When we set off for today’s wedding at Ascot Racecourse, we actually drove to Hampshire. This was not an error or deliberate mistake – our booking form, and indeed our discussions with the couple, clearly stated the wedding was to be taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hampshire.
On arrival at the Four Seasons we were directed by the Concierge as to where we should set up for the wedding, although I was told it was not happening until later. Albeit we had arrived with an hour to spare, this did seem an odd statement.
Just as we unloaded the car and were about to set up the piano the phone rang. It was the groom for today’s wedding – “There’s been a change of plan, the wedding has moved and is now going to be at Ascot Racecourse, can you be there by 5pm?”.
Luckily Ascot Racecourse was only a 20 minute or so drive up the M3 so we jumped back into the car and within half an hour were parking up in Car Park 3 as directed.
After a short discussion with the security guard on the gate we were allowed to unload. It transpired that the wedding had already taken place earlier in the day and so we would now be playing for a drinks reception and potentially during an evening meal.
Wedding Drinks Reception
It was a rare privilege to be inside Ascot Racecourse, when it was effectively empty save for a few suppliers setting up flowers and pouring Champagne into glasses. Whilst we had arrived, again, ahead of the start time there was no sign of any guests. Luckily before too long the Groom arrived looking resplendent in Indian ceremonial attire and we were directed to a spot outside where the drinks reception would be taking place.
Before too long the guests started arriving, the champagne started to flow and Jules managed to be supplied with lots of canapés!
As we were playing outside and the guests were mingling in quite a large space, we had to use amplification to boost the sound both of the cello and piano. This we do as discretely as possible whilst maintaining a balanced sound which still sounds as acoustic as possible. Lots of guests were photographing and videoing us as we played so clearly the sound was pleasing!
Our repertoire for the drinks reception was a mix of our contemporary playlist with a few pieces Amar had chosen for us to play. Everything seemed to go down very well with the guests and before long around 100 or more people had gathered.
It was at Ascot that we met Ian Baker, Photographer. Ian is, like us, also from the Cotswolds and had been booked to photograph this wedding for some time. I think initially the wedding was going to take place at Tortworth Court and Ian like us had been transferred from one venue to another.
The Wedding Breakfast
At around 7.30pm Amar and Aneeka arrived both again looking stunning. Indian weddings take a slightly different format and their arrival heralded the move indoors for the wedding breakfast. As the happy couple arrived we played ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perry. It was then time to move the piano and cello indoors so we could play for the start of the wedding breakfast.
We played during the starters and then there was a speech from the best man at which point the DJ took over proceedings. As we packed up, we were invited to join one of the tables for Dinner which was extremely kind. The food was excellent and Jules was in his element particularly as all the meat curry dishes kept being passed his way!
This wedding highlighted once again why we love doing this job. We meet some of the most loveliest people and even when things don’t initially go to plan, the day is always an adventure. We thoroughly enjoyed Amar and Aneeka’s wedding and it is one we will always have fond memories of. We wish them both the very best for their future life together.
[…] Once again the photographer for this wedding was the renowned Ian Baker and it was nice to catch up with him since the last time we met at Ascot Racecourse for the wedding of Amar and Aneeka. […]