The songs we like, love, and even dislike are all deeply personal to us. Music helps to tell our own stories, and it has a unique ability to bring us back in time to the moment something happened and remind us of how we felt while experiencing it. The songs that play when your wedding party is being introduced, when you’re introduced as a married pair for the first time, when you share your first dance or dances with your parents, or when everyone joins together on the dance floor because there’s nowhere else they would rather be all matter.
The music played at your wedding reception is crucial and so much fun, so we thought we would turn to one of our favorite pros, Kaitlin Sweeney from EastCoast Entertainment, to take us through her day as a music wedding professional in Philadelphia’s industry. Below, Kaitlin shares how she spends her days as the owner of one of the most in demand entertainment companies in Philadelphia, what she loves about weddings in Philadelphia, the songs that never fail to fill the floor, and so much more.
Growing a business as a mom of two, has been one of the most challenging and rewarding times in my life. Ask just about anyone in the events industry, and they’ll tell you that our jobs require us to wear many hats, work long and chaotic hours, and at times drive ourselves slightly crazy-but I know for myself, I do it because I truly love it. I am constantly energized, day after day, by the incredible team I work with daily, and by the unbelievable talent that trusts us with their careers. Line that up with the amazing vendors that we have the opportunity to work with (and call friends), and I honestly can say that I’m one lucky girl to have the type of days I describe below!
6am – With two young kids (7 year old boy and 19 month old girl), an alarm clock is never needed to get me up and running early! I am usually woken up by a loud “mom!” from one of the two, and the chaos of the morning starts. I get the kids settled with their own breakfast first, and head straight for my coffee pot (a morning must for me). By the time I’ve run up and down the stairs about 20 times to get everyone ready, I throw myself together in about 15 minutes (thank goodness for dry shampoo), and hang with the kiddies for just a bit before it’s time to head out for the day.
8:30am- Hop in the car to bring my son to school. As soon as he’s dropped off, my first calls made are typically with any of the agents working out of the office for the day. It gives me a few minutes to catch up on what they’re working on, what they could use some assistance with, etc. Our team is made up of agents who live from DE up to northern NJ, so it’s important to stay in touch on the daily happenings. We’ve doubled in size this past year, with plans to increase, so managing more people and additional schedules takes a lot of communication.
9am- As soon as I get into the office, my first few minutes are typically spent going through emails. I get back to any that I know are pressing, and from there, hop on calls with several of our band leaders to ensure everything is all set for the weekend’s events. Once I know we are all set on the artist side, I make my rounds checking in on the past weekends’ clients/couples for feedback, reviews, and any photos they know we can grab to post on our social media accounts.
11am- Venue walk throughs and meetings fill up a good portion of my week, but today in particular, we are headed to a walk through at The Lucy, Cescaphe Catering’s brand new venue. It’s absolutely stunning, and we are so excited to be providing the entertainment for the Grand opening in just a few days. Talking through day of event logistics with the Cescaphe team (discussing band attire, stage set up, etc.) is needed to ensure that everyone is thrilled with how the entertainment looks at the event.
1pm- Lunch at my desk today (a usual occurrence), while going through a recent photo shoot for Modern Luxe band. We are constantly working to upgrade branding and promo for our artists, and it’s one of my favorite parts of the job! Currently working with our ECE Artist team to pick the perfect photo out of the 100 plus options. In addition to this, brainstorming what we might want our new ads to look like in upcoming publications, such as Modern Luxury Magazine (our current ad in the photo below), one of our amazing industry partners this year.
2pm- Working through event prep as well as accommodations for our artists, for the Vera Wang Unlimited Dinner Party, hosted by YSD Events and PartySlate. This event is an absolute dream to be a part of, and I cannot wait to see it come to life. The guest list is out of this world, and my mind is already completely preoccupied with thoughts of what I’m going to wear to an event with Vera herself in attendance!
4pm-6pm – Scheduled calls with several couples about their wedding entertainment, what they’re looking for, and who they are most excited about on our roster. This is always one of my favorite parts of the day. With a roster of incredibly talented and unique bands, it’s important for me to take the time to really listen to our couples, share in their vision, and help them to narrow down to the best options for their big day.
I usually wrap up the day around 6pm depending on how many client calls are on schedule, and it’s time to head back home to take care of dinner, and bedtime for the kiddies. A good majority of my evenings are spent relaxing with my husband, while still answering some emails- but after really long days like this one, I’ll be doing my best to put my phone away for some needed break time. Back to it tomorrow!
Five Favorites:
1. Moment you love at a wedding? Last dance of the night!
2. First dance song? I Choose You by Sara Bareilles
3. Song that gets everyone on the dance floor? Dion- Run Around Sue
4. Way to experience music in Philadelphia? Concerts! The Fillmore is an incredible spot.
5. Biggest tip for brides and grooms? Try not to sweat the small stuff – HAVE FUN!!!
