Civil Wedding Ceremony
Three quarters of all the weddings taking place in the UK are now civil rather than church weddings. The addition of live music before and during the ceremony will undoubtedly give your wedding service an altogether different dimension. Most Registrars will tell you just how different a civil ceremony feels with the addition of live music as opposed to music streamed from a CD or iPod.
With a live musician you’ll be able to tailor the music to be played to suit your personal taste by choosing your favourite songs to be played as your guests await the arrival of the bride. Richard can help you decide upon music suitable for the bride’s arrival and the bride and groom’s departure from the ceremony room as well as 2/3 pieces to be played during the signing of the Register.
Religious music is not allowed to be played before or during the Civil Ceremony but that leaves just about every other type of music to choose from. You may have specific pieces of music in mind which are favourites or which have a special significance for you. The song list featured on this site may help you decide upon suitable music. It’s often possible to request music which isn’t listed, don’t hesitate to call us with your suggestions.
Champagne Drinks Reception
Following your wedding ceremony, your guests will congregate to celebrate with a glass of Champagne at your Drinks Reception. Having piano music played during this part of the celebration is very popular and helps set a convivial atmosphere as your guests chat away in the period leading up to the Wedding Breakfast.
In this informal setting, your guests might like to request their favourite songs to be played. On average, the piano would be played for around an hour and a quarter. Most often Richard will use a portable digital piano for the Champagne Drinks Reception as the vast majority of weddings don’t have an acoustic piano situated in the correct position. It also allows for the piano to pe performed outside during summer months weather permitting.
Wedding Breakfast
The inclusion of background piano music during the Wedding Breakfast always creates a great atmosphere among the wedding party. If you’re having a receiving line, the piano playing will begin as your guests enter the room and will continue throughout the meal and cutting of the cake until speeches. The piano would be played for just under two hours throughout the meal until speeches.
A wide variety of different songs is usually played to suit the bride and groom and to satisfy the different tastes and age ranges present. Some venues offer the facility of a grand piano in the room where the Wedding Breakfast will take place though, once again, it’s more common for Richard to use his own portable Roland RD800 stage piano. Being state of the art, it sounds every bit as good as a grand piano and allows the piano to be positioned exactly where required. In addition, it can be volume controlled to reflect the the number of guests and size of room.
Prices for 2022/2023
Civil Wedding Ceremony & Champagne Drinks Reception (3 hours playing)……………………………………………………£495.00
Civil Wedding Ceremony & Wedding Breakfast (3 hours playing)…………………………………………………………..…..…£495.00
Champagne Drinks Reception & Wedding Breakfast (3 hours playing)…………………………………………………………..£495.00
Civil Wedding Ceremony, Champagne Drinks Reception & Wedding Breakfast (4 hours playing)…………………………..£595.00
(There will be no VAT or travel costs added to the prices shown)
Booking Confirmation Contract & Payment
Once a wedding booking has been agreed, we will send out two copies of a contract to the client, one of which will need to be signed and returned to us within two weeks once the agreed details have been checked and verified. A non-refundable deposit of £100.00 will be necessary at the time of booking, the balance payment will be due one week before the agreed performance date.
Richard Sully carries full Public Liability Insurance, a full copy of which is available by clicking here. All electrical equipment used has been recently PAT tested, a current certificate is also available by clicking here.
No piano, no problem!
All of the above prices include the provision of Richard’s Roland RD800 Digital Stage Piano and Yamaha PA system in venues where a piano isn’t available for use.
The piano and PA system can been moved quickly as required during a party or event. With most parties or events, the piano will be set up the room an hour or so before guests arrive. It can easily be moved if the drinks reception and dinner are in different rooms and a quick move, taking no more than fifteen minutes or so, will allow for piano music to be played almost continuously throughout the afternoon or evening.
Richard Sully now offers the option to include the hire of a high gloss black baby Dutchgrand piano shell for parties and events.
From an aesthetic perspective, the Dutchgrand looks beautiful in any setting and wholly compliments any room or venue. With the hire of acoustic grand pianos and digital grands costing in the region of £550.00, the Dutchgrand piano offers a relatively inexpensive alternative and can be moved and re-located during the day. The cost of hiring the Dutchgrand is £125.00 in addition to the prices listed above.
Click here to watch a short video from Dutchgrand’s manufacturer to see how it works and how easy it is to bring in and set up for your civil wedding ceremony or reception.
Richard Sully most frequently plays at weddings in the following counties:
