SHOW REPORT – Dennis & Debbie’s Wedding – Woodlands Castle, Ruiston, Taunton – 22 July 2011

     Debbie and Dennis booked my after seeing me perform jazz, swing and soul during a stand-in set on behalf of the resident singer at Cardiff Bay’s St David’s Hotel.  This lovely couple were looking for an all-day solution for the music and hosting at their intimate wedding at the exclusive Woodlands Castle venue near their home in Taunton – and felt my services, experience and repertoire fitted their ideas perfectly.

Woodlands Castle from the grounds

The couple and I discussed best options at length to provide music throughout the whole day at this multi-room function, as well as a providing a hosting service (an informal Toastmaster/MC) to liaise with the Registrar & guideand inform guides throughout the pre-ceremony &  post-ceremony arrangements.  Music was a hugely important part of the day for this couple, and my compact and adaptable set-up enabled a range of styles to suit different parts of the day.

As guests arrived for the post-lunch ceremony, I performed a selection in the of live pop ballads and love songs, creating a vibrant yet romantic atmosphere in the vestibule and anti-room as the groom, friends and family waiting with growing anticipation for Debbie to

make her appearance. 
Ending the set, I switched to background music & my hosting role, and guided the party and any later-arriving guests into the room where the ceremony was being held.  This was an important role to ease and assure the ‘decorum’, legalities & logistics for the event – for example requesting guests left alcohol outside the ceremony space, guided them to the correct side of the room (in the absence of ushers) and requesting they avoid using confetti inside the venue.

Debbie had requested specific background music while guests waited and also a special piece for her processional entrance to meet Dennis (“You’re So Cool” by Hans Zimmerman – famously from the ‘True Romance’ movie sound-track (fittingly enough!)). 

By liaising with both the bridal party and the Registrar ahead of time we were able to plan specific points in the music for the guests to stand, for the bridesmaids to enter and for the Bride’s grand entrance to coincide with crescendos in the music, which then faded away as Debbie reached her groom & the Registrar began to speak.

After the vows, Debbie has also specially requested I learn and perform 2 special songs as a postlude - namely Elvis’ “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” while the register was signed, then (as a recessional song to accompany the newlyweds and guests' departure from  the room) the happy pop classic “My Destiny” by Lionel Ritchie. It was an inspired choice of song that added a smile and a skip to all.

Debbie later commented that my service was “Absolutely brilliant!” and thanked me for being “Really helpful with helping suggest songs and also learning ones special to us for the day.”

After a few photographs, the happy newlyweds enjoyed a horsedrawn carriage ride, and while they were  away I started my next set of a selection of jazz standards, to keep guests entertained while they enjoyed champagne and canapés in the sunshine. 

This moved on to hosting the new Mr & Mrs Scott’s arrival back at the venue for their wedding breakfast, where my hosting skills were put into play once more by inviting guests in from the bar and terrace and announcing the newlywed’s into the room.  After some brief speeches and their first course, I began my next live set, with a selection of Swing & Big Band standard as guests dined.

I was delighted and hugely complimented when Debbie & Dennis even put down their cutlery to dance by the side of their table as I sang Nat King Cole's “Let There Be Love”, while other guest looked on.

Afterwards, the Scotts’ feedback mentioned I “was really "tuned" in to both the music and our specific needs for the day.”

Pre-recorded background music continued until the end of the meal and while guests enjoyed coffee and a breath of fresh air, I relocated my sound equipment into the secondary function room, which was set up with a dance-floor and resident DJ as a specific (for want of a better term) “dancing-room”. 
It was a pleasure to work alongside the resident entertainer, and we escalated the atmosphere as more evening guests arrived, ready to party – providing him with the information he needed to welcome the couple personally over the microphone, and quickly running through the evening timings Debbie & I had planned.

We opened the evening entertainment by inviting the guests into the dancing room (although some watched through the windows to the terrace!) while Dennis & Debbie enjoyed their “official” first dance together – another special request I had learned for them, in form of “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. 

The live set continued with classic soul and pop, and after a break for the evening buffet, I finished up with disco, soul and rock before handing back to the resident DJ.

In their later feedback, the couple enthused: “We cannot praise Jon enough, he went out of his way to make sure we had everything we wanted and I would recommend him to anyone as you will not be disappointed".

All in all a bit of a whirlwind day for everyone – but Debbie’s review of the day commented: “I don’t remember much but I will always remember the music and the dancing! Thank you for making our wedding so lovely.”

Sometimes, we entertainers turn up later in the day and miss all the romance and emotion of the ceremony and speeches – for me it was a real pleasure to play an over-arching role in facilitating and entertaining this lovely couple and their guests.  I found it a fitting reminder that weddings are about more than just the party – they’re also about each couple’s own "True Romance".

Thank you for allowing me to experience yours, Dennis & Debbie – please enjoy many many happy years together.

Take care…and have fun.

Jon Paul

Jon Paul is available as a live solo singer and/or DJ, performing vintage and contemporary music to create  day-time, evening or all-day entertainment solutions for ceremonies, receptions and parties throughout the South West of England, as well as Wales, The Midlands, Home Counties and London.  His service can also include event hosting as an informal MC as well as a variety of mobile DJ & disco solutions to suit most budgets.

Find out more on our main website at http://www.phataahs.com/