Parley Manor is one of those wedding venues where the setting immediately shapes the feel of the day. Set near Bournemouth Airport, close to Christchurch and within easy reach of Bournemouth, Poole, Dorset and Hampshire, it offers a beautiful combination of manor house, gardens, ceremony spaces and marquee-style wedding celebrations.
For Abi and Dale’s wedding at Parley Manor, JAM Duo provided live music for guest arrival, the ceremony and a shorter drinks reception afterwards. This was slightly different from our usual wedding music structure, because instead of playing our standard 90-minute drinks reception after the ceremony, Abi and Dale asked us to divide that time between music before the ceremony and music afterwards.
This is not something we do at every venue, simply because it depends very much on the layout. However, at Parley Manor it worked very well because we were able to stay in one place, in the ceremony marquee located within the gardens. Guests gathered in the gardens before the ceremony, the ceremony itself took place there, and the drinks reception followed nearby.
That meant the music could flow naturally from one part of the day to the next without us needing to move instruments, sound equipment or disrupt the wedding schedule.
A Garden Wedding at Parley Manor
Abi and Dale were married at Parley Manor on 5 June 2026, with around 76 guests.
Their colour scheme was beautifully fresh and elegant, with the bridesmaids in baby blue and the groomsmen wearing dark blue suits with baby blue ties. This worked perfectly for a summer wedding in the gardens, giving the day a soft, classic look without feeling overly formal.
Parley Manor is a particularly lovely venue for this sort of celebration. The estate is described as a Georgian manor house wedding venue, with outdoor garden ceremony options and a marquee set within the grounds. It is also very conveniently placed for couples looking for a wedding venue near Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and the wider Dorset coast.
The gardens are a big part of the venue’s charm. Couples can make the most of the outdoor setting for guest arrival, drinks, photographs and the relaxed parts of the day, while still having the reassurance of covered ceremony and marquee spaces. Parley Manor’s wedding areas include a ceremony pavilion or marquee-style ceremony setting, manicured gardens and a main marquee within the Italian garden for dining and celebrations.
For live music, that sort of layout can be extremely helpful. It means the music can be part of the atmosphere from the moment guests arrive, rather than appearing only once the ceremony begins.
Music Before the Ceremony
Abi and Dale asked us to begin playing one hour before the ceremony while guests gathered in the gardens.
Pre-ceremony music is often one of the most underrated parts of the day. It does not have the obvious drama of the bridal entrance or the joyful energy of the exit music, but it sets the tone before anything formal begins.
Guests arrive at different times. Some have travelled a long way. Some are catching up with family and friends. Others are finding their seats, looking around the venue, or waiting for the ceremony to begin. Live music during this period gives the whole occasion a sense of calm and anticipation.
For Abi and Dale, the pre-ceremony music included a really thoughtful selection of songs:
Always Remember Us This Way – A Star Is Born
Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
The Cave – Mumford & Sons
The Drugs Don’t Work / Sonnet – The Verve
Lost – Dermot Kennedy
Half the World Away / Oasis songs – Oasis
Rearrange – Biffy Clyro
Sun & Moon – Above & Beyond
Dancing on My Own – Callum Scott
The Scientist / Fix You – Coldplay
Angels – Robbie Williams
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
This was a brilliant pre-ceremony brief. It had warmth, nostalgia and personality, with several songs that guests would recognise instantly but which also work beautifully as instrumental arrangements.
There were a few “must play” choices in the list, including Oasis, Coldplay and Pink Floyd. We always pay attention to those details. When a couple marks certain pieces as especially important, we make sure they are included at the right point in the day.
Why Pre-Ceremony Music Worked So Well Here
Usually, when JAM Duo are booked for ceremony and drinks reception, our main drinks set is around 90 minutes after the ceremony. That is the standard format for many weddings because the drinks reception is when guests are mingling, photographs are taking place and the couple are enjoying the first part of married life.
For Abi and Dale’s wedding, the structure was different. They wanted live music for an hour before the ceremony and then for a shorter period during the drinks reception afterwards.
This would not work at every venue.
If the guest arrival area, ceremony room and drinks reception space are all in different locations, then splitting the time can become complicated. Moving instruments and sound equipment takes time, and it is never ideal to be packing down and setting up while guests are moving around.
At Parley Manor, however, the layout made it possible. Because we could play from one position in the ceremony marquee, with guests gathering in the gardens nearby, the music could begin before the ceremony, continue into the ceremony itself, and then carry on afterwards for the drinks reception.
That created a lovely sense of continuity. The music did not feel like three separate events. It became one flowing part of the wedding day.
Ceremony Music at Parley Manor
The ceremony itself took place in the gardens at Parley Manor, with six members of the bridal party entering ahead of Abi.
For the bridal entrance, Abi and Dale chose a blend of:
I Get to Love You – Ruelle
River Flows in You – Yiruma
This was a beautiful choice for a bridal entrance.
Both pieces are romantic and expressive, but they have slightly different qualities. River Flows in You is gentle, flowing and piano-led, while I Get to Love You has a more direct emotional lyricism. Combined carefully, they can create a really lovely bridal entrance, particularly when played live on piano and cello.
The exact order of the pieces was something to be discussed, which is very common with blended entrances. Sometimes couples have a clear idea from the start; other times, the best structure becomes obvious once we think about the pacing of the bridal party, the number of bridesmaids, and the point at which the bride will enter.
This is where live music is so useful. A blended bridal entrance is not just about putting two songs next to each other. It is about making the transition feel natural and timing it around the real movement of the bridal party.
With six ahead of the bride, there needed to be enough time for the processional to unfold without rushing, while still saving the right emotional moment for Abi’s entrance.
Because we perform live, we can extend, repeat, soften or move the music forward depending on what is actually happening in front of us.
Signing Music
For the signing, Abi and Dale chose:
Machines – Biffy Clyro
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
All About You – McFly
This was another really good mix of music. A Thousand Years is a very popular wedding piece and always works beautifully on cello and piano. It has that gentle, romantic quality which suits a signing moment perfectly.
All About You brings a lighter, more cheerful feel, while Machines by Biffy Clyro gave the set a more personal, alternative edge.
That mixture is exactly what makes modern wedding music so interesting. Couples do not have to choose between classic wedding songs and music they genuinely love. They can have both. A ceremony can include Christina Perri, McFly, Biffy Clyro, Ruelle and Yiruma, and it can all sit together beautifully when arranged for piano and cello.
Couple Exit: Marry You
For their exit music, Abi and Dale chose Marry You by Bruno Mars.
This is a perfect wedding exit song. It is bright, celebratory and instantly recognisable, and it gives the ceremony a joyful finish.
The exit is always one of our favourite moments to play. The couple have just been announced, everyone is smiling, and the energy in the room or garden changes immediately. After the emotion and stillness of the vows, the exit music needs to lift the whole atmosphere.
Marry You did exactly that.
On cello and piano, it keeps the fun and sparkle of the original song, while still sounding elegant enough for a wedding ceremony.
Drinks Reception Music in the Gardens
After the ceremony, we continued with live music for a shorter drinks reception set.
The drinks reception music brief included:
Hero – Foo Fighters
Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
Enchanted – Taylor Swift
Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve
Halo – Beyoncé
Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses
Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader
A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Mr Brightside – The Killers
Abi and Dale also listed music by Blink-182, Linkin Park, Stereophonics, Biffy Clyro and Oasis.
Again, this was a great brief because it gave us a strong sense of their musical taste. There were some definite “must play” choices, including Hero, Here Comes the Sun and Enchanted, so those became natural priorities during the drinks reception.
The selection had a really nice balance: rock, indie, pop, classic songs and modern favourites. It also suited the atmosphere of the gardens at Parley Manor. After the ceremony, guests could relax, congratulate the couple and enjoy the setting while the music continued in the background.
Splitting the Usual Drinks Reception Music
One of the most useful planning points from Abi and Dale’s wedding is the way they divided the music around the ceremony.
Our usual drinks reception set is around 90 minutes. That normally works very well because it covers the main drinks, canapés and photography period after the ceremony.
For this wedding, Abi and Dale effectively split that time, using part of it before the ceremony while guests arrived and part of it afterwards during drinks.
This is not our standard approach, but it can be a very good option where the venue layout allows it.
At Parley Manor, it made sense because:
- the guests gathered in the gardens before the ceremony;
- the ceremony marquee was located within the gardens;
- we could remain in one musical position;
- there was no need to move equipment between separate spaces;
- the pre-ceremony and post-ceremony atmosphere were closely connected.
That meant the music felt continuous and relaxed.
For couples planning a wedding at Parley Manor, this is something worth considering. If guest arrival, ceremony and drinks are all happening in and around the same garden setting, then live music can begin earlier and create atmosphere before the formal part of the day starts.
It is not always possible at every venue, but when it works, it can be very effective.
The Sound of Cello and Piano in the Gardens
Cello and piano work particularly well for garden weddings.
The sound is elegant and expressive without being overpowering. It gives guests something beautiful to listen to as they arrive, but it does not dominate the space or make conversation difficult.
For Abi and Dale’s wedding, the music ranged from Pink Floyd, Oasis and Coldplay through to Taylor Swift, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro and Bruno Mars. That might look like a very broad mix, but when arranged for cello and piano, everything takes on a coherent sound.
This is one of the strengths of JAM Duo. We can play music from a wide range of artists and genres while keeping the overall style suitable for a wedding.
A song like Wish You Were Here can become reflective and atmospheric. Fix You can feel deeply emotional. Here Comes the Sun brings warmth and optimism. Hero gives the drinks reception a more personal rock influence. Enchanted brings the modern romantic feel that many couples love.
All of this can sit naturally within the same live set.
A Personal Music Brief
Abi and Dale’s music choices showed real personality.
There were songs from Oasis, Coldplay, Pink Floyd, Biffy Clyro, The Verve, Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift, Guns N’ Roses, The Killers and more. This was not a generic wedding playlist. It felt like a collection of music that meant something to them.
That is always the best starting point for wedding music.
Couples sometimes worry that their favourite songs will not work on cello and piano, especially if they are rock, indie or more heavily produced tracks. In reality, many of those songs work extremely well because the melodies and harmonies are strong.
The point is not to copy the original track exactly. The point is to capture the essence of it in a way that suits the wedding setting.
That is why instrumental wedding music can be so effective. It allows couples to include meaningful songs without every moment feeling like a dancefloor track or a radio edit.
Parley Manor as a Dorset Wedding Venue
Parley Manor is a beautiful Dorset wedding venue, particularly well suited to couples who want a garden setting with the reassurance of marquee and pavilion spaces.
Its location near Bournemouth Airport makes it convenient for guests travelling from further afield, while still feeling peaceful and private once you are within the grounds. It is also well placed for couples looking for wedding venues near Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and the New Forest.
The venue’s gardens are a major part of its appeal. They provide a lovely setting for guest arrival, photographs, drinks and outdoor moments throughout the day. The main marquee within the Italian garden also gives couples a dedicated space for dining and evening celebrations.
For live music, the garden setting is particularly attractive because it allows the sound to become part of the atmosphere of the venue. It is not just background music in a room; it becomes part of the experience as guests arrive, take their seats, watch the ceremony and then gather afterwards for drinks.
Congratulations Abi and Dale
A huge congratulations to Abi and Dale on their wedding at Parley Manor.
It was a real pleasure to provide live music for guest arrival, the ceremony and drinks reception, and to be part of such a beautifully relaxed garden wedding.
Their music choices were full of personality, from Oasis, Pink Floyd and Coldplay before the ceremony, to Ruelle and Yiruma for the bridal entrance, Biffy Clyro and Christina Perri during the signing, Bruno Mars for the exit, and Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift, The Beatles and The Killers for drinks afterwards.
The slightly different structure of the music worked really well at Parley Manor, allowing us to create a continuous soundtrack from guest arrival through to the start of the drinks reception.
We wish Abi and Dale every happiness for their future together.
Live Wedding Music at Parley Manor
JAM Duo provide live cello and piano music for weddings at Parley Manor, across Dorset, Hampshire and throughout the UK.
We regularly perform for guest arrival, ceremony music, drinks receptions, wedding breakfasts, cocktail hours and first dances. Every performance is live, with Jules on piano and Anne-Marie on cello.
For couples getting married at Parley Manor, live music can work particularly well because the gardens, ceremony marquee and reception spaces allow the music to become part of the flow of the day.
Whether you want music before the ceremony, a live bridal entrance blend, signing music, an upbeat exit song or a relaxed drinks reception set in the gardens, cello and piano can provide a beautifully personal soundtrack for your wedding.
