A few months ago, we were privileged enough to chosen to supply a broad range of equipment and support services to a wedding venue not too far from our own headquarters. From PA systems to disco lighting and live sound mixing, we provided almost all aspects of technical wedding production at one of the most beautiful settings in Surrey!
So without further ado, let’s set the scene for you, before going into the specific details of what we provided for our clients.
Wedding to Remember at Stunning Surrey Venue
All weddings are special. However, some weddings that we provide our services too really do take our collective breath away. As we rolled down the long drive toward what was, for all intents and purposes, a castle, we had our work cut out to keep our jaws off the floor.
In case you’re wondering precisely where this event took place, it was on the magnificent De Vere estate (Horsley Towers to be precise). Let’s just say it’s no wonder that it’s such a popular wedding venue. It’s pretty much a real-life fairytale Disney castle! But enough about the location. Let’s tell you more about the brief from the client, as it was slightly different from our usual engagement (pardon the pun!).
Instead of working with the bride and groom directly, they had hired a wedding planner to take care of everything, and this lovely lady was to be our point of contact. While this arrangement is less common, it’s still something we’ve got plenty of experience with. The whole process is often smoother with this setup since wedding planners are experienced event organisers who know what they’re looking for.
In terms of the brief itself, there was a change to our usual wedding format too. Unsurprisingly our speaker and lighting hire packages are usually focused on the wedding reception. However, as the venue was all-inclusive, there were some sound requirements for the ceremony too.
Of course, this posed no problem for us, and we sat down to with the wedding planner to devise what they were going to need. After we’d talked through all of the options, the lovely wedding planner made her choices, ran them past the happy couple, and then it was just a case of waiting for the event to roll around.
Wedding Ceremony Speaker Hire Surrey
On the day itself, we arrived nice and early and began setting up the first portion of our sound equipment hire services in the chapel. There were a few aspects to care of. First and foremost, the musical accompaniment to the ceremony (including the walk down the aisle) was to be provided by a string quartet. The event planner requested that we provide a mic and PA speakers to amplify their dulcet tones.
Rather than overcomplicating things with four instrument mics, we used one of our top-class Shure hanging microphones and ran it back to our mixing desk, which was connected to a pair of small PA speakers.
However, our job wasn’t entirely done yet. We were also charged with looking after the sound for the vicar, to help project his voice to attendees. We fitted him up with a wireless lapel mic which was again transmitted through the PA speakers so everyone could adequately hear the exchanges between the bride, groom, and vicar.
For the ceremony, we had one sound engineer overseeing a Mackie mixing desk to bring volumes up and down as and when required. At the same time, the rest of the team were busy setting up the sound and lighting for the subsequent wedding reception on the other side of the building.
Wedding Reception Sound & Light Hire Surrey
On the reception side of the equation, our services were much more extensive. Although we set everything up well in advance of the reception, chronologically speaking, the first order of business was to strategically place some of our Chauvet wireless LED uplighters in the grand dining room, which changed colour during the evening to set the right mood and ambience. We then moved onto the dining room’s sound requirements.
Concerning the PA system, we placed two active speakers behind the top table for the post-dinner speeches. We also supplied a couple of wireless microphones and delivered some quick, on-the-spot training to the best man and father of the bride ensure that they knew what they were doing. Once that was all taken care of, it was time to turn our attention to the lion’s share of our event production services, the evening entertainment.
The order of events was kicked off with a local singer/songwriter for pre and post-dinner festivities before the evening started in earnest. For these performances, we used a sound setup that was very similar to our solo performance pack hire package. In short, we set up two PA speakers, a state-of-the-art mic, a smaller subwoofer, and once again ran everything through a Mackie Pro FX12 mixing desk.
There weren’t any lighting requirements at this point since this slot took place before nightfall. However, that was all change once the three-course meal had been completed, and people shared eager glances over at the live band that had begun to start their set up and sound check. Here, we changed tack and provided a sound and lighting arrangement not too dissimilar from our complete sound and light hire package.
That meant a full suite of top-of-the-range d&b audiotechnik sound solutions paired with a fleet of eight moving head fixtures, 12 Showtec LED tour PAR cans, a complete set of laser machines, and a smoke machine to really them bring out. We also included a strobe light for the DJ scheduled for later in the evening.
All in all, we provided the following hire equipment for the evening entertainment:
- 4 X d&b Audiotechnik Q1 Line Array Speakers
- 2 X d&b Audiotechnik B2 Subwoofer
- 2 X d&b Audiotechnik Q-Subwoofer
- 4 X d&b Audiotechnik D12 Amplifier
- 8 X Phantom 120 Moving Heads
- 12 X Showtec M800 Tour PAR Can
- 4 x Laser Machines
- 1 x Smoke Machine
- 1 x Strobe Light
- 1 x Truss Structure to rig the majority of the fixtures
We’ll think you’ll agree that’s a pretty stellar line-up, and one that many sound and disco lighting hire companies in Surrey couldn’t match for quality. Even though there were just under 200 guests at the evening reception, this specific sound and lighting combination could easily cater for 500 guests. But that’s what do as a company, we go above and beyond to guarantee client satisfaction.
But we weren’t quite done yet. We had one final request that put the icing on the wedding cake, as it were.
Starlit LED Dancefloor Hire Surrey
That’s right; the pièce de résistance came in the form of one our classy starlit LED dancefloors. The giant 22 ft. by 22ft. black dance floor looked beautiful as darkness set in and we turned on the starry LED lights that twinkled at various speeds. It didn’t take long before almost everyone in sight was up and boogying!
While there was nothing wrong with the carpet flooring in the venue, it wasn’t exactly conducive to dancing. Not to mention the fact that 100-plus dancers might not have left that particular section of the floor in the best of conditions!
Given their value and their nature, we have to deliver, install, and set up our starlit dancefloors ourselves. Since we already had experienced team members on the ground, this wasn’t an issue. Speaking of which, it’s worth giving our team a mention for the stellar work they undertook as part of this project.
Wedding Event Production Team for Hire Surrey
As you might have guessed, our hire service isn’t merely limited to equipment. In this specific instance, we also had a dedicated team of sound engineers and technicians who ensured that everything ran smoothly on the night. From getting the balancing the sound levels during the initial ceremony, to mixing the live band and running the light show for the DJ into the early hours, our team handled everything with aplomb.
If you are comfortable with dry hiring PA systems and lights, that’s great. However, with our event production services, you can relax and focus on your celebration. Rather than dealing with the hassle of travelling to our warehouse, setting everything up and packing away all of the equipment before returning it to us, we can handle everything.
From on-site delivery to set up and support during the evening, we are 100% flexible to meet your needs. Better still, we are part of the TSH group, one of the biggest event production companies in the UK. What that means for you is access to the best engineers and technicians in the business — providing yet another reason to hand over the production reins to us while you enjoy your once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
Customised and ‘Off-the-Shelf’ Packages for Lighting and PA hire Surrey
Something else you may have noticed is that we work both ways when it comes to events and party sound and lighting hire packages. While our ‘off-the-shelf’ hire packages cover the majority of eventualities, we realise that you may be looking for a package that’s more specific to your particular needs.
We understand that no two weddings, birthday parties, or music concerts are the same. That’s why we offer bespoke quotes should you any of our pre-made packages not quite fit the bill. In this case of this wedding, it was roughly a 50/50 split. While the vast majority of the evening entertainment requirements fit into a neat package, other aspects were very much custom. We also had to factor in the costs of delivery, installation, and supporting staff members on-site for the duration.
The point is, we are just as happy working either way. Whether you want a complete custom event production solution or you want to mix and match existing packages, as our online reputation shows, our mission is to make you happy, no matter the method.
Choose Sound & Light Hire Surrey for Your Wedding
No matter the size and scale of your venue, it’s likely that you are going to need sound and lighting equipment for your celebration. Whether you’ve delegated the task to someone else, or you’re navigating your way through the world of event equipment hire, we can help you.
Whether you’re an expert who knows what they’re looking to dry hire, or you have no idea what you might need for your special occasion, our friendly team are on hand seven days a week to talk you through your options. In the case of dry hiring, we can show you how to set up and use everything. Or if you want to leave that to the professionals, we can supply them to run everything for you too. The choice is yours.
So if you would like to learn more about how Sound & Light Hire Surrey can help you achieve the perfect day for your Surrey wedding, don’t hesitate to give us a call to discuss what you have in mind. We can’t wait to hear from you!