South Wind Ranch in Travelers Rest, South Carolina, hosted Jessica and KJ Meisner’s wedding on July 20, 2024. Their music choices covered three locations: recorded selections at the ceremony area, a jazz trio on the patio outside the barn and Soulution for the reception inside. Tiffany McClure Photography photographed the day.
Ceremony sound and jazz on the patio
Their ceremony plan called for a sound system and microphones near the chapel and island area, with recorded music rather than live musicians. The processional choices included “Heartbeats” for the wedding party and the “Jurassic Park Theme” for the bridal entrance. It was a specific set of selections, with a different cue for each entrance.
For cocktail hour, scheduled at 7:00 PM, Jessica and KJ chose live jazz on the patio outside the barn. Their requested repertoire included “Take Five,” “Naima,” “Watermelon Man” and “The Girl from Ipanema.” Sharing a few titles like these helps us understand the kind of jazz you enjoy, especially when it’s an important part of your reception plans.
The musicians’ move into the barn was on the schedule at 7:55, followed by the couple’s introduction at 8:00. They selected a live entrance to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” That five-minute change belonged in the plan alongside the music choices, with background music listed as guests settled inside.
Two versions of one first-dance song
After dinner, Jessica and KJ planned a first dance that would lead directly into open dancing. They requested about ninety seconds of Noah Reid’s version of “Simply the Best,” followed immediately by Tina Turner’s version of “The Best.” The invitation for guests to join the dance floor was to come at the start of the Tina Turner version.
The useful detail here is the transition. We had the first version, the length of the couple’s portion and the point for the announcement. If you’re planning something similar, share the two versions and tell us when you want guests invited in. Then we can work through the music change and the MC cue together.
Their broader requests leaned toward soul, Motown and familiar pop: Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Earth, Wind & Fire and the Beatles were all represented. They also welcomed recognizable songs for guests who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s. These were preferences for the reception, not a fixed song-by-song running order.
A T-shirt toss and a clear route outside
A T-shirt toss took the place of a bouquet toss in their plan, with everyone invited to join. It was scheduled during the 10:00 band break, with recorded music through the break and the band returning at 10:15. Putting an activity in that window gives the band and MC a shared cue for what happens next.
They requested an upbeat final song, followed by a glow-stick send-off through the barn’s side bay door at 11:00. Specifying the exit helps the MC give guests a useful direction. Our planning resources cover the music and timeline details to work through before your wedding.
Planning a South Wind Ranch wedding? Send us your date, and we’ll talk through ceremony sound, patio music and your reception inside the barn.
Photography: Tiffany McClure Photography. View the photographer’s original wedding post.
Venue: South Wind Ranch, Travelers Rest, South Carolina.
Live music: Soulution.