Encore Elite Entertainment

Wedding Receptions

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:42:00 +0000

Wedding receptions I have been involved with more wedding receptions than I can tell you. I have truly enjoyed being a part of every one. I wish I could tell you I remember them all in detail, but that would not be true. There are those, however, that I will never forget. The ones where everyone can tell the couple is truly in love and wants to celebrate. These couples will spend the time it takes to plan a night that is tailored to them and involves each and every person allowing them to experience the fun all together and leave with great memories.
I just received a Thank You card from one of those couples that made me feel great and I have to share it with you.
“ Dear Danny, We cannot thank you enough for DJing our wedding. We had the best time of our lives and you were a huge part of it. Everyone kept telling me it was the most fun reception they had ever been to & I have to agree…the dance floor was never empty. Your professionalism from pre-event planning until the end of the wedding night was unmatched. Besides the man I picked to marry, you were the next best decision thanks again! If you ever need to use us as a referral…let us knowJ.” From Adam & Kayla Young August 1st, 2009 Lawrence, KS
I think this fun really starts off with the entrance. Adam & Kayla had a Basketball themed entrance in mind and went all out. They even brought Headbands and Black eye stickers for the Bridal party to wear. This video is provided by our very talented friend and videographer Andy at Studio 32 Productions.
The night continued from there and, as you can see from the card, was one I will never forget, Thank you Adam & Kayla for the huge pat on the back.

Using Your Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:37:00 +0000

Recently Danny & myself were invited to the Ritz Charles as part of their Bridal Extravanganza. We spoke with dozens of prospective bride & grooms concerning their upcoming weddings, one thing we stressed was using your resources. What is "Using your resources" mean? Simple: asking questions and recommendations.
If a friend buy's a car at a dealership and has a wonderful experience, statics show they will tell 10-15 other people, and they are likely to buy a car at the same dealership. As mobile entertainers/MC's we see and hear many things. We experience first hand what another vendor has or doesn't have, as well as seeing their product in use. We were asked questions concerning catering, photography and reception sites, and were glad to give our perspective on those subjects to those who asked.
If you are planning an upcoming event, seriously think about booking your DJ/MC BEFORE you look at booking your next vendor. As much as our staff experiences, we may be able to help create a "short list" of vendors for you that matches your personality, desires & budget.
Ladies and gentleman, you only have 1 chance at the biggest day of your life, 1 chance to make all of your dreams a reality, don't be afraid to ask questions, it will only make your special day an ENCORE event.

Boomer Goyer Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (EncoreEE) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Anxious, Nervous, and Restless were the nights leading up to August 22nd, and the day of the wedding was by far the most emotion I have ever felt in my life. The night before, a good friend of mine insisted that I spend the night with him and his wife so that I didn’t continue to get any worse. When I woke up the morning of the wedding it was still dark out and I laid there thinking about all the events ahead. I had no particular thing that made me anxious, I have been to hundreds of weddings and receptions, some that were spectacular, some that needed some more work but most all of them filled with Love. This event was different, I knew that the best wedding professionals in Kansas city would be there, and all the plans had been discussed in great detail to ensure a near perfect event. The Bride seemed to be extremely calm at our last meeting and she had all the confidence in the world so why would I be so anxious?
I was pacing! It was just before the special moment where the bride and groom see each other for the first time, and I was pacing. Trying to look like I wasn’t nervous trying to play it cool, The photographer, Rebecca Peters, asked me to turn around and I saw the most beautiful white dress, sunlight dancing through the beads, and the great big smile that complimented the most stunning bride I have ever seen. Suddenly I was calm, the most calm I have ever felt then joy rushed through me as my smile grew and I embraced my bride for the first time. I have been in the wedding industry for over 12 years now and knew about almost everything that happened on a clients wedding, but now I truly understand the pressure, anxiety and most of all the JOY that happens on their wedding day.

Our wedding reception was held at one of the most picturesque venues in the Kansas city area. Personality of a venue is very important, Some people are fit for a nice ranch and barn, some fit for a historic mansion in the city, and some fit for a ritzy hotel ballroom. Not only is the personality of the property important to match your own but also the personality of the venue coordinator. Marsha Gibson at the Longview Mansion was an excellent match for Amy and I. Wow, what a coordinator. She helped in the many planning meetings to draw out our vision and assisted us in choosing the best options to maximize our budget. The day of the wedding she was there; Marsha was there to greet us at the door, she was there to make sure every napkin was in it’s place, and Marsha was there to make my bride feel even more special than she already did. The mansion looked every bit as fancy and elegant as I had seen at so many weddings that Encore Elite Entertainment has been a part of at the Longview Mansion. Our entire wedding party floated down the grand staircase one at a time to their individual entrance songs artfully compiled by our Emcee/DJ Mark O’Leary. The crowd was pumped up and ready to party, then Mark mixed in the entrance for my bride and I as he announced the new "Mr. and Mrs. Goyer" skillfully drawing the crowd up to a climax. With a small pause my bride and I descended the grand staircase to an absolute roar, with flashes of Rebecca’s camera we felt like movie stars. The dance floor was packed all night long. I can hardly wait to see the footage shot by our videographer Studio 32 Productions. At one point, the crowd was covering the entire dance floor so Mark O’Leary assisted Rebecca Peters to stand on his DJ table to get some the of the best party shots I have ever seen. Andy Liebsch was moving around the dance floor with his camera capturing the fun, excitement and all of the celebration on video.

"Personality, Experience, and Quality of work is how you choose the best wedding professionals in Kansas City. Magical, Emotional, and Exciting is how you describe your day when you have chosen the best." -Ryan Goyer

The Smith's Take-over Loose Mansion

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:58:00 +0000

This past Saturday evening, I had the pleasure to be a part of Erin & Dan's special evening at Loose Mansion. Although heavy rain greeted the guests upon arrival, the Mansion was in it's usual spectacular form. As the guests arrived, I noticed something about this group, they were truely excited to be at the Mansion with Erin & Dan and families.
GAMETIME:
As the guests mingled & visited with each other, I began the formalities. From the middle of the steps I addressed the 190ppl and gave them a quick overview of the evening to help make this reception more spectacular. With the greeting over, it was time to get the crowd ready for an energetic entrance by the Bridal Party. As I announced the Bridal Party members they strutted and danced their way down the beautiful mansion staircase to "Sexyback". By the time I got to the last couple (Best Man & Maid of Honor) the Mansion was filled with eletricity & anticipation for our Guests of Honor. The song switched over to "Can't get enough of your love, baby" by Barry White, "Ladies & Gentleman it's an honor to introduce to you, Mr. & Mrs. Dan Smith" as the last name was said, the 190 guests screamed it along with me. Here they come down the staircase, strutting, dancing and celebrating what is going to be a wonderful marriage.
As the evening progressed on the new 3rd floor addition, I witnessed 2 firsts. The very first first, was a bride's maid doing the chorographed step-by-step dance to "Bye Bye Bye" by N'sync, and receiving a rousing ovation. The second firsts, was when guests were in a circle dancing, a gentleman with a prostetic leg brought his chair to the center, loosened his leg, spun it around, reattached it and went back to his table. From that point on, I knew this was the party crowd they showed they were going to be during the entrance.
With all the guests fully engaged in dancing, I looked around and said to myself "this IS truely an ENCORE event".

Remarkable Evening @ The Intercontinential

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:51:00 +0000

On May 16th, I had the pleasure of working at the Intercontinental Hotel for my first time and with a wonderful couple Matt & Melissa. Matt & Melissa have an awesome story of how destiny brought them together. Matt happened to be at a bar with a bachelor party and Melissa was at the same place seeing friends, and as fate has it, they created a wonderful relationship. God truly made them for each other.
The Rooftop Ballroom was elegantly set for a wonderful evening of dinner & dancing, and the staff was professionally dressed and briefed before the guests arrived. Matt & Melissa treated their family & guests to a expertly prepared three course meal. Our evening did have some surprises. Melissa's father was celebrating a birthday on the same day. Melissa also surprised Matt with a groom's cake made to look like Bob Dylan and some other of Matt's favorite artists. The couple started their evening with a classic, "At Last" by Etta James. As the evening progressed, the guests made my job look effortless, there was one problem, too many guests dancing and not enough dance floor. That's right, the guests were dancing on both sides of the dance floor and not even noticing it.
To conclude, I appreciated the opportunity to work with Melissa & Matt, The Intercontinental along with Matt & Melissa are truly a Class Act.

My Road Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:49:00 +0000

This past weekend, I took my family out to western Kansas to see some of our old college friends and see the sights. Saturday afternoon I noticed a wedding reception was being set-up by the staff. Now I'm snooping around like the CIA. I proceed to speak with the event coordinator and ask "Did the emcee/dj contact you prior to the event?" I got a look that still hurts my eyes. "Did the emcee/dj send you a copy of the reception planner?" She asks "what are you talking about & why?". I'm sure you see where I am going with this. I explained who I was, where I'm from & the level of service we offer our clients. If I lived in that area, she told me I would be booked year around, Friday & Saturday nights.
I admit, I'm a telephone book junkie. I look at the DJ's and entertainment companies, and called 1 in particular that has a "5Star rating" in the phone book. He told me he got this from "some friends that said he was really good". OK ??
We receive several calls daily requesting information for our services. The most frequent statement we hear lately is "well, what would it cost for 4hrs instead of 6?" Let me ask the general question: Do you really want your dj/emcee stomping thru your dinner,cake cutting or toast to set-up gear? If a company is guoting you 4hrs, a red flag should come-up. This should mean this individual is looking for the quick buck, and doesn't have the experience to manage a quality reception. As I was on my road trip, I witnessed this dj setting-up his gear while the guests were having dinner. Classy right? As he was finishing, he reached in his truck, grabbed his shirt & tie, and got dressed between the head table & dance floor.
As our Saturday evening in Western Kansas progressed, my wife & friends kept looking noticing how "figitty" I was, I have to admit, I wanted to get back to that reception and show the dj how to make his reception and Encore event.
p.s. I brought the phone book home.

David & Payal Ebeltoft 03/14/09

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Wed, 06 May 2009 02:23:00 +0000

I was in for memorable experience with this event from the beginning. David & Payal live in Brooklyn, New York and did not make it to Kansas City very often. We did all of our planning for their reception through email and over the phone. David is a project manager and he managed this part of their wedding very well. Payal’s extended family and many friends are from India. The theme of the decorations and food reflected her Indian heritage. David & Payal wanted a few Indian songs spread through out the night so that both families would have a great time. I have been involved in other events where I had played this music so I had some idea of what was needed. Just like here in the U.S. India has all different kinds of music. I knew what I liked and what I thought would work, but I was not yet sure what they would like. I was fortunate enough to get a little guidance from Payal’s brother Pretesh and a gentleman from England (who I feel terrible I do not remember his name). What was nice was they helped me feel more comfortable about the choices I had made. The songs I chose for the cocktail & dinner music sounded great, but I did not know if the language in the songs was appropriate. So I was lucky to get a little help from a few ladies in Payal’s family. As I was setting up I would play a song and the ladies would give me a thumbs up if it was good or down if it was bad. The mix of Indian and American music went over well. They enjoyed it all and danced all night.

There are so many things about this event I want to share, but I will try to bring this to a close. The reception was at The Hobbs Building which is a great place to have an event. I love the look, the feel and the age of the building it has real character. Denise is the location and catering manager she runs a tight ship and things looked outstanding. The food by Feasts of Fancy was excellent you would have thought it was brought straight from India.
I will end this with a request David had made for a Greek song Sirtaki by Andre’ Rieu From the movie Zorba the Greek. The wedding guests loved it and you would have sworn we were at a Greek celebration. They quickly raised David above their shoulders and danced around with him held high. Next thing you know they had Payal up in the air and danced around the floor as the floor it’s self bounced, no jumped up and down. I thought they were going to bring the place to the ground with this crazy fun. I tried to take a picture with my cell phone. It was terrible quality especially compared to the beautiful photos taken by Ryan Hill at Versluis Photography .
When couples bring great friends and family together no matter where they are from. The love fills the room and you can’t help but have fun. Thank you David and Payal for allowing me to be a part of your celebration.

Shawnee Mission West Prom 04/25/09

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:11:00 +0000

Brad and I had the opportunity to be a part of the Shawnee Mission West High School prom and had an excellent time. The Union Station was decorated by All Seasons. All Seasons started with two huge Giraffes with their heads coming together to make an arch as you entered the Sprint Hall. They went on from there with lighting gobos on the walls and on the dividing curtains that separated the tables from the dance floor of other animals it was great. The sound we put together was perfect for that room (Union Station is a very very impressive venue and very very hard to control sound in) and everyone danced all night. We had to ask them to leave the floor when the night had ended. It was fun to see the King and Queen announced and how exciting it was for the winners. The dancing was a blast. We had students dancing on the King and Queen stage, on our stage and on the subs having a great time. We are looking forward to next year and hope to make it even better for the class of 2010.
Here are a few pictures I took with my little camera not great quality but you get the idea.

Tom & Robin Addleman 04/18/09

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:43:00 +0000

I was at Loose Mansion last night as a part of Tom & Robin Addleman’s wedding and reception. Tom is a lawyer from Harrisonville and Robin is in real estate after being a nurse for a few years. This is a great couple and will have many wonderful years together. Let me give you an example of how great Robin and Tom are. The person that was doing the Flowers and helping with the decorations met Robin while giving birth to her first child. She and Robin have kept in touch and they have become good friends since then. Tom comes from a family that,as the Best Man Brett said ,“ welcomes everyone with open arms”. Tom’s parents will be celebrating their 5oth Anniversary in August. Now that is impressive.
It was a very nice wedding with a little of their style showing through. You see, when Tom and the Groomsmen entered the room, they entered to “I Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash. The Groom hardly ever gets attention. The day is all about the Ladies. As men, we accept this and enjoy making it so. When we can have a little focus on the men, we try to accommodate that. This was a song that fit a country boy like Tom and his Groomsmen. The lyrics worked well for the entrance and hey, it was fun.
The Mansion was exceptional as usual. The Mansion is on the top of my list of excellent locations to have an event. Hannah was the person in charge for the Mansion last night, and even though this was her first event to do solo, she was flawless. As I was making rounds speaking to people at their tables, one of the guests asked me if I was a supervisor for the Mansion. This happens to me a lot where ever I go because we try to work so closely with the venue and staff. I told her I was not but I can get one for you. Hannah went to speak with them and they simply wanted to tell how much they were enjoying the staff and their evening. That was wonderful to hear, especially for her solo. I know the owners of the Mansion would be pleased.
During the cutting of the cake, Tom & Robin wanted to recognize Tom’s parents for their up-coming anniversary. After Tom & Robin finished their ceremonial cutting of the cake, they cut another piece and presented it to Dr. Duane & Nancy Addleman. Everyone in the room was touched by this poignant moment. I had a great night and could go on and on. Needless to say, Tom and Robin were a lot of fun and they have great friends and family that danced right up to the end of the night. Thank you Tom & Robin

The Goyer Family Spring Break

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:05:00 +0000

No this is not about a wild week of crazy parties that lasted all night on the beach somewhere in Florida. This is about my beautiful wife Katie and I taking a short trip with our two boys Forrest & Grayson to Saint Louis. With Katie in her first year in a new job, we were limited on time so we spent 3 days in the Gate Way City to the West. I thought it would be fun to try using the online service Price Line to get a Hotel. I was able to get a room at the Westin a 4 star hotel in downtown Saint Louis for a 2 star price it was great. When we were walking in to the lobby check in, my youngest son Grayson was saying out loud for everyone to hear, Wow, dad! We have never stayed in a place this nice before! It was very nice, located next to the new baseball stadium and a few blocks from the Arch.
We visited the Arch, Laclede’s Landing, Union Station, The Science Museum, The City Museum, the King of Beers and took in a movie at a local theater.
It was fun to go up in the arch. I have put a picture of door #7 that opened for us to get into the egg we rode to the top of the arch. Katie took a picture with my phone of me and our boys in the egg (not much room).
The science museum was great fun with a lot of hands on things to do. Forrest was able to ride a Segway. Grayson and I were jealous because we were not able to ride.
The City Museum was really cool for all ages. It is a huge building where they have collected all kinds of things that you can climb on, in, under and what ever you would want. Airplanes, log cabins, Trains, tunnels, slides, cables, and aquariums you name it, you will find it there. There was a ball pit filled with big balls that large kids can play in and throw.
We also went to one of my favorite places in the city, the Anheuser Bush Brewery. I always enjoy the tour with the Clydesdales and the smells that you encounter in the brewery. I especially enjoy the samples at the end of the tour.
It was a great few days that none of us wanted to come to an end. I am a very lucky man to be blessed with such a great family

Matt & Emily 03/07/09

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:57:00 +0000

The Kansas Historical Museum in Topeka, Kansas is where Matt & Emily held their wedding and reception. I have been at this location many times. It is a nice place and the people are very good to work with. If your reception timing allows, they will even offer a personal tour of the museum for your guests. The ceremony was performed beautifully by Curt Cooper from Emporia. I hear a lot of ceremonies every year and it is nice to hear it done well with meaning and purpose. Emily looked unbelievable and Matt cleaned up quite nicely also. Their family was so much fun and wanted nothing more than to do everything they could so Matt & Emily would have a great day. It is always so much fun to be apart of a loving event and I was blessed to be there.
As you may have read earlier in one of Brad’s Blogs, he and I along with our much better halves (Wives) went to a Mobile Entertainers convention in Vegas. It was a great time and we learned so much. It was also great to hear a little validation from people much smarter than me that we are doing it right. What I mean, is the way that we introduce events/special moments to the guests through out the evening. I know you have heard announcements that sound like they are said every weekend where only the names of the bride and groom are changed. Encore does not make standard "input name here" announcements. Part of the reason that we have the reception planning meeting, and have materials to be completed before the meeting, is so that we can Personalize our announcements. For Emily and her Father’s dance the announcement went like this;
Mike was at the hospital on the day Emily was born and from that moment Mike & Sharon’s Princess stole his heart. Since that day Princess Emily has grown to be called EM. Mike is so very proud of EM. Her appreciation for life and the way she shows such kindness towards others. Ladies and Gentlemen Princess EM and her Father.
As I said, the family wanted them to have a special day so they were a lot of help giving me all the incite I needed to write these announcements. It takes a little time and effort on every ones part, but the difference it makes in the personalization of the event is night and day. The guests also feel so much more a part of every event through out the night. It can never be an announcement that you heard last weekend with a different name.
Matt and Emily congratulations and thank you for letting me be a part of your special event.

Encore did it AGAIN!!

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:02:00 +0000

What an accomplishment. Ladies and Gentleman we have, once again, received the BEST OF by THE KNOT 2009 Mobile Entertainment Company award. As many Dj services as there are in the Kansas City area, our previous clients have taken time out of their schedules to vote ENCORE ELITE ENTERTAINMENT the BEST OF 2009. We Thank those wonderful people for this honor.
Encore Elite Entertainment strives to be innovative, creative and never being satisfied with the status quo. Our staff prides it's self on making each event unique and completely memorable for our clients.
Call Danny Goyer or Brad Coates at Encore for your consultation.

The PWG Wedding Expo

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:44:00 +0000

Thank You!!! Our Encore staff would like the personally thank all of the wonderful brides & grooms who stopped by our booth at the bridal fair on Sunday. Are you overwhelmed with all the information, good food and craziness?? You should be, but enjoy it!! In 5yrs. from now, you should look back on this time to laugh and remember how fun it was to plan the most special moment of your life. I certainly come home from these events and tell my wife how fun it is to see brides talking, planning and dreaming of what is to come of their special day. Unfortunately, I see the mothers and grooms, thinking of dollar signs and the large crowds as well as "are we making the right choice, is this the best for us?".
Those of you that stopped by our booth, obviously noticed we did not ask you to sign anything today. Why? Picking your entertainment for your event shouldn't be a rush decision. We encourage you to sort through all of the information received, pick a small handful of vendors & interview them. "What is your price?" several brides asked. "If I give you a price, then I'm just a number." At Encore Entertainment, we entertain the opportunity to meet with the interested couple. Let us provide you with the experience and services we bring to the event, after that time, then make your decision. Enjoy Your Planning

Las Vegas DJ Show

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:53:00 +0000

Wow!! Danny, myself and our wives just got back from our exciting trip in Las Vegas. Danny & I attended the Mobile Beat Las Vegas 2009 DJ show at the Riviera Hotel & Convention center.
As a Mobile Entertainment Professional, we are always looking for new ideas & suggestions to bettering ourselves, in-return, giving our clients better entertainment services. We are proud to say we were 1 of only 3 other Mobile Entertainment companies in attendance from the Kansas City market.
This particular convention is packed with forums, lectures and hands-on training, which lasts the span of 3 days. We were fortunate enough to see Otis Day, with his popular hit "SHOUT", wow, what an entertainer at his age. To conclude the evening, Vanilla Ice blew the doors off the top of the Riviera. I was impressed, and yes I had my doubts, the guy still has "IT". More importantly, he seemed very appretiative of us keeping his legend going.
The staff at Encore is excited for the new wedding season. We are very eager to bring this new found information to your event. Let a staff member at Encore Elite Entertainment consult with you the benefits of our professional service.

Holiday Parties

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:54:00 +0000

We spent most of November and December involved with company holiday parties. We have many companies that ask us back year after year and we look forward to being a part of their event. Burns & McDonnell, E Solutions, Bishop Spencer Place, Thomas McGee, Steven Pendelton D.D.S., Seaborad Corp just to name a few of our corporate friends.
We did something just a little different at the Seaboard Corp. company party. We set up two separate Wii stations. These stations included a large screen 10’ tall 6’ wide and a sound system so you felt like you were in the game. Each station had its own MC to keep the games going and fun. One station they played Tennis the other was Bowling each with 4 players. Seaboard gave these two Wii games away at the end of the night. To be eligible to win one of the Wiis, you simply had to play. You did not have to get top score or even be any good. We then took all the names of the people that played and put them into a hat and drew out the winner. It was great fun and when people were not playing they were gathered around cheering on their coworkers.
We have so many options at company holiday parties besides the traditional dancing. Interactive activities (a great way to give things away other than just putting names in a hat), photo booths, character artists, Karaoke, the ideas are endless. We are already looking forward to the holiday season next year.

Anthony & Amy Faustino 10-11-2008

noreply@blogger.com (EncoreEE) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:02:00 +0000

Encore,
I never got a chance to properly thank you for help in making my wedding the most fantastic day of my life! Everyone was impressed with the way you ran the show. If you can remember, I was having such a good time dancing, I didn't even realize the limo was outside ready to pick us up! ha ha. I would highly recommend you for any event. You are awesome!
Sincerely
Amy Faustino

Ricky & Amanda Thank You 08-16-08

noreply@blogger.com (EncoreEE) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 23:14:00 +0000

Brad,
We can't thank you enough! You helped make our night amazing! we were worried when only half of our guests showed up, but we didn't even notice later! The music was awesome and everyone commented on how fun you were and how you involved everyone! We will definitely recommend you to anyone we know looking for a wonderful DJ!

Chad & Christine 09/06/08

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 02:22:00 +0000

I can not begin to tell you how much I enjoy this profession. I get to be involved in the lives of people as they choose to share their love with their family and friends. Chad & Christine were that perfect couple you look forward to being involved with. If I was to describe them in a word, it would be happy. They were so excited to be sharing their wedding day with everyone.
I would love to tell you about the entire day from start to finish at the wonderful Longview Mansion where as usual Marcia and the staff were excellent, however this would be a huge entry. Encore was involved in the ceremony and reception. Chad and Christine had involved many people in their ceremony even their dog Shaggy dressed to the 9’s. The one thing I had not ever seen before and loved was their version of the unity candle. They had a unity tree with two additional pots of soil one from Indiana and the other Missouri. During the ceremony, Chad placed the Indiana soil in the pot with the tree and Christine put Missouri soil in the pot. Then they had their parents step up and also place soil in the tree pot. Then they asked the bridal party to also follow. I thought this was a great idea. It took the unity of two and brought the unity of the family’s and friends also together.
Sharing only one special moment from the reception is a challenge. There are so many great memories. The cake cutting, toasts, special dances and more were all excellent. One thing Chad and Christine did at dinner was a new twist on a traditional custom. When the guests would tink the side of their glass as encouragement for the bride and groom to kiss, I interrupted the process and explained that Chad and Christine are newly weds and need a good example of how married couples kiss. The different couples who gave their examples on how to kiss had a great time demonstrating their kissing style, then Chad and Christine followed with their own kiss.
Thank you Chad and Christine for allowing us to be a part of this outstanding day and I know you will have many years of happiness ahead.
I would also like to thank Rebecca (slide show) one of the most talented photographers in KC for sharing these photos with us and making even me look good.

KU vs. MU

noreply@blogger.com (EncoreEE) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:09:00 +0000

As we all know, here in Kansas City there is a little bit of a rivalry between KU fans and MU fans. What would happen if a gorgeous, sweet little KU girl were to meet a Big Bad MU man and get married? What would the reception be like with such rivalry? “A Blast… full of Energy” as one guest described it.

On August 16th James Gaona (Encore EE Emcee) broke the Ice with a warm “Let me hear you, if you are ready to meet the new Mr. & Mrs. Forck” The guests clapped and showed a little enthusiasm. James then mentioned that there might be a little tension in the room with so many KU fans sitting so close to the MU fans. He then asked for all the KU fans to make a little noise, The KU Fans erupted in cheers and applause. “Now, let me hear all of the MU Fans”. The MU Fans clapped and whistled trying their best to out do the KU fans. Then James asked for THE Corn Husker fan to make some noise! A single man stood up from his chair, clapped and hollered alone among all these KU and MU fans. The guests helped him out with some applause and laughter. All the energy in the room was amazing, you could feel it tingling on your skin. Now that the crowd was more than primed with enthusiasm, here came the wedding party. As each Bridesmaid and Groomsman were announced they came through the door dancing, smiling and encouraging the crowd for more applause. Just when we thought there couldn’t possibly be a higher level of enthusiasm, here came the Bride and Groom. Not only were the Bride and Groom excited to dance into the room, they couldn’t wait to hear the response of the crowd as they carried their MU/KU flag high above their heads. Wow! The crowd was even louder clapping, whistling, dancing, and laughing, as the Bride and Groom represented both sides of the rivalry smiling ear to ear. All the action was caught flawlessly by Gary Gibbons of Gibbons Video Productions

Continuing with the MU & KU rivalry James decided that we could personalize the money dance and make it even more fun than normal. Instead of having a money pouch for the Bride (usually a white satin bag) and a money pouch for the Groom (usually a black satin bag), James had a KU bag for the Bride and a MU bag for the Groom. Each guest was asked to put their dance money in the bag for KU if they were a KU fan and dance money in the MU bag if they were a MU fan. This became an event to show school spirit and appreciation for the Bride and Groom. During the money dance, the bride would yell out, “come on KU, don’t let me down” and the Groom would respond with an MU chant calling on the MU fans to make sure they won the competition. The guests loved it, and all of them showed their school colors as they approached the dance floor to dance with the Bride or the Groom. When the results of the competition came in James cleared the dance floor and all the guests were silent waiting to hear who the TRUE fans were. James announced and our winner by a margin of $38 is….. The Tigers! Just as he finished the word the MU Fight song played through the sound system and the crowd erupted in applause. As a side note: Even though the Jayhawks had the homefield advantage with the reception held at the Holiday Inn Holidome in Lawrence, KS The Tigers took the victory by a small margin.

So, when you combine some strong KU-MU Rivalry in marriage, you get a great party, lots of enthusiasm and never a dull moment.

Warning! Don’t try this with just any rivalry. The guests were interviewed before the event and asked not to bring any Live Tigers or Jayhawks to the event. No animals were harmed in the uniting of these two fans. Professional security was on site to ensure a safe event for all Fans involved.

Nick & Rachel Ong

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:55:00 +0000

Nick & Rachel had their reception this past weekend at one of my absolute favorite locations the Loose Mansion . Nick & Rachel were so much fun they seemed to always have a smile on their face and a big hug for everyone. The tables were decorated wonderfully with Orange (a favorite of Rachel's) and they were also numbered. Along with the numbers were little trivia questions about Nick & Rachel with the answers on the back. This was a great idea. It got the tables all talking and having a good time sharing their own stories about the happy couple.

Nick was such a gentleman the whole night. When Nick & Rachel started their first dance, Nick presented Rachel with a single red rose. Jeremy & Ashley Parsons were the photographers for Nick & Rachel visit their blog and see some of the amazing photos that were taken.

During the night, I always check with my Bride and Groom to see how things are going and if there is anything that I can do for them. It was getting late and as I made my last rounds for the night I asked Nick if there was anything I could do for him. He said everything was great but he wanted to know if he could hear "Piano Man" by Billy Joel. When I met with Nick and Rachel to plan their reception, that was his single song request for the night. I had that in my planner and was holding on to it for the right time of the night. The dance floor was full and there were about 25 guests seated at the tables. So I walked out to the tables and asked that everyone seated take a hold of their drink on the table in front of them and raise it above their head. Then I asked them to stand and follow me. I took them to the dance floor to join the others. When they were all there, I said this is a song that we all know and is special to Nick so let's sing along. I then played "Piano Man" and all the guests gathered around Nick & Rachel and sang. The best memory I will carry with me forever of Nick & Rachel is the huge smile Nick had on his face as they all stood with their arms around each others shoulders and sang Nick's Song with him.

One of the Best in KC

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:04:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to be a part of Grant & Emily Karr's reception on 8/9/08 at the Hilton President downtown KC. Emily and Melanie (Emily's mom) were the two I meet with to plan their reception. Grant is a proud member of our great nations military and was unable to attend our planning meetings. In these meetings it was clear that they did not want the standard songs you may hear at a reception and they wanted to make sure every guest felt apart of their special day. That night was wonderful and the President as usual looked fabulous. I have the chance to hear many toasts and many are outstanding. I was lucky to hear a toast given by Grant's Best Man that was so heart felt that it brought me to tears. I saw first hand the brotherhood of the military shine through the toast. Every man and woman there was jealous of the friendship. It was followed by a great night of dancing and not a single cliche song was played. We went late into the night ending at 1am and the crowd was yelling for more. Grant and Emily have a great life ahead of them and an exceptional group of family and friends to share it with.

Family Traditions and a Great Party

noreply@blogger.com (EncoreEE) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:38:00 +0000

In my 12 years of wedding entertainment, I have seen many family traditions. Some really sentimental, a few on the weird side, and some national traditions that are tailored to the family. Many Brides and Grooms may already be familiar with the Grand Cake March or Grand March. In all my years, not one family has performed the Grand cake march the same as any other. This seems to be one of those traditions that is tailored by the family over many generations. But by far, the Grand Cake March from the Mangino family has got to be the best yet. A key to this tradition is having a family member lead the march who really knows what he/she is doing. In the case of the Mangino family, Grandmother Connie was very excited to lead the Grand Cake March for Tommy and Danielle, as she has done for so many other weddings in her family. Like the pro that she is, she led the cake march around the dance floor making different patterns with the lines. She led the couples’ line into single file, making circles that surrounded the bride and then surrounded the groom, honoring them separately and then honoring their new union together. Hearing the crowd join in clapping to the music, laughing and enjoying the traditional march made us all feel like we were a part of the family. A favorite of this crowd was leading the family in a single file line around the tables parading through the reception, as the parade passed each table you could see the guests smile and cheer the wedding party on with clapping. Another great touch that the Mangino family used is a change in the music from “When the Saints Go Marching in” to “Here Comes the Bride” as Tommy and Danielle walked through a canopy of arms from the participating wedding party and family. The Canopy of arms leads the Bride and Groom to the Cake table, where they share the traditional first piece of cake.

From the entrance announcement to the traditional Cake March and the final dance, this crowd was a lot of fun. The night was truly a celebration for Tommy and Danielle’s new union. To end the evening we had all of the guests line up just outside the entrance to the building ready to see the newly weds off. Just as the couple exited the building smiling ear to ear in anticipation to the new adventures ahead, BAM! Fireworks lit up the sky! The surprise rushed through the crowd with excited Ooooo and Ahhhhhh’s. Wow, what a fantastic ending to a magical day!

“My Grandmother was so Honored, Thank you”

noreply@blogger.com (EncoreEE) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:59:00 +0000

Just last night at David and Kristan’s wedding (Loose Mansion) we had a chance to really customize a traditional wedding event that many people see as a standard event with little opportunity to personalize. David and Kristan started out their wedding reception with a grand entrance coming down the gorgeous staircase in Loose Mansion. Starting out the entrance announcement by introducing all of the bridesmaids first to “Oh, Pretty Woman”. As each of the bridesmaids were announced they gracefully descended the staircase and stood picturesque on the staircase to the left. We then mixed in the song “These are my people” for the Groomsmen to enter and stand on the opposite side of the staircase as the women. Now that we had all of their closest friends poised on the staircase, it was time to introduce the Bride and Groom. As they entered to their song “It, Had to be you” by Harry Connick Jr. the very dramatic intro to the song matched their Grand entrance down the large staircase with all their friends standing ready on each side of the staircase. David and Kristan paused as the flashes from the cameras popped, immediately moving to the cake cutting, which was located at the bottom of the staircase.

The backdrop for the cake cutting not only included the gorgeous setting at Loose Mansion, but also included their close friends standing behind them all neatly ordered. The cake cutting was very elegant as they shared the traditional poses and feeding of the first piece of cake. David and Kristan have a set of grandparents that just happened to be sharing their 50th wedding anniversary this same evening. Since, 50 years is so un-common these days, we didn’t want this special occasion to go unnoticed. After David and Kristan finished their cake cutting ceremony, Encore Elite Entertainment announced that we had another couple to honor this evening. We then introduced their grandparents, explained that they were sharing their 50th anniversary, and had them stand next to the newly wedded couple. Just as David and Kristan finished sharing the first piece of wedding cakes the grandparents shared the same ceremonial cake cutting and feeding of the cake. The Grandparents were photographed just as if this was their wedding taking place all over again. Wow, the pictures they will have to remember this event are amazing. David and Kristan’s grandparents being honored at their wedding, the gorgeous setting at Loose Mansion, friends that have been with them for many years in the background, and a grandmother tearing up with pride, love and honor!

A First Dance That Brought Them To Their Feet

noreply@blogger.com (Danny) — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:00:00 +0000

I had the chance to work with Justin & Sara on their reception at Lake Quivera. They as many others are Youtube fans and had watched a few first dances so they had an idea of their own. They wanted to put together a surprise for the guest and choreograph their first dance using a montage of songs. We started with a beautiful slow song "Feels Like Home" by Chantal Kreviazuk then after every one has fallen completely into the romatic moment the song started to skip, the guests were horrified as they feared the memories that Sara & Justin would have from this mistake. Just then we mixed in their surprise "Jump on it" then into "The Hokey Pokey" then "YMCA" then "Thriller" then "Macarena" Then "Can't Touch This" and finishing with the end of their original song "Feels Like Home". The Guests erupted with applause and circled the dance floor when they realized that it was planned. What an exciting evening to remember for many years to come. Thank you Justin and Sara.

The New Website Is LIVE!

noreply@blogger.com (EncoreEE) — Tue, 06 May 2008 22:35:00 +0000

Finally after many months of work on the new website, EncoreEE.com is LIVE! We are very excited about the new look and feel of our new website. The Staff here at Encore has worked hard to develop a website that is informative to our potential clients and appealing in design. But, My warmest thanks is for the pictures that were provided by our friends at Peters Photography and Phoenix Photography. Although, this may have been the hardest part of the website. Both Photographers had sooooo many great photos to choose from. There were many nights debating among Encore Staff which pictures to use. The pictures that we used on our website are just a small taste of their real talent in making any bride and groom look fabulously in love.

Thank You Rebecca Haas – aka Peters Photography
Thank You John and Lisa – aka Phoenix Photography

There are still a few more features to come to the website. Hopefully they will be completed by the end of the week.

I look forward to hearing the responses from our brides on the new website. This new site is a great representation of quality and care that you can expect from Encore Elite Entertainment.