As most newly engaged couples do, Danielle and Bill were juggling several dates and venues trying to “line up all of the planets” as they envisioned their Chicago wedding. They knew their party would be no less than 325 guests, which helped them narrow down the list of choices available to them! When they settled on the iconic Standard Club to host their party, their next call was to us to see if we were available to be their Chicago wedding band, and we were so pleased that the planets indeed lined up!

There are few venues in Chicago which can boast as having as rich of a history as The Standard Club. With new venues popping up all over town, it stands proudly as one of Chicago’s most elegant and sought-after locations since the beginning of the 20th century. Their seasoned staff creates a familiar ambiance for consistently exceptional parties year round — add Rachael Steacy Events to the mix and your party will be off the charts!

Danielle and Bill’s party was an American and Greek affair, with plenty of dancing for everyone! Foreshadowing that some of their friends and family wouldn’t be completely at ease with all of the Greek dance styles, Bill’s mom asked if we could provide Greek dance lessons at their rehearsal dinner. This ensured that everyone would feel comfortable dancing at the reception the next night. It was a fantastic idea and a huge success!

On their wedding day, cocktails began at the club in the 8th floor library, featuring our Artistrings pop string quartet yet again redefining guests’ ideas of the ground that a string quartet can cover. With dynamic performances of Havana, Pumped Up Kicks, Move On Up, Lovesong, and many others, guests were primed to enjoy a fun night of celebrating.

Walking into the club’s dining room transported you to a party scene from an opulent Hollywood film (check out these photos!). Stunning candles and gorgeous white floral centerpieces accented the club’s legendary gorgeous crystal chandeliers. A jazz trio set the inviting mood as everyone marveled at their surroundings for dinner and dancing!

After an incredible four-course dinner service, the band began with The Way You Look Tonight/Frank Sinatra for Danielle and Bill, followed by dances with parents. Danielle and her dad Michael danced to Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight and then Bill’s mom Patrice joined him to Leann Womack’s I Hope You Dance…not a minute later, they were mobbed on the floor with everyone excited to join in and celebrate! Check out our Instagram feed for video clips from this wedding.

Oh, and have no fear: Patrice’s dance lessons for everyone paid off ten-fold! The Greek dancing exploded from the first entrance of violin and bouzouki playing together! Thirty minutes later, we seamlessly transitioned back to American music and danced well past midnight.

Thanks to Danielle and Bill for including us as they lined up their wedding vendor universe. What a night!

Finally, our sincere appreciation to Patrice (Bill’s mom), as she sent a wonderful e-mail a few days after the party – now you know why we LOVE what we do 🙂

Dear Carol and Chris,
A week after the wonderful wedding we are all still smiling and talking about the lovely weekend. Danielle’s family made the impossible real; throwing a huge wedding while making it feel personal and intimate.

They filled that large reception room with so much happiness and love every person in the room felt connected.  A big part of creating that joy was due to the wonderful music you provided.

Thank you for helping me bring Greek dancing to the many young people in the wedding party during the rehearsal dinner. It took awhile to get our guests going at the rehearsal, but you lured them into participating. By the next night, at the wedding, everyone felt comfortable enough to jump up and join the dancing circles.

All your music made it a special night for our kids, the bride and groom, and for every other guest!

Thank you so much,
Patrice

September 9, 2017
Union League of Chicago

Our Chicago wedding band was thrilled to join Melli & Steve for their wedding reception at the Union League Club of Chicago. We always LOVE performing at the ULC! From cocktails on the 2nd floor with the Artistrings pop string quartet, to dancing between courses with Chris’ 14 piece Chicago wedding band, Melli & Steve’s wedding was one to remember.

Question: What’s the best way to guarantee an exceptional Chicago wedding reception?
Answer: A team of rockstar vendors working together! Ken Severin and his entire staff pay close attention to every detail of the evening, making the Union League one of Chicago’s most popular and respected venues. Add Stephanie Cook’s team of Creative Planners led by Michelle Alex to the mix, and you’ve gathered the key ingredients for a killer celebration.

Cocktails were held on the second floor, where 250 guests were thrilled by the Artistrings Pop Quartet as they visited and relaxed after the beautiful ceremony at St. Demetrios Church.

Melli and Steve wanted a New York style reception with continuous music all night long, which is this Chicago wedding band’s very favorite type of reception to play! Their first dance: This Magic Moment/The Drifters established the perfect mood to transition into a short dance set to get the evening started. We loved looking out on the packed dance floor and seeing so many happy guests, some of which had never been to an East Coast style dance party. Their jubilant reactions told us that they approved, in a very big way!

Music requests during dinner included several authentic big band Frank Sinatra arrangements, including Young At Heart for the evening’s father/daughter dance. When entree service began, we pared things down to an ‘Unplugged’ set. Featuring our incomparable vocal team of Jae, Dayna, Tim and Andy, along with acoustic guitar and cajon, guests were treated to hip arrangements of popular songs that were also conversation friendly 🙂

From there, it’s was all about Melli and Steve’s vision of continuous dance music for the rest of the night!

Here are some fun clips of the evening:

Check out the surprise during Sweet Caroline. One of the guests heard the intro, and walked onto the stage with laser focus…to perform the song with Andy! Andy took it all in stride and literally, did not miss a beat.

Oh what a night, Melli and Steve!