Long Island Expert

STAN WIEST

Wedding Band Orchestra DJ

INTERVIEW WITH STAN WIEST ON WEDDING/PARTY/EVENT PLANNING

 CREATIVE TRENDS
IN WEDDINGS AND WEDDING BAND ORCHESTRA DJ RECEPTION MUSIC  LONG ISLAND NEW YORK NEW JERSEY CONNECTICUT

Many creative weddings are getting away from the traditional weddings that have guests constantly being asked to be seated for the next food course.

I am known for helping give brides the opportunity to be different - to take a side path away from the traditional and to create a unique ambiance. I enable a bride to make her dreams come true - the bride's personality is the cue for my concept of Sophistication With Pizazz.

Wedding Ceremonies for the independent minded bride can be glorious. One of my brides wanted to return to the age of romance in the Medieval times. She was attired in a medieval dress. The groom was in a full tunic-and was barefoot. I provided musicians attired in medieval outfits performing medieval instruments for the outdoor ceremony.

Another bride and groom loved the old movies and decided to be dressed in the clothing from the movie "Gone With The Wind". The invitation read for all the guests to be attired in the style of the movie as well. I provided music from that period in time for both the ceremony and the reception. Everyone is still talking about that wedding.

Instead of the traditional wedding march and wedding ceremony music - contemporary brides want to place their individual mark on the ceremony music as well. For one particular bride I am providing the music of Enya played by a string quartet for a Mass in a church. This took quite a bit of convincing of church officials who never heard of Enya.

Creative Brides are looking for a more even flow- getting away from the regimentation of a wedding reception to more of an atmosphere of a celebration with family and friends. Many of the traditional formalities are being eliminated.
One cutting edge aspect is for a cocktail hour with exotic music or having the traditional instruments take a completely different approach. I have introduced the music of India to cocktail hours. A Sitar and a Tabla performer (2 performers) seated on a raised area covered with rugs from India and the performers are dressed in East Indian attire. The music is fascinating, exotic, extremely relaxing and guaranteed to evoke conversation. This is totally different than one finds at a cocktail hour.

Traditional strolling violins can be used in a very creative direction. One of my brides decided to have the violins only play the Songs from the Walt Disney movies. She was a Disney fan and the guests absolutely loved it.

Flamenco guitar for the cocktail hour is a popular cutting edge aspect in great demand once a bride is introduced to the music. I provide tapes of unique music ideas for a bride to consider. I ask her to keep an open mind and experience something different.

Another bride was a lover of string instruments and wanted that to somehow be a part of her wedding. I created a fifteen piece string orchestra that performed for two hours at the cocktail hour -playing everything from classical music of Mozart to Scott Joplin, Broadway Show Tunes to Cole Porter and George Gershwin melodies. As the guests entered the cocktail hour they were astounded with the presentation and the variety of the musical selections. This has never been done before - the bride wanted something very different that would be personal and meaningful to her. I was able to make her dreams come true.

Cutting Edge weddings are looking to get away from the separation of cocktail hour aspect which stops to become the reception aspect. The trend is for a non-disruptive transition between the two. I am presenting overlapping sections of music to smooth over the difference. A Steel Drum band plays from 12 Noon to 1:30 PM outside. The Wedding Band starts playing inside at 1 PM. There is no announcement of ending of cocktail hour or beginning of reception. The guests can flow from one to the other. By the time the steel drums finish the dancing has been well under way and the transition complete. From 1 PM to 1:30 both musical groups are performing in separate location to complete the overlap.

Brides and Grooms are looking to display their personalities by presenting the first dance in a choreographed setting. They have taken dance lessons to

enable them to dance the entire song in the spotlight alone - with swirls, dips and exotic dance step patterns.

For another couple the first dance was the theme from Robin Hood- "Everything I Do- I Do It For You" the Brian Adams song- I created the arrangement to be played in the style and sounds of Renaissance Instruments. They wanted to be introduced to Renaissance Trumpet Fanfares and continue the first dance in the same tradition.

During dinner is another time the bride and groom can create a special touch. For one couple who loved the opera I brought in operatic singers to perform selections from their favorite operas during dinner. For another couple I brought in two ballroom dancers to perform elegant dance routines while the guests dined.

The European Wedding Approach as well as the Mansion Wedding Approach has made great inroads and has freed couples from the traditional wedding requirements and demands.

The Mansion wedding has each part of the celebration in a different part of the mansion with the food and music changing at each location.

The European Wedding allows the guests to eat and converse undisturbed and the dancing begins after dinner is over.

Just as the trend is to make the cocktail hour flow into the reception- the same is now happening at the end of the wedding. The overlap into another ambiance. At one upcoming wedding I have the dance band playing to 1:30 AM in the main reception room. In another room I have a Blue Grass Band starting at

1 AM -another overlap from 1 AM to 1:30 AM- going from a more structured to a less structured party after the party.

I am taking part in a new program to help brides- seminars for brides-helping them look at their wedding music plans from a different approach. My concept of Sophistication With Pizazz works with he bride to be creative, enables the bride to make her dreams and wishes come true and gives the bride the freedom take a different path.

STAN WIEST
A.STAN WIEST MUSIC

More Information  www.stanwiest.com

PHONE  (631) 754 – 0594

Member Association Of Bridal Consultants

 Recommended by Bridal Guide Magazine
Featured in New York Magazine
Recommended by Joan Hamburg (WOR RADIO)
in "City Weddings"
Recommended in "The Perfect Wedding Reception" by Maria McBride-Mellinger
Editor at Bride's Magazine