Summer and fall weddings - seems like everyone's having one. And while there is something beautiful about being outside, or under a tent with the moonlight overhead, I believe there's something equally magical about a December wedding and it's a wonderful option that more brides should consider.

This past weekend, we performed at  Jen & George's wedding at Cairnwood Estate in suburban Philadelphia, PA. This venue is stunning in every detail - from the long driveway as you approach, to the giant front door that makes you feel like you're walking into a castle. And you are, in essence, as Cairnwood is the former country mansion of the Pitcairn family, the founder of Pittsburgh Plate Glass (which you may know now as PPG).
 

Best Thing About Winter Weddings #1: Holiday Decorations 

One of the most beautiful things about the mansion is that it was decked out for the holidays, with a giant Christmas tree in the main room, plus lights on the giant staircase, greenery, and candles everywhere. By the time the guests started arriving and the reception started, the sun was retreating for the day, but the candelabras gave a soft ,glowing ambience that couldn't be matched at any other time of the year. I can understand that non-Christian brides and/or grooms may not be thrilled by the idea of a giant Christmas tree in your reception space, but most of the decorations were non-denominational and more "wintry" - think pine greens and candles. 

Best Thing About Winter Weddings #2: Winter Accessories
There is something especially beautiful about a bridal gown with a vintage fur stole, modern faux fur look-alike, or woolen coat or wrap to keep your arms warm in your wedding dress (or bridesmaid dresses!). Bride Jennifer wore a beautiful stole over her dress and passed out pashminas to her guests to keep warm if they were chilly. 

Best Thing About Winter Weddings #3: Winter and Christmas Songs
For Jennifer and George's wedding, the Sunshine Symphony duo performed a set of acoustic love songs, and it was fun for us to be able to throw in holiday songs like "Baby, It's Cold Outside," or "Let it Snow." Your favorite classic holiday songs also work well as mixes for cocktail or dinner music, think Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Bing Crosby, Burl Ives or Tony Bennett.


If you love historic mansions and want to visit Cairnwood, they offer afternoon teas once a month and lots of events that are open to the public. You can find more information on their website:  http://www.cairnwood.org/

Hi Symphomaniacs - we can't believe Musikfest has come and gone, with another performance in the books. Record heat, thunderstorms and lightning WOULD have cancelled our show if we were outside this year - we're thankful that our performance in Musikfest Cafe went on as planned to a full house!

Our friend and photographer Kenn Miller took some awesome shots of our performance, which I'm proud to share with you here.


The month of August is crazy busy with three weddings and several other shows, including our debut at West Deptford, NJ's RiverWinds summer concert series.

Hope you're staying cool! Thanks for coming out to our shows this summer!

We had such a great experience at Musikfest. Did you see our write-ups here and here? We had such a great time on stage and backstage. 

We kicked off our fall wedding season with Rachel and Greg's wedding on August 29th in Philadelphia at the Sheraton University City. The staff down there was 
fabulous, and they decorated the hotel ballroom beautifully and totally transformed it!

Then, just this past weekend, on September 26th, we were thrilled to participate in Beki & Jake's wedding at The Country Garden in Lehigh Township. Jake's Mom did an amazing job decorating the facility, and Beki had friends make her cake (which was lovely and delicious), plus homemade pie and lots of delicious treats. We have three more weddings coming up in the next two weeks and we've got several weddings booked for 2016 already!

We've had such a great couple of months! Thanks for coming out to see our summer shows at Tunes at Twilight, Musikfest and Live at Riverside Park. Check out our silly video clip of what "backstage" at Levitt Pavilion looks like.

It's fall wedding season, and we're getting ready to entertain the guests at four weddings in the next four weeks.

We were super excited when Lehigh Valley Academy asked us to perform for their fundraiser on Friday, October 16th at Martin Guitar, the awesome guitar factory right in our backyard in Nazareth, PA. The Sunshine Symphony trio of Tim, Ricky and Christine will be performing.

Also, we're very excited to announce the full band will be back at the Levitt Pavilion stage on Sunday, October 18th for the Runner's World Half Marathon Festival. 

Some other big announcements are coming up later in the month - stay tuned!


 

Hard to believe it's already August. We are getting ready for our TWO Musikfest shows this week, and we'll have a special tribute to Musikfest artists at both performances.

Here are our shows:

THURSDAY, AUGUST 6th - 5 p.m. - Preview Night at Levitt Pavilion at Steel Stacks on the Southside of Bethlehem.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7th - 7:30 p.m. - Opening Night of Musikfest at Levitt Pavilion Steel Stacks on the Southside of Bethlehem.

We'll have our brand new t-shirts for sale at the 'Fest as well!

Thanks to Matt Smith of the Express Times, who mentioned our shows at the 'Fest in a little article about new music.

We've had an exciting month here in the 'Symphony, with news about two summertime shows that made us practically radiate happiness. 

Tunes at Twilight, in our humble opinion, is one of the best events that the Downtown Bethlehem Association hosts every year.  Set up in the beautiful and shaded Sun Inn Courtyard in Downtown Bethlehem, this easily accessible small park seats hundreds, and makes for a lively place for a free concert. Surrounded by Bethlehem's downtown restaurants, breweries, wineries and more, there are great places to dine before-hand or afterwards, or, enjoy food and drink from the Tunes Bar, which serves wine and beer, often regional offerings.  They've extended the concert series this year through July, which gives you more chances to enjoy a warm summer evening.  Sunshine Symphony will be there on July 2nd. We're looking forward to our 2nd year at this event.


Musikfest is Bethlehem's signature musical event, and it's been going on for 30 years now! Imagine an entire town turned into outdoor music venues for free concerts of all genres!  Plus, the event features every portable culinary delight you can think of. Pickle on a stick? Yep. Barbecued meat skewer? Yes. Vegan taco? Sure. Totally my idea of heaven. The event brings thousands of visitors to town (and the boost to the local economy is noticeable), but it also makes me personally happy that I live in a place that so celebrates music.  Come see us at Levitt Pavilion on the South Side of Bethlehem (right in front of Steelstacks), the opening night of Muskiest, Friday, August 7th at 7:30.

Check our schedule for ALL of our upcoming shows.

See you out and about this summer!
Peace, Love & Rock n' Roll,

Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony

This weekend is the musical community's biggest event in the Lehigh Valley - the Lehigh Valley Music Awards happen on Sunday, March 8th at ArtsQuest.  Sunshine Symphony is thrilled to be nominated by our peers in the music industry as "Outstanding New Band" this year (our second together).

We have been thankful to have performed all over the area in the past year, from "Tunes at Twilight" to Forks Township's Summer Concert series, to Fullerton Carnival, and happy that people have noticed the passion we put into our performances, the time we've spent rehearsing and re-rehearsing, and the variety of the music we play, like our tongue-in-cheek humor as you listen to our version of "Raise Your Glass" that bursts suddenly into the chorus of "Let it Go" from Frozen.

We are also thankful to be a part of the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia music scenes, and have such a variety of venues in which to perform. To be part of a community that recognizes the arts and its talented musicians is a blessing!

Read about some of the other industry nominees for awards here in this article by Dustin Schoof:
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/music/index.ssf/2015/03/lehigh_valley_music_awards_16_2.html#incart_2box_entertainment_index.ssf

Thank you to Tall Ships America, who found Sunshine Symphony after a band search and asked us to play their Annual Awards Banquet and Gala, which was held in Philadelphia. We said, "Sure!" and then made plans to travel the hour or so into the city to the Sheraton Society Hill.

Tall Ships America is a diverse organization of sailors and educators who host programs to teach young people how to sail and other valuable life lessons, like confidence, leadership,  The organization also has a scholarship program which allows many young people the chance to join the program, even if they never thought it possible.  Tall Ships wanted Sunshine Symphony to entertain the staff after dinner and after their awards ceremony.  We perform at a lot of private parties - and this audience included many age groups and musical tastes. The group was ready to have a good time, and we got everyone dancing and singing along by the end of the night, which you can see in this video clip.

Post by Sunshine Symphony.

 

Organizer Darlene Godin had this to say about working with the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia's best cover band:

"I just wanted to let you know that we received rave reviews about Sunshine Symphony’s performance at our annual awards banquet on Friday the 6th.  When the dancers finally got on the dance floor, there was no stopping them. Your professional attitude and amazing performance was over the top fantastic. We wish we could bring you with us to all our conferences. From the whole staff here at Tall Ships America,
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!"

Sunshine Symphony has quite a bit of experience working with event planners and corporations to provide entertainment and sound support for special events. Christine, in her former life, worked as a Marketing and Corporate Event planner, so she is very familiar with what corporate party-goers expect and enjoy at special events. She's also aware of the questions that event planners ask, has great attention to detail and knows just what information needs to be exchanged in order to make all aspects of the party a success.

We have a substantial sound system as well, that can handle large rooms like the very large ballroom at the Sheraton Society Hill without overpowering it. With our sound set up, Tall Ships America was able to use our wireless microphone and PA system to announce their award recipients, and we were happy to run sound during the awards banquet and make sure everything sounded great.

If you need Sunshine Symphony to illuminate your special event, please use our form to Contact Us, or give us a call a 888-937-3568

Peace, Love & Rock n Roll,
Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony

 

Happy 2015 to our new fans and our fans from the very beginning! We are overjoyed that 2014 was so successful.

We booked lots of new venues! We met so many great people and got to celebrate with our wonderful new friends and fans at their happy occasions.  We'll be making our debut at Club Gravity at Chicago's Restaurant (previously Mezza Luna in Allentown). We're excited to be playing for the members of the Fullerton Fire Company in May, and playing more shows at the Coplay Saengerbund this year.  Also, we hope to soon add a few dates at the Parx Casino in Philadelphia. Several weddings are already booked here and in Philadelphia and there are a few more in the works.

We're working on new music! At rehearsal on Monday, we worked on 5 new songs that we'll be adding to upcoming sets and probably a few more in the next few weeks before we start getting ready for "wedding season". The result of our 2014 Music Poll showed the MOST votes for the Luke Bryan song "Play it Again" - so we may be adding that to our set soon.  Other high-ranked songs from our poll: "Happy" from Pharrell Williams, "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea (I am not fantastic at rapping, but I'd try it),  "Rude" by Magic (already in our set list!) and "All of Me" by John Legend.

I'm currently obsessed with Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" song and can't seem to get that out of my head...we may have to add that one as well.

What would you like to see from us in 2015? More videos? Where would you like to see us play? Let us know in the comments, and we'll do our best to make it happen. Happy New Year - hope it's a great one for you, too!

Peace, Love & Rock n' Roll,
Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony
 

Sunshine Symphony is excited to announce the addition of guitarist/vocalist Kyle Campbell to the band. Kyle is a native of Nazareth, PA, where he played with local band original/cover band Project 67 and won two WZZO Backyard Bands competitions. 

Interestingly enough, Ricky and Kyle have many mutual musical friends and have almost crossed paths in the past.  They realized this after Kyle agreed to join the band and they started determining whether they had jammed together previously.

Kyle's been involved in many different projects over the year, including writing and recording original music as a solo artist. He is releasing his solo album "Sunday's Best" in mid-January.

We think Kyle is a nice guy, with a great sense of humor, serious guitar skills, and may now be the most stylish member of the band. Kyle and his wife Teara live in Manayunk, but have family up here that you'll probably see at some of our local gigs. You may even see a bit of Sunshine down in the Philly soon, too.

 

We are so thrilled, as we approach our first birthday, to have been nominated for a Lehigh Valley Music Award for "Discover New Artist!" Sponsored by Discover Lehigh Valley, the award goes to the best new artist in the Lehigh Valley.

It's easy to vote! Go here: ​http://blog.discoverlehighvalley.com/2014/11/30/discover/vote-for-the-2015-lehigh-valley-music-awards-discover-new-artist/

1. Select "Sunshine Symphony"
2. Enter your email address.
3. Click Submit!

Done! Thank you so much for your support this year. We are so excited about 2015!

Peace, Love & Rock n' Roll,
Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony

(And Ricky Bell, Tim Kerrigan, Ian Frey and Steve Nesbit)

We have had the opportunity to play at a couple of beautiful outdoor weddings in the past two months.  We were thrilled to be a part of Sandy and Josh's wedding at their friend's gorgeous home in Zionsville, and Lindsay and Charlie's wedding in Richlandtown, PA. 

Sandy and Josh's day started with pouring rain, which caused the ceremony to be moved inside to the lovely Chateau Peach, their friend and photographer's home. As the guests arrived, we set up in the tent, complete with sides, which were essential to keep our gear (and us) dry.  By the time the ceremony was over and the guests emerged from the house, it was only a drizzle, which eventually cleared to blue skies and sunshine.  The advantage of hiring an experienced wedding band is that we have performed and worked with all kinds of family situations. Sandy and Josh had teenage children from previous marriages, and didn't want to do a father/daughter dance in a traditional sense - but they did want to dance with their own children. We played Five for Fighting's song "100 Years", Sandy and Josh each danced with their children, and each others' children and then invited other family members up to join them, which ended up being a lovely tribute to their blended families.  An ice cream truck surprised guests later, and the night ended clear and chilly, with fires burning outside to keep everyone warm. 

Sandy and Josh had these nice things to say in their 5-star review: "So easy to work with and so organized in their delivery of events. Thank you so much! Keep rocking rockin' in the USA Christine & Ricky and the rest of the band."

Lindsay and Charlie got married on Lindsay's family's historic property in Bucks County. Her family renovated their circa 1800s farm house over the years.  The property included a genuine pottery barn - literally, a barn where Lindsay's mother, a potter, practiced her craft. Historically, the barn had been used for pottery-making for many years prior to that!  They also had a generous, flat lot with a chicken coop that Lindsay and Charlie used as a bar.  The couple also held their ceremony on site, overlooking a grove/marsh framed with grasses and reeds. As it happens sometimes with weddings, there was a snafu happened when one of the shuttle buses bringing guests to the site broke down, which meant that another bus had to go rescue the stranded wedding guests. The bride and groom didn't want to start the ceremony without those guests - so we kept everyone entertained in the meantime.

Here's what Charlie and Lindsay had to say about it:
"On our wedding day the band was prompt in setting up and were ready to go exactly at the planned time, unfortunately the transportation of our guests was unexpectedly running behind - the band was flexible and continued to play mixed tunes while the guests mingled. When the time came for their set to start they rocked the house! "
Charlie and Lindsay's big day went smoothly from there, and a bonfire and fireworks closed the night.

Thanks to our experience performing at weddings, and years of event planning and other professional experience, we know how to handle situations as they come up. Staying calm and cool and troubleshooting is what we do! We have worked with people in the past who have toed the line of professionalism when something doesn't go as planned. While it's important to stay on schedule, we do understand that things come up, and we will make sure everyone is having a good time, while always handling things professionally.

Photo credit: Top photo - Terree Yeagle, The Moment Photography
Other photos: Taken by Christine

Some of the hardest decisions to make for couples are songs for the special moments of their receptions. What songs work well for bridal party introductions? What about a first dance? You'd be surprised how many times we hear "I'm not sure what song to dance with my Mom to..." or "I need a good father daughter dance song!" Of course this changes as new songs come out, but classics remain popular over the years and are still chosen today.

We also hear: "We don't want to be the center of attention for the entire 5 minutes of my (first dance/father/daughter/mother/son) song, because that makes us uncomfortable." - a lot. The beauty of a live band is that we can edit the song for you. Many times, we play the first verse and a chorus or two, and try to keep the song at about 2 minutes or 2:30, which is the sweet spot, in our opinion.  Note that there are certain "story" songs that aren't well-suited to an edit. We can certainly advise you of what songs are best if you want to edit them during our pre-wedding consultations!


Bridal Party Introductions
Think: Upbeat, Happy, Fun

American Authors - Best Day of My Life
Pink - Raise Your Glass (recently eclipsed in popularity by "Best Day of My Life")
Robert Palmer - Bad Case of Loving You
Bruno Mars - Marry You
Kool and the Gang - Celebrate
Katrina and the Waves- Walkin' on Sunshine
Hall and Oates - You Make My Dreams Come True
Pink - True Love

First Dance Songs
Think: Meaningful, romantic

John Legend - All of Me
Blake Shelton - God Gave Me You
Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
Jason Mraz - I Won't Give Up
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years
Keith Urban - Only You Can Love Me This Way
Jack Johnson - Better Together
Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz - Lucky
Sara Bareilles - I Choose You
Hunter Hayes - Wanted
Frankie Valli - Can't Take My Eyes Off of You
Train - Marry Me
Brad Paisley - Then
Rolling Stones - Wild Horses
Queen - You're My Best Friend - SOMEONE, please request this song! We would LOVE to sing this!


Bride/Father Dance (or Bride/Mother/Family Member)
Think: Sentimental
(Many of these songs are suitable for either a bride or groom to dance with a parent/family member)

Rascal Flatts - My Wish
Bob Carlisle - Butterfly Kisses
Heartland - I Loved Her First
Billy Joel - Lullaby
Tom Petty - Wildflowers
Carrie Underwood - Mama's Song
Judy Garland or Israel ‘Iz’ Kamakawiwo’ole- Somewhere Over the Rainbow
The Beatles - In My Life
Stevie Wonder - You Are the Sunshine of My Life

Groom/Mother Dance (or Groom/Family Member)
Think: Sentimental

Five for Fighting - 100 Years
Rod Stewart or Glee (Acoustic Version) - Forever Young
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance
Phil Collins - You'll Be in My Heart
Kenny Chesney - Don't Blink
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man
Ben E. King - Stand By Me
Lady Antebellum - Never Alone
Jason Mraz - 93 Million Miles

It varies from person to person as to what makes a song special enough for a first dance or father/daughter dance, but here are some ideas for your reception. We'd love to hear YOUR suggestions in the comments, too.

Peace, Love & Rock n Roll,
Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony
PIN THIS BLOG POST:   

Thanks to Ciara and Evan for the use of their photo. Photographer: Sturazzi

We had a great time on Sunday meeting tons of brides and couples at Green Pond Country Club's Summer Bridal Bash. One thing we heard a LOT when we told people we were a wedding band, was "I've thought about having a band but didn't think I could afford it." We are here to tell you, "YES! YOU CAN!" Sunshine Symphony's rates are designed to be competitive with the price of a DJ, and fair.

We charge what we feel is fair, based on the amount of time it will take to prepare (in advance, via planning sessions, conference calls, song lists, etc), and then perform, including set up and tear down of our equipment. Performing at a wedding, 99% of the time, requires that we bring all of our equipment, and in some cases, multiple set ups for a ceremony or cocktail hour that is in a different location than the reception. Sunshine Symphony is not a bargain basement band, but we're a fairly priced entertainment option, and we strive to be comparable and competitive with DJ rates, while providing so much more excitement and energy.  Part of our services also includes party hosting, which means we'll make all the introductions and announcements to keep everything flowing and to let you know what's happening next.

A nice bonus for you? We care about our wedding couples. Yes, you're our clients, but we'll make time for you. We're spending one of your most important days with you, and we know that getting married is incredibly stressful for most people.  We do everything we can to make it less stressful, and even fun for you! We want to accommodate you and your ideas and make your reception memorable and uniquely "you."

One thing has consistently happened at the end of each and every wedding we've played: the guests crowd onto the dance floor, and when we say our final thank yous, they unanimously chant "ONE MORE SONG!" We're not kidding when we say this happens every time. We've all been to our share of weddings with DJs, and while great, we've never seen this same phenomenon happen. Ever.

If you even had a passing thought about having live entertainment at your wedding, please give us a call. We're flexible, experienced, professional, talented and honest, and we're happy to answer your questions.

Peace, Love & Rock n Roll,
Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony

Congratulations to Lauren and Adam, whose wedding we played last weekend at Riverview Country Club.  What a beautiful location! Riverview is definitely a scenic location for a wedding ceremony and reception.  As we performed at the ceremony, and reception, we got an up-close glimpse at all the details that make Riverview a great location for both ceremonies and receptions.

Riverview's reception location is called "Villa on the Green" - it's a round room with windows all around overlooking the golf course, which is beautiful landscaped. As soon as you walk in, you see a huge, dramatic stone fireplace goes perfectly with the natural wood beams inside and view of the rolling hills of the course.  Lauren's theme of navy blue and sunflower gold perfectly accented the space and lent a summery look to the room.

The ceremony location is behind Villa on the Green. As you can see in the picture above, a long wooden boardwalk with past the pond leads to a rustic wooden gazebo. A natural hill overlooks the gazebo, so all of your wedding guests will have a great view of the proceedings. We set up at the end of the boardwalk, where Ricky and I performed acoustic songs while the guests were being seated, and then, once the bridal party was ready, started playing Sara Bareilles's song "I Choose You."

One advantage to having professional musicians perform at your wedding is our ability to customize your entrance song "on the fly." Since Riverview's boardwalk aisle is quite long, if we had played a recorded version of "I Choose You," we would have been three whole minutes short by the time Lauren got to the end of the aisle. So, we added an instrumental break, and two extra choruses to make sure that as soon as Lauren set foot at the altar, the song concluded - but she still got to hear a good bit of her selected song.  We received one of the nicest compliments ever, when Lauren and Adam told us afterwards that they felt like they were in a movie, with the way the music was perfectly timed.

We then took care of introducing Lauren and Adam's bridal party and getting the reception going inside the beautiful Villa on the Green.  The benefit of having a live band is we were able to introduce the bridal party and then Lauren and Adam in between choruses of "Best Day of My Life," by American Authors.  We then performed the couple's first dance to Blake Shelton's song "God Gave Me You," a Father/Daughter dance to "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts, and Adam and his Mom danced to "100 Years" by Five for Fighting, all performed live by Sunshine Symphony.

At the end of the night, after getting the whole room onto the dance floor with "Shout", and hearing everyone singing along to "Don't Stop Believing", we received the ultimate compliment from our couple: "That was EXACTLY what we wanted!" Thanks again to Lauren and Adam for choosing Sunshine Symphony for your wedding. We always aim to deliver total satisfaction!

We'll be appearing at the Summer Engagement Bash Bridal Show on July 13th from 12-3. If you're thinking about a band at your wedding, stop by and see us - we'll be there to answer questions and show you some footage from shows and weddings we've performed at. Get free tickets (free for brides, $5 for guests) here:
http://bridalexpopa.ticketleap.com/pennsylvania-bridal-expo-presents-a-summer-engagement-bash-at-g/
 

We had a great time at Evan and Ciara's wedding last night at The Eastonian (Kunkle Drive in Easton/Palmer Township, PA).  It's really enjoyable meeting couples getting married and hearing their thoughts on their music for their big day - it's such a huge part of people's memories that we realize the importance of our job when we're hired for a wedding.

Typically, we'll learn songs for the couple if we don't already know their "first dance" songs, or learn other songs that the couple really wants to hear during their reception.

Ricky's going to kill me for mentioning it, but he's a huge fan of Wilson Phillips. As am I - I totally wore out my cassette.  Their song "Hold On" recently came back into the public's collective consciousness after the song was featured in the hit movie, "Bridesmaids." When Ciara mentioned she's a huge fan of the movie and wanted us to learn "Hold On" for their reception,  we were openly excited. Harmonies! That's one of our specialties.

In addition to that, Evan and Ciara were fans of the Ataris, a pop-punk band known for their cover of the Don Henley song "Boys of Summer" a few years back. They asked for us to put together an acoustic version of the song "I.O.U. One Galaxy." Normally, it's a faster-paced rock tune. Ricky and I worked out an arrangement where we alternated lines and added harmonies to make a slow-danceable song for Evan and Ciara's first dance.  We knew we hit the mark when we saw the two dancing, totally absorbed and enjoying the moment.  That's probably our favorite part of being a wedding band - helping to create the special moments that people remember forever.

At the bride and groom's request, we'll record a version in the studio that they can keep forever to remember the moment (and our arrangement). That's a unique service that we can offer to our wedding clients that doesn't cost a dime  - we enjoy the creative process and the challenge of arranging a song to capture our brides' and grooms' visions. 

Have a wedding coming up? Have some creative requests or dreams for your special event? Contact us. We can help make those dreams a musical reality.

Peace, Love & Rock 'n Roll,
Christine

Stacey and Jeff's wedding in Turks and Caicos. Music by Ricky Bell and Ian Frey of Sunshine Symphony.

Eloping isn't quite the same as it used to be. According to a survey by TheKnot.com, 24% of brides choose a destination wedding - where not only the bride and groom escape to an exotic location, but the wedding guests do, too! A vacation and a wedding in one, destination weddings have an average of 86 guests! 

One unique thing that Sunshine Symphony can offer is entertainment for your destination wedding ceremony, rehearsal dinner and reception.  Just this past week, Ricky, Ian and Christine traveled to Turks and Caicos in the British West Indies (just next door to the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic) for our friends and longtime fans Stacey and Jeff's wedding.  It was a wonderful opportunity to escape someplace warm in spite of a dreary, chilly Spring...but behind the scenes, it required an immense amount of planning and coordination to make it happen. We are happy to say that everything went off with only one hitch - Stacey and Jeff's "hitching!" (Sorry for the corny wedding joke).

Destination wedding planning is challenging, and it seems like a lot of jumping through hoops to get it to happen (and it is), but it can happen. If you have your heart set on having your favorite musicians play your song as you walk down the flower-petal lined beach aisle, it can be done.

One thing we discovered is that Top 40 bands in the islands are few and far between - in fact, there was ONE in Turks and Caicos and the restaurant manager we talked to said they were not so good. You could always hire a DJ, sure - but it's just not the same. I can vouch for that!

At Stacey and Jeff's wedding, the walkway for the bridesmaids and bridal party was LONG. In fact, Stacey wanted Jason Mraz's song "I Won't Give Up" performed for her bridal party AND her processional, and the song would have ended way before she even got on the beach. Ricky and Ian were able to add instrumental parts to make up time so she set foot on the beach at the very moment in the song she wanted. Cue Stacey's tears. There is just something so special about someone singing your favorite song live.

Since making Stacey and Jeff's dream wedding come true this week, we know what it takes to get us and our gear to your destination wedding location. We can handle getting necessary things like work permits, Customs and Immigration, dealing with wedding planners, and renting sound equipment so everyone can hear us perform, too. For what it's worth, Christine also speaks French so she can communicate with the appropriate wedding professionals if need be.

If you're getting married and are thinking about music for your destination wedding, please don't hesitate to contact us. We LOVE making couples happy on their special day!

 

Hey, happy April to our Symphomaniacs out there.  We are so excited that the awards and accolades for Sunshine Symphony keep on coming!  We found out a couple of days ago that we were named Finalists in the Lehigh Valley Happening List.  Thanks to everyone that voted, and thanks for spreading the word about Sunshine Symphony!

We really think 2014 is going to be an amazing year - we're riding on those rays of sunshine and spreading the positivity everywhere we go. In the past couple of weeks, we've been booking, booking, booking, and taking some new group shots (hey, did you see our new banner up there at the top of the page? Isn't it awesome?), We'll post them around the website, so click around and see if you can find them.

Last but not least,  if you want a little sunshine in your life, stop by one of our shows and we'll give you a new Sunshine Symphony sticker.
We've been busy! Let's keep the buzz going! Like us on Facebook, add us to your Circles in Google +, share our videos or blog posts or pictures! Thanks, fans!

Peace, Love & Rock n Roll,
Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony

We are thrilled to be/have been a part of two groups named "Top Philadelphia Cover Bands" on CBS Philly. As you may know, Christine spent seven years performing with She Said Sunday, and Ricky, three.  Although we were saddened by our unexpected December 2013 departure from SSS, we feel a renewed energy and are very fortunate to be working with the talented musicians in Sunshine Symphony. We're very excited about our future with our new band. Thanks to CBS Philly for helping us make this list TWICE!

Read the article by Susan DeFeo here:

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/top-lists/top-cover-bands-in-philadelphia/

By Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony

We've been busy for the past couple of weeks and we've added a ton of new shows to our books, and quite a variety, too!

As always, you can check our Shows page for all of our shows, but here are some new ones to note:

April 18 - Sunshine Symphony's debut at Rival's in Easton - 10 p.m.
May 2 - Cinco de Mayo - Chili's in Whitehall, 5 p.m.
May 22 - Tunes at Twilight - Sun Inn, Bethlehem -  6 p.m.
June 21 - Relay for Life in Whitehall - 10 am - 12 noon
June 21 - Summer Concert Series at Lehigh Valley Mall - 6:30 p.m.
July 4 - City of Allentown Independence Day - J.Birney Crum Stadium - Time TBD
July 9 - Forks Township Concert Series

We are looking forward to warmer and sunnier weather, as every single one of these (except Rivals) is an outdoor show! If you're thinking about a band for your wedding or private party, come see us locally this summer - we'd love to meet you! 

By Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony

Ok, we admit we're biased here. One thing I hear a lot when randomly quizzing people about "band or DJ": "We're thinking about having a band at our reception, but we think a DJ may fit better into our budget.."  There are a lot of articles out there that talk about the benefits of having a DJ at your wedding, and the number one issue that comes up is cost. "DJs are cheaper."  We're here to tell you: "Not necessarily!" - with the caveat "You get what you pay for!"

You need to decide, "What Kind of Entertainment Do I Want, Really?"

Do you want to turn your reception into a dance club?
If you want the DJ with great beat-mixing skills, a top-notch sound system and lights, the personality and the ability to connect with your wedding guests, you are going to pay more - in the Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton area, probably $1500 - $2000.

Do you want an energetic live performance?
If you want a wedding band experienced enough to know how to act around your guests, to have the best equipment that is well-maintained, and to put together a diverse enough playlist to entertain all ages at your wedding, you're going to pay $1500 - $2500 and up here in the Lehigh Valley, and even more in the New York Metro or Philadelphia area.

What about the DJ/band offering to do my wedding for $800 or less?
Sure, that lower price is attractive, but keep these things in mind: a wedding is a special event, and you don't want just anybody performing at it. You want someone who is going to take your event and your instruction seriously. Any band can perform at a wedding for $800. You want someone who will update and maintain their equipment (blowing a speaker at a wedding will shut their performance down...you don't want that!). Make sure your provider has specific wedding experience and references to prove it. 

What else do I need to know?
Finally, go see your choices perform live. Sometimes, a band that sounds or looks only ok on video can be great live, and vice versa. If you can't go see them live, get references, and make sure their references are actual clients and not just their best friends they've put on their reference list. Ask them specifically about their wedding and how the DJ or band performed per their expectations.

There is something special about a live musical performance that engages your wedding guests.  A good band will think about the flow of the music at your reception, and think about the combination of songs to get people of all ages on the dance floor. A good wedding band probably costs about the same, or maybe a little more than a top-notch DJ. Budgeting a little extra moves your wedding entertainment from "background music", to something your guests will always remember.

Photography by Neusse Photography

Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony




 

We are pleased to announce we've completed Sunshine Symphony's lineup with the addition of  bassist Tim Kerrigan and guitarist Pete Johann. 
 

	Tim has been playing bass for 20+ years, with a variety of different bands. Recently, he moved back to PA after spending 15 of those years performing in California. With a background in jazz, funk and hard rock, he brings huge skills to Sunshine Symphony (because you're only as good as your bassist!). With Tim on the bottom end, we are sure to be amazing.
	Pete Johann is a longtime Lehigh Valley musician who performs his own original music as well as cover songs with his own band appropriately named The Peter Johann Band. Pete's background in jazz and funk should bring a cool, grooving sound to Sunshine Symphony.

Since ALL of us also sing, could five-part harmonies be in store for you? You never know. We are so thrilled to have this caliber of musicians join our band. We CANNOT WAIT for you to hear us play.

Peace, Love & Rock n' Roll,
Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony

Sunshine Symphony, the Lehigh Valley's brightest new cover band, will make their concert debut at The Barrister's Club on Saturday, February 21st at 7 p.m.  

We invite you to join us for a fun night in this beautiful facility, complete with stage, dance floor and VIP balcony.  Tickets cost $10 and are available for purchase bu clicking here.
 
Or, copy and paste this link into your browser window:
http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e8rs91hee56388da&llr=lsmiv6bab

Tickets will be available at the door, but we cannot guarantee their availability.  We suggest you buy them in advance, and get them before they sell out.

The Barrister's Club is an historic banquet and event facility  in Allentown, complete with free, secure off-street parking. Food and drink specials available. 

Christine Bainbridge, Sunshine Symphony

So you searched online and found a wedding band that sounds great. You've read their reviews and their bio. Now what? How do you know they're going to be the right band for your wedding? Here are some things to think about when selecting your band.

A lot of bands have videos posted on their website. A video is a great start, but, ideally, it should be current. Why? Bands can switch personnel frequently, or sometimes have special guests that are not a part of the normal line up. A good, working band will always keep their content up-to-date. If they're not working hard to impress you BEFORE your wedding, what makes you think they'd work hard after you book them? 

The best way to get a feel for the band you're interested in is to see the band performing live. Sure, you'll hear how well they play together, but you'll also be able to see their personalities in action. First of all, do they play frequently? A band that performs together regularly is going to naturally be more rehearsed than a band that only performs occasionally. Are they entertaining and poised on stage, or are they boring with no stage presence or, worse yet, sloppy or even intoxicated?  If they are professional on stage, it's pretty likely they'll be professional around your guests. These are all important considerations.

If you go to see them live or watch a video, confirm that the band you like will have the same personnel the day of your wedding.  Just ask about it. It's not something that's typical, but it can happen, so you may want to make sure that a clause about what you would consider an adequate substitution is in your contract.  One of our clients had this very problem - they went to book the band because they really liked the lead singers, and then they found out via social media that the lead singers had been fired (and were not informed by the band until they confronted them about it). To add insult to injury, the band refused to return their deposit when they wanted to cancel. Talk about a huge headache only a couple of months prior to their wedding. The key point here is to put everything in the contract, especially to specify that the lead singer that you liked will indeed be doing their killer version of your first dance song.

In our experience, there are a lot of great bands out there, but only a few great wedding bands. The main difference? The ability to lead an event. It's relatively easy to show up, set up, and play at a bar or festival, especially if sound is being provided. It's not nearly as easy to plan and set up for a wedding. It requires attention to detail, because a wedding has a lot of details to remember! It requires a knowledge of sound equipment and proper set up for the event, with potentially disastrous results if the band is inexperienced. It requires finesse and the ability to deal with a venue and other vendors. It also requires a knowledge of event planning, but lastly, the ability to put aside your own ego in order to make the client happy.

Finally, use your best personal judgment. Never be afraid to ask questions and be ready to move on if you don't get the answers you want.





 

Thanks for stopping by Sunshine Symphony's web page. We're happy to be here. Here's the who/what/when/where/why of our new band.

Sunshine Symphony grows from the roots of popular local cover band She Said Sunday.  Christine Bainbridge is founding member and the creative marketing force behind that band, having provided the public relations, publicity, web site and social media management for seven years, in addition to winning awards as their lead vocalist and keyboardist.  Ricky Bell was a more recent addition in the past two years, and provided musical inspiration and tremendous versatility to the band, not only providing vocals and guitars, but also drums and keyboards. When She Said Sunday decided to make some changes, Ricky and Christine saw it as an opportunity to move beyond their former band with their creative vision.

Pair intense musical precision with a passion for performing, and a chemistry which is unmatched, and you have Sunshine Symphony.  

We're working from the ground up, and we need your help! Please like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter, and tell all your friends about us.