One of the joys of being full-time wedding musicians is that no two days are ever quite the same. Having performed at the beautiful Hever Castle the previous afternoon, we decided to stay overnight in Kent rather than make the journey back to Wiltshire before returning the following day.
A comfortable night at a Premier Inn near Ashford gave us a relaxed start to the morning before making the short drive to Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, where we were looking forward to providing live music for the wedding ceremony and drinks reception of Honor and Joshua.
As Port Lympne Hotel wedding musicians, we always enjoy visiting this remarkable venue. Combining a magnificent historic mansion with beautifully landscaped gardens and one of the UK’s best-known wildlife reserves, it offers couples a truly unique setting for their wedding day.
With just twenty guests in attendance, Honor and Joshua had planned an intimate celebration that perfectly suited the elegant surroundings.
Arriving at Port Lympne
Guests were due to begin arriving at 11.45am ahead of a 1pm ceremony, so we made sure to arrive with plenty of time to spare.
One thing we’ve learnt after performing at hundreds of weddings is that a relaxed setup makes for a relaxed performance, so we always prefer to be comfortably ready well before the first guests appear.
The venue staff kindly allowed us to unload close to the Garden Room turning circle before moving the car to the hotel car park. Although there were a small number of steps leading down into the Moroccan Courtyard, everything was straightforward and the team at Port Lympne were extremely welcoming throughout.
We allowed around 30 minutes to unload and assemble everything before carrying out our sound check.
Our Latest Performance Setup
For Honor and Joshua’s wedding we were delighted to be performing with our gloss black grand piano shell together with our new Yamaha SVC300 electric cello.
The gloss black piano shell transforms our Nord digital piano into the elegant appearance of a traditional grand piano, complementing luxury venues such as Port Lympne perfectly whilst retaining all the reliability and flexibility that modern technology offers.
Alongside it, Anne-Marie was performing on our recently acquired Yamaha SVC300 electric cello, which has quickly become our preferred instrument for wedding ceremonies and receptions. It produces a wonderfully natural sound whilst giving us complete control over the balance and volume, ensuring every note can be heard clearly without ever overwhelming conversation or the ceremony itself.
Presentation has always been an important part of what we do, and we thought the combination of the grand piano shell and the new cello looked particularly at home within the elegant surroundings of the mansion.
A Beautiful Ceremony in the Moroccan Courtyard
The ceremony took place in the beautiful Moroccan Courtyard, one of Port Lympne’s most charming wedding spaces.
Surrounded by elegant stonework and large windows overlooking the gardens, it creates an intimate atmosphere whilst still feeling wonderfully light and open.
With only twenty family members and close friends present, there was a lovely sense of calm as guests gathered before the ceremony.
Honor and Joshua had chosen a wonderfully personal collection of music that mixed Disney favourites, modern chart hits and film music. As guests took their seats we performed Can You Feel the Love Tonight, How Far I’ll Go, Golden Hour, Ordinary and the ever-popular Accidentally in Love from Shrek, creating a relaxed atmosphere before the ceremony began.
For Honor’s entrance, we performed the beautiful I See the Light from Disney’s Tangled.
It’s one of Disney’s most lyrical melodies and translates beautifully for cello and piano. Performing it live allowed us to match every step of Honor’s walk into the courtyard, something that simply isn’t possible with a fixed recording.
During the signing of the register we continued with another thoughtfully chosen selection, including Can’t Help Falling in Love, Fairytale from Shrek and the timeless Canon in D, before concluding the ceremony with the wonderfully uplifting Married Life from Pixar’s Up as Honor and Joshua made their way back down the aisle as husband and wife.
It was a ceremony full of personality, with every piece of music chosen because it meant something to the couple.
Drinks Reception on the Southern Terrace
Following the ceremony, guests made their way onto the Southern Terrace overlooking the magnificent grounds surrounding the mansion.
Originally we had expected to perform outside alongside the drinks reception. However, the July sunshine was becoming surprisingly strong and the venue suggested a much better alternative.
Rather than sitting in full sun for over an hour, we positioned ourselves just inside the mansion with the large doors and windows fully open.
It worked perfectly.
Guests outside could still hear every note while we remained comfortably in the shade, protecting both ourselves and our instruments from the afternoon heat. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best, and it was another example of how experienced venue staff and suppliers work together to create the best possible experience.
A Drinks Reception Full of Musical Surprises
Honor and Joshua had put together one of the most varied drinks reception playlists we’ve received this year.
Alongside elegant wedding favourites such as Moon River, Wildest Dreams, Lover, Everywhere and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You were some wonderfully unexpected requests including Wii Mii Music, Test Drive from How to Train Your Dragon, the Bridgerton Theme, Beautiful Girls, Sweet Child O’ Mine, Demons, Lovely and A Million Dreams.
One request in particular stood out.
Test Drive from How to Train Your Dragon held special significance because it was the film Honor and Joshua watched together on the day they became engaged.
Those personal stories are one of the things we enjoy most about wedding music. Whilst many couples naturally choose well-known wedding favourites, it’s often these meaningful requests that become the songs everyone remembers.
Why Live Music Makes Such a Difference
One of the pleasures of performing for smaller weddings is how personal everything feels.
With only twenty guests, every smile, every conversation and every musical moment feels much more intimate. Live music becomes woven into the atmosphere rather than simply providing background entertainment.
Because we perform everything live, we’re able to adjust every entrance, signing piece and exit to fit exactly what’s happening during the ceremony, while the drinks reception naturally flows around conversations without ever feeling intrusive.
It’s a flexibility that simply isn’t possible with a playlist.
Another Wonderful Wedding in Kent
Our two-day visit to Kent couldn’t have been more enjoyable.
From the lakeside setting of Hever Castle the previous afternoon to the elegance of Port Lympne’s Moroccan Courtyard and Southern Terrace, we’d experienced two completely different venues, each with its own unique character.
Honor and Joshua’s intimate celebration was a wonderful way to finish our stay, with beautiful surroundings, a genuinely personal soundtrack and a relaxed summer atmosphere throughout the day.
We’d like to thank Honor and Joshua for inviting JAM Duo to be part of their wedding, and also thank the excellent team at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve for making everything run so smoothly from arrival through to the drinks reception.
We wish them every happiness for the future.
Music Highlights
Guest Arrival
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight – Elton John
- Accidentally in Love – Shrek
- Golden Hour – JVKE
- How Far I’ll Go – Moana
- Ordinary – Alex Warren
Bridal Entrance
- I See the Light – Tangled
Signing of the Register
- Can’t Help Falling in Love
- Fairytale – Shrek
- Canon in D
Couple Exit
- Married Life – Up
Drinks Reception Highlights
- Test Drive – How to Train Your Dragon
- Wildest Dreams – Taylor Swift
- Lover – Taylor Swift
- Moon River
- Bridgerton Theme
- Wii Mii Music
- Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac
- Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses
- Iris – Goo Goo Dolls
- Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Frankie Valli
- A Million Dreams – The Greatest Showman
