Big band vibes at Manchester wedding
The dance floor was buzzing all night
Katie and Andy's wedding guests were treated to an epic set by our six-piece party band, Funk Soul Family. Everything from the first dance onwards was a huge success, and it was a pleasure to provide the live music for this amazing Manchester wedding!
Here's the gorgeous couple's first dance – It Had To Be You by Harry Connick Jr. With the addition of Camillo on trumpet, we created an authentic big band sound that lent a real vintage feel to the occasion.
There's nothing like the challenge of a last-minute request! Just before we got up to play, the bridesmaids grabbed us and asked if there was any way we could play L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole as a father/daughter dance. We happily obliged, going straight into this classic off the back of the first dance.
Those two incredible tunes set the mood for the rest of the night, with the guests dancing all night to some of the best songs of the last 50 years. Here's what the happy couple had to say about our performance at their Manchester wedding:
"We had Funk Soul Family play at our wedding reception and they were absolutely incredible and the perfect way to round off our wedding day. Every song they played was an absolute tune and the dance floor was buzzing all night. As a professional musician myself, the music was a high priority for me and these guys delivered everything and more than I could have possibly wished for. In the lead up to the wedding, Pete was extremely organised and wonderful in helping us plan the evening and the end result was the talk of the evening. I could not recommend them enough!"
Still from wedding film by Jo Gendle
Strings and jazz for star-studded West Yorkshire wedding
​If you're getting married and want your evening do to be really special, our sublimely talented jazz band is the one for you.
This West Yorkshire wedding featured two stunning brides, one of whom is an actor on the show Gentleman Jack! Fun fact – the wedding venue, Holdsworth House in Halifax, was used as a location for the show. This beautiful 17th-century manor house has also been seen on Antiques Roadshow and Jamie's Great Britain, and The Beatles once visited for John Lennon's birthday. Needless to say, it felt pretty special to perform there!
We provided two of our fabulous function bands, at the beginning and end of the day. Strings Attached played for the wedding ceremony, and Skylark Jazz Band performed in the evening. A twist on the classic string quartet, Strings Attached combines violin and cello with keyboard, guitar and vocals. As well as their usual set of acoustic covers, they performed two requests: One Day Like This by Elbow for the entrance, and Tina Turner's Simply The Best for the exit.
At the evening reception, Skylark Jazz Band enchanted the guests with their unique take on modern pop songs, as well as the usual jazz standards. If you're getting married and want your evening do to be really special, our sublimely talented jazz band is the one for you.
It was a pleasure to work with excellent wedding photographer Shelly Mantovani, AKA Toast of Leeds. She did a brilliant job of capturing this intimate venue, perfect for a string quartet and jazz band!
Funk Soul Family tears it up at Nottingham wedding
A raucous night of rocking out and revelry
We love that we get to play at weddings of all shapes and sizes. We're flexible enough to fit around your plans, whatever they may be. Funk Soul Family, our flagship party band, are used to filling dance floors at big venues, but for this wedding back in August they found themselves in a much more intimate setting.
After a gorgeous church ceremony at a local chapel, Harriet, James and their guests moved to Harriet's parents' home. The focus of the activity was a beautiful marquee at the bottom of their garden, and this is where the small four-piece version of Funk Soul Family rocked out all night.
It all started with a rendition of Stand By Me by Ben E. King for the first dance, which led to a raucous night of rocking out and revelry. There's nothing like the combination of a free bar and an awesome live wedding band to get people up on their feet and tearing up the dance floor!
What can we do to make your wedding day extra special? Find out more about our Manchester wedding bands and get in touch for a personalised quote.
These fabulous photos by Kirsty Mattsson Photography give you a sense of what an incredible party this was!