Two Bright Lights have put me in touch with some fabulous photogs from all over the place! Today’s wedding was shot by a kindred soul that is a fellow Alabamian…wahoo!! When Morgan sent me this wedding along with a few of the details, I knew it would be a perfect fit – like Cinderella’s glass slipper! Plus it doesn’t get much more swoon worthy than when the groom serenades the bride!

Lorraine includes: Music was the first thing to guide Dan and I into heartfelt conversation when we met. We’d both been raised on classic rock, both loved to sing, both had extremely ecclectic tastes (my parents were in a well known bluegrass band when I was growing up and Dan loved Fleetwood Mac as fiercely as Nirvana) and we immediately built a “judgement free zone” for our music, that I feel has carried over into the way we love each other. And of course, when Dan shyly performed his own music for me the first time, that’s when I thought “this guy is way too cool for me!”

When it came to choosing music for our wedding, we decided to forego the DJ and live band and instead make a mix of our own ipods. It included songs that were special to us as a couple, songs special to our families and our youth, and also chose music from around the globe and every region of America. We also wanted to choose music that would be a dancing invitation to EVERYONE, not just the young crowd, so we played a lot of rockin’ Motown (which my family line danced to, ha!)

You can imagine my surprise when Dan, usually very shy about performing, sang a cover song of my favorite artist, Patty Griffin to me at the reception. It wasn’t just that it was a beautiful song and an utterly perfect and heartfelt rendition, but that he chose to go out on a limb to make this memory for us. It trumped every planned moment and detail, and I will never forget it.

Ceremony
Seating – album Gulag Orkestar by Beirut
Processional – “scenic world” (Lon Gisland Version) by Beirut
Marriage Certificate Signing – “For the Beauty of the Earth” performed a capella by Dan and Lorraine’s sisters
Recessional – techno version of “scenic world” (Gulag Orkestar Album Version) by Beirut

Dinner Hour
A various mix of songs by Mexican band, Manà
(mixed by the groom)

Reception
First Dance: Songbird – Fleetwood Mac
Dad/Bride Mom/Groom Dance: Here, There and Everywhere – The Beatles

Playlist
Ain’t too Proud to Beg – The Temptations
You Sexy Thing – Hot Chocolate
When She Believes – Ben Harper
You Send Me – The Chapmans (Bluegrass)
I Got a Woman – Ray Charles
That’s Not My Name – the Ting Tings
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Pata Pata – Miriam Makeba (from South Africa)
American Saturday Night – Brad Paisely
Now That I’ve Found You – Alison Krauss
Hanginaround – Counting Crows
Leaozinho – Caetano Veloso (Brazil)
Down at the Twist and Shout – Mary Chapin Carpenter (Zydeco/Cajun)
Night Train – James Brown
Paper Planes – MIA
Twenty Five Miles – Edwin Starr
Mariposa Traicionera – Mana (Mexico)
Heavenly Day – Patty Griffin
War Wounds – the Indecision (Dan’s band)
Lodi – Udit Narayan (Bollywood)
Careless Whisper – Wham!
De Piez a Cabeza – Mana (Mexico)
Bohemian Like You – the Dandy Warhols
Your Love Keeps Lifting – Jackie Wilson
Hora Din Moldova – Nelly Ciobanu (Eastern Europe)
Little White Church – Little Big Town
Purple Haze – Jimmi Hendrix
Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (Pacific Islands)
Your Song – Elton John

Dan’s song for Lorraine:
You’re coming home to me – Patty Griffin

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Photos: Morgan Trinker Photography