What is your most memorable wedding?
We played a wedding at Bob Dylan's private mansion in the Scottish Highlands, which was pretty amazing! Another that comes to mind is a Halloween-themed wedding at the end of October one year - it was extra! The drinks coolers were coffins filled with ice, the balloons were coloured like eyeballs, there was a skeleton being passed around the dancefloor and signs all over saying "til death do us part"... wild.
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
Fun, professional, exciting, bilingual, lively!
What about your business are you most proud of?
We love what we do. We've played 100+ weddings (plus birthday parties, anniversaries, balls, fundraisers, New Year's Eves/St Patrick's Days/Christmas parties) so we've got a lot of experience, but we also just love playing together and always have fun. We also get to travel all over the world for work, which is amazing!
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Don't panic! Ask for help from everyone. You've probably never organised a party this big before, nor are you likely to again - no one knows what they're doing the first time they plan a wedding, so just breathe.
What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?
There are so many! We've seen brides' dresses handmade by talented friends, Lord Of The Rings-inspired cursive writing throughout a venue, dogs being allowed as guests, multi-lingual disco playlists, child-friendly glow sticks in lieu of sparklers, golden hour photos... Weddings are beautiful occasions.
Describe your typical process with a couple.
Every couple is unique, so we get to know each new wedding differently. A couple will get in touch with their date & venue, and if we're available we'll provide a quote, outlining everything included in that price. We lay out a few different options like live first dance, DJ, covers set, early setup/late finish, ceremony and/or drinks reception music as well as any additional costs for these choices. We ask for our couples' budgets straight away, to give us the best chance of providing the best entertainment for their financial boundaries. All our quotes are individual; we include travel expenses and our musicians' fees change depending on the length & style of music requested. We offer a 2/3/4-piece band, but we can't always guarantee every line-up will be available for every date. For lower budget or smaller weddings, couples sometimes opt for the duo setup to lower costs, but we make sure to offer everything available to everyone!
What makes a romantic first dance?
Something that you've chosen together, that speaks to your relationship and gives you a chance to have a beautiful moment together with no interruptions. We can help you choose a song if you feel overwhelmed - we're like walking musical encyclopaedias, so we love providing this service for our couples.
What is your number one floor-filler?
Orcadian Strip The Willow - it's the easiest ceilidh dance there is, with loads of energy so we always finish with this one. You get to dance with everyone but the steps are nice and simple!
Which band from the past would you most like to have been part of?
Grace (piano, vocals, calling & admin) - The Chicks. Or Aretha Franklin's backing singers - wow.
Al (fiddle & vocals) - Fleetwood Mac.
Donal (drums, sound & calling) - Frank Zappa, and Slayer.
What is the soundtrack to your life?
We listen to EVERYTHING, the most eclectic taste in music for a ceilidh band! Folk, country, classical, pop, Gàidhlig, rock, indie, soul, power metal... There's always music happening somewhere in the house!