veronicamartellentertainment

On April 14, 2012 BAND TOGETHER CT. presented its 26th Concert at the Parsons Auditorium in Milford, CT.  The concert entitled "Cityscape - Songs of our Cities"  rocked close to 500 guests with a stellar performance for which all proceeds went to the Robert G. McInnis, Jr. Hospice Suite at Milford Hospital.  The Suite is a specially designed set of rooms in a home-like setting to serve the terminally ill patient and their family in their final days of life.  Additional proceeds went to fund some of the Community Cancer Education programs at Milford Hospital.

"Cityscape - Songs of our Cities" featured the talents of:

Jerry Vigorito

Jay Stollman

Rob Fried

Veronica Martell

Soul Tempo

Vincent Ingala

Al Ferrante

Pat Marafiote

Gerald Miles

BAND TOGETHER CT. is a community of musicians, artists and volunteers, performing  a melting pot of musical styles, all for local Connecticut based charities and is the brainchild of musicians Rob Fried and Jerry Vigorito.

Back in March 2006, Fried and Vigorito had a simple idea of gathering their musician friends to play music and raise money for local families in need of a helping hand.

BAND TOGETHER CT. was born.

It has grown into a premier musical act, attracting well known artists such John Oates, and Ronnie Spector, helping to raise over $900,000 for various charities including Connecticut chapters of The Alzheimer’s Association, Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity.  

BAND TOGETHER CT. have been featured in the NY Times, recognized by Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell,  and have worked with Meryl Streep and the late Paul Newman in protecting Connecticut farmlands.

The meaningfulness of their performances articulate four goals:
1) to make and enjoy music 
2) to use their talent and influence to help people in need

3) to develop a network of supporters for concerts and programs

4) to get one step closer to Heaven

According to Fried, "We are trying to create a model of community service that is based on joy".   We think they are doing a pretty amazing job at just that.

Photographs courtesy of Simply Maura Photography

When celebrated event planner Mindy Weiss calls, you know you are in for something EXTRAORDINARY.  This Aspen, Colorado private estate wedding was nothing short of magical.  

Imagine being the bride and groom lucky enough to be photographed amidst the Rocky Mountains on a crystal clear late Summer day!

Weiss' true magic is her ability to create a completely separate reality - to collect the visions and dreams of her clients and then bring them to life in complete and utter perfection.

Guests of this stunning wedding were enchanted by the lavish decor, impeccable details and extraordinary cuisine.

The 300+ guests danced the night away to Veronica Martell Entertainment's stylish and upbeat music.  The bride and groom confessed they did not ever want the night to end!

Among the notable guests were Olympic snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler (Maid of Honor), Actor Robert Wagner and New York Giants owner Steve Tisch.

We will skip the dialogue and let the gorgeous photos speak for themselves!

Entertainment:  Veronica Martell Entertainment

Event Planner:  Mindy Weiss Events

Photography:  Ira Lippke Studios

As we all already know, the entertainment is one of the most crucial elements when planning your wedding.  Let's face it, you plan and plan and that night your wedding is turned over to the entertainment who will "make" or "break" the party.  It's a tremendous resposibility on the part of the entertainment company you choose and a huge decision in your wedding planning process.  

Here are some of the most common mistakes brides make when booking a band for thier wedding:

1.  You and your fiancee see a band in a bar and think they will be "GREAT" to play at your wedding.  Ok, wait a minute - stop right there.  Yes, it is true there are some very good bands playing in clubs or restaurants but playing at a wedding is a totally different story.  A wedding band MUST be versatile - remember you will have guests in all different age ranges with all different musical tastes. Will you be able to have your music customized?  The band should have a very broad range and be able to change styles on a dime. Most club bands are generally contemporary or rock based and do not have the range to perform at a four hour event without alienating some of your guests.  Some other important questions to ask yourself are:   Who is the bandleader?  Who will be making my annoucements?  Do they seem like they are organized enough to handle the logistics of a wedding?  Do they have professional sound or will they all be lugging their own equipment?  And the biggest question of all....have they ever performed at a wedding before?

2.  You see a band at a "wedding showcase" and think they are fabulous!  Ok. yes, wedding showcases are a great way to see many bands in a short period of time.  Keep in mind, though, that a wedding showcase is a 20 or 30 minute performance that the band has rehearsed over and over again to be pefect and impressive.  This does not necessarily mean that they can perform that well for your entire four hour wedding!  Make sure to get a song list that is fully comprehensive of all the styles of music that they can perform and also ask the same questions as above with regard to the bandleader and announcements.  Also make sure to ask that the band is a "SET UNIT" that performs together all the time and that you are not seeing something that was put together just for the showcase.

3.  You meet with an office that will only show you photos and an audio tape.  Be forewarned.  If any agent refuses to show you a video tape of the band performing together, you should be very cautious about booking.  

4.   You book a band based solely on price.  We are all looking for a bargain, it's true.  When dealing with professionals in the wedding industry, who are truly professionals, pricing should be consistent.  If one company is coming in much lower than the rest, you should question it - they are scrimping somewhere.  And again, most professionals will tell you the entertainment is not the place you want to scrimp on your wedding day.  Put a few less roses in the table arrangements and put the money towards the band!

5.  References, references, references!  Ask your band or the agent for the e-mails of brides who have used the band previously.  They should be willing to give you the contact information of at least two previous clients.  Two other great resources for reviews are The Knot.com and WeddingWire.com.  Do the research before signing your name on the dotted line. 

Finally, look for a company that can give you the attention that your wedding day deserves.  You don't just want to be another 'number' on your wedding day.  Smaller companies with more personalized service are becoming much more popular and give today's modern, savvy bride and groom what they deserve - the day of their dreams!