Post CD Release Party Wrap-Up

The party was a full month ago, but with the holidays, well, you know how it goes....

What happened at the party? Was it a success or a dud? Did my bad party karma come back to haunt me?

Mother Nature was not on my side. We had a huge snowstorm the night of the party here at Tahoe. But my brother from Southern California and my cousin Joanne, from the state of Washington flew in to support me. Even he was worried that no one would show up. However, sure enough, fifty of my most diehard friends and fans came to the party. They braved the weather and the roads and were there for me. Like Russ, who drove from Sacramento, 100 miles away, and holed himself up in a motel just to attend. And my present and past harp students, Fred, Wanda, and Jo were there. Fred said, “I was worried that no one would come, and I wanted to attend and show you that yes, someone would attend.” I am truly touched and grateful to have such wonderful friends, fans, and loved ones.

Bread and Broth,  the nonprofit organization teaming up with me on the fundraiser, was on hand. Gift baskets filled with all kinds of goodies, from wine to bath salts, to music, were raffled off, with the proceeds going to help Bread and Broth feed the hungry on Thanksgiving Day. With only fifty people on hand, we raised nearly $200!

ScreenBooth Lake Tahoe and JJ Entertainment provided the entertainment. Everyone had a blast putting on silly hats and having their photos taken. And then Suzanne kept people guessing with the following quiz. Do you know all the answers? E-mail me your answers, and if you are correct, I’ll send you a download of one of my Celtic albums. But you must respond by February 1, 2011 to get a chance to receive the album download).

Finally, the food that Harrah’s Tahoe provided, and their service, couldn’t be beat. And the best part of it all was that I enough CDs to pay for the party and line my pockets, too. I’d call the party a success, even though Old Man Winter tried to ruin it.

My quick list of do’s and don’ts for throwing a successful CD release party:

1. Don’t limit your guest list.
Do make it a public party, because you never know if something uncontrollable (like a winter snowstorm) will prevent people from showing up.

2. Don’t use only one means of getting the word out.
Do be vigilant and follow up on your invites. Use email, facebook, mail paper invites, phone calls. Do everything you can to get invited guests to respond, because you’ll have a better handle on how much food and drink to order.

3. Don’t be cheap.
Do provide food, drink and fun for your guests. A party isn’t a party if all you are doing is sitting in a room signing CDs or playing a bit of music for your guests. The entire idea of having a fun event is that your guests will tell their friends, and you’ll have even more people attending your concerts and your next CD release party (and you’ll sell more CDs).

4. Don’t do it all yourself. 
Do team up with a non-profit community organization. You’ll feel good about giving to your community and you’ll receive extra publicity for your good deeds.
Do team up with another company in town to help you make your party happen. I worked with a local DJ and ScreenBooth company. They wanted the publicity, and I needed the help with throwing my party. Or, you can do what my friend Deborah, is doing—She is throwing her CD release party in a guitar store.

5. Don’t make your party inaccessible.
Do hold your party in the closest proximity to most of your fans. And make sure the room is big enough and there is plenty of parking. Holding my party at Harrah’s Tahoe really worked out, because they had valet service and covered parking, so people knew they didn’t have to deal with knocking snow off their cars after the party. Also, Harrah’s Tahoe is centrally located to all my Lake Tahoe and Carson Valley fans. They plow the roads in front of the building, and it is easy to find (all lit up on a cold winter’s night).

So go for it! Let me know how your CD release parties go...

In the meantime, Happy Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New Year!

Cheers,
Anne
---
http://www.celticharpmusic.com

P.S.—Here’s that trivia list. Email me your answers, and if you get them all correct, I’ll send you a f*ree album download. (Expires Feb 1, 2011)

Trivia questions (Hint—The answers to these questions are all found in the liner notes of my newest CDs, Blue Jeans and Velvet:

1. The Eagles wrote and performed “Desperado”. What other artist is also known for their version of this song?

2. In what movie did Disney borrow a theme by Tchaikovsky?

3. What rock song causes listeners to raise their lighters and shout the name of this song?

4. The 1937 movie “Top Hat” featured songs by what famous songwriter?

5. The singer of “My Girl” was known by what nickname?

6. “As Time Goes By” has been recorded by many artists. Which movie did it originally appear in?

7. People are often surprised to hear Anne play what song by Led Zeppelin?

8. Popular pianist “Fats” Waller is represented on Anne’s Velvet album by what two songs?

9. What popular British group wrote and performed “I Will” and “Black Bird”?

10. What vocalist, known as the “First Lady of Song”, recorded at least four of the tunes that are on Anne’s Velvet album?

11. Which early Jackson 5 song appears on Anne’s “Blue Jeans” album?

12. The tune “You Belong to Me” goes way back to vocalists Jo Stafford and Dean Martin. What recent animated movie was it featured in?

13. How well do you know Anne: Which of the following statements is not true?

A. Anne taught Algebra for the Los Angeles Unified School District.
B. Anne also plays the guitar.
C. Anne once sold burglar alarm systems.
D. Anne is a martial artist.
E. Anne can analyze your handwriting.

Alex the Romantic

I received a phone call from Alex six days before his wedding. He said, “I’m getting married this coming Sunday. Are you at all available?” I get the quick details of the place and time and the answer is, “Yes! I can do it. You’ll have to get your music list to me quickly, but I’ll be there.”

Alex is like many people headed to the altar these days—He waits until he knows all the wedding services are in his budget, and then he phones around to hire those services. In this economy, people feel safer committing to their wedding plans when they know they can pay for them, and sometimes, that means making wedding plans on very short notice.

It turns out that Alex is a romantic, too. He hired me as a surprise to his bride, Gina. He knew that she would love the added touch of live harp music to accompany her walk down the aisle. Here is the music he selected for his wedding (for more information on these songs, check out my repertoire list:

Pre-Ceremony Seating Music:
1. “Beauty and the Beast”
2. “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”
3. “Earth Angel”
4. “Killing Me Softly”
5. “The Unforgiven”
6. “Yesterday”
Plus Classical music selections of my choice

Processional for 1 Flower Girl and 1 Ring Bearer:
“When You Wish Upon a Star”
Bride’s Entrance:
“Here Comes the Bride”
Music played softly behind Exchange of Vows:
“Sunny”
Recessional:
“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”

Post-Ceremony Music Played During Photo Session:
1. “La Bamba”
2. “Guantanamera”
3. “A Whole New World”
4. “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”
5. “Isn’t She Lovely”
6. “Stairway to Heaven”

Okay, so Alex’s taste is very eclectic, mixing Disney, Rock and Latin music. But he knew his guests’ taste and he knew his bride.

I phoned Rev. Ronald Sayed, Alex and Gina’s minister, to give him a heads up not to breathe a word to the bride that I would be performing for her wedding. He loved the idea that the harp music would be a surprise.

The wedding day came, and I arrived at beautiful Lakeside Beach at Lake Tahoe on a gorgeous, cloudless summer morning for Alex and Gina’s destination wedding. Alex, dressed in style wearing a matching hat with his beige suit, delivered single roses to mothers who were waiting. Then, Gina arrived by horse drawn carriage. As she walked up the aisle to “Here Comes the Bride”, she turned to look over at me, her eyes got very big, and then she smiled from ear to ear.

After the ceremony, guests sang along to “La Bamba” as I played, and a couple danced while I played “Guantanamera”. One guest asked me to play “A Whole New World” again, too. Guys waiting before the ceremony gave me a thumbs-up sign when they heard Metallica’s “The Unforgiven” on the Celtic harp.

Alex had it nailed. He knew what would please his bride, he knew what would please his guests, and everything went flawlessly. It’s okay for guys to get into the planning of the wedding ceremony and to offer a few romantic surprises. I’ll bet Alex had more romantic surprises waiting at the reception and later that day, too...

Tips for Brides and Grooms:

Ladies—Let your fiancé get in on the wedding plans. It’s his wedding, too. Even if he doesn’t want to be the decision maker for all your wedding details, there may be just a few that he would like to handle. It doesn’t hurt to ask and include him in the planning. Perhaps the music is most important to the groom. Or maybe he’s a foodie and wants to make the final decision on the cake or the dinner menu. Be brave and let him get in on the wedding action. Allow him to surprise you!

Guys—Most women simply melt when you spring a romantic surprise on them. Will you provide a special poem during the vows? Will you bring a red rose to give to each of the mothers? Or will you hire a harpist without telling your bride? Many brides may secretly like a little help in the wedding plans, and offering to help make decisions could relieve some of her pre-wedding stress.

Music can provide a wonderful surprise for your intended. I’ve played the harp as a surprise at wedding proposals, anniversary dinners, birthday parties, bridal and baby showers, you name it. Once, a man hired me to play for his wife as a surprise, while they dined on room service food in their hotel suite. I asked him, “What is the occasion?” He answered, “I just wanted to surprise my wife on our last day of vacation.” I played all the songs he instructed me to play for her, and she cried during dinner. She said, “I have the most romantic husband in the world!” It makes me melt just to think about it.

Some general tips about last-minute weddings and surprises: If you are not booking wedding services months or years in advance, it helps to avoid the busiest days and times of the week. You’ll find more wedding services available for midweek and morning weddings, rather than Saturdays and evenings. And if you are planning a wedding in a public area (beaches, parks, etc.), these locations are typically quieter in the morning hours.

Tips for Musicians:

It’s totally fine to take last-minute gigs, especially in this economy. Many brides and grooms don’t know how much they have to spend on their wedding services until they get closer to their date, and they make quick plans as soon as they know they have the money to tie the knot.

You need to prepare quickly when you’re booked just a few days before the wedding. If you are in the habit of taking deposits before a gig, you may need to rethink your policy on collecting fees. And then there is the fact that you’ll have very little time to practice before the big day. Don’t be concerned about the list of music you receive—As long as you can play it, don’t try to make sense of it. Trust that your client knows exactly what is best for the wedding.

And finally, if you and your music are a surprise, there’s no need to worry about how it may be received. The key is to be flexible about it all, and you’ll have a great time watching everyone’s reaction. Alex knew exactly what would make his bride and guests happy, and I was so glad to be a part of it all.

Many more tips are available from my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides” available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at www.celticharpmusic.com.

I’m looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback.

Anne :-)

Anne Roos
Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos

(And contact me at anne@celticharpmusic.com for personal consultation and mentoring—Make a living while gigging)

Bridal Fair Madness!

Once or twice a year, I purchase a booth and exhibit at a bridal fair. I do my homework. I make sure that the bridal fair has had high attendance in past shows, I interview other exhibitors from past shows to find out if they had a good experience, and I make sure my booth will be far away from the booths of other musicians, entertainers, and DJs.

I exhibited at the 21st Annual Fantasy Wedding Faire in Reno,
Nevada, produced by the American Heart Association, perhaps
against my better judgment. Why? Because I broke my own
cardinal rule: Never exhibit in the same room as a fashion show. I
signed up for this show because several other wedding service
colleagues had participated in previous years and successfully
booked a number of weddings from the brides who attended.

The event was held in the Silver State Pavilion at the huge Grand
Sierra Resort. Very spacious and comfortable--the room was well
suited for a bridal fair. Set up was a breeze, with easy load-in, but I
didn't count on walking into DJ Bill McClain's loading cart when I
was setting up. Scraped up my foot! Ouch! Maybe it was a bad
omen?

My booth was located on the opposite wall from the fashion show,
as far away from the fashion show as I could possibly be. But once
the doors opened and the brides entered, I discovered my booth
was beneath five PA speakers in the ceiling. These speakers
belched constant announcements for raffle ticket prizes,
descriptions of dresses and models in the fashion show, and
annoying fashion show music at an astounding volume. Anyone
approaching my booth had to yell to converse with me. And of
course, no one could hear my poor little harp-my amp was no
match against those giant speakers. It was no way to introduce
my services to brides.

I commonly book weddings at bridal fairs, because I always offer a
10% discount to brides who decide to hire me at the fair. But this
show was quite the exception, when people could barely converse
with me. Or perhaps, it was a sign of our economy that a larger
discount needed to be offered for landing bookings at bridal fairs? I
may never know.

At least I do know that many brides were interested in my services,
because they waited in line to talk with me, even though they had
to shout over the din. More than 100 brochures left my table that
day. And I'll be in touch with those who entered my drawing for a
free wedding CD, too.

The networking opportunities were endless. Two very generous
florists donated flower displays for my booth: Hattie Reed from Art
in Bloom and another floral arrangement from Floral Expressions &
Events. I met Kathleen from the Harbor House at Sand Harbor
Beach, Lake Tahoe, and learned about their wonderful wedding
facilities. Maybe she'll start recommending me to brides getting
married there. Kristy Hawke who produces the Nevada Women's
Expo also introduced herself to me. Adjacent to my booth was
Andy and Jennifer from The Pampered Chef and along with my
friends Rolf and Eileen from Starling Video , helped watch my booth
when I had to take a break.

So, even if a bridal fair may look like a total washout on the surface,
the connections between the brides and the exhibitors can make it
well worth attending!

Tips for Brides:

Bridal fairs aren't just about checking out the bridal fashions,
sampling cakes, and winning door prizes. Go there with the idea to
hire your wedding vendors at the show. Here's why: most wedding
services offer budget-saving discounts if you decide to book them
right then and there. Bring your checkbook or credit card, an
envelope for your receipts, and your fiancé, mom, and others to
help you make decisions. If they cannot attend, bring along a cell
phone so that you can call them from the show and help you
decide.

Don't want to make quick decisions at the fair? Then bring
something to take notes. Don't be caught without any way to write
down quotes from a potential ceremony site, florist, or musician.

Also prepare a sheet of address labels, and write your email
address and phone number onto those labels before you attend the
fair. At each booth, you may find a drawing for a prize like a free
honeymoon, free flowers, dinner for two at a restaurant, or a
substantial discount off of particular services. Instead of wasting
your time filling out forms for each drawing, just affix the address
stickers to each entry form you encounter and move along to the
next booth.

Follow up with those you meet after the bridal fair while their
wedding services are still fresh in your mind. The more generous
wedding vendors may extend their bridal fair discounts a few days
beyond the fair, especially if you hit it off well with them. But if you
wait weeks or months, not only will you be paying full price, you
may also find that they are no longer available on your wedding
date.

Tips for Musicians:

Exhibiting at bridal fairs is a huge monetary and time commitment.
The booth price alone is not the only monetary factor-having
brochures and promotional materials pre-printed, electricity for your
booth, and other booth amenities will add to that cost. And you
must plan to perform in your booth. The only way brides will fall in
love with the idea of hiring you for their wedding or reception is to
see you in action, as if they would see you at their wedding. You
may need to put in some extra rehearsal time with your ensemble
before the day of the bridal show.

When choosing to buy booth space at a local bridal fair, you can
ask all the right questions of the fair promoter, hear that the fair was
successful previous years from other wedding vendors, and the
event can still stink. All it takes is for the fair to be poorly attended
(perhaps due to lack of advertising or bad weather), or even
something like being placed under a string of loud speakers, as in
the above example. But there are always other wedding colleagues
to meet, and they could be in the position to send you a lot of work
in the future-the silver lining to participating in a bridal fair.

If a wedding fair was truly a washout for you, look at it rationally and
decide what you could have done differently to make it a better
experience. That's what I'm doing about my experience at this last
wedding fair. Should I be involved with another bridal fair that has a
fashion show in the same building? Should I offer a larger discount
to brides who consider booking my services at the wedding fair,
because of this down economy? Should I make a formal complaint
to the fair producers about being placed under the PA speakers or
should I not bother at all? These are some questions I'm
pondering.

I've only touched on a few of the intricacies of participating in a bridal fair
in this blog. I devote an entire chapter to this subject (including
negotiating booth prices, setting up your booth, etc.) in my book
"The Musician's Guide to Brides" available wherever Hal Leonard
Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers
including sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my
website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos.

I'm looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and
feedback. And if you have something new to add about your bridal
fair experiences, I'd love to hear them.

Sending my best, Anne :-)

Karen’s Happy Wedding Day

Karen had everything lined up months in advance for her destination wedding at the historic Cal-Neva Resort at the north end of Lake Tahoe. Karen scheduled a lovely November wedding inside the Lakeview Chapel. The alpine views were gorgeous.

Karen was precise about every detail for her wedding. The autumn bouquets and the rust-and-gold color scheme matched perfectly. But there was one thing that was out of her control—Reverend Dan thought the ceremony was to start at 4 pm, not 3:30. He arrived 30 minutes late to the ceremony!

Karen was cool about it and happily walked down the aisle without taking notice at all (I think she was too happy to worry about the time on her wedding day!).

Fortunately, I always book ceremonies with a cushion of extra time, just in case the ceremony starts late or runs longer than expected. So, the 90-minutes I scheduled worked out just fine. The newlyweds were whisked off to their reception immediately following the ceremony, and I did not go beyond the time I booked for my performance.

Although the ceremony took place in a chapel instead of a church, Karen wanted Christian hymns intertwined with modern popular selections for her ceremony music. So, she requested to have every other song as a hymn for the seating of the guests. Here’s what I played (for more information on these songs, check out my repertoire list.

Pre-ceremony seating music:
1. “Wind Beneath My Wings”
2. “Amazing Grace”
3. “Imagine”
4. “Morning Has Broken”
5. “From This Moment On”
6. “Be Thou My Vision”
7. “You Raise Me Up”
8. “We Gather Together, A Prayer of Thanksgiving”
9. “Hero”
10. “Blest Are They”
11. “Once Upon A Dream”
12. “Here I Am, Lord”
Mother’s Lighting the Unity Candle: “Ave Maria” by Schubert
Wedding Party of 6 Bridesmaids, 1 Flower Girl, and 1 Ring Bearer: “Canon in D”
Bride’s Entrance: “Here Comes the Bride”
Recessional: Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March”

Karen still had a ceremony full of live music--A ceremony that starts late does not need to ruin the bride’s entire wedding day.

Tips for Brides:

Having a timetable for your wedding day agenda is important, but realize that there can be a delay in your ceremony or reception events. You may have absolutely no control over these mishaps—a bridesmaid may rip her pantyhose before she walks down the aisle, the ring may have been left back at the hotel room, or the minister may arrive late (as in the above example). Don’t let these things get under your skin.

Plan for an extra cushion of time by hiring your wedding and reception services for longer periods than you think may be necessary. You’ll avoid the possibility of paying costly overtime fees. Reserve the ceremony and reception sites for more time, too.

Why feel rushed if some things don’t start exactly on time?

Tips for Musicians:

Always book your wedding gigs with more time than anyone thinks is needed. Anything can happen to delay the start of the ceremony, and the ceremony may run longer than anyone anticipated.

This goes for reception musicians, too, because if the ceremony starts late or runs long, the reception may start late, too. And what if the meal is late being served?

Keep in mind that the larger the guest list, the longer it takes to move the crowd—Seating will take longer, and so will exiting. Therefore, book extra time for larger groups of attendees, too.

When you are generous with the time you quote for weddings, you won’t need to ask for overtime pay. Overtime pay may be a great boon for your bank account, but it is a major bummer to have to request it from the bride.

Many more tips are available from my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides” available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including Sheetmusicplus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos.

I’m looking forward to reading your stories, comments, and feedback. Check back here again for next week’s story.

Cheers,
Anne :-)

And Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the U.S.!

Jerry and Angel Tie the Knot

Not many people plan November weddings, but Jerry and Angel went about it right. It’s off-season for weddings, and that means the wedding services they chose were immediately available. They may have even received a discount for some of their wedding services—A good move in this economy.

Here at Lake Tahoe located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, it’s chilly fall and the outside temps are not the most comfortable for either the guests or my Celtic harp. So, Jerry and Angel held their wedding indoors, where they and their 30 guests could have a lovely view of Lake Tahoe at Lakefront Wedding Chapel.

Getting married in a chapel does not mean that you are resigned to use their minister. Angel and Jerry brought in Pastor Alan, a Baptist minister, to officiate the ceremony. Everything from the lighting of a Unity Candle to Communion was included in a ceremony that lasted less than one hour!

Pastor Alan personalized the ceremony by including a very sweet story about how Angel and Jerry met online eleven years ago and were finally tying the knot. This moved their guests to both laughter and tears. Angel’s father, with tears in his eyes, started off the ceremony with a prayer. The mark of a great minister is one who will welcome adding material to a wedding ceremony to make it personal to the bride and groom.

Jerry was in charge of music selection, and he decided to mix modern popular love songs with traditional wedding music and Christian hymns. Here’s what I played (for more information on these songs, check out my repertoire list.

Pre-ceremony seating music:
1. “Everything I Do I Do It For You”
2. “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”
3. “Unchained Melody”
4. “When I Fall In Love”
5. “Take My Breath Away”
6. “When You Believe”

Mother’s Lighting the Unity Candle: “Blest Are They”
Wedding Party of 1 Bridesmaid, 1 Flower Girl, and 1 Ring Bearer: “Canon in D”
Bride’s Entrance: “Here Comes the Bride”
After Angel’s father’s prayer: “Here I Am Lord”
Played softly behind vows: “All I Ask of You”
While Angel and Jerry light their Unity Candle: Kenny G’s “Wedding Song”
During Communion: “The Love I Found in You”
Recessional: Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March”

Post ceremony music, while people exited for photos outside:
1. “I Will Always Love You”
2. “From This Moment On”

The look was classic, with Angel’s color selection of silver, light blue, and black (I wore silver silk and black velvet to match the wedding party).

A lovely, one-hour chapel ceremony can be beautiful, affordable, and personalized, right down to the choice of music, vows, and colors.

Tips to Brides:

June is the most popular wedding month, and in many locations, summer is the biggest wedding season. Save money by choosing an off-season wedding date. Even consider a weekday over a weekend date. You’ll have an open choice of available wedding vendors, and you might even receive discounts.

Tips to Musicians:

Only the Pre-Ceremony and Post-Ceremony tunes listed above were played in their entirety. The others were shortened. I needed to watch when the mothers were lighting the candles and wind down “Blest Are They” when they went to their seats. I needed to see when the last attendant in the wedding party arrived at the altar so that I knew when to wind down “Canon in D” and start playing “Here Comes the Bride”. Using your eyes, as well as your ears, is an important skill to develop when performing at weddings. Look up from your sheet music from time to time so that you don’t miss all the action.

Many more tips are available from my book “The Musician’s Guide to Brides” available wherever Hal Leonard Books are sold: music and bookstores, and through online retailers including SheetMusicPlus.com, Amazon.com, and of course, at my website at Celtic Harp Music by Anne Roos.

Jump in and add your comments. Please share your stories and feedback...I’ll continue this blog with another event story next week.

Cheers,
Anne :-)