Fox/Bobbio wedding at Summerfield Farms

Sarah and Giancarlo chose the country chic feel of The Barn at Summerfield Farms in the Greensboro area for their weedding on a perfect 70 degree October 4^th day that Sarah has been planning since she was 12.  I was thrilled to play for Sarah and see 2 of my past brides, Leigh and Angelique, and Angelique’s parents at the wedding!  I was also excited to work with planner Melissa Lewkowicz with Relish Design Company, Twenty-One Films and photographer Griffin Davis! Their ceremony was held in the barn and I had a mix of 60’s and 70’s folk rock playing as guests arrived.  The ceremony was ready to start both in English and Spanish and I provided mic’s for both ministers and well as for a singer & 4 readers later in the service.  The grandparents and parents entered to an instrumental of the Christian song “Joyful, Joyful”, the wedding party to an instrumental of “Awake My Soul” and Sarah to an instrumental of The Rollins Stones’ “Wild Horses”.  After a wonderful ceremony, they exited to Edward Sharpe’s “Home”.  Guests made their way to the side porch for cocktails and I played a mix of soft rock, country and some Latin for Giancarlo’s Peruvian family.  Some guests even went on a hayride around the property while the wedding party had pic’s taken.

The pics were done and it was time to introduce the wedding party to “You Are The Best Thing” and Sarah and Giancarlo had their first dance to Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love”.  Sarah’s father welcomed everyone and one of her ministers, Mark, blessed the family style meal held in an adjoining tent.  I continued a soft rock and country mix during dinner and added some indie rock.  After dinner, guests made their way back to the barn for the remained of the reception.

We had 4 toasts and then the cake cutting to “How Sweet It Is” that opened the dessert bar.  Sarah had a surprise for her father when he joined her on the floor for their dance.  “Sweet Child Of Mine” by Guns N Roses!  He got a huge grin on his face and everyone started clapping to the beat.  They danced and he sang it to her.  So great!!  Giancarlo then escorted his mother to the floor and they danced to Carole King’s “Child Of Mine”.  I opened the floor with some Motown and salsa that had both sides of the family dancing together.  I always love to see how music brings everyone together at a wedding!   After a couple of hours dancing to Latin music and top 40 as well as guests visiting the bonfire outside and snacking on 3 different flavor’s of popcorn, it was time for their last dances to a kick line to “New York, New York and then Beyonce’s XO and a sparkler exit.  What a fun reception !!

Kristi & Mark’s wedding at The Merrimon-Wynne House in Raleigh, NC

Kristi & Mark chose the beautiful downtown Raleigh Merrimon-Wynne house for their cocktail hour and reception on Friday, September 26^th, 2014.  It was my first time playing there although I have several more coming up, and I am thrilled!  The cocktail hour was held inside and I had a mix of standards playing as guests checked out the house and had drinks and hors d’oeuvres on the rocking chair porch and inside.

Kristi, Mark and their wedding party arrived and guests started making their way outside to the open air tent for diner and the reception with help from Kaila from the Merrimon-Wynne house and her team.  The weather was perfect for the outdoor reception with 70 degrees.  There were 3 huge chandeliers hanging in the tent and the tables had floral arrangements by Simply Elegant.  I had music playing in the tent and went inside the house to line the wedding party up for their intro’s. They entered the tent from the house to Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be An Everlasting Love” and Kristi and Mark came right in and into their first dance to Nat King Cole’s “That Sunday, That Summer”. Kristi’s father joined her for their dance to “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac and Mark danced with his mother to “You’ll Be In My Heart” by Phil Collins.  Kristi’s parents welcomed everyone and pastor Aaron Miller blessed the meal.  The Donovan’s Dish catered buffet opened and I continued a standards music mix.

After dinner and a few toasts we had the Cupcake Shoppe cake cutting to “How Sweet It Is” and I opened the floor with some Motown that filled the floor instantly.  We stopped briefly for the bouquet toss to “Single Ladies” and garter toss to “You Sexy Thing” and back to dancing to some current top 40 and some 90’s.  The night ended too soon (I was having a blast playing for this group!) and Kristi and Mark had a sparkler exit from the front of the house. 

What a fun night and I was thrilled to be playing for this sweet couple and their wonderful friends and family.  I can’t wait to see the pics from Stuart Jones !

Dougherty/McLaren wedding at The Angus Barn

Arlie and Chris chose the open air Angus Barn Pavilion in Raleigh for their wedding reception on a gorgeous 75 degree day on Saturday, September 27^th, 2014.  They wanted to get some pictures around the pavilion by Lauren Mann (one of my favorites!) after the ceremony, so they had guests stop by the Angus Barn Wild Turkey Lounge for a pre-reception gathering. As pictures were winding up, guests started arriving to the pavilion and I had a mix of country and soft rock playing.  They enjoyed hors d’oeuvres, drinks, celery and that cheese!!!  After a short time the wedding party was ready to get things going and I invited guests to find their tables with help from The Angus Barn’s Kelly Joslin.

The wedding party danced into the room to “Let’s Get It Started” and Arlie & Chris had a huge roar from the crowd s they entered to Usher’s “Yeah”.  They danced for a short time, then into their second dance as husband and wife to “God Gave Me You” by Blake Shelton.  Arlie’s father joined her on the floor to dance to “I Loved Her First” and Chris and his mother danced to “The Man You’ve Become” by Molly Pasutti.  They took their seats and groomsman Andy Hylton blessed the meal.  The buffet opened with fried chicken, pulled pork, mac & cheese, potato salad…It was all delicious! I continued a soft rock and country music mix during dinner.

After dinner we had a couple toasts and the Sweet Memories cake cutting to “My Best Friend” from Tim McGraw and I opened the floor with “My Girl” that brought the wedding party and Arlie & Chris to the floor.  After a few songs, guests started joining them on the floor and dancing for the next 3 hours, stopping shortly for a bouquet toss to “Single ladies” and garter toss to “Push It”. LOL.

There were a lot of memorable things about this wedding that I loved!  We honored all the active and retired servicemen and women during dinner and I asked them to stand while I played Toby Keith’s “American Soldier”, One of their older guests was doing wheelies on the dance floor in a wheel chair, a huge sing along to “Paradise By Dashboard Lights” with women on 1 side of the floor and Men on the other singing it to each other, Chris brought me a delicious S’more he made on the bonfire and huge sing a long circle to “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Livin On A Prayer” with guests holding candles from the tables as they sang them at the top of their lungs.

Their last song of the night was “I Don’t Want This Night To End” by Luke Bryan and everyone made a huge circle around Arlie & Chris who were dancing in the middle and they made a sparkler exit. Thank you so much for a fantastic night Arlie & Chris and I wish you both the absolute best!

All photo's courtesy of Lauren Mann Photography

West/Sparks wedding at Rose Hill in Nashville, NC

After 10 years of dating, Alyson and Joseph chose the beautiful Rose Hill Plantation on September 21^st, 2014 for their ceremony, cocktail hour and reception.  I always love playing there! The ceremony was held in the back out the house at a gazebo on a pond with ducks and swans swimming in the background.  As guests arrived, I had light classical music playing.  Alyson was ready and the processional started.  For the processional, a long time friend of Alyson’s mom’s, Allison Sikes sang to an instrumental of “Marry Me” by Train.  It was so special and a great addition!  She also sang Shania Twain’s “From This Moment” during the ceremony after the exchanging of the rings.  For the recessional, Alyson chose “I Do” by Holley Maher and guests made their way to the back patio of the Nathan Hall for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while I had a mix of soft rock and country playing.

After the cocktail hour, guests made their way into Nathan Hall for dining and dancing. There were beautiful floral arrangements by Fresh Affairs on the middle of every table and over the fireplace. I introduced the wedding party to “Happy” and each couple danced into the room and made their way to the fireplace at the far end of the room.  Alyson and Joseph made their way across the room and to the dance floor for their first dance to “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes.  Alyson then danced with her father to “I Loved Her First” (which was a surprise to her) and Joseph danced with his mother to “My Wish”.  I hope photographers Brian and Jo Rierson got some great pictures of Alyson’s fantastic sparkly silver shoes!  Alyson’s father welcomed everyone for coming and Joseph’s father blessed the meal.  The buffet opened and I continued a country and soft rock mix.

 

After dinner we had a few toasts and the Ashley’s cake cutting to “How Sweet It Is” by James Taylor.  I opened the floor with a dollar dance to “That’s What Friends Are For/You’ve Got A Fiend” and Alyson doubled what Joseph made. Ha ha..  I then opened the floor and guests danced to beach music, some line dances and 80’s until the bouquet toss to “Single Ladies” and garter toss to ZZ Top’s “Legs”.  Back to dancing until their last song, “I’ve Had The Time Of My Life” from Dirty Dancing and a sparkler exit.

Emily & Timothy wedding at The Cotton Room in Durham

I never met Emily and Timothy until the day of the reception at The Cotton Room in Durham on September 20^th, 2014, but followed Emily on Facebook and knew she was a very excited bride!  She was in great hands with Katie Dunn from La Fete as her wedding planner, Robert Pettus from RDP3 as videographer & photographers Brett & Jessica Donar.  Their ceremony was at The UNC Coker Arboretum.  Guests came to The Cotton Room directly after and were treated to an Ipod mix Timothy had made of Motown and rock with a lot of Mayer Hawthorne (one of my favorites).  Emily and Timothy joined for the last ½ of the cocktail hour and guests started making their way to their tables. 

I introduced Emily and Timothy to a loop of the beginning of Otis Redding’s “That’s How Strong My Love Is” and they made their way to the dance  They took their seats after and Emily’s parents welcomed everyone and said the blessing.  The family style dinner came out and I started a mix of standards and Motown.  Towards the end of dinner, we had 4 toasts and the Sugarland cake cutting to Al Green’s “Love & Happiness”.

floor to have their first dance to the song.

Emily joined her father on the floor for their dance.  I started with 30 seconds of “Rhapsody In Blue” because it is United Airline’s theme song and the Families official airlines, then mixed into Bill Wither’s “Lovely Day”.  What a great and unique dance for them!  Timothy then joined his mother on the floor and danced to “High Tide & Low Tide” by Bob Marley for a minute, then I invited everyone to join them, which they all did!  I opened the floor to everyone with “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and it stayed filled for the next 2 hours.  I kept them dancing with some oldies, lots of 2000’s R&B and Hip-Hop and some current dance music.  I even got to play Robyn!

We stopped briefly for a group picture with all the UNC alumni with James “Laid” playing in the background and everyone singing along.  I LOVE that song!  The night ended with UNC’s theme “Jump Around” and then into “Gimme Some Lovin’”, but the guests weren’t ready to leave yet.  I played “Good Lovin” by The Rascals and “Shout” to end the night and send home.  Guests grabbed popcorn and water as they left.  What a fun reception and a great couple!!!  I had a blast!