Love is in the air…

I was delighted to provide music for Linda and Neil’s wedding celebrations today in The Mill at Ballydugan, a beautifully restored 18th century flour mill just outside Downpatrick. Its rustic charm and rural location made it the perfect venue for their relaxed, romantic wedding with family and friends! Apart from one or two April showers, it was a perfect spring day with bright blue skies and sunshine! The Auchinleck Suite was a stunning setting for their ceremony, with lots of decadent flowers, rose petals and candles adding a special touch to the room! As guests gathered, I played a selection of classic love songs to create a welcoming atmosphere until the eagerly-awaited arrival of the bride was announced! Linda and Neil chose to include music which was both special and personal to them, and their songs spanned three decades! From sixties pop songs to seventies disco hits to eighties romantic ballads, it was an exciting and eclectic mix today! The ceremony began with a very unique version of a number one hit from 1965 by Sonny and Cher. The lyrics tied in perfect with the occasion – “I got flowers in the spring… I got you to wear my ring” and it wasn’t long before everyone recognised the song – ‘I Got You Babe’! A fantastic piece to walk down the aisle and a great theme to start the day! Linda and Neil were also big fans of Van Morrison and his music was a source of inspiration for their wedding, especially since they got engaged at one of his concerts! So it was no surprise that they wanted to include some of his songs throughout the day aswell! One of their friends read the lyrics from ‘The Way Young Lovers Do’ just before they exchanged vows, and it was a great alternative to one of the traditional wedding poems! They also chose one of Van Morrison’s most famous songs ‘Have I Told You Lately’ for the Signing, and it’s distinctive, captivating melody helped to make this moment extra special! Then for their Exit, Linda and Neil had something more upbeat in mind! To match their joyful feeling, they chose a fantastic feel-good song which was originally a hit for John Paul Young in 1978, and this toe-tapping tune helped to set the mood for the rest of their afternoon! Released almost 40 years ago, ‘Love Is In The Air’ might be classed as vintage vinyl, but this disco anthem made a memorable comeback today and it sounded as good as ever! While the happy couple were greeted with confetti in the countyard, I relocated downstairs to The Wheelhouse to continue playing throughout their drinks reception so guests could enjoy sipping their champagne in the sunshine whilst listening to live music! Such a pleasure to perform for this lovely couple today and I wish them all the happiness in the world as they start this new chapter in their lives!

I Got You Babe – Sonny and Cher