What a wonderful, incredible, fun-filled surprise my siblings treated us and our guest to at our downtown Manhattan wedding! The chapel for the ceremony was a 15-minute walk to the reception venue. We planned a “group walk”, weather permitting*, and obtained a “parade permit” from the local police precinct, which we learned was a requirement because there were over 100 of us…but it wasn’t to be a “real” parade…or so we thought. Right after the ceremony, Daniela Grafman, our event planner, told us that, “Your siblings have a surprise for you, so come outside.” What we found was Richard Stillman and his Dixieland band and our guests adorned with beads and hats and equipped with kazoos and tambourines! We got ours, too, and the band led us, New Orleans style, to the reception among the (uncharacteristically) delighted folks in the Financial district who were on their way home. Everyone had so much fun!
The band played superbly, as we followed them down the narrows streets, and the challenging crossing of West Street, as our enthusiastic guests and (atypical) smiling commuters enjoyed the parade. When we got to our destination, the band continued to play as we greeted our guests when they went inside…a perfect setting for a warm and informal “reception line.” When they were all inside, I took the opportunity to do a (really bad) Charleston.
If you are planning a similar short walk for your wedding and looking for something special and fun to start the celebration, I cannot recommend more highly Richard Stillman and his band.
Richard Stillman Productions-Dixieland Band; info@richardstillmanproductions.com
*We sent ahead to our guests Uber Events credits in case of a downpour
