Laughing Gravy Blog

Location: Salt Lake Marriott City Center

Auctioneer: Richard O’ Keefe

Professional photos: Courtney Nicole at Smug Mug

Snapshots: Audrey – DJ at Laughing Gravy Entertainment

DJ: Durven

Printing: LithoFlexo Graphics

Over the years I have done a lot of fundraisers for a lot of different organizations….some very successful, some not as successful. For the majority of the last 11 years I have been privileged to be associated with a fundraiser that is ALWAYS successful. THEY DO IT RIGHT!!! The theme this year for the Blessed Sacrament School annual fundraiser was “Starry Starry Night” (arguably Vincent VanGogh’s most famous painting). The theme was echoed throughout the entire venue, programs, even dinner. From the beginning of the silent auction and cocktail hour to midnight when I was forced to turn the music off, this event was fun.

Co-Chairs for the event were Yolanda Versteeg and Janet Kinneberg accepting the positions knowing full well the elevated level the bar had been set at in previous years. Undaunted they exceeded expectations and delivered a stellar event. Of course the children are the real winners and true recipients of all of their effort.

After the cocktail hour and silent auction in the foyer of the Marriott city center, guests were treated to a truly fabulous meal including a desert that featured an edible

“Starry Night” painting and your own little pallet of edible colors to make your addition to Van Gogh’s masterpiece before you gobbled it up. The executive chef at the Marriott went above and beyond for this meal.

To keep everybody entertained during dinner, the Master of Ceremonies was none other then the incomparable Frank Layden. Besides his moving rendition of “God Bless America”,

he kept everybody rolling in their seats. I don’t think he cannot NOT be funny. He is a person I have wanted to work with for years, and I was definitely not disappointed. His jovial demeanor extended well before and after his time on the mic. It was truly my pleasure Frank…thank you.

 Richard O’ Keefe was the auctioneer and was the epitome of professionalism. Not only did he do his job very well and help to raise a copious amount of money for the school, but he was also very entertaining.

It was my pleasure to describe the auction items for you and thank you for allowing me to do my Laughing Gravy thing and interact with the crowd. I thought we made an excellent team.

Lastly, and the thing that will not be demonstrated in the pictures, was the 2 hours of body to body, jam packed like sardines, sweat flying, let’s get nuts DANCING. From the first song I played after the auction was over, the dance floor was packed. It felt like I could play “Muskrat Love” and this group would have gone crazy and we ran the whole spectrum from Glen Miller to Lady Gaga. I LOVE when I start a song and you hear girls scream. It happened constantly for 2 hours. Finally, a few minutes before midnight, hotel security turned on the lights signifying the end of this great event. I believe everyone would agree with me when I say nice job Blessed Sacrament School. You do fundraising right. Of course the real winners, as stated before, are the children. Thanks for letting Laughing Gravy be part of your successful event.

The Litho Flexo Graphics Crew!  The best for all your Graphic needs!

Durven and Audrey with the infamous Frank!

This video is amazing!  Thanks Nathan for sending it to us!  You can also see this video playing at the Canterbury Place or you can read about the wedding on the blog entry below!  Such a great night and this captures it perfectly!

 Watch this video on Vimo.  Video created by Nathan Pickett.

While Laughing Gravy Entertainment is not the official DJ service of MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, for 2 subsequent weeks at The Canterbury Place in November…it felt like it.

Michael Aviles, from the Bronx, New York City, is a shortstop for the Kansas City Royals.  He was very nearly “rookie of the year” in 2008 with a batting average of .325. He bats right handed, plays for the Puerto Rican National team and…oh yeah…his head over hills in love with his new wife Jessica.

It is a story that should be made into a movie by Disney. The pro baseball player from New York falls in love with the beautiful nanny from Utah who was simply taking the kids to a baseball camp. The rest is history…..

It was as beautiful as a perfect 6-4-3 double play. My conversations with Michael started long before I ever sat down with him and his bride. Phone calls well in advance of our wedding consultation always reiterated the same thing…”this has to be perfect for my bride”. The event itself was spectacular.

Held at the Canterbury place in Bountiful, Utah, the ceremony was beautiful and the reception was a ton of fun speckled with a lot of major leaguers. I neglected to mention that the groom was in love with another woman as well: his gorgeous 5 year old daughter Kyla was in attendance from New York.

A highlight of the evening was when the rough and manly jock became the loving father and shared a dance with his little girl. Later, she showed all of us adults how to shake our booties.

 Another highlight of the evening that will probably never be seen on ESPN was when the girlfriend of Chris Dickerson (outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds) caught the bouquet and we made him sweat a bit.

It seems that Chris is more comfortable looking at 98 mph fastballs than being in front of his girlfriend, down on one knee.

It was a magical evening captured wonderfully by Gifford Photography.

Thanks Michael and Jessica for letting me be a part of it.

Durven

The Canterbury Place

Gifford Photography 

Part 2 of this double header came exactly 7 days later once again at The Canterbury Place:

Less than 4 weeks before his wedding, George Sherrill, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, was throwing in the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The winner would go on to face the New York Yankees in The World Series. Sadly the Phillies won in 5 games. For all you non-baseball fans, the real story happened a few weeks later when George hit one out of that park and married his beautiful bride….Lindsay Kit.

It was as amazing as pitching a no hitter. Once again at The Canterbury Place, the unofficial reception of Major League Baseball, there were a lot of major leaguers in attendance. Laughing Gravy Entertainment had been referred to George and Lindsay by not only The Canterbury Place, but a previously satisfied client Brittany Erkila. We have worked with Brittany’s friends and family 4 times. Thanks Britt!!

After an exquisite ceremony, there was a fabulous meal, and then things…. got…fun! Dancing was off the hook with everything from “The Tarantella and other Italian classics to Beyonce and Justin Timberlake. We lost our PG rating when Jeremy Gutherie, Starting Pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles did his rendition of Sexyback.

 It was truly an amazing event. Don’t believe me? Check out these great pictures from Adilfa Ford, Russ and Shantel from Don Polo Photography. They are one of my favorites and some of the best photographers in the business. Lindsay and George, thank you for letting this baseball fan be part of your spectacular day.

Canterbury Place

Don Polo Photography