Wedding Singer Blog - James Barlow

JANUARY OFFER 2016

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 13:39:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

Throughout January I am offering full room uplighting for free!

With up to 12 uplighters throughout your booked package (worth up to £140)*, this offer is available on with any Evening Singer & DJ and Deluxe Package booking placed this month.

See below for more information about the uplighters and a video of them in action,

*£140 based on dry hire of 12 uplighters. The number of units used on your day will depend up on your reception room size and will be set up to perfectly complement my dance floor lighting. The video above shows 10 uplighters in use.

Offer available for any Evening Singer & DJ or Deluxe Package booked between 1st and 31st January 2016. New enquiries only.

NEW VIDEO PROMO

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 09:34:00 +0000

Here is my brand new promo video!

Also, watch this space for more new and updated video content.

Enjoy!

James

FIRST DANCE SONG LIST

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 12:23:00 +0000

Below is an updated list of all the first dances currently available to be sung live. If the song you want isn't listed here, get in touch to see if it's available.

For s full song list see the 'Songs' page.

Everything - Michael Buble
Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran
To Love Somebody - Michael Buble
All Of Me - John Legend
A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
Have I Told You Lately - Van Morrison / Rod Stewart
How Long Will I Love You? - Ellie Goulding
Close Your Eyes - Michael Buble
You & I - John Legend
One Day Like This - Elbow
I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
Me & Mrs Jones - Michael Buble / Billy Paul
You're Beautiful - James Blunt
Iris - Goo Goo Dolls
Can't Help Falling In Love - Michael Buble
Stuck On You- Lionel Richie
Some Kind Of Wonderful - Michael Buble
Wherever You Will Go - Charlene Soraia
Something About The Way You Look - Elton John
Make You Feel My Love - Adele
It Must be Love - Madness
Without You - David Guetta Ft. Usher (Boyce Avenue acoustic version)
Better Together - Jack Johnson
Your Song - Elton John
What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden
Love Is In The Ait - John Paul Young
Stand By Me - Ben E. King
Rule The World - Take That
Three Times A Lady - Lionel Richie & The Commodores
Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepson (Boyce Avenue acoustic version)
Overjoyed - Stevie Wonder
I Won't Let Go - James Morrison
Hold On - Michael Buble
Endless Love - Lionel Richie
Earth Angel - The Penguins
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - Stevie Wonder
Teenage Dream - Katy Perry (Boyce Avenue acoustic version)
I Swear - All 4 One
Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Elton John
Glow Old With You - Adam Sandler (from 'The Wedding Singer')
Greatest Day - Take That
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - George Michael
Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Buble
Easy - Lionel Richie & The Commodores
True Companion - Marc Cohn
My Girl - The Temptations
These Are The Days Of Our Lives - Queen
The One - Elton John
Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars (Boyce Avenue acoustic version)
Under The Boardwalk - The Drifters
How Deep Is Your Love - The Bee Gees
She's The One - Robbie Williams
Just The Way You Are - Billy Joel
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
Amazed - Lonestar
Better Today - Coffey Anderson
Crazy Love - Michael Buble
Better - Tom Baxter
Angels - Robbie Williams
She - Elvis Costello
I Wanna Wake Up With You - Boris Gardiner
Hero - Enrique Inglesias
This Guy's In Love With You - Herb Alpert
Fly Me To The Moon - Frank Sinatra
Let There Be Love - Nat King Cole
Beyond The Sea - Bobby Darin
Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Andy Williams
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Michael Buble
Ain't That A Kick In The Head - Dean Martin
The Way You Look Tonight - Michael Buble
That's Amore - Dean Martin
Some Kind Of Wonderful - Michael Buble
Come Fly With Me - Frank Sinatra
For Once In My Life - Frank Sinatra / Michael Buble
It Had To Be You - Harry Connick Jnr
Can't Help Falling In Love - Michael Buble
L-O-V-E - Nat King Cole Harry Connick Jnr
Sway - Dean Martin / Michael Buble
Bring Me Sunshine - Morecombe & Wise
Happy Together - The Turtles
The Wonder Of You - Elvis Presley
I Believe I A Thing Called Love - The Darkness
Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

Wedding Industry Awards 2014 - Finalist!

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 12:23:00 +0000

Earlier this year I was selected as a finalist in the 2014 Wedding Industry Awards - 'Best Live Entertainment' category. The Wedding Industry Awards has fast become the most respected, independent wedding awards, recognising and rewarding excellence in the wedding industry.

The initial nomination and shortlisting process was decided entirely based on votes and comments by my November 2012 - October 2013 brides and grooms.

I was overwhelmed by the number of my amazing couples who took the time to vote and give me such high scores and fantastic comments.

Voters were asked 7 questions and asked for a mark out of 10 for each. My average scores were as follows:

Range of options (eg: sound, lighting and musical styles) made available by this supplier. Average voter score: 9.695
Quality of expertise, advice and guidance received from this supplier. Average voter score: 9.78
Quality of customer service and communication received from this supplier. Average voter score: 9.793
This supplier’s punctuality and personal presentation on the day of your wedding. Average voter score: 9.966
Quality of this supplier’s web presence (web site, facebook etc). Average voter score: 9.814
Quality of the musical entertainment provided. Average voter score: 9.932
Value for money. Average voter score: 9.763

Voters were then asked two questions: 'General Comments' and 'Why They Booked'. Complete voter responses are written in full below:

General Comments (in random order)

“James made our evening reception very special. He knew what songs would get people dancing. A great voice whether singing swing or pop songs. We had so many guests telling us how much they enjoyed James singing. I would definitely recommend James to anyone looking to book a singer.”

“James was helpful and a joy to deal with from the first conversation. He put us at ease and delivered on his promises. I wish every service provider was as easy to hire as James. Quality act with style!”

“James was professional and helpful from our initial enquiry right through to our event. He has a great sense of humour and nothing was too much trouble for him. Most of our guest's could not tell he was singing live unless they were watching him as the quality of his vocal and delivery was so high.”

“James was excellent entertainment at our wedding, many of our guests told us how impressed they were with him. He kept the dance floor full all night, he really knows how to make sure everyone has a good time.”

“James created a magical atmosphere during our wedding breakfast. Even my grandad thought the was amazing and gave him a £5 tip!”

“Really pleased with our wedding singer his voice wad amazing and all our guests commented how great he was.We will always remember our wedding evening and it wouldnt have been the same without tge wedding singer!!”

“After listening to the demos on James' excellent website we were wowed by his vocal ability. All our guests commented on how brilliant he was and the they couldn't notice the difference between his live singing and his dj sets. He had everyone dancing which was exactly what we wanted”

“We would like to say a huge thank you to James for singing at our wedding. You were incredible and all of our guests made comments about how great you were. You got everybody up dancing all night and made our wedding so special. We will never forget how good you were!”

“James was a professional from start to finish. He is personable and highly motivated. He made our wedding.”

“James is a true professional. From the moment i sent an enquiry he was quick at responding and all information was presented in a professional manner. I felt relaxed knowing that James had the expertise to ensure everything ran smoothly on the day. We had so many great comments from guests too!”

“Made your night perfect you couldn't of asked for any better I big thank you went out to James”

“He was AMAZING!!! Brilliant communication, fantastic voice. Everyone loved him. The best thing, we were torn between 2 songs for our first dance. He recorded the song and emailed it to us so we could decide. He remembered the difficult decision we made and played the other song to finish the night!”

“The best thing we did was to book James. He was worth every penny we spent twice over. He was friendly and professional from start to finish, thought of things I'd never considered, took charge of the days organisation and provided fantastic entertainment that our guests are still talking about!”

“James was a key part in the success of our wedding reception. We had the perfect combo of live music and disco. James is hugely experienced and the dance floor was full thanks to him! At some points it was hard to tell if he was singing because it was so professional and pitch perfect! Loved him!”

“James was a great help from the start he knew exactly what I wanted from the start and he was very helpful all the way along the process. He have me advice on things to mention to the marquee people and the friend who's field we were using. My wedding would not have been the same without him.”

“We were completely blown away with the service James provided for us, from the very beginning his communication was outstanding and his delivery on the day was flawless. He truly is the best in the business and the quality of his work was commented on by all our guests.”

“James was our only choice for our wedding entertainment after we met him and heard him sing. He is friendly, professional and made choosing the music an easy task. He chose the correct songs for the mood of the evening and was amazing singing our first dance to us.”

“on the night of our wedding when james sang and did the DJ-ing my wife and i were very pleased with his performance, and on the night and days after family and friends told us how good they thought he was. and my cousin also booked him for her wedding that night.”

“James really was amazing, he made our day so special taking into consideration to our needs & tastes.He sung our first dance to us which made it very personalised & extra special for us both. He accomodated all our guests & was particularly good in getting them on their feet & dancing. Fantastic guy”

“James was by far the best part of our wedding night our party was fantastic all thanks to James he stood out at the wedding fair very nice chap brilliant vocals, I have lots of brilliant feedback from our guests. Fantastic he helped make our night one we will all always remember.”

“From the moment we contacted James he was a friendly, professional and reassuring part of our wedding plans. On the day itself James provided fantastic entertainment wowing our guests with his singing and keeping them dancing all night no mean feat considering it was a Monday Wedding.”

“James was an excellent entertainer for our reception and lots of people commented on how wonderful he was.”

“James helped make our wedding amazing. The dance floor was never empty due to the fact he knew which songs to sing and when. He was a perfect wedding entertainer. We loved having him as part of our day and would recommend him to anyone getting married in the future. Simply brilliant.”

“Absolutely fantastic singer and entertainer. James was professional and friendly and ensured our evening reception was fantastic.”

“James was fantastic to deal with from start to finish. We had to organise our UK wedding from where we live in New Zealand and he made it so easy and stress-free. He is also a fantastic showman with a brilliant voice. Our guests were all up and dancing and all commented on how much they enjoyed him”

“Professional wedding entertainment, very good value for money. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed Jame's singing. The dance floor was full all evening thanks to James excellent entertainment. People found it hard to believe that it was actually James singing as he was that good.”

“Helpful, calm - of all our suppliers, he was the nicest - at a very stressful time he wasn't stressed or gave us any concern and gave us one less thing left to worry about - I would recommend him on this basis.”

“James was simply outstanding in everything that he did. He couldn't do enough for us from the moment we made our booking. He was available to chat and discuss through our needs at anytime. His enthuisuiam for his job and attention to detail is superb. James helped make out day extra special. Thank u”

“James was professional, punctual and provided a brilliant service for our wedding. Along with his wonderful singing he was our master of ceremonies and helped the day run smoothly with his experience and professionalism.”

“Has an amazing voice and customer service was fab!”

“James made our evening reception so special we could not have wished for better. All our guests thought he was brilliant. His choice of songs etc were just perfect.”

“We were very pleased with the entertainment. James was very professional, and brilliant at his job. Everyone commented on his choice of music!! Would definitely recommend to a friend”

“James helped make our day perfect, I didn't get off the dance floor once and everyone commented on how great James was. He sang amazingly and played so many of our favourite songs! I would recommend him to everyone.”

“Every part of the service provided by James-from the booking right through to the last dance- was perfect. Organised with great attention to detail. He provided entertainment throughout our reception and all our guests commented on what a great voice he had and what a fabulous entertainer we found!”

“James provided excellent customer service, a bespoke package, which could be personalised. The set up was professional, arriving promptly & organising his equipment with no additional help from us which meant we could concentrate on the final touches. His communication was superb.”

“The service we received in preparation for our wedding and the quality entertainment on the day were absolutely second to none”

“Was so impressed on the day. Even in the wedding breakfast everyone had there hands in the air singing along. Our event manager said she had never seen such an amazing atmosphere at dinner before. He helped to make the day amazing and had good feed back from all family and friends.”

“Fantastic entertainer, met all our requirements! Made our day and night enjoyable and perfect!”

“I couldn't have asked for anyone better to perform at our wedding! Expertise, advice, communication, timings was all top quality from the day I booked him! He made our wedding perfect!! James needs to win as he truly deserves it!! I cant fault him on anything at all!”

“James went the extra mile to make sure our Wedding day was perfect by travelling to Merseyside the week before the wedding to 100% check the sound system at the venue would be ok-this was very last minute & no extra charge. He was so professional-all of our guets commented on his performance.”

“James was brilliant from start to finish. Very professional & entertaining. We would definitely recommend him to everyone.”

“James has an amazing voice, BIG personality and became one of the guests at our wedding, not just the wedding singer. He was professional, charming, and made for a fantastic evening of what was an amazing day! I would have no problem recommending him in the future.”

“James was helpful and professional from first contact to the Wedding. His involvement was seamless and his singing and entertainment was of the highest quality. He went out of his way to ensure that a personal touch was present all day and evening, making our day special, effortless and beautiful”

“Unbelievable ,James blew us away firstly how professional he is , he then sang our first dance song acappella which was amazing , from start to finish he was great choosing music to suit everyone keeping the dance floor full all night and to me that's his job well done”

“James is a fabulous entertainer with an amazing voice. He made our wedding very special and had a huge range of songs from a wide genre. He was very professional and our guests had a wonderful night made very special by James. I would have no hesitation in using James again for any future events”

“James was absolutely amazing, can't imagine our wedding would have been the same without him!!”

“Very professional, guests that had not seen him thought we were playing music through speakers into the room because the quality of his voice was so good. He took requests for what we wanted him to play during the night and kept people up dancing!!”

“Adaptable and was willing to sing our first dance for us "Baby I love your way" by big mountain, classic!”

“If I had to summarise James Barlow in one word it would be "exceptional" The comments and praise on his own website were very convincing and if anything gave us great expectations. We were a little dubious. These fears were well and truly eradicated on our big day. DJ, MC, Singer he was flawless”

“James arrived promptly and looked professional. The audio and lighting were very good and the sound quality in particular was very good. He sung songs requested and played a good selection of past and present numbers between singing. Overall he added great impact to the day. Happy 😀”

“James Barlow made our evening reception that much more special. The dance floor was constantly filled & all of our guests commented on the entertainment and the variety of songs played. James catered for all age groups & I would have no hesitation in recommending James for future couples!”

“James was the ultimate professional in the most friendly manner, he has a fantastic voice and played the songs we requested throughout the night. The dance floor was never empty, we couldn't have asked for more.”

“James was amazing still almost a year on from the day we still get comments of how good he was. Brilliant show and professional. Everyone loved him and he connected brilliantly with the guests in the room.”

“James was fantastically well organised and a huge hit on the night. He's flexible, happy to adapt and vary his set to the needs of the client. Professional and approachable. We really couldn't fault his commitment and service.”

“James was superb throughout! Subtle when required and thoroughly entertaining! I would recommend him to anyone getting married!”

“We were looking for something a little bit different , that would cater for a diverse audience and James fitted the bill brilliantly. We were blessed with amazing weather for our special day so people had the option to stay outside however many didn't want to as James was do good inside the venue!”

“Absolutely fantastic. Couldnt of asked for a better entertainer. Really made our wedding special and personalizedfor us.”

“James was on time,excellent playlist and singer got everyone up dancing,everyone commented on how professional he was would recomend to anyone who wants that bit extra for there wedding day have got some great memories for our wedding day.”

Why They Booked (in random order)

“Because we wanted quality at our wedding and James is good enough to Grace any venue. An all round great guy.”

“James has an amazing voice and personality to go with it and as soon as we had the opportunity to meet him at the wedding fayre, just knew he was the wedding singer for us - no cheese - talent, bags of personality, and a priviledge to have had the opportunity for him to sing at dour wedding!”

“His voice and singing ability were the main reason, he sounded so much better than any of the other singers we looked at. He made each track sound like his own. The praise on his website was amazing. The fact that he did so well at the awards as well really cemented out decision.”

“We booked James following the amazing testimonials on Facebook and his website, the sound clips and videos he sent through for us to listen to and his friendly, professional and personable service that was offered from the first email that was sent.”

“He provided excellent value for money and his professional service was outstanding”

“Reviews and CD he sent to us and value for money.”

“When trying to organise a wedding it can be very stressful having to rely on so many professions to come together, one of the reasons that we booked James was that he made us feel completely relaxed and reassured We liked him and he didn't let us down”

“He looked like he would add something special to the day and came well recommended. James was also very prompt and informative during our research stage for evening entertainments”

“His repertoire was good, polished and professional and made me feel relaxed that i could just hand over the organising with the venue to him and he would be there in good time on the day waiting to greet us and our guests with his vocals!”

“I came across James when googling for singers in the area with his style and I really liked his website and sample MP3s.”

“great feedback from previous bride and grooms , great voice great all round entertainer”

“Website”

“We wanted a singer who sounded great, would perfom our favourtie rat-pack numbers well and act as DJ with good quality lighting and sound equipment who was also within our budget - James ticked all the boxes and had excellent customer service throughout.”

“Based on recommendation from friends we knew that James provided high quality entertainment.”

“After seeing reviews, listening to examples of his work and talking with James we knew he was the entertainer for our day and he did not disappoint”

“His website was one of the most detailed and professional i'd seen. I like how you could play a preview of his singing online. Also,when we enquired about booking him-he sent a letter with a disc to show examples.”

“Great voice and the style of music we wanted”

“We went to a wedding show at Leasowe Castle and James was signing there - we were very impressed and didn't hesitate in booking him for our wedding.”

“I wanted our wedding to have a particular feel to it, more than just a dj and disco and I knew vrom meeting him, he would do just that. I also felt he would do our first dance song justice, and he did when he sung it, perfectly.”

“From reading the great testimonials from his other customers and how helpful he was when enquiring about his services.”

“Fab voice”

“We booked him because he offered the most amazing package and really taylored his performance to accommodate exactly what we needed. He is an amazing guy with the most amazing voice and talents to adapt to any song from any era. Would recommend to anyone wanting an amazing wedding reception. I can't thank him enough for making our day so very special.”

“He has a very professional website with all the options listed, which made it easy to budget and decide what we wanted. He was very easy to deal with and the fact that he sent a comprehensive information pack, complete with sample CD, convinced us he was the person we wanted to provide our wedding entertainment”

“We loved his voice at the wedding fayre, he had great reviews & was excellent value for money. It was hassle free & the comments from our guests were amazing.”

“Good reputation and reviews.”

“Recommendation then quality.”

“We had seen a few singing djs but meeting and greeting them there was just something missing . So when we met james we knew before we heard him sing he was the one sometimes first impressions really are important .”

“Great reviews, Cd sample he sent us suited what we were looking for and more. James also sang our first dance which made it even more special.”

“At the time it was value for money as most quoted we received were above budget.”

“We wanted something a little different for our Wedding rather than "just a disco" and the testimonials on James website were amazing. After a chat with him he was so accommodating to what we wanted and we were able to have an input into what he sang. He loves his work and this shows in the delivery - he was outstanding from start to finish, professional in every step and his voice is just out of this world!”

“Web site & after speaking to him we knew he was perfect for us.”

“we wanted everyone up dancing and to enjoy the music which we got with james”

Davenport House Wedding Open Day -

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 11:25:00 +0000

I'll be singing all day at the Davenport House Wedding Open Day this Sunday 9th June from 11am until 4pm.

All welcome. Free entry, drink on arrival and prize draw entry!

Birmingham Wedding Singer >

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:18:00 +0000

Introducing Birmingham Wedding Singer, James Barlow.

James is a Staffordshire-based singer and DJ who regularly provides wedding entertainment throughout Birmingham and the West Midlands.

James sings some of the best and most well-known tracks from rat pack and swing to motown and soul, right up to current pop and chart music. James' aim at your evening reception is to entertain guests of all ages and get as many people as possible up on to your dance floor.

Also an experienced DJ, James is able to provide you with a full evening of excellent music. See an evening play list from one of James' recent weddings

In addition to his evening singing and DJing, James is able to provide you with some live singing during your wedding breakfast, singing classic tracks from the likes of: Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Nat King Cole, as you and your guests dine. James can even act as your Master Of Ceremonies during the day to provide a complete solution to your day's entertainment.

James provides wedding entertainment at over 80 receptions each year throughout Birmingham and The Midlands. At the end of 2012, James was Runner Up in the West Midlands 'Best live Enterainment' category of the 2013 Wedding Industry Awards. See here for more information about the awards.

James has played in some of Birmingham and the West Midlands' top wedding venues including:

Brierley Hill Civic Centre
Clarendon Suites, Birmingham
Copthorne Hotel, Dudley
Forest Of Arden Hotel & Country Club, Meriden
Gables Hotel, Solihull
Goldthorn Hotel, Wolerhampton
Hogarth's Hotel, Solihull
Kings Norton Golf Club, Alvechurch
Moxhull Hall Hotel, Sutton Coldfield
Marston Farm Hotel, Sutton Coldfield
Mill Hotel, Alverley
Paragon Hotel, Birmingham
New Hall Hotel, Sutton Coldfield
Plough & Harrow Hotel, Birmingham
Ramada Hotel, Oldbury
Ramada Hotel, Solihull
Ramada Hotel, Sutton Coldfield
Village Hotel, Dudley
Windmill Village Hotel, Coventry

Set up at Moxhull Hall Hotel, Sutton Coldfield. 2012

James, Andy and I are just back from our honeymoon so wanted to take this opportunity to send you an email and say a massive thank you for singing at our wedding.

We, along with all of our guests, were amazed at how brilliant you were; your voice is simply brilliant. I think it says it all when people kept on saying that they couldn't tell when you were singing or if you were playing records. What a compliment hey?

You were fantastic. You kept the dance floor full all night and that's just what we both wanted.

We are so grateful to you for being such a fabulous part of our wedding day. Thank you really doesn't seem enough, all of our friends and family could not stop singing your praises.

Thank you once again

Helen and Andy Lyons
Married at Moxhull Hall, Sutton Coldfield. West Midlands on 2nd November 2012

Feel free to use the links above to see and hear what James Barlow could do for you for your Birmingham wedding.

Song Recording >

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:57:00 +0000

Your song - recorded!

I am now able to offer a personalised song recording service. I will professionally record the song of your choice and send it to you on a signed CD, personalised with bride and groom names and your wedding date.

This is perfect for hearing me sing your first dance before the day, particuarly if you are learning a choreographed routine. It's also perfect as a surprise wedding day gift for your new husband or wife, or just as a momento of your day for both of you. Your track will be sent electronically as well as on disc so you could even frame your CD to show off at home!

It's not resctricted to first dance tracks either, it can be any special song.

The current cost of this is just £50, including all recording time, your track sent as an MP3 and on personlaised disc.

Contact me for more details.

Subject to song availability and suitability.

Tips for choosing your perfect limo to hire

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:43:00 +0000

Before you choose a limo hire company, it’s important to take the time to consider the type of limo you want. Limos come in all shapes and sizes – and different companies will offer different limos that appeal to different people.

That’s why Limo-Scene’s Manchester limo hire experts have compiled this easy to follow list to help you choose the perfect limo.

Ask yourself the following questions and you should easily be able to narrow down your list of potentials and figure out the limo that’s right for you.

What occasion do you need to hire your limo for?

Why is this so important? It will determine how much space you need and the vehicle and services you get.

That’s why you need to ensure the limo is not only everything you want, but is the style you prefer as well.

Make a list of everything you want the limo for the occasion. How long will the trip be? How much do you want to pay? Consider these and you will be able to narrow down your search much more easily.

How many people are you transporting?

This factor is pivotal when you choosing the limo you want to hire. If you have 18 people, for example, you will need a particularly big limo.

And, if your party is small, you’ll want to get a limo that accommodates a much smaller number – because, otherwise, it’s a waste of good limo space.

What kind of limo atmosphere are you looking for?

What vibe are you looking for inside the limo you wish to hire? Do you want to party it up or opt for a sophisticated ride. What am I getting at? Simply that some limos will create a different type of journey.

The H2 Hummer Stretch Limousine, for example, it has a party lounge with lighting to suit, while like Chrysler Stretch Limo, are much more elegant and professional.

What is your budget?

While many people don’t confine themselves to a particular budget, for some, this will determine which limo you can actually afford. Keep in mind your spending limit before leaping into a choice.

What do prices depend on? Well, most companies charge based on miles travelled, meaning the more fuel the limo’s engine uses, the more it will cost.

A final word of caution

Before you pick a specific limo hire company, make sure the cars they operate are safe and legal. Many companies neglect to get the proper paperwork for their vehicles and could be spot checked by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) at any time.

Large vehicles, seating more than eight passengers, require a certificate of Initial Fitness (COIF) to register it. There are more companies operating illegally than you think. It’s therefore well worth your while to check.

Be safe, be legal and have a great time in the luxury limo you hire.

Stone House Wedding Fayre - this Sunday!

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:10:00 +0000

I will be exibiting and performing at the Stone House Hotel Wedding Fayre this coming Sunday.

The fayre is on 11am to 3pm and I will be singing all day.

All welcome!!

Venue details:

Stone House Hotel
Stafford Road
Stone
Staffordshire
ST15 0BQ

ALTERNATIVE WEDDING ENTERTAINMENT IDEAS >

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:18:00 +0000

Have a look at these alternative wedding entertainment ideas. If you're wanting something different and unusual for your guests, maybe you're planning a very small wedding reception and want to avoid the usual band, singer or DJ. Or you might just want something to fill any gaps you have during your day to keep everyone entertained.

1. Magician

Perfect for the 'lulls' in your day - typically during reception drinks, after your ceremony and between your wedding breakfast and evening reception. 'Close up' magic works best, your magician will move around tables and mingle amongst your guests performing everything from interactive card magic to mind reading tricks.

Expect to pay: £300 - £500 for 2 hours of close up magic

Useful Contact: Anthony Chan Magician

2. Casino

Why not hire one or several full-sized casino tables. Again perfect for the gap between your wedding breakfast and evening reception, or actually during the early part of your evening reception. Professional croupiers are also normally included with table hire and many different games are available: American Roulette, Casino Stud Poker, Blackjack (21), Wheel of Fortune Texas Holdem and Craps (Dice).

Expect to pay from £200 - £600+ depending on the number of tables you require

Useful Contact: Royale Casino

3. Photo Booth

A photo booth on the day has a number of uses. Firstly, instant photos for your guests to take home as a memento. Most booths will also have the option of printing a duplicate copy for the bride and groom to collect and make an entire album. Photo booths can also be used to record a video best wishes message for the bride and groom.

Expect to pay from £300 - £700 depending on your requirements

Useful Contact: Picture Blast

4. Bouncy Castle

Picture - Emma Case Photography

Perfect for children and grown up kids! Preferably for summer weddings outside but a more accommodating large venue might also be able to squeeze this in! Perfect for keeping kids occupied during your reception drinks and between your wedding breakfast and evening reception.

Expect to pay from £100 - £250

Useful Contact: Mr Bouncy Castle

5. Ice Sculpture

Not strictly entertainment but your guests will be wowed by your table plan suspended in a solid block of ice or minutely detailed table centres. Your blocks of ice can be sculpted into a virtually limitless number of different shapes - from large love hearts, swans, flowers or even a champagne bottle.

Expect to pay - table centres from £30 + each, seating plan from £300 +

Useful Contact: Glacial Art

Wedding DJ Playlist >

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:02:00 +0000

My name is James Barlow am I a Midlands-based wedding singer and DJ entertaining at 80+ wedding receptions each year throughout the UK.

The below is the entire evening play list from a recent wedding where I was both singer and DJ. To give you an idea of how a typical evening might be structured the list includes the tracks featured in both my singing and DJ sets on this particular evening.

The happy couple and friends were young and lively and requested current chart and 90s music. Parents and grandparents loved 60s and 70s and there was a large Irish contingent, so some traditional Irish songs were thrown in for good measure.

It's really important to note that EVERY WEDDING RECEPTION IS DIFFERENT. I do not play a pre-selected list of tracks and always seamlessly mix music live on the day - no iPods or pre-arranged play lists! This DJ set, as with every set that I do, was completely tailored to take into account several factors:

1. Requests from the bride and groom before the day
2. Requests from the guests on the day
3. My judgement and expertise on the night - 'reading the crowd' based on age, sex and their reaction to different kinds of tracks on the dance floor. The key is playing a wide range of tracks to suit everyone in attendance.

THIS WORKS! The dance floor was full for the entire evening.

You will see from the list a really good mixture of bride and groom requests, guests' requests and my own input.

Click here for more information about my singing and DJ services

THE LIST

The list is comprised of:
BRIDE AND GROOM REQUESTS IN WHITE
GUESTS' REQUESTS ON THE DAY IN RED
MY LIVE SINGING IN YELLOW
MY DJ SONG CHOICES IN BLUE

You Send Me (First Dance)	Aretha Franklin
Crazy Little Thing Called Love	Michael Buble
You To Me Are Everything	The Real Thing
Dance The Night Away	The Mavericks
Brown Eyed Girl	Van Morrison
Sweet Home Alabama	Lynard Skynard
Stuck In The Middle With You	Steelers Wheel
All Night Long	Lionel Richie
You're The First, The Last, My Everything	Barry White
Walking On Sunshine	Katrina And The Waves
You Can't Hurry Love	Phil Collins
I'm In The Mood For Dancing	THE NOLANS
YMCA	Village People
Disco Inferno	The Trampps
I Gotta Feeling	Black Eyed Peas
Gangnam Style (강남스타일)	Psy
Scream & Shout (Feat. Britney Spears) [Radio Edit]	Will.I.Am
Candy (Radio Edit)	Robbie Williams
Troublemaker (Feat. Flo Rida)	Olly Murs
9 To 5	Dolly Parton
Young Hearts Run Free	Candi Staton
Blame On The Boogie	The Jacksons
Take A Chance On Me	Abba
We Are Family	Sister Sledge
Shout	Lulu & The Luvvers
La Bamba	Los Lobos
Great Balls Of Fire	Jerry Lee Lewis
Jailhouse Rock	Elvis Presley
Rock Around The Clock	Bill Haley & The Comets
Tutti Frutti	Little Richard
Love Reallly Hurts Without You	Billy Ocean
Valerie	Amy Winehouse
Relight My Fire	Take That
Billie Jean	Michael Jackson
Build Me Up Buttercup I’m A Believer	The Foundations The Monkees
I Want You Back Celebration	Jackson 5 Kool & The Gang
Mr Brightside	The Killers
Jump Around	House Of Pain
Walk This Way	Run Dmc Feat. Aerosmith
Ice Ice Baby	Vanilla Ice
Can't Touch This	Mc Hammer
Fresh Prince Of Bel Air (Tv-Edit)	Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Boom! Shake The Room	DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Everybody Get Up (Radio Edit)	Five
The Galway Girl	Steve Earle
Wild Rover	The Dubliners
Tell Me Ma	Sham Rock
Uptown Girl	Billy Joel
Don't Stop Me Now	Queen
Livin' On A Prayer	Bon Jovi
Don't Stop Believin'	Journey
What Makes You Beautiful	One Direction
Groove Is In The Heart	Dee-Light
Show Me Love	Robin S
Dreamer	Livin Joy
Single Ladies	Beyonce
Dreamer	Livin Joy
Turn Around	Phats And Small
Set U Free	N Trance
Let Me Be Your Fantasy	Baby D
Feel The Love	Rudimental
S&M	Rihanna
Dancing Queen Love Is In The Air Can't Take My Eyes Off You My Girl How Deep Is Your Love Wonderful Tonight	Abba John Paul Young Andy Williams The Temptations Take That Eric Clapton
The Galway Girl	Steve Earle

Top Ten First Dance Tracks 2012 >

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:22:00 +0000

Here is my updated list of the top ten first dance tracks of 2012, based on all my weddings last year.

I definitely saw more variation in choices in 2012 with some really excellent and original choices. The really good news about this year's list is that all of the songs are available for me to sing live!

For a more complete list of the songs in my live repertoire see my song list page.

1. Adele - Make You Feel My Love
2. Lonestar - Amazed
3. Jason Mraz - I Won't Give Up
4. Michael Buble - Crazy Love
5. Bruno Mars / Boyce Avenue - Just The Way You Are
6. Nat King Cole - L.O.V.E
7. Joe Cocker - You Are So Beautiful
8. Take That - Rule The World
9. Lionel Richie / Diana Ross - Endless Love
10. Tom Baxter - Better

Perfect Wedding Magazine Article

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 11:26:00 +0000

Last summer I was asked to contribute to an article about wedding themes to the UK's most popular wedding magazine - Perfect Wedding Magazine.

My topic was my main areas of expertise, how to add a theme to your evening and particularly - dance floor filling!

Step-by-step - Disco Fever.

James Barlow shares three steps to the perfect dancefloor!

1. Ask your band or DJ to play a few themed songs at the beginning of your night to set the atmostphere. Have a musical-themed hour and pick a genre like swing or you could even have a retro Eighties half-hour.

2. Tie your first dance in with your theme - or see if your DJ can prepare a special mix or 'mash up' pf special themed songs.

3. Jazz up your evening reception by hriing a LED dance floor. have one with flashing multi-coloured panels for a Seventies theme

I'm hoping to contribute to more publications in 2013 - watch this space!

New Web Site Launch!

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:08:00 +0000

I've been busy giving the web site a complete design overhaul. I've improved the interface, it should be a much better vistor experience with a bigger resolution with lots more images. The blog has also been integrated more effectively with the rest of site and shall be contributed to much more often - I promise!

I hope you like it, feel free to get in touch with any feedback.

James

Priest House Wedding Fayre

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:47:00 +0000

I'll be at the Priest House Wedding Fayre, Castle Donington, Derbyshire this Sunday. I'll be singing background rat pack, swing, love songs all day 12 - 4pm - just stop me if you want a chat. Free entry, glass of bucks fizz and goody bag. No registration / pre-booking required.

THE PRIEST HOUSE HOTEL, Kings Mills, Castle Donington, Derbyshire, DE74 2RR.

Everyone is welcome!

The Deluxe Package set up - leaner, meaner and now available in multiple rooms!

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:19:00 +0000

Due to some recent equipment changes and upgrades I can now offer the Deluxe Package - live singing during your wedding breakfast and singer / DJ in the evening - where your wedding breakfast and evening reception are in different rooms.

Having always been a popular request, logistically moving equipment from one room to another quickly enough for the commencement of your evening party was tricky. However, with some recent equipment upgrades, a second evening set up can be installed elsewhere in your venue during your wedding breakfast ready for your evening reception to begin almost instantaneously!

The new wedding breakfast set up also has a much smaller footprint - just 0.5m x 0.5m for mixing desk and processors and two speakers, just 0.45m x 0.35m each. You can enjoy some excellent live music whilst you eat in the smallest of rooms.

I can also now offer, depending on your location, live singing during your reception drinks as an option in the Deluxe Package.

If you are currently booked in for the Standard Package you can add either of these options (live singing during your wedding breakfast OR reception drinks) for just an extra £200.

Contact me for more details.

James

January £50 Offer!

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 15:47:00 +0000

Happy New Year!!

Particularly season's greetings to those of you who got engaged during the festive period. Congratulations!!

With the celebrations over, it's time for many to tighten their belts and keep a watchful eye on finances.

With this in mind, for any bookings placed in January, you can secure your date with just a £50 deposit. You can book your wedding entertainment package any time this month for just £50!

Also, for all bookings placed in January, I am including the Uplighters package add-on, normally £50, COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE!

This offer only applies to bookings placed in January 2013 and is available on both new and exisiting enquiries.

James Barlow

Wedding Industry Awards 2013 - Voter Comments and Scores.

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 11:53:00 +0000

As I'm sure most of you know, earlier this year I was nominated by one of my lovely couples for a 2013 Wedding Industry Award in the 'Best Live Music' category.

The awards are totally independent and the initial, shortlisting stage of the process is conducted based on solely votes and scores from the previous 12 months' brides and grooms from the period of 1st November 2011 to 31st October 2012.

Last month the catogery was narrowed down from 5 to just two shortlisted acts - myself and the fantastic Nero String Quartet.

Unfortunately 'Nero'were victorious in our region. However, to soften the blow somewhat, I was sent all of my voter scores and comments.

I received a total of 51 votes, representing one vote per couple. To say I was blown away from what my clients had to say about me was an understatement! So much so that I had to share all my comments and scores in a blog post.

Firstly my scores. Voters were asked to score me on 1 to 10 in various categories. My results, as an average score across all the voters, were as follows:

1. Range of options (eg: sound, lighting and musical styles) made available by this supplier: 9.73/10

2. Quality of expertise, advice and guidance received from this supplier: 9.65

3. Quality of customer service and communication received from this supplier: 9.73

4. This supplier’s punctuality and personal presentation on the day of your wedding: 9.98

5. Quality of this supplier’s web presence (web site, facebook etc): 9.76

6. Quality of the musical entertainment provided: 9.92

7. Value for money: 9.73

Obviously the key question here is 'Quality of the musical entertainment provided'. I was really happy to score a 9.92 for this!

Now for the voter comments. These have been sent to me anonymously and are presented in complete and unedited form and are responses to two questions: 1) General comments (why do I deserve to win an award) and 2) Why they booked:

General Comments (in random order):

“James Barlow was a professional throughout the planning of our wedding music and on the day itself. He was accommodating, friendly and we were delighted that he played all of our chosen songs as agreed beforehand. His own singing was excellent with guests saying he sounded like the actual artists.”

“James' professionalism throughout our dealings with him could not be disputed. Brilliant communication and client care. Entertainment wise James was amazing. Fantastic choice of songs performed to the highest standard. The floor was filled all night and everyone wants to know where we found him.”

“James was very professional and we were very happy with the service he provided. His singing voice was excellent and we received amazing feedback from our guests saying how much they enjoyed his singing.”

“James was very personable and reassuring during our conversations prior to the wedding day. On the day he was very professional and added to the atmosphere of our wedding day.”

“Using James Barlow as a combined MC, DJ & wedding singer was a great decision. James provided a first class service from initial enquiry to his performance on the day. He was sympathetic to our requirements, played all the music we love & his vocals were absolutely fantastic. Our guests were amazed!”

“From the first time I spoke to James it was clear what a professional set up he has.. James made the booking process & run up to our wedding stress free. He was the perfect end to our wonderful day.”

“From our first contact with James until the actual day of our wedding the experience was spot on. Good communication, clearly an expert in his field. He guided us through everything and we felt completely comfortable leaving the evening in his hands. He got everything spot on.”

“We simply could not find any area in which James Barlow could be faulted. From his range of available music to his totally falwless delivery, there is absolutely no one we would have rather had on our special day. This is also a sentiment shared whole heartedly by our guests. Absolutely brilliant.”

“James was brilliant - he provided the perfect entertainment on such a perfect day. James was considerate to all my guests and accommodated everybody's musical preferences, Just perfect.”

“Website very good, full of info. Easy to contact James, always responds quickly. Turned up at the arranged time, and entertained everybody all evening with an amazing playlist. He has an amazing voice- a true talent!! He fullfilled all our requests. Hiring James was one of the best decisions we made”

“So much possitive feedback from all our our guests and venue.”

“james barlow is an amazing singer and entertainer. we was really looking forward to him singing at are wedding and never expected him to be as amazing as he was. he wowed all are guests& defo best money spent of the whole day”

“James offered the complete entertainment package. He arrived on time and was set up ahead of schedule. He sang our first dance perfectly and his live singing and disco sets kept the dance floor full all night. All the guests commented on how good he was, he really made our reception extra special”

“James was amazing. There was nothing that he could have done to make his performance any better. We had an amazing evening, his live singing was superb and several guests commented that they had to check to see if it was an original recording playing or James's rendition- he was that good.”

“James was absolutely fantastic he was extremely professional, very smart, and has a fantastic personality. His quality of entertaining is second to none which got him a booking at our friends wedding 2 months later. I would undoubtebly book James again for any occasion he is brilliant, great value.”

“James was amazing! He was punctual, well presented and incredibly talented!! Our guests were blown away! He was versatile enough to cover a wide selection of songs, and was more then capeable of smashing them! We trusted his ability so much, we asked him to sing our first dance song! Amazing man!”

“We were really impressed, from the moment we first contacted James he was so professional & helpful & on the day were so happy with how he kept the dance floor busy, played all the songs we requested & sang fantastically! He also helped my husband & I perform secret songs for each other!”

“James was fantastic i am writing this on behalf of my son Joe Bateman and his wife Hollie they both have Down Syndrome and as you guess they married in August. A few of their friend's also have problem's James was so good he had the time to make them all feel special when he sang .They all loved him”

“The booking, pre-wedding organisation and quality of the entertainment were flawless and superb. We gave James very little guidence on music selection and he judged our guests perfectly. We've had nothing but positive comments from everybody about the quality of the evening entertainment.”

“James arrived on the day on time, and set up without interrupting myself and the bride (as we had casino tables on the day to), he was an amazing singer who tailored his music at the time to the crowd was very warm and pleasing to deal with. I was really glad we booked him for our special day.”

“James Barlow was a true professional from start to finish. He was the only part of my wedding that I didn't have to do a thing apart from book him. He entertained a varied age group and was totally amazing. I left the song choices in James's hands and he was great.”

“Jamie has a wealth of experience in wedding entertainment so gave us great advice & guidance. We gave him a short playlist he then picked additional songs that worked with our choices creating a top mix of old & new music - something for everyone. All the guests thought his singing sets were amazing”

“AMAZING!! James helped to make our day even better than perfect. From the minute we enquired with our booking James made it all stress free, his communication & customer service was exceptional! A beautiful voice and a fabulous entertainer! Just AMAZING James..thank you so much!”

“The best there is! Our guests and venue were so impressed with James. The whole process was made easy by him and he made our wedding feel personal, not one of many. An incredible performer and he learnt our first song especially for us, as it wasn't one of his usual ones. Would definitely book again”

“James was nothing but professional,polite,and timely with all correspondence.He arrived earlier than usual to accommodate our venue,helped hand out gifts during my speech,and had the dance floor full from start to end with all ages.Everyone kept saying afterwards how good James' singing was.”

“James was absolutley fantastic and helped to make my wedding day absolutely perfect! He was so prompt getting back to me with any query i had and nothing was to much trouble. James has a fabulous voice and and all my guests fell in love him. He has left me with some amazing memories of a fab day.”

“James is a very professional singer. The quality of his voice and performance is second to none. l suppose like a lot of people on their weddind day, I just wish it could have lasted longer.”

“James was very organised and took a lot of potential stress away from us. He was professional at all times and clearly knew what he was doing.”

“We wanted a singer who also DJ'd aswell. Finding one was difficult! We came across singers who appeared a little 'dated' and slightly 'cheesy'.On the day he was professional, polite, discreet (when singing during meal) which we wanted, full of energy and brilliant vocals! Great selection of songs.”

“From start to finish James was professional and a credit to the industry. Never felt like we would be let down. Arrived promptly and delivered exactly what was promised. First class performer.”

“This guy is an amazing singer, but more importantly wedding singer i say that because from the booking to the detailed selection of songs we wanted him to sing especially the service he offers to sing your chosen first dance, he performed and communicated to the highest standard, he is the best.”

“Booking a singer was actually near the bottom of our list but we can honestly say it made our day. James was friendly and professional from initial enquiry through to the end of the amazingly sung last dance. He even learnt our 1st dance song especially for us. I cannot thank James enough. Amazing.”

“We were very impressed with James. I am a bit of a 'control freak' so emailed James alot. He responsed to every email almost straight away, always assuring me and keeping me calm. Our guests loved the night time - we had a full dance floor almost all evening!”

“I was so happy with James, nothing was too much trouble for him, amazing singer, organised, excellent value for money. So many people said on the night that he was so good, he selected perfect songs all night long. Over the moon with him, would recommend him to every bride to be !”

“Couldn't fault James, from enquiry to the big day.”

“Everyone who attended were very pleased with the performance and the choices of music. All communications prior were easy, he was ready promptly for the arrival of our evening guests and helped the evening run smoothly. One slight misunderstanding about payment lead to slighly lower score.”

“We were very pleased with James' performance and DJ-ing on our wedding day. All guests thoroughly enjoyed the evening do and the dancefloor was full for most of the night. We thought it was great to have our first dance song sung live and to have all the lighting effects and bubbles too.”

“When first contacted we had nothing but honesty and total first class service. Your demo CD was compehensive and thorough. After you sang at our wedding reception, it was like someone was playing the CD. your performance was brilliant. you made the room full with you songs.sung with passion & pride.”

“We can not fault James Barlow in any way. He made our wedding evening absolutely perfect. James is truly talented and his professionalism was present from our initial enquiry to the end of the evening. Our guests were blown away by his performance and wide range of song choice that pleased everyone.”

“James offers a package that included all that we needed. James is easy to deal with as he is very professional and we nevered had a moments worry. We all were amazed by him as he is an excellent singer/performer and entertained us all afternoon/evening. James thoroughly deserves this award, :) bride”

“Played during our wedding breakfast and a great selection of songs for all guests at evening reception. The dance floor was always full of guest enjoying his preforance. James sang our first dance which was an unforgetable touch and different from other artists. I would highly recommend James.”

“We had the most perfect wedding and the evening reception was seamless! The choice of music was excellent, James was very personable and accommodated our last minute requests without hesitation. Each and every guest we spoke to after the wedding said that James was 'awesome' and we agree! Great guy!”

“James was everything we had hoped for and more.”

“James Barlow is outstanding, his performances were of a high standard and he made our wedding reception out of this world. We have had a lot of positive comments from other guests we are really impressed with the quality of his work. He listens to exactly what you want and gives advice when needed”

“Very professional. Excellent performer. Perfect for our wedding day”

“James was a true professional and helped add the special touches that make us smile each time we think about our wedding. James tailored his playlist and live singing with songs that were special to us. We can't thank him enough for providing us with memories that we'll treasure in our hearts always”

“James was great !!!! He definitely contributed in making our wedding day a memorable occasion. His singing was fantastic and we have had so many compliments from our guests of all ages expressing how they enjoyed the selection of James's music. Would definitely recommend James to others !!!!”

“James' ethos is to make it as painless for the client as possible, well he certainly lived up to it. He helped and guided us through each part of the organisation process allowing us to choose exactly what we wanted and how we wanted it presenting (different lights, smoke, music etc.).”

“Jamie showed great attention to detail prior to the wedding, checking song choices, types of music required etc. He sang our wedding song for us. My mum collapsed through illness on the day but Jamie lifted everyones spirits with his professionalism and great voice to still make it a memorable day.”

“From the moment that we first contacted James about our wedding we felt at ease. His customer service was excellent and even when I asked lots of questions and changed song choices this never felt like it was a problem for him. And above all he is a fantastic entertainer!!”

“His singing is outstanding, everything he sung sounded amazing from Michael buble to Amy whine house. He has great energy an always smiling, he kept the dance floor full all night. Ourselves and our guests loved it, a fab entertainer for a fab night.”

Why They Booked (in random order)

“Professional, organised, great singer and overall really nice guy, we could'nt ask for a better entertainer at our wedding.”

“The website initially attracted us to book James Barlow. We were impressed straight away with the overall presentation and information on the site including the demo section; where we were able to hear samples of songs immediately. The website also contains impressive testimonials from previous bride and grooms which portray James’s expertise and gave assurance of the excellent service. James also has a Facebook page which he regularly updates. We received a prompt reply from our initial enquiry with professional and friendly information plus a high quality demo CD which contained 'live' song recordings. We didn't hesitate to book after hearing the professional quality of James’s voice. James’s wide selection of song choice, including our first dance song was also impressive. Prior to the wedding, communication was excellent and we were informed of timings, set lists etc. James Barlow's service was excellent value for money. Not only did James sing live, he also provided a fantastic disco in which we were able to give him a list of requested songs prior to and during the night. James has the whole package with his personal presentation, talent and expertise.”

“We did extensive research on the Internet as we did not have anyone to give us a personal recommendation. Having reviewed dozens of sites we found James's one of the most accessible. Even better there was a good selection of examples of his singing which made it very easy to decide we liked what we heard. What really 'sold' us was his friendly approachable manner. Always prompt with his email or phone contact he sums up what we wanted form a professional wedding singer. He took the stress out of such an important part of the day and we were so amazed and thankful that he was prepared to learn our choice of 1st dance music so that he could sing for us. We would recommend James to anyone wanting a truly professional live singing experience for their wedding.”

“The other half wanted him and I obey.”

“Very professional & prompt repsonse, demo CD sounded fantastic & excellent reviews.”

“We liked his voice and the package he offered”

“Responded to all my emails and queries in good time. Really wanted to know what WE as a couple wanted. Good prices. Loved that he did singing AND the DJing later on in the evening.”

“James' website is great providing great information and insite to his services. James sent a promotional CD which was brilliant.”

“We wanted a live singer and a disco; James offered the complete package at great value.”

“From all the people we spoke to about our entertainment this guy was the best because his detailed entertainment package and demo and his communication with us was the reason we chose him, he knew what he was on about and with him being a singer and DJ he was very good value for money. His demo was fantastic and when he sang live at our wedding he just sounded like the artist themselves.”

“We booked James because of the Live singing aspect of his entertainment, we didn't just want a disco all night, we wanted the disco/Live singing mix. The packages he offered were reasonably priced and seemed to fit the bill perfectly. The sample music provided both from his website and via the sample CD he sent us in the post sounded great. Needless to say we were not disappointed, James made our and our guests night very special.”

“We didn't just want a DJ or just a singer Jamie is the perfect mix of the two. I would recommend Jamie to anyone looking for a singer/DJ that will appeal to all of their guests. Wedding planning can be very stressful so it was great to be able to relax knowing the entertainment was in such safe hands.”

“Clear costing, no hidden extras, enquiry was responded to without delay.”

“We booked James Barlow as he covered a very wide range of musical styles, give us the option to provide our guests a mixture of live music and disco. Plus he has an amazing voice and is very fairly priced. The perfect all round package in our opinion.”

“For the complete package / service he offered and the superb reputation he had already built up”

“We saw his reviews on the internet. He was approachable and good value for money. We really liked his demo CD and the range of music offered when he would be singing live.”

“I booked James after finding his website after I listened to him sing a favourite take that song of mine I knew he was the wedding singer for me! Outstanding :-)”

“We booked him obviously for our wedding his web page had everything we needed to be sure he was what we wanted especially after speaking to him.”

“We chose James for his variety of music and the variety of packages he offered. Our taste in music ranges from rat pack to classic pop with a mix of all time favorites - James was able to deliver everything we wanted. His website was excellent and the fact that we could sample his music before we booked was ideal. The feedback from his other guests was encouraging and he didn't fail to deliver on the night!”

“I have seen him perform at two weddings prior to mine and he has always left people with a spring in their step and a smile on their face, often people wanting him to perform for longer if only the venues had let him!! He compliments all of the hard work of planning the big day, he leaves everyone with happy memories and just a brilliant finish to an important day.”

“Good reviews on website”

“His website provided a lot of detail that I was looking for and it was easy to see that he would fit in at our wedding.”

“He was an all rounder - we liked the sound of his voice and the range of different genres he could do.”

“He was recommended by a different venue that we viewed. It was important to us that guests were kept happy and entertained and didn't end up congregating away from the dance floor! We were told James was the man for the job and he certainly did it. He also had a number of excellent recommendations on his website and sent us a demo CD, which made our decision even easier. We have attended other weddings with a usual DJ and weren't that impressed. James was a bit different to the traditional wedding entertainer and that is what we wanted.”

“He sent us a CD and we loved his voice, his reportaire of music and his expertise. I worry about everything but he ensured me he had the right music covered so I didnt have to worry! He played music on the night I never would have suggested but they went down perfectly! He knew his stuff!!”

“We listened to his on line demos and were able to see online quotes and reviews which left us in no doubt that her was the right wedding singer for us!”

“We booked James because of his informative and professional website and communication and client care on contact with him. We felt we could trust him 100% with our special day. We had never come across James before but his service levels and quality of singing made us want to book him straight away.”

“Because his demo cd was just what we wanted in terms of something to suit everyone & most importantly he sounded great!!!!”

“Because this wedding was so special it needed the right person and lucky for us we found him.”

“Based on the reviews from previous weddings - it was a total "no-brainer" for us!!”

“Liked James play lists, and that he could sing our first dance. James is not your normal wedding DJ, he is stylish, personal and offered a great wedding package to suit our requirments. The feedback from his preivous customers was great and I can now understand why.”

“Wedding entertainment”

“We firstly got in contact with James following extensive searches via the internet as we were highly impressed with his website. James was great when we spoke to him and couldn't do enough to help including the provision of a CD with some of his songs - his voice and obvious talent blew us away and from that moment on we knew that James would be perfect for our wedding day.”

“The reviews on his website were extremely good (and now we know why), and he does a full DJ set interspersed with his singing so you don't have to book a DJ separately. What he charges for all this is extremely reasonable.”

“We booked James because we liked the idea of having a live singer at our wedding but also wanted typical wedding DJ music too and he does both therefore it was quite good value and something a bit different. We had seen all the positive feedback on his website and decided to book him on this basis and after having heard his demo CD.”

“I have known about James for a long time and have heard his music. I quite simply thought that James' range of music, service & prices were the best for us.”

“He offered an all round package for a very reasonable price with lots of amazing comments on facebook.”

“I was impressed with his website, and his quick and detailed response via email. Seemed very professional which is why we ended up booking him.”

“we were impressed with the demo CD.”

“I liked the value for money and the info you got on the website was excellent, he had so many people give him great feedback, and when I did speak to him he was so friendly and helpful. Also the sample cd he sent me was excellent . Wouldn't change a thing he was fantastic.”

“Offered exactly what we were looking for in our price range”

“Great website, sent out great selection of his demo's for us to listen to, he had great reviews and he Was very reassuring, and always replied ASAP whenever we emailed him regarding any questions on song choices etc. made us feel very relaxed in booking him and I'm very glad we did, couldn't have asked for anything/ anyone better.”

“The package that he offered was of a high standard and the price was reasonable. The feedback on his blog is fantastic and when I spoke to him I knew I would book him straight away. Extremely helpful and polite and very professional. He really went out of his way to help us plan everything. we wanted some music mixing for a first dance and he helped us create it. With regular updates we knew exactly were we were with James. We are extremely grateful for everything”

“Value for money, range of entertainment available including live singing and DJ sets”

“The right price and a great selection of packages to choose from, he was flexible and talked us through exactly what we wanted to ensure we got what was right for us on the day.”

“The package we booked fulfilled all our wishes for a very resonable price. Listening to the demo CD finalised our decision. James has such an amazing voice!”

“A fantastic website!! We wanted live vocals and a DJ all in one”

“My sister had talked to James on several occasions and he seemed to be listening exactly to the requirements and was very eager to match them, as well as advise.”

“I wanted to give my bride and guests a fantastic reception to carry on from our great day. After finding James Barlow on a forum site, where mother of the bride was telling averyone just how good he was, I had to find out who he was and could I actually have a live singer at my wedding. After contactingJames, I knew I had the right person for the job. The total package was great value as James's expertese guided us through what he could do for us. To have a real singer, sing your favourite songs as though the original artist was actually there is a feat many so called singers fail at, but James carried this off remarkably. To summerise, If any person reading this, wants a first class, proffessional and amazing sounding wedding singer, they should look no further than James Barlow. Your services are 1st class and the whole package was dealt with as though I was the only one you had to deal with. Nothing seems to be too much trouble for you and I could not thank you enough. I know you'll go on to bigger and better things.”

“He answered all of our initial queries, provided good value for money, and was both a wedding singer and DJ, making our wedding entertainment that bit different to just having a disco.”

“we booked james barlow as all of his feedback on the internet left by other couples was amazing, but words cant explain really how good he really is!!! fantastic singer and performer and will defo be used in future from a few of are guests that are getting married in the next few yrs.”

Once again a huge thank you to everyone that tool the time to vote and leave such amnazing comments - I totally blown away!

James x

Article in The Stage Newspaper.

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 11:41:00 +0000

I've written a guest article for this week's The Stage Newspaper - Nov 29th issue - out in shops now!

Whilst the printed article mainly offers advice to aspiring performers in how to deal with the quieter times of the year, I've included the full unedited article below which might be of interest to some of you. It contains a bit more of an in-depth look at how I started, and continue to run my business:

What for you are the skills performers need both performance wise and business wise to be successful in the function market? How did you first become involved in this field? What would you suggest a singer do who is interested in starting off in this area? Do you find there are slow periods and then busy periods and how do you cope with each?

I started out aged 17, performing in the pubs and clubs of Stoke on Trent with my then girlfriend as a duo. While certainly an excellent apprenticeship in performing to a vast range of people – more so to the often scary clientele of Stoke’s Working Men’s Clubs – we soon found that the private, function market was where nicer venues, gigs and richer pickings were to be found. After paying our way through our uni courses by doing lots of gigs, both our professional and personal relationship ended. With a few up-coming bookings, I decided to take them on a solo singer. Around this time, in 2002, I decided to re-brand as ‘The Wedding Singer’ – as a part cash-in on the popular film but also to aid me with the all-important search engine keywords for my web site. theweddingsinger.uk.com was born and at the time, was one of the very few web sites of its kind. Indeed booking and buying things over the internet was far from common place and the first conversations with brides and grooms on the day was often about the novel way in which I was discovered and booked! I’m happy to say that I’ve made very good living from singing, purely within the private function market, since finishing university and haven’t set foot in a pub or club (to sing!) since 2002 and more importantly I’ve managed to achieve my goal of avoiding the dreaded ‘proper job’!

As a completely independent singer, I do all my own accounting, marketing, admin, web designing and SEO work. 99% of my clients find me via my web site and I’ve never used an entertainments agency. I’d say the clerical side of my business is as important as the performance side, if not more so. You can be the best singer in world, but if you’ve got no gigs to go to – you have no business. I answer every phone call and reply to every e-mail quickly and professionally. The way you deal with wedding clients in particular is so important, you want to give them complete reassurance that you are the right person for the most important day of their lives. A badly worded, misspelt e-mail or an unprofessional phone call, maybe with dogs barking or children crying in the background, is all it takes to make you appear as something less than the complete professional they require.

For the performance side of my job, I would say there are three key areas of utmost importance: training, equipment, repertoire.

The best move I ever made as a singer was to start voice lessons. I study with a Speech Level Singing teacher and quickly realised that the voice is essentially a muscle that needs continued training. My voice has improved so much in terms of stamina, power and range in 6 years since I started having lessons.

Secondly, I invest heavily in making sure I have the best equipment. Not only does it help to keep me firmly at the higher end of the market, the renewal of equipment also adds that all important frisson of excitement to the job for myself; the trap of over-familiarity and complacency is an easy one to get caught in when you perform similar sets of covers week in, week out.

The third area of importance is all about the music. A mixture of common sense, trial and error and lots or experience help to find exactly which tracks work best in different scenarios and at different times of the day / evening of a function. This coupled with keeping things fresh by adding new tracks and of course, accommodating clients’ play list requests, is the key to a successful function.

I don’t have completely baron periods with no work, I only have 2 or 3 quiet months where I would still expect to book 4 or 5 weddings opposed to the 8 – 12 weddings I would look to book in the busier months. It’s important however to be well organised financially to not only compensate for the uneven revenue stream throughout the year, but to save up for the all-important January tax bill. I also make sure as well that I have enough in savings to cover the complete replacement of all my equipment and provision for replacing my van should the unthinkable happen.

As I work 99% of the time within the wedding market a quiet January, gigs-wise, is inevitable but not necessarily a bad thing. The Christmas and New Year period is the most popular time for marriage proposals, so most of my January is filled with dealing with enquiries from newly engaged couples. December is very quiet for taking new bookings as most people are thinking about, and saving up for, the festive season so they haven’t the time to do the research or the money for deposits. Therefore January is also the time where those who put their wedding planning off during December will start to book their suppliers. December is a very busy month for weddings surprisingly, I guess due to people being more likely to have time off work but also, I suspect, due to the number of people that search out better value out-of-season honeymoons in exotic destinations that are hot all year round.

Also, although I do very few non-wedding gigs, lots of businesses that are very busy over the festive period - those in the hospitality and retail sector in particular – actually wait until after Christmas to hold their Christmas parties, for which they obviously require entertainment. So there is potential for January work if you know where to look!

As I’ve said, I don’t really have very quiet periods of no work but when things aren’t looking as busy, I just intensify the following up of any current leads or enquiries. I make sure anyone who may have enquired within the last few weeks have no unanswered questions, and more importantly that they have actually received my responses to their enquiries in the first place. Email and even post doesn’t always reach its destination; there’s nothing worse than a client thinking you’ve forgotten about them when they just haven’t received what you’ve sent through! Also, I may look into attending a few local wedding fairs to promote my services – although this is something I largely avoid if possible due to the extra time and expense involved. Finally, I might put more effort into building relationships with local venues by finding out the name of the function and events manager and asking them to add my name to their list of recommended suppliers. Obviously the better any song demos or promotional material you provide them with are, the more likely they are to add you to their list of people to recommend. Saying how easy you are to work with and providing them with a few references from previous clients or venues would definitely help your cause.

What is the most useful piece of advice you have been given in your own career and by whom?

I think the most apt piece of advice I have received, and would pass on to others, comes from my old mate Winston Churchill - “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” I’ve had periods of pessimism and optimism in my life and career, and certainly periods where I’ve both hated and loved the job. What I have learned over the last few years though, where I have really excelled and expanded the business, is that I have accepted more jobs and challenges than I ever had previously. Moreover, the challenges I have accepted, I’ve entered into with much more optimism and excitement and far less apprehension than in previous years. In the process I’ve learned that approaching something – a gig, e-mail, phone call, client meeting, radio/newspaper interview, magazine article – in a positive, ‘can do’ way produces far better results, leading to an upward spiral of confidence-boosting success!

I have been shortlisted for a Wedding Industry Award!

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 09:59:00 +0000

My brides and grooms from the last 12 months have been busy submitting their scores and comments for me via the Wedding Industry Awards web site. The judging process so far has been based purely on scores and feedback by past customers. It's amazing to know so many people voted and gave me such good feedback!

It has now been whittled down to just two in the Live Music Entertainment category for my region of the West Midlands. Winners are announced at the end of the month.

A big thank you to everyone who voted and even if I don't progress further in the awards, knowing that everyone enjoyed their days is prize enough.

Hope you'll all keep everything crossed for me!

James

Photo Montage Video

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:59:00 +0000

I've put together a video of images from some of my wedding from (mostly) the last 12 months I though I'd share with you all!

Click here for more info...

Wedding DJ vs Wedding Band vs Wedding Singer

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:52:00 +0000

As with the majority of wedding planning tasks, choosing your evening entertainment is a tricky and potentially time-consuming one. You want your guests to be impressed, you’re maybe after that ‘wow factor’. Above all you probably want a full dance floor and the certainty that a good time will be had by all.

Be quick!

The first thing to say is: start your research early. As with all of your suppliers, the best DJs, singers, bands will get booked up early. As a popular wedding singer, it’s not uncommon for me to be booking 18 – 24 months in advance.

Budget it

Secondly, you want to get some idea of your budget. Very broadly speaking, for a quality wedding-specialist supplier, for your evening entertainment, you are looking at £250-£500 for a DJ, £500-£1000 for a Singer and £1000 + for a band. Shop around. You will find that if your wedding is in an off-peak month or during the week you should be offered better deals. However, the best suppliers will probably be able to book popular dates 10 times over and will be reluctant to reduce their price making haggling virtually impossible, particularly for popular summer dates. If your favoured supplier is not giving you a discount, it’s maybe because they are popular enough to get fully booked up at full price. If someone still has the majority of their summer Saturdays available, maybe ask yourself why!

Credible or laughable?

Have a look through web sites, see pictures, testimonials from previous brides or grooms. Do they entertain at lots of weddings? It’s about more than turning up and playing music; a Friday night entertaining a pub is a lot different from what you and your guests will require on your wedding day and you need to be confident that your dance floor will be as busy as a Next sale at 1am! I would find someone with an up to date, regular stream of dated wedding testimonials, with pictures, very attractive.

If there is an opportunity to meet them, take this up. If not, give them phone call to quiz them about what they do and to talk through your day. If you’re talking to a DJ, throw a couple of your favourite tracks at them and see how they would integrate these into a play list to keep your dance floor busy. What are their top 5 tracks to keep everyone on the floor? Do they say Flo Rida or Black Lace? Are you on the same wavelength?

Does the singer / band / DJ you are consering have decent have decent equipment? You’re probably not an expert in sound equipment but seeing some pictures and checking visually is a good starter. Does it look up to date? Is it suitably tasteful - if you’re spending £500 on chair covers, you don’t want a Tony Blackburn wannabe arriving up with a homemade speaker and rope light!

If you’re looking for a band or singer, check the use of ‘substitutes’ or 'deputies'– will you definitely be getting the people you see and hear when you book? Bands often interchange members at their leisure whilst keeping the same band name. If this is common practice for the band you're considering, make sure the 'subs' or 'deps' will be up to scratch.

Music styles

Think about what style of music you want for the day: classical, rat pack, rock or dubstep? Jazz, disco, funk or folk-metal? Whilst the visual element my be lacking in a DJ, a live performer will have more restrictions in terms of the music styles available to them; a four piece pop band won’t be able to play any rat pack or swing tunes wihtout a brass section. The same goes for a lot of funk, disco, soul tracks - many would require brass instruments.

A singer using backing tracks will be more versatile and only restricted by the limits of their voice, rather than what instruments a band has as its disposal. You also have the novelty of a live performer – something for your guests to watch and interact with.

A DJ will be more versatile and be able to play technically whatever styles you request without, of course, the visual element of a performer.

A different performer/s for each part of day is obviously another option: Harpist / String Quartet for your reception drinks, Singer for during your Wedding Breakfast and then a pop band and disco in the evening, but that’s for another blog entry on another day!

Hiring a wedding DJ, singer or band for your special day ultimately boils down to your budget and favoured music styles. A DJ will be versatile in terms of music and easy on your budget. A singer will be slightly less versatile but could easily entertain you all day and evening, crooning during the day and rocking out in the evening. A band offer the ultimate in visual and musical entertainment but will seriously limit your scope for different music styles, as well as makes the more serious a dent in your budget.

Groom's First Looks

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:59:00 +0000

Us wedding singers rarely get to see this part of the day but I absolutely love these!

Caroline and Rory at Curradine Barns, Worcestershire on 22nd September 2012

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:28:00 +0000

I spent a fantastic evening with Caroline, Rory and their friends and family at Curradine Barns in Shrawley, Worcestershire on 22nd September.

It was my first time at Curradine Barns and it's a truly stunning barn venue. Situated amoungst the stunning Worcestershire countryside, the barns were originally constructed as an agricultural grain store. Restoration of the barns began in autumn 2004 and continuous improvements and loving care have created a stunning contemporary and atmospheric wedding venue.

The stunning couple!

Caroline and Rory booked me at their wedding singer back in January and opted for my Standard Package (Evening Singer & DJ). Their evening reception was held in the Granary Barn where I was able to set up whilst the wedding breakfast and speeches were concluding in the adjoining Barley Barn.

My sound and lighting set up in the Granary Barn

Surprises!

Rory contacted me a couple of months before the big day to say he played guitar and was thinking about playing something for Caroline as a suprise in the evening. Would he be able to play along on guitar whilst I sang a track? I said - "no problem"! Rory decided on Elton John's Your Song as the track, which I sourced (minus guitar part) and forwarded on to Rory to get learning!

In the meantime, a shortly before that wedding day, Caroline rang me sounded slightly flustered asking if it was okay if she could surprise Rory with, you've guessed it... a song! Obviously a musically talented couple! Caroline is a pianist and wanted to play Adele's Make You Feel My Love on the day, especially for Rory.

Obviously I was sworn to secrecy by both and had two simultanious plans to set in place which included an awful lot secret collusion mainly about the arrangment of performance times but also about the hiding and movement of instruments. Neither could know what the other had planned!

Both with differing ways of dealing with their performance anxiety, Caroline opted for just before the first dance for her song - to get it over with as quickly as possible, and Rory waited until near the end of the night - "so everyone's had a few drinks"!

Caroline's song!

The plans worked perfectly and Rory and Caroline were both delighted and surprised with each other's performances. I know so well that there's nothing more nerve-racking than performing in front of your nearest and dearest; they did a fantastic job of both playing and keeping their nerves in check!

As an added element to the story, Caroline has since told me that she very nearly performed 'Your Song' rather than 'Make You Feel My Love', meaning both bride and groom almost surprised each other with exactly the same track: great minds think alike!

Set lists

I thought it would be an interesting idea to include all the tracks I played and sang on the night. I must emphasise at this point that my singing and DJing set lists change from wedding to wedding and take into account: the bride and groom's requests made prior to the day, guests' request on the night, and crucially my experience at interepreting of the crowd and usuing my knowledge of playing the right track at the correct time to keep the dance floor busy.

Caroline and Rory requested L.O.V.E by Nat King Cole as their first dance, which I learnt to sing for them. They made only a few requests from which I was able to build a play list on the night mixing in similar tracks to their requests based on the reaction of the dance floor.

Hard at "work"!

Here you can see songs sung live in grey and songs played during my DJ sets in black. Songs followed by a * are songs / artists particularly requested by the bride and groom:

First Dance: L-O-V-E Nat King Cole

Crazy Little Thing Called Love Michael Buble
You To Me Are Everything The Real Thing

Dance The Night Away The Mavericks

Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison

Stuck In The Middle With You Steelers Wheel
All Night Long Lionel Richie

You're The First, The Last, My Everything       Barry White
Walking On Sunshine    Katrina And The Waves
I Gotta Feeling       Black Eyed Peas *
Sexy And I Know It       Lmfao
Where Have You Been        Rihanna
Call Me Maybe    Carly Rae Jepsen
Domino    Jessie J *

What Makes You Beautiful    One Direction *
Year 3000       Busted *
Uptown Girl      Westlife *
Love Reallly Hurts Without You    Billy Ocean

Valerie (Backing Track) Amy Winehouse
Relight My Fire Take That *
Build Me Up Buttercup The Foundations
Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
I'm A Believer    The Monkees
I Want You Back Jackson 5
Celebration     Kool And The Gang
Cee Lo Green - Forget You *

Hey Ya       Outkast *
Jump Around       House Of Pain
Walk This Way       Run Dmc Feat.
Can't Touch This       Mc Hammer

Boom! Shake The Room       Dj Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince    -
Everybody Get Up (Radio Edit)    Five    Everybody Get Up
Place Your Hands       Reef
Don't Stop Believin'      Journey
Don't Stop Me Now       Queen

Livin' On A Prayer Bon Jovi
Respect – Erasure

Don't You Want Me Baby    Human League, The
Y.M.C.A.    The Village People *
Blame On The Boogie    The Jacksons
The Grease Mega-Mix       Grease
I Wanna Dance With Somebody       Whitney Houston
Dancing Queen       Abba

Love Is In The Air John Paul Young
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You    Andy Williams
My Girl The Temptations
How Deep Is Your Love   Take That *
Elton John   Your Song
You've Got The Love    Florence + The Machine *
Sex On Fire   Kings Of Leon *

A full (and happy) dance floor, always the main aim!

When they returned from honeymoon, Caroline and Rory sent me the follwoing comments about the day:

We have just got back from our honeymoon and we wanted to email you to thank you properly for performing at our wedding on 22^ndSeptember.

We had such an amazing day and have enjoyed remembering all the different moments from it, in particular the party in the evening and dancing to your wonderful singing and song choices! We have had many compliments from our guests about you and we too were really impressed... from the moment we first contacted you, you were so professional and helpful and on the day we were so happy with how you kept the dance floor busy, played all the songs we requested and sang fantastically!

Of course we have to thank you for keeping both of our secrets about performing for each other! Neither of us had a clue what the other had planned and it was wonderful surprise on the day. We hope it wasn’t too stressful for you! We are just pleased we didn’t choose to play the same song, as I (Caroline) had practiced ‘Your Song’ as well as ‘Make You Feel My Love’!!

We have voted for you for your award and will be recommending you to everyone we know! We hope you can use this as a testimonial for your website.

Thank you so much!

All the very best to Caroline and Rory and thank you so much for inviting me to share your day with you. I partcularly won't forget the night of two surprise songs!

Also many thanks to David J Perkins for the stunning shots of the day, which I have used in this post.

James Barlow
Wedding Singer Worcestershire

Marquee Wedding Entertainment Guide

noreply@blogger.com (James Barlow) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:02:00 +0000

A marquee can be a spectacular setting for your wedding reception and a temporary structure has the benefit of being located anywhere you choose. As a wedding singer and DJ I have entertained in many marquees - on the grounds of wedding venues, on village greens, at farms and even in large back gardens!

When planning your own marquee wedding, particularly at a private residence, there are some important things to bear in mind when booking your wedding entertainment:

1) Access

Make sure that we have vehicular access to your marquee and a parking space for our vehicle. We have quite a lot of sound and lighting equipment that will need to be unloaded on the day. The nearer we can get our vehicle to your marquee, the quicker and more efficiently we can complete the set-up. If the distance between our vehicle and your marquee is more than 25 metres or we need to go through a property to gain access to the performance space, please notify me before you book, as more time will be needed for set-up and you will need to plan timings your day accordingly. Think also about varying weather on the day. Will we still be able to safely gain access on foot / in a vehicle in wet conditions, particularly on grass?

2) Layout

Whilst devising your table plan, think about your evening reception. Is there space for your dance floor to be assembled before you sit down for your Wedding Breakfast or will this need to be added after your meal? If you need to re-arrange tables after your meal and lay the dance floor, make sure you allow enough time for this in your schedule.

Also, think about where your DJ, singer or band will perform. They will need adequate space to set-up. My requirements are a minimum of 3m x 1.5m. Think about where to locate your entertainers. Make sure you leave adequate space between the wall of you marquee and the dance floor in which to accommodate your musicians or DJ.

3) Flooring

Your entertainers will have equipment, most probably stand-mounted speakers and lighting. For health and safety reasons it is essential that the ground in the designated area for their set-up is suitably hard and flat. The last thing you want is heavy equipment up high on a stand on unsteady ground.

4) Power

It is essential that you have an adequate power supply in your marquee on the day. If you are dealing with a marquee company, the management of electrical supply may be something that is included with your package. If not, I would highly recommend employing the services of a qualified electrician, the last thing you want is to be having music and lighting break downs throughout your evening. The electrical demands from your various suppliers on the day may be larger than you may think. Consider your internal marquee lighting, heating, your caterer's requirements (ovens, grills and hot plates) as well as your entertainment.

For my set up I require a minimums of 2 separate, standard plug points. A common mistake, especially with weddings at private residences, is simply plugging one 3 or 4 way extension into a household plug. This is not adequate for our 20+ items of equipment that need plugging in. If you are dealing with your own electrics and coming from a household supply, power needs to be sourced from multiple sockets.

As I said earlier, for such an important event, I would highly recommend employing the services of an electrician.

5) Noise & Licencing

Again, applying mainly if you are planning a wedding reception at a private residence, local village green etc. Be aware that noise from your evening reception will spread quite readily throughout the surrounding areas. Make sure to notify any neighbours, or even better, invite them along!

You do not need a licence to have music at your wedding reception as it is classed as a private event where you are not charging an entry fee, See the Performing Rights Society web site for more information

From an entertainer's perspective if all the above are in order, you can expect a trouble-free day. If you have any questions or queries feel free to contact me either by phone or e-mail.

James

Me entertaining in a marquee at Ardington House, Oxfordshire. April 2009.