The Wedding Singer

Del's Groove RoCk's Merion Mercy Academy Father Daughter Dance at The Drexelbrook!!

2012-03-03T20:27:00.000-05:00

Once again Del's Groove had the privilege to perform for the lovely ladies of Merion Mercy Academy on February 3rd. This is our third time we have had the opportunity to share this special evening with the dad's and daughters. For some of the dad's, it was a bittersweet evening as their daughters will be moving on to college next year, so this was the last time the dad's got to get their groove on and show their girls they got it going on. All I can say is all the dad's can keep up! Del's Groove especially enjoyed dad; Vai Sikahema sitting in with the band on vocals with his rendition of My Girl dedicated to not just his daughter Lana, but all the young ladies. See, Vai turned down covering the Super Bowl since this was Lana's last father - daughter dance graduating this year.

Once again, the Drexelbrook had every detail covered in the room making it a warm and eventful, fun evening.

Thank you Merion Mercy Academy for once again allowing us to perform on this special occasion!

shout out to the Drexelbrook staff for as always making us feel at home!

Susan of Del's Groove (delsdiva)

Del's Groove RoCks the Reception of Vanessa & Craig Galello at Villanova Conference Center!

2011-12-19T20:42:00.020-05:00

It all began, and then began again at Villanova for Vanessa & Craig, so they shared the place they love with their loved ones. Starting with the most heartwarming welcome speeches and toast by their best man was a hug that set the tone for the rest of the evening.

I remember Mr. & Mrs. Pantano making the trip from CT to meet Del's Groove at one of our showcases and it was so wonderful for Del's Groove to be a part of their daughters day. Vanessa made a request to us that we sing a special dedication to a very dear friend of hers. Never a problem for Del's Groove! The all male vocal tune proved to be anything but a challenge for us.

All I can say is the decor of The Villanova Conference Center was as beautiful as the people that joined these families for this unforgettable occasion.

Del's Groove would like to thank the Pantano & Galello family for their hospitality and

Thank you Vanessa & Craig for having Del's Groove share your wedding day with you!

All the best ~

Susan of Del's Groove (delsdiva)

Amanda & Andrew Baldwin Ballroom Wedding Event with Del's Groove-Snowalicious!

2011-11-19T15:03:00.016-05:00

courtesy Carden's Photography

Not only was Saturday October 29, 2011 a notable date in the weather world, but this is the day Amanda & Andrew were married. I can't imagine how Amanda kept her cool when she saw those snowflakes coming down, but, the smile on her face told us all everything we needed to know about this couple. Love was in the air! As you can see by the beautiful photos by Carden's Photography, the snow made the most beautiful background! Inside the historic Balwin Ballroom the decor was warm and colorful by the experts at Jeffrey Miller Catering. Details were perfected by Erin Proud of Proud to Plan Events. Love the candy table!

Andrew & Amanda danced their first dance to Stand by Me, performed by Del's Groove. I cannot continue without saying that Amanda was one of the most beautiful brides, her gown was stunning! The evening continued with a special song by her sorority sisters after Andrew & Amanda danced with their parents. Then Del's Groove Rocked this reception to the end!

Thank you Amanda & Andrew for allowing Del's Groove the pleasure to share your special day.

Special thank you to both your families and friends!

All the best~ Hugs, Susan (Delsdiva)

Del's Groove RoCk'S Havertown Day! 2011

2011-11-04T21:12:00.000-04:00

The streets of Havertown Pa were RoCkiN all day long at the 2011 Havertown Day! Del's Groove once again had the priveledge to perform. This is one of the favorite events of the year for me personally. I get to see friends from the past that I only see at this event, and even friends travel from far to hang out with us too! This year we were at the Skatium stage. Loved the vibe there, surrounded by the vendors, stiltwalkers, jugglers and some of the favorite characters entertaining the kids. Speaking of kids! I cannot thank Mason for his cool moves and helping out Del's Groove!

Special thank you to Diane Stein Josepher for all her hard work and dedication to Havertown Day over the years and having Del's Groove! Diane..you RoCk!

Special luv to Kevin Kramer and family for joining us again this year and for all the pro shots from
Kevin Kramer Photography

Till next year!

Hugs~ Susan (Delsdiva)

Castle Caterers - Lucia & Shelby Married! Del's Groove RoCkS the reception!

2011-11-02T20:44:00.000-04:00

Love has no boundries - Lucia & Shelby were married on September 9th, at Castle Caterers. Not only was I in awe of the love these two ladies have for each other, but, Del's Groove did a spectacular job on bringing the exact music they wanted to get their reception RoCkin! The bridal party was announced as our horn section wailed "Let me Clear My Throat" horn licks. When it was time to announce our brides, who are huge football fans, as per their request they came marching in to the NFL theme song, one carrying an Eagles flag, the other a Giants flag! The only way this is going to last is through their commitment for each other! I mean c'mon...the Giants!! Best man Pete Delia gave a heartwarming toast to Lucia & Shelby and there was not a dry eye in the room, especially from him, until he ended with - The Eagles suck! That set the tone for the evening when the party started. Lucia & Shelby danced their first dance to "You & Me" a Dave Matthews song, expertly sung by our own Raymond Smith.

The tables were adorned with red roses, and the dance floor was packed the entire night. Del's Groove is no stranger to many of the guests and it was so humbling to shared in this awesome wedding.

Lucia shared:
We wanted to thank you and Del's Groove for making our wedding day one of the most talked about weddings this year! My family and friends can not say enough about you all! And our song was performed with perfection. Dave Matthews "You & Me"... Thank You Thank You - We LOVE you guys!!

Thank you to http://www.alesforum.net/a-fairy-tale-wedding/ for the shout out as well!

As you can see, intermixed with my photos, a special thanks to Josef Ceralde for sharing his pro shots please "Like" his page https://www.facebook.com/#!/jceraldephoto on FaceBook, his eye is incredible! While your at it, please "Like" Del's Groove on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Dels-Groove/221154547925537

Thank you Lucia & Shelby for allowing Del's Groove to share in the beginning of your new chapter together. We Love you too!!

Susan (delsdiva)

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey Fierstein

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHya-0QHISw

Click video link above to see the Winning Touchdown video presenting the Bridal Party!

Haverford Music Festival 2011 - Del's Groove!

2011-10-23T13:16:00.012-04:00

The first ever Haverford Music Festival took place on September 17th 2011. Dels Groove have the

privilege to close the day into the early evening shows. Starting off with the cool jazz sounds of Emanuel DelPizzo Jazz Quartet the day evolved with two pro sound stages, one located on the Oakmont field and the other on Darby Rd. The variety was so well rounded there was something there for everyone. This event was so fine tuned from the stage crew, to the sound company along with all the sponsors and vendors that took part. Del's Groove would like to thank everyone involved, it was an awesome day. Stay tuned for more info for Haverford Music Festival 2012 on September 15th!

You can also follow the fest on Face book! Haverford Music Fest FaceBook

Del's Groove Performs at The Drexelbrook! Please meet Mr. & Mrs. Hart!

2011-10-10T15:36:00.021-04:00

First Dance

Beautiful table decor at The Drexelbrook

Mike a rappin

Surfer girls

Ice Ice baby!

doing my thing!

Mr. & Mrs. Hart with Del & DelsDiva!

Rob Ervin.....more cowbell!!

This was one wedding I could not wait for. Being Genna and Bob's Facebook pals prior to their wedding gave me an indication that these two are a super fun couple. When I stepped into the familiar Drexelbrook for their wedding, well, if I were wearing socks, they would have been knocked off for sure! Nothing less than spectacular was The Drexelbrook ballroom. Not to mention all the special surprises that were in store for Genna & Bob. Imagine a life sized bar made out of ice! Sweet room with everything you could imagine too!

The guests were as warm as this couple and their families. One of my favorite moments was when we played Hawaii Five-O theme song and the girls surfed on the guys backs! What a riot!

Del's Groove were so thrilled to be a part of their day.

Many thanks to Genna & Bob for having Del's Groove share in this beautiful day.

Please visit The Drexelbrook blog on Genna & Bob's wedding for more details on this spectacular day!

Special thank you to http://www.linkedforeverphotography.com/ for the pro shots!

All the best,

Susan (delsdiva)

Del's Groove RoCkS The Stone Harbor Yacht Club Commodore Ball!!

2011-09-24T20:01:00.005-04:00

On Saturday July 16, Del's Groove RoCkeD the Commodore Ball at the Stone Harbor Yacht Club. All we can say is we could not have asked for a better group of folks to perform for! Past and present Commodores and their families packed the dance floor and even sang along with the band. We had an awesome time and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for having us, YOU ALL Rocked the night away! Thank you for the special treatment and look forward to seeing you all in the future.

For more info on the Stone Harbor Yacht Club, visit them at http://www.ycsh.org/weddingsandbanquets.htm

Susan of Del's Groove (delsdiva)

Racquet Club of Philadelphia - Jacquie & Tyler Married! Del's Groove RoCk's their reception at The Racquet Club of Philadelphia!

2011-09-05T21:54:00.004-04:00

On July 30th, Del's Groove introduced Mr. & Mrs. James Brown to I Feel Good as this beautiful couple walked down the grand staircase onto the dancefloor. This Will Be an Everlasting Love was their first dance. Jacquie and James Tyler knew exactly how they wanted to set the tone for the evening an Del's Groove orchestrated it to their every wish. The Racquet Club of Philadelphia is such a beautiful venue for a wedding and the attention to detail by Jeffrey Miller Catering was incredible as well. We also had the privilege to work with Cathy and Allen of BG Productions capturing all the timeless moments of the evening, and even caught a shot of them! This reception rocked till the end and many thanks to Jacquie and Tyler for allowing Del's Groove to share their special day. Special thank you to Marc Liss of Jeffrey Miller Caterers for taking such great care of us as well.

Jacquie & Tyler even had time to write these kind words of thanks:

You guys were FANTASTIC! The first thing all of our guests say to us about the wedding is how awesome of a band we had...so thank you for making our night so fun and memorable!

Once again, thank you Cathie & Allen from BG Productions for the awesome pro shots, you can view some here and please visit them at www.bgproonline.com

All the best Jacquie & Tyler from Del's Groove,

Hugs~

Susan (delsdiva)

Nicole & Chad! Del's Groove Rocking the reception at Founders Hall at Haverford College!

2011-08-19T10:08:00.015-04:00

It was a hot and humid day on July 23rd but you could not tell by the packed dance floor! Del's Groove had the privilege to perform at Nicole & Chads reception. Bride Nicole, is a colleague of bandleader Emanuel DelPizzo at Malvern Prep, so that being said, I love seeing many familiar faces from Del's Groove past performances. Founders Hall with its high ceilings and ornate windows was the perfect venue for this fun loving couple. Nicole and Chad danced their first dance to True Companion by Marc Cohn performed perfectly by Del's Groove. Chad wanted his special moment on the floor with Sabine, some call Beanie, so this groom chose Surfer Girl to dance with his new stepdaughter.

I loved the fact this reception was so kid friendly, there were all kinds of treats and props at the kids table, I just had to tweet that with a photo before the party started. What a party indeed! Who knew there was going to be all this talent in one room! You can see, not only was Nicole an experienced belly dancer as she joined her class on the floor at the beginning of the evening, but, Chad got all his former band mates of Stiltwalker together to do a few tunes! The guests were thrilled to see them perform and we certainly enjoyed them as well, they Rocked!

Special thanks to Robert Colameco Photography for the additional photos..

Thank you Chad & Nicole for having Del's Groove! We loved sharing your special day with you, your family and all your friends!

Till next time...all the best!

Susan (delsdiva)

6th Annual MannyPalooza! With Del's Groove!

2011-08-14T21:26:00.010-04:00

This was not my first MannyPalooza, and not my 6th, even though on July 17 the streets of Ardmore were RoCkIn! The 6th Annual MannyPalooza took place on this hot summer day and the heat in the street kept the crowd on their feet dancing to the sounds of Del's Groove! What is MannyPalooza you ask? (for those less fortunate to never have attended) MannyPalooza is a block party organized by bandleader Emanuel (Del), his family and neighbors. Featuring a Crab Feast and all kinds of foods, water ice, and just plain onld fun for the whole family. For the past several years the proceeds are donated to MusicWorks which Del's Groove is thrilled they can help out!

Everyone said this was the best MannyPalooza ever, but funny thing...everyone says that after every one, every year! Guest performers entertained in between Del's Groove, and sitting in with us for another year was Kim with her rendition of Celo Greens' Forget You! Way to go Kim! Del's Groove were also fortunate to have Tony Del Pizzo filling in for vacationing Raymond...who honestly knocked our socks off! On his way to his first year at Dukane U! All the best to you Tony, your are an excellent musician!! Rock On!

Avalon Yacht Club Del's Groove RoCkS the Commodore Ball!

2011-08-14T20:46:00.013-04:00

Once again Del's Groove had the privilege to perform at Avalon Yacht Club on July 16th for the Commodore Ball! Lovely to see all the familiar faces and smiles of the club's members. We also would like to thank the members and staff for the warm hospitality. Avalon Yacht Club is also the perfect venue and background for your wedding, for more info, please contact them at

http://www.avalonyachtclub.com/

Till next time!

All the best from Del's Groove!

Del's Groove Performs 2011 Uwchlan Community Day!

2011-07-30T10:57:00.010-04:00

It was a hot summer day but fun was had by all at the 2011 Uwchlan Community Day! Del's Groove had the privilege to perform for this wonderful community gathering that was fun for the entire family and free! Balloon bounces, funnel cakes, ice cream, to mention just a few of the vendors filling the bellies of young and old. Fireworks ended the evening with yes...a bang! It was great seeing some old friends, my friend Mary from high school surprised me and she looked the same as she did when we hung out in junior high. Other friends such as Nicole and Vernon bringing their three little men made me smile as well. Finally getting to meet Dylan, the son of Mary Anne and Bruce Gill, our awesome soundman was also a highlight to my day.
I recommend not missing the 2012 Uwchlan Community day, you won't regret it!

Thank you Uwchlan Township for having Del's Groove!

All the best,

Susan (delsdiva)

The Radnor Hotel - Del's Groove RoCkS the Reception of Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Parks!

2011-07-30T10:15:00.014-04:00

Del's Groove a familiar favorite to the Bongiovanni family once again had the privilege to perform at their daughter Anne's wedding. It was less than a year ago we were all together for her twin sisters Elizabeths wedding to her husband Joe. It was awesome seeing everyone again and seeing many familiar faces. Anne & Ryans reception was at the beautiful Radnor Hotel. This beautiful couple chose "Life is Beautiful" by Kebmo as their first dance performed by Del's Groove's own Raymond Smith pulling out his acoustic guitar to perfectly perform this heartfelt song. Anne and her father danced to "How Sweet it is to be Loved by You", performed by Rob Feeney, and Ryan danced with his mother to every ones favorite classic "What a Wonderful World" The rest of the evening from dinner to the end had the dance floor packed. Del's Groove once again had this reception rocking!

We also had the honor of working with my twitter pal Heather DiPiazza! Please check out her awesome website http://heatherdipiazza.blogspot.com/ thank you for the beautiful pro shots for my blog!

Heather also filled me in that while photographing before the wedding, all the girls were buzzing that they were thrilled to hear us again!

All the Best Anne & Ryan, hope your trip to Italy was incredible!

Thank you for having Del's Groove!

Hugs- Susan (delsdiva)

Del's Groove RoCkS the Reception of Amanda & Scott Dayer! Weyhill Guest House Saucon Valley CC

2011-06-25T11:28:00.032-04:00

On Saturday June 18th Del's Groove had the privilege to perform for Amanda & Scott Borda. The grounds of The Weyhill Guest House at Saucon Valley CC was the most beautiful setting for this summer wedding. Band leader Emanuel Del Pizzo warmed up the guests with some smooth trumpet sounds during the cocktail hour. Behind the scenes was Event coordinator Sarah Morrison of All About Events making sure every detail was carefully in place.

When it came time to announce the bridal party, our bride Amanda asked Del's Groove to surprise her husband with the Buffalo Bills version of Shout...his favorite team. Of course, no problem for the band! First dance for this lovely couple was Inxs - Never Tear us Apart, perfectly performed by guitarist Raymond Smith.

The remainder of this evening resulted in non-stop raising the tent dancing, under the stars in this beautiful area in Pennsylvania. Vocalist Philip Joseph also gave "Cupid Shuffle" lessons on the dance floor!

Special thanks to Sarah Morrison of All About Events and Joe Craig Photography, I will be updating this blog later with his work!

All the best Amanda & Scott, thank you for having Del's Groove perform on your most special day!

Susan of Del's Groove - (delsdiva)

Allison & Jame! Danced all night at Aldie Mansion!

2011-06-21T21:13:00.020-04:00

Del's Groove had the privilege to RoCk the reception of Allison & Jame on June 11th 2011. It was a beautiful day for a beautiful couple at The Aldie Mansion. Allison and Jame chose Into The Mystic by Van Morrison as their first dance and shortly after the bridal party joined them on the dance floor. Wonderfully articulated toasts by Maid of honor Megan and Best Man Bobby Wunsch had guests amused with their stories of the bride & groom.

All my years being The Wedding Singer, I remember the carefully sculptured grounds and patio perfect for cocktail hour. In no time, Del's Groove once again packed the dance floor!

Thank you so much for the wonderful hospitality and having Del's Groove perform on your special day.

All the Best Allison & Jame Wunsch!

Susan (delsdiva)

Del's Groove back at The Paddock!

2011-05-16T07:42:00.018-04:00

This poor guy, I always pick on him - but they tell me too!

Mike & Alex! The horn guys!!

Dianna & Pat celebrating their anniversary with Del's Groove!

Del & Rob "who they looking at?"

"the instigators" ;-)

"bff" Eileen & me!

The new Mr. & Mrs.!

our "peeps"!

more "peeps"!

Ray - crooning a tune!

Helping me "shake it all night long"!!

Soundman - Bruce

Dancing to Del's Groove

Mike & Phil - kickin it to Golddigger

Rob........deep in thought? hmmmmmmm

Lori & Jerry O'Leary of Music Works!

a few members of UDHS choir alumni hanging out with Del's Groove!

bartenders at The Paddock - Joe & Amanda

Last Saturday night Del's Groove performed at The Paddock at Devon. Thanks to all who came out, we had a blast. Shout out to Lori & Jerry O'Leary of MusicWorks holding one of their fundraisers there in the side room. If you know anyone with special needs that could benefit through the music, please visit them at http://www.musicworkswonders.org/

Del's Groove has a very busy wedding season to follow, our public appearances will be very sparse. Anyone looking for an extraordinary band for any private affair, please visit us at:

http://www.delsgroove.com/

Hugs!

Susan (delsdiva)

The "Royal" treatment at The Drexelbrook Women in Weddings!

2011-04-30T23:16:00.012-04:00

On Friday April 29th I was one of the many people who were so fortunate to have been invited to Women in Weddings event at the beautiful Drexelbrook. If that date does not mean anything to you, it did to 0ver 3 billion people who watched The Royal Wedding of William and Kate. Hosts, Domenic Savino CEO, Gene Blum Sales & Marketing, along with their wonderful staff did an awesomely wonderful job making us all feel pampered. It was also a pleasure to see Jean Fernandez's, assistant manager's smiling face.

I got to meet & chat with some lovely ladies, Tiffany Chalk of T. Chalk Events , Tina Yerkes Of Philadelphia Belle , Stacey Strickler of Affairs to Remember , GiGi Sheppard of Starr Meetings, Audra McCowan of Candlelight Events , and Mary Beth Madill, senior catering sales executive of the Philadephia Airport Marriott . It was also a pleasure to see once again Sarah Morrison of All About Events who Del's Groove will have the pleasure to work along side with in June! Special mention to the stunning Deborah Vancleve Phelps all smiles in her glamorous hat. Also joining us ladies for a sit down and chat was the rock star of event planning none other than Mark Kingsdorf of The Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants .

Now of course we all watched the William & Kate tie the knot, along with the spectacular view of the grand entrance, carriage ride and the first kiss on the many large flat screens that surrounded the exquisite room at The Drexelbrook . The delicious food, the fancy cocktails named for this special event, (my fave, Something Blue) and warm and smiling service made me feel like a princess for the day! Oh, and, the dress, we all agreed, was timeless!

Thank you Domenic & Gene for the invite and the warmth, Del's Groove will see you soon! Please check out these wonderfully warm colleagues for all your event planning needs!

Hugs to All!

Susan (delsdiva) follow me on Twitter & don't forget to "Like" my Facebook page!

of Del's Groove when you want a fun, extraordinary band experience for your special event!

Del's Groove @ The Paddock Wayne pa

2011-04-05T16:07:00.005-04:00

Just a sample of photo's from April 2nd, 2011 at The Devon Paddock. Del's Groove rocked the house once again and had a blast! Thanks to all who came out, you are very dear to us! See you next time Saturday May 14th.

For more details on Del's Groove, visit us at www.delsgroove.com

oxoxox

Susan (delsdiva)

Del' Groove Performs at Malvern Prep - Mother/Son Dance!

2011-03-26T11:47:00.009-04:00

Which way to the beach you may have thought at Saturday March 19th Malvern Prep Mother-Son Dance, as the beach theme rocked the hall! Del's Groove had the privilege to perform for this awesome group of sons and moms. We never thought these guys would dance so much, but, they did! Special "air" guitar guests, assisted Del's Groove throughout the evening. Very special guest on guitar joining the band was none other than bandleader Emanuel Del Pizzo's son and senior student Tony Del Pizzo on Gun's & Roses Sweet Child of Mine wailing away! I had a blast singing lead rockin it diva style. The band later did a spectacular version of Hawaii Five -O theme while some of the mom's joined in on the floor showing off their rowing skills! Lot's of limbo along with special assistance from some of the students rapping along with Mike on Gold digger too!

Thank you Malvern Prep & all the mom's & a Special thanks to Jeannie O'Neill for having Del's Groove perform on this special evening, and all the best to the Class of 2011! May all your dreams come true! Underclassmen, you have some shoes to fill, well wishes to all!

Susan (Delsdiva)

David Zaveloff Photography

2011-03-25T21:56:00.029-04:00

Self proclaimed "geek" David Zaveloff, says he loves the technical side of the artistry of photography, and appreciates the creative outlook it allows. Del's Groove had the pleasure to work along with photographer David Zaveloff at Stephanie & Nick's wedding at The Mendenhall last year. When talking to David, he has a deep love for things that last. Being told he has an old soul, photography has allowed him to connect that part of him. He truly loves creating historical documents of major life events that will last for generations.

David originally started his career as an industrial designer, but decided to take what was originally a hobby and make photography his career to make meaningful memories rather than design meaningless stuff. "All my events are memorable" says David. A wedding is a unique that within a span of a few hours, you can capture every emotion we are capable of.

David intends to educate that photography is a historical document and the the truest way to do that is through your wedding album. Favorite venues, are those of an "old school" feel such as Ballroom at the Ben, The Crystal Tea Room, and most of all, Stotesbury Mansion where he and the love of his life Karyn will be having their wedding reception soon! On behalf of Del's Groove, best wishes and thank you for taking the time out to share your craft for The Wedding Singer Blog!

Del's Groove looks forward to working with you again soon!

Please visit David at: http://www.davidzaveloff.com/

Susan of Del's Groove (Delsdiva)

New Pace Productions! Lights, Camera, Action!!

2011-03-11T14:13:00.015-05:00

It was fun meeting JC Costa & Bill Connell last week. I already was acquainted with JC, but these two guys together accompany each other finishing each others lines along with picking up where the other one left off. "Penn State brothers" I will call them, JC & Bill at
New Pace Productions http://www.newpaceproductions.com/ met at Penn State. JC's interest in all Bill showed him, prompted him to change his major to get better acquainted with video production.

Starting in 2007 with a video for a local music group, and have not stopped since. Cultivating their art to Corporate, sports, weddings, music videos, and more. Such credits as ESPN, Fox Sports, USAfootball.com, West Chester State University, Archbishop Carroll, and the

Samuel Dalembert Foundation.

Along with their extensive talents in videography of capturing the timeless moments of weddings, their goal is to continue to grow their diverse creative contracts. Del's Groove looks forward to working along side Bill & JC of New Pace Productions to make your wedding unforgettable and unique. Please visit them at: http://www.newpaceproductions.com/

for more information on how they can create a memorable keepsake on your special day!

1615 E.Darby Rd. Suite 202
Havertown, PA 19083
Office: 484.453.8419
Cell: 484.325.1894
http://www.newpaceproductions.com/

Always Fabulous! Randi Hayes Martin

2011-02-25T06:40:00.007-05:00

I finally met face to face Randi Hayes Martin at the Wish Upon a Wedding launch last month. Seems we have a few things in common, we are both proud Gleeks, and we both love weddings… Alwaysfab (as I knew her via Twitter) also owner and operator of Always Fabulous Events. Randi now has an additional title to her name, Event Planning Chair of wish Upon a Wedding –Philadelphia chapter. I urge you to read a few blogs back to this wonderful cause for more info.
The first thing you notice about Randi is her infectious smile & energy. For the past nine years, she has planned weddings, sweet sixteen, anniversary, retirement, birthday parties, bridal and baby showers. Since always being the “social director” of her friends and family, paying special and unique attention to detail, and loving it, she decided to make event planning a career. Starting with planning her friends wedding with a bridal party of 30! Also, which she was the Mistress of the ceremony. Of course the first question I asked was “who announced the bridal party!” Most memorable was a two part wedding of which there was an intimate ceremony in Cape May NJ, with a larger party months later.
Randi would also like to give a heads up and tell everyone too look out for the Wish Upon a Wedding Fundraiser coming in April, lots of fun in store for this wonderful cause. You can visit http://wishuponawedding.org/chapter-locations/philadelphia for upcoming details.
When I asked about a favorite venue, Randi suggests everyone to check out The Brossman Center, accommodating up to 300 people and also has a chapel for your ceremony. http://www.brossmancenter.com/weddings.html

On a personal note, also mother of two Roman and Ryan, and her husband Rudy, Randi is not just superwoman, but Fabulous! For more info please visit:
http://www.alwaysfabulousevents.com/

Heather Reed O'Mara - Photographer

2011-02-21T08:42:00.006-05:00

Ever since Heather was a little girl she saw beauty and wanted to capture it forever in a picture. Moving on, as she matured into her 20’s to Denver she focused on the beauty of the west. Then taking a completely different view moving to Chicago to repaint the lines of the majestic architecture through her photography.

Heather puts her heart into what she does. You can certainly tell while she recalled realizing she photographed that “moment”….. While processing images from a wedding, she welled up after seeing a shot of the grooms stepfather, who was a big strapping jovial fella overcome with tears at this proud moment in church. Sadly, the grooms mother was unable to attend due to a serious but recoverable illness.

Heather’s goal is simple, making people happy and capturing key moments without being invasive, but, remembered.

Heather is looking forward to attending a lighting workshop in May, keeping up with the latest to bring you the best results she can.

Please visit Heather Reed O’Mara Photography at www.heatheromaraphotography.com

For more information… http://www.heatheromaraphotography.com/

Del’s Groove looks forward to working with Heather in the future…

for more info on Del's Groove, visit us at http://www.delsgroove.com/

Del's Groove RoCk's Merion Mercy Academy Father-Daughter Dance!

2011-02-13T18:57:00.006-05:00

Del's Groove had the privilege for the second year in a row to perform for the Merion Mercy Academy Father Daughter Dance. The dance floor packed without the influence of liquid spirits, but the true mercy spirituality of these beautiful ladies. Merion Mercy academy's curriculum stresses global awareness and social responsibility and it certainly shows in their steps. Now, on to those wonderful Dad's that showed their daughters they could keep up, these guys rocked as much as their girls! A little side note, bandleader Emanuel Del Pizzo for the first time, was not the daddy at this dance. A bittersweet evening for him as him and his wife Teresa has four beautiful and talented daughters that have all graduated from MMA. Del's Groove was happy to have him back on the drums this year.

No suprise was The Drexelbrook's gorgeous attention to detail in their decor to the 600 place settings leaving nothing left out. CEO & General Manager along with his staff attended to the "Sip & Bid" table from the MMA Winter Wonderland Auction. I had a chance to chat with Domenick Savino before the gig and found out he had been at The Drexelbrook for 19 years, and he clued me in on some history of this venue I was unaware of.

To the lovely ladies of MMA, the staff, and last but not least, the dad's, thank you so much for having Del's Groove perform again for you. We have so much fun with you and you are all so blessed to have such awesome dads!!

For more information on MMA please visit http://www.merion-mercy.com/

The Drexelbrook for all of your occasions http://www.drexelbrookcatering.com/

and for THE band to RoCk any event http://www.delsgroove.com/

See you soon!

Susan (Delsdiva)

Wish Upon a Wedding Launch - Philadelphia!

2011-02-01T15:05:00.023-05:00

.........Wish Upon a Wedding Launch - Philadelphia Chapter was last evening and it was spectacular. I want to urge everyone to visit them at:
www.facebook.com/wishuponaweddingphiladelphia

Do whatever you can to get involved, especially if you are in the business of weddings and any and all that goes with weddings. WUW is the world's first nonprofit wedding wish granting organization, providing weddings for terminally ill individuals.

Founding president Mark Kingsdorf presented the board members in the middle of this wonderful event along with a touching film setting the objective of WUW. Members, Christine Bergey, Gene Blum, Phyliss Jablonowski, Randi Martin, Suzanne Paquette, Ises Williams, Rebecca Drunkenmiller and Pat Ambrosius.

Special attention to mention the volunteer launch sponsors, expecially ones I have had the pleasure to meet for the first time and some I have had the honor to work along with, Ed Seiders of Branded Productions, Jim Buchakjian of Sagets Formal Wear, Sarah Morrison of All About Events, The Drexelbrook, and a special mention to Unique Concepts Studios - Paul Roebuck who took in his usual fashion, breathtaking photos, donating his time on his birthday!

That's what it takes.....people helping people, donate your time, donate funds. Take time out to learn more about WUW and see all the other wonderful hands behind the scenes and many sponsors. Once again at www.facebook.com/wishuponaweddingphiladelphia .

All the Best,

Susan Delsdiva http://www.delsgroove.com/

please check out some of my friends:

http://www.ucs-studio.com/ photos courtesy of

http://www.brandedvideo.com/

http://www.allaboutevents.us/

http://www.sagets.com/

http://www.qohweddings.com/

http://www.alwaysfabulousevents.com/

The Wedding Singer - featuring: The Drexelbrook!

2011-01-20T13:34:00.007-05:00

.......Who could accommodate a wedding in 3 hours notice? The Drexelbrook! Might I also add a few more curve balls that were hit out of the park -

That's right, this wedding was at an off site location, Ridley Creek State Park. Vegetarian with vegan option menu, 100 guests, not to mention waitstaff, dishes, glasses, linens, set up in a short time! The only way any caterer could do this is with experience, teamwork and a passion for perfection.

.......Ever since I was a little girl, The Drexelbrook was the place to have your wedding. With it's mansion like architecture, beautiful patio's, exquisite gazebos, elegant chandeliers, and shiny marble floors. The Drexelbrook is your canvas also for Mitzvahs, galas, proms, and any other social event you are planning. Don't forget, it is also the perfect setting for an intimate ceremony, for all ethnicities. Let's not forget the culinary experts behind the scenes to delite every palate.

.......So, if you are looking for the perfect venue for your special day or event, please do not pass up The Drexelbrook please take time to visit them at http://www.drexelbrookcatering.com/

for more information.

........Del's Groove has had the pleasure to work along side of the professional, courteous staff on many occasion. We look forward to working with you in the future.

All the best from Del's Groove & Del's Diva - Susan

http://www.delsgroove.com/

http://www.drexelbrookcatering.com/

Del's Groove - At the Springfield Inn!! Just like old times!

2011-01-16T13:14:00.007-05:00

....Wow, after 10 years it was so exciting to be back at the Springfield Inn...years later but this time with a band I am now privileged to be a part of Del's Groove http://www.delsgroove.com/ I stopped in earlier that day to say hello to some familiar faces before showtime and to drop of my mom's birthday cake & my gear. It was not only a wonderful reunion, but a time to celebrate my mom Ann's 75th birthday!

Arriving an hour before showtime, I was greeted by so many wonderful faces from the past once again showing their support! I cannot express the overwhelming welcome not only I got, but the talented band members I have shared the stage with over the past 4 plus years. So many friends all came out. What was so remarkable, that I am so blessed to have so many awesome people in my life, but all the little groups that I hang with are always brought together at a Del's Groove event. Everyone knows everyone, so it's so much fun to see others reunite. Not to mention how they always fill me in as to how they know each other through their children, and throuout the neighborhoods.

Not only were we celebrating moms special day, but a few more to mention is Dianna, and Steve our keyboard player! Driving all the way from New York to suprise Dianna was Donna, we were ALL so happy to see het too!

Last but not least, thank you to the Springfield Inn for having us, we look forward to getting another friday night dance party going with you!

Please visit http://www.springfieldinn.com/ they offer a yummy menu and can accomodate all your party groups for any occasion!

Love to all - Del's Groove (delsdiva) http://www.delsgroove.com/

Susan

New Years Eve 2010-2011 Avalon Yacht Club!

2011-01-16T10:42:00.003-05:00

.........Once again, Del's Groove had the privilege to welcome another year with the wonderful members of the Avalon Yacht Club. What is also unique is they share their venue with members of the Stone Harbor Yacht Club, alternating years. Del's Groove got to see many familiar faces from past events and got to meet several new faces. Bandleader Emanuel Del Pizzo and myself started the evening as Del's Duo during cocktail hour then the entire band had everyone on their feet dancing in the new year!

Please keep Avalon Yacht Club in mind for your upcoming wedding. The Staff & awesome Chef will do everything to accommodate your needs. Avalon Yacht club also has a spectacular view to the bay and many a breathtaking sunset can be your background to any special occasion!

http://www.avalonyachtclub.com/

http://www.delsgroove.com/

All the Best in 2011 to our friends!

Thanks again for having Del's Groove!

Susan (delsdiva)

Kevin Kramer - The Kramer Image

2011-01-08T09:16:00.006-05:00

Well, I first did not meet Kevin Kramer at the 2010 Havertown Day when Del's Groove performed. It was the next morning when I received a Twitter mention that this guy Kevin had all these shots he took of us! Wow, I was thinking, well, who's this guy and how sweet! So, the other night I finally got to meet Kevin Kramer http://www.thekramerimage.com/ Funny thing is, we both walked about a block and half to meet, we are actually neighbors!

Kevin's love of photography started at a young age, when he was always the kid taking pictures, but his professional career got started with a little help from as we like to call it, "the day gig". I asked Kevin to send me some of his faves, I know this is a difficult thing to ask, but never realized he would have a story for each one. Kevin's warm and fuzzy personality, and dry sense of humor kept me entertained with each story, and was very heartfelt. So far his book is filling up fast for 2011 and he also plans on fitting in some workshops this year that will coincide with the birth of his second child in March!

So, as they say in Twitterland #gettingmarried #philadelphiaphotographers if you are looking for a photographer for weddings, senior portraits, family portraits, or any special occasion, please contact Kevin @ http://www.thekramerimage.com/ you will be happy you did!

Del's Groove would like to wish Kevin, his wife Jennifer, and little sister Emma many blessings on their new addition....a son & baby brother...coming soon...in March!

All the Best,

Susan delsdiva of Del's Groove http://www.delsgroove.com/

ps. In the following months I will be featuring other colleagues and all the services they will provide for all your occasions!

Philadelphia Wedding band - Del's Groove - Havertown Day 2010 She's A Go...

2010-12-27T19:36:00.001-05:00

Philadelphia Wedding band - Del's Groove 2010 Havertown Day!

2010-12-27T19:36:00.000-05:00

Del's Groove - Philadelphia Wedding Band

2010-12-27T19:35:00.002-05:00

Del's Groove - At The Paddock!

2010-12-12T13:23:00.010-05:00

........It was an AWESOME time at The Paddock on December 4th! Del's Groove kicked it out for a rare club appearance. In addition celebrating bandleader Del's birthday was also Donna, Debbie, Donnalee & Nancy. Thank you ALL for supporting us and thanks to Dianna for taking all those photo's! I can't finish before I also give a shout out to the Del Pizzo family and my bff Eileen and her buea Ed, my girlie weekend fabulous ladies and the best bunch of bandmates a girl could ask for! Thank you to The Paddock for having us, please stop in for a bite, great food, great peeps.. http://www.devonpaddock.com/ see you again on April 2nd, 2011!

We Love you guys!!

Happy Holidays from Del's Groove! Delsdiva

http://www.delsgroove.com/

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Person!

2010-12-04T12:20:00.006-05:00

........Well, I can honestly say, there is nothing like a military wedding! Nothing like that romantic, grand entrance! Elizabeth & Joseph were married on November 12th at St. Denis Church in Havertown Pa. Bandleader, Emanuel DelPizzo had the privilege to play trumpet at the church, then drums at The Overbrook Golf Club with Del's Groove.

When our bride and groom were announced, their entrance took my breath away, all those ever so handsome men in white uniforms, well, it was spectacular. Elizabeth & Joseph danced their first dance to Crazy Love, by Van Morrison, soulfully sung by Philip Joseph. You are the Sunshine of my life was the perfect choice for Liz and her dad, and Joe and his mom danced to one of our favorite classics, Wonderful World, performed by our guitarist Raymond Smith.

All I can tell you is, once we started playing, we never saw the dancefloor, as it was lined with stepping feet every moment. Del's Groove performed everything from the requested Mummers Strut, Polkas, In the mood to Lady Gaga and every age, at every minute, was moving! We get to see some of those same faces in June 2011 when Del's Groove will once again Rock the Reception of Liz's sister Anne! We are so looking forward to it!

Many thanks & blessings to the the Bongiovanni & Person families & friends, it was our pleasure to be a part of your special day!

All the best,

Susan (delsdiva) of Del's Groove

Stephanie & Nick Gallo!

2010-11-27T12:44:00.008-05:00

..............Sweeter than the candy table was our bride and groom Stephanie & Nick! Del's Groove had the honor of performing at their reception at the beautiful Mendenhall Inn. The grand ballroom, welcoming and warm was beautifully decorated. The grand staircase is the perfect entrance for welcoming the bridal party. Parents of Stephanie & Nick were so accommodating along with the staff at The Mendenhall. Stephanie's mom & dad, Richard & Teresa and myself had a great chat about their old neighborhood, which is where I live.

.............After the bridal party intros, Nick & Steph danced their first dance to Etta James - At Last, I finally got to sing the first dance! Not to mention, one of my favorites. It took no time to get this reception rockin! I must say, this couple had friends and family that danced their feet off, and, some were dancing in the air! Please enjoy the many photos taken by photographer David Zaveloff, as a matter of fact, we even got one of him hard at work...see if you can spot him! You can visit David at http://www.davidzaveloff.com/ and view his beautiful work.

All the Best to Stephanie & Nick, thank you for having Del's Groove! http://www.delsgroove.com/

Special mention to http://www.mendenhallinn.com/ a beautiful venue for any occasion.

Hugs - Susan of Del's Groove, "The Wedding Singer"

Beke Beau - Make Up Artist

2010-11-21T12:58:00.008-05:00

..........In between my "Wedding Singer" entries, I hope to introduce to you some of the wonderfully talented vendors that Del's Groove gets the pleasure to meet and work with. This entry is about Make-Up Artist Beke Beau. Taken from her bio,
Béke is characteristically philosophical about the power of the make-up: "I love what it does when it’s done beautifully—make-up can boost confidence and promote a positive self-image, inspiring a woman to feel more powerful. I get excited about my role in each transformation.”
Béke’s other passion is in doing her part to help preserve the environment through exploring the use of safe, natural and cruelty-free products. She insists that “women can look every bit as glamorous without the chemical preservatives and other ingredients that raise health concerns.”

On November 4th, Beke had her second open house at her Studio located at 76 Rittenhouse Pl, Suite 204 in Ardmore Pa. With bubbly in tow, Bandleader Emanuel Del Pizzo, his lovely wife Teresa and myself stopped by for a meet. It was great to meet Beke, I would be lying to you if I was not thinking to myself, gee, was she thinking my make-up looked like crap? Well, if I ever have a special event, I certainly would book her. Also, a little known fact that Beke told me, she herself is also a singer! A duel Diva herself. It was a pleasure meeting Beke, look forward to next time, please visit her website http://www.bekebeau.com/ . Also at the open house were two other lovely ladies http://www.kristelclosets.com/ & http://www.culinary-concepts.com/

Girls Rock!

Del's Groove Havertown Day 2010

2010-10-23T10:05:00.006-04:00

Please view the below links for video!

This years Havertown Day was my most memorable! It is always wonderful to see old friends, and this year, not only did I get to hang with them, and, let's not forget mom who walks up every year, but, my friends Mike & Cesar came all the way from New York to hang with us as well. Let's not forget fellow musician Ed Mills who stopped by to check us out! Ok, we know parking is rough on this day, but how lucky am I to get premium parking at Pat & Missy's house. I recall showing Rob (del's baseman) where I parked, and, he told me he parked at the King of Prussia Mall and walked (Ed said he parked right next to him)...hahaha, leave it to Rob to get me cracking up! Of course my bff Eileen hung out with us, not only there but hung out all night, Joyce, Karen & Rick, Christy & George & family, Rita, Helen & Lisa and their families, and my awesome neighbors Orisel (our video superwoman) & the kids,to name a few. Never missing a year is Dianna & Pat, this year they manned their booth, www.noplacelikehomebats.com you gotta check them out! Still found time to come down and shake a little booty! Also special shout out to the Rehoboth ladies - Mary, Torrie, Donnalee, & Judy.Pre gaming this event always starts out at Pat & Missy's..then off to Mcgillicuddy's for one more with Pat behind the bar.
Del's Groove had then dancing in the streets as they usually do. After the event, it was back to McGills for some food, laughs, and more fun!
The next morning I was pleasantly surprised by a special "tweet" from photographer Kevin Kramer http://www.thekramerimage.com/ with tons of shots he took of us! Thanks for all the photos Kev, Del's Groove looks forward to working with you in the future!
Thanks to ALL who came out to support us on this beautiful day! Special thanks to the event cordinators and our awesome soundman Bill!
See you soon!!

Susan (Del's Diva) ;) http://www.delsgroove.com/

Sabrina & Michael

2010-10-17T18:27:00.007-04:00

When you have known the bride since she was 16, it's an extra special day for The Wedding Singer. I mean, I want everything to be perfect, as so does Del's Groove, but this wedding was extra special to me. Sabrina & Mike we married on September 25Th. It was a picture perfect day, sun shining and the room at The Mansion was beautiful. When I first say Sabrina, I could not breathe, she was so stunning in her gown. To think back in the day from Cavaricci's to wedding gown...Then, all the guys kept saying..."did you see Sabrina? Wow!! No kidding! Wow! Michael, well, all I can say, you can wear a tux! So used to hanging with these guys at the beach and seeing Mike in a baseball cap, well, he took my breath away too, and I know Sabrina would not mind.

It was just last year, I was happily reunited with her cousin Linda, the Maid of Honor and a dear friend. Telling me, Sabrina and Mike were getting married and looking for a band, and could not believe after all these years we finally caught up and how they were wondering if I was still singing. This family always overwhelmed me about how they go on about my voice. So, it was at another wedding we did that they got to see us and Sabrina's mind was made up, she had to have Del's Groove and what a privilege it was! These guys also supported our Haiti Fundraiser and got to practice their dance moves before the big day.

All I can say is their guests were so much fun, dancing not just to us, but with us! We wish Sabrina and Mike a lifetime of happiness, and love. Thank you so much for having Del's Groove on your special day, it was just as special to us, as it was to you. See you soon!

We also would like to thank Inger & Doug of Keepsake Studios for sending us some beautiful photos for my blog! you can visit them at http://www.keepsakestudios.com/

They Had The Time Of Their Lives..........

2010-10-03T16:35:00.014-04:00

I really love our Brides & Grooms, I mean really! They all make me feel like there might just be that one guy out there for me. Alicia & Leo were definitely the stars of the day! I told Alicia that when I first saw Leo, I really thought he was this conservative quiet guy, well, was I ever wrong. Not only were they a beautiful couple, but to get their reception started the way they did, I knew this wedding was going to be one I would never forget.

Alicia & Leo were married on September 9th, and their reception was held at one of Del's Groove's favorite venue's The Drexelbrook. Not only a beautiful venue, but the service and every attention to detail is unremarkable!

Our awesome couple came into their reception dancing to a tee the memorable dance to Dirty Dancing...Time of our Life. Let me tell you, well, you can see for yourself how incredible this was. Their official first dance was Come Rain or Come Shine which, I know I am partial, but, if you heard, you would say the same, that Raymond & the band did this song perfectly! The evening followed with Alicia, yet again, dancing with her dad Angelo to a choreographed dance to Brown Eyed Girl, and Angelo can shake his booty for sure! Loved it when he took off his jacket and threw it across the floor! Leo & his mom Cory chose a song I absolutely love, My Wish be Rascall Flatts, which Joseph Philip sang beautifully, and made me cry! Leo's dads blessing and greeting was set the tone for a beautiful evening.

Being graduates of LaSalle, Alicia surprised Leo with a special appearance from Explorer, the team mascot! Now, naturally as Del's Groove likes to do all we can do, Alex, our trumpet player phenom downloaded the collage fight song on his Iphone and added a little extra surprise to get Explorer going!

Alicia & Leo's friends and family did the rest by packing the dance floor, wearing me out with their incredible dancing!

All the best to Alicia & Leo, Del's Groove was honored to have been chosen to be a part of your special day. Thank you Pennacchia & Midure family & friends for showing us a great time!

Love to you all!

Special thank you to The Drexelbrook for once again, taking great care of us as well!

http://www.drexelbrookcatering.com/

Mr. & Mrs. Michael & Kristen McMahon!!

2010-09-20T19:22:00.015-04:00

Michael & Kristen were married on site at the beautiful Normandy Farms on August 27Th 2010. The ceremony music provided by Emanuel & Anthony. Friends and family gathered on this beautiful day, most special of all were sons Gavin & Dylan as ring bearers. I cannot tell you how much I loved Kristen's gown, it was one of the prettiest vintage gowns I have ever seen, not to mention how beautiful she looked. Now, I cannot go on without giving Michael props, because he is so handsome and they both were the warmest couple. Under the breathtaking chandeliers in the ballroom, "Hold On" was this couples first dance sung by Del's Groove's Philip Joseph. Kristen danced with her dad to Tim McGraws "My Little Girl" which Philip also sang beautifully. Michael and his mom chose "Moon River" as sung by our guitar/vocalist Raymond. I absolutely loved their choices!

From the moment we started, the dance floor was rockin! These two families and their friends were so much fun. Many from our own area, we saw many familiar faces. Del's Groove would like to thank the Harrington-McMahon family for their warm hospitality and choosing us on their special day. Off to Belize this wonderful couple went on their honeymoon and thanks for posting all your pictures on FaceBook, I sure hope I get there someday, but, it was awesome to see it through your eyes. Many Blessings to you, Kristen & Michael & your families, once again, thank you for having Del's Groove!
Please take a moment to visit http://www.clairpruitt.com/ Many beautiful photographs were provided by Gary Nevitt Jr, who Del's Groove had fun working with! Thank you Gary!!

We also would like to give a shout out to Normandy Farms http://www.normandyfarm.com/ & especially Omar for taking such great care of us!

Hugs to all ~ Susan

http://www.delsgroove.com/

Celebrate, Celebrate, Dance at the Commodore's Ball!!

2010-09-04T12:14:00.006-04:00

And that my friends is exactly what they did! Del's Groove once again were invited back to perform at the Avalon's Yacht Club's Commodore Ball. What I love most about this gig is seeing the same folks year after year. If it's not at the Ball, then New Year's Eve. It' so great to see everyone all dressed up outside of playing a wedding. My favorite part is when the high heels get kicked off for some serious dancing.

Commodore Paul Smith & his lovely wife Kerry were awesome hosts of the evening. After the awards & recognitions were given out, Del's Groove got the party started. We surprised Paul by taking his suggestion to start the evening out with an old tune by Three Dog Night - Celebrate, and with a little word play, we opened the dance floor with Raymond on lead vocals and the dancing started and never ended till the gig was over. This year some of Paul & Kerry's nephew's and their beautiful daughter joined in for the fun. I have to say though, to walk in the main entrance to find the poster with the faces of the yacht clubs members superimposed, well was yet another highlight! In the Twitter world, I managed to get a few shots of Paul tweeted as well.

Once again, thank you to all the members & staff of the Avalon Yacht Club for their warm hospitality, can't wait to see you all New Year's Eve!!

I might also mention, the Avalon Yacht Club is a beautiful venue for your wedding or special event, you can check them out at http://www.avalonyachtclub.com/ and don't forget to check out Del's Groove at http://www.delsgroove.com/

"slippin away..sittin on a pillow......" (I still have that song in my head) :)

Krissy & Matt...Ok! We can do that....

2010-08-16T09:11:00.008-04:00

Well, when your Bride & Groom requests Sir Mix a Lot - Baby got Back as their entrance song, you KNOW this wedding is going to be fun! Krissy & Matt got married on July 31st and had their reception at the beautiful Drexelbrook in Drexel Hill Pa. http://www.drexelbrookcatering.com/ . Not braggin, but I will, Del's Groove's http://www.delsgroove.com/ Michael Fein jumped at the chance to rap this tune out for our adorable bride & groom and did an awesome job! After meeting ths couple, you could tell Matt was the quiet one, but, to my surprise, once they opened the doors to dance their way in, we all got a lovely view of Krissy & Matt's butts...but Matt had us all cracking up while having a bare bottom (fake of course) and it was a big one!

I cannot tell you how much fun Krissy & Matt's family & friends were. Starting with Fran's funny testimony to Matt's hair, Regina's beautiful toast (you made me cry), and Krissy's dad Lew's welcome toast. You could feel the warmth in the air.

Our Bride Krissy, well, she IS the air guitar champ, and honorable mention goes out to her girlies in the bridal party for joining Del's Groove on stage as my back up singers. Special thanks to the "other" Matt for helping me out too!

I need to give a special shout out to first, the Drexelbrook http://www.drexelbrookcatering.com/ If you are looking for the perfect venue, this IS it! Please check out their website to see what they have to offer. Thank you staff for treating us so well, always!

Secondly, I have to give a shout out to Sharyn Frenkel. http://www.sharynfrenkelphotography.com/ Sharyn & her husband Gary shared some of the photos here with Del's Groove, (thanks again guys!) What a wonderful couple to work with, not to mention the talent! Please check out their website as well, it's AWESOME!

Krissy & Matt, let me say Aloha & Mahalo! Hope your honeymoon in Hawaii was even better than you could imagine! Thank you SO much for having Del's Groove! We love you!!!

MannyPalooza Cinco Pictures!

2010-07-31T10:08:00.007-04:00

More MannyPalooza Cinco Photos!!

MannyPalooza Cinco for MusicWorks!

2010-07-31T09:12:00.006-04:00

All anyone could say was "wow, it's going to be hot!" Well, that was an understatement. Although, by our turnout, it did not seem to stop anyone form enjoying the fifth annual MannyPalooza on Saturday July 24th! Crabs, chicken, salads, sandwiches, pizza, cupcakes, tira misu, just to mention some of the eats many donated from local vendors in the Delaware county area. Misting stations, dodge ball, basketball all enjoyed by adults and children that attended. Then the music started! Tony & Petie Del Pizzo got the entertainment started with Petie's awesome renditions of favorite pop tunes accompanied by her extremely talented brother Tony on guitar. Del's Groove soon hit the blacktop and the party went on till it got dark.

This was the 2nd year for Del's Groove donating all proceeds to MusicWorks, http://www.musicworkswonders.com/ raising over a thousand dollars to provide individuals of all ages with special needs through music therapy.

Everyone had a wonderful time despite the heat. There are so many to thank for the success this year, I hope I do not leave anyone out. First, Del's Groove, http://www.delsgroove.com/ for once again donating their time. It is important for us to give back, also mentioning several band members cut their family vacations short to make this wonderful event. So, thanks to Rob, Anthony & Raymond of Del's Groove and their very understanding families. All of our friends, families, and residents of Havertown that participated. Bandleader Emanuel Del Pizzo's wife Teresa, and Maria & Clay for their never ending hard work in all that heat along with their children, we love you guys! Lori O'leary for pounding the phones along with above mentioned for donations, it is so difficult in this economy to ask for free goods.

Thanks to Panera Bread Co, Rocky's Catering, Peace a Pizza, Soprano's, (so sorry if I left anyone out), special thanks to The Drexelbrook http://www.drexelbrookcatering.com/ , Colonial Village Manoa, http://www.colonialvillagemeatmarkets.com/ .

So, thank you ALL! See you, next MannyPalooza!!!

~Susan

Rebecca & Chad - What a Beautiful Couple!!

2010-07-26T19:56:00.005-04:00

Rebecca & Chadd were married at the beautiful Drexelbrook in Drexel Hill, pa. Del's Groove duo, Anthony & Emanuel played the ceremony on the sunny patio with family & friends witnessing their nuptials. When the reception started with best man Nick telling the story of Chadd & Rebecca meeting, he mentioned Rebecca sure could dance...well he was right! Getting back to Nick for a minute, I have to tell you, he really could work the room, and was a great storyteller. The afternoon continued with Rebecca dancing with her dad to Somewhere over the Rainbow, sung by Philip, and Chadd dancing with his mom to In my life by the Beatles, which our resident Beatles expert Rob did beautiful version. Nothing was more breathtaking though as our bride & groom danced their first dance to The Way You look Tonight, with Raymond doing his usual job crooning a Frank Sinatra tune!

Del's Groove packed the dancefloor once again, and I must say our Bride & Bridesmaids got the party going! The afternoon ended with Mike rapping on his perfect rendition of Gold digger! Thank you Jones & Guss family for having Del's Groove share in your awesome wedding! Thank you too for taking great care of us! Del's Groove also had the pleasure to work with Filippone Photography http://www.filiphoto.com/ thanks for the pictures Al - be sure to check their website.

All the best to Rebecca & Chad Guss!

She married her BFF! Heather & Marks Wells!

2010-07-12T20:10:00.005-04:00

No two weddings are ever the same, that is what I love about being the Wedding Singer. I get to experience so many cultures, traditions, and wonderful people. Heather & Mark were married on July 4th. Not the usual, I met Heathers parents back in October of last year. Mom did a lot of helping out on this wedding since this couple live in LA! Although, Heather’s mom did assure me that her daughter & son in law certainly helped all the way across the country.
Ok, loved the lime green! Everywhere you looked, there was hints of lime green from the bridesmaids dresses to the huge brandy snifters filled with fresh limes….then there was the cake! Trimmed in limes! You know, I really think that made me forget the heat, maybe everyone else too, because it certainly did not stop them from dancing!
Crazy Love was this couple’s first dance, their very good friend Derrick Lee joined the band for this special song, and wow he was awesome! What I really thought was super was the Father/Daughter dance and Mother/Son dance was done together. All the years being The Wedding Singer, I never saw that done and what a great idea! We were also honored to have had Heathers Granddad & Great Uncle’s perform their polka specialties, they were awesome!
Dancing the night away, all ages, from traditions to Del’s Groove taking it all the way up to Lady Gaga..under the lanterns strewn overhead. Our friend Doug Burns of Candid Moments Photography http://www.candidmomentsphotography.com/ was the photographer! We worked with Doug before and he is truly talented and wait till you see his shots, hard to believe he gets them because he is so unobtrusive!
Mark sent me a post saying one guy split his pants from dancing, and told us he was still beaming thinking about their wedding, you could tell. Heather had posted on her facebook that she was marrying her best friend that day, I could see why she feels like that about Mark…Thank you so much for having Del’s Groove on your special day, and many thanks to your families for taking such great care of us! Best of everything Heather & Mark!

Mr & Mrs Cole!!

2010-07-07T20:51:00.004-04:00

Mr & Mrs Cole!!

There is nothing better than a family wedding. Del’s Groove had the privilege to perform at bandleader’s nieces wedding. Jeanette & Olumide were married on Saturday July 3rd. Their reception took place at Nicole Renee Occasions in South Philadelphia. You know the night is going to be great when you get a parking spot right in from of the venue! But all kidding aside, this was one of the most unique experiences of mine as The Wedding Singer.
Jeanette’s roots are that of Italian and Cuban. Olumide is from Sierra Leone. What a delight to share in all the traditions from ceremonial drums & dancers to the hot Latino feel of the music we got to enjoy on our breaks. Jeannette’s sister Renee sweetly sang the couples first dance – To Make you Feel My love, which immediately confirmed the warmth of this family. Sugar Pie Honey Bunch was her choice to dance with her father, as that was always “their song” as I came to learn that Ernesto had sang it to her ever since she was a little girl.
Bandleader Emanuel, who was a guest, did assist in setting the “dance your feet off” tone starting out with The Authority song since he had sub drummer Steve Arditi. Now, we did surprise the family and guests with a little Latino medley we put together, and seemed as though they loved it!
Thank you to the Betancourt’s for the family treatment! Best of Love, Health & Happiness to Jeanette & Olumide!
Sincerely,
Susan, Your Wedding Singer
Oh, and check out their website!! Ha! You thought I didn’t know about that huh? http://jeannetteolumide.ourwedding.com/

Kimmie & Eric

2010-07-01T22:11:00.003-04:00

Ok, has anyone ever seen that show Bridezillas? Well, all I can say is our bride Kimmie was the furthest of any of those mean, nasty brides. First of all, anyone who has Gerber daises and sunflowers in every vase in every room has to be sweet!
Kimmie & Eric were married on June 26th at the Brandywine Country Club. Emanuel & Anthony found the shade under a tree of the beautiful grounds to play for their ceremony. Yea, my band will play the ceremony as well!
We were treated like guests at this classic venue, it is so warm to be treated like your one of the family rather than hired help, and Kimmie, Eric and the staff of BCC were all responsible for this..
Philip sang Yellow by Coldplay for our bride & Groom as their first dance. We also learned two other songs for our bride & groom as we usually do, as it’s never a problem.
Now if you have been reading my blog, you may remember that Mike, Alex and I carpool together, well, I drove, and neither of them got on my nerves! Can you believe it! Of course I put my car in the garage earlier that day as it was super hot, and I wanted to be sure the car was cooled when we picked up Michael, after all, I would hate for him to be hot. Not like he is a whiner or anything like that. (hmmm)
As usual, Del’s Groove packed the dance floor and Michael and Philip’s rendition of Gold digger was a smash! Kimmie sported her “B” baseball cap and climbed up on a chair and led everyone as they danced! Not to mention “Sweet Caroline” as their finale as requested. Best to you both, and thank you for having Del’s Groove! oxoxoxo

What a ride!

2010-06-12T08:03:00.004-04:00

Ok, I am 50 today! So what! I'm still a rock star, I got my rock moves!! It's just a number right? I thought it would bother me, but, I really do not have time for that. Del's Groove is super busy the next few months, lot's of songs to learn, keeping me busy. Complaining, NO WAY! How blessed am I to be able to still kick it out with not only my band, but the best bunch of guys in the whole world.
Some of you remember the days of The Finest, my band I ran for 13 or so years, along with my old pal Rodger. As I reflect, I remember all those nights like they were yesterday. Working full time at the hardware store, going home, my awesome mom having dinner ready for me so I could eat, take a nap and turn into my alter-ego Sue the singer as some would call me. Gigging at the Columbus Club, after hours, coming out and dawn beginning to crack and jump into bed and catch a half hour sleep (nap) and going back to the hardware store to the sounds of the pain shaker wanting to put my head in there..I was so tired. Then there were the days of working 6 nights a week at what was then called Ricchetti's, now the Springfield Inn on Baltimore pk. Yea, those were the days...Sadly enough, I remember being told by our booking agent, "you can't have more than one black guy in your band, I mean WTF! I never heard anything like that! My reply was "I will have whomever I want in my band" and I did. You know what...we worked...alot. So unaware of racism, and once it was pointed out to me that it existed, that was all I saw around me. Still today, who could believe, how sad. being color blinded should be a 7th sense. That's all I have to say on that matter.
It did not start out with The Finest, it started back when my aunt's neighbor Steve, who I was recently re-connected with heard I sang and asked if I would like to try out for his rock band called Thin Ice. Another great ride, I cannot remember how long that was for, after all, I am 50 now and the memory is a little shot. We played little bars, then we hit the big time..lol and worked at Central Park in Wayne, anyone remember that place? Big ass stage, it was like the Spectrum to me, (anyone remember that place?) haha.
Network....no, that was the band I left Thin Ice for, ahhhhhhhh, my first Wedding band...out of NJ. I remember my first gig with them, and being told I had to emcee. It was a polish wedding...so many syllables! Thankfully, the m-o-b, (mother of the bride) helped my spell out the names phonetically, and that was the beginning for my days as the "wedding Singer"
New Society Orchestra, or NSO, that was a short ride, but, one that will remain special in my heart. Sal was the bandleader. Unfortunately, he passed and I never got to play with him, as he was fighting, and I mean he fought, John ran the band, NSO passed with Sal. After that, I filled in here and there...then joining Grooveplace, yet another great bunch of guys, really great....but nothing is better than where I am now: Del's Groove http://www.delsgroove.com/ ;)
So, here I sit, with my unopened AARP envelope I placed below the pile of mail, reflecting. SO happy to be here, happy to be healthy, paying the bills on time and can say I have enjoyed this ride and will continue to be the best I can be. Thanks Mom for all the cranky times when I was tired and all the times you came out and danced your ass off, and just taking care of me period. Thank you ALL my friends who still to this day support me by coming out when we play an open to the public gig, and rearrange your schedules to meet mine to just hang out. 50, no biggie, no party, no fuss, you ALL have made a fuss all these years, and I thank you! So what now? Well, I am going to enjoy my coffee, watch something OnDemand, and get ready for the gig later on today....Life doesn't get any better than this...trust me! oxoxoxo

AJ & Lyrica

2010-06-08T20:59:00.004-04:00

It was a typical muggy, hot, high in humidity day here in Pennsylvania, but you would never know it by observing the dance floor! Lyrica & AJ chose the beautiful Audubon Society for their venue on the first day of their marriage. I am not too sure what anti-persprant Lyrica uses, but, all I can say is she looked as perfect at the end of the night as the beginning, and AJ looked so handsome. The pavilion was set with candles glowing everywhere and every now and then you could catch a breeze. Not sure if it was all the dancing going on, or the weather.
Now, I cannot go on any further without telling you of the torture I go through with my little car pool. Since Mike lives a few blocks away, once again, it was Alex, Mike & I. Now, if you have been reading my blog, you will know that next will come playtime with the GPS. I had changed the voice to “Brian” and Mike was first to notice, so naturally what comes next is Alex trying every other language but English….So, mommy and her two favorite boys get to the gig despite exiting and re exiting on 422.
AJ & Lyrica were married June 5th on the grounds of the Audubon Society as guests witnessed this beautiful union. Anthony, set up in the corner of this historic barn playing piano during cocktail hour, just below the pavilion where friends and family danced the night away. Del’s Groove enjoyed our guest dancers joining us on stage, we always do!
I know Jayne was looking down from heaven smiling, even though I never met her, I knew she was there, everyone knew….
Thank you AJ & Lyrica, what a pleasure to share your special day with you, your family, and your friends. ~ Susan
Special shout out to Chris Kendig of http://www.chriskendigphotography.com/
For these shots I used. Wonderfully talented photographer who took so many awesome candid shots, I was shocked to see them, you don’t even know Chris is there, so unobtrusive!

When I am not just "The Wedding Singer"

2010-06-02T17:14:00.008-04:00

May 22nd 2010 was a remarkable evening for Del’s Groove. It all started at a rehearsal one night, preparing for one of our many wedding events. Bandleader Emanuel DelPizzo says, “hey, you know, we are all struggling but these folks in Haiti have absolutely nothing, we need to do some thing about it”. So the Haiti Relief Benefit for the Haiti Clinic was organized along with Malvern Preparatory School.
You know, there really are no funny stories here, (there really are but, I would hate to embarrass anyone), it was a successful evening, raising over 2000.00 dollars along with a very generous donation from The Paddock in Wayne Pa where the event was held. All of us of Del’s Groove would like to thank ALL our families & friends for your generous support. We could not have done it without you! A few shout outs to Chic Kelly for stopping by http://www.chickelly.com/

, The Paddock
http://www.devonpaddock.com/

ALL money raised went to: http://www.haiticlinic.org/
- Del’s Groove donated 100% of their time! http://www.delsgroove.com/

Thanks for reading!
~ Susan

Paolella-Boch Wedding at Trevo

2010-05-16T11:00:00.004-04:00

Mr. & Mrs.
David Boch

On May 15th Del's Groove announced for the first time in public, Mr. & Mrs. David Boch! The wedding was at Trevo in Haddon Heights NJ, a beautiful Restaurant.

Well, I took on the drive with Alex & Mike......and Karen, (my
GPS). It used to be Ken, but, we broke up on the way to the shore when I did not like the way he took me, so, I changed it back to Karen, after all, us girls have to stick together. Now boys will be boys so of course Mike had to disagree with the way she was taking me, but, I ignored him as we bickered down Chestnut St. We arrive, and what great guys at the valet (which yet another thing Mike & I bickered about) park my car. Ok, set up & ready to go, ALL on time, and that's the way a huh, a huh, we like it!

Time to announce the wedding party, Mike being the emcee....does a great job, (as usual) our lovely couple dance to Halo by Beyonce. After a brief time we have our Bride/Father dance, Isle of Capri, with Raymond Smith doing an awesome job on vocals, he is our "Frank Sinatra" guy, and Groom/Mother dance Wind beneath my Wings with me on vocals (no tears) I guess my hormones were in check (thank God!), although several times that night I felt like my body was on fire wonder what that was? hmmm ;) shhhh. After that...the band kicks it out! I must mention that Emanuel DelPizzo was not with us for this event, as his family were all in Miami for his Daughter Carmie's graduation from law school..Congrats Carmie!! Special thanks to Steve Arditi filling in and as usual doing a bang up (no pun intented) job...

Meeting several friends of friends of mine (Craig, Bill & Kaz), Susanne, her hubby, Jill, Jen, and Amy the matron of honor, made this wedding all the more special. Got lots of pics you can all see on www.facebook.com/susan.viesti . I cannot go on without mentioning Brandon, our bride & grooms awesome little son who stole the show. Brandon mimicked everything Raymond did, all the way to him getting down on one knee when Raymond went on the dance floor to croon some Frank Sinatra, and playing his blow up guitar! He was so adorable! Our brides parents Mr. & Mrs. Paolella looked on with huge smiles on their faced throughout the night and Mrs. Paolella also joined me on vocals for a few tunes!

Nothing more can compare to a great night for me as "The Wedding Singer" as my feet not hurting! Oh yea, and not messing up any songs, because yes folks, sometimes I do....the memory is not as good as it used to be. Maybe, just maybe all those years of long island ice tea's and hanging out with Jose have effected the brain, but, not singing in clubs too much any more, maybe I restored some...The low humidity day also allowed me to have a good hair day.ALL day long. All these little things makes me happy...I'm a simple girl...does not take much to make me happy.

The night continued with Philip Ward entertaining the crowd on the dance floor assisted by guests singing along, and Mike Fein doing his funky rendition of Gold Digger with some new dance moves I have NEVER seen him do before....whining on the way home (not that he ever does that) his body was aching (saying from the yard work he did that day), but I did not want to burst his bubble that perhaps those dance moves had something to do with it, I am guessing he is feeling it today, funny how things hurt that never did before as the years go by, not that I know ANYTHING about that..(Alleve, two before bed) lol.

Del's Groove once again packed the dance floor, funky keys by Anthony DiMassa, Robb Feeney on bass (yea Rob, loved some of those riffs, and great job on Viva la Vida) Alex on trumpet... Brilliant! Grand finale was Don't Stop Believing, with all the guests singing around me in a circle, they sounded good too! Thanks to the Paolella-Boch family for these wonderful memories for me "The Wedding Singer" & Thanks once again for having Del's Groove at your wedding!!! We love you!!

morning/day of the gig...

2010-05-15T10:06:00.002-04:00

Today is another Del's Groove event, we will be performing at the Paolella-Boch wedding. So looking forward to meeting this couple. Referred by a wedding we did that was awesome, so, I know this one will be as well. They all are! Two of my co-workers, Craig & Bill (day gig) went to school with our bride, Craig gave me a few names of the ladies that may be in the bridal party. This will help me as I start my first entry as "The Wedding Singer".
In preparation, as I get Diva'd up. I decided to get my hair done the day of the gig rather than doing it on a weekday. So, one less thing to do. I will come home, make up & dressed then drive to the gig (my turn) with Mike & Alex. So, gotta get to Salon Sheena Janelle....talk to you soon!

In the begining......

2010-05-12T18:56:00.001-04:00

Welcome to my blog..."The Wedding Singer". I decided to start my own blog nearing a birthday I thought I was going to dread, but, instead, I welcome it! A little sad that it took me this long to be comfortable in my own skin, I will not dwell on that, but tell a tale of my history of being a vocalist in a top 40 band, then becoming "The Wedding Singer" A title I used to take as people making fun of me, but thinking well, I will laugh all the way to the bank. In these times, I am not laughing on the way to the bank, but thinking "hmm, what bill will I pay with this check?"
As I ponder that thought, I will tell you, I was a bandleader of The Finest, one of the first band that was a sequencer type band but with live musicians. It was a great 13 year ride. After taking a short "pause for the cause" as I like to say, I joined several other live bands that eventually led me to an awesome group I am now proud to be a part of called Del's Groove. Ok, so, you have not heard of us? Well, you can always go to http://www.delsgroove.com/ and check us out. In the meantime, stay tuned. I will post all about the fun rehearsals we have to prep for a wedding, all that leads up to your special day. Last night's rehearsal was to prep for this Saturday coming, May 15th. We also managed to celebrate Alex's birthday. I made my usual box cake, using pre made icing, to impress the guys that I am a fine baker, when all I really do is follow directions. To them, well, the empty pan tell the story. We rehearsed Isle of Capri, Raymond will be crooning that one for our bride and her dad, and I will be singing Wind Beneath my Wings for our groom and his mom. Can't tell you how many times I sang that, now I finally do not cry, unless...those damn hormones kick in, which, yes, that is starting to happen! So, I will do my "dig my fingernail into my thumb" therapy to prevent myself from making an ass out of myself.
So, stay tuned...more to come, right now, gonna take a pause for the cause. Talk to you soon!!