Where will you get married?

I was reading an article sent from one of the websites that we advertise on and it was talking about a survey that it put on asking engaged couples:

 “Where do you plan to have your wedding reception?”
Here are there results...
33% - Banquet Hall
32% - Outdoor Venue
19% - Historic Mansion or Venue
7% - Hotel
6% - Private Home
3% - Religious Venue

In this online survey, over 3,500 engaged brides were asked this question and I was surprised by the results.  I actually expected Banquet Halls to be higher due to the sheer volume of Halls in the GTA.  But then again we have a distinct clientele and most of our couples are working 'outside the box' for their Weddings. 

By doing a little research in discovering what style of reception you want will uncover many different options. Here is a list of some of the amazing venues we are looking forward to visiting again this coming Wedding Season.

Marquees on Home Properties (three so far this coming year)
La Gondola Banquet Hall - www.lagondola.ca
Terrace on the Green (a couple of times this year) - www.terraceonthegreen.com
Toronto Park Hyatt (a couple of times this year) - www.parktoronto.hyatt.com
Berkley Church - www.berkeleyevents.com
Oakville Golf Club - www.oakvillegolfclub.com
Hart House - www.harthouse.utoronto.ca
Harbour Banquet Center - www.harbourbanquet.ca
Glen Carin Golf & Country Club - www.clublink.ca
The Alton Mill (a couple of times this year) - www.altonmill.ca
The Queens Landing Hotel - http://www.vintage-hotels.com/
Graydon Hall Manor - www.graydonhall.com
The Manor - www.bypeterandpauls.com
The Halton Regional Museum (a few times this year) - www.halton.ca/museum
The Kortright Centre - www.kortright.org
The Gardiner Museum - www.gardinermuseum.on.ca
Liberty Grand - www.libertygrand.com
The Terra Cotta Inn - www.cotta.ca
Big Win Island Golf & Country Club - www.bigwinisland.com
The Mississauga Convention Centre - www.mississaugaconvention.com
The Royal Ambassador - www.theroyalambassador.com
Hockley Valley Resort - www.hockley.com
The Design Exchange - www.dx.org

So now I as you... Where will you or did you get married????

Ambient Decor Uplighting @ Hockley Valley Resort.

We recently had our Ambient Decor Uplighting set up for an elaborate display at Hockley Valley Resort with our good friend and fellow DJ Matthew Beauchamp.  Here are some pictures which show you just how amazing these fixtures are.  These were even taken during the day, as the sun set and it became dark outside, the room became a soft blue creating a whimsical atmosphere.

16 Uplights were used to highlight the entire ballroom at Hockley Valley Resort.

A Look Back at 2010!

2010...... what can we say other than WOW... what a wonderful year! Our business and family grew last year!  2010 was filled with amazing couples from all around the world.  We also travelled most of Ontario for Weddings and other amazing events. Words cannot tell you what a great year we have had, but pictures can.

~Here are some of photos of some of the highlights of our 2010~



Laura is now the Wedding & Special Event Coordinator for the Alton Mill.

 

Jennifer, Laura, Dan & Lisa in the Funky FotoBooth!



Reception at the Alton Mill

Great Music is Timeless ~ bringing free services to Seniors Homes

Kevin & Nora's Wedding @ The Old Mill

We welcomed baby Chase to the family on April 20!

We invested in Ambient Decor Uplighting (Hockely Valley Display)

Rustic/Elegant Wedding @ the Alton Mill.



Spring Wedding @ King Valley Golf & Country Club

Suze & Andrew's Royal Wedding @ the Royal Ambassador

Rocking it out in Chattam @ The Retro Suites

Uplighting in Aberfoyle.

Rockin' the Top Floor of the Sutton Place Hotel.

Lion Dance

The Great Hall - Toronto

Reception on the Lake with a beautiful Couple



Modern Wedding at the Gardiner Museum

 
2010 was a fantastic year.  We made tons of new friends and colleagues in the Wedding Industry and also had just amazing clients to work along with.  We took a more active roll in the CPDJA and are now reside on the National Advisory Committee. 

2011 looks very promising to make this past year seem lame.... stay tuned for some amazing announcements and updates on where we will go, work and take Sounds of Distinction Entertainment in this new year.

Dan and Laura Forbes

September 11th, Veronica & Dan's Wedding

I had the pleasure of working along with Veronica & Dan for their phenomenal wedding reception held at the beautiful and historic Alton Mill. (http://www.altonmill.ca/)

This wedding was straight out of a magazine with no details spared.  The amazingly hip & rustic location to the elegant decor & ambiance, created this spectacular event.  The Ceremony was out doors with a setting of maple trees in the background just starting the transformation of fall.  A cocktail reception was held in the Millrace room and Waterfall Courtyard where guests enjoyed the music of an amazing Jazz Trio.

The dinner reception was held under a Marquee in the Annex Courtyard where I took over for the evening. It was beautifully uplit with our Ambient Decor Uplighting to accentuate the natural beauty of the Historic Buildings ruins.  A dance floor was set up under the stars where unfortunately do to this Falls weather we were unable to use.  This was the only downside to the amazing reception.  Dinner was catered by an amazing Chef, Ezra from Chez Vous Dinning (http://www.chezvousdining.com/) and let me say first hand that it was amazing.

After diner, the reception moved back down stairs to the Millrace Room where I was able to work my magic.  The dance floor was packed from their first dance to the end of the night.  I cannot say in words how fun this reception was for me, it felt like I was hanging out with friends all night and playing all of my favorite music.

For the professional video & pictures visit Still Motion's Blog @ http://stillmotionblog.com/2010/10/28/veronica-dan-the-colonel/ and http://stillmotionblog.com/2010/10/25/veronica-dan-the-colonel-food-photos/.

I wish to congratulation Veronica and Dan once more and thank them for choosing me to be a part of such a magical day.

Laura

September 3rd, 2010 - Andrea & Chris

We had the absolute pleasure of working along with Andrea and Chris for their recent wedding at they Royal Ambassador.  Not only were they both fantastic and beautiful people, their families were just as nice.

We provided ceremony music, reception music and an amazing uplighting display.  Everything went off without a hitch and we kept a fun and full dance floor all night!

Andrea sent me this quick message just a few days ago!

Hi Dan!


Thank you so so so much to you and Laura! You two were so amazing - I had such a great time! Excellent music selections - I think it was the best music at a wedding by far! We had absolutely nothing but compliments with Vitamin String Quartet - Excellent suggestion!

Thank you so much once again - You did a fantastic job! :)

Andrea

 
Here is a letter that was sent to us this week from Barbara Bean, the mother of the bride, who helped with alot of the planning of this spectacular event.

Dear Dan & Laura

We are now into the middle of September - and the wedding of Andrea and Chris is well behind us.  All of the planning and preparations for such a long time suddenly came to life on September 3rd at the Royal Ambassador in Caledon - and it was over in one day.  But what a spectacular day it was!  There is not one thing about the entire day that I would even dream about changing - or improving.

Everything was absolutely perfect~

Dan and Laura, I cannot thank you enough for the wonderful atmosphere that you created for the entire wedding of my daughter and new son-in -law - from the Ceremony right through to the Last Dance.  You assisted them tremendously in making choices of music for their wedding - and they were so happy with how unique the music for their special day was.  It was not just another wedding - it was 'their' wedding - designed  just for them.

We were very pleased, as well, with the Ambient Decor Uplighting that you provided for the evening reception.  This is an incredible product - and does so much.  The pink glow around the room certainly complimented their theme, and highlighted the already beautiful venue, creating  a breathtaking atmosphere - one that we will remember for many days to come.  It is hard to imagine what we would have missed, had we passed on that.  As I mentioned earlier, it was all so perfect!

Thank you Dan, for taking care of the emceeing for the evening - you did a great job!  I appreciated having you look after this, so that I did not have to impose on any of our guest.

Laura, I am so happy that you were also able to join us for dinner and the evening, as well.  I hope that you enjoyed yourself.  I have seen a couple of the preview pictures from the photo booth - and you looked pretty happy.  All of the vender's who assisted us turned out to be Number One - it was like dealing with friends.

In closing, I just have to say 'Thank You' one more time. You assisted greatly in making my daughter's dream come to life - and your services were much appreciated.  If anyone is ever asking for a recommendation for Disc Jockey services - "Sounds of Distinction" will be Number One on our list.

Yours truly,

Barbara Bean

Here is few pictures of the event!

My very good friend and one of my favorite Photographers Jennifer Images was their that day with her assistant Lisa.  We had so much fun taking part in their Funky Photo Booth that they had set up and so did all the guests, it was packed all night.  Check out Jen's Blog for a sneak peak at some of the great pictures that they captured! www.jenniferimages.ca/blog

 Here is my favorite!

 

 A huge congratulations going out to Andrea & Chris!  We had so much fun being a part of such a wonderful day!  We wish you countless years of happiness!

Stephanie & Dave – June 26th, 2010

I had the pleasure of coordinating Stephanie & Dave’s Wedding this June. The Ceremony was held at the beautifully restored Aurora United Church and the reception followed at the renowned King Valley Golf & Country Club.


Here is a glimpse into their day and some of the professionals who helped them achieve a perfect Wedding day & Reception.


Simple, Elegant & Romantic is how I would describe their Wedding. As you will see the tied the reception together using a soft shade of blue, and butterflies throughout, from the cake, to the center pieces, to a heartfelt gift to the guests.


King Valley is an amazing venue; stunning facilities, beautiful grounds and great staff. I cannot say enough great things about my time there.





The Wedding Cake was created by Aaron Sickle of Tier Delight. Not only was it absolutely beautiful, it tasted amazing. All four tiers were different flavours; vanilla butter cream, pecan caramel chocolate butter cream, chocolate banana butter cream & dark chocolate with a chocolate butter cream (my personal favourite).





The bouquets, boutonnieres, centrepieces & floral arrangements were from City Florist. Hydrangeas were the main ingredient in setting the summer stage for the ceremony & reception.





The decorator was Ti Amo who transformed the head table, cake table, and receiving table as well as the chair covers. This added to the warmth and beauty of the reception hall.





The DJ was my favourite person in the whole world and one of the best in the industry, Mr Dan Forbes from Sounds of Distinction Entertainment. I know I am bragging but truly it was an amazing reception. He captured the crowd right from the dinner music straight through to the end of the night where the guests were still on the dance floor asking for one more song.





Shannon from Little White Dress was the photographer along with his second shooter and assistant Robyn. What a pleasure to work along with and well a picture can tell 1000 words and speak for itself, so please visit their website & enjoy, as they will be up on his Blog soon.


Here were a few special touches that made this reception stand out.


Stephanie’s father grew maple trees from seed and gave one away to each couple who attended.


During the ceremony and cocktail hour Dave’s Uncle, an amazing pianist, and cousin, a stunning vocalist, wowed the guests and put a personal touch into the day’s events.


The Master of Ceremonies was Dave’s Aunt who was an amazing speaker. She held the crowd’s attention and truly helped make everyone feel welcome and special; just as Stephanie and Dave would have wanted.


The families were both genuine and kind. Dave and Stephanie are blessed on both sides to have such amazing and supportive families.


Thanks again to Stephanie and Dave for having Marvelle Events as a part of your Wedding Day!

The Alton Mill - A Unique New Venue

We are delighted to blog about the Alton Mill. The magnificently-restored Alton Mill is a heritage destination in the scenic Caledon Hills. Winner of a National Achievement Award in 2009, it is now home to a dynamic arts centre featuring artists' studios, galleries and shops, a heritage exhibit and café. The site hosts gatherings of up to 120 guests in a variety of special event spaces.

The Mill has everything you need to host your beautiful and unique Wedding reception. Waterfalls, architecture, art galleries, historic buildings and beautiful grounds are just the starting point for what you will discover in Alton.



They have the Millrace Room that you can book to host your more intimate affair, perfect for Weddings or other sit down events for up to 80 people. This is located in the lower level of the mill and has a beautiful courtyard attached. From the courtyard, you can make your way to look out over the millpond, or enjoy the waterfall. The natural stone work accompanied by the wooden beams in this room leave the need to decor almost minimal.



They also have the Annex Courtyard. Originally the mill's wool storage building, this 4,000 square foot exterior courtyard space, surrounded by majestically restored stone walls is perfect for large events. It can accommodate over 150 people under a 40’ x 80’ marquee tent.

The Alton Mill has our vote for the coolest and most unique venue in the area. Definitely worth looking into for your Wedding or next event! Visit it online at www.altonmill.ca

Cheers,

Dan and Laura

Horizons Event Centre - Orangeville Ontario

We are proud to blog about this new venue in the Orangeville Area, Horizons Event Centre. In 2007, it was decided to take what was once a large bingo hall and turn it into a functional and tasteful banquet facility. The remodelling process began in 2008 and they opened the door for the first event in 2009. They have spent much time and effort in decorating and changing of the appearance. They have recently added an outdoor gazebo and garden area to host outdoor ceremonies, making this a once stop shop for all of your wedding needs.

Horizons is a multi room banquet facility and the largest in the area, boasting a maximum seating capacity of 390 persons for banquets and up to 430 for corporate functions. The room can be divided into 3 separate rooms all with seating capacities of over 100.

It is conveniently located just minutes from Orangeville on Hwy 10, just north of Hockley Road.

For more information please visit www.horizonseventcentre.com or call 519-415-5500.