How Cam and Erik brought Barry Manilow, Elton John, and the Beatles to one of Long Island’s most legendary Gold Coast estates.
Date: May 23, 2026 | Venue: The Mansion at Glen Cove, Glen Cove, NY | Guests: 175
Some venues carry their history in the details – a winding driveway, a Georgian facade, grounds that have been immaculate for over a century. The Mansion at Glen Cove is a Georgian Revival mansion set against the backdrop of Long Island’s North Shore and the Gold Coast, a favorite for Hollywood productions and one of the most storied event spaces on the Island. On May 23rd, Cam and Erik filled it with live music from the first note of the ceremony to the final song of an upstairs after-party – a full evening that moved through four distinct musical formats across a 175-person celebration.
Event at a Glance
- Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
- Venue: The Mansion at Glen Cove,
- Planner: Emily Ackerman, Salt Shaker Consulting
- Venue Coordinator: Briana Colon
- Headcount: 175
- Ceremony: Solo Violin
- Cocktail Hour: Barnstorm Jazz Trio
- Reception: Core Band + Violin
- After-Party: DJ Zack (late 90s/2000s hip-hop, rock, and pop)
The Setting: A Gold Coast Estate in Full Spring
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Long Island’s North Shore, The Mansion at Glen Cove exudes the romance and elegance of the Gold Coast. With its 55 acres of manicured lawns and Georgian Revival architecture, the historic estate offers the perfect blend of seclusion and grandeur. By late May, those 55 acres are in full bloom – the kind of setting where an outdoor ceremony feels less like a logistics choice and more like the only sensible option.
The Garden Ballroom features soaring ceilings, gilded details, and sweeping views of the estate gardens – the room that held the reception for Cam and Erik’s 175 guests, and the room where The Barnstorm set up a full stage for a night that was always going to be about the music.
The Ceremony: A Solo Violinist on the Estate Grounds
At 5:30pm, guests gathered on the grounds for a ceremony accompanied by a solo violin. The processional was built on “Canon in D” – one of the most enduring ceremony pieces in the classical repertoire, and one that takes on a different quality entirely when played live on a manicured estate lawn rather than through a speaker. The bridal party walked in to something warm and sweet chosen by the violinist, and the recessional sent everyone forward with something festive and bright.
Cocktail Hour: The Jazz Trio in the Corridor and Patio
At 6:00pm, guests moved to cocktail hour – a Barnstorm Jazz Trio set positioned in the ground-floor corridor and patio space, giving the hour a warm, ambient energy as guests made their way through the estate toward the ballroom. On a late May evening at The Mansion, the patio setting was exactly as good as it sounds.
The Reception: Core Band + Violin
At 7:00pm, the reception began, Cam and Erik were introduced to their guests for the first time as Mr. & Mrs. Albertson.
Their first dance was “Can’t Smile Without You” by Barry Manilow – a song that is almost impossible to hear without smiling, which is exactly the point. Roy, the father of the bride, welcomed the room with a toast before the band launched into the first live set.
Parent dances came after speeches from maids of honor Kendall and Faith and best man Brian. Erik’s father walked him to “Blessed” by Elton John – a tender, searching song performed in a trimmed arrangement that gave the room just enough time to feel it before the moment passed. Cam’s mother danced with her son to “In My Life” by the Beatles, the full tune, the band giving the song every second it deserved.
Then the dance floor opened. With the core band augmented by violinist Nick, The Barnstorm held the room through a two-hour continuous set that carried the evening to 10:55pm – when the band announced the after-party and sent 175 guests upstairs to DJ Zack, who closed the night with late 90s and 2000s hip-hop, rock, and pop.
The Special Songs
- Ceremony: Canon in D (processional, solo violin)
- First Dance: “Can’t Smile Without You” – Barry Manilow
- Father/Daughter: “Blessed” – Elton John
- Mother/Son: “In My Life” – The Beatles (full song)
What Made This Night Work
Cam and Erik built an evening that moved through four distinct musical environments – outdoor ceremony violin, jazz trio cocktail hour, full-band reception with strings, DJ after-party – without any moment feeling disconnected from the one before it. The Mansion at Glen Cove gave every format the room it needed: the grounds for the ceremony, the corridor patio for cocktails, the ballroom for the band, and the upstairs space for the late-night crowd. The song choices were intimate and specific in a way that felt personal rather than curated – Barry Manilow into Elton John into the Beatles is a playlist that tells you something real about the couple who chose it.
VENDOR TEAM:
📍: @themansionatglencove
📋: @saltshakerconsulting
🎸: @thebarnstorm
📸: @robmartinstudio
💐: @flowersbybrian
🪑: @thefinishingtouchny
🎈: @kendall.kreations
🪧: @behindthescenebackdrops
🎷: @genesiseventsny
Photos below courtesy of @jaharoni:
