VENDOR SPOTLIGHT: NEXT LEVEL ENTERTAINMENT
While unique in design and theme, something that remains constant at every Pop-Up Chapel is that we always work of the best-in-class vendors to bring our vision to life and create a one-of-a-kind experience for our couples! Based out of Toronto, Next Level Entertainment has provided live music for our couples during their wedding that adds to the excitement and joy of the day!
Tell us a little about yourself, how long you have been in the industry and your business.
Hi There! My name’s Stacey Renee, and I am the founder & president of Next Level Entertainment. A little about me…I grew up training intensively in the professional dance industry, and at 16 years old I started NLE, which looked a lot different back then. NLE started as a large scale dance workshop held at convention centres in Toronto where thousands of dancers across Ontario would come to dance and learn from famous choreographers from So You Think You Can Dance, and Dancing With The Stars. It was such a great experience for 4 years, but then, in 2006, I got hired for my first performing job at Canada’s Wonderland as a singer in a show called School Of Rock, and this is where I absolutely fell in LOVE with live music. The energy, the electricity of performing with a 10 piece live band, getting the crowds up on their feet dancing, was exhilarating! I just knew I was at home, and this is what I wanted to do!
After that summer, I added a minor in music to my double major studies at York University, and Next Level Entertainment - Live Music & Events was born!
I know it sounds cliche, but we started out small at first, exactly how you’d think. All of us squishing & “tetris-ing” ourselves (and our gear) tightly packed like sardines into the one van, on the road for hours together every weekend, performing at a handful of small town festivals, & weddings each year. Slowly building up to playing larger festivals & events across Canada.
And now somehow, 16 years later (wow, where does time go!) we’re performing and providing live music for thousands of couple’s weddings, festivals and events across North America including Yonge-Dundas Square, Nathan Phillips Square, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, Rogers Centre, Canada’s Wonderland, Ontario Place, and more.
Still to this day I’m so grateful to be able to do what I love, with people that I love, and share the magic of live music with our couples, clients and crowds.
Which Chapel has been your favourite?
Oooo, it’s so hard to pick a favourite! Each chapel that we’ve been part of has been so different and so unique, and they are all so gorgeous for so many different reasons! If I HAVE to pick one I’d have to say Sept 14, 2019 at Evergreen Brickworks! This was the very first Pop-Up Chapel event that we provided the live music for, and it really was the first time we got to experience the magic of Pop-Up Chapel! Everything was just breathtaking! The floral clouds and sunset backdrop decor, the seating, the marquee, the Tipsy Turny Trailer bar, the gifts & light bites, the venue, the couples, the families and friends! We serenaded 10 different couples down the aisle that day, for the first time, each couple choosing their own specific and sentimental song to walk down the aisle to, and I just remember thinking, wow, what an incredible way to get married! So, that first one will always stand out in my mind as one of our favourites!
Photography by Alix Gould and Jennifer See Studios
What do you love about working in the wedding industry?
I love meeting and getting to know new people and new couples. Making new personal connections and bonding over a love of music is always been the best part for me. I love getting to meet and work along side so many incredible wedding industry vendors in the GTA. I love connecting with our new couples/clients, and getting to learn more about them and their favourite styles & genres of music. I love working together with them to create the perfect sounds for their whole wedding day, from the ceremony, to the cocktail, to dinner, to dancing!
The best part for me has always been the fact that we get to create the soundtrack to a couples’ perfect day. The song they’ll hear when they see each other for the first time at the alter. The music they’ll be dancing to with their family & friends until the lights come on. Music can be so special and can hold a strong place in our memories. When you hear a song, even many years later, you can be transported back to a special moment in your life. We love being able to create those memories for our couples, and we always love expanding our repertoire and learning new music for our clients, or putting a new spin on a classic.
How is the chapel unique to your typical work/weddings? What do you love about it?
Oh man! We absolutely LOVE being part of the Pop Up Chapel!
Every time we arrive at the start of a Pop Up Chapel day to set up our instruments, I’m always amazed!! The room is always so stunning!
For us it is such a unique experience. We normally get to perform at 1 wedding per day and it’s always so special for us to watch our clients come to the big day, and finally marry each other! But with Pop Up Chapel, we get to perform for and witness 10 couples in 1 day, sharing their love for each other with their family and friends. It’s really something special! It’s such a wonderful day, and full of so much love! And we LOVE learning each clients special request song for their ceremony, just one of the aspects that Pop Up Chapel provides that makes each ceremony unique and special to each couple at each event! Every time my fiancé and I perform at a Pop Up Chapel, we always look at each other after the first couple is pronounced Married and say “Let’s do it!! Let’s see if everyone will stay one more hour at the end of the night and marry us!” haha Hopefully this year we’ll be registering for our own Pop Up Chapel wedding spot finally! ;)
What are your favourite songs to perform at Chapel?
Again, that is a tough one!! We get so many wonderful requests from all of the chapel couples. We always love to play some of the classics like Can’t Help Falling In Love by Elvis, At Last - Etta James. We always love playing Adele’s version of Make You Feel My Love, and a soft folksy version of Harvest Moon - Neil Young. We’ve really been loving playing Beyond - Leon Bridges this past wedding season.
To be completely honest, our favourite song to play at a couples ceremony is always a song that is the most meaningful and significant to the couple that they have chosen! You can always tell when a couples' ceremony song really means something to them! Sometimes we can see the bride lightly mouthing the lyrics of the song as she walks to the alter, or grooms tearing up to a certain line. It’s the best part for us. ;)
If you could design a Chapel, what theme would you pick?
Oooo, how about a music themed Pop Up Chapel? Old vintage records, romantic lines from classic love songs worked into the decor. Flowers from famous love songs. Bar drinks named after musicians? Hmmm maybe not!
How about an outdoor Pop Up Chapel, but in the fall? With campfires, smores, and apple ciders? Warm plaids & fall colours? Maybe?
I think I’m bad at this… I think I’ll just stick to the music! ;)
Learn more about Next Level Entertainment and their awesome work:
Next Level Entertainment | Instagram: @thenextlevele
Ready to tie the knot? Check out our available dates!