Christi, Author at John Parker Bands

The University Club Pittsburgh Wedding~ Marissa & Patrick

Marissa and Patrick had a beautiful wedding with all their friends and family in attendance. The couple selected The University Club in Pittsburgh for their reception. The ballroom had plenty of space for guests to move and grove on the dance floor, with gorgeous floral arrangements, and a pretty white cake. Dreamscape band, a top premier Pittsburgh live wedding band, entertained guests all evening long. It was a wonderful celebration for Marissa and Patrick!

The bride and groom were blessed with gorgeous weather on the day of their wedding. Perfect for some outdoor photos! The bride looked stunning in her long veil and her strapless dress fit her perfectly. She also wore a beaded belt with just the right amount of sparkle to enhance her dress. The groom wore a classic black tux with a black bow tie and shiny black shoes. What a fabulous pair these two make!

We love this photo of the bride sneaking in the church. Their ceremony was held at the St. Boniface Church. The bride walked down the aisle with her father and the emotions in this photo are raw and real, from the smiling face of the groom to the proud father giving his daughter away.

This dramatic photo taken by their photographer, R. Fritz Photography, shows off the elegance of the church and their large bridal court. The bridal court looked fabulous in front of the church, the girls wearing short purple dresses and the men sharp black tuxedos.

The only uniformity among the girls were their dresses and bouquets. They all wore a different pair of silver shoes, different hair styles, and jewelry. Their bouquets featured purple, red, and pink flowers. The bridal bouquet had the same flowers and was done by Blumengarten, a Pittsburgh florist.

The band was all set to start the evening inside the ballroom after cocktails. The bride and groom chose fun, upbeat songs to get the party started as the bridal court was introduced. Everyone waited on the dance floor as the newlyweds made their entrance and sailed across the floor for their first dance. Dreamscape played “Let My Love Open the Door” as requested by the couple.

~Reception Soundtrack:~

First Dance: Let My Love Open the Door, Pete Townshend

Father & Daughter Dance: Walk the Moon, Shut Up and Dance

Groom & Mother Dance: My Wish, Rascal Flatts

Last Dance Song: Old Crow Medicine Show, Wagon Wheel

Dreamscape performed the song “Walk the Moon” for the bride and her father. Doesn’t it look like they spent hours practicing? What a fun dance it must have been, a daddy and daughter duo!

The evening went just as the bride and groom hoped. Their guests danced and enjoyed themselves all night long as the band played great music without breaks. With familiar top hits and favorite oldies, the crowd flocked to the dance floor. The party was an absolute blast!

Dreamscape band was thrilled & flattered to be a part of Marissa and Patrick’s special day. We’d like to thank R. Fritz Photography for taking such beautiful photos of their day. Please take a moment to check out his blog for more photos. The Dreamscape band is composed of professional musicians with years of experience performing at weddings and other events. A real top notch act! If you’re looking for fabulous live entertainment for your event, please contact us today! We’d love to hear about your celebration. We hope you will also take a moment to check out the amazing vendors Marissa and Patrick had at their wedding.

We wish them many years of love and happiness!

~Vendor List:~

Ceremony: St. Boniface Church

Reception: The University Club

Photography: R. Fritz Photography

Florist: Blumengarten

Cake: Paddy Cake Bakery

Entertainment: Dreamscape Band

The University Club Pittsburgh Wedding~ Marissa & Patrick Read More »

Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh Wedding ~ Laura & Louis

Laura and Louis’ wedding was a glamorous affair. The bride and groom celebrated their nuptials at Hotel Monaco in Pittsburgh. The ballroom was just the right size for their family and friends, with pretty floral centerpieces, a huge dessert table, and gold sequin table cloths. A super fun live band played their favorite music hits during the reception and got everyone out to entertain them on the dance floor.

Don’t they make a beautiful couple? We certainly think so! Their ceremony was held at St Bernards Mt Lebanon, a stunning cathedral church. The bride and groom exchanged vows in front of a golden dome with stained glass windows. Wooden pews were decorated with white tulle sashes and clutters of flowers.

The bride looked radiant in her form fitting dress, and the groom looked sharp in his classic black tux. We loved the long veil, diamond earrings, and matching necklace worn by the bride. And if you look closely, you can see her sparkly shoe peeking out from underneath her dress. How fun!

We adored the bride’s bouquet, done by Mount Lebanon Florist. Her bouquet featured roses, dahlias, orchids, and leaves that were spray painted gold. The colors of her bouquet were fully incorporated in their reception, with touch of gold, cream, and pink.

After the ceremony, guests mingled on the rooftop of the Hotel Monaco for cocktail hour where the band had other musicians performing to create the perfect ambience. The John Parker Band then welcomed their guests to the ballroom and asked everyone to stand by the dance floor, so that the bride and groom could have their first dance to a song chosen for the band to play.

This table shot, taken by their outstanding photographer, Joey Kennedy, really takes your breath away. We love the large gold vase, twinkling diamond strings, and gold table numbers. Every place setting included personalized menu cards engraved with the bride and groom’s monogram.

After their first dance, the bride and groom settled down to hear speeches from their maid of honor and best man. John Parker’s crew set up additional speakers in the ballrooms with wireless microphones so everyone could hear the toasts & music while the band was in the other room. John Parker Band played My Cherie Amour, as the newlyweds cut their cake.

A true work of art, their cake was five tiers tall and sparkled with diamonds. The cake was done by Bella Christies of Pittsburgh. Once the cake was served, guests were entertained by John Parker Band as they fired up to perform for the groom and his mother to dance – which they had choreographed to perfection, entertaining everyone!

~Musical Hits:~

First Dance: Frankie Valli, Can’t Take My Eyes Of of You

Bride/Father: Maurice Chevalier, Thank Heaven For Little Girls

Groom/Mother: Tom Jones, It’s Not Unusual

Last Dance: Hall & Oates, You Make My Dreams Come True

The bride and groom requested the band to play fun, upbeat top hits, along with some good ol’ oldies. Family and friends flocked to the dance floor. They enjoyed themselves so much, that the band was asked to stay even longer to keep the party going!

“The band did a great job getting everyone to participate and dance, we enjoyed the music!” -Mother of the Bride

“We could not have asked for a more energetic band, our guests have never danced so much at a wedding!” -Groom

That’s a wrap for Laura and Louis’ wedding! We hope you’ve enjoyed the photos as much as we did. We can’t thank Joey Kennedy enough for allowing us to use his beautiful photos. If you are looking for an amazing live band for your Pittsburgh wedding, John Parker Band is your best bet! Contact them today if you have any questions and concerns, or just want to chat about your upcoming event. And if you have a minute, take a look at all the vendors Laura and Louis had at their wedding!

~Vendor List:~

Ceremony: St Bernards Mt Lebanon

Reception: Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh

Photographer: Joey Kennedy

Florist: Mount Lebanon Florist

Cake: Bella Christies

Entertainment: John Parker Band

Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh Wedding ~ Laura & Louis Read More »

Carnegie Museum Pittsburgh Wedding~ Tatum & Charlie

Tatum and Charlie’s wedding was an elegant family affair. With all their friends and family in attendance, the bride and groom held their ceremony and reception at the Carnegie Museum Music Hall Foyer in Pittsburgh. The venue gleamed with votive candles and sequin tables. Pittsburgh wedding band City Heat, a top live wedding band, performed throughout their reception, with instrumental music during cocktail hour and fun, lively music during the dinner & dancing. It was a night the bride and groom will never forget!

The bride was a vision in her vintage inspired dress. Her gown had a full skirt, lace top, and bead button back. She wore a diamond headpiece, mid length veil, and blue shoes- perfect for that “something blue!”

Their ceremony was held at the Hall of Sculpture inside the museum. Pink and white roses were tied to the chairs and tall candles lined the aisle. We loved the centerpieces placed at the altar, a unique arrangement of flowers and branches.

The bridal court definitely looked the part for this wedding! Sweet and sassy, the bridesmaids wore flashy gold dresses and the groomsmen donned black tuxedos. Small bouquets of roses were carried by the girls and a simple rose was pinned to the groomsmen jackets. We loved how the groom stood out from the rest of the men by wearing a bow tie and extra flower pinned to his jacket lapel.

After the ceremony cocktail hour took place on the balcony above the reception hall. Guests mingled and munched on hors d’oeuvres as City Heat’s pianist played beautifully, setting the mood. As cocktail hour came to a close, it was time for the bride and groom to have their first dance. This impressive photo was taken by Araujo Photography of Pittsburgh, capturing the beauty of the space and the intimate moment between the bride and groom. The couple requested the band to play song “Something” for their first dance.

The tables were decorated with silver vases of flowers and gold votive candles. We loved the simplicity of the decor, just the right touch to enhance the space. The floral arrangements were put together by Blooms Florist and featured roses, hydrangeas, and orchids.

At each place setting, a menu rested atop the gold and white china. Guests were served a sit down dinner followed by dessert-a scrumptious cake! The cake was three tiers tall and each layer was different. The bottom was solid gold and the top two were white with gold accents. Culinaire International catered the event and also made the cake. At the top of the cake, a gold topper featured the bride and groom’s names in gold.

When it came time to cut the cake the daughter of the bride and groom stood close by and eagerly awaited for a slice. For the cake cutting, the couple asked the band to play “Cut the Cake”. As the cake was served, City Heat’s saxophonist played an amazing rendition of “How Sweet It Is” for the groom and his mother to dance.

Then, it was time to party! Fresh, energetic music filled the room, getting friends and floor out on the dance floor. The City Heat band cranked out hit after hit and kept the party going all night long. Everyone enjoyed themselves so much, especially their daughter, who was worn out by the end of the night! That is a sure sign of a good party!

~Reception Soundtrack:~

First Dance: Something, The Beatles

Father/Daughter Dance: Into the Mystic, Van Morrison

Mother/Groom Dance: How Sweet It Is, James Taylor

Cake Cutting: Cut The Cake, Average White Band

“The band was perfect!! Everyone had a great time, our guests are still talking about how great the band was!” -Bride

We hope you’ve enjoyed taking a peek into Tatum and Charlie’s wedding. Araujo Photography did an amazing job taking photos of their beautiful wedding. If you’d like to see more, be sure to check out their blog. City Heat had a fantastic time performing for Tatum and Charlie and would love to be a part of your upcoming event! City Heat is your best bet for any kind of party, with a large band and professional musicians. Don’t hesitate to contact John Parker Bands today to talk about your event!

~Vendor List:~

Ceremony & Reception: Carnegie Museum Music Hall Foyer

Florist: Blooms Florist

Photos: Araujo Photography

Cake: Culinaire International

Entertainment: City Heat

Carnegie Museum Pittsburgh Wedding~ Tatum & Charlie Read More »

Shakespeare’s Restaurant Pittsburgh Wedding~Suzanne and Chris

Suzanne and Chris were married on a beautiful sunny day. The ceremony took place at Shakespeare’s Terrace, a separate space on the grounds of Shakespeare’s Restaurant. The bride and groom said “I do” under a charming altar wrapped in crisp white tulle. After exchanging vows, the newlyweds walked down the cobblestone path, which was decorated with pink sash ribbons and a cascade of rose petals.

Suzanne chose a mix of light and dark colors for her fall wedding- red, black, peach, and white. The bridesmaid dresses were formal and elegant, with a pretty lace overlay and ribbon sashes tied at the waist. We loved the deep crimson roses in their bouquets, which really made a statement and stood out against their dark dresses. The girls all looked so beautiful with their side swept hairstyles and long, sparkly chandelier earrings. We must also draw attention to Suzanne and her gorgeous, intricate wedding gown. Her dress was covered in lace, flared out at the bottom, and with simple jewelry and a sweetheart top, she was flawless. Spectacular job ladies!

Of course, we have to give the gentlemen some love. The groom and his groomsmen looked like a million bucks in their gray pinstriped pants and dark suit jackets. The matching bow tie and handkerchief were a sweet touch, each handkerchief tucked just so in every pocket. Take a look at the groom, front and center, with that huge smile on his face. That says it all.

Suzanne’s bouquet was a beauty, a true work of art. This stunning image captured by Tiffany Wolfe, their wedding photographer, shows every flower in bloom. The bouquet was a combination of pink peonies, peach dahlias, and white and lavender roses. The stems were wrapped in a lace fabric with small, tiny pearls, to match Suzanne’s dress. All of her flowers were arranged by the talented Posies by Patti florist.

The entertainment for the wedding was provided by none other than the amazing John Parker Band. Suzanne and Chris chose the song “More Than Words” for their first dance as husband and wife. Many of their song choices were classics, such as “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, which was their pick for the bride and father dance, as well as the groom and mother dance.

“The band exceeded our expectations! Guests were so impressed and many wished John performed publicly so that they could see the band again!!” – Bride & Groom

The reception was held inside the grand ballroom of Shakespeare’s Restaurant. From the outside, the building is reminiscent of an ancient castle. Inside, the grand ballroom is incredibly romantic, with dimly lit candelabra chandeliers, white backed chairs, and lacy draped tables. Vases of flowers were clustered together on every table with small votive candles. The dance floor is in the center of the room with plenty of space for family and friends to dance, jump, and jive.

John Parker Band played the night away, offering the mic to guests and joining in with the crowd. We bet everyone got a kick out of listening to others sing along to their favorite songs! This is a great shot below taken by Tiffany Wolfe, of friends and family throwing their hands up in the air. It sure looked like quite the party!

We would like to thank Suzanne and Chris for having John Parker Band at their wedding. If you are looking for a fun, energetic live band for your wedding or event, please contact them today! We’re so grateful to Tiffany Wolfe for sharing her beautiful photos with us! Please take a look at her website for more samples of her work.

~Reception Music:~

First Dance: More Than Words, Extreme

Bride/Father & Groom/Mother Dance: Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole

Last Dance Song: Take Me Home Tonight, Eddie Money

~Vendor List:~

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Shakespeare’s Restaurant

Photography: Tiffany Wolfe

Florist: Posies by Patti

Entertainment: John Parker Band

Shakespeare’s Restaurant Pittsburgh Wedding~Suzanne and Chris Read More »

Longue Vue Club Pittsburgh Wedding ~ Annie and Tyler

What a gorgeous day for a wedding, with clear blue skies and plenty of sunshine! Annie and Tyler had exquisite taste, from the menu cards, to the gleaming white china, centerpieces, table linens, and an awesome live band, every detail was clearly thought of. We adore this photo of Annie and Tyler gazing at each other lovingly, outside the romantic brick building of their venue, the Longue Vue Club – a masterpiece of classic elegance in Pittsburgh PA.

The bride and groom chose Sky’s the Limit Photography to photograph their wedding. These are talented folks, as their photographs captured amazing moments. We love the attention to detail in the following photos below. In one shot, Annie’s white satin shoes are surrounded by bright red holly berries. In another photo, her bouquet and wedding rings rest on a bed of pine needles. And lastly, there is a photo of Annie herself, radiating elegance and grace, in her timeless satin dress.

Annie’s lush bouquet consisted of white roses and hydrangeas. The stems were wrapped in sheer organza, a lovely touch. Annie’s look was complete with teardrop diamond earrings and a fancy up-do, with one curl loose around her face. What a beautiful bride!

The ceremony was held at the magnificent St. Mary’s of the Mount church. Timely and old worldly, with arched ceilings and wooden pews, St. Mary’s cathedral is breathtaking. Lanterns glowed from above and sunlight poured in through the stained windows while Annie and Tyler exchanged their vows.

We love this black and white photo of the bride and groom walking down the aisle, smiling from ear to ear, as they embark on their new journey as husband and wife.

The reception was held at the historic Longue Vue Club. The venue was elegant and sophisticated, just like the bride and groom. As soon as guests entered the room, they were greeted by the sounds of the live band and the visual elegance of tall floral centerpieces that matched the bride’s bouquet of white roses and hydrangeas. Her florist, RJ Kohler, also mixed in evergreens, holly berries, and other assorted greenery. There were also a few long, rectangular tables, that had smaller floral arrangements with entwined evergreens used as a runner.

Natural light spilled in from the french doors and crisp white linens draped every table. Music filled the air. The china gleamed, simple and clean. Small votive candles flickered and menu cards were tucked gently inside each napkin. Pine wreaths and royal tapestries hung above every window and the gold chiavari chairs and gold chandeliers gave the space a sense of grandeur. The place card holders were adorned with holly berries displaying each table number in fancy script.

Annie and Tyler had three cakes- one three tier, one two tier, and a groom’s cake. They were done by Jennuine Cakes, an amazing baker. While the cakes are simple and sleek, we love the fun and original black and white check board platters!

The live entertainment of the wedding was Pittsburgh’s top wedding band, the John Parker Band. The couple loves to dance and asked the band to get everyone on their feet, as soon as possible. With a mix of 60’s, 70’s, and 90’s, and top 40 music, the band complied, and their guests flocked to the dance floor.

Musical Highlights:

Bride & Groom’s Dance: Jimmy Durante, Make Someone Happy

Father and Bride: Natalie Merchant, Kind & Generous

Mother and Groom: James Taylor, How Sweet It Is

Final Song of the Night: Louis Armstrong, What A Wonderful World

We love how happy Annie and Tyler are in the photo above. Their photographer, Sky’s the Limit Photography, captured some amazing shots of guests enjoying themselves, young and old! It almost feels as if we are right there with them on the dance floor, in the middle of the action! This was one heck of a party. By the end of the night, there was one more surprise the couple had up their sleeve- glowsticks and other fun props for everyone to use!

We truly enjoyed being a part of Annie and Tyler’s special day. Take a moment to check out the vendor list; from the flowers, cake, and photography, everyone is so incredibly talented! We’d like to especially thank Sky’s the Limit Photography for allowing us to use their photos, we are thrilled to be able to share them with you. If you are looking for the best Pittsburgh wedding band, contact John Parker Band today!