Josh & Sam’s Wedding at The Estate at Moraine Farm
August 9th, 2025 – Beverly, Massachusetts
Some weddings feel like they were built around the music from the very beginning, and Josh and Sam’s celebration at The Estate at Moraine Farm was absolutely one of those. Set on a beautiful property in Beverly overlooking the lake, their day was packed with thoughtful details, big feelings, and a very clear priority: a full, joyful, high-energy dance party from start to finish.
From the lakeside ceremony to a packed tent under the stars, this one was all heart and all fun.
Ceremony on the Lawn, Facing the Lake
Josh and Sam chose to hold their ceremony on the lawn overlooking the lake at Moraine Farm, with guests facing the water and the estate as a backdrop. It’s one of those spots that already feels cinematic before a single note is played.
They asked ECS to provide both sound and live performance, with piano/keyboard and acoustic/electric guitar handling the music. The prelude leaned into the kind of classic, feel-good songs that fit their tastes perfectly: “Here Comes the Sun,” “Blackbird,” “How Sweet It Is,” and James Taylor favorites — familiar, warm, and instantly welcoming.
For the processional, they chose “You’ve Got a Friend” by James Taylor, a beautiful nod to the partnership and friendship at the heart of their relationship. Each groom then had his own entrance moment:
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Sam walked in to “Your Song” – Elton John
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Josh followed with “In My Life” – The Beatles
Hearing those back-to-back with live keys and guitar, surrounded by trees and water, made the whole ceremony feel deeply personal.
Once vows were exchanged and the officiant pronounced them married, the energy flipped instantly into celebration as the band kicked into “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” by Natalie Cole for the recessional — a perfect, joyful choice for two grooms who clearly wanted to start the party right away.
Cocktail Hour on the Patio
After the ceremony, guests moved to the outdoor patio beside the main building, looking out over the lake. Josh and Sam asked for an instrumental trio for cocktail hour: upbeat, familiar tunes from the 60s and 70s, leaning into singer-songwriter, Motown, and pop.
Think James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison, Adele-adjacent vibes — the kind of songs people don’t even realize they’re humming along to until they notice. The trio kept things bright and conversational, giving guests enough energy to start loosening up while still leaving plenty of room for catching up, grabbing a drink, and soaking in the view.
If weather had been tricky, the plan was to tuck everything under the tent and use the covered gazebo for music, but the outdoor patio worked exactly the way they’d hoped.
Reception Under the Tent
The reception took place under the main tent at Moraine Farm, with guests seated and the band ready to kick the night off properly. Josh and Sam decided to keep intros simple and meaningful, introducing only their parents.
To the sound of “I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross, we brought in Cindy and Dave Newcomer and Robert Obeiter together — loud, upbeat, and full of joy. It was a sweet way to honor their families and set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Then came the main moment:
“And now, introducing for the first time as a married couple — Sam Newcomer and Josh Obeiter!”
The tent absolutely lit up.
First Dance: “Love Vibration”
For their first dance, Josh and Sam chose “Love Vibration” by Josh Rouse” — not a typical wedding standard, but a song they both love and asked the band to learn especially for them. We performed it live, keeping the full arrangement and letting the lyrics and groove do the work.
They started out just the two of them, then opened the floor and invited everyone to join partway through. It was one of those dances that feels less like a staged moment and more like a room full of people wrapping the couple in one big, moving hug.
Right after the first dance, they wanted to keep the energy up — no pause, no reset — so we rolled straight into two upbeat songs (think along the lines of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September”) to kick off an early dance set and get everyone involved.
Toasts, Dinner, and a Celebratory 60s/70s Vibe
After that early burst of dancing, guests were seated for dinner around 7:45 PM, directly following what was sure to be a very spirited hora and first run on the dance floor. Josh and Sam asked for a medium instrumental combo (4–6 musicians) during dinner, with a vibe that stayed celebratory rather than sleepy: Motown, 60s/70s pop-rock, Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, Elton John.
Toasts were woven into the meal to keep the night moving and avoid a long pause before dancing:
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Sam’s parents, Dave and Cindy, and Josh’s dad, Robert, spoke shortly after the first course.
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Later in the meal, Katie (Sam’s sister) and Mike and Sara (Josh’s siblings) shared their speeches.
It was heartfelt and emotional, but never dragged — exactly how Josh and Sam wanted it: meaningful without losing momentum.
Meanwhile, the band rotated dinner breaks so there was always someone ready to handle intros or cues. Moraine Farm provided a dedicated space and meals for the band in the guest house, which kept everything smooth behind the scenes.
Cake and Parent Dances
After dinner, Josh and Sam cut their cake quietly to the side — no big announcement, just a sweet moment while the tent stayed buzzing.
From there, the night moved into parent dances, which carried a lot of emotional weight in a very understated way. Josh’s mom had passed away in early 2024, and the couple wanted to honor that while also centering the family members who were with them.
They chose:
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Josh & his aunt Myrna dancing first to “Your Smiling Face” by James Taylor” (performed live, shortened slightly).
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Sam & his mom Cindy dancing second to “What the World Needs Now” – Dionne Warwick (also performed live and trimmed a bit).
Right after Sam and Cindy finished, guests were invited to join them on the dance floor, seamlessly pivoting from intimate moments into a full-room celebration.
Dance Floor: High-Energy, Vintage-Forward, and Joyful
From there, it was all about dancing.
Josh and Sam made it very clear: they wanted high energy, a mix of genres and eras so everyone had something to latch onto, and a night that felt unabashedly fun and joyful.
They lean heavily toward vintage music — Motown, classic rock, funk, and soul — and are a solid 5 out of 5 on the “give us the classics” scale. Their requests and spreadsheet of favorites leaned into Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie, Motown hits, 70s and 80s anthems, and a curated mix of later favorites.
Their one big must-play was “September” – Earth, Wind & Fire, which of course landed at a peak moment. They also had a clear idea of what they didn’t want: no “Shut Up and Dance,” no “Don’t Stop Believin’,” no “Mr. Brightside,” no “Sweet Caroline.” In other words: no standard wedding clichés — just a genuinely curated, dance-focused night.
From 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, with a hard cutoff at the end, the tent never really lost steam. The setlist pulled in older and newer material but always came back to that core: big choruses, great grooves, and songs that feel right screamed at the top of your lungs with a room full of people who love you.
A Moraine Farm Night to Remember
Josh and Sam were a dream to work with — thoughtful, organized, clear about what they wanted, and incredibly trusting of the band. The Estate at Moraine Farm gave them a perfect backdrop: a lakeside lawn for the ceremony, a relaxed outdoor patio for cocktail hour, and a tent built for real dancing, not just background music.
We were honored to be such a central part of their day, and we’re still smiling thinking about that dance floor.
Josh and Sam — thank you for letting us help make your celebration exactly as fun, loud, and full of love as you imagined.
