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Wedding Guitar at Gorse Hill: Stuart and Sophie’s Day

Posted on: 8 October 2026

My correspondence with Rose Davis began with a small misunderstanding. When she enquired about wedding music, I replied that I would be delighted to play at her wedding.

“My wedding was 40 years ago, a little before your time,” she wrote back, “but thank you anyway.”

She was organising the music for her son Stuart and his future wife, Sophie. It was a lovely introduction to the family, and our subsequent emails soon turned to the arrangements for their wedding at Gorse Hill in Woking on 10 November 2013.

A Surrey country house with beautiful acoustics

Gorse Hill is an Edwardian mansion on Hook Heath, designed by architect Edward Prioleau Warren. Historic England dates the Grade II listed house to 1910: a building originally conceived as a private home, long before it became a venue for weddings and other gatherings. Its classical proportions, columns and large windows give it a distinctive elegance.

What particularly appealed to me as a guitarist was its beautiful acoustics. The sound of a room makes such a difference when you play solo guitar, especially during a ceremony, when the quieter notes have space to be heard.

Stuart and Sophie’s ceremony was scheduled for two o’clock, with guests arriving half an hour beforehand. Holding the ceremony and celebrations at the same venue also opened up the possibility of music accompanying several different parts of the day. Rose initially asked about everything from the arrival of the guests to the ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast.

From Wagner to “Over the Rainbow”

Sophie chose a traditional entrance: Wagner’s Bridal Chorus, often known as “Here Comes the Bride”. It appeared in our correspondence as the “Wedding March”, with Wagner’s name making clear which familiar melody she had in mind.

On solo guitar, a piece associated with such a grand entrance takes on a more intimate character. The melody retains its sense of occasion, while the instrument brings a gentler sound to it.

For their exit as husband and wife, Stuart and Sophie chose Over the Rainbow. It made a lovely pairing with the entrance music: two immediately recognisable melodies, each with a different feeling.

They left the signing of the register to me. I suggested two of my own compositions, Waterscape and Chiemsee, and sent the titles to Rose so she could pass them on to the registrar.

It is always a pleasure to be invited to include original music in a wedding ceremony. Alongside pieces that carry memories and associations for the couple and their guests, there is room for something they may be hearing for the first time.

A request for Sophie

There was another musical request in Rose’s emails:

“Some time during the day please please could you play for Sophie some of the music you played with the Gypsy Kings as they are one of her favourites.”

Sophie’s love of the Gipsy Kings brought another side of my repertoire into the planning. Beyond the specific ceremony choices and that enthusiastic request, the family gave me considerable freedom over the music.

“We have listened to the music you have on your website and love it all,” Rose wrote.

That combination of personal requests and trust is a lovely starting point for a wedding musician. It gives me a sense of the people I am playing for, while leaving space to respond to the atmosphere as the day unfolds.

A lovely message afterwards

After the wedding, Rose and Chris sent a message that was a pleasure to receive:

“Your playing was truly wonderful and evocative and created just the right mood and musical ambience for the special occasion.”

They went on to say that many guests had commented on the atmosphere the music created, and that Stuart and Sophie had felt the same way.

As a performer, that means a great deal. Choosing the pieces is one part of preparing for a wedding; hearing afterwards that the music helped people enjoy and remember the occasion is something else.

Thank you to Stuart and Sophie, and to Rose and Chris, for inviting me to be part of the day—and to Rose for taking my accidental wedding congratulations so kindly.