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Wedding Guitar at Woburn Abbey: Ben and Hayley’s Celebration in the Sculpture Gallery
Posted on: 22 June 2014
On 22 June 2014, I played for Ben and Hayley’s wedding at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire. They chose the beautiful Sculpture Gallery for their celebration, with 150 guests and a drinks reception on the terrace in glorious summer weather.
The Sculpture Gallery at Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey’s history stretches back to its foundation as a Cistercian monastery in 1145, long before it became the home of the Dukes of Bedford. The Sculpture Gallery belongs to a later chapter of the estate’s history: it was designed by Henry Holland for the fifth Duke of Bedford.
It is a beautiful setting for a wedding, with a character quite different from a conventional hotel or reception room. For Ben and Hayley, it also offered the opportunity to enjoy both the historic surroundings indoors and the terrace outside.
All of Me and Better Together, Arranged for Solo Guitar
Ben and Hayley particularly wanted two songs: All of Me by John Legend and Better Together by Jack Johnson. I arranged both for solo guitar and used their choices as a starting point for the rest of the repertoire.
These songs have quite different musical characters. All of Me is an expressive, piano-led ballad, while Better Together has a relaxed acoustic feel. Arranging them for solo guitar means bringing the melody and accompaniment together on one instrument, while keeping the qualities that make each song recognisable.
A couple’s requests often tell me more than simply which two songs they would like to hear. They give me a sense of their taste and the atmosphere they want to create. In this case, I shaped the remaining music along similar lines, keeping their choices at the heart of the day.
Guitar Music on the Terrace
With 150 guests attending, I brought a larger sound system than I would usually need for a smaller wedding. Outdoors, sound behaves differently from the way it does inside a room, and the aim is to let guests hear the music comfortably across the reception area.
I also brought a separate, smaller system for the ceremony. Having equipment ready in both places made the transition to the terrace straightforward.
The beautiful weather meant everyone could enjoy the drinks reception outside—a lovely setting for the relaxed repertoire Ben and Hayley had chosen.
A Lovely Message Afterwards
After the wedding, I received this message:
“Dear David, thank you so much for your beautiful playing at our wedding. Many guests commented on the wonderful music and it really made the day. Thank you again!”
It was lovely to hear that the music had meant so much to them and their guests. A beautiful venue makes a wonderful backdrop, but it is the couple’s choices that make each wedding feel personal. For Ben and Hayley, All of Me and Better Together helped give the day its own musical character.
Explore more venues where I’ve performed in Bedfordshire, or browse venues and locations across the UK and abroad.
