Start your room reservation by completing our simple booking form below.
Start your table reservation by choosing a restaurant below.
You can make an enquiry using the form below.
We would recommend planning backwards through the day as your evening entertainment is likely to be a third party and you will need to book early to avoid disappointment.
There is a lot to consider here – do you want a band or a DJ? If you’re after a band, what is your budget and what style are you going for? Do your guests share the same music taste or are you going to be self-indulgent, after all, it is your day!
Perhaps talk to your family and closest friends about this – what will they enjoy and are there any bands or styles that immediately spring to mind, or an era that means something to you.
Do ask your venue to recommend any bands that have been particularly popular in the past and listen to showreels or videos on their website or social. You may even find an opportunity to see them play live before your big day.
If you do opt for a band, ask them what the plan is when they have a break – will they put on some music and do they have all the equipment?
If you would prefer a DJ, then again ask around for recommendations. When speaking to potential DJs ask how they work. Will they just play what they think works well at weddings or will they want you to provide a playlist? Or perhaps a combination of the two. Again, you need to think about your guests – perhaps work in a little bit of everything if you have a variety of guests in terms of ages and preferences. Some couples like to ask for music requests upon RSVP, which is a great way to involve everyone!
Once the wedding reception entertainment is in hand, you will need to decide upon the other key parts of the wedding that are usually accompanied by music of some kind: walking into the ceremony; walking out, the signing of the register, the Wedding Breakfast, the drinks reception, and some couples like to have music at the very beginning of the proceedings.
Also, and this will likely depend on your budget, you need to consider whether you will just have a stereo and appoint one of your wedding party to look after this or you are going to opt for ‘real’ musicians – such as a choir or pianist (or organist if getting married in a church).
The music played when entering and leaving the ceremony is usually very personal to the couple. This is great but remember that you are also setting the scene for the rest of the day with this and so it is usually worth considering something upbeat and light. The same logic applies for when exiting the ceremony. You will have just got married and the accompanying music should really be celebratory in nature. It’s also worth considering the pace of the music; if the music is too fast, there will be a danger of your wedding party almost stomping up the aisle or out of the room and you might miss this lovely moment of feeling like a celebrity on the red carpet with everyone trying to take the best photo!
A good time to mix it up a bit is when you are signing the register – you might have a friend with a particularly good voice who would be honoured to perform, or you might want something a bit different to create a talking point. It’s your wedding so it’s up to you (though you may need to check it with the vicar if you are tying the knot in a church).
Last but not least, you need to choose the music that will be played during the Wedding Breakfast and/or drinks reception. You need to consider the volume of this – whilst a string quartet might work incredibly well for a drinks reception in a garden or on a terrace, it might overpower if it’s an indoor setting for the Wedding Breakfast.
There is a lot to consider but we have hosted many different weddings with all kinds of music styles and would be happy to help you with ideas.
Why not Contact us for a show-round today?
3rd May 2022
