Groomsman Shocks Wedding Guests With Stunning Caamp Cover in Emotional Cedar Lake Estates Moment

Some wedding surprises are fun. Some are touching. And every now and then, one becomes a full-on showstopper.
That’s exactly what happened at Jen and Matt’s Cedar Lake Estates wedding when their groomsman Eric Goldberg stepped forward and delivered a jaw-dropping live cover of Caamp’s “By and By.” What makes the moment even more legendary is that Eric didn’t even know when he was supposed to perform. One second he was enjoying the family speeches… and the next someone leaned over and told him, “It’s you. You’re up. Go.”

What followed is one of the most heartwarming, crowd-stopping wedding performances the internet has seen, beautifully captured by the YouTube channel The Midnight Project.

The scene was already magical. Cedar Lake Estates is known for its warm, rustic charm, soft string lights, cozy wooden accents, and an atmosphere that feels like a summer dream. By the time Eric was unexpectedly told it was his moment, the reception was in full swing. Speeches had people laughing and crying, glasses clinked, and the room buzzed with love and celebration.

Then Eric walked up to the microphone with his guitar. Guests assumed another toast was coming. Nobody , not even most of the groomsmen , knew he had prepared a song. And certainly nobody expected a performance this good.

The wedding band Cafe Wha, who had been playing throughout the night, quickly stepped in to support him with gentle instrumental backing. They didn’t need a rehearsal. They just followed his lead, and it worked perfectly. Eric strummed the quiet, folky opening chords of Caamp’s “By and By,” a song that holds deep meaning for Jen and Matt. It’s a warm, earthy tune full of love, gratitude, and sweetness, perfect for a wedding, especially theirs.

As soon as the first line left Eric’s mouth, the room changed.

Conversations stopped. Guests turned to face him. Some tilted their heads like, “Wait… he can sing?” Others simply stared in quiet awe. Eric’s voice was steady, soulful, and filled with emotion, not the nervous, shaky push you sometimes hear in wedding speeches, but a genuine, heartfelt performance that sounded like it belonged on a stage.

His guitar playing was smooth and well-practiced, showing he’d put time and love into preparing the moment for the couple. With Cafe Wha adding gentle rhythm and texture behind him, the performance became something far bigger than a simple wedding surprise. It was intimate, cinematic, and pure.

You could see guests gently sway. You could see smiles spreading across faces, even tears forming in the corners of eyes. The bride and groom looked stunned, the good kind of stunned, like they couldn’t believe their friend had pulled off something so personal and so beautiful. When Eric hit the chorus, the entire room was locked into the moment with him. This wasn’t just music. This was a gift.

And it’s the kind of gift that can only happen live, surrounded by people who love each other.

One of the sweetest details in the entire story is just how chaotic and unplanned the moment was behind the scenes. Eric wasn’t on standby. He didn’t have a set time. He wasn’t waiting in the wings with a cue sheet. He literally had no idea when he was supposed to go on. In true wedding fashion, the schedule was running on vibes alone. And suddenly, someone tapped him on the shoulder mid-speeches and said, “It’s now.”

That kind of unexpected launch would terrify most people , especially at a wedding , but Eric took it in stride. He stepped forward, trusted the moment, and delivered one of the most emotional performances of the night.

When the song came to an end, the reaction was explosive.
The guests erupted into cheering, applause, and shouts of love and excitement. People stood, clapped, and called out his name. You could feel the joy bursting from every corner of the venue.

And that energy carried over to the video, too.

YouTube commenters flooded The Midnight Project’s upload with praise. Many were blown away by Eric’s voice. Others couldn’t believe he held his nerve after being told last-minute to perform. Some viewers said the moment felt like something out of a film , the combination of a great song, a talented singer, a supportive band, and a room full of people who didn’t expect such a beautiful surprise.

One person wrote that the performance gave them chills. Another said it was one of the most heartfelt wedding moments they’d ever seen. Others simply loved how genuine and real the entire scene felt , not rehearsed, not staged, not polished by production, but an honest, emotional moment shared among family and friends.

That’s what makes the video so special.

It captures the kind of magic that only weddings can create , where love, music, and human connection collide in a way that leaves everyone a little better than before. Eric Goldberg didn’t just sing Caamp’s “By and By.” He delivered a memory that Jen, Matt, and every guest in the room will carry for the rest of their lives.

If you haven’t seen the performance yet, it’s absolutely worth watching.
It’s raw, warm, emotional, and filled with heart , a perfect reminder of how powerful music can be when it’s shared in the right moment, with the right people.

Sometimes the best gifts aren’t wrapped.
Sometimes they’re sung.