East Coast Soul at Wychmere Beach Club | Olivia & Zach’s Harbor Room Dance Party
Some couples say they want a good party. Olivia and Zach? They made it crystal clear: “We booked you because we know you guys bring the ENERGY… we want the floor to be full of energy and an EPIC vibe.”
Their wedding at the Wychmere Beach Club Harbor Room in Harwich Port, MA absolutely lived up to that vision. From the Hydrangea Lawn ceremony to a napkin-waving entrance and a packed dance floor loaded with ABBA, early-2000s bangers, and a sax-feature moment, this was Cape Cod at full throttle.
Ceremony on the Hydrangea Lawn
The day started on the Hydrangea Lawn at Wychmere, one of the club’s most iconic ceremony spots. Guests looked out over the water while the band provided live ceremony performance and sound, keeping things soft and romantic with instrumental versions of love songs pulled from the couple’s curated prelude playlist.
As the wedding party made their way down the aisle to “Sunset Lover” (piano version), the mood was modern, intimate, and a little cinematic. For Olivia’s entrance, they chose the incredibly personal and emotional “To Our Daughter (Lullaby)” — a track by Best Friend Jacob — which made the entire walk feel custom-scored for her.
When it was time to make it official and send everyone into celebration mode, the recessional kicked in with “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)”—classic, joyful, and exactly the right way to wrap the ceremony.
Cocktail Hour: Old-Money Swing on the Lawn & Veranda
Post-ceremony, guests flowed straight into cocktail hour on the Hydrangea Lawn and Veranda Room, with the patio doors opening onto that Cape Cod air. For this part of the evening, Olivia and Zach wanted “classic swing, old-money vibes”—think:
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Sinatra
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Ella
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Classic jazz and swing standards
We put together an instrumental duo that leaned into that world: polished, timeless, and just a touch glamorous. It gave guests a chance to relax, grab a drink, and soak in the setting before the night shifted into full-on party mode.
Intros & First Dance in the Harbor Room
By 6:30 PM, everyone transitioned into the Harbor Room, with the floor set and the energy already building. Olivia and Zach opted for just the two of them to be introduced, which made the entrance feel even more focused and dramatic.
They chose “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” for their entrance—ABBA at full blast, with a very specific request: loud, upbeat, and classy, with napkins waving in the air before they even stepped into the room. It worked. The crowd was already at a 9 before the couple hit the floor.
Right after intros, they moved straight into their first dance: “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls (played from a recording). It’s emotional, nostalgic, and instantly recognizable. They opted for a shortened version—just enough to stay meaningful and avoid dragging out the intro. The room felt locked in on them the whole time.
Toasts, Dinner & Cake
After the first dance, the evening shifted into toasts and dinner with recorded music setting the tone. The couple leaned into a “classic love songs and classy standards” vibe—Frank Sinatra, “This Will Be,” and that timeless, slightly glam cocktail-lounge energy.
The flow for speeches:
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Welcome toast from Olivia’s dad, Dan
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Toasts from Matrons of Honor Caleigh and Victoria
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Toasts from Best Men Corey and Brian
Dinner started after the welcome toast, with vendor meals served around 7:30 PM, giving the band a window to eat before the dance portion really took off.
At 8:10 PM, the couple did their cake cutting to “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” by James Taylor, keeping it light and celebratory—more of a sweet moment than a big production.
Parent Dances & A Quick Thank You
Parent dances followed around 8:15 PM:
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Father/Daughter: “Father and Daughter” – Paul Simon
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Mother/Son: “My Wish” – Rascal Flatts
Both were played from recordings and slightly shortened—just long enough to feel special, but tight enough to keep the night’s pacing quick and focused on the dance floor.
Right afterward, Olivia and Zach grabbed the mic for a few words to their guests, which was very on-brand for them—intentional, grateful, and also teeing everyone up for what they really wanted: a wild, high-energy dance party.
A Cape Cod Dance Floor in Overdrive
By 8:20 PM, it was off to the races. The couple’s requests were basically a blueprint for a no-skips, full-throttle East Coast Soul set:
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Must-plays:
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Dancing Queen – ABBA
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September – Earth, Wind & Fire
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Mr. Brightside – The Killers (toward the end of the night)
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Core “this is our vibe” artists & tracks:
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Yeah! – Usher
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Crazy in Love – Beyoncé
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I Wanna Dance With Somebody – Whitney Houston
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We Found Love – Rihanna
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good 4 u – Olivia Rodrigo
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Valerie – Amy Winehouse
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Hey Ya! – Outkast
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All the Small Things – Blink-182
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Levitating – Dua Lipa
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Closer – The Chainsmokers
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Born in the USA, Brown Eyed Girl, Dancing in the Moonlight, and more
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They also gave us a clear “no thanks” list—no “Shut Up and Dance,” “Uptown Funk,” “Love Shack,” “YMCA,” “Can’t Stop The Feeling,” etc.—which kept the night anchored in a mix of throwback pop, dance anthems, and high-impact modern tracks instead of the usual wedding-standby shuffle.
One of the standout moments of the night was the planned “Jubel” sax feature, inspired by the TikToks they linked in their notes. At the right point in the evening, we dropped “Jubel” and sent the saxophonist out into the middle of the dance floor, playing right in the middle of their friends and family. It was one of those “this is exactly why we hired a live band” moments—phones out, people yelling, the whole room pulsing.
Between that, big singalongs to “Dancing Queen,” “September,” “Mr. Brightside,” and a healthy dose of pop-versus-nostalgia bangers, the floor never really emptied.
Olivia’s final note on the form said it best:
“Let’s make it a f***ing blast!!!!”
Mission very much accomplished.
A Classic Wychmere Harbor Room Night
Wychmere’s Harbor Room is built for nights like this—clean lines, big windows, a connection to the water, and enough space to really let a crowd go for it. Olivia and Zach took full advantage.
From the thoughtful ceremony soundtrack and “old money” cocktail hour to the napkin-waving entrance and jam-packed dance floor, this was a Cape Cod wedding that felt polished, personal, and absolutely unhinged in the best possible way once the lights went down.
Olivia & Zach — thank you for trusting East Coast Soul to bring the energy. We had an unreal time with you and your people.
