Bell Wedding

On June 14th, 2014, Daniel and Kirsten Bell tied the knot, and we were fortunate enough to be part of their beautiful day! Daniel and Kirsten got married on a bright and sunny summer day at Traveller's Rest Plantation in Nashville. The venue was a perfect fit for a charming Southern wedding, with a serene outdoor area that set the stage perfectly for the ceremony and cocktail hour.

The Golden Band accompanied the beautiful bride as she walked down the aisle with classical guitar and violin pieces, and later provided instrumental bluegrass music for the cocktail hour. The trio of acoustic guitar, fiddle and upright bass was a great fit for this venue and the Southern summer vibe that Daniel and Kirsten had created.

We also had a lot of fun accompanying Kirsten's Uncle Joe while he sang his own version of "Hallelujah". He altered the lyrics to make them more personal to Kirsten and Daniel, which was a really special and unique touch to the ceremony! Joe fit right in with our very own Zander Wyatt and Alec Newman!

A beautiful bride, a beautiful venue, and a beautiful day-- the Bell wedding was absolutely exquisite and extremely charming. We were honored to have been part of their special day! Congratulations Kirsten and Daniel!!

5 Things to Consider When Booking Your Wedding Entertainment

1. Your Space

Considering the venue and how much space you have is very important when choosing your wedding entertainment. Not only do you want to make sure the space can FIT a ten-piece band versus a three-piece band or DJ, you also want to be sure that you choose the right SOUND for your space! If you are getting married in an outdoor venue and are looking to create a light summery vibe, booking a large dance band for that space might not help you create the environment you are looking for. Likewise, if you are getting married in a large venue with a big dance floor and you want dancing to be the main focus of your reception, booking a small bluegrass band for the reception probably won't get the crowd moving quite as much as a dance band or DJ would. Considering the role that the music will play in the space you have chosen will be very important in helping you find the best musical entertainment for your event.

2. Your Budget

When planning your wedding, it is very important to set aside a music budget from the very beginning. Keep in mind that live music is generally more expensive than a DJ. An average range for live wedding music in the Nashville area falls between $2,000 and $5,000. It is important to keep in mind that many wedding bands charge by the hour and charge more or less depending on how large your band is. If you can fit it into your budget, live music is much more personal and really brings a lot to the table- it brings a completely different energy to your event. Professional musicians can make a huge difference, as well- at the end of the day, you will be very glad that you hired professionals instead of your second-cousin who plays guitar every once in a while! Bad music can be very distracting, and can very much take away from your event rather than add to it. Setting aside enough money to allow you to hire the band that really fits your event perfectly is a very significant step in the wedding planning process.

3. Your Guests

Appealing to your guests is something to consider when choosing your wedding music. If possible, booking a band that plays a little bit of everything is beneficial, because it will ensure that everyone will find a song they like, from your 5-year-old niece to your great-grandmother. Bands that can play everything from oldies to Top 40 songs that are currently on the radio can be very appealing- mixing it up is always fun for everybody!

4. Yourself

At the end of the day, you are the one getting married. So above all else, make sure your wedding entertainment is something that you love! Your wedding entertainment will provide the backdrop for your most special moments, and therefore, it is a very important element of your wedding planning. Find a company that plays the songs you love and that sounds great to you! Personalizing your wedding music to really reflect the personalities of you and your future spouse is the most important part of all.

CJ's Off The Square

A Charming and Intimate Wedding Venue

This past Tuesday night, Dan and I spent our evening at CJ's Off The Square. We had such a good time that we needed to share it with you! We were honored to be guests at "A Very Marry Occasion", CJ's Off the Square's first ever bridal event.

CJ's Off the Square is a beautiful and intimate wedding and special event venue located in the heart of historic downtown Franklin. Dan and I gave ourselves a little tour, and we absolutely loved everything about this venue.

Feels Like Home

The building is a charming three-story house with a breathtaking backyard-- the perfect place to host a Southern wedding. There are several open rooms on the ground floor and they are all interconnected, which allows you to designate different spaces for specific activities or a variety of different stations for a catering set-up. The backyard hosts a lovely patio with a serene garden behind it. So many beautiful backdrops for wedding pictures!

The Bridal Suite

The upstairs level is dedicated to making the bride feel comfortable and right at home. The bridal suite has a large powder room for the bride to freshen up in, as well as a spacious room to get ready and relax in. 

The Man Cave

One of our favorite rooms at CJ's Off the Square was the "man cave" located in the basement. What a cool space! While the ladies are freshening up, the men have a secluded place to hang out, play some cards, and drink some beer or wine. Here is The Golden Band's very own Dan Storm, looking extra creepy in the man cave.

The Perfect Venue For Your Next Event

This historic house and garden is the perfect location for romantic garden weddings, rehearsal dinners, and private parties. To see more of this beautiful event space and to learn more about CJ's Off the Square, visit their website at www.cjsoffthesquare.com.

Rae Marshall Weddings

Choosing Your Photographer:

Let's be honest. Getting your picture taken can be awkward. Personally, no matter how many times I practice my "candid" smile or sexy face in the mirror beforehand, I still feel like I look ridiculous as soon as I get in front of the camera.

The solution to this dilemma is finding a very good photographer. The accessibility of digital photography equipment has created an abundance of amateur photographers, hobbyists and enthusiasts. At the end of the day, photography, like painting, is an art. It requires an eye for detail and an understanding of lighting, focus and many other concepts that many of us just don't quite understand. While a friend may provide a cheap solution to your photography needs, they may not capture your moments as perfectly as a professional photographer would. When it comes to your wedding day, you need to hire a real artist.

One of our absolute favorite photographers is Rae Marshall. Her natural eye for beauty and her vast experience in photography, paired with her contagious personality and ability to make her clients feel comfortable, makes her the perfect choice for a wedding photographer.

I'm speaking from firsthand experience here. I released an album last year and had the pleasure of working with Rae to capture an eye-catching photograph for my album cover. My experience with Rae was so much fun! She made me feel so comfortable and even made me laugh multiple times throughout our session so that I didn't even have to whip out my "candid" smile.

Here's how my photoshoot with Rae turned out:

BEFORE THE PHOTOSHOOT

AFTER THE PHOTOSHOOT



Rae is a magician.

Ashley and Matt's Wedding

Here is a beautiful shot from Ashley and Matt's wedding at Mint Springs Farm in Nashville, one of Rae's favorite locations to shoot at. Rae was able to capture this beautiful moment of a gorgeous couple right as the sun was starting to set. The backdrop is such a perfect compliment to this precious moment, a breathtaking depiction of Ashley and Matt's love for one another.

Adrian and Ruby's Wedding

Rae captured the fun-loving personalities of Adrian and Ruby with this unique photograph. This awesome shot really communicates a specific mood, one of joy, youth and adventure. Adrian and Ruby were married on New Years Eve, starting a new year off on the best foot possible, and Rae was there to translate the personality of this wedding into tangible photograph form.

Michael and Arianne's Wedding

The scene was set on the rooftop of The National Underground for Michael and Arianne's love story. Rae shot and edited some gorgeous photos of this beautiful couple overlooking downtown Broadway, the heart of Nashville. It's hard to believe that there was a photographer directing this couple-- they look so natural and so comfortable! Rae does a phenomenal job of helping her clients relax and be themselves so that she can capture these real-life moments of their most special day.

How To Look This Good:

Contact Rae Marshall! I can promise you she will provide you with an incomparable experience, and even better photographs for your wedding. Check out more of Rae's photography at www.raemarshallweddings.com, like her page on Facebook, and then email her to book your session at rm.photos@live.com. You won't regret it!

What Makes Us Unique!

We Were Born This Way.

The Golden Band is not your average wedding and event band. And we really like being different! We think you will too.

We are completely customizable. No wedding or event is the same- on your end OR ours. We are here to provide you with the perfect sound for your setting.

The Golden Band offers services that allow the client to choose their band, choose their playlist, and even request to have a very personalized song written for their special day.

Custom Bands:

The Golden Band is led by the vocal duo, Brittany Hadley and Dan Storm. Who backs them up is entirely up to you! The Golden Band is comprised of a large stable of professionally trained musicians on a variety of different instruments. The client gets to choose what instruments they would like, and we book them for the day. We can provide you with anything from a small bluegrass trio to a string quartet to a large electric dance band. No matter what instruments you choose, your band will sound golden.

Custom Songs:

The Golden Band House Playlist is comprised of several really awesome songs that we all know and love. We are kind of partial to all of them, but you might have some particular favorites that you want to add to your event playlist! You handpick your songs and design your custom playlist so that you hear exactly what you want to hear on the day of your event. If there is a song (or 50) that you do not see on our House Playlist, you can even request to add it on there! We love learning new songs.

Songwriting Service:

Perhaps the most unique (and the coolest) service offered by The Golden Band is our songwriting service. If you can't find that perfect song for your first dance, we will write it for you! Let's meet for coffee and talk about what exactly made you fall in love with him. Let's talk about all of the beautiful things you want to say to your future spouse, or maybe to a parent. We will write it into song form for you and really make your special day as personal and memorable as possible.

Another Cool Thing:

Because we are completely customizable, we can work with you to fit your budget. We can always find a way to make it work. No set band, no set songs, and no set prices! Pretty cool, huh?