Why I Love Performing at Micro Weddings in Myrtle Beach

There’s a moment that still sticks with me years later.

It wasn’t a big ballroom.
It wasn’t a packed dance floor.
There were no dramatic lighting cues or grand entrances.

There were about twelve people standing in a loose circle, singing Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” to one another — not at one another, but with one another. The lyrics weren’t being performed. They were being shared. Passed around. Lived in.

I was playing and singing, but at some point I stopped feeling like “the musician” and started feeling like part of the family. Like I had been invited into something private and meaningful — not to perform at it, but to support it.

That moment is probably the clearest way I can explain why micro weddings matter so much to me, and why my approach to music — whether it’s solo instrumental guitar, guitar and voice, or my band The Way — fits them so naturally.

I didn’t set out to specialize in micro weddings. I just kept saying yes to the kinds of events that felt honest, human, and connected. Over time, a pattern emerged.

And when we moved to Myrtle Beach, something really hit me.

Earlier this year, a bride reached out to me about playing her micro wedding in New York. She had found my music, connected with it, and really wanted me there. I had to tell her no — not because I didn’t want to do it, but because we had just relocated.

When she asked who I could recommend instead, I froze.

I realized I didn’t actually know many musicians who truly specialize in that kind of intimacy. Not just small weddings, but weddings where interaction, flexibility, emotion, and presence matter more than polish and volume.

That moment clarified something for me.

Micro weddings aren’t just smaller weddings. They’re a completely different emotional environment — and they require a different kind of musician.

What a Micro Wedding Really Is

A micro wedding isn’t a “scaled-down” traditional wedding. It’s not a compromise or a budget cutback. It’s a deliberate choice.

Most micro weddings have anywhere from 10 to 40 guests. Sometimes fewer. Often it’s immediate family and closest friends — the people who already know the couple’s stories, inside jokes, and history.

The ceremony is real. The vows are real. The emotion is real. What’s missing is the pressure to perform for a crowd.

Because of that, the energy is different.

There’s more eye contact. More conversation. More laughter. More space for moments to unfold naturally instead of being scheduled into five-minute blocks.

And that changes what music needs to do.

Music at a micro wedding isn’t there to impress. It’s there to support the atmosphere. To breathe with the room. To respond to what’s happening, not override it.

That’s where I thrive.

Why Intimacy Changes Everything for a Musician

I’ve played big events. Loud events. Highly produced events. I respect them, and I can do them well.

But small weddings tap into something completely different for me as a musician.

When the guest list is small, people don’t disappear into the background. They’re present. They talk to you. They make requests. They tell you why a song matters to them.

I remember one micro wedding where I was playing acoustic guitar and singing during the reception. Guests kept coming up, chatting between songs, asking questions, making suggestions. At one point, a woman came up and asked if she could sing with me. She wasn’t trying to steal the spotlight — she just felt safe enough to participate.

And that’s the key word: safe.

Micro weddings create an environment where people feel safe to be themselves. And when that happens, the music stops being a “service” and starts being a shared experience.

I don’t stand apart from the room at those events. I’m in it.

There’s something incredibly fulfilling about that as a musician.

The Frank Sinatra Moment I’ll Never Forget

That “My Way” moment I mentioned earlier still gives me chills when I think about it.

It wasn’t planned. It wasn’t choreographed. It happened because the couple loved the song, the guest list was small, and everyone felt emotionally open enough to step into the moment together.

No one was worried about how it looked. They were focused on how it felt.

That’s not something you can manufacture with a big production or a rigid setlist.

That’s something that happens when the music is flexible, the volume is right, and the musician is paying attention.

Why Spontaneity Matters at Micro Weddings

One of the reasons I’m drawn to micro weddings is that they reward spontaneity rather than punishing it.

In large weddings, predictability is often valued. Timelines are tight. Expectations are fixed. Deviating from the plan can feel risky.

Micro weddings are the opposite.

Couples often want the freedom to:
– Change the order of events on the fly
– Extend a meaningful moment
– Add a song because it suddenly feels right
– Skip something entirely because the vibe says so

That requires a musician who is comfortable making decisions in real time.

I’ve built my entire career around that kind of adaptability.

I play jazz, blues, salsa, rock, pop, instrumental music — not as separate categories, but as languages I can move between depending on the moment.

I don’t need everything locked in ahead of time. I listen to the room. I read faces. I notice energy shifts.

And micro weddings are full of those shifts.

Why Repertoire Matters More Than a Fixed Setlist

One thing couples often comment on after a micro wedding is how many of their favorite songs we managed to include — even ones they didn’t think were “wedding songs.”

That’s because I don’t approach music as a rigid show. I approach it as a conversation.

I have a huge repertoire, and more importantly, I’m comfortable adapting arrangements on the spot. A song doesn’t have to sound exactly like the record to be meaningful. Sometimes a stripped-down, intimate version is actually more powerful.

That’s especially true when:
– A song has personal history for the couple
– A family member connects deeply to a lyric
– The room is quiet enough to actually listen

Micro weddings allow those moments to land.

The Power of a Small, Flexible Ensemble

Everything I’ve described about my solo approach extends naturally to my band, The Way.

We’re not a band that needs a massive stage or a rigid script. We’re a band that thrives on interaction — with each other and with the room.

I remember a micro-style wedding where we played a Doobie Brothers or Steely Dan tune — “Reelin’ in the Years,” I think — and one woman absolutely lit up. She danced. She sang every word. Her joy was contagious.

Moments like that don’t happen because a band is loud or flashy. They happen because the music invites people in.

The Way Band is built around that idea:
– Flexible arrangements
– Volume that supports conversation
– Space for guests to respond emotionally
– A willingness to follow the energy rather than force it

We like being close to the guests. We like seeing reactions. We like when the line between performer and listener softens.

That’s why micro weddings suit us so well.

Why I Gravitate Toward Small Weddings Personally

This part is more personal, but it matters.

I’ve never been interested in doing the same thing the same way every night. That’s why I’ve spent my life moving between styles — jazz one night, salsa the next, blues, rock, instrumental music.

Variety keeps me engaged. Presence keeps me honest.

Micro weddings demand both.

They don’t let you hide behind volume or spectacle. They ask you to be present, responsive, and human.

And honestly, that’s where I feel most fulfilled as a musician.

When I leave a micro wedding, I don’t feel like I “did a gig.” I feel like I participated in something meaningful.

Why Myrtle Beach Is a Natural Home for Micro Weddings

Since moving to Myrtle Beach, I’ve realized how naturally this area lends itself to micro weddings.

The beach itself sets a tone:
– Relaxed
– Unpretentious
– Beautiful without being overwhelming

Couples who choose Myrtle Beach for a micro wedding often want exactly what these events provide:
– A destination feel without the stress
– A meaningful experience instead of a production
– Music that feels personal, not generic

That aligns perfectly with how I work.

Whether it’s solo guitar, guitar and voice, or a small version of The Way Band, the goal is always the same:
Support the vibe without overpowering it.
Add emotion without taking focus.
Be flexible, friendly, and fully present.

What Couples Often Tell Me After Micro Weddings

There’s a phrase I hear again and again in reviews and thank-you messages: “You were so easy to work with.”

That matters more to me than any technical compliment.

Micro wedding couples don’t want to manage vendors. They want to trust them.

They want someone who:
– Listens
– Adapts
– Communicates clearly
– Cares about the experience, not just the performance

When couples say they felt like I was “part of the family,” I take that seriously. That’s not accidental. That’s how I approach these events.

Why Micro Weddings Deserve Musicians Who Get Them

Not every musician is suited to micro weddings — and that’s okay.

Some musicians are brilliant at big productions. Some thrive on large stages and tightly scripted shows.

Micro weddings need something else.

They need musicians who are comfortable with:
– Silence
– Conversation
– Emotion
– Imperfection
– Spontaneity

They need musicians who see music as a shared experience, not a product.

That’s why I feel such a strong pull toward this space.

It’s not a niche I chose because it’s trendy. It’s a format that aligns with who I am as a musician and a person.

Looking Forward

That bride in New York who I had to turn down still crosses my mind. Not with regret, but with clarity.

I realized how important it is for couples planning micro weddings to find musicians who truly understand what they’re choosing — and why.

Now that I’m in Myrtle Beach, I’m excited to bring this approach here. To serve couples who want their wedding to feel honest, intimate, and alive.

If your idea of a perfect wedding includes conversation, laughter, shared songs, and moments that unfold naturally, then you’re exactly the kind of couple I love working with.

Because when the guest list is small, the moments are big.

And the music matters in a completely different way.

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