Duke Music recently collaborated with Dark Horse Vineyard, in the beautiful NSW wine region of the Hunter Valley. This stunning wedding venue held a competition to win two nights luxury stay and a long lunch for five people. The lucky winner, Gaelle brought along her nearest and dearest people, for an unforgettable getaway and dining experience.
Duke Music Gives Life to the 'Dark Horse'
An immersive Hunter Valley winery experience, full of good food and wine deserves a soundscape to match. When Duke Music was asked to come onboard to be part of the experience, we of course did not hesitate to jump in to lend a helping hand. After all, how rare is it that you can help to put a smile on people’s faces, just because? Josie and Tim were absolutely honoured to play a big part in enhancing Gaelle’s experience with her guests, by providing the perfect soundtrack to accompany this unique experience.
'Dark Horse of the Hunter Valley'
Dark Horse Vineyard is an exclusive weddings and events venue located in gorgeous Lovedale, right in the heart of the Hunter Valley. It is easy to see why this property is known as ‘Dark Horse of the Hunter Valley’, with the two black caviar barns set amongst 25 acres of vines, paddocks and manicured lawns.
The Stables is where the all the action happens, suitable for wedding and events. This beautiful ceremony and reception venue seats up to 170 guests and it is tastefully decorated and styled with gorgeous inclusions.
From the Stables, we follow the crushed granite paths where The Barn House, a luxurious retreat awaits. This homestead consists of three bedrooms and can accomodate up to 6 people.
The entire property also gives you exclusive access to multiple on-sight ceremony and photograph locations.
For the perfect location for your wedding or event, with a beautiful ambience and an equestrian charm, you can’t go past The Dark Horse Vineyard.
Vendors
We were privileged to be able to collaborate with with these amazing humans, to help make this day a special one for Gaelle and her guests
The sun showed up in full swing matched with clear blue skies in the beachside location Dunbar House Watsons Bay as the backdrop for Lucie and Georgi’s wedding day. Guests came together to celebrate with style to celebrate the marriage of these two brides. Duke’s Duo, Trio and DJ provided the soundtrack for this special day.
The Ceremony
Lucie and Georgi chose an all day package with Duke Music ( + DJ and MC) to accompany their special day. Starting with the Duke Duo for the ceremony, the brides chose a mixture of acoustic versions of classic, pop and rock favourites.
CEREMONY SONG LIST Entrance song – A Thousand Years (Christina Perri) Song Mid Ceremony – I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing (Aerosmith) Singing of the Register – It’s like Love (De Wayne Everettsmitt) & Walking On Sunshine (Katrina & The Waves) Recessional song – Happy Together (The Turtles)
The Reception
As the sun set over the horizon, Dunbar House Watsons Bay was brought to life with the two newly married lovebirds and their guests. Our Duke Trio provided a variety of tunes at key moments during the evening as well as 3 sets throughout the evening.
RECEPTION SONG LIST Wedding Party Entrance – Crazy in Love (Beyonce) Cutting of the Cake – Watermelon Sugar (Harry Styles) First Dance – You’ve Got the Love (Florence & The Machine) Farewell Song – Rather Be (Clean Bandit)
Dancing the Night Away
Our very own Duke vocalist, Josie, stepped into DJ mode, to provide guests with a party atmosphere to dance the night away. Lucie and Georgi chose a playlist consisting of 90’s Brit Pop mixed with modern hits. It was great to see guests come onto the dance floor in full swing. We loved the added touch of the rainbow sneakers that the brides chose to switch into for pain free dancing comfort!
List of Vendors
It was a pleasure working alongside these amazing suppliers to make Lucie and Georgi’s wedding possible (with Instagram links):
It’s not often, that you can say your marriage was witnessed by the greatest artists in history. Neither can you often say that your wedding was just like out a movie. For Tyler and Ben this EXACTLY what they will say to everyone about their wedding! Duke Music had the honour of providing the soundtrack to this timeless and unforgettable wedding day. The photos in their own right deserve their own exhibition. Let’s take you on an artistic and cinematic adventure on what was a truly enchanted day!
Inspired by True Events
Tyler and Ben were inspired to recreate their first date, featuring art and cinema. They also saw their wedding day as an opportunity to have an “ultimate date night”. Their wedding was a simple yet luxurious, understated yet decadent and ignited all the 5 senses. The day started off with preparations at The Old Clare Hotel, a boutique hotel with an old world charm feel. This would set the mood for the classically romantic day that would unfold. With Ben’s suit by MJ Bale and a beautiful touch of bridal couture by J. ANDREATTA for Tyler’s bridal gown, this was certainly going to be a stylish affair and the perfect ingredients for an ultimate date night.
The Art Gallery of NSW was the backdrop for Tyler and Ben’s wedding ceremony. What a beautiful iconic building to celebrate the first moment they had together as a couple and to relive it on the first day as a married couple! There was a cheeky dash of comfort added in with Springcourt shoes. As you will see, this subtle touch of fun, will be an ongoing theme throughout this day, putting a unique spin on how a wedding can have a fresh approach.
Tyler & Ben's very own Art Exhibition
The images captured by Lei Lei Claveywere so breathtaking, that little words need to be said. Enjoy these works of Art!
The Cinematic Soundscore by Duke Music
For the reception, we take a trip down memory lane to Golden Age Cinema & Bar. Tyler and Ben decided to drop all the formalities such as grand entrances and speeches to ensure an uninterrupted party for all and that’s where DUKE Music came in. Josie, Tim and Chris from the DUKE trio provided an unforgettable motion picture soundtrack to accompany for this fine vintage affair. We provided 4 x 45 minute sets with a range of old school hits and followed it up with a DJ set with tunes ranging from Elvis Presley to Blink-182. Out came the choc tops to replace the wedding cake and the night was young!
"You guys are insane. Everyone is literally still talking about you guys and the way you handled all the old emo hits. Everyone love your mini version of 1,000 miles - so many people's favourite part... honestly we can't wait to have another excuse for an event to get you back."
- Tyler
The Final Credits
Thank you to Tyler and Ben for allowing us to be part of your special day! Of course Duke Music played a small part in bring this adventure to life. Time at the cinema wouldn’t be complete without the end credits, so here is a list of the vendors (with Instagram links) that Tyler and Ben engaged for their wedding.
Still with us? We don’t have any additional scenes for you but our friends at HELLO MAYdid an editorial on Tyler and Ben’s wedding. Find out the finer details of how they planned their wedding from the couple themselves.
A stunning 100-acre property, tucked away in lush wine country and immersed amongst expansive park-like grounds. It’s the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the big smoke – an escape from reality – your own little piece of nature. We call it a picture-perfect secluded paradise that invokes feelings of home and comfort. But whatever image and feelings you want to project onto it, it is exactly how it will be. Because The Woodhouse Wollombi is a magical blank canvas, a place where you can paint your own masterpiece – your own dream wedding, your way. As the owners like to put it – “Your Day Your Way – Let Your Imagination Run Wild”.
Here’s your invitation to the “gallery viewing” of Natalie and Sam’s masterpiece wedding.
Sitting in the middle of Red Wood Park Wollombi, is “The Woodhouse”: A rustic but refined timber building with high ceilings and large light filled windows. With this European-like aesthetics and barn-like architecture – nothing more needs to be done against this blank canvas, except to add a bride and groom!
The Finer Details
A masterpiece isn’t complete without an element of still life. Natalie and Sam took inspiration from the native Australian landscape and enlisted the help of Print 35 for their invitations, floral designs by Little Wrens (just look at that bouquet and boutonnieres!), a subtle addition of Australian flora on the wedding cake by Messina and a splash of greenery on the dining tables also by Little Wrens.
Special Captured Moments
There is nothing quite like the the sights and sounds of people bringing a blank canvas to life. The gathering and celebration of love, life and culture of the special bond between Natalie and Sam were beautifully captured by Studio Something. Here are some highlights!
The Accompanying Soundtrack
Duke helped to curate an experience with Natalie and Sam, so they, along with their guests could immerse themselves in a celebration for their love. Our Duke Duo provided a pre-Ceremony music soundtrack for Natalie and Sam to set the tone for a beautiful Ceremony. Tim (from Duke) was also honoured to accompany traditional Vocalist, Isser, on Guitar, whilst he provided his talent as their traditional Jewish singer throughout the Ceremony. Working alongside Isser, we were able to provide a perfectly balanced music experience that incorporated Natalie and Sam’s traditional choices with the romantic atmosphere they wanted to achieve.
One of our favourite aspects of performing at The Woodhouse Wollombi is the stunning location they offer for Wedding Ceremonies and Canapes hour. It’s a short stroll down the hill from the Reception location to a serene and elegant spot. Chris Gable from our Duke team performed as a soloist during Canapes hour, providing a Sax and Vocal performance to accompanying backing tracks. It was the perfect afternoon to enjoy a beverage or two to the delightful tunes and sociable atmosphere provided by Chris Gable.
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As sunset hit, out came the dancing shoes with the Duke Band kicking off the festivities with the Hora. It was thrilling and exciting to say the least, we’re in awe of how Brides and Grooms survive such an epic experience!
Guests moved inside to enjoy Dinner service, during which our Duke Band provided some light and delicious dinner music for everyone’s tastes. Once dinner and the formalities concluded, Natalie and Sam shared their first dance to Lover of the Light by Mumford & Sons. Our Duke Quintet continued the evening with a full dance floor featuring bangers by The Chilli Peppers, Kings Of Leon, Stevie Wonder, and Queen. Check out for yourself just how much fun we had in these fabulous pics by Studio Something.
Thank you Natalie and Sam for having us be a part of your wonderful wedding day at The Woodhouse.
Natalie and Sam's Wedding used the following suppliers to create their masterpiece!
To say we’re excited about Elise and Nic’s magical waterside wedding is an understatement. This darling couple have been loved-up for so long, it feels like we’ve been waiting forever for them to finally get hitched. Elise and Nic were supposed to be married in May 2020, however the first round of Covid-lockdowns in Sydney had other plans for them. After postponing their plans for 12 months, Elise and Nic finally tied the knot in Sydney’s Northern Beaches in May 2021. Duke was there to help them celebrate, providing the perfect wedding music from their Ceremony to the Dance floor. Here’s the shimmy on how their magical wedding day went down. We say a huge thank you to Charlotte Exton Photography for these gorgeous images.
About their Ceremony
Nothing brings us more joy than a peaceful and romantic Ceremony location that sings with a sense or reverie. From the moment we set eyes on their Ceremony location we couldn’t help being taken aback by the serenity. McCarr’s Creek Reserve in Church Point is dappled by tall Spotted Gum Trees and runs beside a rocky shore and sandy beach. It also extends into larger bushland areas in the National Park. This setting provided the perfect backdrop for Elise and Nic to share their vows and be married.
Their Ceremony was elegantly styled by the wonderful team from Little Lane Events and their impeccable eye for detail. We know many readers will be vying for some of the styling crafted by Little Lane for Elise’s wedding day, but to be fair she did have a slight wedding advantage, being one of the Little Lane Team members herself! Her unique taste and flair for styling and all things weddings resonates throughout their entire wedding day, as you can see.
Elise and Nic’s magical waterside wedding Ceremony was officiated by the lovely Lisa Parker from Married By Lisa. She’s arguably one of our most favourite Celebrants. Lisa takes great pride in creating beautiful, bespoke Ceremonies delivered with joy, warmth, and professionalism. She’s a pleasure to work beside and we’re a great team.
Our Duke duo performed live throughout their Ceremony, with Elise walking down the aisle to our rendition of ‘Feels Like Home’ by Chantal Kreviazuk (one of our favourite songs). During their Signing guests chatted amongst themselves as we performed our version of ‘I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’ (you can listen to it here). Warmly congratulated by Lisa and formally introduced as Husband and Wife, Elise and Nic recessed down the Aisle together to our rendition of ‘Everybody Needs Somebody To Love’ by The Blues Brothers. Our song carried them through to their Champagne tower which was the perfect way to celebrate their newly minted marriage.
Josie and Tim are the best in the biz. I’d heard them perform many times at weddings I was working at and they were so good that I booked them for my own and didn’t even consider anyone else. Not only are they incredibly skilled and incredibly professional musicians, but they’re also so much fun and just great people. They made sure our wedding day had an epic soundtrack – and they made it seem effortless! Couldn’t recommend them highly enough.
– Elise and Nic
Off For Photos
About their Wedding Reception
The handiwork of Little Lane Events continued to impress us as we arrived at Elise and Nic’s wedding Reception. BYRA was transformed into a magical, awe-inspiring, wedding wonderland. From the floral arrangements, to the styling pieces, to the lighting and ambience.. It’s hard to imagine BYRA being a sailing club in any way at all! Congratulations to Little Lane Events for this wonderful transformation. It was the perfect setting for Elise and Nic to see their wedding celebrations from day into night.
Our Duke duo continued to perform throughout their Canapes-style Reception to provide a mix of pop hits and classic covers to warm everyone’s hearts and help liquify the evening. If there was such a thing as the perfect speeches, Elise and Nic’s friends and family had exactly those, with just a touch of the theatrical. Elise’s two best mates surprised her with a rendition of a song they had all performed together years before, in their high school musical. It was such a delight to see them sharing such a special moment together.
When it came time to kick their heels up, Elise and Nic opened the dance floor by sharing their first dance to ‘I’m So In The Love With You’ by Ball Park Music. Josie’s DJ skills rolled everyone on into the night with a rocking mix of 90’s + 00’s bangers, dappled with some epic country singalongs and pop hits.
Thank you to Elise and Nic for having Duke Music be a part of your wedding day. It was our joy to perform for you.
There’s no better day than a day when your clients send through their wedding photos. Steph and Ian’s wedding was absolutely one of our favourites! We are so excited to share their amazing day with you, courtesy of Cassie from Bedford Photography. Although we’re in the throws of Sydney’s third lockdown, we’re glad we had a chance to celebrate with Stephanie and Ian on their wedding day at the Hazelhurst Gallery, whilst Covid gave us all a (brief) reprieve in early 2021. Steph and Ian booked the Duke Duo + Trio + DJ package for their wedding day. Here’s how it went down!
Their First Look..
So what is a first-look, you ask? Well, it’s a great idea – that’s what! A first look is the perfect opportunity for you and your beloved to have a moment together before the madness of the rest of your wedding day. You’ll be pulled in every direction; saying hi to all your family and friends, being snapped, having drinks, hitting the d-floor for a boogie, and smooching your lover. Makes sense to get a bit of one-on-one time in early, right? Totes.
Their Wedding Ceremony
Their Ceremony songs
Our Duke duo had the honour of performing these songs live for Steph and Ian’s wedding Ceremony;
Aisle song: We Found Each In the Dark – City and Colour Signing of the Register song: Heroes – David Bowie Signing of the Register song: Marry Me – Train(click here to listen to our version!) Recessional song: You’ve Got The Love – Florence And the Machine
Their Wedding Party
An honourable mention goes out to these good looking humans who were part of Steph and Ian’s wedding party. Whilst guests mingled during Canapés hour, their wedding crew took the time to chillax and grab a few fun snaps with Cass from Bedford Photography.
On their Reception
When Steph and Ian moved to their Reception, they joined their guests for drinks and canapes whilst the our Duke Duo serenaded them all on the deck. Not long afterwards guests were greeted by the absolute visual (and literal) feast that is the Hazelhurst Gallery.
The Dancing Part
The Duke Duo becomes the Trio for Dinner and Dancing, then DJ Josie lets- loose!
With the addition of our third musician, Chris Gable, we had the joy of levelling-up from our Duke Duo to our Trio. It’s one of our favourite musician combinations, in fact! This meant the addition of not only a third vocalist, but Chris also plays the Sax, Bass, and acoustic Guitar as well (is there anything he can’t do?). We had the pleasure of playing live during their Dinner service, then we opened the Dancefloor with some crazy-good bangers. Oh, and Chris played a killer rendition of Billy Joel’s ‘Just The Way You Are’. (Click here if you wanna have a listen to Chris’ version!).
To finish the night, Josie took over as DJ and ended the night on a huge high! (photo evidence attached!).
Testimonial
“Josie is a true professional, she was a pleasure to work with from the moment we first enquired about Duke. We had already postponed our wedding due to Covid before we met Josie. She answered all our questions and gave us the flexibility we needed if we had to move our date again which gave us peace of mind. Josie was super friendly and made the whole experience fun and relaxed. Everything ran so smoothly music wise on the day. Duke set the tone for our ceremony with a beautiful selection of acoustic songs combining our favourites with tunes they selected that fit beautifully. At the reception Josie and the crew read the room really well to keep the good vibes and dancing flowing all through the night to the very last song. All our guests commented on how fantastic the band were. Loved the saxophone!! Nailed the Billy Joel song we chose for our first dance. And hearing him playing the violin in Runaway by the Corrs… that was very cool. Thank you for helping make our wedding the best day ever.”
— Stephanie and Ian
Many thanks to Steph and Ian for having us be part of your amazing wedding day.
A huge thanks also to Cass from Bedford Photography for sharing these images with us! Make sure you BOOK HER for your wedding photography.
With many of our Clients wedding plans being impacted by Covid-19, we’ve seen our fair share of cancellations, postponements, and re-schedules. But planning your wedding day in 3 weeks takes the (wedding) cake! Alex and Phil achieved this very feat, and with bucket loads of success and good spirits to boot.
Alex’ look was wonderfully elegant in her Suzanne Harward Couture ‘Aurora’ gown. Iconic Melbourne Designer Suzanne Harward has been creating breathtaking couture wedding gowns and red-carpet dresses for more than four decades. She specialises in made-to-measure and ready-to-wear lines that exhibit the finest quality in luxurious textiles and complex couture construction techniques. Her ‘Aurora’ gown is a part of her limited-edition Utopia collection of never to be repeated handmade couture gowns.
Alexandra and her Bridesmaids carried exquisite bouquets made by White House Flowers in the Northern Beaches. The delicate array of white Roses and Orchids, were later perfectly complemented by the floral styling at the Reception (more to come on that, later!).
At their Freshwater Ceremony by the beach, feat Duke Duo.
All eyes were on Alex as she gracefully made her way down the Aisle to Duke’s rendition of ‘Sea Of Love’ by Cat Power. Met by Phil, they were all smiles whilst their Celebrant Mary-Louise indulged us in some novel history about Freshwater, before marrying our lovely couple in a relaxed Ceremony (we should mention, she’s also a Relationship Coach, a Yoga Teacher, and a JP – impressive!).
Phil and Alex celebrated to the sounds of Duke’s cover of Ho Hey by The Lumineers, to the throws of petals and cheers by their nearest and dearest.
As we mentioned earlier, pulling together the plans for a wedding in just 3 weeks is no mean feat. After Covid changed their original plans, once the restrictions eased in NSW Alex and Phil didn’t hesitate to bring together the day of their dreams. We think it came together with finesse and grace – well done Alex and Phil! Ok, onto the exciting stuff..
Hi Josie and Tim,
Phil and I would love to thank you so much for doing such a fantastic job at our wedding! The music was perfect at every stage of the evening and totally made the event!
We also wanted to thank you for transitioning to silent disco later in the evening – we weren’t sure how it was going to work but I think it’s safe to say it was an absolute hit!
Entering their Reception to ‘You Make My Dreams Come True’ by Hall and Oats, our Duke Duo went straight on to play a beautiful mix of current pop hits and classics while guests enjoyed Entree and Mains service. (We caught a tasty glimpse of the menu with our crew meal, which was the most exceptional fillet of Snapper we’ve ever eaten!).
After an obligatory round of hilarious and heartwarming speeches, Alex and Phil cut their cake then made their way to the Dance-Floor for their First Dance. We were honoured to perform an acoustic version of Beyonce’s ‘Love On Top’ (you can check out the version, here). We hadn’t ever heard this version until we were asked by Alex and Phil to learn it for their wedding day, we highly recommend you have a listen if you’re looking for something a little familiar but also very unique.
Once the Dance-floor opened, the party kicked into gear!
Although there are some sound-restrictions at Pilu (which are in place in full respect of the neighbours and surrounding community) no body can stand in the way of a dancefloor when there’s a silent disco! Thanks to the team at Silent Rave, Alex and Phil and all their guests were all able to celebrate like there’s no tomorrow to Josie’s DJ bangers.
Thank you so much to Alex and Phil for having us be part of your wonderful wedding day at Freshwater. We had such a blast playing live and DJ’ing for you!
Thank you to Jason Corroto for these wonderful photos. Be sure to scroll to the end of this blog post to check out Alex and Phil’s full list of incredible vendors who helped to make their special day!
We were so lucky to perform for Alastair and Nicole at this stunning wedding venue in the Hunter Valley.
Peppers Creeks boasts one of the best wedding venues in the Hunter Valley, perfect for your Ceremony, Reception & Wedding Accommodation. After a year of waiting, Alastair and Nicole’s wedding day finally arrived! It came as no surprise to us Dukies that after the long and patient year of waiting for their postponed wedding date, Covid wasn’t going to stand in the way of these two having the wedding day dreams are made of at Peppers Creek. We were lucky enough to perform for Alastair and Nicole at this stunning wedding venue in the Hunter Valley. Here’s some info about their wedding venue and how their wedding day went down. Thank you to wedding photographer Red Moose Photography for these images.
About their venue: The Peppers Creek Barrel Room
Celebrating amidst the Autumnal vines of Peppers Creek Barrel Room in the Hunter Valley, our couple had the luxury of all their wedding plans happening in the same location. Hunter Valley Wedding Venue Peppers Creek Barrel Room is a beautiful country property nestled on the banks of the mighty Hunter River and surrounded by lush green countryside with views over the river valley to Mount Rochford. Peppers Creek is centrally located on Broke Road in Pokolbin, the heart of Hunter Valley Wine Country.
The venue has been designed with rustic opulence in mind as an intimate space that can accommodate up to 200 guests seated or standing at tables set around the lawns and gardens. Alastair and Nicole celebrated their Ceremony in the on-site Chapel, and their Reception in the majestic Barrel room (complete with roaring fireplace).
Onsite accommodation is also available through www.pepperscreek.com.au which is the perfect place to stay with you and your wedding party prior to the wedding day. Peppers Creek offers three unique stone cottages, ideal for friend or family group getaways to the Hunter Valley. The onsite accommodation can be offered individually or as a group booking, a total of 26 guests can be accommodated in the cottages. Each cottage is fully equipped with all linen and towels provided for your stay.
For Alastair and Nicole it all started with their Best Man, Damien. Attending as a guest at another Duke wedding, Damien carved up the dance floor with us! After that night he didn’t hesitate to let his besties know about the rocking band he saw and it was his personal recommendation which lead Alastair and Nicole to book with us. (Personal recommendations are the most common way our couples find us!). Being a creative couple with strong musical influences, it was important to them they find a discerning band who could perform a variety of tunes from Ceremony to Dance-Floor, and ensure guests would be partying well into the night. The perfect musical recipe for Alastair and Nicole’s entire wedding day was absolutely our Duke Duo for their Ceremony and Canapés, partnered with our Duke Quintet for Dinner music and Dancing.
Their Wedding Ceremony was set in the Peppers Creek Chapel, an idyllic sandstone building, with traditional, antique timber church pews, lectern, signing table and chairs. The sandstone Chapel offers the perfect country vineyard setting, overlooking the Merlot vines. We commenced their Ceremony with a song meant for a true One Direction fan (Nicole) called ‘Little Things’ as our Bride made her way down the aisle.
Certainly one of the highlights of performing for their Ceremony was to have Alastair come up to us soon afterwards to let us know how well he thought we’d played that song 🙂 Job done! The tone was perfectly set for the rest of the celebrations ahead!
Some Canapes to see in the sunset
As Canapés continued after the Ceremony beside the Chapel, we played on as an Acoustic Duo in the Chapel courtyard whilst guests mingled and supped champers. Whilst we were providing some beautiful ambient music for guests to socialize, I had the pleasure of briefly getting a happy-snap with some long time friends (between songs) – what a joy to unexpectedly see them! This is a photo of me with Mark and his wife Denise (Damien’s Mum and Dad!). Mark was the Musical Director of a show I performed back in 2008 .. just a little Disney production called ‘Beauty And The Beast’ where I had the honor of performing the lead role of ‘Belle’. You can watch a little of it here!
Josie with Mark and Denise Pigot
Off to enjoy some photos with their
‘I Do Crew’
The stunning grounds of Peppers Creek Barrel Room include; vineyards, creek, chapel and of course the barrel room itself. There are many nearby locations which are perfect for capturing your couple photos, including long grassy spaces which are illuminated by the golden sunset. The country bush surroundings are just across the road with the hills behind them creating the perfect picturesque backdrop.
And the party begins!
Alastair and Nicole’s Wedding Reception kicked off shortly afterwards, welcoming guests into the large Barrel Room (and cosy fireplace). Within short walking distance to the Chapel, the entrance to the building is framed by three meter high Indian elephant doors. The entertainment area is centred around a five-metre wide stone fireplace and the building is made from century old stone blocks.
Duke had the honor of playing their Reception entrance song ‘Let’s Get It Started’ by the Black Eyed Peas (classic!) as each couple was formally introduced to the wedding guests. Then we swung straight into what our band loves, playing excellent dinner music. With our 5-piece band we performed throughout entrees and dinner service, warming up the guests for the blazing Dance-Floor to follow.
Let’s the Dance-Floor commence!
Alastair and Nicole official opened the Dance-Floor with their First Dance, our duke-inspired live rendition of Tamia’s ‘So Into You’.. one of our favorite tunes right now. Then, it was all guns blazing as Duke lit-up that dance floor and we partied hard into the night. We performed an array of classic bangers, retro sing-alongs, and blazing rock tunes. You have to see it to believe it.
After a HUGE night of dancing (goodbye, Covid restrictions!) it was only fitting we say goodbye with another One Direction classic for Alastair and Nicole, waving goodbye to them with ‘Kiss You’ as their Farewell song.
Alastair and Nicole’s Review
If you’ve read this far into this blog post, lucky you! You’ll be graced with some very kind words from our Groom, who summed up his experience with Duke kindly. What an amazing wedding day. We’re stoked to share his words with you and hope that you’ll be thinking of us for your wedding day, too!
Josie,
I don’t even know what to say. We are just absolutely in awe of you all! Nicole and I have spent the last day just going back and forth reliving moments from the dance floor at our wedding. You guys gave us the day that we’ve always dreamed of. Your performance, timing and professionalism was phenomenal. But most importantly you were just so much bloody fun and really knew how to get everyone involved. I really, really mean it when I say that you absolutely made our wedding.
Every single song was an absolute banger and I think everyone at our wedding has made the effort to tell us how incredible you were.
We’ll send you a few pics of the night when they come through from our photographer but I really wanted to say a huge huge HUGE thank you for everything.
Talk about lucky in love! Debbie and Drew won their wedding through Wedstock Festival, and we were thrilled to be a part of their special day that had bright retro vibes, happy people and a vintage car exploding with blooms. Here are some photo highlights from the talented photography team at Mr Wigley.
Getting ready for the big day
Our Groom, Drew, spent the morning got ready with his boys (with a dash of whiskey, beers and lots of laughs). Debbie was of course preparing for the day with her awesome tribe. As soon as the blue suede shoes were on, the dancing began – as you know, we’re all about the music so we already love this wedding!
Coming down the aisle
Our bride Debbie walked down the aisle to Duke Music’s rendition of Angels by The XX. Celebrant Venetia Robertson crafted a warm and connected ceremony for Debbie and Drew and their small group of friends and family. The newlyweds hugged, kissed and everyone hoorayed as they walked down the aisle to our duo playing You’ve Got The Love by Florence + The Machine.
Whizzing around Sydney
Debbie and Drew traveled together in style in a mint yellow and black vintage car and really, they could have had the ceremony inside the car filled with flowers and we would have been overjoyed. Huge credit to Black Cab Central for providing such a fun mode of transport, featuring cheery shades of florals on the roof.
Getting some happy snaps
During group photos Debbie and Drew definitely cranked up the fun factor, popping a bottle of champagne and showering every soul in the garden!
Off to their photoshoot
Then they were back in that epic ride heading downtown, for couple photos that were candid, fresh and fun. Backdrops of giant tree roots, rustic brick walls, graffitied street corners and the waterfront at sunset were all part of the plan, and it unfolded perfectly.
Kicking their heels up at their Reception
Back at Wilhelmina’s in Balmain, the party was on and what a great little place to celebrate love. Roseberry Cake Creations had delivered the sweetest pink and yellow wedding cake styled with red and pink florals and a gold cake topper. The guests said the blast of color matched the taste. They also took home thank you boxes filled with treats for later – thoughtful touches make the day extra special.
Thank you to Wedstock Festival for inviting us to this epic wedding. They describe their service as creatively alternative and eclectic at heart, connecting couples with like-minded and unique vendors. Our creative souls were bursting with confetti to be a part of this collaboration.
A waterfront view and decor full of minimal, natural colors which perfectly complemented the scenery around them, Simone and Rob’s Jervis Bay wedding at The Cove was one of our favorite celebrations in 2020!
The morning of their Jervis Bay wedding day
Rob started the day by getting ready with his four groomsmen, enjoying laughs and a few beers together. Keeping with the minimal theme, they all dawned cream and white suits. With the prettiest boho inspired interior in the bridal suite (aka “Glam Room”) complete with pink, palm print wallpaper, Simone and her three bridesmaids sipped on champagne before Simone slipped into her Made With Love fitted lace wedding dress with her bridesmaids wearing a stunning moss green slip dress.
With guests arriving and getting settled for the ceremony, florals, dried palms, and grasses in various shades of white, orange, and green styled by Pia and Jade framed a spot by the water for the couple to say I-Do.
About their Ceremony
Duke and Quintet performed “Speechless” by Dan and Shay live while the bridesmaids made their walk down the aisle, with Simone making her entrance to Callum Scott’s “You Are The Reason.” After exchanging vows, the two signed their certificates to “Here Comes The Sun” by Nathan Roberts and “Love Lost” by Temper Trap. With the wiping away of tears by both Rob and Simone captured by Ainslee Burke Photography,their celebrant, Kylie Sharman, announced them husband and wife! After sealing the ceremony with a kiss, the two walked back up the aisle, hand in hand, under flower petals thrown by the guests in celebration to Rudimental’s “Lay It All On Me”!
Celebrating their Reception
After some group shots with family and their bridal party, Simone and Rob made an epic entrance into their reception to “You Make My Dreams Come True” by Hall and Oates. Their reception space was complete with wooden tables featuring florals of varying heights, candles, and linen napkins. Each guest received a bottled cocktail from Three Foxes, a “Find A Guest” bingo sheet to encourage guests to connect and get to know each other, and a place for guests to sign a puzzle piece in place of a guest book. We love the simplicity of their style and all of the unique elements they included in their Jervis Bay Wedding!
Partying in style with Duke
After toasts the two cut their cake to none other than “Cut The Cake” by Average White Band followed by their first dance to Chris Stapleton’s “Millionaire.” The guests capped the night off by showing off their skills and celebrating in style on the dance floor with the new Mr. and Mrs!
Congratulations Simone and Rob, we are so happy we had a place in celebrating your love story at The Cove!
If you’re looking for wedding entertainment, we are your people! Want Duke Music to help you celebrate your love story? Reach out to us, we can’t wait to hear from you!
