Frequently asked questions:-
How do I go about booking you?
After contacting me with your requirements, via email or telephone, I will send you an official contract, confirming everything we have agreed upon. To make a booking, an initial non-refundable deposit of only £50 is required, together with the signed contract. The balance will be due, 28 days before your event.
How far ahead do you get booked?
(My event isn't until next year)
I have had confirmed bookings in the diary, over THREE AND A HALF YEARS IN ADVANCE! Consequently, please do not leave it to the last minute to book me, otherwise, you may well be disappointed!
Once we have made a booking, what happens next?
As normally, the wedding/event is several months away, there will probably not be a great deal to discuss, until three or four weeks before the actual day itself. At this point, specific timings can be confirmed and specific songs chosen.
How much notice do you need, to learn new songs for our wedding, which are NOT shown on your repertoire list?
Ideally, if you can give me around 3 weeks notice, that would be great. Sometimes, it is not possible to purchase the music, meaning that I will have to work out the song by ear and then write it out. This process can sometimes be very time consuming. Following this, I will then need to practice the piece, to ensure that it is of professional performance standard, for your special day.
Our venue needs proof of your Public Liability Insurance and that your equipment has been PAT tested. Can you please provide this information?
That is not a problem. My policies are renewed on an annual basis, every July. Please let me know the name of the person at your venue, who needs the information and their email address and I will send them a PDF copy.
How many songs do we need to choose for our wedding day?
Generally, my clients choose a piece for the bridal entrance, one or two pieces for the signing of the register and one piece for when the happy couple leave the building, after they are officially married. Naturally, couples are also welcome to select songs for the arrival of their guests, before the ceremony officially begins and for the drinks reception and wedding breakfast. However, the majority of my clients, rely upon my experience and leave the choice up to me. Basically, it is YOUR wedding, so I will follow your decision!
How long does it take you to set up?
If a piano is already available AT YOUR VENUE, it will only take me 5 minutes to set up.
However, if you would like me to BRING MY ELECTRIC PIANO/PA SYSTEM, this will take approx. 15 minutes to set up, ONCE ALL THE EQUIPMENT IS IN THE ROOM.
If you would also like me to bring my PIANO SHELL, which most people do, this will take an additional 10 minutes of set up time.
The length of time required to move the equipment from my car to the room will, of course, be dependant upon how close to the room I am able to park, whether the venue is upstairs, if there is a lift etc. Also, I will need time to park my car somewhere, once all the equipment is in the room, which, if in central London, could add an extra 45 minutes overall – as I recently discovered!
How much space do you take up/need?
A minimum of 2m x 2m is required when using the piano shell/PA system. (Ideally, a slightly larger space would be preferable). The keyboard without the shell would fit into a smaller space.
Do you need anything else from us?
A single, standard 13a power socket
A large glass of water please!
How long do you play for at a wedding ceremony?
Although the ceremony itself lasts roughly 30 – 40 minutes, I will also play for roughly 20 minutes before the actual ceremony begins (I will perform 4 – 6 pieces as the wedding guests arrive at the church/venue). I will also play 1 piece as the bride enters, 1 or 2 pieces during the signing of the register and 1 piece as the couple depart the building.
How long do you play for at the drinks reception?
Drinks receptions normally last between 1 and 2 hours. For a 1 hour reception, I will play approximately 15 songs, constantly for the whole hour, with no breaks. For a 2 hour reception, I will take a 15 minute break after the first hour and then continue to play, roughly 12 more songs until the end of the second hour.
How long do you play for at a wedding breakfast?
The wedding breakfast normally lasts between 2 – 3 hours, dependant upon the number of courses, the number of guests, the speed of the serving staff etc. Similarly, to the drinks reception, I will take a 15 minute break after the first hour and also after the second hour. Consequently, I will play a rough total of 39 songs (15 + 12 +12) for a 3 hour wedding breakfast.
Do you mind playing the piano that is already at the venue?
In theory, I don't mind, BUT I prefer to play my own instrument. This is because my piano will definitely be in tune and all the keys will actually work! (On several occasions, I have turned up at venues which DO have pianos, only to discover that the instrument is virtually unplayable. Indeed, I once turned up at a venue and the whole pedal mechanism was actually missing!) Furthermore, if your event occurs in more than one location, it is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that the venue will allow their instrument to be moved from one room to another, from upstairs to downstairs and from inside to outside! HENCE, WHY IT IS BEST THAT I USE MY OWN EQUIPMENT, WHICH IS TOTALLY PORTABLE.