Tonight was Richard and Julie’s wedding day at Harbury Village Hall. The CoverUps enjoyed returning to the small town of Harbury, located in Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, and it was nice to play at a wedding venue just down the road from the band’s HQ in Coventry. The bride and groom booked The CoverUps 5-piece band to perform live music at their evening wedding reception. With both a male and female lead vocalist, the band played a wide range of songs from 50s-10s. There was definitely a favourite feel for everyone!
Soulful First Dance Song
The bride and groom requested The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack to be played live for their first dance. What a gorgeous 1960s classic soul song! The CoverUps female lead vocalist, Christen, executed a wonderful cover on the night and really did the song justice.
A Set List Chock-Full Of Favourites
The band kicked off the night with Price Tag by Jessie J and Marry You by Bruno Mars immediately following their first dance. Guests joined the bride and groom on the dance floor and the night was surely off to a great start!
To follow Bruno Mars, the band threw in a few old time bests- You Can Call Me Al by Paul Simon and Take On Me by Aha. Not to forget modern female-lead pop songs including California Gurls by Katy Perry and Call Me Maybe Carly Rae Jepsen. Our set list was chock-full of favourite classics and latest hot hits and it was great to see Richard, Julie and their guests really enjoying the mix on the dance floor and dancing well into the night!
Tonight was Richard and Julie’s wedding day at Harbury Village Hall. The CoverUps enjoyed returning to the small town of Harbury, located in Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, and it was nice to play at a wedding venue just down the road from the band’s HQ in Coventry. The bride and groom booked […]
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Our last event of April saw the band returning to Ettington Park, one of Warwickshire’s most favourited wedding venues. Only a short 40-minute drive for The CoverUps to Stratford-Upon-Avon, we always find it a pleasure to play so close to home.
On this momentous day, Rachel and Alex declared their love for each other in front of their closest family and friends. The band arrived at 6:00pm prompt to set up and perform a live cover of Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran for the newlyweds first dance. Immediately after, the bride and groom celebrated in only the best way- inviting their guests to join them on the dance floor to bust out their best dance moves!
A Set List That Ensures Success
Rachel and Alex contacted the band before their wedding with a list of song requests. The CoverUps very much appreciate when couples do this as it helps the band craft a set list we are certain the bride and groom will love. Happy by Pharrell Williams and Mr Brightside by the Killers were listed as particular favourites along with other iconic tracks and we didn’t hesitate to add them to the set list!
A classic finishing track, Hey Jude by the Beatles – with a note to Elbow’s One Day Like This – wrapped the evening to a close. As the guests continued to enjoy themselves in the bride and groom’s company, the band packed up their gear, said goodbye and called it a very successful night!
Congratulations Rachel and Alex! Thank you for inviting the CoverUps to play a part in your special day!
Check out our review on Ettington Park here and get in touch through our contact form to enquire about live music for your wedding or event!
Our last event of April saw the band returning to Ettington Park, one of Warwickshire’s most favourited wedding venues. Only a short 40-minute drive for The CoverUps to Stratford-Upon-Avon, we always find it a pleasure to play so close to home. On this momentous day, Rachel and Alex declared their love for each other in […]
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Ettington Park, one of the best wedding venues in Warwickshire, was The CoverUps’ location for yet another fantastic wedding. This venue is not only a favourite of the band because it’s close to home, but because it has proven to be welcoming, accommodating and fitting for every wedding we have had the pleasure of playing at! Safe to say, The CoverUps were over the moon to be invited back for Elizabeth and Adam’s special day.
The band arrived at 6:00pm to set up and sound check. After a hearty meal provided by the hotel, the band were ready to play the bride and groom’s first dance choices, Time In A Bottle by Jim Croce and Stuck In The Middle Of You by Stealers Wheel. It wasn’t long before eager guests were encouraged to the dance floor and we jumped into our first set with Come Up And See Me by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel.
With a mix of old time classics and current top chart tracks, the night went down a storm and we couldn’t be more pleased to see a dance floor full until the very end.
The band finished the night on a real high with Don’t Look Back In Anger by Oasis. And with that, we congratulated the bride and groom and called it a very successful night!
Congratulations once again Elizabeth and Adam. Thank you for inviting the CoverUps to play a part in your special day!
Ettington Park, one of the best wedding venues in Warwickshire, was The CoverUps’ location for yet another fantastic wedding. This venue is not only a favourite of the band because it’s close to home, but because it has proven to be welcoming, accommodating and fitting for every wedding we have had the pleasure of playing […]
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Ettington Park, in the heart of Warwickshire sits in familiar territory for the band, just beyond Warwick, Leamington Spa and Stratford-Upon-Avon. A regular haunt for the CoverUps, the band always get a warm welcome at Ettington Park. And to everyone’s relief, the party had exclusive use of the hotel, meaning the band were spared the stairs, lifts and corridors to the venue’s Long Gallery!
Get Your Ruby Dancing Shoes On!
Without the same level of formality, it can take a few songs to draw people to the dance floor at parties… But not so with this group! Right from the off, (Marry You, Bruno Mars) the dance floor was bustling. The multigenerational crowd all flocking to the dance floor together.
From The Kinks To The Killers
A key part of being in a live party band is making sure that everyone’s catered for. Even with over a decade of experience playing for all kids of occasions, from weddings, sweet 16s, ski resorts and product launches, the band still raise a smile at the way music, both modern and classic brings people together, both young and old. This night showed this as clearly as any party with songs from Stevie Wonder to Walk The Moon all going down brilliantly.
Enjoy these photos of the night, and hopefully we’ll be back for the Sapphire, Gold or even Diamond wedding anniversaries!
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Ettington Park, in the heart of Warwickshire sits in familiar territory for the band, just beyond Warwick, Leamington Spa and Stratford-Upon-Avon. A regular haunt for the CoverUps, the band always get a warm welcome at Ettington Park. And to everyone’s relief, the party had exclusive use of the hotel, meaning the band were […]
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Walton Hall is a regular haunt for the band. As one of the busiest wedding venues in the West Midlands, it’s not too surprising! A stunning 16th Century Mansion, Walton Hall stands in some beautiful grounds that sum up the best of Warwickshire countryside. With a collection of bars and function rooms, Walton Hall is also a well-equipped wedding venue for the British weather! On this day, fortunately, the couple were blessed with a rain-free, though chilly day!
Thinking Out Loud
We were introduced for the first dance by the delightful Reuben Lynch, a toastmaster we’ve worked with a few times over the years. He’s got a lovely warm, friendly style and it’s always fun being at a wedding with him.
The couple chose what we think is the first dance song of 2014 – Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud. It’s a classic, beautifully written song. The verses sum up the feeling of wanting to grow old with someone: a perfect reflection of a Bride and Groom’s feelings on their wedding day. It was a real privilege to play the song live for the happy couple, and as their friends joined them the night got underway!
Playing Through The Night
The couple had opted for an extra half hour of playing time. This was great, and with a relatively early start time, it meant we were playing through most of the evening. From the start, with people joining the first dance the dance floor never emptied. As the night went on the set got more modern, with Pharell Williams, Bruno Mars, Kings of Leon all making appearances. Come On Eileen was particularly good fun – a really fun party tune to chant along to!
Hannah, our resident photographer was able to come along to Walton Hall and take a few shots, which you can find below. Check out her website and find out more about her on her Facebook page. Oh, and while you’re on the Facebook, why not give us a like!
Here’s to the next visit to Walton Hall!
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Walton Hall is a regular haunt for the band. As one of the busiest wedding venues in the West Midlands, it’s not too surprising! A stunning 16th Century Mansion, Walton Hall stands in some beautiful grounds that sum up the best of Warwickshire countryside. With a collection of bars and […]
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Just over 15 miles south of Coventry, found in one of the most beautiful part of the country, Stratford Manor Hotel is a great venue for large events. As the band walked into the room, the attention to detail definitely set the tone for a great evening!
The Ball Begins!
As the guest arrived in their best suits and gowns there was a high atmosphere of excitement at the night ahead. The evening began with speeches and then led onto a wonderful 3 course dinner – which the band were very grateful to join in with!
A Marvellous Night For A Moondance
After a quick raffle announcement it was time for the dancing to begin. The music started with a distinct 60’s theme with Moondance, Daydream Believer and many more well known tunes to get the dancefloor going. It might have been a bit cautious to start with but it didn’t take too long before people were up on the floor and getting into the partying spirit!
Highlights of the night included some impressive jiving to Johnny B Goode, some slamming air guitar in Sweet Child O’ Mine and the crowd participation in Place Your Hands!
Football Fever
The band decided to power on through 2 whole sets without a break so that everyone could enjoy as much music as possible before England game began that evening and we all really enjoyed finishing the evening by watching the end of the game with the rest of the guests. Just a shame about the result!
As you can see, a great night was had by all! Thank you IPL & the lovely people at Stratford Hampton Manor!
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Just over 15 miles south of Coventry, found in one of the most beautiful part of the country, Stratford Manor Hotel is a great venue for large events. As the band walked into the room, the attention to detail definitely set the tone for a great evening! The Ball Begins! […]
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Stratford-upon-Avon’s Ettington Park Hotel remains one of our favourite Warwickshire wedding venues. Built deliberately in an older style than it appears, the Jacobean architecture gives the building a real feeling of history beautifully preserved. Every night we make the trip it’s great fun!
A Rocking Line-Up
Tonight’s line-up was fronted by James, who not only serves a mean vocal, but plays a tasty guitar too giving the whole band a real rock vibe. The set list, as selected by the bride and groom played directly into this – Sweet Home Alabama had the boys trading solos, and Dancing In The Dark made a relatively rare appearance with it’s guitar driven themes. Suffice to say, the singing along, which started before the band even struck a note, continued long into the night!
A Nod To The Wedding Planner
Jane of Planned For Perfection was the planner this evening. Over the last few years we’ve developed a great working relationship with Jane, and played at venues across the country. With any luck, she’ll ship us out on one of her Australian events! Always a pleasure to work with, tonight was no exception, and timings ran fantastically. If you’re after someone to plan your wedding, you couldn’t do much better than giving Jane a call!
A Long End To The Night…
… and happily ever after. The couple had chosen a number of ‘end of night tracks’ which gave the end of the set a real anthemic feel – from Viva La Vida to Yellow to Don’t Look Back In Anger, even Chasing Cars and Angels made an appearance! A really epic handover then to the DJ who took the guys on to 2am… by which point we were long gone! Another marvellous wedding at Ettington Park.
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Stratford-upon-Avon’s Ettington Park Hotel remains one of our favourite Warwickshire wedding venues. Built deliberately in an older style than it appears, the Jacobean architecture gives the building a real feeling of history beautifully preserved. Every night we make the trip it’s great fun! A Rocking Line-Up Tonight’s line-up was fronted by […]
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Every year we get the opportunity to play for a friends during the course of the wedding season. Tonight we made the short trip down the A46 to Stratford-Upon-Avon to play in a marquee in the grounds of the bride’s parents – and what a beautiful venue it made!
Early Arrival
From time to time the schedule of an evening leads us to arrive nice and early to get set up before things kick off in earnest, and this was one of those occasions. We arrived at the venue just outside Stratford-Upon-Avon just before 3pm, and set about getting our kit onto the ample staging provided. Rather interestingly, the stage was angled into the corner – which worked perfectly with our classic 1-3 band formation!
With the set-up complete around 4pm, we had a little time to kill before the wedding kicked off in earnest later in the evening. Being out in the countryside gave us poor mobile signal – so we took the chance to have a well needed rest in advance of the evening reception!
Live First Dance
The first dance tonight was previously unknown to us: “Solidier” by Gavin Degraw. The military connection was clear from the arrival of the first guests, in full formal military dress It’s always an excellent sight, and we find the military crowds often really know how to party! The first dance went well, the bride and groom dancing elegantly to the 12/8 feel.
The rest of the night was great fun. The first dance was followed by another request by the couple: Mc Fly’s “Love Is Easy”, which is a quaint little pop tune – no mandolin in the line-up, but a high capo did a decent job.
Amongst the highlights for us was I Believe In A Thing Called Love, which has been absent from recent gig, but is always great fun to sing – hitting those high notes is pretty killer, but satisfying to watch a crowd go with you into them! Also recently absent has been Place Your Hands. Tonight showed that it really should make it back into the set a bit more regularly!
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Every year we get the opportunity to play for a friends during the course of the wedding season. Tonight we made the short trip down the A46 to Stratford-Upon-Avon to play in a marquee in the grounds of the bride’s parents – and what a beautiful venue it made! Early […]
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This was our first trip to Walton Hall this year – but the venue’s lost none of its charm. Set in beautiful Warwickshire countryside, the venue really has it all as far as looks go! Arriving in the height of the sunny afternoon showed of the lush surroundings – it hardly felt like being at work.
Acoustic Wedding Breakfast Set
Lead vocalist Mike arrived mid afternoon to get set up for an acoustic set over the wedding breakfast. Despite timings being a little fluid, everything was set up in good time for the guests’ arrival and the acoustic guitar struck up as the starters were served.
Our acoustic set is a mixture between purely acoustic and mellow tunes and songs that as a full band might find their way into the evening set. It’s always good fun to give a twist on songs that people know and love, and the acoustic set is a perfect opportunity to do this.
Set Down, Set Up Again!
As is often the case with the afternoon sets, the location was completely different to the evening, meaning everything needed packing up completely before driving round to a different part of the venue and setting back up again. Things are a little stripped down for the acoustic setup, but still, we were more than ready for dinner when that time came!
Elvis Has Entered The Building
The first dance was Elvis’ rendition of Can’t Help Falling In Love. It’s a lovely track, and while the original recording is hard to recreate (there’s a large choir backing him!) our version maintained the feel of the original.
From there the night went on strength to strength. A few fun tracks that hadn’t made appearances lately included Dancing On The Ceiling, Place Your Hands (rocking riff!) and Chelsea Dagger.
We’ll leave you now with some photos of the day and hope to return for another wedding at Walton Hall soon!
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This was our first trip to Walton Hall this year – but the venue’s lost none of its charm. Set in beautiful Warwickshire countryside, the venue really has it all as far as looks go! Arriving in the height of the sunny afternoon showed of the lush surroundings – it […]
Read More
Tonight’s couple were not quite what we’d imagined during our communications. Their particular, alternative musical preferences, loving as they do the Indie-stylings (and proper indie), we had imagined a slightly off the wall couple. Suffice to say they were a delightful, kookie pair with great taste!
Their first dance was Lovesong by the Cure. A lovely choice, giving us an excuse to learn their jangly guitar riffs and quirky synth lines. It’s an interesting choice too as Adéle recently covered the track; I expect to see that version cropping up in the near future!
The load in and out at Ettington Park really is the only thorn in the side of this wonderful venue. We’re quite used to it now, having played there a number of times, but it does take some effort! Otherwise, the staff there have looked after us excellently, and the whole wedding went without a hitch (except the obvious, and necessary “hitch”!).
Really looking forward to playing at more weddings in the future at Ettington Park. Here are a few photos taken tonight. Enjoy!
Tonight’s couple were not quite what we’d imagined during our communications. Their particular, alternative musical preferences, loving as they do the Indie-stylings (and proper indie), we had imagined a slightly off the wall couple. Suffice to say they were a delightful, kookie pair with great taste! Their first dance was […]
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