Rei & Matthew’s Destination Wedding at AYANA Resort, Bali
Some weddings are memorable because they’re beautiful. Others because they’re fun. Rei and Matthew’s destination wedding at AYANA Resort in Bali somehow managed to be both—at an entirely different scale. This was a multi-day, multi-location international production set against one of the most dramatic landscapes imaginable, brought together by a world-class vendor team and a couple with an incredibly clear vision.
For East Coast Soul, it was one of our most ambitious performances to date: traveling halfway around the world to deliver live music across cocktails, dinner, and a long, high-energy reception—while seamlessly integrating with a DJ, local production teams, and the rhythm of a destination weekend.
Bali & AYANA: A Setting That Sets the Bar
AYANA Resort in Jimbaran sits high above the Indian Ocean, with cliffside venues, lush gardens, and sweeping views that feel almost unreal when you first arrive. It’s the kind of place where the environment does a lot of the storytelling for you—dramatic without being flashy, expansive without feeling cold.
Rei and Matthew chose to lean fully into that sense of place. Their wedding unfolded naturally across the property, from a cliffside ceremony to cocktails on the grass, and finally into a tented reception at Champa Garden that felt intimate despite the scale of the event.
The Logistics of a Global Performance
Destination weddings always come with an added layer of complexity, and Bali is no exception. Between international flights, visa requirements, on-site lodging, and coordinating with local sound and production teams, everything needs to be dialed well in advance.
The band arrived early in the day for setup and a long soundcheck window, ensuring that once guests arrived, everything would feel effortless. AYANA’s production team handled sound equipment on-site, while golf carts shuttled musicians between hotels, venues, and performance spaces throughout the day.
It’s a lot of moving parts—but when done right, it disappears completely into the guest experience.
Ceremony: A Cliffside Moment in Bali
The ceremony took place at an outdoor cliffside venue overlooking the ocean—a setting that hardly needs embellishment. The sound of the waves below, the open air, and the late-afternoon light created a naturally reverent atmosphere.
There was no live band performance during the ceremony itself, allowing the moment to stay focused and unencumbered. Sometimes the most powerful choice is restraint, and this ceremony benefited from exactly that.
Cocktail Hour: Classic Swing on the Lawn
Cocktail hour followed on a grassy area adjacent to the ceremony location, with guests making the short golf-cart ride from the cliffs to the reception grounds. East Coast Soul shifted into a keyboard, bass, and sax trio, playing classic swing selections that felt timeless and transportive.
Swing-era music travels especially well in destination settings—it’s familiar without being obvious, elegant without being formal. The trio’s sound floated easily across the lawn, giving guests space to mingle while still feeling anchored by live music.
Power and amplification were provided by the production team, with minimal stage footprint and just enough presence to keep the music front-of-mind without overpowering conversation.
Reception Begins at Champa Garden
The reception took place in a tent at Champa Garden, one of AYANA’s most versatile event spaces. Guests arrived from cocktails to a fully transformed environment—warm lighting, open air, and a layout designed to keep the dance floor at the center of the action.
Introductions kicked off at 6:40pm to Natalie Cole’s “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love),” a choice that immediately set the tone: joyful, confident, and celebratory without being over-the-top.
Introductions & Welcome Moments
Family members and the wedding party were introduced in groups, building momentum toward the main event:
“And now introducing for the first time as a married couple, Matt and Rei!”
The entrance was loud, upbeat, and exactly the kind of release you want after a long travel day for guests. A welcome toast from Rei’s brother, Riki, followed shortly after, grounding the room before dinner began.
Dinner: Soulful, Warm, and Unrushed
Dinner ran from roughly 6:50pm to 8:25pm, accompanied by a medium-sized instrumental combo featuring sax, guitar, keys, bass, and drums. The music leaned into light soul, Motown, R&B, and jazz standards—recognizable enough to feel intentional, relaxed enough to stay comfortably in the background.
Toasts were thoughtfully spaced throughout the meal, allowing the evening to breathe rather than bunching all speeches together:
- Toasts #1: Maiko and James
- Toasts #2: Joint speech from Sabrina, Rachel, Michele, and Yasha, followed by Ethan
The pacing here mattered. With guests traveling from all over the world, dinner felt more like a shared gathering than a checkpoint between formalities.
Thank-Yous & Transition to the Dance Floor
At 8:25pm, Rei and Matthew offered a brief thank-you, acknowledging the effort it took for everyone to be there. It was simple, sincere, and a perfect emotional pivot into the night’s final phase.
Their first dance followed at 8:30 to “You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates—a recording played slightly under volume, just enough to let the moment happen naturally without dragging it out. With no parent dances scheduled, the night transitioned cleanly into open dancing.
Main Dance Set: Under the Stars in Bali
From about 8:40pm through the end of the night, the focus shifted entirely to the dance floor. The band worked in tandem with the DJ, alternating energy and keeping momentum high without fatigue.
Rei and Matthew’s musical taste leaned slightly vintage—classic Motown, 70s, 80s, and 90s—with room for modern crowd favorites. Without a strict must-play list, the band was free to read the room, stretch grooves that worked, and keep the dance floor locked in.
A short DJ-supported break around 10:00pm gave everyone a moment to reset before the final push toward midnight.
Closing the Night
The venue allowed flexibility on the end time, which gave the night a relaxed, unforced ending. East Coast Soul wrapped closer to 11:00, handing things back to the DJ to carry the last stretch while guests continued dancing under the Bali sky.
There was no rush, no hard stop—just the feeling that the party had landed exactly where it was supposed to.
Final Thoughts
Rei and Matthew’s wedding at AYANA Resort was a masterclass in destination celebration: intentional, immersive, and unapologetically joyful. With world-class planning, iconic photography, and a setting that elevated every moment, it was the kind of event that reminds us why we love doing this work.
Bringing live music across the globe is never simple—but when it works like this, it’s unforgettable. Bali will always hold a special place in the ECS story.
