The music matters, that's why you choose Stitely.
City of Chicago, Chicago Suburbs, & The Midwest
Service area
Jeff Stitely
OWNER
AWARD WINNER (5X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Stitely Music, based in Evanston, IL, provides live music performances for weddings and events throughout the Midwest. This entertainment company has years of music experience and strives to give each couple a memorable wedding soundtrack. With a variety of dance bands, DJs, and skilled musicians, they will make sure you and your guests have an unforgettable time on the dance floor.
Jeff Stitely discovered his passion for music at age 10 when he began playing the drums. He spent the following decades honing his craft, with his experience including directing his high school band and studying classical percussion in college. By 1995, he established Stitely Music as a way to add an extra joyful touch to celebrations throughout the region.
You will have a variety of bands to choose from for your big day, from classic orchestras to jazz combos to elegant piano soloists. With their online planning system, the company will make sure that your playlist includes the songs you want to hear on your big day. They will arrive at your venue with high-quality sound equipment to ensure that each tune reaches all of your guests.
What You'll Love About Stitely Music
Couples love them for the incredible entertainment experience they provide, which helps make the big day memorable. They loved how they kept guests on their feet and dancing all night. To learn more about how easy they are to work with, check out the reviews.
Prices & packages
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Details
Instruments
Cello
Flute
Guitar
Harmonica
Harp
Keyboard
Percussion
Piano
Saxophone
Steel Drum
Trombone
Trumpet
Violin
Vocals
Music Genres
African
Caribbean
Classical
Country
Dance
Disco
Folk
Indian
Jazz
Klezmer
Latin
Pop
R&B
Rock
Music Services
Live Music
MC Services
Recorded Music
Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
Rehearsals & Parties
After Party
Wedding
After Party
Ceremony
Reception
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Jeff Stitely
Owner
Jeff’s love for music started when he began playing the drums at the age of 10. After winning multiple state competitions and directing his high school jazz band, he attended the University of Illinois in Champaign to study classical percussion. A transformational event in his career was the opportunity to study and perform African drumming and dance with Ghanaian master drummer Gideon Foli Alorwoyie. Inspired by the joyous African musical traditions surrounding weddings, harvests and initiations he decided to start Stitely Music in 1995, to bring joy to celebrations in our culture.
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.071 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
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Megan F
5.0
7/12/2023
I can confidently say that we received the most compliments from our guests about the Stitely Orchestra after they performed at our wedding. Jeff is amazing to work with, he is kind, patient, and helped us plan all of the music for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. Their song list is huge with a wide variety of genres! The highlight for us was the option to have the band learn a song, which they played as our last song of the evening. It was a huge hit and something we will remember for the rest of our lives. We are so grateful to Jeff and everyone at Stitely for the amazing performances at our wedding.
Michelle A
5.0
5/17/2023
All our guests loved DJ Shannon. He had people on the dance floor the entire night. We didn't have a "grand exit" or anything like that planned so he came up with a really nice send off having all our guests circle around us for our last dance. It made for a very touching and memorable moment.
Stitely also specializes in live music so we opted to have ceremony musicians and they were wonderful and far more affordable than we expected.
Any questions?
Leah B
5.0
5/16/2023
Jeff is wonderful to work with! He gives his suggestions based on his incredible experience in the wedding industry, but ultimately makes sure his band plays exactly the kind of music you want. They sound amazing and are one of the more affordable large bands you can hire without sacrificing incredible sound. Definitely recommend, highly!
Hannah L
5.0
12/02/2019
We hired Stitely Orchestra for our wedding. We had a trio for the ceremony, a pianist for the cocktail hour and an 8-piece band for the dancing at the reception. Each part was absolutely incredible! The ceremony music was really beautiful and they played whatever we asked for in advance. The open dancing was SO MUCH FUN!!! Their energy was contagious and the dance floor was filled for 3 straight hours. Jeff and his team were a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend Stitely Orchestra for any event. The planning process was super easy as they had a portal where we could select which songs and genres we liked or disliked. I cannot say enough good things about this band. Everyone was impressed!
John W
5.0
10/21/2019
We recently contracted with the Jeff Stikley group to perform at our son’s wedding and want to share our experience. From start to finish, it was a professional, yet personal relationship. Jeff was pleasant, responsive, and receptive to our requests. He communicated the group’s needs to us, met for a walk-through before the wedding date, and arrived promptly on the evening of
the event. Their music selections were excellent and they agreed to guests’ requests during the evening. The venue was a cocktail party, and the group provided ideal background music, which was conducive to dancing as well. We (and our guests) appreciated the conversation-friendly level of their performance.
To this day, we still receive compliments on the quality of the evening’s music.
We highly recommend the Jeff Stikley group and would not hesitate to hire them again.
Melissa C
5.0
9/05/2019
We us3d Stitely Strings for our ceremony music. They did a great job- professsional, reliable and talented!
Anna M
5.0
8/11/2019
Stitely Music was great at our wedding! They recommended a DJ they thought would best fit our needs and style (DJ Kyle) and were spot on! Kyle was very professional, and abided by all the 'please play' and 'do not play' lists, and was great at picking music for the cocktail hour and adding in songs that fit the situation! The one thing you want out of a DJ is to not have to worry, and with DJ Kyle and Stitely Music, that is what you get! Just tell them what you want and they will deliver! They did not even bat an eye when we asked for an extra 1/4" input and amp for a guitar hookup! We would highly recommend them to anyone who needs a high-quality and professional DJ for any event!
Sarah B
5.0
1/18/2019
DJ Kyle from Stitely Entertainment was fantastic! We had guests of all ages coming up to us saying how great the music was. There were people on the dance floor until the very last minute.
Rebecca S
4.0
1/02/2019
My husband and I couldn't have been MORE happy with our decision to use Stitely Entertainment for our wedding ceremony! We really wanted musicians who could provide a romantic and intimate setting during our wedding ceremony. Stitely delivered! The music was absolutely beautiful and everything ran smoothly. Stitely was extremely easy to communicate with leading up to the wedding. They made sure to answer all of our questions and they followed through on all of the details we wanted in regards to the music. They were able to play the songs we requested which made us so happy! Couldn't have been more pleased with Stitely and would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone who is getting married! Thank you Stitely!!!
Reese M
5.0
12/07/2018
We booked the Chicago Groove Collective 10 piece band sight unseen and couldn't have been happier with the results. If you're looking for a high energy band with a huge range these are your people. We wanted a mix of big band hits, top 40, and classic wedding music and they delivered. The dance floor was packed all night and our guests loved them.
They were so easy to work with and they have a very detailed profile you fill out with your music preferences, so there weren't any bad song surprises.
They learned a handful of new songs for our wedding and helped us execute a surprise flash mob for our guests. We went back and forth for quite some time on the timeline and they worked with us until we got it right.
Chicago Groove Collective's positive energy and killer beats made our wedding unforgettable!
Stanton M
5.0
11/02/2018
Stitely helped us create the perfect day, filled with diverse music that was special to our friends and family. From the string trio's classy take on modern pop tunes to the jazz combo's Latin hits for cocktail hour to the reception's monster 9-piece band, the music never stopped and the crowd was loving it at every step. Jeff has a true passion for performance and for creating a vibe, and him and the whole team were eager to collaborate with us. They took cues from us and also gave us a lot of perspective when it comes to planning the perfect party. We would definitely recommend!
Katy H
5.0
10/30/2018
YES YES YES! We booked our DJ Kyle M. through stitely and was the best decision we could have made! Not only did Kyle DJ our wedding, his 3 piece band played our cocktail hour (gave us the perfect mix of live music and DJ) We worked with Jeff and Emily at Stitley to get everything booked and couldn't have been an easier/more enjoyable process. Working with good vendors make the entire wedding experience so much easier and I couldn't recommend this team more!
Dave C
5.0
10/21/2018
Stitely Entertainment is without a doubt one of the finest organizations we had the pleasure of working with for our daughter's wedding. Jeff provided a beautiful string quartet for the ceremony, a pianist for the cocktail reception, a jazz ensemble for dinner music and an amazing 10 piece band for dancing until midnight. We cannot say enough wonderful things about all they did to make our daughter's wedding, the most perfect day ever. Thank you Jeff, and thank you to all of your incredible musicians. You are amazing!
Kyle C
5.0
10/16/2018
We are extremely happy with our decision to use Stitely Entertainment for our wedding. We used them for our ceremony (strong quartet), cocktail hour (solo piano), dinner (jazz quartet) and reception (10 piece band - Stitely Orchestra) and each and every event turned out perfect.
I don't think you will get better all around musicians than Stitely's group. The 10-piece band was absolutely awesome and we received so many compliments during and after the reception. We had a mix of motown, country and recent hits and all genres were great.
For dinner we really wanted to make sure the music was not too loud so that people could talk and Jeff made sure that happened for us.
The planning process is pretty easy in terms of picking the songs you like and dislike on their website. Emily was great to work with throughout the process.
I would definitely hire them again and would recommend for anyone looking for music for any part of their event.
Si and Shirley J
5.0
10/09/2018
The Stitely Orchestra has played at both of our daughters' weddings. In each case they kept the dance floor packed from start to finish and we received great feedback from our guests about the band. Jeff and Emily were attentive throughout the planning process. A deep song list, talented musicians and a flexible approach made for outstanding celebrations! Thank you!
Jeffrey M
5.0
8/27/2018
We couldn't have asked for a better band! We had an outdoor wedding and had some unforeseen circumstances arise. Jeff and his team were very agile and quick to adjust and made every moment as perfect as it could be. One of my favorite things about dealing with Stitely Entertainment was their attention to detail, with a schedule down to the minute, making sure every name was pronounced correctly, and most importantly making sure that the music was everything we wanted it to be. How'd they do this? Well, before we ever met with them to start planning, they had us go through a list of songs and mark them in one of three ways, Like, Love, Dislike. The theory here is that they can figure out what style of music to plan throughout the night based on your preferences. They were spot on! They even let me (the groom) perform on stage with them. I'm not anywhere near their talent, but the fact that they let me sing a song to my wife and play lead guitar on Sweet Home Chicago made my lifelong dream a reality. If you are lucky enough that Stitely Entertainment is available on your wedding day, book them immediately and look no further.
Deirdre T
4.0
8/20/2018
The band 312 Chicago played our July 21, 2018 wedding and overall we had a fantastic experience! Emily was communicative and checked in frequently during the entire planning process. We loved the energy of the band and that they kept people dancing all night! There were a couple of snafus that occurred pretty early on in the evening. First, the MC had the incorrect timeline when the bridal party was lining up to be announced so there was some confusion there. Next there was an issue with the father-daughter dance. I was sitting at the sweetheart table when I heard the band start playing the song. My husband had to go over to the band to stop the song from continuing and explain the issue. The MC then announced the father-daughter dance so my dad and I could get on the dance floor and started the song over. I was a little concerned at first with two issues early on like that, but the rest of the evening made up for it. The band played a great mix of music and our guests raved about how much fun they were!
Colleen B
5.0
7/26/2018
Band was incredible! Nicholas was a fanastic lead man and emcee for the evening. He got the dance floor groovin. Jeff and Emily were also super helpful on the administrative side. Emily actually put a schedule together for the reception and worked with our venue to make sure all the logistics were taken care of on her own initiative.
Derek M
5.0
7/15/2018
Jeff, Emily, DJ Chris, and their entire team really made our wedding. From the long distance planning to the day of details, they made the process painless and were always around to answer any questions that we had. The sound design for the band was flawless and they easily transitioned between multiple setups that we had throughout the venue. DJ Chris was lovely and the music fit out tastes perfectly. Overall, Stitely Entertainment delivers and makes what could be a very stressful day an absolute joy!
Pete D
5.0
1/15/2018
We had Jeff and his 9 piece band at our wedding. We Could not be happier with them! All 3 singers were excellent and the videos of them online do not do them justice. The musicianship of all the band members was excellent... I highly recommend having the horn section as well. We primarily had music from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s including Motown, Rockabilly, Sinatra and they nailed it. Emily, the coordinator for Stilely Entertainment, was awesome. Her communication and attention to detail was excellent and professional. Attention to detail is her strong suit.
Ashley W
4.0
11/12/2017
Kyle was an awesome DJ, he did a great job of playing the type of music we wanted! My only feedback is I wish he would have had more music available to play as he did not have a lot of the songs my guests requested.
Marissa J
5.0
11/12/2017
We loved the Stitely Orchestra! We had a great time dancing and they kept our guests on the dance floor. We received so many compliments from our guests on the songs, the energy of the band and the entire atmosphere of our party. They have a terrific base of songs from which to choose that was also very user friendly. We also enjoyed working with Jeff - he was very mellow and was happy to meet any special requests that we had. They were also incredibly professional about working to meet the rules of our museum venue.
We are so glad that we chose Stitely and highly recommend them!
Jenny C
5.0
9/23/2017
Stitely Orchestra is, in one word, PHENOMENAL!! My husband and I were married earlier this month and they blew us all away, keeping our dance floor full for three straight hours! Jeff Stitely, the band director, is everything you could possibly hope for in a Master of Ceremonies. He was incredibly accessible throughout the entire planning process, often responding to my emails by just picking up the phone and talking through my requests. Jeff made the entire planning process stress-free and his musical expertise is unmatched. The Stitely team made our wedding so uniquely personal -- from a string trio learning the "Game of Thrones" theme song for our ceremony, to Jeff actually spending time one-on-one with my anxious Dad to make sure the tempo for our daddy-daughter dance was just right. We cannot thank Jeff and his band enough for making our wedding day so spectacular. No questions here-- book Stitely Orchestra NOW!
Jonathan E
5.0
6/17/2017
We couldn't have picked a better band for our special day. Jeff worked with us in person to figure out what group worked best for our space and budget, and we went with a jazz duo of a keyboard and drums. Jeff (on drums too!) did an incredible job on the day of, playing great music to dance to. In addition, and just as importantly, Jeff did a perfect job MCing the recpetion, keeping the events moving on time and keeping the microphone out of the wrong hands. We cannot recommend Stitely Entertainment enough!!
Liz P
5.0
12/30/2016
Live music was something that really brought my husband and I together, so it was only right that we had live music at our wedding. After doing hours of research, we finally came across Stately Entertainment. The hardest decision we had to make was choosing between Chicago Groove Collective and the Stitely Orchestra. After obsessively watching their videos online over and over again, we chose CGC because they felt more like "our style". In short, they were AMAZING!!!! We chose an "east coast" style wedding, which allowed guests to dance for a bit BEFORE dinner, and the way that they were able to get EVERY guest out on the dance floor from the very beginning was a dream come true. There was absolutely nothing like being out on the dance floor surrounded by your closest friends and family--I was grinning from ear to ear as I took it all in. I could not believe how perfect the band sounded. From our bridal party walk out, to the first dance and father/mother dances, to the fact that our guests were on the dance floor the ENTIRE night, CGC was spot-on in their song choices and it was incredible how much they were able to take on so many different genres of music--and sound just like the original versions! However, there was one part of the night that I will never forget: for years I had dreamed of having a champagne parade at my wedding, done to the song "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast. I was a little bummed that this song was not on CGC's original list of song choices. However, when I requested that they learn this song and asked if they could do it during a champagne toast, they gave me an astounding YES! without hesitation. Then, when the song began and the waiters and waitresses exploded out of the kitchen with the champagne, I was in tears! It was PERFECT! Derrick's French accent in the song and the band's ability to pull this together was my absolute favorite part of the night.
In short, BOOK CHICAGO GROOVE! The music exceeded my expectations and contributed to the best night of our lives :)
Alex J
5.0
11/14/2016
Derrick and the band put on an incredible show!
Jenna V
5.0
10/27/2016
Jeff was amazing to work with and very patient while we made our song choices! Stitely Orchestra was amazing the whole night! From the jazz trio during cocktails to the dance band, everyone enjoyed the music throughout the reception. My husband especially enjoyed that they threw in a couple Phish songs for him and some of his friends. We really can't say enough good things about them. They will truly make your night spectacular!
Matthew H
5.0
10/26/2016
We literally have zero complaints about our experience with Stitley Entertainment. We got married over Labor weekend 2016 @ The Wit in downtown Chicago and hired the 'Chicago Groove Collective" from Stitley to do our wedding reception. They emcee-ed introductions and dinner without a hiccup and rocked the dance floor for 3 hours the remainder of the night. A few things to note that we especially loved about Stitley/Chicago Groove Collective:
- The availability and knowledge of Stitley's office manager (Peggy Latko). Unlike other vendors who seemed overly pushy to make a sale, she laid out pricing, the booking process, and their services and told us to give them a call once we had time to evaluate what we were looking for. # of band members and thus pricing, was also flexible, which is nice when ultimately trying to stay within a 'rough' budget/
- They allow you to pick songs and music genres online to better cater to your music tastes and how you want the night to flow (first and last songs, more classics than new pop, etc).
- They will learn 3 songs for your wedding. My wife and I are huge country fans, but knew that country isn't exactly the best music to dance to. That said, they sang an awesome rendition of Boot Scootin Boogie (Brooks and Dunn) and Die a Happy Man (Thomas Rhett).
- My wife's father and uncles happen to play in a classic rock band. While they don't play terribly frequently anymore, they still have it -- Without us knowing, my father-in-law was on the mic, while my uncle-in-laws were on the drums and the bass. They played an awesome rendition to "Mony-Mony" with Derrick and the rest of Chicago Groove Collective. Literally had everyone at the wedding on the dance floor.
We would highly recommend Stitley to anyone is looking for a down to earth, but very professional company!
Molly V
4.0
9/21/2016
Jeff and his team would amazing in helping to make our wedding day a true party. He worked with us to solve both our wishes: live music to enhance the cocktail and dinner hours as well as a DJ to ensure the dance floor was packed until the end of the evening. Amazing job, highly recommended.
Arthur (father of bride) E
5.0
8/26/2016
Jeff, I want to thank you for adding so much to our wedding. The band was absolutely superb. The energy and passion your band brought on top of how well all the musicians played kept anyone who could walk out on the dance floor. I would have loved your performance even without the added Dead songs you played, but that put you way over the top on my ratings. You were very responsive and attentive to what we asked of you in terms of the song selection. Every guest told us how great the band was which then made my wife and I look great for hiring you.
Thanks so much
Alicia A
5.0
8/12/2016
Stitely Orchestra was such a great pick for our wedding! They not only had everything that we were looking for to see us through the entire day and night, but were so easy to work with and sounded great to top it off! Our ceremony, reception, and after hours were all at the same venue, but we wanted the music to fit the mood for each. We had a two piece band for the ceremony, a pianist for the cocktail hour, an indie band for dinner, rock band for dancing, and finally a DJ for our after hours. They were able to accommodate us perfectly! Working with Peggy on all the details was a breeze, she was so on top of everything and answered all of our questions and even provided suggestions on timing for the day. We received so many complements on the band, and are so happy we went with Stitely!
Sean C
5.0
8/11/2016
We couldn't have asked for a better experience with the Stitely Entertainment and the Chicago Groove Collective for our wedding in May. Peggy was incredibly on top of the planning and made our lives easy during a bit of a stressful time! Derrick and the CGC did a great job! Our dance floor was full all night and they did a great job with the new songs we asked them to learn (and they knew even more songs than were on their list - even one that had come out about a week earlier). We got a ton of compliments and couldn't have picked a better band! Thanks!
Caitlin H
5.0
7/19/2016
We hired The Stitely Orchestra for our wedding a few weeks ago, and we could not be happier! Throughout the whole planning process, Jeff and his team were extremely fun to work with. They tailored the set list to our taste, and had the dance floor packed the entire night! We have received endless compliments from our guests saying "that was the best wedding band ever!"
Vendor response 07/19/2016
C & J,
It was a pleasure working with you both! That was a magnificent night, so much fun ...
and loved your taste in music. We wish you both the best and thanks for trusting us to help kick off your married life together! Cheers, Jeff
Aaron B
5.0
11/16/2015
Jeff Stitely and his band are fantastic musicians. What I would really like to speak to, though, is the superb customer service they provided from day one through the end of the event. Jeff drove across town to meet us for breakfast to discuss what we were looking for in a band. We had not yet signed with them and were interviewing bands. From that moment on, the service never dropped off. Peggy was in touch at the times she said she would be and was great about following up. When we had a question, both Peggy and Jeff were extremely responsive and got us everything we needed. Throughout the night of our wedding, Jeff took everything in stride and made the evening seamless. We would both 100% recommend Jeff and his team. In a city where customer service seemed to be lacking, Jeff, Peggy and the rest of the team were fantastic and exceeded all expectations.
Melanie K
5.0
11/03/2015
Stitely Entertainment was a pleasure to work with and we couldn't be happier with their performance. Prior to the wedding, they were professional, helpful, patient, available for all questions and made some great suggestions. We engaged with them a little bit later in the process than what is most likely normal, but they did not let that interfere with their professionalism and they still were thorough and particular in planning every detail for the night. The jazz trio we had during the cocktail hour was excellent and John Norman (DJ) was absolutely awesome during the reception! He kept our crowd dancing the entire night, limited announcements to those we requested and was very professional which we really appreciated. He also accommodated everyone's requests which was probably annoying but went a long way! He created the exact vibe we wanted during dinner (lounge-y) and then switched it over to more of a party atmosphere during the dancing - it was perfect!
We would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Stitely Entertainment to every bride and groom and also for this award and if we had to do it again, we would absolutely have them at our wedding. Can't thank them enough!
Knottie86832781
5.0
11/01/2015
We recently booked Stitely Entertainment for our wedding only a few weeks ago and they were fantastic.
We worked closely with Jeff to develop a customized set list for the cocktail hour, dinner and dancing.
With a smaller wedding of only 80ppl we were slightly concerned that our guests might not be dancing and that we would have an empty dance floor.
The dance floor was full all night. The range of music, caliber of singers and enthusiasm of the band made it such a special night for us.
Everyone raved about the band.
I would highly recommend Stitely Entertainment to anyone looking for a customized live band experience that will definitely get your wedding guests dancing all night.
Julie D
5.0
10/22/2015
My husband and I booked Stitley Orchastra for our wedding because of a recommendation from my parents. They had been to a wedding that Stitley played and reported: "Everyone was on the dance floor the entire night. They play current songs, motown, and oldies! You have to get this band!" We went to check them out at another wedding, watched about 2-3 songs and we were sold. Right from the start Jeff and his team give top notch sercive. You will feel like you have everything undercontrol with the music, they are willing to answer any question at pretty much anytime (a few days before the wedding I received an email from Jeff at 9:30pm!). At the wedding they were amazing! We have received so many compliments and people have asked for their info for other friends and family. My advice to any bride is BOOK THIS BAND! They will get all the guest on the dance floor and create a great party!
Kellie V
4.0
10/21/2015
We are not music experts by any means, and Jeff and his band took away any anxiety about music on the day. They learned our songs for the first dance and the mother-son/father-daughter dance (beautiful!), and played family friendly classics and pop hits that our guests loved! We weren't sure how dancing would go as not many people from our circle are big dancers, but they kept people on the dance floor and were super enthusiastic and professional. You won't be disappointed!
Melissa F
5.0
10/07/2015
Jeff and his team not only did my recent wedding, but my sister's six years ago. So obviously we love Stitely Entertainment. Not only did they keep EVERYONE on their feet for the entire night but the few song requests that I wanted them to learn, they learned them perfectly and blew everyone away. Best Band I could have ever wanted for our wedding! Thanks Jeff and Team!
Beth M
5.0
9/30/2015
We had a very low-key wedding ceremony -- no bridal party, just vows and a ring exchange -- so we debated about whether or not to hire a musician or to just have our DJ play something for the processional and recessional. Ultimately, we found a classical guitarist through Stitely Entertainment and we're so happy that we did! Peggy, our contact, was exceptionally friendly, professional, and helpful, and coordinated everything with such ease that it barely felt like we were doing any work. I had a specific piece in mind for the processional, which our guitarist quickly learned from sheet music that I provided. All of Stitely's musicians are extremely talented and can learn just about anything in advance.
I've had dozens of friends and relatives compliment his performance since the wedding, though due to a little "mishap" (i.e., our rings went missing just before the ceremony) I must confess to being too upset and distracted to truly appreciate it myself. Additionally, because our ceremony was delayed over thirty minutes, our poor guitarist had to entertain our guests with prelude music three times longer than he was supposed to! While I can't personally vouch for his extended performance (I was melting down in the hallway at the time), I've heard from numerous sources that he handled it like a pro and continued to play beautifully. To our guitarist: Thank you, thank you! We can't thank you enough!
I highly recommend Stitely if you're looking for a musician. We would absolutely use them again.
Knottie1437956326
5.0
8/18/2015
Could not have been more impressed with Jeff Stitely and the whole band. They were great to work with beforehand and we were really happy with their catalog of songs. They already knew our song and both father-daughter and mother-son songs we chose.
At the reception they really killed it. Everyone was dancing until the very end of the night and I've never seen such a balanced mix of older and younger guests sharing the dance floor and having an equally enjoyable time.
Cannot recommend enough.
Alison R
5.0
8/10/2015
My husband, my family, and I love live music. We had to have live music at our reception.
We went with Stitely Entertainment's Jazz Trio for the cocktail hour and dinner portion of the night.
I have to say, they really got the night started. They set the mood, played exceptionally well, and were exactly what we wanted.
They asked what type of music to play, and we gave them a genre. We were able to give them three songs that they would learn specifically for the event, which I thought was a nice touch.
They were professional and great to watch and listen to. All of our guests had nothing but compliments for the group.
I would 100% recommend Stitely Entertainment - specifically the Jazz Trio.
Knottie1438718944
5.0
8/04/2015
The Stitely Orchestra was amazing !!! Jeff and John made our wedding into an unforgettable concert that all ages could boogie to. We had friends and family members that normally avoid dancing but Stitely made it irresistible. The wide range of songs to choose from was impressive. The band brought the funk and really rocked the house jamming through the night. It was a non stop party. People are still complimenting They nailed the songs that they learned for us. My wife and I are already planning on the next event to have the band at. Perhaps my 40th birthday but I'm not sure I can wait that long. THESE GUYS CRUSHED IT !
thanks !!!
A L
5.0
6/01/2015
Thank you so much for the outstanding music! We had the Chicago Grove Collection at our wedding and it was the best decision for us. We knew right away that music was going to be our main focus for our wedding so we booked them over a year in advance. Derrick, the band leader, was easy to work with as well as Jeff and Peggy, especially towards the end when we would call/email them on almost a daily basis for questions and ideas. I recommend them to anyone who is serious about their music and dancing. Even our event coordinator was like "where did you find these guys?!" and she probably has heard countless wedding bands/DJs over the years.
Thank you again!
Karen J
5.0
10/29/2014
My husbands one wish was to have a band! We went with stitely after meeting with the owner, Jeff, and the lead singer of Chicago 312.
The music was great. Everyone was up and dancing which is exactly what we wanted!
Best band I have ever heard at a wedding in a long time!
Lexi S
5.0
10/24/2014
Look no further! Jeff Stitley and his crew are incredible! We worked closely with Katy Ramsey on the details leading up, and couldn’t have been happier with her prompt feedback and recommendations. Their wide array of music selection, from Guns n Roses to Sinatra satisfies all ages and tastes. All seats at our reception were empty, as everyone was on the dance floor the entire evening! We highly recommend Stitley Entertainment to any looking to throw the party of their lives.
Jessica E
5.0
9/03/2014
Vince our DJ was wonderful! Our music was Outstanding! He was extremely patient & answered ALL my 4982084302 emails & played exactly what I wanted to hear! My wedding day was PERFECT and Vince played a huge roll*Thank you! Also thanks to Katie's attentiveness and assistance on our wedding day timeline! Thanks Everyone!
Knottie74641726
5.0
8/25/2014
We hired the Stitely Orchestra for our July wedding at the Allegro Hotel the minute after we met with the owner Jeff Stitely. We immediately felt comfortable with him professionally and personally. Prior to our meeting we had listened to his music and watched the enthusiasm they created on the dancefloor. The energy created for our wedding was incredible and the dance floor was filled with all ages and couples until the last song at midnight! We have been receiving so many compliments ("best band they ever heard at a wedding") for the Stitely Orchestra. The quality of the singers were also amazing! Even Jeff's staff was genuinely excited and always organized and happy to answer any questions. This is definitely the Orchestra to select for your wedding! I wish I could give them 6 STARS!
sarah w
5.0
8/18/2014
Stitely was fantastic for our August 2014 wedding in Chicago. Katy and Jeff were incredibly responsive, helpful, patient, and not wedding-industry-crazy during the booking and music selection process. The band, the Stitely Orchestra, was amazing. The morning after our wedding, most guests were going on and on about how amazing the band was, from the best hora medley ever heard to the amazing Motown, R&B, and other great hits they played for our guests. All in all, they were fantastic and I couldn't recommend them more!
Jamie L
5.0
7/30/2014
My husband and I were lucky enough to book Stitely Entertainment for our wedding day music. From start to finish, Jeff Stitely and his team were attentive, easy going, and so much fun to work with. Stitely had caught our attention early on in our wedding vendor search, with rave reviews from both family friends and online cohorts.
During our first meeting with Jeff (which took place almost a year before our wedding day), he listened to our vision and helped us pick the perfect musical group for our downtown Chicago wedding venue. “Stitely Orchestra” provided us with a beautiful string quartet for our ceremony, a swingin’ jazz trio for our outdoor cocktail hour, and a bigger orchestra with some amazing vocalists for our ballroom reception.
For the ceremony music, I reached out to Jeff with unique songs that were special to my husband and I, and the string quartet played them beautifully as the bridal party made their way down the aisle. Our reception music consisted of a mixture of updated songs for our younger guests, and popular 60s and 70s jams for everyone to enjoy. Jeff made sure that the playlist had our own signature touches, and even had the orchestra play our College’s Fight Song during the garter toss!
The very best aspect of Stitely Orchestra is their ability to keep everyone out on the dance floor. They recognized which songs were hits and made sure to switch up their repertoire throughout the night to keep people on the dance floor. They also played an amazing Hora medley! Over a month later, our friends and family are still raving about Stitely Orchestra. The music was by far the greatest aspect of our wedding, as it brought everyone together in celebration on the dance floor from start to finish. Our guests did not want to leave, and begged for them to keep going!
A K
5.0
7/25/2014
I am so happy we used Stitely Entertainment for our wedding! We had a blast!!! Jeff, and everyone else at Stitely, was incredible to work with and were really able to capture every mood & feeling of our wedding through music!
They put together the most beautiful and romantic medley for the string trio to play for our ceremony, incredible ambient vocals during dinner, and DJ Vincent's music kept the dance floor packed and raging all night!!
We used Rory Sullivan as our dinner guitarist/vocals - he was so talented! I overheard someone say, that when they walked into the reception they thought we commissioned John Legend to perform at our wedding!
Our guests were having so much fun, we extended the event an extra 30 minutes. Even then, they chanted "one more song!" and didn't want the night to end!!
What more can you ask of your entertainment group than that!!!
Michael C
5.0
6/27/2014
Two weeks later we are still receiving compliments on the band (Chicago Groove Collective). We had a great experience working with the Stitely staff (Katy and Jeff among others), who were very flexible and accommodating. Do yourself a favor and meet Jeff in person if you have any reservations when booking your band.
Nichole B
5.0
10/27/2013
Everyone we worked with out Stitely Entertainment was wonderful. Jeff answered all of our questions and concerns. Sarah the event coordinator was wonderful. Both Sarah and Jeff were so patient and helpful with my husband and I. We had a DJ and Vince was our Dj and he was amazing. We had so many people comment on how wonderful our Dj was. We are incredible grateful for Stitely Entertainment. We enjoyed working with everyone greatly. I highly recommend Vince if you need a DJ for any event. He played every song we wanted to hear. He did a great job reading our guest and kept the dance floor packed all night. I even think people started yelling one more song after the last song. If your looking for a DJ I wouldn't look any further. We recommend Stitely entertainment to everyone we know. They were wonderful to work with and went out of their way to make our day perfect! We cannot thank everyone there enough.
Andi S
5.0
10/21/2013
Amazing! They are awesome to work with, incredibly responsive, easy going, no extra costs, just great. We loved every call we had with them. We provided some but not a ton of guidance and honestly coudln't have written a better playlist ourselves! They were awesome. Mixed in oldies, pop hits, ballads, the Hora, a polka, everything. Our crowd started dancing at 7 and never sat down. Seriously. At midnight when we were scheduled to end we ended up hiring one of the Stitely guys to DJ for an hour because people did not want to leave the floor. He was also awesome!
The musicians are incredible, professional quality. These guys are HONESTLY the best. We've been to 30 weddings in the past 3 years and I can say without hesitation that they were the best band of them all!
Kyle M
5.0
11/01/2012
We had a wonderful experience with Stitely and would recommend them to anyone, especially those who want music to be a big part of their wedding day. They will work with any budget to create a customized experience for your big day. Specific comments below:
Referral - We were referred to Stitely music by our venue, Cafe Brauer. Stitely Entertainment is a preferred/recommended vendor there.
Jeff Stitely, Owner- Jeff understands what it means to be a music lover and how important it is to making a wedding day unique and memorable. Jeff's sales pitch was anything but rehearsed. He was very caring and communicated a genuine interest in us and our wedding. He offered many suggestions at several different price points. We ended up using his suggestion of live musicians for ceremony/cocktails and DJ for the reception.
Carly Loonan, Event Planner- Carly was very friendly, helpful, organized and responsive. She replied to all emails within a day or two. She was very patient with us in tweaking our song list and timeline. She is very thorough, accurate and detail oriented.
Online DJ Planner Tool - Overall, it was a convenient tool to use, however, it is not reflective of the DJ's entire current catalogue, so we did have to supplement our selections via email.
DJ Vince - DJ Vince was a huge part of our wedding. Our guests loved him and he had the perfect personality for our group. We liked him from the first meeting, months before the wedding. We gave him a very long, varied list of musical selections and him put them in an order that made perfect sense, which was no small task. He kept the dance floor moving all night long. Both Vince and his assistant were so kind and personally wished us well. Their sentiment was very genuine-they were so gracious.
Ceremony - Live Duo of Dennis L. and Steve M. Dennis and Steve were AMAZING! Our only wish is that we had been able to preview the ceremony selections before the ceremony. We were so nervous about how they would turn out! Turns out our worrying was for nothing, the music was perfect. One very special moment was during our recessional song when all of the guests sang along to "All You Need is Love". Just beautiful!
Suggestions - Stitely should partner with an a capella group. There are very "hot" right now.
Nicole I
5.0
11/21/2011
Having a band that could play all genres of music was extremely important to us. Not only did Jeff and his staff plan the most amazing night for us, they had our guests dancing the entire night. Everybody was blown away by how good they were and so were we. We actually live in Milwaukee and after searching for ever we had them quote us on traveling and it was a very fair price and totally worth it. The band makes or breaks your wedding night, and they absolutely made everyone remember ours. On a side note Jeff also went to bat for us when we had a few hiccups throughout the night concerning our venue, something he did not have to do but just proved even more how professional and dedicated they were to making our night absolutely perfect. We even had them play an extra set at the end, no one wanted to stop dancing!
Jenni J
5.0
11/03/2011
We had the CGC Band of the Stitely Entertainment group play at our wedding and they ROCKED!!! EVERYONE has told us it was one of the best weddings ever mainly because of the band. And I can honestly say that I have never seen more empty tables during a ceremony because everyone was out on the dance floor all night!
Agata N
5.0
1/05/2011
We used Stitely Entertainment - 312 Chicago - at our September 2010 wedding and loved every bit of the experience! Jeff was helpful in every bit of our planning and worked through every detail with us! Our guests loved the band and they even tried to accommodate the Polish guests by playing a polka (completely on the spot - it was great!). Everyone commented on how wonderful they were and we were 100% satisfied with every bit. When the party wouldn't stop, they were flexible with extending for a bit longer and even let my husband participate in singing the last song of the night. I am so glad we used Stitely for our wedding and would recommend them to everyone!
Elizabeth M
5.0
11/26/2010
Stitely was great - our dance floor never stopped! I've never had so much fun at a wedding - they learned some of our favorite songs too which made the night even more special!
ethan b
5.0
11/22/2010
We were recently married at the River East Art Center with entertainment provided by Stitely Entertainment.
Many people say that a successful wedding is one where the dance floor is always filled.Thanks to Jeff, this was certainly the case at our event. His combination of orchestration and vocalists made for great music all evening long with many guests exclaiming "what a great band!!"
Jeff and his staff were always easily accessible by phone or email to answer questions about our selection of musical preferences. Closer to the date of the event, we met with Jeff to work out timing, toasts, final song selections and other last minute details.
We had an important request of Jeff and that was to line up an operatic tenor to perform at our ceremony. Jeff came through with flying colors selecting a tenor who received rave reviews from all.
Lastly we were surprised by an exceptionally warm October evening for our ceremony, and Jeff and his combo readily agreed to play for our guests on the outdoor patio during the cocktail reception. There, his jazz selections made for a wonderful pre-dinner event.
What a night it was!!
It is for these reasons that it is with great pleasure to be able to highly recommend Stitely Entertainment.
Melissa M
5.0
11/18/2010
One of my bridesmaids and best friends recommended Stitley to me. I listened to their music on their website and read reviews. Everything was positive, so we booked them. We could not have been more happy! Our guests kept saying Stitley was the best band they had ever heard at a wedding. We were beyond pleased as we danced the night away.
Karen M
5.0
11/16/2010
I am so happy we found Stitely Ent. for my daughter's wedding! The music was VERY important to them - they are big dancers.
Stitely did the cocktail hour (very cool) the dinner music (great non-intruding background) and the dancing. It was all wonderful.
The band was excellent, the vocals amazing. Jeff was very helpful but not overbearing. He has a great feel for the room and played music which got everyone up and kept us dancing, while absolutely honoring their 'please play' and 'do not play' lists. They also learned a couple songs which were important to the bride and groom.
As the mother of the bride, It was great fun to see everyone, young and not-so-young have a fabulous time -- a surprising number of the not-so-youngs stayed until the very end -- and so many of the comments after the wedding included "great band".
I really don't remember how we found Stitely Entertainment but I am so glad we did! I would highly recommend them.
Kate B
5.0
11/14/2010
I heard about Stitely through a trusted friend who runs a wedding planning business (Dettagli Weddings, best coordinator in Chicago!) and I really couldn't have been happier with them. My husband and I met with Jeff Stitely in person and he spent time with us to understand the style and tone we wanted to create for our ceremony. After much deliberating, we ended up with two guitarists (one classical, one acoustic) and a bassist to round out the sound. Jeff and his team worked closely with us to select the setlist and the musicians were willing to learn several new tunes at no added cost.
On the day of the wedding, I listened to them play as guests gathered in my parents backyard garden from a balcony upstairs and it was the perfect way to start the day. They created exactly the vibe I had hoped for and I was thrilled to be able to listen and appreciate it before the ceremony started. I walked down the aisle to Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen, instrumental only) and it was absolutely perfect!
They also helped us set up our speaker system and provided the equipment (microphone, speakers, etc.). Our officiant had a bit of a rough start with the microphone, but the tech was quick to resolve the sound and we didn't mind the minor hickup.
If it would've fit our budget, we wouldn't hired Stitely for our cocktail hour and reception too. Without hesitation I would recommend Stitely for any occasion and I can guarantee you will not regret it.
Tarryl S
5.0
11/13/2010
We used Stitely Entertainment for all our musical needs at my daughter and son-in-law's wedding at The Rookery last May. We were very satisfied with the music at the ceremony, the cocktail hour and especially at the reception. Jeff's suggestions for how to treat each of these needs was right on the mark. At the reception,the band was able to balance the need to keep the older generation on the floor as well as pleasing the bride, groom and all their friends. The room rocked for several hours. Our request for a long hora was more than honored. EVERYONE was on the dance floor. I would use this band again.
Jillian D
5.0
11/12/2010
My husband and I wanted to make sure we had amazing music at our wedding! As an event planner, I have worked with Stitely Entertainment's -Chicago Groove Collective several times at my client's events and have ALWAYS loved them. So there was no question that I wanted them to be our band for our big day!
We worked closely with the band leader Matt on all of the music selections for the special dances, the timeline and the overall mood of the evening. Matt gave us great feedback and when I asked if they could learn our first dance song, he told us that it was no problem at all. They performed it like they had been doing the song forever!
During the entire reception, guests were coming up to us and telling us how incredible the band was and how much fun there were having. I don't think there was a single time that the dance floor wasn't packed to the edges with guests dancing.
Chicago Groove Collective has such an amazing range of songs that they can do. Any era, any style, any ethnicity, all done incredibly well and with such energy and passion. You can tell these musicians absolutely love what they do and are dedicated to the art and to their clients. They also have such a gift of being able to read their crowd and know what song to do next.
I will continue to recommend Stitely Entertainment and the Chicago Groove Collective for as long as I can since Stitely Entertainment is one of the most professional and incredibly talented groups I have worked with and know.
Every bride and wedding planner should listen to them and talk to them and realize that this group will make their day so incredible and unforgettable. They are worth every single penny you spend with them and then some. Please give them a call or visit their website to check out their music. Just amazing!!
Jessica S
5.0
6/29/2010
Stitely Entertainment provided my husband and I with a wonderful DJ who was polite, professional and extremely talented.
Yolanda J
5.0
5/10/2010
Stitely did an amazing job pleasing everyone- from my older relatives, our friends, etc. Everyone was dancing!! Matt (our band leader) made a special effort to track down & learn the music for the Polish unveiling of the bride which was much appreciated. I can't imagine any better music for the evening- it was just perfect.
Vanessa L
5.0
5/10/2010
They were fabulous.
sarah w
5.0
5/10/2010
Live music really makes the evening more special and in my mind makes the event more classy. They played what we wanted.;My mom thought they were too loud.
Amy J
4.0
12/05/2008
Easy to work with and talented musicians.;Took awhile to warm up the crowd.
Stephanie S
5.0
9/09/2007
the band was awesome and more than what we anticipated they would be. their energy was great and the vocalists were unbelievable! would do it all over again if i had the chance! Thank you!
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616 Florence Ave., Evanston, IL
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