009 – Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, DC

DJ:  Evan Reitmeyer

The setting:  The fabulous Pavilion Room at the Reagan Building provided the perfect spot for their Jewish ceremony and reception.

The playlist:  A mix of new and old, the bride and groom were very specific with their song list and put a lot of work into it!

A unique touch:  Callie and Brandon are really good ballroom dancers.  I don’t just mean really good for normal people, I mean REALLY good, professional-level ballroom dancers.  The best I’ve ever had at a wedding, hands down.  They were incredible.

Outstanding vendors:  We had a fabulous team, starting with the lovely and talented Candice Barnes with the Reagan Building.  Wedding photographer Pamela Lepold was fun to work with, and gave us some pictures!

The moment you’ve all been waiting for has arrived!  We have finally reached the end of our journey with “The Bottom 40 – The 40 Worst Songs of All Time.”  These songs are truly the worst of the worst, and it was painful to have to listen to each of them as I wrote this post.  I hope that my suffering brings you enjoyment.  Voila!

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10. LFO – Summer Girls

I’m almost speechless trying to say something about how awful this song is, but I’ll try to muster something.  Idiotic, nonsensical, ill-conceived, pandering, absurd, name-dropping, completely worthless ear vomit.  I think that’s about it. 

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9. Tom Jones – What’s New Pussycat?

Creepy, cheesy, perverted garbage, and Tom Jones has been trading on this since 1965.  This reached #3 on the charts.  Seriously. 

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8. Green Jelly – Three Little Pigs

Ah, yes.  The theme song for every smelly, pimple-faced heavy metal geek in 1993.  The only reason it isn’t ranked lower is the music video, which is like an impressively bad acid trip.  I believe this was the 3rd sign that the apocalypse is upon us.

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7. Paula Abdul – Vibeology

Question:  What do you do when you have a manufactured pop star who can’t carry a tune?  Why, you take an old 8-bit sampler and create a completely atonal mess and then have her caterwaul over it with some ridiculous garbage lyrics.  Then you collect a giant check because the song hit #16, and the album hit #1 on the Billboard 200 and went triple-platinum.

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6. Stars on 45 – Medley

Please take a moment to immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring awfulness of this disco “mega-mix” that hit #1 in 1981.  So many butchered hits, it’s like they released Freddy Krueger and Leatherface into the crowd at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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5. Benny Mardones – Into the Night

This song is wrong for so many reasons…  It charted in the Billboard Top 20 twice – once in 1980 when it was originally released and again in 1989.  Between those two instances, it was on the charts a total of 37 weeks, making it the longest-charting single by a solo artist for the entire decade of the 1980s.  Yes, even longer than anything Michael Jackson did.  Also, creepy Benny was 34 years old when he first recorded the song, which is an icky ode to his lust for a 16-year old girl. 

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4. Bette Midler – From a Distance

At first, you’re like “Oh, Bette… What a nice song about how God loves us and is watching us, what an inspiring message…”  Then you realize that the song is really about how humanity is destroying itself and God doesn’t care and isn’t going to do anything about it, and we’re ultimately doomed to exterminate our own species.  Other than that, good song.

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3. Meatloaf – Paradise by the Dashboard Light

Meat Loaf has the odious distinction of being the only artist with not one, but two separate songs in the 40 Worst Songs of All Time.  I can’t even begin to explain my hatred for this song.  A long time ago, I used to DJ a karaoke night at a bar in Ellicott City.  This song would be sung by two separate drunk, tone-deaf couples each night.  Add to that the fact that the song is interminably long, and includes a two-minute 70’s-porn-music breakdown complete with baseball play-by-play announcer describing the protagonist’s progress getting into his date’s pants.  Add to that the two-minute screaming match about “let me sleep on it” and “I wanna know right now” and I want to stick a rusty nail in my ear.  I could go on, but I’ll stop there.

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2. The Knuckleheads – Curly Shuffle

Why was this even made?  Doesn’t this say something about our civilization?

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1. Gordon Lightfoot – The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

And now, we have arrived at the song below all songs – a song that truly deserves the title of the Worst Song Ever Made.  First of all, you can’t understand anything Gordon Lightfoot is saying in this boring, mumbling piece of aural flotsam.  When you actually find out what he’s saying (I’ve included a subtitled video above), you realize that it’s actually is a song about the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975, killing all 29 crew on board.  First of all, is a memorial song necessary?  Second, isn’t it an insult to have your memorial song sung by Gordon Lightfoot?  I have many, many problems with this song, but above everything else is the fact that it’s 7 minutes and 45 seconds of completely repetitive monotone, unintelligible gibberish.  It also peaked at #2 on the Billboard charts in November 1976.  Surely, the end is near.

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There you have it!  So, what do you think?  What did I miss?  Any comments are welcome – just keep it clean.  This is a family show, you know!

Ok, so I started using Twitter about two months ago, and at the time it seemed like my Facebook friends (especially my wedding vendor buddies) were interested in finding out my thoughts once I had a handle on it.  Perhaps that’s changed, but I’m going to give them anyway.  Enjoy!

Just so you know, I’m very tech-savvy but I’m not an “early adopter” when it comes to technology.  Especially web technology, and especially social networking.  I just started a blog for my company in May.  I run a very successful (and time consuming) business, and I have a tendency to get hooked on something new and waste my very limited time on it instead of being productive.  To combat this tendency, I won’t join a site or sign up for a service unless I can see a clear picture of how it will benefit my business.

I didn’t join MySpace until late 2007, and I deleted my page a few months ago – that was a “time gobbler” for me.  I joined LinkedIn in 2008, that seemed to have real promise at the time… now nobody really uses it.  I like the idea, but it seems better for finding a job or for finding new employees – not really applicable to the wedding and events industry.  I resisted the urge to join Facebook until December of 2008, despite my lovely and talented wife, Jennifer, insisting that it was fun and had a practical business application.  I had only seen her use Facebook for playing Scrabble and SuperPoke and didn’t see much use.  Despite my initial objection, it actually has had a practical business application and I’ve been able to connect with a lot of my wedding vendor pals and stay in touch on a regular basis.  To me, that makes it worth it. 

I had strongly resisted joining Twitter for about a year until I joined in June.  I understood the whole concept of micro-blogging, I just couldn’t think of any possible reason that the general public needed to know what I had for lunch.  I hadn’t really seen any practical application for it in terms of business — at least not one like mine — until I attended Liene Stevens’ Blogging Bootcamp in Washington, DC.  Liene is, by all accounts, the top social media expert in the wedding and events industry and has two highly successful blogs and legions of devoted followers.  If anyone was going to convince me that Twitter wasn’t stupid, it would be her — and she did! 

Lesson 1:  Twitter and Facebook are Totally Different

Shocker alert!  It’s true.  Facebook is great at relationships — finding old friends, planning happy hour, seeing what your jerk brother-in-law is up to.  Twitter, on the other hand, is great at disseminating information quickly — see the Iran Election saga and the death of Michael Jackson.  They are totally different platforms and are good for two totally different things.  My resistance to Twitter was a result of assuming that it was similar to Facebook and that I’d simply be doubling my status updates on a second platform.  In truth, using Twitter to update my Facebook status has resulted in no extra “work,” other than having to keep up with the same conversation in two different platforms.

Lesson 2:  Twitter and Facebook Have Different Users

Another shocker!  Not everyone is on both platforms.  A lot of tech-forward users have abandoned Facebook entirely for Twitter, and plenty of people on Facebook refuse to use Twitter (which can be appropriate, I’ll explain later).  I can see the Facebook-leaving folks’ point — Facebook is slowly moving from a groundbreaking, innovative social medium to an annoying wasteland of unparalleled stupidity like MySpace did.  For examples, please refer to the “Which Brand of Soda are You?” quiz and anything in the LivingSocial App.  Facebook is way more annoying now, even since I joined in December.  Will Twitter ever kill Facebook?  No.  Not unless Twitter changes its entire business model (if it even has one) and becomes a less-annoying version of Facebook.  Otherwise, Facebook can only kill itself by becoming so annoying that people stop using it.  The fact that there are people on Twitter that I couldn’t reach on Facebook was one of the main reasons I decided to try Twitter.

Lesson 3:  Nobody Cares.

Well, sort of.  Here’s the thing…  Facebook is great for connecting with friends and colleagues and people who you are actually associated with.  Twitter, on the other hand, is great for connecting with people who you aren’t associated with – at least not yet. 

Here’s an analogy – Facebook is like having a party in your house and inviting your friends.  You can talk to everyone at some point one-on-one, group discussions will develop, and if somebody has something important to say, they can clink a glass and get everyone’s attention for a minute.

Twitter is like having a giant party in the parking lot at a stadium.  Nobody is really invited, they just show up (or not) and yell in the general direction of whoever they like or whoever has something interesting to say.  Everyone is yelling, all at the same time, but only a handful of people are listening to you.  The more interesting you seem to be, the more people will listen to you and interact with you – but you’ll never be able to get everyone’s attention because the party’s too big.  If you don’t have something interesting to say, people will just walk away and go find someone else to listen to — nobody will “follow” you.  The great thing about this party, though, is that so many different people are there that you can get connected to someone you might not ever meet otherwise — industry leaders, media personalities, decision-makers, and all sorts of other people you normally wouldn’t have any type of access to.  There aren’t the same type of privacy barriers on Twitter that there are on Facebook, so everything is publicly visible unless otherwise specified (except direct messages).  If you yell in his general direction, Shaquille O’Neal might just holla’ back at you… it’s that kind of party.

Lesson 4:  Twitter Isn’t for Everyone

This may or may not be a shocker — if you think that Twitter would be a waste of time for you, you are probably right.  For a “normal” person like my mom (who just joined Facebook), there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to use Twitter.  If you run a business, write for a blog or a magazine, are running for elected office, or are doing anything else where you’re generating interesting content to be absorbed by (or sold to) the public, Twitter can be very useful.  That means that 95% of Facebook users can safely stay there and won’t miss anything important by not posting on Twitter.  You can still read someone’s Twitter feed even if you don’t have an account.  Heck, you can even subscribe to their Twitter feed via RSS just like a blog. 

The Verdict

Simply put, Liene was right.  Twitter has been very useful in helping me find and develop relationships with some key industry people, keep up with a handful of my pals who aren’t on Facebook, and has even landed me a couple paying customers.  Facebook is still great for keeping me connected to my friends and business associates, and my mom.  The solution?  I use both.  I use the “Selective Twitter” app on Facebook, which pulls my Twitter status and updates my Facebook status automatically, as long as I add a little “#fb” hash at the end of my Tweet.  My followers on Twitter react and I can talk to them, and my Facebook friends do the same thing.  I have Twitterberry and Facebook Mobile on my Blackberry, so I can keep tabs on everything from the road.  Overall, I really like both Facebook and Twitter, and will use both until one of them becomes too annoying or loses all of its users (like MySpace). 

Hopefully that helps, let me know what you think!  If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments below.  Also, you can use the links on the left to become our fan on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.  See you out there!

Behold, the third in our four-part series, “The Bottom 40 – The 40 Worst Songs of All Time.”  Today, we’re really getting into the thick of some terrible music with #20 through #11! 

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20.  Donny Osmond – Soldier of Love

Otherwise known as “The Cliche Song,” this piece of horrendous songwriting was brought to us by the lovable, huggable, giant-chiclet-veneer-wearing Donny Osmond. I love how he’s trying to look tough in the music video with the leather jacket… 

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19.  B-52’s – Rock Lobster

This is another one of those songs that, when you hear the first couple of notes, you get all excited and you’re like “Yeah!  Rock Lobster!”  Then, about 15 seconds later, you’re like “I don’t remember this song sucking so much.”  Don’t get me wrong, I really like the B-52’s, but this song is awful.  Fred Schneider is so annoying in this song, it’s like listening to Gilbert Gottfried on a cracked-out PCP binge – complete with screaming and groaning and nonsensical rambling… Terrible.

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18.  Chubby Checker & The Fat Boys – The Twist

What’s worse than ol’ Chubby Checker trying to squeeze a little more blood from “The Twist” in the 1980’s?  Getting help from hip-hop’s original bad joke – The Fat Boys.  Who, precisely, was supposed to be the beneficiary of this collaboration?  Were the Fat Boys helping Chubby out?  Really?

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17.  Breathe – Hands to Heaven

Ok, seriously.  This guy needs to “man up” and get over it.  This is probably the most melodramatic song ever.  She probably left you for being a total drama queen and crying all the time.  Pathetic.

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16.  Neil Diamond – America

I think this was a clever attempt by Neil Diamond to discourage immigration to the United States by making foreigners think that all of our music sucks.

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15.  Minnie Riperton – Loving You

I was going to go off about how bad this song is, but I just watched the video and it kind of speaks for itself.

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14.  Paul Lekakis – Boom Boom (Let’s Go Back To My Room)

Otherwise known as “The Least Effective Pickup Song Ever.”  This song was #1 on the Australian charts for 5 weeks.  Seriously.  And you thought we had problems…

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13.  Wham! - Wham Rap ‘86

I don’t even know what to say.

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12.  Meat Loaf – I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)

Just thank me for only including the 7-minute and 22-second music video and not the 11-minute live version.  The album version is a full 12 minutes long.  Please note that Meat Loaf won a Grammy for this song, and it was #1 for five weeks in 1993.  This fact makes me question the long-term prospects for representative democracy in our country.

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11.  City High – What Would You Do?

This song represents everything wrong with our society.  No, not the subject matter of the song – although that is also terrible and depressing – I mean the song itself.  This is just painful.

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So, what do you think?  I can’t wait until next week to count down the 10 Worst Songs of All Time.  Until then, you should subscribe to our blog - you can get it delivered!

 We’re back with more real weddings!  Here is what we did the weekend of August 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2009.  Enjoy!

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Leah and Billy, 8/8/2009 – Meridian House International Center, Washington, DC

DJ:  Evan Reitmeyer

The setting:  One of the most amazing historic mansions in DC, with outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour under the linden grove.

The first dance:  Ben Harper’s “By My Side” – great song!

A unique touch:  They held a traditional Quaker wedding ceremony under a massive oak tree next to the mansion.  Many of the guests spoke and offered their well-wishes, it was very sweet.

An unexpected surprise:  One of the bride’s relatives put together a DVD slideshow to be played while the guests arrived!

Outstanding vendors:  This wedding had an amazing team!  Wedding planner Jamie Sears of Simply Chic Events kept everyone focused and on track, and Occasions Caterers did an outstanding job with the food, as usual!

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Christina and Alexander, 8/8/2009 – The Fairmont Hotel, Washington, DC

DJ:  David Johnson

The setting:  The Colonnade Ballroom at the Fairmont, decked out in beautiful tones of purple and lavender, with pin spotlights on the centerpieces and a custom gobo on the dance floor.

The food:  An incredible four course meal, elegant and beautifully plated.

The first dance:  ”I Could Not Ask For More” by Edwin McCain

A funny moment:  The bride’s brother entertained everyone with stories about the groom’s “old school” style track suits he’d wear when the couple first started dating.

An unexpected surprise:  A guest performed a special dance routine to The Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer!”

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Amy and Bryant, 8/8/2009 –  The Barns at Wolf Trap, Vienna, VA

DJ:  Michael Bell

The setting:  The beautiful Barns at Wolf Trap was the backdrop for the wedding celebration, accented with shades of brown as well as vivid rainbow florals.  The room itself is an acoustical dream!

The first dance:  ”The Marry Song” by Band of Horses.

A funny moment:  The bride and her many nephews surprised everyone after the cake cutting by doing a dance to “Let’s Get It Started” by the Black Eyed Peas!

An unexpected surprise:  A very young guest, maybe three years old, was breakdancing on the dance floor!

A unique touch:  The couple’s chocolate Labrador couldn’t be in attendance, so the couple immortalized him in chocolate as their cake topper

Outstanding vendors:  RoseMarie Mirabella of The Barns at Wolf Trap, and Erin and Mike of Mindy’s Catering were both wonderful!

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Lauryn and Scott, 8/8/2009 – Cattail Creek Country Club, Glenwood, MD

DJ:  Jeff Brown

The setting:  The beautiful and elegant Cattail Creek Country Club.

The first dance:  “I Need You” by Faith Hill & Tim McGraw — the couple, who were already married in Texas but were celebrating again here in Maryland, were joined on the dance floor by their adorable little boy, Jackson.

The music mix:  The ceremony had featured a variety of custom selections including tracks by The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and Joe Cocker.  Cocktails were a fun, laid-back mix of artists like Bob Marley, Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz.  Later, guests enjoyed everything from classic rock to country to Top 40.

A unique touch:  An aunt baked a groom’s cake with an icing design depicting the state of Texas!

A fun surprise:  The bride chose individual songs for each person’s introduction into the reception — it was unique and very personal!

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Sarah and Sean, 8/8/2009 – Gramercy Mansion, Stevenson, MD

DJ:  Anthony Simpson

The setting:  The classically appointed Gramercy Mansion, tucked away in the hills outside Baltimore, MD.

The couple:  The bride and groom met at Johns Hopkins where both were studying physics.  Both have since been accepted to the Masters program at CalTech, and are passionate about rock climbing!

The first dance:  ”Right Back Where We Started From” by Maxine Nightingale.

A fun surprise:  The bridesmaids performed an a cappella “rap” for their toast, rewriting the words to “Baby Got Back” to reflect the bride and groom!

A sentimental moment:  During the ceremony, the officiant passed around the couple’s wedding rings to each guest, asking that they offer a silent wish or blessing of their own before the officiant blessed the rings for the couple’s exchange.

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Surbhi and Shaun, 8/9/2009 – Antrim 1844, Taneytown, MD

DJ:  Evan Reitmeyer

The setting:  A whirlwind 13 ½ hour wedding extravaganza at one of the area’s most incredibly breathtaking venues.

The first dance:  “Do You Remember” by Jack Johnson.

A unique touch:  Pretty much the entire wedding was unique – the décor was spectacular, including an elaborate outdoor mandap for the Indian wedding ceremony and an outdoor lunch on a croquet lawn. 

The playlist:  A mix of East meets West, everything from Bollywood to Black Eyed Peas. 

Outstanding vendors:  We had a great team on this wedding as well, it was an extremely long, hot day and both the vendors and the guests were exhausted by the end of the night!  Wedding planner Trisha Cranor of Working Brides kept everyone on task and was fantastic to work with!  Keith Jagdhuber at Antrim 1844 was very pleasant and accommodating, and wedding photographers Katya and Arthur from StoryMotion Studios did a great job of capturing the action without interrupting it.  They even gave us pictures! 

It’s Friday, and it’s time for another wedding vendor interview!  Today, we talk with Maria Cooke of Ritzy Bee Events and author of the highly-acclaimed Ritzy Bee Blog.  Maria always seems to be on the cutting edge of everything – news, trends, you name it! This should be really interesting. Maria, I hope you’re ready – here we go!

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How did you get started in the wedding business?
I have always had a love for parties and planning!  Even as a small child, I would give input to what my birthday party details would be.  After graduating from James Madison University, I worked as a corporate event planner and friends started asking for help with planning their weddings.  It quickly took off from there and I discovered how much I loved weddings! I decided to launch Ritzy Bee Events full-time, and I still love every minute of it.

What do you do when you are not working?
I take full advantage of relaxing when I can!  I love decorating my place, spending time with friends/family, trying new restaurants and love shopping for event props/decor.  Relaxing at the beach with a good drink is bliss too!

How would you describe your approach to weddings?
I believe I take an open minded approach and do not make any assumptions to what a client will like and want until I get to know them.  The wedding should be an expression of the couple — not just a vision a planner has. I also believe every wedding should have at least one unique thing that guests have never seen before. These touches all make the event memorable and that’s what I want most for my clients!

What inspires you in your work?
I find inspiration for wedding planning in many areas… a color on a paint chip, an old book…  I am inspired by the entire story of the wedding couple — their personalities, likes and style… and finding ways to reflect that in the details of their big day.

What do you find the most rewarding about your job?
The biggest compliment I can receive from a client is that I helped make their day stress free and everything they imagined… that, to me, is the most rewarding part.

What’s the one thing you wish everyone knew about you or your business?
Even if someone is not able to work with us directly, we love being able to help planning couples {everywhere!} with ideas and inspiration on The Ritzy Bee Blog.  Wedding blogs have taken off in the past year and we are so fortunate to be among the top wedding blogs readers go to for inspiration.

What do you think sets your company apart from other wedding planners?
I believe hiring a wedding planner is a luxury, but a wise investment — you can’t put a price tag on your wedding day peace of mind!  There are so many wonderful wedding planners in the DC area and we all are unique.  I really love the fact we approach weddings with a calm, fresh perspective for each couple and a focus on making the planning easy for our clients.  A big part of what we do is to act as a “sounding board” to our clients and that is key with making sure they get exactly what they want!

What do you love about weddings?
Right after the ceremony, when the couple walks down aisle I love seeing their joyful expressions!  After months of planning I know they are both relieved and excited.

What do you hate about weddings?
Guests who demand to be seated elsewhere… it’s just plain rude and unnecessary!

What is the coolest thing you’ve ever seen at a wedding?
Oooh tough one… I would say one of my favorite things was surprising guests leaving a late night wedding with a concession trailer outside where we served mini-hamburgers, fries, milkshakes & funnel cakes. People loved the treats “to go” after a long night of celebrating!

What’s the best piece of advice you can give to couples planning a wedding?
It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed with all of the options and “eye-candy” out there, but you need to select what makes sense for you and your budget.  Put things into three categories: what you need, what you love and what you can live without.

Who is your favorite artist or band?
I love music so it’s a big range… everything from the Black Eyed Peas and Beastie Boys to Wilco, The Samples and U2.

What is the worst song of all time?
“The Cha-Cha Slide” by Mr. C…  I’m convinced it could be a form of torture.

Open mic, final thoughts:
I think it’s easy to forget but so important to remember what a wedding is really all about… the marriage. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the planning and all of the fun details, but at the end of the day it’s a celebration of their love!

 

[EVAN] Thanks so much, Maria!  That is some sage advice, I really appreciate you taking the time to share it with us.  Our brides love your blog, and you obviously love what you do!

Here are our weddings from the weekend of July 31st, August 1st, and August 2nd, 2009.  We hope you enjoy them!

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Sarah and James, 7/31/2009 - Historic Whitehall Manor, Bluemont, VA

DJ:  Evan Reitmeyer

The setting:  A gorgeous historic manor house, and a ceremony amongst the trees on the lawn.

The first dance:  “Something” by the Beatles

A fun surprise:  Sarah arranged for an awesome 3-D groom’s cake in the shape of the Michigan State Spartans helmet for the reception!

A touching moment:  The bride decided to give her bouquet to her mom as a surprise “thank you” for helping so much with their planning. She gave a really fantastic speech that almost made me cry!

Outstanding vendors:  Douglas and the staff at Whitehall were incredible as usual, I love playing there. Also, wedding photographer Katie Stoops of Open Air Photography was fantastic and fun and totally easy to work with. She gave us some awesome pictures from the wedding, too!

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Kelly and John, 8/1/2009 – Fort Belvoir Officers’ Club, Ft. Belvoir, VA

DJ:  Anthony Simpson

The setting:  The Ft. Belvoir Officers’ Club dazzled everyone with its stunning views of the Potomac River and lush valleys below.

The first dance:  “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton

The guests:  A wild and fun mix of incredible dancers — the groom’s fraternity brothers all gathered together for O-Zone’s “Dragostea Din Tei” and later, a surprise conga line broke out to Wyclef Jean’s version of “La Bamba”

A touching moment:  The bride and groom wished to acknowledge their grandparents in a special way, so they dedicated Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” to them and those who were able to get up and dance did just that — it was very special to watch.

Outstanding vendors:  Henry and his team at the Officers’ Club were wonderful, as was the very talented photographer Tracy Timmester!

 

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Jane and Chong, 8/1/2009 – The Four Seasons Hotel, Washington, DC

DJ:  David Johnson

The setting:  The subtly elegant decor at the Four Seasons provided a beautiful atmosphere.

The first dance:  “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton

A unique touch:  The couple’s traditional Korean P’yebaek ceremony was amazing to watch, with its gorgeous traditional attire and decor.

A special moment:  The bride’s father danced for the first time ever during the father/daughter dance!

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Ellie and Joel, 8/1/2009 – Private Residence, Annapolis, MD

DJ:  Jeff Brown

The setting:  A beautiful private home on the waterfront, with breathtaking water views and lush landscaping, all accented by the wedding’s pink, white and green decor

The first dance:  “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton

A unique touch:  The guests got to experience an especially sweet evening thanks to both a cupcake tree and an ice cream bar!

The music:  This was definitely a crowd of dancers, who had a fantastic time dancing the night away to everything from the classics to contemporary pop and hip hop.

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Kim and Bennett, 8/1/2009 – The Washington Club, Washington, DC

DJ:  Evan Reitmeyer

The setting:  A beautiful historic building on Dupont Circle in the heart of downtown Washington, DC.

The first dance:  “Have I Told You Lately” by Rod Stewart

The playlist:  Very diverse and balanced, reflecting the crowd – their guests were from all over the country. Lots of 80’s, rock, and even a little country!

A unique touch:  The bride and groom opted for cupcakes instead of a traditional wedding cake, and everyone loved it!

Welcome to part two of our four-part feature, “The Bottom 40 – The 40 Worst Songs of All Time.“  This week, we count down the worst songs ever from #30 to #21.  There are a couple really bad ones here, enjoy (sort of)!

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30.  Will Smith – Boom Shake the Room 

I know I said that hip-hop was not considered for this list, but Will Smith does not count as hip-hop.  I don’t know what to say about this song, so I’m going to say everything.  This song is TERRIBLE.  Oh, how it sucks… let me count the ways:  First of all, the outright thievery of Kris Kross’ “miggada-miggada-mack-daddy” rap style is totally unacceptable.   Will, I understand that you’re a pretty vanilla rapper, but you just shouldn’t steal rap styles from children.  It’s bad form.  Second, the part of the song where Will tells a female to “work that booty.”  It’s so bad that you’re embarrassed for listening to it, and embarrassed for Will Smith that he made it.  Kind of like when your drunk uncle takes off his shirt at the dinner table at Christmas because he’s hot – he’s clearly making an ass of himself, but you’re also somewhat implicated because you’re related to him.  Third, the gratuitous use of the “explosion” sound effect when Will says “Boom.”  Yes, we get it.  The song says “boom,” you can’t miss it.  It’s like shrapnel in my ears.  Third, there’s the rhyming of the word “body” with the word “somebody.”  Seriously?  You’re a RAPPER (kind of) and you can’t even bother to not rhyme a word with the same word?  Finally, there’s the third verse of the song, featuring Will Smith stuttering.  On purpose.  And referencing the fact that he’s stuttering in his stuttering rhymes.  This song is w-w-w-wuh-WACK.

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29.  Terry Jacks – Seasons in the Sun

Oh, you painfully depressing, yet cheerily sung, piece of 70’s pop garbage.  Terry, 1000 butterflies died every time you sang this song.  Nirvana covered it at one point, which seems a bit more appropriate for a song that makes you want to kill yourself.  It was also covered by the british boy band Westlife in 1999, produced by (guess who?) Simon Cowell.  I rest my case.

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28.  Taco – Puttin’ on the Ritz

This song has been a bone of contention between me and Jennifer, who really helped me whittle this list down to 40.  She insists that this is an acceptable song.  I insisted that it’s the worst song of all time.  We compromised on #28.  I think I hate this song because of it being an earworm – at one point I think I had it stuck in my head for two weeks straight.  It is not, in my opinion, “super duper.”

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27.  Steve Miller – Abracadabra

Also known as “the song that you know all the lyrics to the first time you hear it,” this may actually be the song with the worst lyrics of all time.  Every single line contains zero original thoughts – it sounds like it was written by a horny sixth-grader for a project in English class.  Elementary, cliché, and generally lazy.  That being said, I really like Steve Miller.  He totally ruined what could’ve been a good song by putting in no effort whatsoever.  Give it a try!  Play the song and see if you can guess the next line.  I bet you can!

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26.  Los Del Rio – Macarena

I don’t even think I need to explain why the Macarena is on this list.  Aiight!?!

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25.  Boys Don’t Cry – I Wanna Be a Cowboy

This song could never have existed anytime except the 1980s.  Ridiculous concept, entirely boring monotone male singer, breathy melodramatic female singer, wailing 4-second guitar solo amidst the bad synthesizers and robotic chipmunks singing “yippee yippee yi” all make for what I can only call a musical abomination.

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24.  Lynyrd Skynyrd – That Smell

Upon its opening bars, this song sounds like it will be pretty awesome.  The first few lines of lyrics sound like generic biker rock.  Then, the horrific chorus of “Ooh, that smell” assaults your ears, accompanied by a creepy, gutteral groan, and it’s all downhill from there.  Evidently this song is about the horrors of drug abuse, but that message is pretty much lost when all you can focus on is “that smell.”

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23.  Next – Too Close

Let’s keep it real.  The subject matter of this song is totally unacceptable.  Add to that the fact that, at the club, when this song comes on it gives every guy there the brilliant idea to grind on  whatever woman he can find and act out the lyrics.  That said, I like the song.  It’s funny.  It’s also the 23rd worst song of all time.

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22.  Blondie – Rapture

This is one of those songs that, when it first comes on, you think you like it and you may even start to move.  Then you realize the lyrics actually suck.  The “rap” in the middle really sets the song apart among the other crappy songs of this era.  “Eating cars?”  Really?  And why does this song have to be over five minutes long?

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21.  Rhythm Syndicate – P.A.S.S.I.O.N.

 

I guess we know where Will.I.Am picked up his fascination with spelling out words in every song that he, Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas record.

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That’s all for now, what did you think?  Stay tuned next week for part three, the songs get even worse from here.  HINT – If you subscribe to our blog, you’ll get the next issue delivered!

For your reading pleasure, we present to you our interview with up-and-coming wedding photographer Maria Vicencio Miller of Maria Vicencio Photography!  Maria and I have a strange and interestingly tangled relationship.  Maria and her hubby Drew hired me to be their wedding DJ in 2007…  When I first met with them, I remember riding in the elevator with Maria and thinking, “I know her!” but I couldn’t pin down exactly how.  A few months later, it randomly hit me one day that we had met (and had several lenghy conversations) during my former life as an computer tech for the Bozzuto Group, while she was working in property management.  If that wasn’t strange enough, when I showed up for their wedding reception, it turned out that I’m actually related to Drew (although twice removed) through my wife, Jennifer.  Small world! 

As fate would have it, Maria and Drew are also really talented wedding photographers with a very unique approach.  Maria, I hope you’re ready to get grilled!  I’m not holding back just because we’re quasi-related — nepotism will get you nowhere on my blog…  Here we go!

How did you get started in the wedding business?
Our wedding photographers (Three Blondes and a Camera: www.threeblondesandacamera.com) inspired us to take the dive into weddings. We had already been shooting portraits for about a year when we met Michelle Rose and the other blondes. They made wedding photography seem fun and fabulous. So we tagged along and second shot for a few photographers. Then we shot our first wedding as the main photographers last May. We ended up loving it and getting bitten by the wedding bug.

What do you do when you’re not working?
We love spending time with our family, eating out with friends, and going to concerts.  Also, Drew likes to do yard work, and I supervise while working on the laptop.  I’m a good boss!

How would you describe your approach to weddings?
Our approach is both photojournalistic and traditional. We love letting the wedding day unfold and catching those unscripted moments, but we also like to direct the couple some if we see a patch of amazing light or a great background that can’t be missed. The most important thing to us is capturing the love of the couple and the emotions of the day. Drew and I love shooting together because we always know that the other person is capturing that moment but with a different perspective/angle.

What inspires you in your work?
We’re inspired by films, magazines, flickr.com, and speaking to our brides + grooms and hearing their love stories.

What do you find the most rewarding about your job?
The most rewarding aspect of our job is being able to freeze those amazing moments in time for our couples and their families. We love putting a smile on their faces.

What’s the one thing you wish everyone knew about you or your business?
Being a husband + wife team, we can read each other’s thoughts without having to speak and that helps us a lot on the wedding day. Also, I spend an insane amount of time editing pictures. I love working in Lightroom and Photoshop.

What do you think sets your company apart from other wedding photographers?
We look at wedding photography as an art, not just a job.

What do you love about weddings?
We love that it’s the happiest day of the couples’ lives, and that we get to witness all of the love, laughter, and tears first-hand.
 
What do you hate about weddings?
We hate having a limited amount of time to take pictures of the bride + groom. In a perfect world, we would love to have a 2-hour photo session with them.

What is the coolest thing you’ve ever seen at a wedding?
We’ve seen some cool dance moves.  It’s like watching the auditions for “So You Think You can Dance”.  You see some good, some bad, and some just plain strange.  We love all of it – dancing pictures are always awesome.

What’s the best piece of advice you can give to couples planning a wedding?
To alleviate stress, start planning early and be organized.  When Drew and I got married, we maintained a spreadsheet using Google Docs.  This allowed us to collaborate and update information as each one of us received it.  Also, make sure that you hire vendors you feel comfortable with and whose work you really love.

Who is your favorite artist or band?
Maria: Thievery Corporation and Ben Harper (couldn’t pick just one!)
Drew: Fugazi

What is the worst song of all time?
It’s so hard to pick just ONE, but I’d have to say Dancing Queen.

Open mic, final thoughts:
We hired Evan as our wedding DJ and he rocked!  Since then, we’ve worked with him and some of his team members at a bunch of weddings. We can’t say enough great things about their professionalism, talent, and expertise. Thanks for interviewing us, Evan!

[EVAN]  Well, thanks for letting me interview you!  This was a lot of fun.  I’m sure you two will be really successful in the future, it’s always fun to watch new artists build their businesses and I’m really excited for what lies ahead for you!

Ok, I know it’s Thursday.  That’s no reason not to enjoy some belated Real Wedding Wednesday action, is it?  Here’s what we did on the weekend of July 24th-26th:

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Jennifer & Michael, 7/24/2009 – Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Annapolis, MD

DJ:  Evan Reitmeyer

The setting:  A picture-perfect evening ceremony on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, and reception in the Phillip Merrill Environmental Center, headquarters of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Fun highlight:  The toasts, given by the best man and maid of honor, were both touching and hilarious!

Outstanding vendors:  Chris Gorri and the CBF staff were fabulous, as usual – as was photographer Thomas Wakefield from Roman Grinev Photography.

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Karen & Dan, 7/25/2009 – The Chesapeake Inn, Chesapeake City, MD

DJ:  Evan Reitmeyer

The setting:  A beautiful waterfront restaurant overlooking the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal in Cecil County, Maryland.

The first dance:  Etta James’ “At Last,” a classic.

Fun highlight:  The entire dancing portion of the reception – this was a ton of fun!

Outstanding vendors:  Eddie Greer from the Chesapeake Inn was super organized and did a great job keeping things on track.  Photographer Ralph Anderson of Magic Light Photography was great to work with, and gave us some pictures to boot!

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Erin & Brandon, 7/25/2009 – Bethesda Country Club, Bethesda, MD

The setting:  The beautiful decor of the Bethesda Country Club was accented beautifully by lighting provided by the groom’s brother, Jason, and decorated in a festive color scheme of orange and pink.

The first dance:  “I Just Call You Mine” by Martina McBride

A touching moment:  The best man wrote a song and played guitar for his toast to the bride and groom, which was incredible.  Erin’s dance with her dad, to Tony Bennett’s “The Way You Look Tonight,” was also very special.

Outstanding vendors:  Liz and her team from the Bethesda Country Club were fantastic, as were photographers Nick Griner and Gabriel Mellen of Freed Photography, who provided us with some great photographs:

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Soneela & Walker, 7/25/2009 - Woodend Sanctuary, Chevy Chase, MD

DJ:  Soor Kothari

The setting:  One of our favorite venues, the beautiful and eco-friendly Woodend Sanctuary.

The first dance:  “Sweet Lorraine” by Louis Armstrong.

The music mix:  Everything from music from Ghana to a mix of bhangra, swing, jazz, hip hop, salsa, disco, and 80s!

A funny moment:  One of the bridesmaids gave a great rendition of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Give It Away” on air guitar during her toast, and was joined by the bride!

Outstanding vendors:  Katie Martin and her assistant Tara from Elegance and Simplicity provided wedding coordination and flowers, and Tom Van Veen of Documentary Associates was the couple’s photographer.  Tom even provided us with pictures!

 

 

 

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Susan & Christopher, 7/25/2009 - Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase, MD

DJ:  Anthony Simpson

The setting:  Columbia Country Club, with its views of the perfectly manicured greens, was a stunning backdrop for this wedding celebration.

The first dance:  “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton.

The music:  The couple’s guests were fun-loving and very high energy, and had a great time dancing to Motown, rock, and today’s hip hop.  The most requested and popular song of the night was definitely Michael Jackson’s “Thriller!”

A funny moment:  The female guest who caught the bride’s bouquet didn’t even seem to be trying — it literally fell right into her hands!

An unexpected surprise:  Evidently there were quite a few German guests in attendance, one of whom informed me at the end of the night that they were “ready to polka!”  And polka they did!

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Tara & Chris, 7/25/2009 – Omni Bedford Springs Resort, Bedford Springs, PA

DJ:  Jeff Brown

The setting:  A beautiful and luxurious resort in the mountains of Pennsylvania, surrounded by trees and open sky.

The first dance:  “You are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne.

A special touch:  The staff of the resort literally choreographed their dinner service, entering and exiting almost like a dance and surrounding the table and placing dinner plates in perfect unison — it looked amazing!

A unique tradition:  At every wedding they attend, a particular group of male guests clear the dance floor and make a human pyramid.  It was unreal watching the groom climb to the top, but he made it and I know it was a unique photo opportunity!

Outstanding vendors:  The team at Bedford Springs, as well as photographer Chris Gooden, couldn’t have been any more professional.

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Alayne & Ward, 7/26/2009 – Kentlands Mansion, Gaithersburg, MD

The setting:  A gorgeous, and thankfully sunny, outdoor ceremony next to the historic mansion, and intimate reception inside this beautiful old building.

The first dance:  “Sea of Love” by Cat Power – a great indie track!

A touching moment:  Their jewish wedding ceremony was about as perfect as I’ve ever seen.  Emotional, funny, intimate, and beautiful.

The playlist:  The bride and groom obviously put a lot of thought into it, and it was a fantastically eclectic mix of indie, alt-country, 80’s, and classics. 

Outstanding vendors:  Photographer and family friend Chad Kirkpatrick (visiting from Oregon) was great.  Their rabbi, Ben Biber of MACHAR (the Washington Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism), was spectacular.  He really got everyone into the moment and made the ceremony truly magical.

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