11.11.11: In the nicest location we've been to...ever

What we mean by the title, we seriously mean it. This past weekend on Veteran's Day/11.11.11 Day we went to Naperville at the Hotel Arista just off of I-88 and Route 59. This hotel is known as the Green Hotel powered by all things environmentally friendly, and if you ever get the chance to stay there be sure to enjoy every minute of it. For dinner it starts out with a salad and soup. For the main course it was a choice between the Fillet Migion, a marinated chicken, or a vegetarian dish and it all comes with a side of mash potatoes and carrots. Finally for desert my personal favorite, the red velvet wedding cake seen here in the photo. We had both our lighted booth and our photo booth this night and it turned out to be a wonderful night considering the day this wedding was held at. But all in all a fantastic night of singing and dancing on the all out 11 Day. Congratulations to Matt & Sarah!

10.22.11: Italian & Wacky!

So had to skip my wedding from September because it just so happen to be at the same place as my August wedding so this time we traveled to a different location and familiar to me from back in the late 90s. This is The Empress Banquets in Addison. This location has 3 separate rooms as well as a private room for couples to get ready before the reception. The dinner starts off with soup...I didn't get to see what mine was because I never got to my table in time. Then came the salad, simple and no meat what so ever. The main course comes that night was a chicken marsala with mushroom sauce and vegetables. Finally desert comes with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate sauce. The cake was also given out for anyone and this was a marble cake with vanilla cream and it's a good combination with coffee. This wedding had a lot of surprises including a kid who played for the bride and groom seen here. Congratulations to Anthony & Denise Savino!

08.27.11: Behind the projector under some umbrellas

This weekend we traveled to Glen Elyn and next door to the Wow! What A Wedding studio is the Abbington Banquet hall. Four separate rooms that can be extended to just two rooms or maybe just three. The reception starts with a meet and greet with the bride and groom with an open bar as well as appetizers they will vary depending on what the bride and groom prefer on their wedding day. Then we come to the starting lineup of dinner. It begins with a soup and this also varies but that night was a minestrone soup. After the soup it's salad time and this week featured the special Abbington salad with grape tomatoes, cucumber, shredded red cabbage, carrots, and croutons. Now we come to the palate cleanser...the sorbet with this weeks featured flavor, lemon. Now we come to the main course of the evening which varies depending on the bride and grooms decision. On the menu a grilled chicken tequila lime dish with vegetables of different varieties. Finally for desert the bride and grooms cake choice which is seen here as a square cake in four tiers...and guess what it's my favorite. A red velvet wedding cake, very delicious. This wedding featured our photo booth as well as a video projector featuring a slideshow made by the bride and groom themselves. It was a perfect night for a wedding. Congratulations Tim & Beth!

07.16.11: A Hungarian Story

Welcome to the Marriot Oak Brook Hills Hotel. Not to confuse anyone of the one on Butterfield Road because I kinda made that mistake getting there. But yes, we were under the tent due to the high temperatures on that day. But going back to the wedding reception a very beautiful setting and a very tasty cake. It's sort of a fruity taste like strawberry or raspberry. Couldn't quite put my finger on what it was but it was "berry tasty" if I do say so myself. Now even though I was with the other videographers and photographers that night I had a sandwich to eat. But don't worry I did pay attention to what people had to eat. First, dinner started with a plain salad with dressing. Then, soup was next, not sure what soup it was but if I remembered right there was some seafood. Of course right after the soup the palate cleanser, the sorbet. It was a yellowish color when I saw it indicating it was lemon. Finally, the main course which was divided in to two separate dishes. One was a chicken dish with mash potatoes and vegetables. The other is with salmon and the same sides. Desert was ice Cream not the cake. Cake is served later after the dances began. Also that night featured Awesome DJ's lighted booth as well as our photo booth which you can consult with Awesome DJs on. All in all a great night and a very happy couple. Congratulations David & Judy!

05.17.11: At another golf course with a marine

To another golf course this time in the town of Darian, IL. The place Carriage Green Country Club, yet another gold course to consider. Go inside there are a few rooms to try on. The one room we were in is the Carriage Room. As you can see from the photos nicely laid out but kinda small. But still the table setting make a nice match for yellow and red. Same thing with the cake. Great way to save money with an actual cake on top made of get this red velvet (my favorite). The cupcakes are vanilla and red velvet great combo. The dinner line up was delicious starting with a salad, pretty standard with the usual dressing and some french bread. This is followe by the main course of potatoes with whipped butter, green beans, and a chicken with a cream sauce that I can't identify the taste. Finally for desert an apple pie with crispy crust. But before all of this, the ceremony on the lawns of Carriage Green a perfect backdrop to a beautiful day seeing a Corporal Marine and a former bartender tie the knot. Congratulations Jon & Jess Price

05.21.11: A wedding that was pretty in pink and a lot of rock and roll

The location Cog Hill in Lemont, Illinois. Now I know what your thinking, Don't Tiger Woods and Phil McKelson golf there? In fact yes and they will both be there this September. But I got a chance to be at the Country Club within the golfing area. If you can see in the photos I posted there is a lot of pink. But the setting was perfect and beautiful. Food was excelent and among the many choices for the menu the couple had an veggie soup for starters, a salad. lime sorbet, and bread for starters. Now we come to the main course featuring Pasta with no meat, roast beef, chicken, a baked potato, green beans, and sausage with sauerkraut. Finally for desert as seen in the photos, a chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream a perfect combination with coffee. Special thanks and congratulations to Dan and Tracy Janecki

Hello and welcome!

Hello everyone I am back and this time taking a different approach to my work at JOENAVY Productions as my job at Wow! What A Wedding and Awesome DJs kicks off this summer and in full swing with many weddings on the way. Some of you pay attention to my tweets and status changes pertaining to a so called "wedding of the week" where I tell everyone what the certain theme or situation of the wedding is. So I thought it would be great to let people know my intake of what I saw and some great ideas there are in some of these receptions. So I hope you get some great ideas for your future weddings and plus I will also post pictures with my blogs. Hope you all are reading this and supporting the blog. Thanks and my first entry starts Sunday because I will be at Cog Hill in Lemont tomorrow night (assuming that the world doesn't end and believe me it won't). Wish me luck!