I often find brides and grooms who are looking for a Lancashire wedding singer so it means crossing the border where I am usually the Yorkshire wedding singer to such gorgeous places as Clitheroe, Knutsford and Manchester. This past weekend I’ve spent a few days in the heart of some of Lancashire’s most picturesque locations singing at Joanna and Andrew’s wedding on the Friday and providing Stuart and Alison with evening entertainment on the Saturday.
Mr and Mrs Stirrup – Friday 7th April
Joanna and Andrew approached me to be their Lancashire wedding singer and guitarist at the beginning of 2017. Joanna is quite a musician herself and is very particular about her tastes. It turned out we like much of the same music so her and her partner hired me for my full day platinum package at The Mere Golf Club in Knutsford. This is a very high end exclusive club in the heart of rural Cheshire and is home to many a famous name. England internationals Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson were hanging around at the time of the wedding as well as Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam. The bride and groom managed to get a sneaky snap with Peter Crouch. He is tall. Very very tall.
It took ages for Joanna to decide what she wanted to walk down the aisle to but she eventually settled on It Must Be Love by Madness. After a touching ceremony we made out way out on to the veranda for the drinks reception just in time for the sun to make a much hoped for appearance.
Into the evening we danced the night away. And boy what a night it was. Andrew’s family are Irish so they certainly know how to party. The dance floor was packed all night especially when I played my rendition of Galway Girl. The bride and groom danced to Lionel Richie’s My Destiny for their first dance which I’d taken the time to learn for them. One of the highlights of the evening was when the bride got up on stage with me and sang Rotterdam by The Beautiful South. You can see some brief footage of it in the video I posted on facebook. She’s got a lovely voice and the crowd erupted in applause for her after she finished.
A superb wedding in a peaceful and beautiful location. Many congratulations and I wish them all the best for the future.
Mr and Mrs Walsh – Saturday 8th April
Beeston Manor is a venue I’ve been eager to visit for some time. It’s won awards recently and I’ve heard great things about it so it was a pleasure to be asked to sing there by Alison and Stuart who hired me as their Lancashire wedding singer for their evening reception. Alison and Stuart are a very quiet, unassuming couple. In the planning stages leading up to the wedding I spoke to Alison a number of times and she was happy to let me run the evening since I know well what works. I learned their first dance song which was Good Life by One Republic and afterwards the dance floor was rocking. I really enjoyed the audience interaction with this one.
Beeston Manor is an intimate venue so the audience are right next to you which makes it fun to interact and participate with them. Another enjoyable feature of this wedding was the ease of the crowd. There were plenty of times when the dance floor was full but there were also a number of moments where the audience were just happy sitting and listening while they enjoyed food and drinks. I enjoy this about weddings. I don’t believe the dance floor has to be rammed at every moment. It’s great when it is but it’s also good to have down moments where people can relax and enjoy the atmosphere. It’s about what works for you and your crowd and I felt this worked really well. The bride and groom came and thanked me at the end of the night. Again, I’ve posted a video on facebook so you can check out the highlights. It was great to meet Stefan, The Tall Toastmaster. He’s tall. Very tall. Taller than Peter Crouch? I don’t know, I didn’t get to meet him. What is it with this weekend? It’s just full of tall people in Lancashire. Can’t complain when you get to enjoy a great time with wonderful couples, their fabulous families and professional suppliers.
Aaaaaaand relax.
