Some clients you click with on the very first call. Sheri was one of them. She reached out in January to plan the music for her daughter Hailey’s wedding to Mike at Domaine Chandon in Yountville, nine months before the big day, and within minutes I could hear how much she loved live music. Maybe it’s a mom thing, but I knew exactly what she meant when she said she wanted the very best for her daughter. On September 26, under the oaks of one of Napa Valley’s most beautiful estates, that is exactly what this family got.
Here is the story of that day, from the first violin note to a dance floor chanting my name, and what it takes to make live wedding music at Domaine Chandon look effortless.
Planning a Bespoke Wedding Set List, Nine Months Out
On our second call, Sheri introduced me to Hailey, one of the kindest brides I have ever worked with. Hailey had fallen in love with my video of Can’t Help Falling in Love, and that song became her walk down the aisle, sung live with a string accompaniment. Over a few more calls we built the music for every part of the day together: ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. The final set list was completely bespoke. I learned a long list of new songs for this wedding, and so did my band, because a wedding soundtrack should sound like the couple, not like a template.
Just before the wedding, Sheri called me. “Hey Lolah, I’m so nervous.” I told her it’s completely okay to be nervous, and that she had a wonderful team around her. She did. Planner Aileen Billdt of Billdt to Shine Designs & Events, Emma Gray and the Domaine Chandon team, LC Floral Design, photographer Tiffany Singh, filmmaker Sebastien Manceau of Interstellar Films and a live painter capturing the day on canvas all worked together beautifully.
Ceremony Music at Domaine Chandon: Strings and Live Vocals Under the Oaks
As guests found their seats beneath the old oak trees, framed by LC Floral Design’s towering roses, a violinist and a cellist played instrumentals. The groom walked in to an instrumental theme, and the wedding party followed to Canon in D. Then came Hailey’s walk down the aisle: Can’t Help Falling in Love, the song from the video she loved, sung live with the strings carrying the melody under my voice. Hearing that song live with real strings, outdoors in Napa Valley, is something a recording simply cannot give you.
When the vows were done, Mike and Hailey walked back up the aisle as newlyweds to Kiss Me, with me on acoustic guitar and vocals and the strings joining in.
Cocktail Hour Sound at a Hillside Napa Venue
Domaine Chandon sits on a hill, and that beauty comes with a puzzle. Cocktail hour spread across two levels at once: a photo booth indoors on a lower floor, and portraits and mingling outside. Every guest needed to hear the music and every announcement, wherever they were standing.
With our sound technician, we designed the system to cover both spaces, so every cue for the next part of the evening reached everyone. I played a solo singer-guitarist set and stepped into the MC role, warming up the crowd and keeping the timeline moving. By the time dinner was called, the guests already felt like one room, even spread across a hillside.
A First Dance in the Mist, Then a Luxury Wedding Band in Yountville
Then came the moment I still think about. As Mike and Hailey stepped out for their first dance, our fog machine released a soft mist under the string lights, and you could hear the whole crowd go “wow.” Tiffany caught it perfectly: the two of them wrapped in each other, lights glowing all around, the air turned to silver.
Then my full band, LOLAH & The Travelers, took the second stage as a live wedding band. The dance floor was packed from the first song, and at one point the crowd started chanting “Lolah, Lolah, Lolah.” I won’t pretend I didn’t love that.
Music Director for the Day: Two Stages, One Timeline
Behind the music, my role was music director. I managed the band, the string musicians, the lighting and visual effects (uplights, dance floor lighting and fog), and our sound technician. There were two stages, one for the ceremony strings and one for the band, in an outdoor setting where lighting has to be planned, never assumed. We mapped the sound checks so the band checked first and the strings came in right after, and everyone was ready before the first guest arrived. Working hand in hand with Aileen and the venue team, every musician came up at exactly the right moment.
What the Family Said
Sheri texted me after the wedding, and I’ll let her words speak for themselves:
“Incredible breathtaking cannot thank you enough. Everybody had the most amazing magical night. The Entertainment was off the charts and everyone was dancing and everyone kept talking about how much the Music really brought it all together and loved you and your fabulous outfit last night and energy XOXO.”
Sheri, mother of the bride
“Lolah, you did incredible you blew our minds tonight. Everybody had a fabulous time your music the band everything was off the charts incredible thank you so much for all your hard work and time we all just had the best time.”
Sheri, mother of the bride
“Award winning performance! Still can’t get over the amazing night.”
Hailey, the bride
“You all were incredible!! The energy, the beautiful music, the fun vibes, your outfits, the fog machine!!! All of it! So fun!!! Can’t wait to work with you again!!! And what a gorgeous night under the full moon!”
Aileen Billdt, Billdt to Shine Designs & Events
Wedding at a Glance
| Venue | Domaine Chandon, Yountville, Napa Valley, California |
|---|---|
| Date | September 26, 2026 |
| Booked | January 2026, nine months ahead |
| Ceremony | Violin, cello, acoustic guitar and live vocals (Canon in D, Can’t Help Falling in Love, Kiss Me) |
| Cocktail hour | Solo singer-guitarist set and MC, sound covering indoor and outdoor levels |
| Reception | LOLAH & The Travelers, full live band, bespoke set list |
| Production | Two stages, sound technician, uplighting, dance floor lighting, fog |
| Music director | LOLAH, LOLAH Entertainment (San Jose, serving Napa Valley and the Bay Area) |
The Wedding Team
- Venue: Domaine Chandon, Yountville (Emma Gray and team)
- Planning and design: Billdt to Shine Designs & Events, Aileen Billdt
- Photography: Tiffany Singh Photography
- Videography: Interstellar Films, Sebastien Manceau
- Florals: LC Floral Design
- Ceremony strings, solo music, MC, band, lighting and effects: LOLAH Entertainment with LOLAH & The Travelers
Questions Couples Ask About Music at Domaine Chandon
Can you have both strings and a live band at a Domaine Chandon wedding?
Yes. For Mike and Hailey we set up two stages: one for the ceremony strings and vocals, and one next to the dance floor for the band. Planning the sound checks in order, band first and strings second, kept both ready before guests arrived.
How do you handle sound at a hillside venue with indoor and outdoor spaces?
We bring a sound technician and design coverage for every space guests will use at the same time. At Domaine Chandon that meant an indoor photo booth on a lower level and outdoor portraits during cocktail hour, so every announcement reached everyone.
How far ahead did this Domaine Chandon wedding book its music?
Sheri booked in January for a September 26 wedding, nine months ahead. That left time for several planning calls, a fully bespoke set list for me and the band, and a sound plan for both stages. In wine country, peak Saturdays are the first dates to go.
Planning a Wine Country Wedding?
If you are dreaming of strings for the ceremony, a live voice for the aisle and a band that fills the dance floor, all from one team that handles the sound, lighting and timing behind the scenes, I would love to hear about your day. Learn more about LOLAH Entertainment’s wedding musicians in Napa Valley, or check availability for your date below.
