Type of Performer(s) or Business
Primary Instrument(s)
Style of Music
Message from the team
Experience
What is your most memorable wedding?
My wedding to my lovely wife! Actually, I did play the piano at my wedding - briefly in the band in the evening but after five tunes and getting impatient looks from my newly wedded wife, it was time to resume my role as groom!
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
Soothing relaxing joyful magical emotional
What about your business are you most proud of?
The years spent memorising a huge and varied repertoire of beautiful tunes - with the result that there is no room left in my brain to remember where I put my keys! I am also very proud of my equipment. I designed and made my piano facades which contain my Yamaha digital pianos - giving the look of real compact acoustic pianos. They are very unique and enhance the the overall look of the wedding decor. My equipment is fully battery powered and wireless so it not only sounds real but looks very real and is very mobile. In theory I could set up my pianos anywhere on dry land! The one other aspect of my equipment is my collection of coloured sashes and flowers which I use to decorate the pianos to match in perfectly with the wedding decor.
What is your No.1 wedding planning tip for couples?
My number one planning tip is to have my beautiful live piano music for your ceremony, drinks reception and/or wedding breakfast! - it adds a sparkle of magic, especially when walking down the aisle and it relaxes your guests filling the air with joy and happiness!
My number 2 planning tip is to book your live music early! - as soon as you have a venue, as musicians get very booked up in advance. I always have a very busy looking calendar for at least 18 months ahead and I have some weddings booked up to three years ahead.
What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?
A set of polaroid cameras being handed to the children so they can go round taking funny pictures of the adults!
Describe your typical process with a couple.
I send sample setlists, to the couple to give an idea of the how the live piano music works for the ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast. In the meantime, the couple can have a good look at my website - seeing the recommendations, hearing demos etc. Once the couple has a date and venue, all they need to do is choose one of my wedding packages listed on the website and then secure the booking with a £50 deposit settled with a PayPal link. After that, I send a simple booking contract for the couple's approval and get to work on any special bespoke arrangements they requested for the wedding.
What makes a romantic first dance?
Preferably one that involves a waltz or swaying, a song that is meaningful to the couple or one that just sounds beautiful and traditional such as Ashokan Fairwell or When Irish Eyes Are Smiling which I perform when in the OddSox Ceilidh band. I actual played piano for the first dance of a couple or recent weddings. These included All of Me by John Legend and Annie's Song by John Denver which were rather beautiful.
What is your number one floor-filler?
Not a floor filler but a walk down the aisle favourite: 1000 Years (Christina Perry) - it's the one I most often get asked to perform, and it is so beautiful. Closely followed by Canon in D. My closest thing to a floor filler is some of the tunes I play on the piano which people can't resist dancing and singing along to, even when in the middle of a meal. These include Wanna be like You from the Jungle Book and the Wallace and Gromit Theme!
Which band from the past would you most like to have been part of?
Madness!
What is the soundtrack to your life?
The James Bond Theme! Not only is it such an awesome theme tune but its the first bit of music I learnt to play from ear when I was 7 years old.