Weddings Archives - Retro Singer

Wedding Reception at Trump Turnberry Hotel Ayr

October 31, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

The beautiful Trump Turnberry Hotel in Ayr was the setting for a wedding reception I recently performed at. This luxury resort on the Ayrshire coast boasts a championship golf course, a spa, several restaurants, bars, and stunning views over the Firth of Clyde.

The bride-to-be had requested a list of beautiful songs from across many different eras; from old-time classics like ‘I only have eyes for you‘ right through to more modern numbers like Amy Winehouse’s version of ‘Valerie’. She chose the very popular ‘At Last’ for the first dance, and a smashing finishing number for me to add into my set – ‘Enjoy Yourself’ by Jools Holland and Prince Buster. I’d heard this many times on Simon Mayo’s BBC Radio 2 show, and never realised it was originally a 1940s song!

The hotel was very plush, and the staff and event organisers were super-helpful in getting me to the right place and making sure I had everything I needed to set up for the show. Our function room was the perfect setting, with gorgeous views across the golf course.

It was a lovely afternoon and the happy couple looked superb. I wish them all the best for the future.

Vintage Wedding Music at Greywalls Gullane

November 23, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I performed some lovely vintage style wedding music at the gorgeous Greywalls Hotel in Gullane a little while ago. I was booked to sing 1940s and 1950s classics during an afternoon drinks reception, the day after The Big Day.

After a very pleasant drive along the coast from Edinburgh to Gullane, we arrived at Greywalls, which is a stone’s throw away from Muirfield Golf course. Even though autumn was well on its way we were very lucky with the weather, with clear blue skies and bright sunshine, so I was able to set up outside in the enchanting grounds of the hotel.

Not my car… unfortunately 😉

Greywalls Hotel is a charming place that retains a quiet homely feel while remaining perfectly elegant, inside and out. Built in 1901, it has seen the whole of the 20th century go by, so it seemed very fitting to choose the best of popular songs from throughout the century.

The old-style romantic songs such as ‘The way you look tonight”, “As time goes by” and “Cheek to cheek” seemed to suit the character of the hotel perfectly.

The charming gardens at Greywall Hotel

It was a delightful afternoon, with guests either sitting and listening while they enjoyed their refreshments, or having a little dance when the mood took them.

Sunshine, good music, and great company – what more can you ask for? I think these sunny afternoon gigs are my favourite type of bookings!

Are you looking for ideas for vintage weddings in Scotland? Take a look at this video, which features some lovely vintage suppliers, including elegant bridal dresses, quirky vintage cutlery, delicious cakes, and classy photography – plus me singing one of my favourite romantic ballads ‘What a difference a day makes’.

Wedding at Orocco Pier Hotel South Queensferry

September 4, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently paid a visit to South Queensferry to sing for a wedding at the gorgeous boutique hotel Orocco Pier. What a charming place it was, set on a quaint little cobbled street in a seaside town near Edinburgh. The bunting that had been arranged all the way down the street gave it a real vintage feel.

Once I got to my room I was very pleasantly surprised by beautiful views right out over the Firth of Forth.

The function room for the wedding also shared these same views, making the balcony a very popular place as it was a lovely warm summer evening.

I was very impressed by the bride and groom’s first dance selection – they had put together a cool mash-up which started off with a romantic love song then blasted into 80s classic ‘The Power of Love’ by Huey Lewis and the News, as they invited all their friends up to join them on the dancefloor. Great choice – that’s got to be one of my favourite 80s numbers!

As for my part of the proceedings, the bride had asked for a mixture of music from a variety of eras and genres, and specifically requested some theme songs from my James Bond/Casino show – including the famous Shirley Bassey classics ‘Goldfinger’ and ‘Diamonds are forever’ to add a touch of diva-type sophistication to the evening! I was happy to oblige, and as the evening went on I added in some more upbeat numbers to keep everybody moving.

Julie, the bride, very kindly sent me some excellent feedback, which you can read on my testimonials page.

Wishing Mr and Mrs Ryan all the very best for the future!

Vintage wedding at Lanark Memorial Hall

July 25, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently sang at a lovely Vintage style wedding at Lanark Memorial Hall. Vintage weddings seem to be increasingly popular these days, and no wonder, as the fashions and music of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s lend themselves perfectly to an elegant and stylish wedding day. Bride, Groom, and guests all have plenty of inspiration for their outfits, whether it be from Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Grace Kelly or Frank Sinatra.

I was really impressed by Lanark Memorial Hall, not only by the fantastic newly reburbished building, but by the friendly and professional staff who were really helpful from the word go. I was able to park at the back of the hall and load my equipment straight in to the back of the stage area, which made my job SO much easier. The dressing room was perfect as well – clean, tidy, and with everything I needed. Oh, if only every venue was the same!

The beautiful bride Rebecca looked gorgeous in a stunning dress her mother had made. She gave some wonderful touches to the room, making many of the decorations herself, and also had some great unique vintage-inspired ideas such as a cool retro 1950s-style popcorn machine.

I have to say, I don’t think I’ve ever worked with a bride who was so lovely and laid-back! She just floated through the day looking completely relaxed and enjoying every minute, and her little son was equally happy, dancing enthusiastically all night!

I performed songs both old and new for a mixture of guests, some of whom had travelled up from Birmingham – but that didn’t stop them from hitting the dance floor 😉

It was a real pleasure to perform at this wedding amongst such truly lovely people. I wish the happy couple best of luck and all the happiness in the world.

Wedding at Discovery Point Dundee

July 9, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I made a trip to Dundee last week to sing for a wedding reception at Discovery Point. This was my first time at this venue and I was very pleasantly surprised as it was a lovely place in a unique setting. Right on the waterfront, it was a beautiful sunny evening as I arrived to set up.

The staff were all very pleasant and helpful and everything was very well-organised. The reception was on the 1st floor in the conference room, with fantastic views out over the River Tay.

The bride had given me a great choice of requests, with lots of great 60s, 70s, and 80s classics – her song choice had me dancing away while I was preparing the set! She also was a bit of a James Bond fan so I added a few Bond theme songs in to the mix. It was a lovely night with friendly fun guests and lots of dancing. The bride and groom were truly gracious hosts and everything went very smoothly.

I never knew about RSS Discovery before, so it was very interesting learning about her rich history exploring the Antartic – and even more interesting to find out about all the ghosts that now inhabit her – Ed the security man regaled me with stories that gave me chills! I hope I get a chance to visit Discovery Point again soon and explore the ship.

Silver Wedding Anniversary at Mar Hall Hotel Scotland

October 28, 2014 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

The Mar Hall Hotel provided the perfect venue for a Silver Wedding Anniversary party I performed at recently. Situated in Bishopton, near to Erskine, this Edwardian Scottish mansion is a luxury five star hotel with gorgeous views over the River Clyde.

It was a beautiful sunny Autumn day with clear blue skies as I drove into the hotel grounds. Set within a picture-perfect 240 acre woodland estate, I was struck by the tranquil peace and beauty of the area.

The interior of the Mar Hall Hotel is decorated in an elegant vintage style that exudes class and sophistication. The pianist playing softly in the lounge added to the relaxed ambience.

I had been asked to perform a mixture of Swing classics and 1950s & 1960s songs, with the anniversary couple picking the majority of the songs themselves from my set list. Their main objective was to keep all their guests up on the dancefloor, and this was no difficult task as everyone was really up for a party from the word go.

I started with a ‘1^st dance’ for the anniversary couple: the gorgeous Etta James classic ‘At Last’. I was glad they chose this song as I love it as a first dance; it’s so romantic and works beautifully, plus it’s familiar to all age groups because it was recently covered by Beyonce.

The rest of the guests needed no prompting to join in the dancing and looked like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. I love singing at wedding anniversary parties because there’s a certain atmosphere to them that’s a little different to weddings – everybody is so relaxed and at home with each other, as the two families have had all those years to become well-acquainted.

As the night went on I sang a mixture of Swing standards and kept the emphasis on fun, dancing, and romance, with ‘Let there be love’, ‘Cheek to cheek’, ‘My baby just cares for me’ and many other classics. I even threw a bit of Jessie J into the mix in response to a request on behalf of the younger members of the audience 😉

The night was over too soon, but I’m glad to report some excellent feedback from the happy couple:

“We booked Lisa to perform at our Silver Wedding Anniversary event where we had guests across a wide age group. Without exception every single guest commented on the amazing performance that Lisa gave – her set of 50’s and 60’s classic’s fitted perfectly with the theme of our evening and we could have been in a New York supper club from that era.

Her delivery was effortless and the quality of her voice was exceptional – without doubt she put the gloss on what was a fantastic evening and the dance floor was never empty. We would have no hesitation in recommending Lisa to anyone wanting to add a touch of class to their event, we only wish we could do it all again!”

~ Jane and Simon Grey.

(From Free Index business directory)

To see more of my reviews, please visit my testimonials page.

So, all in all, a wonderful evening at the Mar Hall Hotel. I would thoroughly recommend this hotel as a top-class venue for a wedding or anniversary function. Many thanks to Jane and Simon for making me feel so welcome at their lovely party.

Views over the Clyde at Mar Hall

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