Connor and Kate chose to have their wedding reception at the fantastic Newton Hall near Alnwick in Northumberland.

I had the pleasure of being chosen as their DJ for their special day which has recently been featured in "Brides Up North"

Connor and Kate had this to say about my involvement in their wedding "Entertainment wise, we decided to go for a DJ, so he could play all of our best loved songs and also take requests from other guests to keep the dancefloor busy! We went with Ian from Icon Entertainments as he had an amazing reputation and we can see why. He was brilliant the whole night through and even supplied us with custom playlists to play throughout the day before he arrived for the evening!"

You can read the full article in Brides Up North here.

Photographs by Dan Clark Photography.

Well it was touch and go as to whether Paul and Carolyn's wedding would go ahead as planned and a very stressful time in the run up to the big day but it happened and they managed to pull off a fabulous day despite the current issues.

What's more the sun even payed a visit and allowed the guests to enjoy the gardens too.

Antiseptic wipes and handwash was available and we didn't run out of toilet paper :-)

I was there all day providing all of the musical input even allowing and impromptu change to get some music outside for the guests to enjoy.

Carolyn walked into the ceremony to Shania Twain's From this Moment and Paul and Carolyn came out together to Daryl Hall's You Make My Dreams.

The couple's three children Harper, Ollie and Oscar doing a fantastic job.

Some unique and emotional moments during the speeches as tributes were played to absent relatives and the key influences that both sets of grandparents had on their lives.

Speeches from the Brides Mother, the Groom, Best Man Steve and the Brides Envoy Daniel.

The evening celebrations got underway with the cake cutting ceremony followed by two not one bouquet tosses with Paul throwing a surprise bouquet for all the boys so they didn't miss out.

A first dance to Ed Sheeran's Perfect which fit the bill perfectly.

The Aaron Bailey Band did a fantastic job stepping in at the last minute to cover for the previously booked band who's singer was in self isolation.

A family dance to Ellie Goulding's How Long Will I Love You and we ended the night with Tina Turners Proud Mary.

Paul had this to say "Amazing service from beginning to end, covered our whole day. Everything from song choice to crowd pleasing, photos and videos Ian did it. Great service would highly recommend"

Carolyn said "We had Ian at our wedding throughout the whole day and he was brilliant . We met before hand to get a list of songs throughout the day and to know what we were wanting and he went above and beyond. Everyone had a brilliant night and you kept the mood high!"

Special mention to the other fantastic wedding professionals I had the pleasure of working alongside.who are all going through some challenging times at the moment:

Wedding film - One Digital Image
Photography - Eye of the Tyne Photography
Artist - Barrie James Art

Congratulations to the brand new Mr & Mrs Gallagher

An absolutely top drawer night for English Rose Charlotte who got bowled over with Barry's Irish Charm with guests travelling from far and wide to join in the absolutely amazing celebration at the fantastic @doxfordbarns.

Nothing traditional about this wedding with Barry and Charley applying their own style and touches to the wedding.

No first dance instead a barn dance celebration which got the guests dancing and looking just a bit confused by the instructions but they thoroughly enjoyed that with the music used being carefully chosen by the Bride and Groom in memory of a loved one. Wel done Mike Jevons the caller for organising this.

We managed to slip in a bouquet toss to girls just want to have fun and ended the night with Take That's Never Forget. This will certainly be a night Barry and Charley won't forget.

I slipped a few Irish classics into the mix which hit the mark with the Irish contingent from the Emerald Isle and these went down an absolute storm with some classic Riverdance moves in there too.

Barry and Charley said this afterwards "Thank you so much Ian! Absolutely brilliant night. Everyone today has been talking about how great the music was. You nailed it. You were everything we wanted and more. Thanks again for helping us to make our special day all that more fantastic!"

Great working alongside top guy and super photographer @DannyBirrellPhotography.

Congratulations to the brand new Mr and Mrs Coughlan all the very best for the future and thanks for inviting me to such a brilliant night.

Cracking night for Abby and Natalie raising funds in support of Women's Aid at Shankhouse Social.

The girls pulled off a fantastic night at Shankhouse Social in Cramlington Northumberland in aid of Womens Aid

There'll certainly be a few sore heads and throats after this party bash but all in aid of a great cause.

Well done girls top night!

A magical day at the ever fabulous Woodhill Hall for the wedding of Matt Lee to Annie.

Matt and Annie were joined by guests from far and wide including some die hard Sunderland i.e. Annie and Newcastle Fans including Matt himself so amongst the harmony of marriage there was some intense North East Football rivalry.

I provided the music from the arrival of the first guests through to the end of the night.

Annie's processional song was Turning Page (instrumental) by Sleeping At Last and the recessional song chosen was Michael Buble - everything.

During the day which also happened to be Annie's birthday so an opportunity was taken to wish her a happy birthday with a surprise birthday cake brought in by Matt as part of the evening party.

A first dance to Coldplay's "A Sky Full of Stars" went down a treat and finishing the night with Queen's Don't Stop Me Now

Lots of old school disco and a mixed bag of tunes and requests formed the backbone of the playlist with a ban on any cheese and chava dance tunes.

A fantastic day and night all round.

All the very best for the future to the brand new Mr and Mrs Lee

Well on an epic wedding weekend I said goodbye to Alnwick and headed to Spennymoor in County Durham for my third wedding fully fueled on adrenalin :-)

Michael and Lyndi tied the knot at County Durham Registry Office before heading back to Low Merrington Club in Spennymoor to celebrate with family and friends for an afternoon wedding reception.

Michael who loves his rock and metal music persuaded Lyndi to be welcomed into the venue to the sound of AC/DC and Thunderstruck.

Sticking with the rock theme a first dance to Ozzy Osbourne and Old L.A. Tonight.

A good mix of tunes from the 50's through to the present day plus lots of guest requests including just a little bit of rock and one thrash metal track which Michael enjoyed even if no one else did :-)

A fab little day to help Michael and Lyndi get married life off to the best start.

Many congratulations to the brand new Mr & Mrs Wilson

Dean and Joanne chose the beautiful Ellingham Hall as their dream wedding venue and chose me as their dream wedding DJ :-).

An epic all day wedding for me as my second wedding of the weekend and boy was it an early start with their wedding ceremony planned for 11.30am.

I played the music from the prelude to the very last song of the night whilst managing three separate set ups.

Some emotional words as Dean and Joanne exchange their own vows which had them both emotional wrecks as the big man was reduced to tears everyone else in the room followed suit.

Some other highlights included a very lively and loud wedding breakfast, the family donned with stetson's doing Bianco Brown's Git Up, Dean's rendition of the Rattling Bog was epic, a dancefloor that was never empty and an encore of Deacon Blue's Dignity from one of the guests to top the night off.

Well done to Damon stepping up to the plate and pulling off the Mr & Mrs Game

A fab wedding for a super well matched couple, you couldn't wish for anything more.

Great working alongside the guys from @carrostudios providing the videography and photography.

Congratulations to the brand new Mr & Mrs Patterson and all the very best for the future.

Well it was the start of a mad wedding weekend with the first a visit to the spectacular Newton Hall to have the pleasure of DJing at the evening wedding reception for a fabulous couple Connor and Katie.

The cake cutting ceremony started the night off with Maroon 5 and Sugar providing the backing.

We then moved into the Bouquet Toss immediately after the cake cutting to Cindy Lauper with Girls Just wanna have fun.

For the First Dance Connor and Katie chose a classic Elvis Presley and Can’t Help Falling in Love With Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

A super night with never a quiet moment on the dance-floor even through the buffet.

A good old mix of all sorts throughout the night and we even had a Full Monty routine delivered by Connor and his mates to Tom Jones and You Can Leave Your Hat On.

Finishing the night on a true wedding favourite Oasis and Don't Look Back in Anger

Great working alongside Wedding photography legend Dan Clark Photography which is always a pleasure.

All the very best to the brand new Mr and Mrs Taylor

#newtonhall #weddingDJ #AlnwickDJ #WeddingDJNorthumberland #WeddingDJNorthEast

Mikie and Grace chose the fabulous Le Petit Chateau to hold their wedding ceremony and reception with family and friends.

An absolutely top drawer night kicking of with the traditional cake cutting ceremony, followed by a bouquet toss and the First Dance.

I created a mashup for the first dance to give a contrast in styles just as the wedding guests joined so we had Boyce Avenue and Be Somebody mashed into Andy Grammar's Honey I'm Good from the Step Up movie. It was a good shout as the guests responded brilliantly.

The guests kept the dancing going through the buffet which kept the atmosphere buzzing throughout the night.

Just after the buffet we go things moving with the Father and Daughter dance as proud father Stephen took to the dancefloor with he beautiful daughter to Jason Blaine's appropriately titled "Dancing with my Daughter"

We ended the night with Robbie Williams Angels.

An absolutely top drawer night for a fabulous couple and the best possible start to married life.

Many congratulations to the brand new Mr & Mrs Alcroft.

Great working alongside @scottspockphotography top dude and cheers for the top photography tip.

#LePetitChateau #WeddingVenue #Northumberland #Otterburn #WeddingDJ #DJ

Matty and Kim chose the fabulous Alnwick Garden as the dream destination to hold their wedding and wedding reception.

The views from Alnwick Pavillion are simply stunning with the added bonus that the Gardens are closed to the public at this time of year.

Matty and Kim are music lovers in the widest possible sense appreciating all genres and styles apart from "charver" music and poor old Abba.

A real mix of tunes throughout the night with a few requests thrown into the mix with some soul, rock n roll, R&B, 90's dance and rock spattered throughout the night.

A first dance Lynyrd Skynyrd's Simple Man giving a strong indication of the breadth of music on their regular playlists.

The night kicked off with some outside entertainment from a fire eater.

Music throughout the wedding breakfast provided by Dave Smith Wedding Keys and photography by Ever After Photography.

We finished the night with the ever popular Oasis and Don't Look Back in Anger followed by a bonkers requested encore of Rednex and Cotton Eyed Joe ... didn't see that one coming.

Many congratulations to the brand new Mr and Mrs Davison.

#weddingDJ #WeddingsatAlnwickGarden #AlnwickGarden #WeddingDJNorthumberland #WeddingDJNorthEast

It was a surprise 60th Birthday Party for Gill who was caught off guard at the Brewery Tap in Gateshead.

The Brewery Tap @gnebbrewerytap is a hidden little gem in Dunston with some superb friendly staff. Just a small set up for me taking advantage of the inhouse lighting and the Nexo pa system

With family and friends awaiting her arrival Gill was taken back by the welcome she received after all this was supposed to be a motown night.

Some carefully selected tunes comprising a lot of old school disco along with some of Gill's favourite soul and motown tracks.

Happy Birthday Gill xx

#BreweryTap #DJNewcastle #PartyDJNewcastle #Soul #Motown #Disc

The wedding music and wedding entertainment can literally make or break your wedding celebration.

The question  of whether you hire a Wedding Band or a Wedding DJ is one you will no doubt turn your attention to when choosing your wedding entertainment.

The two are not mutually exclusive. Bands and DJs can co-ordinate well together to give you a varied entertainment offering but ultimately your decision will also need to consider the cost and the budget you have available.

Start by asking yourself some basic questions and what type of entertainment suits your personal taste, your budget, the space available, the mix and ages of your guests and ultimately what you feel will work best for you and your circumstances.

Whether your decide on a Wedding Band or a Wedding DJ or both you need to ensure you get the right band or DJ or both to give you best wedding reception ever.

Here are a few factors that might help you make your decision:

• The Venue Space: You need to check whether the venue has any restrictions on the number of musicians and pieces of equipment you can bring in / accommodate, and whether there are any electrical power supply or noise limitations. A number of venues have neighbours to consider and some have sound limiters fitted these can really restrict the volume of the band and or DJ. Be sure you find out before sourcing your entertainment and it might bne an issue you wish to consider before you book your wedding venue.  

• To Hire a Wedding Band? A band has its pros and cons.There's nothing like a good live wedding band to get a crowd excited. A good band needs to be able to interact with your guests and encourage them onto the dance floor, paying attention to the "feel" of the room and selecting yje music accordingly.

1. Pros: You and your guests will experience the performance. A great performance can raise the excitement level beyond just the actual music thats played.
2. Cons: Bands are generally more expensive than DJs. No matter how great the band is, they can't have the repertoire of a DJ, who can keep a huge variety of music on hand. And if you want to hear a song the exact way the original artist performed it, you may not get what you want. With a band you inevitably get a limited performance time typically up to 2 hours with a break in the middle. There are generally short breing aks between songs interrupting the flow of the music.

 

• To hire a Wedding DJ. A quality Wedding DJ mixes musical styles for all ages. The songs played will sound exactly as you expect them. And, depending on the amount of equipment a DJ brings, they could take up less space.

 

1. Pros: If there are a dozen songs you're dying to hear at your wedding, it likely won't be a problem for your DJ to find each track.  DJs are generally less expensive than bands. A charismatic DJ with excellent DJing and microphone skills can really set the mood and get the party going.
2. Cons: On the opposite end of the scale, a DJ lacking charisma and personality with poor DJing skills can be a party killer.

Ideally, you will want to see a DJ or band in action before you commit so you can gauge first hand the way they dress, improvise and work the crowd. This of course may not always be possible so be sure to check out any reviews carefully and arrange to meet with them before you commit to book.

If a band sends you their songs or a link to a video, be sure the musicians you hear or see are the same musicians who will play at your reception. Similarly be sure you meet the DJ you are actually booking. There are a lot of companies acting as agents who take on bookings and hire in lower cost DJ's so they can take a cut. 

Ask for referrals from the last few weddings the band or DJ played. Consider your first dance song a test. If the band doesn't know it and is unwilling to learn it, or the DJ doesn't own it and is unwilling to get it, move on.

Tell them your likes and dislikes before you book. Know that all professionals should be open to your likes and dislikes.

Give them your personal request list, songs they must play and, perhaps more importantly, a do-not-play list.

Specifically prohibit the playing of any song you feel strongly about in your contract.

Dean and Maeve chose the fabulous Doxford Barns as the dream destination to hold their wedding on the biggest night of the year, yes New Years Eve.

What a cracking night for family and friends who had travelled from far and wide to celebrate with the happy couple and celebrate the start of the new decade at the same time.

Lots of guest from Ireland joined the Dean and Maeve to help them celebrate their wedding.

A first dance to Ed Sheeran's Tenerife Sea kicked the night off after the traditional cake cutting ceremony.

Lots of traditional party tunes and requests were the order of the day.

I droppe some Celtic tunes to make their Irish guests feel at home during the buffet which they couldn't help but get up and sing and dance too.

Fab night and what a way to kick of 2020.

Congratulations to the brand new Mr & Mrs Fraser.

If you are planning a wedding then I hope you'll find this guide a useful reference guide.

Whether you are a Bride or Groom and Wedding Planner of DJ this guide will help you develop a music soundtrack that reflects the personality and wishes of the couple and helps take the guests on a musical journey that complements any wedding day perfectly.

The latest available figures from the Office of National Statistics reveal some interesting facts about marriage and weddings in England and Wales during 2016

• In 2016, there were 249,793 marriages in England and Wales, 1.7% more than in 2015, but 1.0% fewer than in 2014.
• 97.2% of all marriages were between opposite-sex couples and 2.8% were between same-sex couples.
• There were 7,019 marriages between same-sex couples in 2016, an increase of 8.1% from 2015; of these marriages, 55.7% were between female couples.
• Marriage rates for opposite-sex couples in 2016 were lower at all ages compared with 2006, except for men aged 60 years and over and women aged 50 years and over.
• For the first time ever, less than one-quarter (24%) of all marriages in 2016 were religious ceremonies.
• 30 July was the most popular day to get married in 2016, with 4,742 marriages on this day.

Whether you plan to get married in a church with a religious ceremony a Registry Office or a licensed wedding venue this guide will help you think about the music you need.

Your guests will start to arrive for your ceremony from around 30 minutes to 45 minutes before your Ceremony. The more remote your

What music would you like to have playing to help create the mood and atmosphere  you want at the start of the day?

It may be better to stylize the music rather than just including a mix of songs or different types and styles.

Some examples of the type and styles of music that you may wish to consider could include:

• Classical music. This can be very powerful and just perfect in very traditional venues for examples a Castle or very old building including many churches.
• Acoustic music by cover artists. These are often more stripped back and calm than the original versions of songs. Take a look at artists like Boyce Avenue, Beth and Jasmine Thompson. There are many other excellent artists who perform in this  style.
• Acoustic instrumental piano music from artists such as the Piano Guys. Piano Girls and the O'Neill Brotherr
• Acoustic instrumental guitar music.
• Church Organ music. Liaison will be required with the organist to ensure they know the music you'd like played and the style and tempo of the music you would like.

As an alternative to playing recorded music you could as an alternative book a singer, piano player or string quartet for example the cost may well be a consideration when weighing up your options with prices starting from around £150 for the Prelude and Ceremony Music 

If you are having a civil ceremony and getting married in a wedding venue or Registry Office rather than in a Church there are some rules about the music you can play.

You are not allowed to play any religious songs or have an bible or religious readings during the ceremony.

This does not just cover traditional Hymns but can extend to songs with religious connations in them for examples Angels by Robbie Williams or Ava Maria by Beyonce. If you are in any doubt then please discuss your music choices with the Registration Service.

The wedding ceremony normally takes around 30 minutes. Ceremonies in a church can take slightly longer as you may be able to choose some Hymns for your guests to sing and there are often some readings from the bible included in the service.

• Waiting Music – You’ll need around 3 songs immediately before your ceremony to play as your guests are seated and awaiting the arrival of the Bridal Party. These can be a continuation of the style of music used within the prelude or some carefully chosen music to complement the music chosen for the ceremony. One thing that can heighten the excitement and grab the attention of your guests is for there to be a short pause in the music just before the Bridal Party arrives. This alerts your guests to the imminent arrival of the Bride.
  

• Processional Song – You will need a song or piece of music for the Bridal Party to walk into the Church or Ceremony Room to. This is normally a calm   Have a think about the song you pick and how it works with the size of the Bridal Party and the distance you have to travel. Listen to the song and at what point you would like the song to gently fade out and stop. Work back from this point and how much time you have and roughly how that works with the number of bridesmaids, flower girls, page boys etc before the Bride enters the room approach the Registrar, Vicar or Priest, stand for a moment and look briefly at your husband to be before the song ends.
  

• Signing the Register – You will need up to 3 songs to play in the background when you sign the register. These are usually pretty laid back and chilled. This is normally the point that your photographer and guests when invited get the opportunity to take some photographs. The policy on this will vary between different Registrars and Churches
  

• Recessional Song – At the conclusion of the Ceremony the Registrar, Vicar or Priest will ask your guests to stand and congratulate you as they set you off back down the aisle as Husband and Wife.  The recessional song is normally upbeat and celebratory to encourage spontaneous applause from your guests as you go back down the aisle. You’ll have a maximum of around 10 seconds before you disappear out of the room or church so you need the song chosen to have an instant “Bang” as there would be little point in choosing a song with a long introduction before it gets going. Some careful thought about the song and some careful editing can transform many songs so they work perfectly for the occasion.
  

The drinks reception is the time when your guests are enjoying their first drink.

Everyone will be in good spirits and will want to congratulate you after all you’ve just been married.

Your photographer will be organising some photographs.

This is a time when you will want to be playing upbeat celebratory songs.

Your guests may well be outside depending on the weather.

Some music ideas that would work here include:

• A good mix of upbeat songs including some popular modern and more classic hits
  
• On a hot summers day with your guests enjoying the sun some upbeat Latin, Salsa, Reggae and Samba style vibes could potentially hit the mark
  
• Some swing and Rat Pack vibes are popular with young and older guests.
  

Creating an atmosphere which gets your guests moving, tapping their feet and singing along to popular songs would complement the mood perfectly.

Once your guests are seated for the Wedding Breakfast there is an opportunity for the happy couple to be announced into the wedding breakfast.

In the United States its very popular to announce in the whole of the "Top Table" and there's nothing stopping you from doing this here. You could even choose a specific song for each person or couple to be announced into the wedding breakfast.

Traditionally in the UK its the couple alone who get announced into the wedding breakfast to suitable applause.

What better way to build the atmosphere with an appropriate song to lighten the atmosphere and add a fun element to your wedding entrance.

The Wedding Breakfast is normally a time when your guests get to know each other better or just indulge in conversation.

You'll need some background music just playing on a low volume whilst your guests are being served the wedding breakfast.

Usually a good mix of love  songs, acoustic music or songs with a more chilled vibe. 

As the wedding breakfast reaches its latter stages it might be an idea to inject some energy by introducing some well know "Sing-A-Long" songs to get your guests in the mood for the fast approaching evening wedding reception party.

This is the time between the end of the daytime festivities and before the start of the evening wedding reception party.

You might want to think about a play-list for this section of the day. 

There are probably two options

• Background music which allows your guests to relax or
  
• An alternative livelier playlist which injects some energy into the proceedings to get your guests in the mood for the party to follow.
  

When it comes to the evening party have a think about the music you like that has broad appeal and you think will get people dancing

Most weddings have guests of all ages and some have guests from afar where there may be regional differences in music tastes as well as and international dimension to consider.

A good mix of songs to cater for all musical tastes will help everyone to feel part of your wedding reception party.

Well known songs with a broad appeal are generally the songs to focus on.

Why not invite each of your guests to suggest a song or two that they like to dance too with their RSVP to your wedding that way you are sure to gather a list of songs that you know will be popular with your guests as they were involved in picking them.

As a DJ I encourage you to put forward as many songs as you want to include in your wedding "playlist". I use this as a guide rather than a must follow list. If there is a shorter list of "Must Play" songs that would be ideal perhaps with a longer list of "Would Like" songs.
 
Almost as important as the songs you would like played have a think about any songs that you really don't want played too. Some songs may hold a bad memory or may just be a cringeworthy song you dont want played.

As a skilled DJ I'd work with your "playlist" and use your songs along with other songs I might introduce to build the energy on the dancefloor and read the room to make the maximum impact on the dancefloor.

Paul and Terri chose Le Petit Chateau as the dream destination to hold their wedding reception between Christmas and New Year.

The weather held up with no sign of snow on a mild winters day.

I had the pleasure of being chosen as the Wedding DJ for the evening Wedding Reception as well as helping to put together the couple's music for their day time festivities.

Some carefully selected swing from the Rat Pack greeted the guests as they arrived at Le Petit Chateau for the wedding.

As the guests moved through to the Chapel some acoustic piano music was playing in the background.

The key music choices during the wedding ceremony included Jeff Buckley Hallelujah for Terri's processional song and after waiting a long time to finally tie the knot the aptly titled At Last from Etta James was chosen as the recessional song.

Both of these songs were edited to emphasise the moment perfectly.

The evening wedding reception party kicked off with the traditional cake cutting ceremony.

Then it was off to the first dance to Ruti's version of Dreams you might remember her as the winner of the Voice.

A mix of tracks throughout the evening including The Jam, Paul Weller, Smiths, Rolling Stones some Trance and 90's pop which all seemed to hit the mark with the guests

The final song of the night from Oasis and their version of Cum on Feel the Noiz from Slade.

Some fantastic singing on an impromptu Karaoke from the Groom and his son as well as one of the guests from North of the Border.

Many congratulations to the brand new Mr and Mrs Howell and all the very best for the future.

A brilliant day and night in so many ways for Alex and Shea celebrating their wedding at the fantastic Woodhill Hall.

I had the pleasure of providing the music all day as well as the evening party.

Alex a big Jessie Ware fan chose Jessie Ware's Champagne Kisses as her processional song. Drops of Jupiter by Train was chosen as their recessional song.

The music throughout the day and evening was chosen by the Alex and Shea.

Some emotional moments during the ceremony and speeches.

Just to prep the guests for the evening celebration a little bit of energy was injected into the latter half of the wedding breakfast which went down a storm with the guests.

An early start to the evening celebration at 6pm with white lighting provided at Alex's request one of the benefits of choosing a DJ who has control of their lighting.

A Jessie Ware mashup of "Running" with an acoustic version of the song mixed into a dance version which went down a treat.

Guests were up dancing from the off with a rocking dancefloor all night
.
Ending the night with the Pogues Fairy Tale of New York with and encore of Whitney Houston "I will always Love You" with Alex and Shea singing to each other at the top of their voices

A superb wedding and a pleasure working alongside Jack Storey at True Story Photography. Well done to Courtney for his Master of Ceremony duties.

www.icon-entertainments.co.uk

#weddingDJ #DJ #Disco #Northumberland #NorthEast

A cracking night for Andy and Bryony celebrating their wedding party in the Tepee at Woodhill Hall.

It was a pleasure working alongside Blistering Molly who did a cracking rock set as part of the wedding celebration and also provided the music and vocals for the first dance their own version of Bon Jovi''s Living on a Prayer.

Some highlights included Bryony's mams vocal accompaniment to Indeep's Last Night a DJ Saved My Life and absolutely nailed the rap.

A joint parents dance later on in the night to Journey's Who's Crying Night.

A multiple end of the night with chants of one more song winning through extending the party by another thirty minutes or so.

Congratulations to the brand new Mr and Mrs Moffat absolutely top nigh who are off to enjoy a Honeymoon in New York.

www.icon-entertainments.co.uk

#WoodhillHall #WeddingDJ #DJ #Northumberland #NorthEast #Otterburn #Wedding

A nice trip out to Newton Hall to DJ for the wedding of Robbie and Sam on a cold Sunday Night and what a cracker it turned out to be.

Its the first time I've been since work has been completed in the conservatory area which is looking stylish as you would expect at Newton Hall.

The night kicked off with a welcome for the happy couple into the evening wedding reception to suitable applause from their family and friends. Then it was on to the cake cutting with Ed Sheeran's Perfect as the backing track.

This was followed by a bouquet toss to the sound of Single Ladies which didn't seem to bother the guys who took part.

We then moved into the First Dance which was a cover of James Arthur's "Say You Won't Let Go by Matt Johnson.

A mix of pop, 80's, R&B and Clubland were the main features of the music for the night.

We ended on the Fairytale of New York and why not ... it was the 1st of December

Daytime music provided by yours truly which is all part of the service.

Great to work alongside Crazy-Pix and Leopardprints Photography.#

Many congratulations and all the very best to the brand new Mr & Mrs Wilkinson

www.icon-entertainments.co.uk

#weddingDJ #WeddingDisco #Northumberland #NewtonHall #Alnwick #NorthEast

Callum and Laura chose the fabulous Eshott Hall as the dream venue to hold their wedding with its fabulous setting just north of Morpeth in Northumberland.
I provided my Ipad with prepared playlists for their wedding day music requirements in line with Callum and Laura's wishes.
The evening kicked off with the traditional cake cutting followed by the First Dance to a song growing in popularity from Kodaline "The One".
The music for the night a mix of R&B, Pop, Rock, Clubland and a few 80's thrown into the mix.
During the evening buffet the guests were entertained with the Mr & Mrs Shoe Game with questions prepared with the assistance of Chief Bridesmaid Laura.
Great working alongside the fab Tom Hibberd Photography and also Polasr Imagery a lovely couple just back from their own honeymoon.
Many congratulations to Callum and Laura the new Mr and Mrs Balding and all the very best for the future,
www.icon-entertainments.co.uk
#WeddingDJNorthEast #MultiAwardWinningDJ #WeddingDJNorthumberland #WeddingDJEshottHall


I provided my Ipad with prepared playlists for their wedding day music requirements in line with Callum and Laura's wishes.

The evening kicked off with the traditional cake cutting followed by the First Dance to a song growing in popularity from Kodaline "The One".

The music for the night a mix of R&B, Pop, Rock, Clubland and a few 80's thrown into the mix.

During the evening buffet the guests were entertained with the Mr & Mrs Shoe Game with questions prepared with the assistance of Chief Bridesmaid Laura.

Great working alongside the fab Tom Hibberd Photography and also Polasr Imagery a lovely couple just back from their own honeymoon.

Many congratulations to Callum and Laura the new Mr and Mrs Balding and all the very best for the future,

www.icon-entertainments.co.uk

#WeddingDJ #NorthEast #EshottHall #Northumberland #PartyDJ #DJ #Disco #Wedding

Something a bit different tonight a Charity Fundraiser in aid of McMillan Cancer Care at Blyth Comrades Club which is now permanent fixture in my calendar.

A fantastic effort by all involved in organising the event with lots of money being raised for a charity very close to the organisers heart.

A few rounds of bingo, blind cards and an amazing raffle with an array of fantastic prizes to give away in a Charity Raffle. Many thanks to all of the local businesses who donated the prizes.

Well done everyone nothing better than having fun and raising money at the same time.

Well a fantastic double header at Waren Mill Camping and Caravan Park near Bamburgh in Northumberland.

We got things underway with an action packed and fun filled children's Halloween Disco which got the adults just as involved as the children at the Witch and Worm Family Pub located on site.  Lots of Halloween fun with some cracking games and lots of giveaways that got everyone involved.

As we moved into the evening we had a family Halloween Party with great music and a raffle that just kept giving.

An amazing night for all of the guests on the site and all credit to the staff for laying this on.

The party just kept going with encore after encore and no one wanting to leave.

Super night roll on next year.

​Jonny and Linzi chose the historic Crook Hall and Gardens in the heart of Durham City for their wedding celebration.

The weather just about held out for everyone to enjoy the beautiful gardens at Crook Hall.

Linzi doing her own thing and looking fab in a non traditional wedding dress.

Jonny and Linzi determined to enjoy the space decided to have their cake cutting and first dance outside under the canopy on a slightly chilly and damp autumn night.

Well it worked a treat as they had their first dance under the stars to Fleetwood Macs Love in Store and it was obvious Jonny had been practising ... i'm not sure what he had been practising but it wasn't his dance moves :-) He certainly wowed his guests though.

Not to be outdone a second first dance was organised indoors to UB40 just because they can.

A wide selection of music including some Ska favourites, pop and some rock.

Again the gardens were used for the serving of oven baked pizza's for the evening buffet.

Had some budding DJ's on the decks who seemed to enjoy playing with the effects and the mic, thought I'd bagged a couple of roadies to help with my gear but they were nowhere to be seen at the end of the night.

Fab night for a really lovely couple.
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Many congratulations to the brand new Mr & Mrs Nelson.

It was great to be invited to DJ and provide the Master of Ceremony Services for Kevin and Sarah's Wedding at the fabulous Ellingham Hall near Alnwick in Northumberland.

And what a day and night it turned out to be.

Kevin and Sarah carefully chose the music to complement their wedding perfectly although we did abandon the wedding breakfast playlist as it was clear that the guests were up for an early start to the party celebrations.

One of the real advantages of having a skilled DJ and Master of Ceremonies present at your wedding all day is that they can judge the mood and adjust things as necessary.

Sarah chose Rod Stewart's cover of the Van Morrison classic "Have I Told You Lately" and they happy couple came out to the ever popular American Authors "Best Day of My Life"

Some upbeat music followed during the drinks reception.

I announced Kevin and Sarah into the wedding breakfast in my own inimitable style with a musical backdrop and that went down a storm which got everybody in a good mood for the speeches.

Some emotional and funny speeches followed with Kevin and Sarah's son Noah stealing the show.

The wedding breakfast was a cracker with everyone in an upbeat party mood so the love songs were abandoned in favour of some singalong and upbeat classics which had people dancing and standing on their seats and waving their napkins in the air.

The evening party got off to a great start with Noel Gallaghers version of Wonderwall as the First Dance.

A great mix of tunes throughout the night with quite a few requests thrown in for good measure.
A sparkler parade outside and a fab fish and chip supper really hit the mark.

Ending the night on a couple of Oasis classics Live Forever followed by Don't Look Back in Anger which went down a storm.

Many congratulations to the brand new Mr and Mrs Hodgson and what a way to start married life together.
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Great to work alongside fellow professionals Tom Richardson Photography.and the Balloon Fairy North East

Matthew and Amanda chose the fabulous Artisan Restaurant at the Biscuit Factory in Newcastle as the venue for their wedding.

The night got off to a great start with the cake cutting, with a choice of several cakes including my favourite the chocolate caterpillar, this was followed by an upbeat first dance to Walk the Moon's Shut up and Dance which Matthew and Amanda duly obliged with their guests joining in.

A real mixed bag of music including a small number of must have tracks, some guests requests and a small number of do not plays,

The dance-floor kept moving from the off till the Midnight Hour ending the night in style with Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes and Had the Time of My Life.

Super night all round and I think I managed to pronounce the Groom's name right by the end of the night.

"Really glad my wife and I booked Ian for our wedding. He really takes care of you and works on the details to help the night run smoothly. We gave him a short list of musts and must not but the rest of the night he just kept the dance floor moving. His mixing is on point, provides great lighting and even works a camera between tracks. Couldn't have asked for more! Thrilled mate. Thanks Ian from both of us! "  Matthew Chijioke😀
Many congratulations to the brand new Mr & Mrs Chijioke

Well a bit of a different gig tonight a nice little walk in at a new quirky venue in the heart of my hometown of South Shields thanks to JLW Events.

The venue itself is above Tinker Smiths and is housed in the projection room from the former Gaumont Cinema so its steeped in the history of South Shields.

Fab night for Becca her family and friends and what a super buffet with so many fast food outlets on the doorstep why not order in some Pizza's, Kebabs and Chips which really hit the mark.

Happy 21st Birthday Becca hope you had an amazing time!

Becca said afterwards "Ian was absolutely fab the whole night! Arrived before we even got there and was already set up and ready to go! I was convinced he had been on my Spotify as every single song was something that I listen to and he knew exactly how to get everybody up off their seats and start dancing. I wasn’t even aware that he had also been taking photos the whole night which really made it even more special as I now have so many wonderful photos to remember my 21st birthday with."