Collins/Pierce wedding at The Cotton Room

I never met Amanda and Ben until just before their ceremony and reception at Durham’s Cotton Room on September 6^th, 2014.  We had Skyped a couple times, but I knew they were going to be a blast to play for and very nice!  This is the first Bride and Groom that gave me a pair of cufflinks to wear at their wedding (classic Nintendo controllers!).  What a thoughtful gift for me.  All I knew going in was that they loved Springsteen..and having fun.

I provided music and mic’s for their ceremony on the right side of the room with the dinner area hidden by white linens.  As guests arrived, I had a mix of light classical playing.  The ceremony started and the parents entered to John Tesh’s cover of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight”, the wedding party to a string version of “Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring” and Amanda entered with her father to “Canon In D”.  After a short ceremony by Terry- Michael Newell and a few readings, Amanda and Ben recessed to “Anywhere With You’ by country singer Jake Owen.  Guests made their way to the front of the room for cocktails and the wedding party had pics taken by Casey from Urban South and video by Michelle from Post Script Productions as I had a mix of soft rock, country and lots of Springsteen playing.

The white linens opened and guests made their way to their tables with floral arrangements by Tre Bella.  The wedding party danced into the room to “Gonna Make You Sweat” and Ben and Amanda to “Anywhere With You” again.  They went right to the head table and Amanda’s father welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming.  The salad’s came out and it was time for the toasts rounded out with a wonderful heartfelt toast by Ben’s father.  The plated dinner came out and I had a mix of soft rock and country playing.

After dinner, Amanda and Ben went around to tables until it was time for their first dance.  They made their way to the floor, guests took their seats and enjoyed their first dance to Clarence Clemons sax solo from “Jungleland” by Bruce.  Amanda then danced with her father to “ Things We’ve Handed Down” by Marc Cohn and Ben and his mother danced to Brother IZ’s “What A Wonderful World”.  I opened the floor with Motown and it filled with young and old.

After some dancing, we paused briefly for the Daisy Cakes cutting to “Waiting On A Sunny Day” by Springsteen and back to dancing to some line dances, some latin music and current top 40/hip-hop.  The night ended with “Piano Man” and “Sweet Caroline” that had everyone in a huge circle singing and, of course, 2 Springsteen songs.  “Born To Run” turned into an air guitar contest between Ben, his father and Amanda’s father and their last dance to Bruce’s “When You Need Me”.  They had a sparkler exit from the ground floor.  What a fun reception and wonderful couple!  Thank you Amanda and Ben and congratulations!