My new wife and I had the pleasure of working with Garland and the lovely ensemble known as Soul Session. From the planning stages leading up to our big day, Garland prompted us to define our styles, interests, and intentions for the musical performance that would capture the right feeling of our wedding day. Beyond interpreting what songs and energy best suited our crowd, the band leader orchestrated the night beyond what any wedding planner could provide. Even incorporating my wife to play along with the band. Soul Session was truly the centerpiece of our happiest day. I would recommend this band to anyone that wants the best variety of music and interactive performance that adds more than just music. They also DJ and play an excellent live performance for anyone the desires the best of both worlds!

Garland and soul session entertainment outdid themselves for our wedding. Garland was prepared with all of our songs and tailored the setlist to our interests. We met frequently prior to the wedding and he was a great communicator and easy to work with. Soul session was the ultimate best choice for our wedding. They played every song better than you could have expected. I received so many compliments about them during and after the wedding. They truly changed the atmosphere of the wedding and I could not imagine our day without them. Book soul session!!

We cannot recommend Garland and the Soul Session family ENOUGH. As music lovers, picking the right wedding band was arguably the most important decision of our wedding planning process, and boy did we make the right call. From the informative and fun prep calls to the big day itself, Garland made sure that every element of the ceremony and reception matched our taste & vibes and catered to the rockstar, party atmosphere we were looking for. But more than being an incredible bandleader, Garland went above and beyond, becoming a de facto therapist and wedding coordinator, making sure my husband and I could be in the moment at every aspect. He even arranged a surprise performance with my father-in-law. Please consider booking Soul Session for your wedding, you will not regret it!

The BEST wedding decision we made — hands down!

Hiring Soul Session was easily one of the best choices we made for our wedding, and we knew it from the very first call with Garland. What started as a quick “get to know you” turned into a full-hour conversation — by the end, we were basically yelling “Where do we sign?!” Garland’s vibe, energy, and music knowledge are just next-level, and exactly what you want guiding the music and the vibe of your wedding day.

They covered everything — from ceremony music to cocktail hour to dinner to an absolutely electric dance floor. We gave Garland a few song ideas, but he knew exactly how to read the room, feel out the crowd, and keep the party going. And WOW did he deliver. The dance floor was packed the entire night — literally everyone was up, including every single grandparent (which says it all). Once Soul Session started playing, you just had to be out there.

Garland, Tracy, and the entire band are so talented — beyond just being incredible musicians, they’re amazing performers who truly care about making your day special and completely “you.” Since the wedding, the #1 thing we’ve heard from our guests has been: “That band was AMAZING.”

If you’re thinking about booking Soul Session, please, we're begging you, DO IT. You will not find better. We’re still smiling from it all — and that’s thanks to them. Highly, highly, highly recommend.

Where do we even begin? We knew our wedding was going to be amazing, but Soul Session made it the best party we’ve ever been to. From the very beginning, Garland took on the role of more than just bandleader — he became a true partner in the planning process.

We had no idea what we were doing when it came to wedding planning, but Garland’s experience and genuine care made everything feel easy. He guided us through every step, from the ceremony to cocktail hour to the reception, with regular phone calls where he got to know us — not just our music taste, but our story, our personalities, and even the vibe of our families and guests. He literally has weddings down to a science.

The ceremony music? Absolutely beautiful — there were tears the moment we heard his voice.
The cocktail hour? A perfect, personalized soundtrack.
The reception? Unreal.

Garland also sang all of our first dances — and it was one of the most emotional, intimate parts of the night. His voice brought so much feeling and made those moments even more unforgettable. It felt personal and live in a way no recording ever could.

From the second the wedding party entered, the energy was off the charts. Every single member of Soul Session is so talented — the flow, the vocals, the musicianship, the chemistry — it felt like we were at the most epic concert and the most special celebration of our lives, all in one. Everyone — young, old, and in between — was dancing all night long.

We had so many guests tell us it was the best wedding they’d ever been to. Some even asked if Garland was a family member because of how connected he was to us and how personally he delivered every moment. He listened so closely to everything we shared in the planning process and wove it all into something unforgettable.

Soul Session is pure magic. Garland is a genius. If you want your wedding to feel joyful, emotional, wildly fun, and completely you — hire them. It will be the best decision you make.

If you’re reading through reviews thinking about booking Soul Session for your wedding or event, just do it already!! They are absolutely incredible! Garland is so talented and his passion for music and bringing people together shines through in every conversation you have with him. He helped us chose the five piece band option with live music for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, followed by a DJ set to close out the night which was perfect from start to finish. He’s a true professional who guided us through the planning process start to finish, helping us bring our personality into every part of the night. Garland and the female vocalist have amazing voices and the energy they brought kept everyone on the dance floor all night long. Our guests are still raving about them! They handled all the formalities (speeches, intros, etc) perfectly and made everything feel seamless. Working with Soul Session was honestly one of the funnest parts of wedding planning for us. We truly feel like part of the Soul Session family for life and we’re so grateful they were part of our day. Cannot recommend them enough!

Book them now!! Booking Garland Nelson and Soul Session was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. Truly a full-service vendor, Garland and his band provided the most amazing, entertaining day for us and our guests. Garland was the Officiant for our ceremony, and members of his team performed for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and then we had the full band for our reception. We received sooo many compliments, and Soul Session kept the party going all night long. We had so many conversations with Garland so that they fully understood the vibe we were looking for, and boy did they deliver! They blew sh*t up as Garland loves to say. Do yourself and your guests a favor and book Soul Session, you will have family for life! We are constantly looking up events to see Soul Session at again, and we look forward to it!

My family has worked with soul Session in the past for a house party, they were phenomenal. My first decision, the day I was proposed to was to book them! We planned our wedding date around their availability because we loved them so much. Garland is much much more than a vocalist. Please know that when he says your family, he really means it. Garland puts love and care in everything he does. Not only did he perform at the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception, but he hooked everyone up with microphones who needed to speak at the wedding ceremony, provided a podium and ensured the sound was excellent. Garland, my husband and I had several phone calls going over the logistics, play list, the plan and him sharing his ideas from years and years in the business. He ended one call saying that he wanted to do another call because he want to be sure everything he had and I had was exact, and there was no hesitation in my voice. I loved his tips and really helping the flow of wedding ceremony and reception. The band was amazing, he really knows how to bring the energy and get people up dancing!!
I could go on and on but all I can say is hire Garland and soul Session, he's family... And I'm pretty sure we all want that on one of the most important days of our lives

Just do yourself a favor and book Soul Session for your upcoming event, especially if it is your wedding. Live music is important to us and we planned our entire wedding around having an awesome band. Soul Session kept everyone of all ages on the dance floor all night at Glen Sanders Mansion. The music was inclusive and they are amazing at keeping the energy up. We received so many compliments on how awesome and talented the band was and will be a core memory for years to come. Garland is the man and we are already thinking of what event we can have in the future so we can once again dance the night away with Soul Session.

Garland and the band were amazing. They pretty much acted as my wedding planner and coordinator and then also showed up like 3 hours early to the venue to set up. We stumbled upon him visiting our venue and booking them was the best decision my wife and I made. I could not recommend more. Our crowd rocked out all night and I cannot wait to see the video he takes of the whole event!

Thank you so much!
Fred