The Smokin’ Section visited the refined & historic atmosphere of Rumson’s Sea Bright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club, however “refined” might not be the best word to describe this affair. Courtney told us beforehand that her guests would be ready to dance and party from the get-go, and she was quite right about that.
For the cocktail hour starting at 5pm, the Smokin’ Section supplied a jazz trio featuring our trumpeter, pianist and bassist. The group got right down to business with a spirited version of “Bye Bye Blackbird” and climaxed the hour with a down home, gutbucket rendition of the New Orleans classic, “St James Infirmary”.
Courtney and Jamie’s reception took place under a tent overlooking the exquisitely manicured lawns and tennis courts and the classic clubhouse. The bride and groom walked in to the intro strains of their first dance selection, the Dave Matthews Band’s “Oh”. Aside from a welcome speech by Courtney’s father Jim and a quite amusing toast by the best man Hans, Courtney and Jamie dispensed with the usual “formalities”, such as parents’ dances, cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc. Courtney and her wedding coordinator, Meghan Walls (of Lyndsey Hamilton Events) felt that this would give their guests that much more “dance time” and they were absolutely right about that.
The team of Lynn, Kristen and the staff of the club and Meghan kept the party on schedule and humming while the Smokin’ Section kept the guests enjoying themselves on the dance floor. Noted Shore area event photographer Therese Marie Wagner and her crew of 2 were there to record the occasion for posterity.
The slightly muggy late summer atmosphere did nothing to inhibit the crowd’s spirit or energy, and the party built from beginning to end. The hosts of the party and their guests just could not get enough of the music and Courtney and Jamie decided to keep the Smokin’ Section and the party going an hour past the originally scheduled ending time of 10pm. The band seamlessly and energetically handled requests from the dancers for an eclectic variety of material ranging from reggae (Bob Marley) to classic rock (Stones; the Boss–Rumson is his current hometown, after all!) to Funk (Average White Band, James Brown, Earth Wind & Fire) to Latin (Tito Puente) and more. By the final 15 minutes of the party, a softly lilting Shore breeze was blowing at the bandmembers’ backs, putting a beautiful capper on a memorable evening.
Banquet Facility: Sea Bright Lawn Tennis Club 732-842-6577
Photography courtesy of Thérèse Marie Wagner Photography 732-345-0515