Arley Hall Wedding Venue – Cheshire Wedding Band & Wedding Entertainment Preferred Suppliers
Arley Hall is one of our absolute favourite Cheshire wedding venues to work in. It perfectly blends old world country house with a beautiful barn and elegant courtyard and compliments all three with stunning gardens, rolling parkland and amazing catering throughout. The partnership of Arley’s own wonderful wedding planners and Heritage Portfolio’s team of culinary wizards is one to behold!
In fact you may have come across Arley Hall recently without even realising it as it has for the last few years been the home of Tommy Shelby in the hit BBC series Peaky Blinders. In fact the Hall has really taken the Peaky Blinders to heart with a series of events celebrating the collaboration.
Our relationship with Arley Hall stared 15 years ago when my colleague Matt begun his wedding career as a violinist performing in string quartets in Cheshire and neighbouring counties. It was therefore logical that when we set up Bloomsbury we turned to Arley Hall to offer our services to their many prospective clients. We also used their wedding barn for the filming of our wedding band film, such is the esteem with which we hold it.
Here are some ideas as to how one can make the most of the spaces available to bring the venue to life with live music.
The Hall
The Hall is the epitome of sophistication and elegance. There are a few locations in which musicians can be placed and we’d personally recommend a string quartet at the foot of the main staircase as the acoustics are perfect and the sound effortlessly peculates into the adjoining rooms. If you’re lucky to be blessed with good weather you can position our Chesire string quartet outside on the lawn for a truly ‘al fresco’ experience!
Alternatively you can make use of the house’s antique grand piano which graces the drawing room. This can be used by a solo pianist, with the addition of a singer or even for some light jazz – all tailored to suit the mood of your wedding and the heritage of the Hall.
The Olympia Suite
This suite comprises the Warburton Room, The Hayloft & The Courtyard.
The Courtyard is glorious on a summers day and can even be covered entirely in a transparent marquee to guarantee the space in even the most inclement weather. This beautiful setting lends itself extremely well to a jazz quartet, an acoustic duo or even, for those of a more classical inclination, a harpist. It has natural acoustics and yet can take a bit more volume for those that want something a little livelier.
The Warburton room features exposed red brick walls and a lofty ceiling supported by amazing wooden beams. It is here that most evening receptions take place and was, as mentioned earlier, the setting for our wedding band promotion film. We think that a live band provides the ultimate in entertainment and energy – either a traditional wedding band or a ceilidh band…due to the length of the room it really is perfect for a ceilidh, the ultimate in inclusive entertainment across all age ranges. Alternatively you can of course opt for a DJ or DJ & Saxophone. Whatever you go for the room really is brilliant a hosting a good party.
The Hayloft is the smallest of Olympia’s venues. This cosy room nestled in the eves of the building lends itself well to an acoustic duo or a classical guitarist – something unobtrusive to set the right atmosphere.
The Gardens
Given the right weather the gardens make a sublime spot for tying the knot! Whilst not blessed with natural acoustics the sound of a saxophone or violin or of a string quartet will still carry well and reach your guests whilst amplification can be provided for those that need a hand – a singer, guitarist, harpist or even a keyboard. Don’t let logistics get in the way of you realising your dream wedding in all it’s glory – let us worry about the boring bits and you concentrate on the vision and creative flare.
The Cruck Barn
This charming barn provides the most stunning location for a ceremony or even drinks reception. Whilst not completely guarded from the elements it still offers a roof and in the summer can be very comfortable. Music here can sound wonderful too and I’d particularly recommend an acoustic duo performing stripped back arrangements of any song – from jazz standards to contemporary chart – all treated to the individuality of our brilliantly talented singers and guitarists.
The Package
In reality it’s possible to use almost the entire estate at one point or another for your wedding day…ceremony in the garden, drinks on the lawn, breakfast in the gallery and party in Olympia. Each has its own character and each can be perfectly complimented by different styles of music.
And now comes the best bit – as Bloomsbury works as a collective we are able to assemble a team of musicians to deliver all your entertainment requests without the need to book separate individuals and groups. Acoustic Pop Duos, Jazz Groups and Wedding Bands can all be made up by members of the same small group of musicians by us carefully selecting this group from our wider extensive collective and by ensuring that the members are all able to fulfil the various roles required. By the end of the day the musicians will have developed a great rapport with your guests and having a smaller number of musicians on site will help with logistics and continuity. It’s what we specialise in most and we love the challenge of curating the perfect combination of musicians to achieve the most spectacular results.
Photo Credit: Dave Thornton Photography
