Wedding at Waddesdon Manor
Last week we had another Friday wedding at a very local venue to us – Waddesdon Manor near Aylesbury. As we are a Buckinghamshire string quartet, this is only a short drive away and we play there frequently. At Waddesdon the weddings take place at ‘the Old Dairy’ which is a separate building to the Manor House itself. It cleverly utilises two buildings with a conservatory type area between the two which overlooks a lake with ducks and other waterfowl.
We were called upon to provide music before the ceremony and although this was originally meant to be for 15 minutes, in reality we played for half an hour due to some slight delays (which are very common at weddings!)
In this situation, it is always worth planning ahead slightly and we always bring a few more pieces of music than are needed, just in case – as the wedding string quartet or duo are very important in setting a mood and keeping people entertained whilst they wait for the arrival of the wedding party.
Although it was a late November day, photographs were still taken outside and guests remained there for a good 45 minutes. We contemplated joining them and moving outside, but it was just a little too cold. Although it was just about warm enough to stand outside with hands in pockets, musicians fingers have to deal with intricate, fine movements and playing even a few degrees below what is comfortable can put a strain on tendons and affect the quality of our playing. Eventually the guests all came indoors and were able to enjoy a lively selection of music before going through to the wedding breakfast.
The Old Dairy at Waddesdon is a lovely wedding venue and we always look forward to playing there. As it is right on our doorstep, we get quite a few bookings there and it’s beginning to feel like a second home!
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