There are some wedding venues which immediately feel very special when you arrive, and Delamere Manor Events in Cheshire is certainly one of them. For Chantelle and Adam’s wedding, JAM Duo provided live music throughout the afternoon, from the ceremony through to the drinks reception and wedding breakfast.
This was a lovely summer wedding with a blush pink and gold colour scheme, an outdoor ceremony, and a beautifully relaxed drinks reception where guests could move between the terrace and the bar. For this wedding we used our gloss black piano shell with our Nord piano and Yamaha electric cello, giving the setup a really elegant look inside the venue.
As always, our role was to provide the soundtrack to the most important parts of the day, making sure each moment felt personal, musical and seamless.
Wedding Music at Delamere Manor
Delamere Manor is a stunning Cheshire wedding venue with a really stylish layout for weddings. One of the things we always enjoy about venues like this is the way the different spaces allow the day to flow naturally from ceremony to drinks and then into the wedding breakfast.
For Chantelle and Adam’s wedding, the ceremony was planned outside. However, Delamere Manor has a specific sound arrangement where music cannot be set up and played outdoors. Instead, musicians are positioned inside the venue, with the sound directed outside through the open doors.
This is exactly the sort of practical venue detail which is important when planning live wedding music. It meant that Chantelle and Adam could still have the feeling of an outdoor ceremony with live music, while we remained set up inside in the lounge area, playing through the open doors towards the ceremony space.
From our point of view, this worked very well. We were able to provide live piano and cello for the ceremony, while keeping everything within the venue’s requirements. It is a good example of how live musicians can adapt to different venue rules, layouts and sound restrictions without compromising the atmosphere of the wedding.
Our Setup: Gloss Black Piano Shell and Electric Cello
For this wedding, we used our gloss black grand piano shell, which houses our Nord piano. This is always a popular option for couples who want the visual impact of a grand piano, but with the flexibility and reliability of our own professional digital instrument.
Alongside the piano, Anne-Marie played our Yamaha electric cello. Together, the piano and cello create the signature JAM Duo sound: elegant, expressive and full enough to carry through a ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast, while still feeling refined and suitable for a wedding setting.
The piano shell looked particularly good inside Delamere Manor. It gives a real sense of occasion without being too overpowering, and it worked beautifully as part of the setting for Chantelle and Adam’s day.
Music for the Outdoor Ceremony
The ceremony began at 2pm, with guests arriving from around 1.30pm. Chantelle and Adam had asked for pre-ceremony music with a Bridgerton-style feel, which is something that works beautifully for piano and cello.
The Bridgerton influence has become very popular for weddings, and it is easy to understand why. The combination of familiar songs arranged in a classical style gives guests something they recognise, while still creating a graceful and romantic atmosphere.
For the bridal party, there were two flower girls followed by six bridesmaids, before Chantelle made her entrance with her father and stepfather. This gave the ceremony entrance a lovely sense of occasion, with the music needing to support several different parts of the procession.
For Chantelle’s entrance, the chosen piece was Never Going to Tear Us Apart by Paloma Faith. This was a really distinctive and personal choice, and it worked beautifully for the moment. One of the things we love about arranging modern songs for piano and cello is that the music can retain its emotional character while becoming something more intimate and wedding-appropriate.
The signing music included:
- Another Love by Tom Odell
- Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer
- Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
These are all lovely choices for the signing of the register. They sit well in that reflective part of the ceremony when the formal vows have taken place, but the couple are not yet quite ready for their exit as newlyweds.
For Chantelle and Adam’s couple exit, we played Feeling Good by Nina Simone. This made for a wonderful contrast: confident, stylish and full of celebration. The exit music is always one of the most joyful parts of the ceremony, and this was a brilliant choice for that first walk back down the aisle together.
Live Music for the Drinks Reception
After the ceremony, guests moved into the drinks reception. At Delamere Manor, this meant guests were able to mingle outside on the terrace as well as inside the bar area.
We remained in the same position for this part of the day, continuing to play from inside the venue while the music carried through the open doors. This worked well for the flow of the afternoon, as guests could enjoy the live music without everything needing to be moved immediately after the ceremony.
For the drinks reception, Chantelle and Adam asked for popular choices. This is something we are very happy to do, as it allows us to respond to the mood of the room and choose music that suits the atmosphere. Drinks reception music should feel relaxed, enjoyable and familiar without ever taking over from the conversations, photographs and greetings which are happening around it.
With piano and cello, we can move easily between contemporary love songs, pop classics, film music and more upbeat arrangements. This gives the drinks reception a varied soundtrack while still keeping the overall sound elegant and consistent.
Relocating for the Wedding Breakfast
After the drinks reception, we relocated into the room for the wedding breakfast.
One of the most memorable features of this space at Delamere Manor is the roof, which can fully open — rather like the roof over Wimbledon Centre Court. It is not something you see every day at a wedding venue, and it certainly adds a fun and distinctive feature to the room.
The wedding breakfast began at around 4pm, with speeches taking place before the meal. We then provided live music during the meal as part of Chantelle and Adam’s Encore booking, which included five 60-minute sets across the afternoon.
For the wedding breakfast music, the couple asked for a random selection of popular choices including Muse, Coldplay and similar artists. This gave us plenty of scope to shape the music around the atmosphere in the room.
Wedding breakfast music is one of our favourite parts of a wedding day. It is often a slightly underrated moment, but live music during the meal can make a huge difference. It keeps the atmosphere warm and polished, gives guests something to enjoy between courses, and helps the whole room feel more connected.
The key is always balance. The music should be present enough to be noticed and enjoyed, but never so loud or intrusive that it gets in the way of conversation. Piano and cello are ideal for this, because the sound is expressive and musical without needing to dominate the room.
Why Live Music Works So Well Across the Whole Wedding Day
Chantelle and Adam’s wedding was a perfect example of how live music can support the entire flow of a wedding day.
The ceremony needs music which is emotional, precise and carefully timed. The drinks reception needs something relaxed and welcoming. The wedding breakfast needs a soundtrack which keeps the energy of the day alive while guests sit down to eat.
Because JAM Duo is always just the two of us — piano and cello — we can move between these different parts of the day smoothly. We do not use backing tracks, and we do not send deputy musicians. Couples always get us: Jules on piano and Anne-Marie on cello.
This also means we can adapt to the venue on the day. At Delamere Manor, the sound restrictions around outdoor music meant we needed to position ourselves inside while directing the music outside. Later, we moved to the wedding breakfast space and adjusted the setup again for that part of the day.
For couples, this flexibility is really valuable. Every venue is different, and every wedding day has its own rhythm. Having live musicians who understand how to work with venue staff, registrars, timings and changing spaces makes everything feel calmer and more seamless.
Wedding Music Choices for Chantelle and Adam
Chantelle and Adam’s music choices had a lovely mix of romance, contemporary style and classic wedding atmosphere.
Their ceremony music included the elegance of Bridgerton-style arrangements, the emotional impact of Paloma Faith for the bridal entrance, and well-known songs from Tom Odell, Sixpence None the Richer and Snow Patrol during the signing.
The exit to Feeling Good was a particularly stylish choice. It gave the ceremony a wonderful lift at the end and worked beautifully as the couple began the next part of their day.
For the drinks reception and meal, the brief was more open, with popular choices and artists such as Muse and Coldplay. This is where our large repertoire and flexible approach come into their own. Rather than needing a fixed playlist, we can choose music that suits the mood and setting as the day unfolds.
Piano and Cello at Delamere Manor Events
Delamere Manor is a venue where piano and cello work particularly well. The different spaces, the stylish interior, the terrace and the flow between indoors and outdoors all suit live music.
The gloss black piano shell gave our setup a smart visual presence, while the electric cello added that distinctive melodic line which makes the music feel special. Together, the sound was elegant enough for the ceremony, relaxed enough for the drinks reception, and warm enough for the wedding breakfast.
For us, the most important thing is always that the music feels part of the day rather than something separate. At Chantelle and Adam’s wedding, the music followed the guests through the afternoon: from the ceremony, to the terrace and bar, and then into the meal.
That continuity is one of the great advantages of booking live music for more than one part of the wedding day. It gives the whole afternoon a sense of shape, rather than having music appear for one moment and then disappear.
Congratulations Chantelle and Adam
It was a real pleasure to provide the music for Chantelle and Adam’s wedding at Delamere Manor Events.
From the outdoor ceremony with the music directed through the open doors, to the relaxed drinks reception and the wedding breakfast beneath that amazing opening roof, it was a memorable and beautifully planned day.
A huge congratulations to Chantelle and Adam, and thank you for choosing JAM Duo to be part of your wedding.
Looking for Live Wedding Music at Delamere Manor?
JAM Duo provide live piano and cello music for weddings throughout Cheshire and across the UK. We regularly play for wedding ceremonies, drinks receptions, wedding breakfasts, cocktail hours and first dances.
Our music is always performed live by the two of us — Jules on piano and Anne-Marie on cello — with no backing tracks and no deputy musicians.
Whether you are planning an outdoor ceremony, a stylish drinks reception, or live music throughout the whole day, piano and cello can provide a beautiful and flexible soundtrack for your wedding.
