EXPERT ADVICE

FAQs and expert advice about entertainment

Here is a selection of Q&As from Your South Wales Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@yoursouthwales.wedding

To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.

A Romantic Atmosphere

A Romantic Atmosphere

Q My fiancé and I are having an elegant celebration and we're thinking of hiring a harpist. Do you have any advice on how we can have a classic theme while still keeping the music modern?
A Joy Cornock says: If elegance is what you're after, then the harp is perfect. The rich sonorities and stunning woodwork make a dreamy addition to any wedding. The harp is a versatile instrument and can perform almost any song and style. This classic wedding instrument brings elegance and grace, but it can also perform wonderful renditions of popular and modern tunes.

My advice would be to choose the music and repertoire that makes your heart sing and I'm almost certain that the harp will be able to accommodate. With my clients, I send a recommended repertoire list for them to choose from, but I also accept requests as it's important that the music is tailored around their tastes.

Vary the styles of music throughout the ceremony; many couples choose a classical piece to walk down the aisle, e.g., Canon in D, and walk out to a modern song, e.g., Marry You by Bruno Mars. I can sing to my own accompaniment on the harp which means you can include romantic and touching lyrics in the performance too. One thing is for sure: you will never regret the spine-chilling effect the harp has on the atmosphere in the room during a wedding ceremony.

Joy Cornock, Joy Cornock

Dance The Night Away

Dance The Night Away

Q My wife-to-be and I are getting ready to book our wedding entertainment and were wondering what we should ask our chosen supplier before booking?
A Andrew Davies says: When looking for a supplier, consider if you can put your own stamp on the entertainment. For example, we ask couples to choose songs to incorporate into their playlist to help tailor the night to their music tastes. You could ask if the supplier offers request cards so your guests can ask for songs throughout the night by either writing them down or using an online request app. Couples very often send out request cards with their invitations; however, we always try to discourage this, as, over the years, our experience has been that these playlists very rarely work, as what someone chooses while sitting on their sofa replying to a wedding invitation is usually very different from what they would choose at a wedding party.

Try to make the setup as personalised as possible, such as by matching the lighting to your colour scheme for your first dance and a personalised projection of your initials. Here at Evolution Entertainment, we offer a standard white wedding setup with modern lighting and white speakers, as well as a rustic setup ideal for barn weddings. See what packages the supplier offers. For example, we have multiple packages so you can add those extra touches, including light-up love letters, festoon lighting, uplighters all the way and cold-spark indoor fireworks to add those extra touches to make your wedding your own.

Andrew Davies, Evolution Entertainment

Time to celebrate

Time to celebrate

Q We're having our wedding in our local church followed by a drinks reception outside; can a harp be moved to play in both locations, and is there anything we need to take into consideration?
A Hannah Williams says: I have played at numerous weddings in which I have moved location between the ceremony and drinks reception. I usually arrive at the reception venue and set up before the majority of the guests arrive, but having a few photos at the church and mingling with your guests outside for a short while usually aids in ensuring that I have enough time to pack the harp away and arrive at the reception venue before your guests arrive.

A few considerations are needed to allow your harpist to comfortably play outdoors. As the instrument is very valuable it needs to be kept out of direct sunlight and away from the elements. Having a flat surface to place the harp on is also an important consideration as the harp must be kept steady. The harpist may also have an amplifier and therefore need access to power.

Speak to your harpist and venue directly to ensure there are plans in place in the event of hot or adverse weather conditions, such as providing a parasol and ensuring there is a shaded area for the harpist to set up if the weather is hot or allowing the harpist to set up indoors in the event of rain.

Hannah Williams, Hannah Williams Harpist

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