On a sunlit summer’s day in the heart of Devon, Jack and Shanshan celebrated their wedding in spectacular style at the beautifully situated Lavender Hotel in Newton Abbot. With panoramic countryside views, elegant gardens, and an atmosphere of laid-back luxury, this venue was the perfect backdrop for a day full of love, joy — and music.
We were honoured to provide live cello and piano music throughout their day, from a romantic outdoor ceremony on the lawn, through a vibrant drinks reception, and into a relaxed, atmospheric wedding breakfast indoors.
Outdoor Ceremony on the Lawn – Romance with a View
With blue skies overhead and guests seated in the peaceful gardens of the Lavender Hotel, the ceremony began with a calm, cinematic energy. JAM Duo performed using our Yamaha electric cello and Nord Stage Piano, housed in our gloss black grand piano shell, creating a luxurious look and sound that matched the setting perfectly.
As guests gathered, we performed a romantic and thoughtful pre-ceremony set:
🎶 River Flows in You – The Piano Guys
🎶 Ave Maria – Schubert
🎶 Summer Madness – Kool and the Gang
The ceremony had a unique structure — Jack made his entrance to “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” a smooth and timeless choice that set the tone beautifully. This was followed by “La Vie En Rose” for the bridesmaids, creating an elegant, French-inspired moment of calm.
Then, as Shanshan made her entrance, we performed a hauntingly emotional rendition of “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak — a bold and beautiful choice that was every bit as memorable as the setting.
For the signing of the register, we played:
🎶 L-O-V-E – Nat King Cole
🎶 Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Frankie Valli
And the newlyweds exited to the unmistakable groove of “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” — a joyful and celebratory ending to a truly unique ceremony.
Drinks Reception – Bridgerton Meets Beats on the Lawn
Following the ceremony, guests flowed seamlessly into the drinks reception, which also took place outside in the sun-drenched gardens. We stayed set up with our grand piano shell and electric cello, continuing to provide live music with a twist: modern hits performed in a classical style, echoing the Bridgerton-inspired brief from the bride.
Their playlist? Equal parts elegant, eclectic, and downright cool. Highlights included:
🎶 Love Nwantiti – Ckay
🎶 At Last – Etta James
🎶 Still Dre – Dr. Dre (bridal request for a classical-style version inspired by YouTube’s famous piano-cello cover)
🎶 Kiss Me More – Doja Cat
🎶 Fly Me to the Moon – Frank Sinatra
🎶 You’ve Got a Friend in Me – Toy Story
🎶 Golden Hour – JVKE
🎶 Crazy in Love – Beyoncé
🎶 Say So – Doja Cat
🎶 Baby I Got Your Money – Ol’ Dirty Bastard
🎶 Paradise – Coldplay
🎶 Bedshaped – Keane
🎶 The Next Episode – Dr. Dre
🎶 Passionfruit – Drake
🎶 A Sunday Kind of Love – Etta James
🎶 Work – Rihanna & Drake
🎶 Nuthin’ But a G Thang – Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg
🎶 Theme from A Summer Place
🎶 I Love You Baby (Can’t Take My Eyes Off You)
🎶 Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
🎶 Together in Electric Dreams
🎶 Married Life – Up
🎶 Birds of a Feather – Billie Eilish
With a playlist this unique, the lawn became a stage for a completely personalised soundtrack — one that brought together R&B, hip-hop, jazz, musicals, and movie themes with the elegance of live cello and piano. Guests absolutely loved it, with plenty of nods, smiles, and “wait, is this…?” moments throughout the afternoon.
Wedding Breakfast – A Grand Entrance and Elegant Atmosphere
As the drinks reception drew to a close, we relocated indoors to continue the music for the wedding breakfast. With speeches, laughter, and heartfelt moments unfolding, our music provided the perfect backdrop to the celebration.
Jack and Shanshan chose to enter their wedding meal to our live rendition of “Still Dre” — a showstopping and stylish choice that reflected their personalities perfectly and brought a real moment of excitement as they were announced into the room.
From there, we continued with subtle, carefully chosen background music that maintained the classy yet cool tone of the day.
A Day to Remember
Jack and Shanshan’s wedding was a joy from beginning to end — full of sunshine, soul, and seriously good music. From Schubert to Snoop Dogg, we were honoured to bring their vision to life and create a bespoke soundtrack that reflected their style, their story, and the moments that mattered most.
💍 Planning your wedding? Whether it’s sunshine and elegance or beats with a Bridgerton twist, JAM Duo brings your dream playlist to life with live cello and piano music from ceremony to first dance.
