Marissa & Rick’s Wychmere Beach Club Wedding in Harwich Port, MA
Marissa and Rick’s wedding at Wychmere Beach Club had one clear objective: throw a real party. Not a polite one. Not a “couple songs and we’ll see” kind of night. This was a full, late-summer Cape Cod celebration designed to build steadily and keep going well past midnight.
Soulsville—East Coast Soul’s high-energy soul and funk ensemble—handled the music from ceremony playback through a 1:00am finale. From the very first cue on the Hydrangea Lawn to the last song in the Ocean Room, the night felt confident, joyful, and unapologetically fun.
The Setting: Wychmere Beach Club
Wychmere Beach Club is one of those venues that understands how to host a party without losing its sense of place. The Hydrangea Lawn, outdoor patio, and interior reception spaces flow easily into one another, making it ideal for weddings that want momentum instead of hard resets.
With guests arriving in peak August energy and a late end time locked in, the stage was set for a night that could breathe early and absolutely rip once the dance floor opened.
Ceremony on the Hydrangea Lawn
The ceremony took place outdoors on the Hydrangea Lawn, with Soulsville providing playback and sound support. Guests began arriving around 6:00pm, with prelude music starting thirty minutes ahead of the ceremony to set the tone.
From the jump, it was clear this ceremony wasn’t going to be overly traditional. Musical choices were personal, playful, and confidently off-script—in the best way.
Ceremony Music Highlights
- Groom & Groomsmen Processional: “Real American” – Hulk Hogan Intro Song
- Bridesmaids Processional: “You Are The Reason” – Calum Scott (instrumental)
- Bride’s Entrance: Mashup of 20th Century Fox Theme / “Can’t Help Falling In Love” (violin)
- Recessional: “Another One Bites the Dust” – Queen
Ending the ceremony with Queen immediately flipped the switch from “ceremony” to “celebration,” and guests responded accordingly.
Cocktail Hour: Jazz by the Water
Cocktail hour followed on the outdoor patio, with a guitar and sax duo providing jazz standards and American Songbook favorites. The pairing worked beautifully against the coastal backdrop—laid-back, timeless, and just energized enough to keep people lingering.
With power available and a clean setup, the duo created an atmosphere that felt polished but relaxed, giving guests time to settle in before the reception officially kicked off.
Reception Kickoff & Introductions
The reception began inside Wychmere at 8:00pm, with introductions rolling at 8:10 to “Sweet Lovin’” by Sigala and Bryn Christopher. The long list of family and wedding party members built energy steadily, setting the room up for the couple’s entrance.
When Marissa and Rick finally hit the floor—
“And now please welcome for the first time as a married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Odell!”
—the tone was clear: let’s get this party started.
First Dance & Welcome Toast
The couple’s first dance was to “All My Love” by George Ezra, performed live by Soulsville and wrapped around the 2:20 mark to keep the moment focused and heartfelt.
A welcome toast from the Father of the Bride, Brian Peoples, followed shortly after, grounding the room before dinner began.
Dinner: Keep It Musical, Keep It Conversational
Dinner ran from 8:30 to 9:30, accompanied by a medium instrumental combo featuring sax, guitar, keys, bass, and drums. The directive here was simple: keep it musical, but make sure people could talk.
The band adjusted dynamically, scaling instrumentation as needed to match the room’s volume and energy. Toasts followed after the first course, with words from:
- Matron of Honor, Michaella Hulme
- Best Men, Chris Coates and Billy Johnson (joint toast)
A private cake cutting happened quietly around 9:35—no announcement, no interruption—allowing the evening to keep flowing naturally.
Parent Dances
Parent dances followed at 9:40, both performed live:
- Bride/Father Dance: “What a Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong (full song)
- Groom/Mother Dance: “A Mother’s Song” – T. Carter (shortened)
These moments landed with real emotional weight, but didn’t stall the night’s momentum—an important balance with a long dance set ahead.
Main Dance Set: One Big Party
From about 9:45pm through the 1:00am cutoff, Soulsville leaned fully into what they do best: high-energy soul, funk, and crowd-tested favorites that keep the floor packed.
Marissa and Rick trusted the band completely, asking for a stronger lean toward oldies early on and gradually moving into newer material as the night went on. A few firm “no’s”—no Bruno Mars, no “Shut Up and Dance,” no Lizzo—helped keep the set focused and on-brand for the couple.
The result was exactly what they’d hoped for: a room that never really emptied, voices louder than the PA by the end of the night, and the feeling that everyone was part of the same celebration rather than watching it happen.
Final Thoughts
Marissa and Rick came into their Wychmere wedding with a simple vision: one big party. By trusting the music, giving the night room to build, and embracing a long reception window, they got exactly that.
From a playful ceremony to jazz by the water to a Soulsville-fueled dance floor that carried well past midnight, this was Cape Cod summer at its absolute best.
