Juliette and Luke’s French/English Vegan Wedding at Portal Memorial Hall
Juliette and Luke’s wedding at Portal Memorial Hall in Burghclere, near Newbury, brought together French and English guests for a relaxed, personal and completely vegan celebration.
I joined them from the beginning of the wedding breakfast, taking care of the music, introductions, speeches and evening party.
Creating a smooth transition into the wedding breakfast
A pianist and vocalist performed during the drinks reception, creating a lovely atmosphere as guests arrived at the hall.
Once she had finished, I took over with background music while everyone found their seats and prepared for the wedding breakfast. Working closely with other wedding suppliers is a big part of my role, particularly at venues where there is no dedicated wedding coordinator.
When everyone was ready, it was time for Juliette and Luke’s grand entrance to Best Day of My Life by American Authors.
The speeches followed later in the meal, with microphones and introductions managed carefully so that everyone could relax and enjoy the moment.
A reassuring presence throughout the day
Village Hall weddings can offer couples far more freedom to create the day they want, but they can also require more organisation behind the scenes.
There was no venue host or wedding coordinator managing the day, so it was important that the music, sound and key moments were handled independently.
Juliette later shared:
“Being a very anxious bride, I had a lot of specific requests and made changes and requests on the day. Ian handled these beautifully and was just such a reassuring and calm presence.”
Plans can change during a wedding. My job is to deal with those changes calmly, without creating additional pressure for the couple.
A rehearsed first dance with a surprise
The evening began with a brilliantly rehearsed first dance inspired by Beauty and the Beast.
It was a fun and memorable way to open the dance floor, but there were more surprises to come.
Later in the evening, guests performed a flash dance to Where Is My Husband! by RAYE, followed by It’s Raining Men. It was one of those moments that brought everyone together and gave the celebration its own personality.
French and English music on the dance floor
With a mixture of French and English guests, the music needed to represent both sides of the wedding.
The French selections included:
- Nuit de folie
- Les Sunlights des Tropiques
- Les Démons de Minuit
- L’Aventurier
- Le Jerk
- Ces soirées-là
- Magnolias for Ever
- Partenaire Particulier
- Tomber la Chemise
These were mixed with British, American and international party favourites including Whitney Houston, Kylie Minogue, Bon Jovi, Britney Spears, Shalamar, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, the Spice Girls and S Club 7.
The night moved through disco, pop, rock, dance music and singalong favourites, finishing with The Time of My Life, followed by Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra.
A completely vegan wedding celebration
Juliette and Luke’s wedding was also completely vegan.
It was a great example of how couples can create a wedding that reflects their values without losing any of the atmosphere, energy or celebration they want from their day.
From the live music during the drinks reception to the international dance floor later that evening, the whole wedding felt personal to them.
Planning a wedding at Portal Memorial Hall?
A village-hall wedding gives you the freedom to build a celebration around your own ideas, but having experienced suppliers who can work independently makes a real difference.
Juliette said:
“Ian’s set up in our venue was so smooth and he worked really well with our other suppliers and musician. We honestly could not imagine our day without him now.”
Whether you need music for the wedding breakfast, support with speeches, introductions throughout the day or a packed evening dance floor, everything can be planned around the atmosphere you want to create.
Looking for a wedding DJ and host for Portal Memorial Hall, Newbury or the surrounding area? I’d love to hear more about your plans, check my availability here and let’s start planning something that fits you perfectly
