The New Standard: “The Most Amazing Night of Our Lives” -Another Signature Event from Marcello and Jani at The Grand Summit Hotel
There’s an expression from card playing that I’ve always liked, it’s “Stack the Deck.” The legitimate philosophy behind it is to win by arranging the cards so they are dealt out to your advantage. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t endorse cheating, but if you’re fortunate enough to look like Tom Cruise in Rain Man and know that your brother can outsmart the shoe, you drive him straight to Vegas, buy him a nice suit and sit him down at the Black Jack table. The winning ensues.
After hitting the jackpot 2 years earlier at his son Ryan’s Bar Mitzvah, the pressure was on to keep the winning streak alive. For his son Jared’s Bar Mitzvah, the respected family man and successful real estate developer, Howard Weinerman, stacked the proverbial deck. Because, like many of us… Mr. Weinerman doesn’t like to lose.
First, he arranged the most important card in the whole deck, the Queen of Hearts- his lovely wife, Vicki. She rivals some of the best event planners that I’ve worked with. From the e-mail exchanges to the design sessions, she was always organized, creative and decisive. When you combine those traits with the fact that she’s an awesome mom, (evident from Ryan’s impressive toast to his little brother), Vicki deserved all of the credit, kudos and applause that came her way when her husband gave his welcome toast.
Next, Howard secured the best casino in town, The Grand Summit Hotel. Mark Giangiulio, Chairman of the Board of the New Jersey Hotel and Lodging Association, and general manager with his team, Jim Thornton and Terry Garcia, (acclaimed pit bosses) ensured that the location was fit to please a chance personal visit from Sam “Ace” Rothstein himself. In this case, Jared’s grandfather, one of the co-owners of the prestigious venue, would in fact be on-site as a guest. Yeah, it’s safe to say that the classic song “Under Pressure” popped into my head quite a few times leading up to the event.
Speaking of Aces, Howard also had his “Ace in the hole,” (a card that can supply a sure victory when revealed). I was really honored to recieve the call again from the Weinermans to host the event and provide the entertainment and event production. I was also really excited to get up from the poker table, yell out “all in” and reveal a pair of Aces this time around. When clients are planning a Wedding, a Bar Mitzvah or a Corporate event and require ‘the new standard‘ or in this case a “Royal Flush” to stay with the theme, we proudly offer our Signature Event level services. My partner and I, Jason Jani, from Sound Connection Entertainment, compiled an exclusive inventory of invitation-only offerings for momentous occasions just like Jared’s once-in-lifetime celebration.
From the video-recap below and from all the gorgeous photographic artistry by our “two-of -a kind” photographer friends, Wendy Robinson and Maurcio Lemonk, you can see the difference of what a Signature Event looks like.
You’ll notice the customized staging, personalized lightscaping, distinctive decor, exceptional performances, featured musicians, tastefully-interactive entertainers, incomparable mixology, classy event facilitation, and most notably… Jared feeling like a “King for a Day” and his family and friends having the “most amazing night” of their lives.
Best wishes to Vicki, Howard, Ryan and Jared. Thank you for letting us share in your joy and fireworks. It was truly, our pleasure. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank you again for your additional generosity and hospitality after the event. As I’ve said in the past, not only do I have one of the best jobs in the world, I’m very fortunate to work with a first class clientele.
If you are interested in stacking the deck and achieving dramatically different results, Jason and I would be happy to schedule a Signature design session with you. For those willing to invest accordingly, contact us at 732-547-1677 or 732-749-3223.
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Signature Collaboration – MMP + SCE – Bar Mitzvah – 2011 from Sound Connection Entertainment on Vimeo.
To Life, To Life! The Rosen Family Doubles-up on the Mozel Tov for Mark & Jillian’s B’nai Mitzvah at The Brooklake Country Club
Do you remember that vintage commercial jingle for Doublemint Gum? “Double your pleasure, double your fun?” Well, Laura and Neil Rosen did exactly that for their children by combining both of their simchas and making them one big celebration!
The traditional festivities at The Brooklake included a heartfelt dual toast from Neil, an all-inclusive candlelighting tribute in which each adult table had their own flame to ignite, and beautiful parent’s dance selections from Tim McGraw (My Little Girl) and Rascal Flatts (My Wish).
The entertainment features we provided included some of the most popular cocktail hour interactives offered by MMP; The Interactive Game Show, Papparazzi and DJ Hero. It’s not easy to keep 100 kids entertained and out of trouble for over an hour, but with proper planning, a great crew and the right activities, everyone has a great time and gets warmed-up for the main event!
Mark & Jiilian’s reception was a blast. When both guests of honor like to dance, it’s contagious. And usually, the apple (or apples in this case) don’t fall far from the tree. Mom and dad were shakin’ their groove thing to some of their requests like; Brown Eyed Girl, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and Dancing In The Dark. Mark & Jillian had us playing all of the current hits like; California Girls, I Like It, and 2012.
One of the many highlights of the event came courtesy of Grandma, the sweetest apple of the bunch. Laura’s mom, Sylvia Gesser, who just celebrated her 94th birthday, was boppin’ her head to the beat and doing her own funky dance moves with a big smile on her face from start to finish. When we played the MMP staple, “Hey Baby, (I Want To Know- Would You Be My Girl),” me and the fellas were drawn right to Grandma’s feet to give her the serenade she deserved. It was awesome. Mike Leta, professional photographer, captured the moment to a tee.
Special thanks to Mike for sharing his photos for this entry and to The Brooklake Country Club for their hospitality and professionalism.
A Cup of Life Ceremony for Michael at The Grand Summit Hotel
Even though I make a conscious effort to stay on top of industry news and trends, some of the best ideas over the years have also come from my incredible clients. Case in point, The Cup Of Life Ceremony. It’s a refreshingly-unique alternative to a traditional candlelighting. Instead of writing and reading poems for each candle, which can drive both you and your guests a little nutty if they are not entertaining… Karen & David Rosenberg, my clients, found a new way to honor all of their guests.
After the opening dance set, grand entrance and motzi, their son Michael, the guest of honor, started things off by taking the mic and giving the official welcome-toast to all of his guests. Then he took a moment to describe the significance of the Cup of Life Ceremony. Each small cup of wine represents a special ingredient in the recipe for a happy and healthy life. One by one, the glasses are poured into one large decorative goblet which the Bar Mitzvah Boy or Bat Mitzvah girl drinks from.
The ingredients include; a cup of Good Health, Wisdom, Faith, Compassion, Good Humor, Dedication, Success, Prosperity, Generosity, Friendship, Happiness, and a cup of Love.
The cup’s ingredients and musical selections can all be personalized to fit your preferences and candles can still be incorporated. Either way, if you are looking for more options on how to honor your friends and family without doing the same ‘ol same ‘ol, the Cup of Life ceremony is worth looking into.
As you can see from the photos and the video testimonial from Mr. and Mrs. Rosenberg below, Michael had a “fantastic” celebration. His younger brothers, Jason and Aaron, looked like they were already getting excited for their big day 5 years from now. 
The Rosenbergs booked our Classic Simcha production which included; 2 cocktail hour interactives for the kids, background music for the adult cocktail hour, the dual plasma screen multi-media package for the reception and one of our many photo booth selections. It also features a light show to add energy to the dance floor, 4 party motivators, dance stages and plenty of cool giveaways. The Classic Simcha was designed for the client who wants an exceptional event and wants their guests to have a great time… but doesn’t want to go “over the top” and lose focus on the significance of the occasion or their child’s accomplishments.
Special thanks to my friend, Peter Wallburg, from Peter Wallburg Studios for referring us to the Rosenbergs. We’ve been teaming up for a few years now and have a great working relationship. As I’ve mentioned in many articles, having your photographer and entertainment on the same page at your event will result in all of the special moments being captured forever. Check out Peter’s facebook page to see his work and for weekly articles on how-to tips, tricks and best practices in the photography world.
Best wishes to the Rosenberg family. Mazel Tov! -mp
Jacob’s V.I.P Lounge at the Assembly East Hill
Jacob’s celebration was the fourth Lefcourt family Bar Mitzvah that we had the honor of providing the entertainment and event production for. I teamed up with Jacob’s mom, Robyn, from concept to completion to help bring her vision to life. She wanted the Lefcourt family to celebrate with style and tastefully give the established Assembly location a dash of youthful fervor and a sprinkle of night club ambiance. As you can see from the smile on Jacob’s face during the grand entrance and from Robyn’s personal feedback on her video testimonial at the bottom of this entry, the Celebrate Life team delivered in fine fashion once again.
Robyn and I had the pleasure of collaborating with Jeff Fruman from Balloon Artistry and Barbara & Jack Koumbis of the Assembly. Together, we designed an afternoon of hospitality, decor, cuisine and entertainment that Jacob and his family and friends will always remember fondly.
Some of the event highlights included a Jazz Trio and a Coney Island photo booth for the adult cocktail hour. Jacob and his friends had a private V.I.P section which was located in separate room of the Assembly. (they needed a special V.I.P bracelet from Emilio, the bouncer, to get in). This interactive portion of the celebration featured a DJ Hero tournament, the Paparazzi Challenge and MMP’s famous pop-culture Game Show. As always, this portion of the event is designed to engage the guests and to warm them up for the reception. It’s a like an exclusively entertaining and crucial opening act; it sets the tone and vibe for the rest of the celebration. If your guests walk into the reception in a great mood, with a smile and ready to party, the odds are stacked in your favor.
*The Coney Island photo booth was rolled into the ballroom after the cocktail hour so the guests could continue to enjoy this uber-popular interactive and also so no one had to go back outside. Ideally, you want all of your guests and all of the positive energy to stay inside the ballroom during your reception. Our photobooth technician also knows to temporarily pause operation during specific times like the candlelighting, motzi and special dances.
Upon entry to the reception, the Lefcourt guests were treated to L.E.D Lightscaping, modern balloon-art centerpieces, personalized visuals and an over-all chic-lounge atmosphere. Jacob and his family and friends did not hesitate to put on their boogie shoes and get down tonight. (even though it was only 2:30 in the afternoon)
The rest of event was filled with dancing, sentimental moments, laughter, great conversation and wonderful memories. Our candid photo specialist, Mike, captured many of these moments as part of MMP’s multimedia package. The photos are taken throughout the event and featured on our dual plasma screens for the guests to enjoy during the main course and dessert. After the event, all of the photos, including digital copies of the Coney Island pictures are given to the host as a keepsake. A select few are featured below.
Best wishes to Robyn, Jonathon, Hannah, Jacob, Grandpa Ron and the entire Lefcourt family. We wish you all of the health and happiness that life has to offer. Mazel Tov!
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Young Forever: Marcello Returns to The Park Avenue Club with Eggsotic Events for Evan’s High Roller Bar Mitzvah Celebration
When I asked Evan which song he’d like to choose for the dance with his mom he said, “Forever Young by Bob Dylan.” From that point on at the consultation, I knew his Bar Mitzvah was going to have a retro-cool vibe and a relaxed, yet modern-elegant flair. And it did.
The Park Avenue Club is an ideal event space because of its posh tent ballroom. With the right decor and entertainment, 10 year veteran catering director extraordinaire, Jennifer Shin, will help you transform the club into any theme or concept that suits your fancy. Really. It’s like a fresh white canvas for a seriously gifted artist.
For Evan and his friends, their extended cocktail hour featured 3 Texas Hold’em tables, a green screen photo booth, the interactive game show, paparazzi and 2 table-top arcade games. The guest list was heavy on the boy’s side so the idea was to keep them busy, entertained and out of trouble. Mission accomplished. We added four beautiful female dancers from the MMP team as well to raise the estrogen level a bit. The boys seemed very appreciative that Tara, Chrissy, Mindy and Kelly were there to keep them company.
After the adults were finished with their cocktails in the club’s ultra-swank loft that boast’s cathedral ceilings, a grand piano and the ability to check on the kids at their leisure; they joined us downstairs for the reception. (Some of our interactives, like the game show, are so much fun, many of the adults “checked on their kids” for more than a few minutes and played a couple of rounds.)
Evan’s mom and dad, Amy and Richard, wanted a cool mix of tradition and avaunt-garde for their reception. This was evident upon entry by the hybrid decor and vogue dress code, and then later by the deliciously-efficient menu. Guests entered Evan’s VIP Lounge and liked what they saw.
It was filled with L.E.D lightscaping, custom furniture pieces and unique table-top arrangements to tie the total look of the room together. The artist behind the design and decor was Eglis Matiss, from Eggsotic Events; a consumate professional with a crew to match. For the Signature Event ambiance, we created personalized visuals and Evan’s monogram which displayed on our dual plasma screens throughout the evening. Instead of a 3 course sit down, dining consisted of open stations that offered Park Ave’s finest fare. As always, I worked closely with Jennifer in advance to create a production agenda. This time-line ensures that the pacing of the event is comfortable, yet practical, and that all of the guests can enjoy the dining and entertainment in a seamless fashion. Things couldn’t have run any smoother.
Kudos to Evan’s older brother Matthew and his younger brother Josh, they added a lot of positive energy to the celebration. Judging by the amount of time Josh spent on the dance floor and how much he enjoyed being up in the chair during the hora, his Bar Mitzvah will be an exceptional event as well.
Special thanks to Wendy Robinson for sharing some of her photography for this article. Wendy and I are both recommended at some of NJ’s finest venue’s like the Orange Lawn Tennis Club. She and her partner David were a pleasure to work with and they were always in the right place at the right time.
Per usual, my sincere gratitude goes out to Jennifer Shin and the entire Park Ave team for their professionalism and hospitality. It’s an honor to be referred by such an impressive location. I’m looking forward to our next collaboration.
Below are some of the candid shots that we took during the event that displayed on the plasmas when the stations were opened and later when dessert was served. This is still one of the most sought-after services we offer; people love to see great photos of themselves on the big screens! It also makes everyone feel included in the celebration and always sparks some up-beat table conversation. In addition, we give the host family a copy of all the pictures so they can add them to their event memorabilia. Between Wendy’s professional shots and our paparazzi-style candids, you’ll never miss a moment of your once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
After the event, Amy and Richard also took a quick moment to let us know if we succeeded in keeping Evan and his friends entertained.
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