wedding 2019 | SOUNDS LIKE JOY

SOUNDS LIKE JOY

by Anne Pyburn Craig

date posted: March 15, 2019

Nothing moves the heart to love, rejoice, and reflect like music. Set your wedding to a score that will tell your story, lift your spirits even higher, and capture the right mood.

Possibilities:

• Soloist: A vocalist, piano, violin, or harp can provide sweet background melody while guests arrive, or a unique processional to start the ceremony.

• Live band: Experienced wedding bands bring energy to your dance floor like nothing else.

• Chamber ensemble: Adds a refined touch to your ceremony and a wonderful background for cocktails and dinner.

• Jazz ensemble: So many styles! Look for a trio or quartet that speaks to your souls. As with chamber music, adds delicious flair to your cocktail and dinner hour.

• DJ: Less expensive than a live band, the DJ is a practiced wedding MC at the mic and spins a crowd-pleasing assortment of songs.

Interludes:

• Arrival: Live or recorded music sets the scene while guests greet each other and settle in.

• Ceremony: There’s the drama of the procession down the aisle and the triumph of the walk back up, and perhaps a meaningful song in between.

• Cocktails and dinner: Turn the volume down here; conversation is a music all its own.

• After dinner: Two words—let’s dance! (Although you still want guests to be able to hear one another, of course.)

Tips:

• Search for musicians and DJ’s online (and here). You’ll likely be able to hear samples and see gig photos even before you reach out. Start early. Have fun with it.

• Vet that playlist. You want favorites on there, but avoid anything offensive. Don’t be afraid of non-traditional choices. Death metal and grandma may not mix, but she might just love some of those old metal classics.

• Clarify exactly how many hours of music you’re getting, what the musician or DJ is providing (speakers and a sound system?), and what they’ll need, including whether you’ll need to feed them.

• Keep them in the loop. Make sure you’re clear on the details and timing of the ceremony, reception, conditions at the venue, and key moments like special dances.

copperpiper llc

Mid-Hudson Valley, 845-389-9532, Copperpiper@aol.com

Make your special day a regal event with some bagpipe playing by Copperpiper LLC! A high-quality bagpipe performance is a timeless gift to be enjoyed by everyone attending your wedding and is a surefire way to make your special day extra memorable. Testimonials available upon request. Email copperpiper@aol.com for details.

dj bri swatek

Wappingers Falls, 845-235-0080, djbriswatek.com

Share your unique style with your friends and family on your wedding day! DJ Bri Swatek will work with you to plan a wedding to remember. Listening to you before your wedding and reading the crowd during your event, DJ Bri will make sure that your guests are up, dancing, and having fun to all the music you love (and none that you don’t). Ready to celebrate?

get down upstate

Kingston, getdownupstate.com

Get Down Upstate delivers inter-generational inclusivity, mindful professionalism, and lovingly curated sets. Improvisation is our strong suit, bringing you and your guests the expertise it takes to mix genres, eras, and BPMs on the fly to keep the dance floor bumpin’ all night. From the Motown sound to A Tribe Called Quest, from Bowie to Beyoncé, and all of the pop/disco/Afrobeat/dancehall in between, we’ve got you covered.

nick gianni

Hudson Valley/NYC, facebook.com/nick.gianni.5

Sophisticated and professional music for your wedding ceremony or cocktail hour. Choose from a Jazz duo or trio, solo saxophone, solo piano, flute, strings, etc. to fit any live music style. Nick Gianni is a multi-instrumentalist raised on a steady diet of music. His grandfather made sure Nick had learned the basics of piano, violin, and clarinet at an early age. With a vast skillset, he’s is sure to make the music of your event both unique and memorable.

jtd productions

Hudson Valley, 845-853-8912, jtdproductions.com

JTD Productions is a boutique DJ and entertainment company, owned and operated by Dave Leonard. Our carefully selected DJs and live musicians are available to provide music for your party, event, ceremony, or wedding reception. Our experienced and devoted staff will help you plan and execute your wedding or event with passion and know-how. We have been providing professional DJs and talented live musicians for elegant country weddings for over 25 years.

soul purpose

Hudson Valley, 914-489-8391, soulpurposehudsonvalley.com

Voted the “Best Local Band” by Hudson Valley Magazine, Soul Purpose is a seven-piece band that serves up a tasty blend of R&B, Smooth Soul, Swing, Jump Blues, Motown, New Orleans Funk, and Jazz music. The Huguenot Herald writes, “Soul Purpose is a smokin’ band whose joyous renditions of R&B, Soul and Swing gathers the boisterous energy of a dancing crowd and channels it into a melodic explosion.” Soul Purpose is guaranteed to get your guests—young and old—out on the dance floor!