Hayley & James – Gaynes Park, Essex, 3 Nov

 

 

Client: Hayley & James Burtt

Event: Wedding

Venue: Gaynes Park Barnes, Essex

Date: Nov, 3 2012

Package: Creative Mood Lighting Package

Music Requested: Latest Charts, Party Classics, Garage & Guest Requests

 

We returned to action this weekend at Gaynes Park Barns to join over a hundred guests at the wedding of Hayley & James who staged their own cracker of a reception on the Saturday when traditionally thousands of people blow up millions of pounds across the UK. This was our fourth visit to the beautiful Essex venue this year, it’s definately up there as one of the most popular wedding venues I have come across and a venue I think I’ve been requested to play at as much as any other.

So what sets Gaynes Park apart from the rest ?

Other than the obvious exclusivity, its actually very accessable with it being only a 10 minute drive from the M11 and 15mins from the M25, however motorways and noise are the last thing on your mind at this very quiet and rural setting graced by hundreds of sheep which instantly detach you from the hustle and bustle of every day life. There’s also a lovely cottage which the bride (or groom) get the option to use the night before the big day which is located just a stones throw from the conservatory where all the ceremony drama unfolds.  I have on a few different occasions supplied music for the ceremony at GP, it is easily done from the conservatory although the venue do supply a sound system if you wish to organise this yourself. It’s quite a dramatic bridal entrance at this venue … the garden comes alive with music as the bridal party grace a very long pathway en route to the conservatory,  as the bride appears to the audience for the first time there’s plenty of time for her to absorb the emotion of the occasion …and I’ve seen a few tears shed before during this time. One of main wedding memories over the past few years was actually at GP when I was working there at a friend of a friends wedding, the bride came from an oriental background and the newlyweds laid on a huge show of musicians and actors in traditional costume for a festival of Chinese entertainment following the ceremony which completely took over the gardens …however if your not considering Chinese dragons on your wedding day it’s still a very nice setting for a glass of champagne following the formalities and a bit Michael Buble or something soft like that.

Following the main event guests then walk through to the main barn via the gather barn for the wedding breakfast. The gather barn is an amazing open barn with 8 exposed wooden pillars – virtually every time I had been there I have uplit the barn with our Creative Mood Lighting service, this Saturday Hayley and James went for a pink and purple combination for the barn …and a purple theme for the inside of the main barn and the upstairs area which has some nice chillout areas with Arabic style comfy seating.

The disco area is actually detached from the main part of the room and is curtained off during the meal so the set up of equipment for the disco is easily done out of sight, although I usually have this set up before the guests sit down for the meal. There are a few good spots to install uplighters inside the main barn as there are some nice features and the disco room as pretty much a blank canvas as far as stamping your own look on it as far as uplighting is concerned,  we have also provided name projection there a few times in the past with the projector positioned upstairs onto the wall above the bar, during the meal this appears just above the bride and groom on the top table. Talking of food …I have eaten at GP a few times when I have worked there and I can personally vouch that the food is among the nicest I’ve experienced, plus the staff are always very polite, well organised and the co ordinators there are keen to please and very customer focused.

Next …onto my old friend ‘the sound limiter’ ! I’m very pleased to announce that despite some previous problems with this particular limiter the venue has now addressed this and repositioned it. This sound limiter now poses no threat at all to the evening entertainment.

This Saturday I worked alongside a four piece band called The Hound Dogs described by TIMEOUT as “The Best Covers Band In London”, that snippet from a review was certainly not an exaggeration, I’ve worked with bands many times and I can honestly say these guys were the best …by miles, so if your looking for a band HIRE THEM WITHOUT HESITATION ! I don’t have a full breakdown of their set but there was a lot of good old rock, jive and pop music that was excellently delivered by the band with Nigel on vocals, the floor was packed all night and it pains me to say it but following the first dance which I played they definately stole the show with two cracking 45 minute sets, however I am still pleased to report that I managed to maintain The Hound Dogs full dance floor for my own two sets which ended up being dominated by mainly guest requests from the very lively crowd upto the final song around 11:30pm. Hayley and James even managed to fit in a stunning firework display which kept the sheep entertained after their bedtime but nobody was a baaaaaa humbug (sorry about that) and it was yet another element of excellence fitted into a great day at GP, maybe Hayley or James can leave us a comment and let us know who supplied the fireworks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For this wedding we also supplied our Disco Photography service which provided the groom with over a hundred memorable images from a great night covering the first dance, the band, the uplit barn, the fireworks and all the crazy scenes from the dance floor towards the end of a great night.

 

Click here to see more photos from this wedding on our facebook group. Here’s the set list from Saturday, if you were at the wedding how about leaving us a comment.

 

19:28 : Linda Ronstadt – Don’t Know Much (feat. Aaron Neville)

First Set
20:17 : Charles And Eddie – Would I Lie To You Baby
20:19 : The Jacksons – Blame It On the Boogie
20:22 : The Four Tops – Loco In Acapulco
20:27 : Cee Lo Green – Forget You
20:29 : D’Banj – Oliver Twist
20:31 : PSY – Gangnam Style
20:33 : LMFAO – Sexy and I Know It
20:36 : Beyoncé РSingle Ladies (Put a Ring On It)
20:38 : Sean Paul – Gimme the Light
20:41 : Azealia Banks – 212 (feat. Lazy Jay)
20:43 : JLS – She Makes Me Wanna (feat. Dev)
20:44 : Rihanna – Only Girl (In the World)
20:45 : David Guetta & Sia – Titanium (feat. Sia)
20:48 : Alexandra Stan – Mr Saxobeat (UK Radio Edit)
20:49 : Florence + The Machine – Spectrum (Say My Name) [Calvin Harris Remix]
20:53 : Kelly Rowland – Work (Freemasons Arabic Mix)
20:57 : David Guetta & Rihanna – Who’s That Chick? (feat. Rihanna)

20:58 : Tulisa – Young
21:00 : Kelly Rowland – Work (Freemasons Arabic Mix)
21:05 : S’ Express – Theme from S’Express
21:07 : Mark Ronson – Valerie (Feat. Amy Winehouse)
21:08 : Scissor Sisters – I Don’t Feel Like Dancing
21:14 : Plan B – She Said
21:15 : Bob Marley – Could You Be Loved

Second Set

22:06 : Architechs & Nana – Body Groove

22:07 : Dj Pied Piper – Do you really like it
22:19 : Sweet Female Attitude – Flowers
22:21 : Monsta Boy – Sorry (I Didn’t Know)
22:23 : Shanks & Bigfoot – Sweet Like Chocolate
22:25 : Doolally – Straight from the Heart (Radio Edit)
22:27 : Baby D – Let Me Be Your Fantasy
22:32 : Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now
22:36 : DJ Casper РCha Cha Slide (DJ Düse Mix)
22:39 : Kenny Loggins – Footloose
22:43 : Kinks – You Really Got Me
22:45 : Dolly Parton – 9 to 5
22:47 : Steps – Tragedy
22:48 : PSY – Gangnam Style
22:51 : Sam and the Womp – Bom Bom (Radio Edit)
22:55 : Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
22:57 : Lady GaGa – Born This Way (Bimbo Jones Club)
23:00 : S Club 7 – Reach
23:04 : Village People – Y.M.C.A.
23:07 : The Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
23:11 : Megamix – Dirty Dancing Mix
23:18 : Take That – Relight My Fire
23:22 : DJ Zinc – 138 Trek
23:26 : U2 – Beautiful Day (Live from BBC 1’s Radio Live Lounge)
23:31 : Take That – Never Forget
23:36 : Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’