Vendors I Love: METROPOLITAN PLAYERS
photo by Christopher Higgins
I met Erin in my local Tuesday’s Together group and really appreciated her passion when speaking about her business. I also share her sentiment about wedding’s being so special. This is a time where a specific group gathers to support a couple - and that needs to be honored and celebrated! Music has the power to do that! Without further ado, I am excited to shine a light on ERIN COLES of THE METROPOLITAN PLAYERS!
What was the path that led you to start a wedding band?
We started the band for our own wedding! I grew up singing and doing musical theater, and my husband, Drew is a multi-instrumentalist and music educator. Therefore, music was the most important component of our wedding. We also both have our MBAs, and were really particular about the kind of people we wanted to work with. We searched high and low for the perfect band, but couldn't find one that checked all the boxes. We wanted to work with kind, passionate people, who understood the importance and uniqueness of a wedding - and who also ran a tight ship so we knew exactly what we were getting.
So Drew said - “Hey! Do you want to start a band for our own wedding, then offer this to other couples who are looking for the same thing?” I said “Yes,” and that's how we started! We built The Metropolitan Players around everything we wanted, and everything we knew would make the client experience awesome. That includes an impressive roster of talented musicians, and the ability (and excitement) to learn our couples' special requests. Plus top notch customer service, musical guidance, planning resources, and a strong dedication to making sure each and every wedding is unforgettable.
photo by Jason Thomas Crocker Photography
What excites you about weddings?
Everything! Weddings are so special. A wedding celebration signifies a huge milestone in our couples' lives. It's the only time that these exact people from both families and friend groups will be gathered together in one place. The music is such an important piece of the puzzle. Not only does music underscore some of the most important and beautiful parts of a wedding - from the ceremony processional and recessional, to the first dance and parent dances - it can also make or break the entire wedding.
At the end of the day, the guests may not remember the flowers, or the cake - they’ll definitely remember how they felt. They’ll remember those moments on the dance floor with their loved ones, where the rest of the world melted away for a few hours. So that's why we do what we do. We want our couples and their guests to leave saying, “that was the best wedding we’ve ever been to.”
What do you look for in a couple?
We look for couples who are positive, fun, totally in love, and excited to customize their entire wedding experience. We look for people who fully embrace becoming a member of the Met Player Family, and who are willing to put their trust in their vendors to give them the absolute best experience!
photo by Rina Kay
What is the greatest compliment you’ve received?
We've had so many amazing experiences with our couples that it's hard to choose! But one experience does come to mind! A woman was a guest at a wedding where The Metropolitan Players were performing. This was only a year after the band started - so it was back in 2014. She was a former musical theater performer herself, and had given up her music and performance career for a more "traditional" path. After seeing The Metropolitan Players at her friend's wedding, she was inspired to reconnect with her passion for performance. And she also vowed that whenever she got married herself, she would book us.
To make a long story short, this redirection of her life path led her to meet her significant other. After a couple years of dating, they got engaged, and booked The Metropolitan Players right away! They were a COVID couple and had to reschedule their wedding - but because The Metropolitan Players were such a huge part of their story, they couldn't imagine celebrating without us. So they're pushing the wedding until we can party together in full force!
What do you desire for your business?
We desire growth for our business! We want our business to grow because that will afford us the opportunity to perform for more couples, and create more memorable moments for their loved ones.
photo by Custom by Nicole
What are you grateful for?
We are grateful for so many things! We're grateful that we work in an industry that's all about LOVE! We're grateful for each and every couple who trusts us to bring the party for their wedding day. We're grateful for our incredibly talented musicians who light up the room, and bring joy and passion to every performance. We're grateful for our admin team who help keep the ship running! We're grateful for the wedding vendor community, who creates such an amazing and supportive space to connect, learn, and grow. And we're grateful for the endless support from our loved ones, as we work to make our couples' dreams come true!
Any recent victories or cause for celebration?
We were just featured in The New York Times! We're still on Cloud 9! We were interviewed for a column called ‘It's No Secret,’ and talked all about our journey as a married couple. It was such an honor to share our story so openly. We truly hope we've been able to reach others through our story! At the end of the day, love prevails!
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