The most fantastic band ever!! You are the best ❤

Cydney Kasenetz, Mother of the Bride
July 3rd, 2021 Wedding
The Willard

The client was so very happy and has received so many compliments on the band and the music!!! Huge success!!!

Allison Jackson, Pineapple Productions
September 28th, 2019 Wedding
Meridian House

The dance floor was HOT for 3 hours straight. Wish I could relive the night solely because of the band :)

Chesney Hellmuth, Bride
May 18th, 2019
The InterContinental Washington, D.C. at The Wharf

We had 250 guests at the Fairmont Hotel in DC and everyone had SO much fun and the number one compliment has been the music. Nation rocked! Everyone was on the dance floor all night long. Karla, the leader of the band, was so nice and accommodating to the songs we requested. They’re so nice, fun and extremely talented. I would HIGHLY recommend them!!!

Megan Keany, Bride
April 27, 2019
The Fairmont DC

Our entire family and all of our friends are still talking about it. No exaggeration. Many of them told me the band was spectacular! I couldn't agree more. They also loved the string quartet and their selections. So did I!

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for offering the professionalism I respect... for being kind and helpful in every aspect of the planning... and for making a very important time in our family unforgettable.

With two more daughters younger than Hillary, I have a feeling we just might be working together again down the road!

Susie, Mother of the Bride
October 20, 2018
Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore

My 9th year planning the Meridian Ball and I’ve never seen the dance room so packed. Usually the band room is busy but not packed and last night it was PACKED. So many commented on them being the best band we’ve had at the Ball.

Maria
Meridian International Center
October 12, 2018
The Meridian House

Everyone can’t stop talking about the music. You completely brought our vision to life for all the requested special dances. I still can’t believe how amazing “I Love You Always Forever” sounded. It was so incredibly special. Thanks for completing our best day ever with the best band ever!!!

Jaime, Bride
September 29, 2018
Chesapeake Bay Foundation

We are still hearing from people about how amazing they were and they sure kept the dance floor packed all night long. We were truly so lucky to find them! Gretchen was fabulous when it came to the booking and was a huge help when it came to song selection for our ceremony. Since we didn't get to hear Nation before we booked (just saw videos on YouTube), we opted to attend a showcase night at Elan's studio in Rockville. At the showcase, we were able to hear Nation live, meet band members, and chat with the band leader, Carla (who is sensational!). All I can say is that we left the showcase with stars in our eyes and knew that they were going to nail it at our wedding. If you are looking for a high energy and incredibly talented band, Nation is definitely the one to go with!

Cassandra Milosh, Bride
May 12, 2018 Wedding
Stone Tower Winery

Elizabeth, Billy, their families and all of their guests were in awe of Nation and their preformance (no surpirse there)!

Everyone kept coming up and asking who they were and how they could book them ;) Your team never fails to impress and makes my job so easy and fun! I loved seeing Karla and Luke and the entire band.

I can't thank you and Karla enough for all of your assistance through this entire planning process and for making this past weekend run so smoothly.

Samantha Crew
Simply Chic Events
May 5, 2018 Wedding
The Hay- Adams Hotel

I've never been to a wedding where everyone danced from beginning to end. But that's just part of the story. What an unforgettable experience.

David Wolfe
February 18, 2018 Wedding
The Hilton Virginia Beach

The dance floor was filled to capacity the entire evening.

Pearl Taylor
February 18, 2018 Wedding
The Hilton Virginia Beach

We were hosting a brunch wedding and weren't interested in a Saturday night dance party. The combinations of music that Gretchen put together for us were perfect. We were able to have three different experiences: the ceremony, cocktails and the reception, mixing and matching the band members in different ways. Working with Gretchen and Karla was easy, flexible and enjoyable. They were open to learning new songs and really pulled out all of the stops when we asked if they would learn and accompany my father-in-law (a pianist) to play our first dance. It was incredibly special for us and our guests. After the first dance, they read the room and provided exactly what our guests wanted to hear. We loved working with Nation and would recommend them without hesitation for an event! Also, Luke is a true highlight! I had seen him play another event before and was eager to figure out a way to include him in our day. How lucky were we to get him as part of Nation and highlight him throughout the cocktail hour.

Kate & David
November 12, 2017 Wedding
The Hay-Adams Hotel

Everyone LOVED Nation and didn’t want them to stop. Thank you so much for everything!

Aba Kwawu
TAA PR
Tysons Galleria Event, December, 18 2017

You guys sounded absolutely AMAZING! Everyone kept telling us that you guys were the best live band they had ever heard!!!

xo

Allison & Johnny
Saturday, September 23, 2017 Wedding
Metropolitan Club NYC

The music on Saturday was AMAZING! Everyone had a blast...including my 93 year old great aunt! You guys kept our guests on the dance floor all night and that's exactly what we wanted. We are still getting texts from guests saying how awesome you guys were.

Thanks again for being a part of our special day. It was perfect in every way! Please pass along our appreciation to the rest of the band!

All the best,

Jermaine & Scott
September 16, 2017 Wedding
Meridian House, Washington D.C.

Their ability to cover classics and then quickly get people up and dancing was tremendous and left everyone complimenting our choice of band after the night was over. Not to be outdone, DJ Charles then followed up with a great set of after-party dance music that had everyone dancing and mingling. He was accommodative to our requests for certain songs and even let us use the microphone to get people excited and involved. Overall, both Nation and DJ Charles helped make our wedding an unforgettable experience that people are still talking about a month on!

Thank you,

Frank and Sara McMahon
June 24, 2017

I cannot get over how amazing and professional you all were and how you really brought our party to life!! I have gotten so many calls and texts raving about how great you all were. Thank you soo much again!

Alexa
June 17, 2017 Wedding
Oheka Castle--Huntington, NY

Their open communication and professionalism was invaluable! Gretchen went above and beyond to answer all my questions and helped us organize all the details to book our event! Our band Nation was awesome! They had all of our guests, of all ages, enjoying themselves! They are incredibly talented, and their ability to play such a wonderful variety of music is really what sets them apart from other bands! We are still getting calls from our guests raving about our band!

November, 2016 wedding
Washington, D.C.

You all are the best! From the Jazz duo to the full incredible team. Thank you for the wonderful preparation, for learning our special songs and playing them like you played them forever, and for your extraordinary talent and performance. Everyone was raving about you all! Most important choice of the night- the band- and did we get it right and we're lucky you could be with us.

Thank you!
Words can't begin to convey our gratitude.
You all are amazing.

Betsy Prezioso
June 25, 2016
Wedding Chevy Chase Club

the calls and emails keep coming in as to how absolutely amazing you all were on 6.4! Seriously you blew everyone away. BUT most importantly for me, you were absolutely hands down the most seamless vendor to work with which made my wedding so much more amazing as I didn’t have to worry one second about you all.

Really, truly thank you!

Hope to work with you again very soon.

Xoxo - w

Walker Robbins Coleman
Event Director
CREATIVE EDGE PARTIES
June 4, 2016 Wedding
Figure Eight Island, Harnett NC

I know we threw a couple curve balls in this one and you performed without a hitch!!! It was so great to have you and all of the band members a part of our night, and please know it truly elevated the experience for all guests. This is an annual event and a lot of the same people attend year after year, so it was so nice to have such a great new element this year for them.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

All the best,

Lisa Mayer
Manager, Corporate Events | The Madison Square Garden Company
March 1 2016 Event

Our guests haven't stopped talking about how fabulous they were. The band makes the party and they really did. I said goodbye to two of our guest who were planning on leaving about half an hour before the event ended and then I saw them five minutes later on the dance floor. The band was too good and they didn't want to leave.

Mother of the Bride
November 2015 wedding

It was everything we had hoped for and more!

The background music during dinner was perfect. -The rockin' band kept everyone dancing until midnight. And the much anticipated hora? Left me smiling!!!

With a heartfelt attitude of gratitude,

Debbie Fink and Family
September 6 2015 wedding
National Museum of Women in the Arts

Players, partners, and executives alike were all so impressed and excited by this new addition to our programming. I cannot say enough good things about them!

We so look forward to working with you all on our events coming up.

Thank you so much again for everything!

Jane Stanton
The Madison Square Garden Company
September 16 2015 Event, Westchester Country Club

Thank you so much and looking forward to the next one!

Best,

Freya Grant
The Madison Square Garden Company
September 16 2015 Event, Westchester Country Club

Elan totally knows how to rock a party from start to finish. Thank you so much. The strings, trio, and all entertainment was perfect.

Jeannette Tavares
EVOKE
September 5 2015 Wedding
Ritz Carlton DC

It was truly such a pleasure to work with you, I have never worked with a band who has been so willing and able to listen to and execute what we wanted and needed! Plus I definitely didn’t anticipate that everyone would be up dancing but you guys just blew them away. So many people came up to me to say how amazing you were.

Hopefully this is the start of a long working relationship but my heartfelt thanks to you and please pass along my thanks to everyone!

Best,

Freya Grant
Director, Corporate Events | Madison Square Garden
July 29 2015 Event

I have heard nothing but wonderful comments about you all. I was a wedding coordinator for ten years with the caterer that handled our wedding, so I've worked with many bands. I can say that you all were far above them all in professionalism and talent. You played nonstop, never taking a break, even thru a torrential downpour! I don't even know if the guests knew it was raining, they were having such a wonderful time. I can't sing your praises loud enough, and I only wish I had another occasion to use you. I know that many guests, as well as the caterer, wanted your contact information so I hope it will lead to more events.

Thank you once again for helping make Emily and Eric's special day truly spectacular.

Sincerely,

Jamie Kupstas
July 4 2015 Wedding
Annaplis MD

My brother Nils (Lofgren) told me you were the best wedding band he’d ever heard – and I agree! You were also very accommodating to us hijacking the stage for a while and joining in with us. For me, as the most inexperienced musician of the brothers, it was incredibly fun to play band leader with such pros, including the sound guys (please thank them too). It was a tremendously successful party, in large part due to Nation.

Best regards,

Mark Lofgren
June 12th, 2015
National Museum of Women In The Arts

Seriously everyone talked about them the next day and beyond that. I knew they were good, but they totally blew my expectations out of the water. From the moment I walked down aisle, to cocktail hour, to reception-- no other band (imo)-- could have carried the night like they did. Their energy and reading of the group to personalize the music for our dancing group, amazing -- and it really felt like they were having a great time too-- seriously BLOWN AWAY!

Aden Glassman
May 16 2015 Wedding
The Goodstone Inn

We seriously can't express how blown away we were by their performances. The talent you showed yesterday is unmatched. Everyone [clients, vendors, brides] were going on & on! You really knocked it out of the park. Thank you!

Jamie Sears & Kate Harlan
Simply Chic Events
Washingtonian UNVEILED
January 25 2015

Please share our gratitude with your band members. It was absolutely wonderful working with you all, and we hope to have the opportunity again!

Best,

Laura Long
Wit Weddings
May 31, 2014 Wedding, The Maples

I have been in this business long enough to know that the best events are made of a team that is willing to work together and support one another.

We look forward to working with you again.

Warm regards,
Elizabeth Petty
The Catering Company of Washington
May 17 2014 Graduation Party
Georgetown University

We had an absolute blast and everyone was raving about the band!!! The songs were perfect and we truly had the time of our lives -- thanks!!!

Best,
Cristina
October 2012 wedding
Mellon Auditorium--Washington D.C.

Please pass this thank you along to everyone involved. We could not have been any happier with their performance. Can’t wait to work with you again soon!

Best,
Lauren Dosik and Aimee Dominick
Aimee Dominick Events
September 29 2012 wedding
Whitehall Manor--Bluemont, VA

It was such a pleasure to work with you both and you truly helped make the evening a night to remember!! You guys made the night run so smoothly and made my job easier along the way - thank you for that!

Jessica and Rick had an amazing time and were so pleased with the whole evening.

Hope to work with you again soon.

Thank you,

Anne
Anne Kelley
Atrendy Wedding, LLC

When you plan your daughter's wedding and are so happy about her choice for a wonderful husband, you truly want the reception to be a grand family celebration. For us, that meant dancing would be a major part of our enjoyment. We have always preferred live bands, yet we seriously considered a DJ so that a great variety of music could be offered to our guests of all ages.

But when we heard your demo DVD, we were impressed. We decided to take the chance that you could create the atmosphere we all wanted. You far exceeded our expectations. There wasn't an empty space on the dance floor during a single song. Your band members are phenomenal. Your lead singers' voices made everyone dance as if the original performers were in the room. You are all extraordinarily talented. And your variety was amazing.

When the bride and her Dad chose the country song, "I Loved Her First" by Heartland, we were a bit concerned that your brass section would not be able to pull it off. Thank you for creating the best version of that song ever played and for creating the sentimental moment that this bride and her Dad will treasure forever.

Then, when you transitioned to a great rock 'n roll song, you could see that the bride's Dad decided it was time to change the sentimental mood in the room. When he danced across the floor, the bride and her sister quickly joined him, and the Mom also got into the mix. We have the most fabulous video of the four of us dancing one last time as our family unit. Quickly family and friends joined us. It was magical.

The video of the groom and his Mom dancing shows that you were able to give them their own special and sentimental moment that will also always be treasured by all of us.

We already plan to book you early when our youngest daughter marries. We can't imagine a wedding without you! Thank you again for a phenomenal evening of music.

They sounded incredible and were great to work with during the event and leading up to it. They listened to what the client's wanted and really catered to their requests. Everyone at the Wedding was raving about how good they sounded. Thanks to you and your staff for pulling off such a success! Hopefully we will be able to work together again soon.

From style to feel to pace to musicianship to energy, they were perfect up and down the line. They were exactly what we wanted for our reception; we couldn't have asked for better.

On top of sampling their deep repetoire that night, they had learned and then played a beautiful rendition of our First Dance song: BABY YOU'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES. It was even better than the CD...

Not only were we spilling off the dance floor, there were people dancing on the tables too. What greater evidence is there of how good Nation is? We cannot recommend them highly enough.

. Nation set the exact tone that I wanted for our wedding reception. I haven't a single complaint. Everyone is still raving over what a great band they are. In a rare feat I do believe that everyone was on the dance floor...even my husband! :)

I would most definitely recommend Nation to anyone that is looking and already have mentioned them to two recently engaged friends. Not only that but I have recommend Elan in general. Thanks for facilitating!

(And, as you could see, I certainly enjoyed myself!) The singers and the band won raves.The amazing thing about your band was that I heard kudos from guests from all of our "interest" groups--the 20 somethings, the 30 somethings, the 50 somethings, the 60 somethings, and the grooms' side of the family (the Alvarezes and the Rojases). In short, all of us loved you. My only regret is that I only had the privilege of listing to you all for the one night!

I can't tell you how many people asked where we found them and repeatedly stated that they were the best band at a wedding reception that they had seen in recent years.

Also, Eli Staples was great working with us prior to our big day. He had many pertinent suggestions and took all our questions and personal music tastes in stride while incorporating many of the specific songs we had requested into the band's play list. He was also meticulous in checking with us both throughout the evening to ensure that the band was synching well with the crowd and adapted easily to the younger and older members of our family and friends. Thank you again for assisting us in making our wedding reception a tremendous success!

Now that things have calmed down and I have had a chance to reflect on my daughter's wedding, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your contribution to a wonderful day.

First, I would like to say that we looked at a number of bands on tape and sent the tapes to my daughter in California. In the end, she made the choice to have Nation at her wedding. She really wanted a sophisticated sound. She didn't want your run of-the-mill, often hokey music played at alot of affairs today. She just fell in love with your tape and everyone in the band. After looking at a dozen bands, I had to agree that Nation satisfied our every desire. Your vocalists are amazing.

What was wonderful was that Nation was everything we hoped for and more. We had an afternoon wedding and we were concerned that people may not get into the party spirit. Because of Nation, the party wsa full of joy and warmth until the very last minute. Everyone loved the music and had a great time. Numerous people asked me who the band was.

On a personal note, I would also like to thank you for managing the schedule, playing host, and organizing speeches, breaks, cake cutting, first dance, dinner music versus dancing music. I know that alot goes into keeping the pace and making sure things move smoothly.

As far as I am concerned, the most important ingredient at any wedding is the music. The band sets the tone. Two weeks later, people are still raving about the wonderful time they had and I want you to know that a large part of the credit goes to you and Nation. Thank you so much for a wonderful time.

Arlene B

Everyone raved about you guys and asked how we found you. I knew when I looked at the dance floor and saw almost every guest dancing that it was going to be a party to remember. Thank you again for all of you help with planning and the CD changes. Please let the band know how much we enjoyed the music.

They exceeded all of our expectations. All 300 guests at our company holiday party loved them. I am still getting great feedback and comments from our employees over a month later.

You think they sound great on their Demo CD? You have got to hear them in person.

What a pleasure it was to work with Eli and his team. We look forward to inviting them back to future parties and events!

They played at our wedding reception in October 2007. My husband and I originally met on the internet; from two different towns in a similiar county. Even though we attended different high schools, we both happened to be active in their music programs. The sax player from Nation happened to be my Marching Band director/home room teacher and was also the director of my husband's all county jazz band. We always joked that he had to play at our wedding because we had him in common. As a surprise to the both of us, my mother booked Nation for our wedding reception! Not only did the sax player do a wonderful job but the band as a whole was terrific. Each member is so very talented. So many wedding guests were up out of their seats and out on the dance floor. Most of the guests still talk about how great the band was. They played a great mix of different music and played all of the requested pieces that we wanted. My husband and I only have one regret, we wish we could have made the reception longer so we could hear more of Nation!

My mom sat right next to the band and said that everyone at her table was able to talk and also enjoy the music. We really loved them.

Our group was up dancing the minute they started playing. You told my daughter, Allyson they were good. But they were even better than we could have imagined! They cold have stayed the whole night and the wedding party would have kept dancing. Thank you so very much for recommending them to Allyson and Chris.

Nancy T.

The volume and quality was excellent, given the room was a large cement basement. Perhaps "another" gig for the band but they had their finger on the pulse and made the celebration one of great memories.

They were so talented, professional and wonderful to deal with. Everyone at the wedding was RAVING about how energetic they were and how they played the perfect selection of music. You really made the bride, groom and family's wedding extra memorable since practically every, single wedding guest was on the dance floor! Please pass on my most sincere thanks to you and the rest of the guys.

I look forward to working with the band again very soon!

All the best,

Maria C. {ritzy bee events}

I really enjoyed everything you all performed. And I really appreciate everyone being flexible at the end of the night. I think all in all the bride and groom had a wonderful night.

Thanks again for everything. It was great working with you and Nation. I hope to see you again soon!

Janice C. Bellwether Events

Thanks so much for entertaining us at our reception. Gabby and I could not have asked for a better band. Your were professional, fun and it's clear you're incredibly talented at your craft. The response from our guests was overwhelmingly positive. Once again, thanks so much for assisting us in making our wedding day unforgettable.

Your friends, Gabby and John

Everyone absolutely loved your music--so very special and unique--not at all the "usual" wedding stuff. Dr. L and I are home in NYC recuperating and glowing over our Bride and Groom's dream wedding.

Eli, you and your music is key to the joy of the evening and we thank you dearly.

Best wishes and so many thanks to you and your Band and staff.

Susan Liebowitz

So many of our guests have commented on what a marvelous job your group did performing. Our group was quite mixed old, young, non-dancers, dancers- you pleased everyone!!

Thank you so much!

The group has the most wonderful energy and attitude...one that - one that I can personally attest to as they performed at my daughter's wedding in October and the guests are still talking about how great Nation was. So now I've seen them in two very different settings with two totally different crowds, and I would highly recommend them for any function!

Melissa Z

Our group was up dancing the minute they started playing. You told Allyson they were good. But they were even better than we could have imagined! They could have stayed the whole night and the wedding party would have kept dancing. Thank you so very much for recommending them to Allyson and Chris.

Thanks so much for entertaining us at our reception. Gabby and I could not have asked for a better band. You were professional, fun and it's clear you're incredibly talented at your craft. The response from our guests was overwhelmingly positive. Once again, thanks so much for assisting us in making our wedding day unforgettable.

Your friends, Gabby and John

A big thanks for a great performance this past Sat night, A big thumbs up for the sound crew. The volume and quality was excellent. Perhaps "another" gig for the band but they had their finger on the pulse and made the celebration one of great memories.

They were so talented, professional and wonderful to deal with. Everyone at the wedding was RAVING about how energetic they were and how they played the perfect selection of music. You really made the bride, groom and family's wedding extra memorable since practically every, single wedding guest was on the dance floor!

Please pass on my most sincere thanks to you and the rest of the guys. I also wanted to give a special thanks to the sound guys who were extremely helpful and flexible with a last minute set-up change. I look forward to working with the band again very soon!

All the best,

Maria Cooke Ritzy Bee Events

Eli thank you SO much for all of your help!! I must say that you are one of the best communicators I have worked with for an entertainment company. Hope we can work on some other events together. :)

We were very happy with the group, Nation. They were excellent musicians, and played a good selection of music. We had many compliments from our guests. Their overall impact was definitely positive.

Carol H