5-PIECE LINEUP
Female Vocal
Guitar/Vocal
Keyboards/Saxophone/Vocal
Bass
Drums
Organically Grown Party Music
Welcome to The Retreat. A place where a group of talented friends combines great vibes and great music to create an experience that is uniquely yours. The Retreat has dazzled countless audiences across the Southeast for more than a decade with their organic take on the best loved party songs from the 60’s to today’s current hits, packing the dance floor every step of the way. Having spent years as musicians and songwriters in original bands, they are able to put their own stamp on the songs th . . .
They were a delight to work with -- so personable and friendly -- their music was fabulous, and they played every song with all their hearts. The dance floor was crowded with dancers ALL NIGHT.
You wouldn't be the first! Check out our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
Welcome to The Retreat. A place where a group of talented friends combines great vibes and great music to create an experience that is uniquely yours. The Retreat has dazzled countless audiences across the Southeast for more than a decade with their organic take on the best loved party songs from the 60’s to today’s current hits, packing the dance floor every step of the way. Having spent years as musicians and songwriters in original bands, they are able to put their own stamp on the songs they play in a way that few cover bands can. The result is a refreshing take on both classic and current party songs, played with the energy and authenticity that comes from doing what they love. The Retreat’s talent and flexibility enables them to handle every part of your celebration. It’s like having several bands in one! Options include classical piano or acoustic guitar for your wedding ceremony, jazzy versions of contemporary hits on the saxophone for a cocktail hour, and a coffeehouse-style acoustic set during dinner. All of which pave the way for what this band does best: a high-energy, fun-filled dance party with music ranging from classic rock to Motown, from 80’s pop to 90’s rock, from country to the latest pop hits. The Retreat is a fantastic band whose musicians are not only talented and engaging onstage, but genuinely nice people. Their infectious personalities make them fun to be around and by the end of the evening you’ll feel like you’ve been friends for years. All in all, a night with The Retreat gets you more than just a night of great music -- it gets you a unique soundtrack for your memories.
None Available
Wedding Ceremony Music (Solo Guitar/Guitar Duo/Solo Keyboard)
Cocktail Hour Music (Solo Guitar/Guitar Duo/Solo Keyboard/Solo Saxophone)
Wedding Ceremony Officiant
Wedding Ceremony Sound System (Speaker/Corded Mic/Lavaliere Mic)
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Susan Siegal Date: Mon, Nov 20, 2017 at 10:48 PM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: Andrew Juge Andrew - We LOVED The Retreat and their music!! They are talented and personable musicians who were perfect for Michele and Hugh's wedding reception. Everyone had the best time dancing! The extremely talented saxophonist was perfect for the cocktail hour, as well. My family is from Birmingham, and they were excited to hear that The Retreat is based around Atlanta. The band may get some more business in future Birmingham family events! Thanks so much - it was a pleasure working with your company and with the Retreat ! Susan
From: Joy Akins Date: Wed, Nov 1, 2017 at 5:06 PM Subject: RE: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill The Retreat was absolutely fantastic. They started playing as soon as the guests entered into the reception area while we were having pictures made and the guests were eating. When the wedding party arrived in the reception area, all of the guests were complimenting the band for the music that they played during that time. They took very quick breaks and timed them to perfection. We have used The Retreat two times now and would definitely recommend them.
I cannot say enough about how amazing The Retreat is. From start to finish, Rich (band leader) and the band were so accommodating, flexible, responsive, professional and engaged. Not to mention badass musicians. We threw a couple curve balls at them and they handled and executed everything beautifully from start to finish. We had to do a room flip for our reception in under two hours and also asked the band to play back up for our friend who was singing a song they had to learn for the first time. Both elements were handled absolutely flawlessly - we knew we were in great hands the minute we spoke with Rich the first time but to see how they executed the room flip and setup the day-of was amazing. Ok, now on to the MUSIC. This band is not your typical wedding band - they aren't all sequined vests and only Motown/Disco. They of course play the hits but also incorporate unexpected classic rock/70s/R&B/current favorites into the set. They do out of this world mashups that keep everyone on the dance floor and the energy level so high the entire night. And it's always fresh and unique - we never felt like we were at a typical wedding reception with the same tired lineup of songs. And, ALL of our friends and family (many who are really into music) kept telling us how fantastic the band was (many said best EVER, and they've been to a lot of weddings) and it's evident in the photos we just got back - people are LOSING THEIR MINDS on the dance floor all night. Their mashup of Journey/U2 will always be seared in my memory as one of the most special moments toward the end of the night. People were crying! HIRE THIS BAND. HIRE THIS BAND. You will not regret it for an instant. They made our reception next level and I cannot recommend them enough. Thank you, The Retreat!!!
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ashley Fleming Date: Tue, Sep 12, 2017 at 11:07 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Andrew @ Sam Hill Entertainment" The Retreat Was AMAZING, and super easy to work with. The really made the night special.
From: Laura Thomas Date: Thu, Jul 13, 2017 at 2:50 PM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Hi Beth! Sorry I am just now getting back to you, it's been a whirlwind getting back in to the swing of things! The Retreat was amazing at our wedding! We received so many compliments and they really kept everyone on the dance floor. My experience working with Sam Hill and The Retreat couldn't have been better which was a huge relief during wedding planning. The band members were all very kind and professional and wonderful people to be around. Thank you again and I hope to work with Sam Hill again in the future! -Laura
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kim Holt Date: Fri, Jun 30, 2017 at 10:59 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Mike @ Sam Hill Entertainment" Mike, The Retreat was fantastic!! The music and their enthusiasm made for a great party. Many guest asked who the band was and how did we find them. Working with Sam Hill for bands for three weddings has been a great experience. It is always smooth and seamless. I never had to worry about a thing. I would highly recommend The Retreat! They performed a nice mix with fantastic vocals! Thanks for everything Mike. Sincerely, Kim Holt
From: Kim Holt Date: Wed, Jun 28, 2017 at 5:09 PM Subject: Wedding June 24,2016 To: The Retreat Rich, I wanted to drop you a note and tell you what a fantastic band you are. The reception was a blast due in large part to your music and enthusiasm! I received more compliments on you all than I can count. Thanks also for handling the amplification during the ceremony! You MADE the party and Anne and Chris could not have been happier. Thanks you for everything!! Kim Holt
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Emma Krier
Date: Sun, Jun 25, 2017 at 9:04 AM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Andrew @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Marnie Juster Date: Thu, Jun 1, 2017 at 10:10 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Hi Beth -- Thanks for checking in. The Retreat and Rich definitely exceeded our expectations. They were amazing to work with and their performance was wonderful. So impressed with Rich's talent and you could tell they were having a blast together. Would definitely recommend them!
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: James Parker Date: Fri, May 19, 2017 at 10:51 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Mike @ Sam Hill Entertainment" Hi Mike, We absolutely loved The Retreat for our Wedding. They sounded amazing with the perfect mix of dance music and sing-alongs (Think Garth Brook's "Low Places"), keeping everyone on the dance floor, even our friends who don't usually dance. Rich also played some light jazzy music on the saxophone during dinner and then ramped it up more energetic music as the night progressed, just like we wanted. We received so many compliments on our band from friends and family, some saying they were the best band they have seen at a Wedding. Also, the process with The Retreat and Sam Hill was smooth and everything went without a hitch. James
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Brian Flanagan
Date: Wed, Apr 26, 2017 at 8:44 AM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Andrew @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Wesley Dennard Date: Tue, Nov 8, 2016 at 4:20 PM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Hi, Beth. I thought that they were great! Excellent energy-- they kept the crowd going through the very last song. We loved the musicians, and the female vocalist was superb. I particularly appreciated the second-to-last song when they improvised a bit. My hat is off to them! Thanks for following up, and we will tell our engaged friends about them for sure. Thanks again, and give the band members our best! Wesley
From: Owen McBride Date: Tue, Oct 25, 2016 at 9:29 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Andy @ Sam Hill Entertainment" Andy, Erin and I are leaving on our honeymoon tomorrow and will be back the following Sunday. Once we get back and get settled I will send more feedback, but in short, The Retreat was awesome! They kept everyone on the dance floor most of the night and played a great set list. It was obvious how talented they are beginning with the acoustic set at the ceremony. Erin and I were unable to attend the cocktail hour due to pictures but everyone I talked to said the music was perfect for the occasion. The reception with the full band could not have gone any better. They were definitely one of my favorite bands I've seen at a wedding. I'll get back to you upon our return but just wanted to give you a heads up in the meantime that they were great! In kind regards, Owen McBride
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Carrie Robinson Date: Thu, Oct 13, 2016 at 11:31 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Mike @ Sam Hill Entertainment" Good Morning Mike, We just wanted to thank you and The Retreat for making our crazy wedding weekend so special. The band was top notch and we would recommend them to absolutely anyone. They were professional, kind and excellent musicians. All of our guests were talking about how wonderful they were. The fact that all of you worked hard to help still make our wedding happen and so much fun is something we will never forget. Thank you all so much, Carrie and Falls
From Erica, via WeddingWire Unreal---these guys absolutely killed it! People were raving all night long about how amazing this band was and I couldn't agree more. They let my groom do his own song and just had such a fun time with the crowd. The mash-ups were legendary. YES YES YES- BOOK THESE GUYS!
From: amy Date: Mon, Oct 3, 2016 at 1:45 PM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Beth, The Retreat was amazing!!!! They played all the types of music we like and I must have had 50 people come up to me and say how much they loved our band. Everyone wanted to know how we found them. I will gladly leave reviews once we get back and settled, but wanted you to know that The Retreat was a class act, easy to work with, professional, responsive and I cannot say enough good things about our experience!!! Amy
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Mary Davis
Date: Tue, Sep 6, 2016 at 5:16 PM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Andrew @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: John Nagel Date: Tue, Jul 12, 2016 at 1:52 PM Subject: band review To: "beth Hi Beth, We absolutely loved the band! Everyone that night was telling us how much they enjoyed their energy and how good their sound was. We also used Rich to play sax during our cocktail hour and it was well worth it. He kept our guests entertained and everyone loved getting a taste of what was to come. I am very happy that they were able and willing to learn our song for the first dance. The Retreat completely exceeded all expectations and will come highly rated from this happy bride and groom! Thanks, John Nagel
From: Allyson Argo Date: Fri, Jul 1, 2016 at 2:16 PM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Beth, The Retreat was absolutely phenomenal! For days after our wedding we had people asking us who are band was for our reception. The band read the crowd the entire time to determine what type of music to play. When we "hit" the dance floor, they were engaging and played music that really got the crowd dancing. They were wonderfully accommodating of all our requests - including announcing the bridal party members, helping us facilitate a flash mob, as well as all first dances. They even played the song we requested for our last dance. They remembered my name and my husband's name and would say them as they MCed the night! That meant so much to us! They were wonderful, and we will absolutely recommend them to all our friends and family. With joy, Allyson and Bren
From: Cindy Sanders Date: Wed, Jun 8, 2016 at 2:42 PM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Beth, The Retreat went way beyond meeting our expectations. They were so easy and agreeable to work with and their musical talent as well as personality was awesomely great! My husband and I erupted in the middle of dinner with cheers when Rich was belting it out on the Sax! He is really good and we were not expecting the horn as part of the band! We will definitely be recommending them and would hire them again if we have a need in the future. Thanks so much for working with us! Kind Regards, Cindy and Mike Sanders
From: Lindsay Panther Date: Mon, Jun 6, 2016 at 10:12 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill They were absolutely incredible! Easy to work with, flexible with our timeline, and it sounded great. The dance floor was so fun all night!! Thank you for everything! Lindsay
From: Kim Panther Date: Mon, Jun 6, 2016 at 8:12 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Beth, I was really impressed with The Retreat. They were incredibly nice. The music was great, and they were very intuitive with what to play. I would absolutely recommend them and would love to use them again myself!! Thanks for everything! Kim
Booking The Retreat may have been one of the best decisions we made for our entire wedding! Up until the big day, they were always so responsive and willing to work with us on anything. Rich played the keyboard during our ceremony, which was completely perfect, and then they played during dinner and the reception. They read the crowd and played an amazing mix of music, everyone kept commenting how incredible they were! They were critical in keeping the party going and getting everyone on their feet! You should 100% book The Retreat!! Melissa
From: Maggie Melancon Date: Mon, May 16, 2016 at 5:11 PM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Hi Beth! We had the BEST time with The Retreat! They truly knew how to read the crowd. We had guests complimenting them all night long. They were so kind on the day of and exceeded all of our expectations. We could not have asked for more! We'll certainly be recommending them to anyone in need of a band in the area. Thanks for your help along the way! Thanks again, Maggie,
From: Kathleen Clark Date: Mon, May 2, 2016 at 11:02 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: Beth Treschitta Hi Beth! The Retreat was AWESOME. They did such an incredible job and were very easy, friendly and fun to work with. The music was perfect. I literally couldn't have put together a better playlist myself. They definitely understood our style/what we liked and didn't like and ran with it. We enjoyed everything they played. From the slower songs at dinner (basically some of my favorites) to the dance party later on, everything was great. I had guests coming up to me all night asking about them, and raving about "how great the band was." The Sax was also a HUGE hit ; ) I couldn't have picked a better band, they were certainly one of the best parts of our day and I'm so happy we picked them! Thank you for all your help in this process! Best, Kathleen
From: Joe Clark Date: Wed, Apr 27, 2016 at 9:37 AM Subject: RE: The Retreat To: Beth Treschitta Beth, Aubrey and Kathleen can probably give you a better evaluation of the music, but the band members could not have been nicer. They were clearly eager to make the event a great success and they did - everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and there was plenty of enthusiastic dancing. The Retreat's setup and presentation was very professional and appropriate. I appreciate the fact that they worked up a new song for my father-daughter dance. Thanks for all your help. Joe Clark
From: Nicolanne Smith Date: Tue, Apr 12, 2016 at 4:00 PM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Hi Beth, Thank you for the congrats! The Retreat was awesome! I just emailed Rich to let him know as well and did a review on Wedding Wire also. We have gotten awesome comments from friends and family on how great the band was! They immediately figured out the crowd and what music they wanted and kept the dance floor filled until the very last song. That was pretty much one of our biggest hopes for the wedding and they accomplished it! We can't thank them enough! Rich was so professional and easy to work with also. You all have been great with communication and we really appreciate it. I will highly recommend you guys to anyone who is getting married in the future. Thanks again! ~Nicolanne & Will
From: Joe Herb Date: Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 2:56 PM Subject: RE: The Retreat To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Beth, Great job by the band>>>we had an outstanding evening. The band was great to work with. They won the crowd over early into the reception and carried the night until we had to leave. If the Chatham Club would have let us stay we may still be dancing!!!!! Thanks to Sam Hill and “THE RETREAT” Regards, Joe Herb
From: debbie Date: Tue, Dec 8, 2015 at 5:52 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Beth Good morning. I have nothing but positive things to say about the band....they were fabulous. Everyone kept asking where they were from and how we found them. My florist friend who was here when they arrived said they were the most polite band he had ever encountered. Please tell them thank you for making our evening perfect! Debbie
From: Ning Yao Date: Thu, Oct 29, 2015 at 11:23 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Andy @ Sam Hill Entertainment" Hi Andy, Thank you! The Retreat was fantastic!! We loved them and we heard many positive comments from our guests! The band was great and the music they played was great! We appreciate your help in our big day. And definitely will pass along your information. Thanks, Ning and Lauren
From: Caroline Shepard
Date: Mon, Oct 12, 2015 at 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: Beth Treschitta
From: Amanda Corcoran
Date: Mon, Sep 14, 2015 at 9:40 AM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kelly Gehrlein
Date: Tue, Jun 9, 2015 at 2:15 PM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Andrew @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Lynn Bertram
Date: Mon, Jun 8, 2015 at 9:19 AM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Brandon Kelly
Date: Tue, May 26, 2015 at 3:51 PM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Clokey, David
Date: Tue, May 5, 2015 at 11:55 AM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Jonathan Griffin
Date: Sat, Apr 25, 2015 at 11:34 AM
Subject: RE: The Retreat
To: "beth@samhillbands.com"
From: Rob Burns
Date: Sat, Apr 11, 2015 at 8:18 PM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Karen Wessel
Date: Wed, Jan 14, 2015 at 10:42 AM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Melanie Ryals
Date: Thu, Dec 4, 2014 at 5:18 PM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Erin McLean To: Andy Jaspen Date: Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 11:27 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat Hi Andy, The Retreat were awesome! So great to work with from a planner's perspective, and I loved the solo saxophone and the duet during dinner, it felt like a mini concert. Would totally recommend them! Thank you! Erin Erin McLean Events
From: Joy Akins
Date: Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 12:56 PM
Subject: RE: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Sara Reynolds To: "Andy @ Sam Hill Entertainment" Date: Wed, Nov 5, 2014 at 8:34 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat Hi Andy, Thank you! The Retreat was absolutely amazing! We had so many guests tell us the band was incredible and we truly believe The Retreat is the reason our reception was so much fun and such a success. Originally, we were worried no one would be dancing since neither of our families are big dancers, but the dance floor was packed the entire night and everyone had such a great time! We loved all of the music they played and they just had such great energy the whole night. We also got so many compliments on the saxophonist and the song list played during dinner. Our wedding planner, Erin McLean, did tell me that they were easy to work with. Overall, The Retreat was just awesome and we will definitely recommend them to any friends or family looking to book a band! Thanks! Sara
From: Linda Burton
Date: Fri, Oct 3, 2014 at 12:55 PM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Lauren Yatko Date: Mon, Sep 22, 2014 at 11:35 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Mike @ Sam Hill Entertainment" Mike, The Retreat were PERFECT. The way our first song was handled (which they learned), to the flow of dance songs, it was all perfect. We never left the dance floor, which is almost a bad thing because I have no idea what was going on during my reception if it was not happening on the dance floor! :) They were a great value. I want to relive that night over and over again. Our videographer, Twenty-One Films, used our first song in a clip they put together for a teaser. Just further proof of how well The Retreat did. So happy we went with Sam Hill. Honestly Mike, we chose to stay with the company because of your excellent service. It worked out!!!! Thank you for leading us to The Retreat! Lauren & Alan Gibson
From: Cecelia Dorger
Date: Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 8:37 AM
Subject: RE: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
From: Marty Arnwine
Date: Tue, Sep 9, 2014 at 9:48 AM
Subject: Re: The Retreat
To: "Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment"
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kat Gedge Date: Thu, Sep 4, 2014 at 9:51 PM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Mike @ Sam Hill Entertainment Sorry for the delayed response! The Retreat was beyond anything that I expected! I loved everything (and I mean everything) they played. They had great energy and there was not one person in their seat. All I heard about after the wedding was how awesome the band was or people asking 'where did you find that band? They were incredible!'. I couldn't agree more. So worth the $$! Thank you for making our evening even more amazing! Kat
From: Brian Zakutansky Date: Mon, Aug 18, 2014 at 8:11 AM Subject: Re: The Retreat To: "Andy @ Sam Hill Entertainment" Andy , Thanks for the note. The Retreat was awesome: Great music, they crowd loved them, they listened to our song requests, they played well to the crowd, and they were super friendly to work with. We give the highest possible recomendation and would love to use them again if we ever need a band. Brian and Aly
We had The Retreat for our wedding band in Greenville, SC and they could not have been better. They knew every song we wanted played and when to play it and kept the dance floor full all night. Every guest raved about how great the band was and judging by the amount of crashers on the dance floor, even non-guests enjoyed their music. Thanks for making it a perfect day The Retreat!!
From: Laura Keeler Date: Tue, Jun 17, 2014 at 11:48 AM Subject: THANK YOU!!!!!! To: The Retreat Hi Guys, A really belated email to say thank you so much for playing at our wedding in Hilton Head - and doing it so so well. You're an incredibly talented group of musicians with such a versatile repertoire and you made our dance party exactly what we had dreamed of (non-stop). So many of our guests (including us) never made it to the dessert table or late night french fries because they just couldn't pull themselves off the dance floor! What's more is that six weeks later we continue to get unsolicited compliments from our friends and family on how we had the best band they've experienced at a wedding. Obviously we're a little biased, but after attending over 30 weddings in the last years, I'm pretty sure there's truth to it! Thank you so much for everything - we hope to run into you guys again soon and let us know if we can ever serve as a reference, etc. All our best, Laura and Vassar Pierce
On Mon, Jun 16, 2014 at 8:49 AM, Justin Null wrote: Hi Beth, I thought the band did an amazing job. Rich was always available to us leading up to the wedding and especially the night of. Just about every guest commented that they loved The Retreat as well. Also, thank you for all of your help with booking the band and answering all of our questions. Everything turned out wonderfully. Regards, Justin
From: S & B Events Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2014 11:34 AM To: Andy Jaspen @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat for Strauss-Corda wedding They were oh so awesome!! Professional. On time. And so much fun!! Loved them!! Thanks!! Sara McCall Stunning & Brilliant Events
-----Original Message----- From: Matthew Wilson Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2014 9:22 PM To: Mike @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Mike, Everything went off without a hitch. The band was phenomenal from the initial discussion about our vision for the evening to the execution. Everyone has commented on how wonderful they were. No complaints from us! Thank you for everything you did to help make this day perfect. -Matt
From: Anna Williams Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2014 9:54 AM To: Andrew Juge @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Andrew, We have nothing but very positive things to say about The Retreat! They were so much fun and very talented. All of our guests had a great time on the dance floor, and Joe and I received a lot of compliments on The Retreat -- even from the people who worked at the venue. We really appreciate how cool and fun they were. Thanks to Sam Hill for helping us coordinate everything so seamlessly. Thanks for everything, Anna Williams
From: Jonathan Thompson Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 10:05 AM To: Andrew Juge @ Sam Hill Entertainment Cc: Nellie Millsap Subject: Re: The Retreat Hi Andrew, Thanks for all your help! The Retreat was fantastic and we could not have been happier with their performance at our wedding. They played a great variety of music, including a lot of recent songs as we requested. They were able to smoothly transition from song to song and several times they switched back and forth between songs like I have never really seen from a live band before. I loved the way that they were able to mix in the saxophone for several songs, and everyone said that the music played during the cocktail hour was great as well. They were able to keep up a great atmosphere and people were constantly on the dance floor. We had a ton of people telling us how awesome the band was, and I think that they were the best live band that I've ever gotten to experience at a wedding. They were also great to work with leading up to the wedding and Rich made sure that everything was in order several days before the performance. I will definitely recommend them to anyone in the future and really hope that I get the chance to go to another event in which they are performing. Regards, Jonathan
From: Samantha Duke Sent: Tuesday, August 27, 2013 4:11 PM To: Andy Jaspen @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat band follow up Hey Andy! To put it simply, The Retreat was AMAZING! Completely surpassed our expectations and we already knew they would be a great band. As I was planning my wedding I was only concerned with one thing and that was having an amazing band that would give us a reception to surpass all receptions with memories we would never forget. They are truly talented and I am elated they played our reception. I feel like they made our reception! I read a lot of great reviews on them but I don't think anyone can truly express how talented they are. Not only at playing music but at knowing how to create the best atmosphere for a good time. EVERYONE commented on how good they were and people are still talking about them!! I also appreciated their professionalism. It rained on my wedding day and because my reception was under a tent we had to change the reception timeline a little bit. At some points I felt like the band was my wedding planner reminding me of what to do and when. It was SO helpful! They were so low maintains which was really appreciated. I didn't have to give a "play/not play" list like a lot brides have to do for their band and DJ. They definitely had the best set list and I couldn't have made a better one if I had done it myself. I wish I had the most beautiful words to express my overwhelming joy over having them at my reception but to be honest I don't think there are any words good enough to describe The Retreat! Thank you for being so great Andy! -Samantha Hamilton (Duke)
From: Pamela Taylor Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2013 12:51 PM To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat We were very pleased! We had many comments about how good they were. We knew people would like the venue, we were really surprised the band would be a big hit! They did a great job with every song, and also with handling the announcements we needed. Using them was definitely one of the best decisions we made! Pam Taylor
From: Kelly Peterson Sent: Monday, May 20, 2013 10:24 AM To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Hi Beth! The band was wonderful! They were so easy to work with and we got so many compliments from our guests. I would definitely recommend them to anyone! Professionally they were so sweet and a great part of the wedding! Thank you! Kelly
From: david mogge Sent: Sunday, May 19, 2013 10:32 PM To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Hey Beth, Sorry I am just now getting back to you. The Retreat were awesome. We have received nothing but compliments regarding their performance. Rich was very easy to work with upfront sorting out all of details prior to the wedding. They did everything they could to accommodate us even going as far as learning songs that we wanted to be played. We have already recommended them to other friends and family and will continue to do so. Everyone at the wedding has said that their energy, musical talent, and songlist were all great. Everyone had an awesome time. Thanks for all of your help and assistance and I hope to work with you again soon. Dave Mogge
From: Sarah Benson Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 8:19 PM To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Hi Beth! Thank you so much for reaching out! Sorry for the delay in getting back to you! We had an absolutely wonderful time and the band was everything that we wanted and more! Everyone had so much fun and continuted to tell us how awesome they thought the band was! Please relay our thanks to them again! Hope you have a wonderful day! Thanks so much!! Sarah
-----Original Message----- From: Lori Harris Sent: Monday, May 06, 2013 6:33 PM To: Andrew Juge @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Hi Andrew, Thanks for the congratulations, my wedding was wonderful! That was in large part due to the Retreat. They were AMAZING. I had been very excited about them and had high expectations but they completely exceeded those expectations. They took into account the type of music we liked, played a wide variety of music and really kept the party going without being over the top. They even learned a song for our first dance and sounded better than the original version. On top of all that, they were so nice and complimentary on the wedding and so easy to work with. In addition to playing at the reception, two of the band members played the piano and guitar at my wedding ceremony. They, of course, sounded great but also worked with a friend of mine who sang a solo during the ceremony. She praised how easy they were to work with and met her early to rehearse. I really cannot say enough good things about them. I had so many people tell me how great the band was and how much fun they had. My new husband and I have been trying to figure out when we could throw another party just to hear them again. Thank you for setting us up the Retreat. I would recommend them 100% to anyone looking for a fun wedding band that is not cheesy with the matching outfits and choreographed dancing. They look great, they sound great, they are extremely easy to work with and made the reception easy and fun. I think one thing that really set them apart is that they are professionals. They put on a seamless performance and know how the flow of a party should go. To anyone that hires them in the future, I would say 1. Lucky you and 2. Let them do their thing. Apart from maybe telling them the broad categories of music you like, they need no instruction or made out playlist. I really hope to hear them again and thanks again for helping me find them! Lori Harris Minto
From: Brittany Bryant Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 2:55 PM To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Hey Beth, Sorry I haven't had a chance to give any feedback. We just got back from the honeymoon. The Retreat was amazing. I've heard nothing but good things from everyone that attended the wedding. We really enjoyed them. They were up beat and kept the party going. I will be sure to tell ever one about the retreat! Thanks again! Brittany Smith
-----Original Message----- From: Karen Ann Delaney Sent: Monday, March 04, 2013 12:20 PM To: Mike Miglino Subject: Re: The Retreat Hey! OMG they were amazing! Everyone had a blast...they were exactly what I was looking for. Easy to get along with and such a cute group...Blackberry loved then as well. I am just sad that it is over :) Thank you for your help! I will definitely spread the word. Karen
From: whitney Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 9:27 AM To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: RE: The Retreat Good Morning Beth, The Retreat was wonderful! As it turns out, several of our guests knew a couple of the band members and were so excited to hear them so I'd say they were definitely a hit! Rich was outstanding. He made sure he had all of the songs we requested for special dances and even verified one of them with us before the reception because he was afraid he could not find the right version. He was also really wonderful working with me on my father/daughter dance. I had wanted to surprise my father with Sweet Home Alabama, and he more than willingly helped me come up with another song for them to play to lead into it. The music was wonderful. They were very entertaining and talented, and we really enjoyed having them. There were people on the dance floor the whole night, and that can be tricky at weddings! We are so glad we chose them! Thank you, Beth!
From: Jamey Assid Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2012 11:15 AM To: Andy @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Andy!! We loved the band so much! Our guests were very impressed :) The band members were so complimentary to us as a couple and about our guests. I will make sure to recommend you guys... Especially our friends in the Atlanta area. Thank you again for everything!! Jamey & J.T. Williamson
From: Jan Sent: Monday, October 22, 2012 9:30 AM To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Hi Beth, The band was awesome! They were helpful with the recorded music for the wedding. I'm still hearing positive comments from guests about the great band and what a fun wedding we had. They made our reception a great success. The young (and old) people danced all night. My 85 year old daddy danced and he said they were fabulous! I just can't say enough good things about them. I would definitely recommend them to others. It was money well spent and I am a happy momma! :) Thanks for everything! Jan
From: jessica sprewell Sent: Friday, October 12, 2012 10:41 PM To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Hey Beth- Everything went GREAT with the band at the reception. Everyone was asking who they were and where we found them-they were a big hit. And all of the music they played was awesome. A great mix of really new pop and classic songs. They also played all of the songs that we specifically asked them to learn absolutely PERFECTLY and exceeded my expectations. And beyond all that, they were so friendly and fun to be around. I will definitely recommend you all to everyone I know :) Thank you for being so great and all your help throughout the whole process! Jessica
-----Original Message----- From: Hadley Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2012 5:27 PM To: Andrew Juge @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Andrew, The Retreat was amazing, everybody keeps saying to me " where did you find your band" "who is the band" "we love the band"? I was 100% pleased with everything, the music played, the way they engaged, and their outstanding talent. I wouldn't change them for anything. :-) their fun energy kept everything moving It was PERFECT!
-----Original Message----- From: Lynn Edwards Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 6:56 PM To: Beth @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Beth, The band was great!! The sub-singer was awesome. They were all super nice and easy to work with. Their setup was easy and uneventful. Please tell them how much we enjoyed them and appreciate their professionalism!! Lynn Edwards
From: Meredith Phillips Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 1:04 PM To: Andy @ Sam Hill Entertainment Subject: Re: The Retreat Hi Andy, The Retreat was great - very professional and easy going. Rich was also very accomodating and got back with me promptly via email etc. They were a pleasure to work with - and so were you! Thank you for making the band portion of the wedding VERY easy. Thanks, Meredith
Everything was wonderful and as always, the band was fantastic to work with. This is my third time doing an event with The Retreat and they are, by far, my favorite band. Naturally, the guests adored them. (I must have been asked by guests for their name at least eight times.) From my perspective, however, I love how easy-going they are, how willing they are to accommodate slight changes in the schedule, and how professionally they handle my requests to lower the volume, make announcements, etc. I also love that they do not have outrageous egos and are humbly willing to do whatever it takes to create a fun event that also runs smoothly. You all will continue to be my number one suggestion for a band. I just wish more brides didn't want DJs! Thanks so much for everything! Emily Richardson
Hello! Wow! The Retreat was perfect for our wedding. We loved it and our guests were asking them to stay longer!! Trevor on the guitar caused a few tears I think though:) Everything was awesome and couldn't have asked for more! I will Definitly recommend them! Thanks again, Heidi and Ray
We could not have been more pleased with the contribution the Retreat made to our wedding reception. Many of our guests were asking where we found our band. This is a group which appealed to the varied ages in attendance and assimilated themselves into the party. Arrangements were easy, and they were great about incorporating popular music that was important to us into the playlist, even when some of our songs were oldies. One of the things which wowed us the most was that we did not decide on our first dance music until the night before the reception and they delivered a rendition that was very close to the original artist. We are pleased to say that we can’t imagine a group doing a better job, both musically and professionally, as the Retreat, and we highly recommend them to others looking for live music at wedding receptions or other functions. They did a great job! - Tom and Katie, Kimball Hall, Roswell GA
We asked The Retreat to perform at our wedding reception, and we could not have been more pleased with the result. They were very professional and flexible. They learned all the songs that we specially requested and played them perfectly. A highlight of the event, they even allowed a few unplanned guest singers to sing with them! They did a wonderful job getting the party started and keeping everyone dancing all evening. Our guests really enjoyed the songs we requested as well as The Retreat’s original music. Guests were talking about how great the band was even months after our wedding. All in all they did a fabulous job and we would certainly recommend them for any big event. - Ryan and Lisa, The Devore House, Alpharetta GA
The Retreat was a fantastic choice for our reception band. they worked with us on every important detail for our day. They were open to multiple requests and were willing to learn new songs just for us. As far as quality of the music, you can't get any better. The Retreat is a group of polished and seasoned musicians who you will not be disappointed with if you decide to use them for your special day. Their attention to detail on keeping the songs sound close to the recording as well as adding their own touch to them is unbelievable. They also did a fantastic job with DJ-ing the event. They did a fantastic job, on the fly I might add, of introducing the bridal party, as well as transitioning the audience from each event happening (first dance, food being served, cutting the cake, etc). Choose The Retreat for your reception band... you won't regret it! - J.R. and Beka, Vineyard Community Church, Marietta GA
The Retreat was the best part of our reception! They made the atmosphere extremely fun and enjoyable for everyone. Their depth of song knowledge is very versatile and they definitely know how to get your guests up and dancing! They are professional and will do a phenomenal job should you decide to use them for your wedding or other upcoming event. I would HIGHLY recommend The Retreat to any and everyone! Thanks so much guys for making our wedding reception amazing!! - Nick & Sarah, The Forum, Rome GA
It is really difficult to find a great wedding band that is talented, classy, and great to work with, but The Retreat was one of the best wedding decisions we made! Right from the beginning they were so willing to accommodate us with exactly the kind of music we wanted and even learn songs for our wedding. On our wedding day the music was INCREDIBLE and everyone was saying how much they loved the band. They set a great atmosphere of fun and romance and we couldn't have gotten better musicians. I highly recommend The Retreat for your wedding - they are awesome! - Brett & Courtney, Atlanta Botanical Gardens
The Retreat made our wedding reception a true celebration. They played a great mix of music and were willing to learn songs that I requested. After the wedding, the compliment I received the most about the reception is how much fun everyone had dancing and having a good time. Everyone was impressed with the band. I felt like we were taken such good care of and received great service and GREAT music for a really good value. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend The Retreat! - Elizabeth and Jeremiah, Kimball Hall
