Emma & Fernando’s Gardens at Elm Bank Wedding
Emma and Fernando’s wedding at the Gardens at Elm Bank is one of those nights that stands out for its pacing as much as its music. The whole celebration moved gently across the property—Italianate Garden to Weezy’s Garden to the Carriage House and back to the tent—so guests never felt stuck in one place. It felt more like wandering through an experience than attending a series of separate events.
For us, it was a chance to build a soundtrack that evolved with each space: a friend at the piano for the ceremony, a trio in the garden, a stripped-back duo for dinner, and a full nine-piece band once the tent turned into the main event.
Ceremony in the Italianate Garden
The ceremony took place in the Italianate Garden, one of Elm Bank’s signature spots. It’s formal without feeling stiff—perfect hedges, stonework, and the kind of symmetry that makes any procession feel a bit cinematic.
Emma and Fernando asked a close friend, Will, to handle the ceremony music on piano. East Coast Soul provided the keyboard and full sound support so he could focus purely on playing, and not on the tech. It’s always a nice touch when a friend is involved; there’s a different kind of energy in the air when the music is coming from someone who knows the couple personally.
Ceremony Sound & Setup
From a technical standpoint, the ceremony was simple but well supported:
- Two handheld mics on stands—one for the officiant, one for readers
- A lav mic on the groom for consistent vocal coverage
- ECS-provided keyboard for the guest pianist
- Power and PA fully confirmed ahead of time
Having both handhelds and a lav meant we could cover all angles—spoken word, vows, readings—without anyone needing to think too much about where to stand or how loudly to speak. It all felt clean, unobtrusive, and natural.
Cocktail Hour in Weezy’s Garden
After the ceremony, guests made their way to Weezy’s Children’s Garden, a playful, tucked-away corner of the property just next to the ceremony site. It’s colorful and relaxed, with a more whimsical feel than the Italianate Garden, which made it an ideal setting for cocktails.
The band shifted into a guitar/sax/bass trio, playing upbeat jazz and R&B. The combination of live horns, guitar textures, and the surrounding greenery created a really inviting atmosphere—not background music in the forgettable sense, but something that quietly shaped the mood of the garden.
Power in the garden is available but requires a bit of an extension run, which the team had planned for in advance. Once everything was plugged in, it was smooth sailing: drinks, conversation, and a gentle ramp-up toward the reception.
Reception Kickoff in the Tent
The main reception took place in the tent attached to the Carriage House. Guests transitioned over from Weezy’s Garden, found their seats or spots near the dance floor, and the evening officially kicked into gear.
Emma and Fernando opted for a simple, focused entrance—no long list of wedding party intros, just the two of them, introduced by a guest emcee:
“And now introducing for the first time as husband and wife, Emma Radford and Fernando Rodriguez-Villa!”
It was quick, classy, and upbeat. The tent came alive, but it never felt overproduced or forced.
First Dance: “Maybe I’m Amazed”
For their first dance, Emma and Fernando chose Paul McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed,” performed live by the band with a slightly shortened arrangement. We worked the horns into the tune, adding warmth and lift around the vocals while keeping the core of the song intact.
It’s a powerful choice—emotionally big without being overly sentimental—and the horn lines helped give it a unique stamp that felt like their own version rather than a straight cover.
Early Dance Set Before Dinner
Right after the first dance, the band launched into a short dance set—two or three songs—before dinner. These early mini-sets are one of our favorite ways to kick off a reception: guests are already on their feet, the couple is front and center, and the energy jumps up quickly.
After that burst of dancing, we invited everyone to head over to the Carriage House for dinner, giving the night a natural transition from high energy to a more relaxed, conversational pace.
Dinner in the Carriage House
Dinner was hosted inside the Carriage House, where the vibe shifted to something cozier and more intimate. East Coast Soul provided a guitar/sax duo for this portion of the evening, delivering music that stayed “fun but out of the way,” exactly as Emma and Fernando requested.
The duo leaned into melodic lines and light jazz textures—enough personality to give the room character, but intentionally tucked under the volume of conversation. If volume became an issue, the backup plan was to scale back instrumentation one piece at a time, but the duo setup ended up being just right.
Vendor meals were served around 8:05 just outside the tent, and once the band’s meals were up, we took about 25 minutes to eat while a client-curated Spotify playlist kept things moving.
Toasts & Thank-Yous
Toasts were split into two rounds, spaced naturally during dinner:
- Toasts #1 (after first course): Parents of the Bride, Jane and Ian Radford; Parents of the Groom, Fernando Rodriguez-Villa and Pam Peck
- Toasts #2 (after entrée): Assistant U.S. Attorney for the State of Nevada, Peter Walkingshaw
The speeches mixed heartfelt moments with humor and a bit of story, giving everyone a deeper sense of Emma and Fernando’s lives and community.
Around 8:30, Emma and Fernando shared a brief thank-you of their own—short, genuine, and a nice way to close the “dinner chapter” of the night before heading back to the tent.
Main Dance Set: 8:40 to 11:15
After dinner, guests returned to the tent for the main performance block. From approximately 8:40pm to 11:15pm, the band focused on one core goal: a full, happy dance floor.
Emma and Fernando’s must-plays gave us a great starting point:
- “Valerie”
- “Signed, Sealed, Delivered”
- “Angel” – Shaggy
On top of that, they requested a range of modern and throwback favorites:
- “Uptown Funk”
- “Crazy In Love”
- “Love On Top”
- “Shake It Off”
- Michael Jackson favorites, including “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough”
- “Sorry” – Justin Bieber
The only hard rule? No “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Beyond that, they trusted us to read the room and lean into our highest-energy material.
For our short mid-set break, we switched over to a custom Spotify playlist from the couple so the overall feel of the night stayed personal even when the band wasn’t onstage.
The Piñata Break
One of the more memorable moments of the night came at 9:45, when we announced a piñata on the lawn next to the tent. Guests spilled outside, laughed, cheered, and got a quick breather from the dance floor. It was playful, unexpected, and gave the reception a little extra personality.
From there, everyone flowed right back into the tent and into the last stretch of dancing.
Last Song & Sparkler Send-Off
The last song wrapped around 11:00pm, with the venue being flexible about a few extra minutes so the night could end naturally rather than abruptly. Once the final chord rang out, it was time for one more big moment.
At 11:15, we announced the sparkler send-off out front. Guests lined up, lit sparklers, and created a tunnel of light for Emma and Fernando—a classic ending that fit the whole evening’s balance of fun, warmth, and a bit of magic.
Final Thoughts
Emma and Fernando’s Gardens at Elm Bank wedding was a great example of how to use a venue with multiple spaces to its fullest. Each location—the Italianate Garden, Weezy’s Garden, the Carriage House, and the tent—brought a different feel to the night, and the music shifted right along with it.
From a friend-led ceremony at the piano to a jazz trio in the garden, a laid-back dinner duo, and a full-band, horn-driven dance floor, the whole evening felt layered, personal, and intentionally musical. We were honored to be part of it.
