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Wedding Guitar at Gate Street Barn: Jason and Laura
Posted on: 14 June 2014
On 14 June 2014, I played for Jason and Laura’s wedding at Gate Street Barn, near Guildford in Surrey. It’s a venue I’ve returned to many times—probably more than any other wedding venue—and always enjoy visiting.
What stands out about this wedding, though, is Laura’s choice of music. She requested two songs that I hadn’t previously thought of arranging for solo guitar: Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” and Van Morrison’s “Have I Told You Lately.” Both turned out to work beautifully.
“A Thousand Years” for the Aisle Entrance
Laura chose “A Thousand Years” for her walk down the aisle. When the request arrived, it wasn’t part of my repertoire, so I made an arrangement especially for the occasion.
Arranging a song for solo guitar involves finding a way to carry the melody while keeping enough of the accompaniment to preserve its character. You want the song to remain recognisable, but also to sound natural on the instrument. “A Thousand Years” lent itself very nicely to this, making a lovely choice for Laura’s entrance.
Some of my favourite arrangements have started this way: a couple asks for a song that I would never have considered myself, and working on it opens up something new in my repertoire.
Another example is “Flashdance… What a Feeling.” That also began as a request and has since become a popular arrangement of mine. It wasn’t part of Jason and Laura’s wedding, but it’s a good example of how much these requests have contributed to my playing over the years.
“Have I Told You Lately” on Solo Guitar
Laura also requested Van Morrison’s “Have I Told You Lately.” Again, it was a song I knew but hadn’t thought of arranging for guitar.
It worked very nicely, with its expressive melody coming through clearly on the instrument. Together, these choices gave the ceremony a more contemporary musical character, using familiar songs that Laura wanted to hear on her wedding day.
For couples choosing their ceremony music, there’s no need to limit yourselves to pieces already listed in a guitarist’s repertoire. A favourite song may translate beautifully to solo guitar, and it’s always worth discussing.
A Country Wedding Setting Near Guildford
Gate Street Barn has a lovely country feel. I remember the neighbouring farmland and the sheep, which make it feel properly rural, even though Guildford is close by.
One of the things I’ve appreciated over my visits is the way the spaces allow the day to unfold. There’s the barn for the ceremony, adjoining reception space, and an outdoor area for drinks when the weather allows. The barn can also be prepared for the wedding breakfast while guests enjoy their reception.
For a musician, that movement between spaces is part of the day: the ceremony calls for carefully timed, attentive playing, while the reception has a more relaxed atmosphere, with music accompanying conversations.
Staying at the Venue
Gate Street also offers accommodation on site, something I can certainly see the appeal of for a wedding. Being able to get ready close to the ceremony removes a journey from an already busy morning.
Once your hair is done and you’re dressed, a short walk to the venue sounds considerably easier than negotiating a car door in a wedding dress!
Jason and Laura’s wedding brought together a familiar venue and some new music for me. That combination is one of the pleasures of playing for weddings: however often I return to a place, each couple brings their own ideas, and sometimes leaves me with an arrangement I’ll continue playing for years.