A celebration of love, anime soundtracks, and timeless elegance
Weddings are at their most magical when they reflect the unique personality of the couple. For Helen and Andy, their wedding day at Hooton Pagnell Hall in Doncaster was not just about celebrating their love story, but also about weaving in a soundtrack that spoke to their passions and the worlds they adore.
From the moment their guests sat among the fragrant blooms of the Rose Garden to the joyous drinks reception on the grand lawns, JAM Duo were honoured to provide live music that was unlike anything we’ve played before. Think Studio Ghibli, Final Fantasy, and Violet Evergarden – a soundtrack that combined romance, nostalgia, and cinematic beauty in equal measure.
The Venue – Hooton Pagnell Hall
Hooton Pagnell Hall is one of South Yorkshire’s finest historic wedding venues. Set in the heart of the village, the Hall is a Grade II listed country house that has been in the same family for over 300 years. Its combination of period architecture, landscaped gardens, and sweeping lawns makes it an exceptional setting for a wedding.
The Rose Garden, where Helen and Andy chose to exchange their vows, is a hidden gem. Surrounded by climbing roses and timeless stonework, it has the feeling of stepping into a fairytale. The choice of an outdoor ceremony here matched beautifully with the couple’s music selections – pieces full of wonder, magic, and cinematic grandeur.
Afterwards, the celebration flowed effortlessly onto the lawns in front of the Hall itself, where guests enjoyed drinks and canapés in the sunshine. From our perspective as musicians, the seamless transitions between ceremony and reception were made all the easier thanks to our new Yamaha Stagepas Column array system – powerful yet discreet, allowing us to move with ease while maintaining the highest sound quality across the gardens.
Ceremony Music – A Soundtrack of Wonder
The ceremony began with an unforgettable prelude, drawing heavily on Studio Ghibli’s most iconic soundtracks:
- Kiki’s Delivery Service – A Town with an Ocean View
- Howl’s Moving Castle – Merry-Go-Round of Life
- Spirited Away – Always With Me
- Ponyo – Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
- My Neighbour Totoro – My Neighbour Totoro
These pieces immediately set the scene, transporting guests into a world of charm, wonder, and storytelling. Studio Ghibli’s music, often written by Joe Hisaishi, is renowned for its sweeping melodies and emotional resonance – qualities that work beautifully in the context of a wedding.
For the bridal entrance, Helen chose something truly moving:
- Violet Evergarden – Across the Violet Sky
This piece is lyrical, tender, and emotional, a perfect reflection of the journey down the aisle.
During the signing of the register, the couple opted for two beautiful works by RADWIMPS, the Japanese rock band famed for their collaborations with filmmaker Makoto Shinkai (Your Name, Weathering With You):
- Katawaredoki
- Sparkle
These modern, cinematic songs carried a sense of poignancy and wonder, resonating across the Rose Garden as the couple completed their vows.
Finally, for the exit, we continued the theme with a triumphant reprise of RADWIMPS – Sparkle, lifting spirits and sending Helen and Andy back up the aisle as newlyweds.
Drinks Reception – A Journey Through Anime and Gaming
As guests gathered on the lawns in front of the Hall, we moved quickly to set up and continue the music. This part of the day became a celebration of anime soundtracks, gaming scores, and contemporary Japanese music, a true reflection of the couple’s shared interests.
Their requests included highlights from Final Fantasy, Violet Evergarden, Kingdom Hearts, Dragonball, and more:
- RADWIMPS – Grand Escape
- Final Fantasy VIII – Eyes on Me
- Final Fantasy IX – Melodies of Life
- Final Fantasy X-2 – Eternal Memories of the Lightwaves
- Final Fantasy VII – Cloud Smiles
- Violet Evergarden – Echoes Through Eternity
- Final Fantasy IV – Theme of Love
- Final Fantasy VI – Celes’s Theme
- Kingdom Hearts – Dearly Beloved
- Dragonball Z – Cha-La Head-Cha-La
- LiSA – Homura (Demon Slayer)
…to name only a few from an extensive and fascinating setlist.
This music was unlike anything you would find in a traditional wedding repertoire. Yet hearing it performed live on cello and piano brought a new richness – combining the emotional depth of strings with the clarity of piano to create arrangements that were both faithful to the originals and uniquely suited to the wedding setting.
About the Music – Final Fantasy, Violet Evergarden & Beyond
What made Helen and Andy’s day so distinctive was their passion for anime and video game music. Let’s pause for a moment to reflect on just how special this is.
Final Fantasy
Since its first release in 1987, the Final Fantasy series has become one of the most beloved RPG franchises in gaming history. Alongside its innovative gameplay and storytelling, its music – composed largely by Nobuo Uematsu – has achieved legendary status. Pieces like Eyes on Me and Melodies of Life have become cultural touchstones, known well beyond the world of gaming.
Bringing Final Fantasy into a wedding is both unusual and inspired. These scores are deeply emotional, often written to underscore moments of love, sacrifice, and triumph – themes that resonate perfectly with a wedding day.
Violet Evergarden
The inclusion of music from Violet Evergarden was equally powerful. This anime series, beautifully animated by Kyoto Animation, is renowned for its exploration of love, loss, and human connection. Its soundtrack is lyrical, orchestral, and heartbreakingly beautiful – perfect for moments like a bridal entrance or a signing of the register. Pieces such as Across the Violet Sky and Sincerely bring a rare combination of intimacy and grandeur that felt at home in the Rose Garden setting.
Why This Music Works
At first glance, anime and gaming soundtracks might seem unconventional choices for a wedding. But in truth, they carry the same qualities that make classical and cinematic music so enduring: melody, emotion, atmosphere, and storytelling. For Helen and Andy, these weren’t just “songs from games” – they were the music of their shared passions and the soundtrack to their lives.
JAM Duo’s Role – Flexibility and Arrangements
As a duo, we pride ourselves on being able to adapt to the most unique musical requests. Helen and Andy’s wedding was a perfect example of this flexibility.
Many of the pieces chosen for their day were never written with cello and piano in mind. Some originated as orchestral scores, others as synth-driven tracks, and others still as vocal-led ballads. Our task was to translate them into a live acoustic performance that kept the spirit of the originals while working beautifully in the wedding context.
This meant creating bespoke arrangements – ensuring the cello carried those soaring melodies while the piano provided both harmonic structure and rhythmic drive. Our new Yamaha Stagepas Column system also ensured that every note carried across the gardens, even outdoors.
The result was music that felt both personal and professional: faithful enough for anime and gaming fans to recognise instantly, yet rich enough for wedding guests unfamiliar with the material to enjoy.
Reflections on a Unique Day
Helen and Andy’s wedding at Hooton Pagnell Hall was a true celebration of individuality. It showed how a couple’s passions – in this case, a love of anime, Studio Ghibli, and Final Fantasy – can be seamlessly woven into a traditional setting.
The contrast was striking: a centuries-old Yorkshire manor house filled with music from Japanese animation and video games. And yet it worked beautifully, reminding us that music is universal, crossing cultures and generations to tell stories of love.
For JAM Duo, it was a joy and a privilege to be part of such a distinctive day. We left Hooton Pagnell Hall with a renewed appreciation for the creativity of couples and the endless possibilities that live music can bring to a wedding.
Congratulations once again to Helen and Andy – your wedding was as unforgettable and unique as the soundtrack you chose.
Spotlight: Why Choose Anime & Video Game Music for Your Wedding?
In recent years, more couples have been moving away from purely traditional wedding music to create soundtracks that truly reflect their personalities. Anime soundtracks and video game scores may seem unconventional, but they bring something truly special:
1. Emotional Storytelling
Music from Final Fantasy, Violet Evergarden, or Studio Ghibli isn’t background noise – it’s written to carry emotion, heighten drama, and tell stories. These same qualities make it perfect for marking key wedding moments like a bridal entrance or the signing of the register.
2. Cultural Connection
For fans of anime and gaming, this music isn’t just entertainment – it’s part of their identity. Including it in a wedding makes the day feel personal and authentic, celebrating a passion shared by the couple.
3. Cinematic Atmosphere
Composers such as Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy) and Joe Hisaishi (Studio Ghibli) write music that feels orchestral, lush, and cinematic. Performed live on cello and piano, these pieces take on a new richness that fills the venue with atmosphere.
4. Memorable & Unique
Most wedding guests have heard Canon in D or A Thousand Years before. But when they hear Eyes on Me from Final Fantasy VIII or Across the Violet Sky from Violet Evergarden played live, it becomes an unforgettable surprise – a talking point that makes the wedding stand out.
5. Flexibility with Live Musicians
With JAM Duo, anything is possible. Even if a piece was originally written for full orchestra, rock band, or digital synths, we can create bespoke arrangements for cello and piano that remain true to the original while perfectly suited to a wedding setting.
👉 Your wedding soundtrack doesn’t have to follow tradition – it can tell your story. Whether that’s through film scores, classical favourites, or even anime and gaming music, JAM Duo can bring it to life.
