Jeanne and Jeff Enjoy an October Moon at the Charthouse
Jeanne and Jeff’s wedding reception was held at The Charthouse in Weehawken, New Jersey, a venue known for its breathtaking view of the New York City skyline.
They had a picture-perfect October evening, allowing all of the guests to enjoy cocktails outside on the patio overlooking the Hudson River.
One of the highlights of the evening was their candlelit, first dance as husband and wife. During the Grand Entrance, the staff from the Charthouse lit individual candles for each guest.
By the time I introduced Mr. & Mrs. Jeff and Jeanne Albanese, the ballroom lights came down, our spotlight focused on the center of the dancefloor and all of the guests stood in a romantic tribute.
They chose You and Me by Kenny Chesney for their wedding song. That moment looked like something you’d see in a movie.
Another highlight was seeing 200 people dancing and singing along to our remix of Don’t Stop Believin by Journey. You gotta love The Sopranos for bringing back a classic to mainstream pop culture.
Encore at the Atrium- It’s a Beautiful Day for a Beautiful Bride
How do you make your wedding fun, unique and memorable? Former brides will tell you, it’s not easy, you need to personalize it. If it happens to be sunny and 78 degrees with no humidity on your big day, that’ll definitely help the cause too. With a little help from mother nature, Jill and Adam planned a fairytale wedding and enjoyed one of the best days of their lives.
Fun- Jill and Adam brought in the 10-piece band, Encore, to collaborate with us. This took the entertainment value of the dance sets to the next level. Encore pumped up the crowd with their interactive Motown, disco and 80’s medleys while we focused on providing the Master of Ceremonies services, playing the original version of the wedding song and parents’ dances, directing the on-site, event coordination with the staff of the Atrium and designing the lighting to enhance the evening’s ambiance. Thanks to the professionalism of Tony, the band leader, and Maryann, Shawn and Siroos from the Atrium, the evening’s flow was seamless.
Unique- Many brides have danced with their brothers before, but Jill had the brilliant idea of dedicating a song and dancing with not only her brothers, John & Scott, but her two new brothers-in-law, Jason and Steven, as well. She asked me to make a custom mix of four songs, one minute for each brother that represented their personality and relationship. Jill chose Coldplay’s Brothers and Sisters, Josh Groban’s You Raise Me Up, Randy Newman’s You Got A Friend In Me, and Frank Sinatra’s Come Fly With Me. It was a very sweet moment that showed Jill’s thoughtfulness and originality.
Memorable- Just when you thought that grooms don’t show any heart or give people the warm fuzzies anymore, Adam delivered in fine fashion. After the cake cutting, Adam asked for the mic and offered up a poignant toast to Jill. Without getting too sappy, he let everyone know that there was no other place he’d rather be in the world than right there in the moment with his beautiful wife. As planned, we played I Believe In You and Me by the Four Tops for Jill and Adam right after… Contrary to popular belief, romance is still alive and well.
Another nice touch was provided by Linda Stark, of Stark Studios in Wayne, who shared her magnificent photos for this blog entry. Linda set up her laptop outside the ballroom to display some her favorite shots of the wedding day leading up to the reception. Throughout the reception, collective ooh’s and awe’s could be heard from the little nook where the photos were being displayed. According to the mother-of-the-bride, Angela, “Linda was a pleasure to work with and didn’t miss a significant moment.“ 
When choosing your professional vendors, it’s really important that you have a personality match with them. This is crucial for reducing your stress level and increasing your peace of mind on a day which you only get one shot at. Especially with your photographer who you spend the most time with the day of and after the event.
The evening wrapped up with an impressive Viennese display for dessert which took place outside on the Atrium’s terrace and Encore’s final dance set when guests re-entered the ballroom. As the band had the whole room jamming to We Are Family, we recognized the Rubinetti’s and Hodge’s one more time and ended with the crowd cheering for the newlyweds.
If the hug that I got seconds later from Mrs. Rubinetti was any indication, a beautiful day was had by all.
