Thompson/McDougal wedding at The Sutherland on July 12th, 2014

Elizabeth and Matthew chose the over 200 year old Sutherland Estates for the location of their cocktail hour and reception in the newly built open air pavilion for their 135 guests.  I was excited to play there for the first time in the new pavilion and with Ashlee Adams, Donna & Krystal from The Sutherland! 

The wedding party arrived towards the end of the cocktail hour.  Elizabeth and Matthew were done with picture by Lauran Mann and video by Twenty One Films shortly, and guests started making their way into the pavilion for dinner and dancing with floral arrangements by Brides & Bouquets.  I introduced the wedding party into the pavilion to “Best Day Of My Life” (My theme song…) and the wedding party lined the dance floor for Elizabeth and Matthew’s first dance to “You’re My Best Friend” by Queen.  Elizabeth then danced with her father to “My Girl” and Matthew escorted his mother to the floor to dance to “How Sweet It Is” by James Taylor.  Elizabeth’s father thanked everyone for coming and Matt Howell blessed the meal.  The food stations opened and I had a mix of country, beach and soft rock playing.

After dinner, we had the Ashley’s Cake cutting and the toasts.  I opened the floor and invited Elizabeth’s Kappa Delta sisters to the floor for “Carolina Girls” and some beach music and Motown that filled the floor even though it was a little warm out.  Shortly I went into some current dance music that brought out Matthew’s groomsmen out to the floor to join them.

We paused briefly for the bouquet toss to “Single Ladies” and garter toss to Aloe Blacc’s hit “The Man”.  I opened the floor again with the country line dance “Copperhead Road” while Elizabeth changed into her “dancin’ dress”. Ha ha..

The night ended with a full dance floor to “Don’t Stop Believin’” and then the last dance song “We Are Family” that had everyone there on the floor in a huge circle.  The guests then made their way to the front for a sparkler exit after signing the balloon thumb print picture and hitting the chocolate bar.  What a fun night and a beautiful pavilion.  Elizabeth and Matthew could not have been any nicer and perfect for each other!