Wedding singer at Hengrave Hall, Suffolk
Hengrave Hall was the first venue in Suffolk I sang at for Kirsty and Adam, and it is the sort of building you notice from a long way off. I drove up the long entrance driveway on a grey, misty morning, which if anything made it look grander. If you are looking for a wedding singer in Suffolk, this is one of the rooms I can tell you about from having stood in it rather than from a brochure.
The set list
What I played at Hengrave Hall
Every one of these is from my write-up of the day itself, for Kirsty and Adam. Your day would be built from your own choices on the planning call.
Jack Johnson
drinks reception
Tracy Chapman
drinks reception
Ed Sheeran
drinks reception
Jess Glynne
drinks reception
Craig David
later in the wedding breakfast
R Kelly
later in the wedding breakfast
When I played there
Kirsty and Adam, 2018
I played for Kirsty and Adam during their afternoon reception drinks and their wedding breakfast. It was my first booking at Hengrave, and I was looking forward to it.
The couple had not been very specific about what they wanted from me, and left the choice to my judgement. That happens more often than you might think, and it is fine. I had also played for Kirsty's sister Lisa a couple of years earlier, at Down Hall in Hertfordshire, so it was nice to see the family again.
The rooms
The rooms, and what they do to sound
The drinks reception happened in a beautiful drawing room with hard floors and wood panelling, which was great for the acoustics. A room like that gives a guitar and a voice back to you rather than swallowing them, so I can play at a genuinely low volume and still be heard at the far end while people are talking over it.
Once the drinks reception was over, I transferred my equipment into the banqueting hall for the next set. The staff there had set the room beautifully for the meal, and I ended up positioned right beside Kirsty and Adam's magnificent wedding cake, which looked very tempting indeed. A grand hard room like that carries sound a long way, so the second set could sit up louder without me pushing the PA.
How the day ran
What Kirsty and Adam booked
Kirsty and Adam booked two parts of the day. The guests turned out to be a lively bunch, so I threw in some of my more adventurous numbers towards the end of the meal and played right up to the start of the speeches.
- Afternoon drinks reception£500
45 to 60 minutes
- Wedding breakfast£600
2 × 45 minutes
The practical bits
Access, power and getting set up
The staff at Hengrave Hall were straightforward to work with and had the banqueting hall ready when I needed to move into it, which is the whole trick with a two-set booking in two different rooms.
I also met some suppliers I had not come across before, photographer Julia and You and videographer Mike Savory, both of whom did an excellent job and were easy to work alongside.
The full write-up from the day: Kirsty and Adam's day at Hengrave Hall.
For coordinators
- One musician, one guitar, one mic stand, one PA. Footprint about 2m by 1m.
- Sets up in twenty minutes, packs down in twenty.
- Battery-powered PA available where there is no power.
- Public liability insurance, certificate sent to the venue on request.
- I will ring you the week before to sort out access, power and any sound limiter.
- I will always have a plan for the weather changing its mind.
Proof
What couples say
I can't edit these. Go and look.
Availability
Playing at Hengrave Hall?
Send me the date and I'll tell you within 24 hours whether I'm free. No deposit, no obligation.
Or call me on 07739 469321