North Kingstown Cover Band Take It to the Bridge on Booking a Live Band for Your Big Day

One of the most critical decisions that couples make in the months leading up to their wedding is their choice of music. Although some opt for a DJ experience, there’s no doubt a good live wedding band creates memories that last a lifetime. In their role as emcee of the party, the wedding band’s responsibility is twofold – to make sure everyone is entertained and to manage the various stages of the hours-long event.

Take It to the Bridge is a Rhode Island wedding band that regularly goes above and beyond for the happy couple. Post-pandemic, they’ve been especially busy. “Exciting times, lots of weddings happening,” says Greg Marcotte, guitarist and general manager of the seven-piece act.

Although they didn’t start out playing weddings, Take It to the Bridge will celebrate their 10th anniversary this year. Marcotte  explains that he met his wife Christyn while playing in the Rhode Island National Guard’s 88th Army Band. “We first played in an original band called Sauce,” he explains. Next came adding members and playing around the state as a cover band for several years, when a close friend asked them to perform at his wedding. The band, newly minted as Take It to the Bridge, never looked back and these days, plays about 40 weddings a year. 

When it comes to booking a band for your event, Marcotte recommends planning early. “We typically book about six months to a year out,” he says. “We have a repertoire of over 200 songs for the couple to go through and choose from. We also learn up to three new songs they request, which is a lot of fun for the band; we add songs to our repertoire every year. John Richards is our emcee, and he is fantastic. We offer a full day of services; for the ceremony, we have instrumental guitar or DJ services, we do the cocktail hour, and we run the reception where we do introductions, speeches, and then perform after dinner.”

Whether you decide to go the wedding band or DJ route, Marcotte advises couples to give it some thought. “Think about the atmosphere you want to create. A lot of people don’t necessarily think about the band first, but it does tend to become a big part of the night. We provide that unforgettable performance feeling. There’s no match for what a band can do. We remember every wedding we play, and they tend to remember us. It’s a fun thing all around.”

There is no standard demographic at a typical wedding. With guests of all ages and backgrounds, the wedding band’s job is to play for everyone. Take It to the Bridge plays everything from country to disco with “parent dance” songs like “My Little Girl,” by Tim McGraw, and “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts among the most requested.

“We’re able to resonate with young and old,” says Marcotte. “We play the top hits of the past 10 decades; we’re really trying to bring everyone together on the dance floor. In terms of our music, we love bridging songs together, sometimes you’ll notice four songs in one. There’s a lot of genuine fun happening with the musicians interacting with the crowd, which is pretty neat.”

Take It to the Bridge plays out in public regularly, so couples can sample the band at local clubs, restaurants, and breweries. Learn more at TakeItToTheBridgeBand.com