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Wedding Guitar at Newland Hall, Essex: Jenny’s Wedding Breakfast
Posted on: 29 July 2014
I’m from Essex and know the county well, but playing at weddings still takes me to beautiful places tucked away in corners I haven’t explored. Newland Hall, near Chelmsford, is one of those venues: a Tudor manor house with a moat, gardens and countryside surroundings that feel surprisingly removed from the nearby city.
On 29 July 2014, I returned there to play for Jenny’s wedding breakfast. I had already performed in the marquee before she booked, so I knew the setting and could talk her through where I would position myself.
Familiar Songs and a Light-Hearted Brief
Jenny, a choreographer and owner of Hip Hop Pop dance school, had a clear idea of the atmosphere she wanted. She asked for popular songs rather than classical or jazz repertoire, with some fun choices along the way. As she put it in her email: “keep it light-hearted.”
She was happy to leave the individual choices to me. That kind of brief is useful: it tells me the character of the occasion while allowing room to respond to the guests and the pace of the meal.
There were 85 guests, and my part of the day began as everyone came into the marquee for the wedding breakfast. I played through the meal, pausing for the speeches, and continued until the handover to the DJ for the evening celebrations.
The Songs Not to Play
Alongside her musical preferences, Jenny sent something less usual: a list of songs she wanted me to leave out.
Several familiar love songs had recently acquired a sad association for her family. We agreed that I would avoid them. There was still plenty of repertoire to choose from, and it was a straightforward way to help her feel comfortable with the music.
A song’s meaning depends very much on who is listening. Something that seems an obvious wedding choice to a musician can bring back an entirely different occasion for someone in the room.
I once received a particularly memorable request not to play “Cavatina.” It’s normally a wedding favourite, but the bride explained that it featured on the wedding video from her previous marriage!
Fair enough. That one stayed firmly off the set list.
It’s always worth mentioning songs you would rather not hear, as well as those you love. You don’t need to explain why; knowing which pieces to avoid is enough.
A Marquee Wedding at Newland Hall
Newland Hall stands in Roxwell, a few miles west of Chelmsford. The historic house, moated gardens and surrounding countryside give it a distinctive setting, while the marquee offers a different space in which to gather for the meal.
For Jenny’s wedding, I played facing the diners. During a wedding breakfast, the music needs to reach the room comfortably while leaving people free to talk. Familiar melodies work well here: guests can recognise and enjoy a song without having to stop their conversations to listen.
That suited Jenny’s brief nicely. She wanted music that felt easy-going and sociable, carrying the afternoon through to the evening.
The following day, she sent me a lovely message:
“David thank you so much for your time yesterday. You added a lovely atmosphere to our day x”
It was a pleasure to receive—and a good description of what I had hoped to contribute.