A hot late August day in Santa Fe was tempered by a perfect afternoon shower, creating a warm and pleasant feeling in the air. With the last raindrop, it was time for me to start creating an inviting musical atmosphere.
For the wedding of this wonderful couple, Shelby and Josh, they curated their experience by selecting 45 songs from my large catalog of music.
For every couple, I deliver a beautiful performance that also represents who they are and what they like. Simple or detailed, I make it easy for couples, and deliver a first class experience to each wedding.
For Shelby and Josh? They seem to see music as a perfect way to complement life's moments - the way music fits into movies, in their down-to-earth way.
With the convenience of YouTube, Shelby and Josh immersed themselves in my musical repertoire, gaining familiarity with my offerings and crafting creative ideas on how to enhance their pre-ceremony, ceremony, and cocktail hour. Later in the planning stages, we sat down for coffee so I could help them finalize the playlists for each part of their day.
To set the tone for the pre-ceremony ambience, they curated a mood by using a blend of timeless and contemporary romantic songs. Etta James, Taylor Swift, Eric Clapton, Bach, Louis Armstrong, Randy Travis, Hozier, and more. Love songs from different eras, gentle and mostly simple arrangements, and different tempos to give an entertaining experience to their guests. (Live pre-ceremony music is a great way to show love for your guests.)
With the a casual romantic mood set by the pre-ceremony music, the ceremony began with Josh's entrance. By request, I got to learn and perform this beautiful melody from Lord of the Rings. "Concerning Hobbits" for solo cello.
For the remaining ceremony entrances, they chose from the most classic and elegant songs in my repertoire: Beauty and the Beast, Hallelujah, and Can You Feel the Love Tonight. These created a sense of reverence for their loved ones' entrances, with beautiful sounds that are easy to listen to and absorb.
As you can see, the spotlight belonged to everyone but me, as it should!
Shelby chose the timeless Can't Help Falling in Love for her entrance.
After their heartfelt but fun ceremony, they had what I call a double Recessional song. (One could also call it a medley.) I played part of Here Comes the Sun to set a calm tone for the wedding party's exit, then kicked it up a notch with Ain't No Mountain High Enough to begin Shelby and Josh's exit.
I continued into cocktail hour with a very eclectic mix of songs. The performance was entertaining, engaging, and as always, beautiful with the live cello being the main focus.
Cocktail hours are where the fun really begins. Guests are getting reacquainted, or just meeting. My music brings people together, and brings joy to faces and helps breaks the ice.
But the coolest part of this performance was that Shelby and Josh had a suite above the reception space. They enjoyed appetizers with a live cello playlist they created!
When they came back downstairs to the reception - they let me know how much they loved all of the songs. They were ecstatic, and it felt great to get this feedback. This is why I love performing at weddings - there's so much meaning in the day and I'm here to make memories that will last you a lifetime.
Cheers to Shelby and Josh - you are so loved by so many, and it was a joy and honor to be part of your wedding day experience!
If you'd like to explore all of my recordings as Shelby and Josh did, simply click here!
When we work together, I'll provide many tried-and-true suggestions for each part of your day.
Photos courtesy of DBK Photography
Planning by Just Lovely Weddings