Amie & Greg’s Joyful Fall Wedding at Cunningham Farm in New Gloucester, Maine
On a crisp October afternoon in New Gloucester, Maine, Amie and Greg brought their favorite people to one of our favorite barn venues: Cunningham Farm. Tucked just off Intervale Road, the property feels like a little world of its own — sweeping fields, classic New England barns, and enough space for guests to wander, mingle, and soak in the fall light.
East Coast Soul’s role for this one was all about vibe and flow: ceremony sound support at the outdoor site, an upbeat jazz trio for cocktail hour, a small combo for dinner, and then a full-on dance party in the main dairy barn to close out the night. Amie and Greg were very clear about one thing: they wanted a packed dance floor and a party that built all night, moving from Motown and soul into rock anthems and modern bangers, with as few slow songs as possible.
It all came together with a team that knows Cunningham Farm well:
- Venue: Cunningham Farm, New Gloucester, ME
- Planning: Kim Finch, A Family Affair of Maine
- Catering: Fire & Co.
Ceremony Sound in the Fields at Cunningham Farm
Amie and Greg chose the dedicated outdoor ceremony site at Cunningham Farm, a short walk (about 100 yards) from the main reception barn. It is one of those spaces that feels intentionally tucked away: guests step off the main path and suddenly find themselves surrounded by trees, sky, and open field.
For the ceremony itself, the couple opted to use recorded songs they curated in advance, played back through East Coast Soul’s sound system. Our focus was making sure everything sounded warm and clear for their vows, while keeping the equipment footprint minimal so the natural setting remained front and center.
We provided:
- Full ceremony sound support (speakers and playback)
- Two standard microphones for officiant and readers
- A clean, discreet setup at the ceremony site, with cabling and power planned around the longer run from the barns
Amie and Greg planned to share their exact ceremony tracks with us ahead of time, which meant we could line up every cue with their processional, vows, and recessional without them having to worry about a thing on the day itself.
Cocktail Hour: Upright Bass Dreams and Upbeat Jazz
After the ceremony, guests made their way back toward the main barn and gathered on the outdoor grassy area and deck next to the building for cocktail hour. The goal here was simple: keep things light, celebratory, and musical from the moment people had a drink in hand.
The couple requested an instrumental trio with upbeat, celebratory jazz — and, if possible, an upright bass to make Greg especially happy. Whenever we can, we love putting together that kind of lineup: upright bass, guitar, and saxophone give cocktail hour a rich, classic sound that still feels relaxed and conversational.
The trio leaned into:
- Upbeat jazz standards
- Light, melodic solos that floated over the conversation
- A “we’re at a celebration, not a lounge” energy level
It set the tone for the rest of the evening: warm, stylish, and very much ready to turn into a dance party later on.
Dinner in the Main Barn: Family-Style Food and Small Combo Sounds
By 5:30pm, guests transitioned into the main dairy barn at Cunningham Farm for dinner. Fire & Co. served a family-style meal, and Amie and Greg wanted the music to feel like an extension of cocktail hour — upbeat, jazzy, and a little bit celebratory, but not so loud that it interfered with conversation or toasts.
They opted for a small instrumental combo (two to four musicians) to carry the musical thread through dinner. Our marching orders were clear:
- Keep the vibe in the same lane as cocktail hour: upbeat jazz with some soulful touches
- Support the flow of speeches and courses without pulling focus
- Stay flexible in case volume needed to come down, with a clear backup plan to switch to a very low-volume playlist if necessary
Amie and Greg planned to welcome everyone themselves with a short 1–2 minute toast, and later in the meal, family members stepped up to the mic: Maggie and Ryan (bride’s siblings), Molly and Katie (groom’s siblings), and Nancy and Jim, the bride’s parents. With a single shared microphone and a simple setup, the focus stayed on the stories and the people at the center of the night.
First Dance: “Lovin’ in My Baby’s Eyes” Before the Dance Party
Amie and Greg chose a first dance that felt like them: “Lovin’ in My Baby’s Eyes” by Taj Mahal. Instead of opening the night with it, they saved this moment for after dinner, using it as the bridge between the seated portion of the evening and the full-band dance party.
The plan was to play a shortened version of the recording so the dance felt sweet, focused, and un-rushed, without lingering too long before the energy shifted. No parent dances were scheduled, so once the first dance wrapped, it was all about getting everyone else out onto the floor.
Dance Floor at Cunningham Farm: Motown, Rock, and Zero Slow Jams
Once the first dance wrapped up, it was time for East Coast Soul to do what the couple really brought us in for: a high-energy dance floor in the main barn from 7:30–10:00pm, with no slow dances and no lulls.
Amie and Greg gave us a really clear roadmap:
- Start the night: Upbeat Motown and soul (Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, “Shout,” and that general feel-good era)
- Build into rock: Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and big, sing-along rock tunes
- Finish with modern bangers: Taylor Swift, Lizzo, Beyoncé, “Mr. Brightside,” and other contemporary dance anthems
They also sent along a couple of playlists from friends’ weddings so we could get a sense of what “their people” love dancing to. We never recreate a playlist beat-for-beat, but that kind of input is gold for shaping the arc of a night.
A few songs were marked as must plays:
- “Let’s Go Crazy” – Prince (ideally the first band tune after the first dance)
- “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” – Whitney Houston
- “Proud Mary” – Tina Turner
The Hora was also a big priority — even though it was not formally listed in the song section, Amie and Greg specifically requested it within the first few songs of the night. From there, the set was built to climb steadily in energy and stay there, with no official “slow-dance break” built into the middle of the evening.
On the flip side, there were a few firm do-not-plays, including “Celebrate” by Kool & The Gang. Outside of that, they gave us room to read the room, lean into what was working, and keep the floor full from the first tune to the last.
Looking Back on Amie & Greg’s Cunningham Farm Wedding
From the fields and ceremony site to the main dairy barn, Amie and Greg’s wedding at Cunningham Farm felt like a perfect reflection of who they are: thoughtful about the details, generous with their people, and completely committed to having a great time once the dance floor opened.
If you are planning a Maine barn wedding at Cunningham Farm or elsewhere in New Gloucester and are looking for a band that can handle ceremony sound, jazz-forward cocktail and dinner music, and a high-energy, no-slow-dances dance party, East Coast Soul would love to be part of it.
