The great outdoors: Scottish wedding entertainment ideas if you’re having your ceremony or reception outside

Regardless of whether it’s a harp at your lochside ceremony or a saxophonist blasting Ibiza classics as the solar sets, there’s an out of doors enjoyment alternative to go well with each wedding day style, writes Olivia Simpson

I never know what it is about us Brits, but as before long as the times get started to lengthen, it’s like we’re biologically programmed to obtain in fields and parks to listen to songs. You have bought a selection of possibilities: if moshing in a muddy field isn’t your bag, you could generally sip prosecco from a plastic cup at the Proms in the Park. Either way, 1 thing’s for absolutely sure: it ain’t summer months until we have liked our favourite tunes in the excellent outdoor.

If you’re organizing a summer time wedding day, odds are you’ll be hoping to get pleasure from at least aspect of your working day outside, so we asked Scottish entertainers to fill us in on all you want to know about alfresco entertainment.

Place

Not all venues are made equal when it comes to outdoor leisure, I’m afraid. Apart from the apparent have to have for plenty of house in the open air for musicians and friends to get, there are other issues to be regarded as. “Some venues have had problems from neighbours about the noise of new music staying performed outdoors,” points out saxophonist Marshali Scott. “The sax is a loud instrument, and it is not comfortable for me to continuously engage in at a extremely reduced quantity. On top rated of that, my speaker songs needs to match my saxophone volume. In advance of asking your musician to set up outside the house, it is very good to look at that your venue’s outside room can take care of loud songs.”

Maybe you’d choose ethereal harp music as you glide down the aisle? You’d greater test the terrain. “Patio slabs or concrete are excellent for me and my instrument,” notes wedding ceremony harpist Sam MacAdam. “If it is on grass, I’ll carry a rug with me. Gravel is not attainable with the big pedal harp, but I also play the clàrsach which is the all-terrain edition of the harp: I can play it definitely everywhere. I have been up hills, on gravel, across lochs on stepping stones – everywhere I can achieve, the clàrsach can occur as very well.”

Bands necessitating staging will also want a flat surface area to set up on, so if your venue does not have a level area in the backyard garden, this could be an problem. Trav Panesar from Tartan Amusement raises the issue of parking obtain, considering the fact that functions with a lot of gear may well wrestle to carry it if their van is parked a truthful distance from exactly where they are to carry out.

That becoming said, the majority of the musicians we spoke to explained they could perform almost any place. Just one-individual functions, like pipers, are amongst the most multipurpose below, and ought to be in a position to abide by you up glens and onto shorelines really should you desire.

Appear rain, come shine

As a lot as we might very long for blue skies, we all know the fact of a Scottish summer can be tough. The to start with and in all probability the most urgent difficulty would be rain. “Some venues enable for us to enjoy less than a bandstand or cover, or just inside some doorways in case of rain,” shares Siobhán Daly from trio Amarone Music. “Where achievable, we commonly provide fewer pricey instruments with us if the climate isn’t on the lookout much too promising – but realistically, if the weather conditions is also undesirable for us to enjoy outdoors, your guests won’t want to be out there possibly!

“It’s normally important to have a System B,” she proceeds. “On the rare situation there has been issues enjoying exterior, we have set up just within the doorways or in a porch, with our amp experiencing out. This is basically excellent for when some guests are braving the Scottish weather conditions and others have decided to stay inside, so anyone can get pleasure from the music.”

Even a hardy piper will require to take some more safety measures must the weather conditions get a change for the worse, as Craig Ward Piping points out: “Bagpipes basically despise humidity, and it impacts the high-quality and steadiness of their sound, which can indicate enhanced adjustment to their tuning. The pipes could possibly hate the rain, but I’m Scottish, so it arrives with the territory. As extended as I remember my water resistant cape, me and my kilt will be just fantastic.”
Love ’em or loathe ’em, there is no denying the bagpipes can generate a impressive seem.

In accordance to Craig, this helps make them perfect for participating in in the elements: “Bagpipes are a quite loud instrument. They really don’t need any amplification and company will absolutely listen to me, wind or no wind! Well, maybe I’d be drowned out by a twister, but we’d have even bigger difficulties in that situation!”

Other acts, however, will will need a serving to hand should the breeze choose up: “We use amplification, which will assure you hear us more than any wind,” Aimee Penman from WooHoo Band assures us. This will require an electrical electrical power source exterior, or extension cables, which your venue ought to be in a position to present.

Even if you hit the jackpot and your wedding day day’s a scorcher, there could be challenges, as Gerad McArthur from GeO Gospel Choir describes: “The Scottish sunshine can essentially be a large issue far too. There have been times in the past when we have required shelter for our seem procedure to prevent it from overheating and reducing out. This tends to be something couples really do not consider about, not remarkably, but it’s always fantastic to be well prepared for the sunshine far too.”

No matter the conditions you’re up versus, Sam MacAdam gives a uncomplicated guidebook to no matter whether or not to expect musicians to engage in in the clean air: “Generally, if your grandma couldn’t be outside for that size of time and in those circumstances, then neither can I!” she laughs.

Pick your minute

Judging by all the genuine-everyday living weddings I have viewed (and trust me, it is a large amount), the most widespread time for the get together to head outdoors is the beverages reception. Marshali Scott likes to soundtrack these times with dance classics that transport friends to sunnier climes and indicate a change in gear from the more formal portion of the working day to the bash: “There is one thing more-exclusive about new music currently being played outside: the environment bumps up a notch if the sun is shining and it can really feel like you are overseas in a sunshine spot,” she smiles. “People love it when I participate in property songs and generally arrive up to me smiling from ear to ear, declaring they experience like they are in Ibiza. I’ll get that!”

As idyllic as that seems, it’s vital to retain practicalities in head. “If your musician is participating in an outdoor drinks reception adopted by an indoor marriage ceremony breakfast, there will be a quick turnaround time (probably 20 minutes) to go tools indoors and do a swift soundcheck in the new room, as taking part in indoors requires distinct quantity levels and audio options.”

Whilst they can deliver a duo to carry out in the course of the ceremony or drinks reception, Skara Ceilidh Band specialise in the complete reeling knowledge, and inform us this works fantastically out in the refreshing air. “We have played exterior a couple of times more than the very last few of years because of to Covid limitations on dancing indoors. We found that ceilidhs perform brilliantly outdoor – when the climate stays dry, of system!” claims the band’s Mhairi Marwick.

That’s me introducing a Strip the Willow underneath the stars to my aspiration marriage ceremony.