Rare Blend, as a premier Metro Detroit wedding band, is one of the most trusted names in music and entertainment in Southeast Michigan, due in part to the leadership of Mary Davis, Rare Blend’s bandleader. With over twenty years of experience as an event planner, Mary guides her clients through each step of the planning process with extensive knowledge and a genuine desire to address their needs and create an event that matches their every dream. Read what some of those clients are saying about one of the most trusted wedding bands in the Detroit Area!
(Reviews compiled from actual online review sites and thank you notes.)
Fantastic Job…Could Not Have Been Better
by Bill Stella
Dear Mary, First of all I want to thank you very much for the fantastic job that you did at my daughters wedding on November 17th. It could not have been better. I really appreciated you going out of your way to learn and play some songs that had special meaning to our family. A real testimony to you and your fellow musicians is the fact that the dance floor was completely full throughout the night – and even up to when you played the last song. You left them wanting more. That is the way it should be. The calls I received in the ensuing days after the wedding always mentioned just how great the evening was, but especially what a wonderful job the band did in selecting the music. I remember a year ago talking to you about this. At that time you told me that you like to have the band on the same level as the people dancing. This provided ‘connectivity’. At the same time you felt it necessary to ventured out throughout the evening onto the floor to ‘assess the crowd’ as you put it. Quite frankly I thought that was a great sales pitch. But now I fully understand why you do it and how you adjust the music to fit the audience. I remember when my daughter and wife started this wedding process. I told them that the band had to be good because it was the last thing that the guests remember before leaving. With that said my guests left overwhelmed as to how fantastic the evening was.
Wonderful Music at Our Wedding
by Amy Levine
Paul and I just wanted to pass on a huge thank you for the wonderful music at our wedding reception! We were so happy with the songs you played and how great everything sounded. We heard compliments about the band from just about everyone at our party, and I think you’ve made a few fans! We will definitely recommend you to our party-planning friends on the east side of the state.
A few personal favorites that I wanted to share: Of course “We’ve Only Just Begun” — I thought your rendition was much better timed than the original! I absolutely loved your harmonies on “September,” and I thought “What’s Goin’ On” was great too. And I can’t remember who was singing on “What a Wonderful World,” but he really nailed the Louis Armstrong voice! I was dancing with my cousin, and he asked why we were listening to pre-recorded music if we had a band, and I had to point out the singer and show him that it really was live.
Please thank your set-up crew also. We had more than a few A/V types, musicians, and radio people at our reception (myself included), and we could not believe how clear the sound was. I know that the museum is a tough space for good acoustics, but it really sounded studio-quality. One of Paul’s brothers (a radio guy) even came up to me at one point and said everything sounded great even though it looked like it shouldn’t. We don’t know what you did or how you did it, but it worked!
And finally, Mary, it was so wonderful working with you. I appreciate all of the suggestions you gave to us and all of your patience with our last-minute tweaking. I can tell that you’ve been doing this for a while — you’re so professional about everything. Every time I got off the phone with you, I would tell Paul, “She’s such a great business person!” (And as an aside, having worked and played with other musicians, I know all too well that many musicians are not great with the business side of things, no matter how good they are musically. You, however, are obviously great at both!) Thanks so much again — you really helped make our wedding special!
Incredible Band!
by Shannon – 11/21/2011
Rare Blend is an incredible band! My husband & I used them for our ceremony & reception. We knew we wanted a great band & spent several months checking out different bands before hiring Rare Blend. We really wanted a band that played great dance music & would be easy to work with. Rare Blend was all that & more. Everybody danced all night & had an awesome time. Our friends still talk about our band. Rare Blend’s leader, Mary Davis, was easy to reach, really helpful, & made sure everything was exactly the way we wanted it. Our experience was perfect! We wouldn’t have changed a thing!
Rare Blend is the Best!
by Lori – 11/18/2011
We have heard Rare Blend on several occasions and can’t begin to tell you how great they sound, but we have used them on two separate occasions as our entertainment. My sister also used them for her wedding and we all were so pleased with the results. If you are looking for great dancing and a great party, Rare Blend is your band. They kept everyone on the dance floor and everyone is still commenting about it to this day.
Can’t say enough good things!
by Sarah – 8/30/2011
My husband and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary. We found ourselves reminiscing about what a wonderful night it was, thanks in part to this band! The level of class and sophistication that Rare Blend brought to the entire reception is something that we will never forget. Our friends and family are still raving about what an incredible time they had.
It was a pleasure getting to know Mary during the planning process. Her knowledge and expertise, regarding everything from music selection to the timing of events throughout the night, was beyond compare and helped put me at ease. I honestly can’t say enough good things about her, the band, and their professionalism in general.
AWESOME Band! RARE Blend is the PERFECT Blend!
by sirdanny1 – 8/27/2011
These guys were awesome and Mary was a dream to work with from the planning, prep and thru the enitre night of our reception. Their Repertoire went from the Big Band days thru the 60′s 70′s 80s and beyond. Everything we asked for and I think they can play about anything! She was professional but made us feel like family. They truly were the PERFECT Blend for our wedding. They made the night come alive and kept everyone involved from the youngest to the oldest and that was small children to 90 y/o. Everyone was happy.
Variety and Quality of Entertainment—Outstanding
by Mary Eddy
Dear Mary, How does one begin to thank you and the members of Rare Blend Band for an outstanding job? As mother of the bride, I wanted to summarize how pleasant it was to work with you. During the planning phase, it was so easy to ask a question, review an idea and to gain support and guidance. All we had to do was present our thoughts over e-mail and within a day, you would reach us by phone and discuss the plan in detail. Thank you for implementing such a personable, thorough approach. The reception on August 12 at Orchard Lake Country Club was outstanding thanks to your focus on detail and beautiful music. The selections played during the cocktail hour were excellent. In addition, the variety and quality of entertainment for the entire event was outstanding. As Mistress of Ceremony, you are to be commended for presenting a carefully orchestrated evening, one that was warm, welcoming and great fun. Thank you for everything.
A Great Wedding Band
by A Fan – 8/27/2011
Thoroughly enjoyed this well-rounded ensemble capable of playing everything from bluesey-jazz to rock to swing. Great choice for a classy wedding. A band that all ages can enjoy!
Rare Blend is our family’s Band of Choice!
by Donna – 7/19/2011
Rare Blend is our family’s Band of Choice! My husband and I hired Rare Blend for our wedding fifteen years ago, based on the great time we had at my brother’s wedding. My brother and many of his friends, many of whom were in music school with Mary, used Rare Blend for their weddings based on the excellent musicianship of the band and Mary Davis’ leadership skills and personality. Recently (10/23/2010), I saw Rare Blend again at a cousin’s wedding, and they’ve only gotten better over the years! Once again, the dance floor was packed, and everybody was having a great time!
Mary is an amazing bandleader and event planner. She is organized, thorough, generous with her time, and so easy to work with. On the night of our wedding, I noticed at one point that the hors d’oeuvres table was still up and that it needed to come down for dancing. I was just about ready to speak to the catering manager, when I noticed that Mary was already working with the staff to get the table off the dance floor. I remember thinking, “I’m so glad that Mary is here! She’s doing exactly what I would be doing if I wasn’t so busy being the bride!” I was able to relax, celebrate, and enjoy my reception, knowing that Mary cared about the details and success of my reception as much as I did.
We were so thrilled to see that our guests enjoyed Rare Blend’s music and filled the dance floor. The band’s choice of music was perfect for our reception, as our guests ranged from teenagers to seniors. We also wanted to be sure that our guests didn’t leave right after dinner and knew that choosing the right band was crucial to this end. We couldn’t have made a better choice! Mary’s expertise and ability to assess the dynamics of the crowd and to choose the right songs to play kept all of our guests celebrating with us throughout the night.
If you want a great band, an amazing night of dancing, someone to oversee every detail, you should consider making Rare Blend your “Band of Choice”! An added bonus: Your friends and family will remind you, year after year, about the fun they had dancing at your wedding!
Awesome Wedding Band
by Kristin Clark – 1/22/2011
Rare Blend and their bandleader, Mary Davis, are the best! They played for my wedding two years ago, and I can’t say enough about how amazing they were. The band was awesome! The dance floor was packed all night long. Friends and family still talk about how excellent the band was at my wedding.
I couldn’t have gotten through my wedding day without Mary’s help. Whenever I had a question, she was easy to reach and amazing to work with. She not only answered my questions but also offered helpful suggestions. On the night of our wedding, she did an incredible job of coordinating every detail, from start to finish.
I am currently working with Mary on a wedding reception in the Metro Detroit area for my sister and her new husband. They were recently married in Spain and will be having a Michigan reception this summer. My sister asked me to help her with the plans. There was no question about entertainment — Rare Blend will be the band!
Classy and Sophisticated
by Ritzy19 – 1/7/2011
The level of class and sophistication that Rare Blend brought to our entire reception is something that we will never forget. It was a pleasure getting to know Mary during the planning process. Her expertise regarding everything from music selection to the timing of events throughout the night was beyond compare and helped put me at ease. We gave them a list of songs that we wanted played throughout the night, and we heard every single song on the list. They were able to accommodate requests that my guests made throughout the night with no problem. Mary did an excellent job with the introductions and I felt like the buildup of songs throughout the night was just perfect. We had absolutely no problems with the band’s logistics of setting up/taking down their equipment. Overall, we were incredibly impressed with their performance and overall professionalism. Our friends and family are STILL raving about what an incredible time they had!
