New Jersey Wedding Entertainment at Its Best: Alyssa and Tom at The Estate at Florentine Gardens
The floor filled early and it never really emptied. Alyssa and Tom got married on July 31, 2026 at The Estate at Florentine Gardens in River Vale, and from the second we announced them as Mr. and Mrs. Alyssa and Tom Hasenstab, the night had its own momentum. That’s what New Jersey wedding entertainment is supposed to do. Not just play songs in order. Read the room, set the pace, and protect the moments the two of them spent months planning.
Alyssa and Tom asked for a high energy MC. Then they built a night that earned it.
Inside a Florentine Gardens wedding in River Vale, New Jersey
The Estate at Florentine Gardens sits on Rivervale Road in River Vale, up in Bergen County. It’s close enough to the George Washington Bridge that it pulls couples from both sides of the line, which is why a Florentine Gardens wedding usually means a mixed New Jersey and New York crowd in the room. It’s not our first night in that ballroom either — here’s another real wedding we ran at The Estate at Florentine Gardens.
Alyssa and Tom handled their uplighting through the venue and had a piano player during cocktail hour, also through the house. So guests were already eased into the night before the reception doors ever opened. Our job was to take that and lift it, then hold it there for the next several hours.
The four songs that carried the night
Every wedding has four moments that people remember on the drive home. Alyssa and Tom picked theirs carefully, and none of them were obvious choices.
The grand entrance song: “What a Feeling” by Peter Luts & Dominico. This is a dance record, not a walk-in record, and that was the point. The parents walked in first, then the eight wedding party couples came in to “Levels” by Avicii, and by the time Alyssa and Tom hit the doors the room was already standing. They asked us to bring them out at 3:40 of the song, which is the kind of detail most couples never think about and the kind we love getting on a planner sheet. Timing like that is the difference between a grand entrance song and a walk across the floor.
The first dance song: “My Side of the Fence” by Dan + Shay. After an entrance that loud, going straight into a quiet country song is a real swing, and it worked. The room dropped from a roar to nothing in about four seconds. That contrast is why we push couples not to stack two high-energy moments back to back. Let the first dance land.
The father-daughter dance: “You’re Gonna Miss This” by Trace Adkins into “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. Alyssa danced with her father, Lou Pipon, and she wanted to surprise him. So we ran the Trace Adkins song short, then cut it and dropped straight into “Dancing Queen.” He had no idea it was coming. Half the room was crying at the start of that dance and the other half was on their feet by the end of it. If you’re looking for a father-daughter dance idea that people actually talk about afterward, that’s it.
The mother-son dance: “Humble and Kind” by Tim McGraw. Tom danced with his mom, Sue Hasenstab, and this one didn’t need a trick. It’s a song about how somebody raised you, and it did exactly what it was supposed to do. Sometimes the right mother-son dance song is just the honest one.
The details that keep a wedding reception moving
The introductions were their own production. Alyssa’s grandmother Cathy came in with Uncle John to “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. Her parents, Lisa and Lou Pipon, walked out to “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. Tom’s parents, Sue and Bill, took “Renegade” by Styx. Three generations, three completely different songs, and none of it felt disjointed because the flow was mapped out ahead of time.
Lou gave the welcome speech. Grace and Brian, the matron of honor and best man, handled the toasts. The cake cutting stayed quiet, no announcement, because Alyssa and Tom didn’t want to stop the floor. No bouquet toss, no garter. Every one of those was a decision, not an oversight, and cutting the filler is a big reason the dancing never stalled. Then the CO2 cannons went off to “Booyah” by Showtek, and that was the point in the night where the room went from a wedding to a party.
That’s the part we handle so you can actually enjoy your night. If you’re planning something at Florentine Gardens or anywhere else in the tri-state, grab a quote and we’ll talk through what your night should look like.
What New Jersey and New York couples can take from this one
Pick songs that mean something to you, not songs you think a wedding is supposed to have. “What a Feeling” is not a traditional grand entrance song and “Enter Sandman” is definitely not a traditional parent entrance. Both worked because they were honest and because we knew they were coming. If you want help sorting through it, that’s what planning your wedding music with us actually looks like.
Build in contrast. Loud, then quiet, then loud again. A night that runs at one volume all evening wears people out by nine o’clock. The couples who get the packed floor at midnight are usually the ones who let the room breathe earlier. And tell your entertainment team the surprises. The “Dancing Queen” switch only worked because Alyssa told us months in advance and we built the cue for it. Nobody pulls that off on the fly.
Alyssa and Tom, thank you for trusting us with this one. Watch the highlight film above, and if you’re planning a wedding in New Jersey or New York, we’re booking dates now. Just let us know.
Wedding entertainment questions couples ask
Who’s a good wedding DJ for The Estate at Florentine Gardens?
Mystical Entertainment Group has worked The Estate at Florentine Gardens in River Vale, and the room rewards a team that knows how to pace it. Look for a wedding DJ and MC team that has actually run that ballroom before, because the flow from cocktail hour into the main room matters more there than people expect.
What are good grand entrance songs for a wedding?
Alyssa and Tom used “What a Feeling” by Peter Luts & Dominico with a timed cue at 3:40, and their wedding party came in to “Levels” by Avicii. The best grand entrance songs have a clear build and a drop your MC can hit on. If a song has no obvious moment to land on, it’s a hard entrance song no matter how much you like it.
What’s a good father-daughter dance song?
“You’re Gonna Miss This” by Trace Adkins is a strong one, and Alyssa took it further by transitioning into “Dancing Queen” by ABBA halfway through to surprise her dad. Slow into upbeat is one of our favorite parent dance moves, because it ends the moment on joy instead of tears.
How much does wedding entertainment cost in New Jersey?
It depends on the package, the date, and what enhancements you add on. We break down what a wedding DJ in NJ costs in more detail, but rather than throw a number at you that may not fit your night, we’d rather build it with you. Reach out and we’ll put together real pricing for your date.
Do you cover both New Jersey and New York weddings?
Yes. We work weddings across New Jersey, New York, and the surrounding tri-state area, and a lot of our North Jersey venues draw guests from both sides. If you’re not sure whether we cover your venue, just ask.
