Gentlemen,
For starters, please accept my I apologies for not getting this to you both sooner. Sadly, this is the first moment since coming back from my honeymoon I have had the time to finally sit down without interruption and write this. I must begin by telling you that I believe there are few moments in our lives that have as much build up, pressure, as many moving parts and possible excitement as a wedding. Even as someone who once was very active and involved in the business of events could I have ever imagined just what was involved. That being said, I must tell you that Bobby Attiko, Ian, Marcus, Harris, Hank and everyone on your staff over delivered in a manner I have never imagined was even possible. Let’s start at the beginning…
From my initial meeting with Ian, I knew right away there was something different about your group. He “got us” immediately. At no time did I ever feel as though I was with an individual trying to sell us his product. Instead, I felt immediately that I was dealing with someone I had known or grown up with. We entered the room overwhelmed, confused and really not knowing what to expect (at that time, this was the 3rd or 4th band that we had met with). We left feeling comfortable, relaxed and truly excited about the prospect of our wedding. It was the first time that we left a vendor feeling a sense that this might actually be easier than we thought. Of course, as Ian can attest, I never made it easy. I had loads of questions, comments, concerns and with my music and entertainment background, I probably drove poor Ian absolutely insane. I must tell you, with all the curveballs I threw at him, he never flinched, always responded to my emails immediately, was friendly, pleasant and spent HOURS on the phone doing what Ian does best… making people feel comfortable. He is nothing short of a rockstar!
Harris and Hank…. I cannot thank the two of you enough. Anytime I had a question or issue Ian was not sure on how to handle, the two of you showed absolutely no hesitation in picking up the phone and speaking with me about anything. They say a firms culture is often defined by its leaders. The two of you are exemplary leaders and it should come as no surprise that Hank Lane Orchestra’s corporate culture is defined by your firms willingness to over deliver. In that regard, you are hands down one of the best I have ever dealt not only in the entertainment industry but anywhere.
Marcus… He went out of his way to customize a lighting and sound package that was a perfect fit for our venue. The room looked and sounded amazing. In my former entertainment life, I have been around a lot of events and vendors. Marcus did simply what I have come to learn is common practice for Hank Lane Orchestras, he over delivered. We were stunned and our guests were blown away. I am looking forward to personally thanking him for all that he had done for us.
Now, onto Bobby. Coming into my meetings with Hank Lane, I was convinced I had “seen them all”. I was wrong. I had never seen the likes of Bobby Attiko, This guy was unreal. Approachable, professional, accommodating and incredibly gifted. He rocked it. The dance floor was going all night and the only comment I had from everyone at the affair was about just how amazing the band was. Bobby is the complete package. He understands the subtle nuances of an affair from a band leader perspective and has a gift for entertaining and engaging people like very few people I have ever met. And as if that were not enough, he is someone that is simply so much fun to be around. We had a blast together. By playing all the right music at all the right times and keeping the crowd engaged and entertained throughout every point of the evening, he and his band made the evening absolutely perfect!!! One last thing, he and his keyboardist (Michael?) went out of their way to arrange and make the song I wrote for Nicole much better than it probably was. It was an absolute hit. It was the one thing I was truly concerned about throughout the evening and once again in typical Hank Lane fashion, they over delivered.
In short, I cannot offer up enough accolades for your entire organization. Thank you for doing what you do best, making our wedding something we will treasure and always remember.
-Charles and Nicole
Hank Lane Music and Productions, Inc. 