Wedding Supplier Spotlight: Stephen Hallwood Music

If you are as old as I am can you remember back in the day on music shows when their used to be a "ones to watch" alert that focused on brilliant emerging musicians?

No - maybe that was just me then lol But I swear this was a thing.

If it was todays wedding supplier would most definitely be on there. Stephen Hallwood Music is one of those singers that tone and rasp literally oozes style. I remember when we first discovered Stephen on Instagram during an afternoon looking through the web for up and coming suppliers to attend our fairs. After watching his videos I was simply blown away and knew he had to become a member of the Chosen Wedding Fair family.

At his first wedding fair he attending our London Show in the Spring of 2019 and my goodness everyone loved him! We had so many compliments from guests and fellow exhibitors and we knew from then that Stephens talents belonged in the family so to speak.

Today we thought we would let Stephen chat to you directly about himself, how booking a wedding performer works as well as how he has been dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic. So we are going to hand over the reigns to him.

Hello everyone!

My name's Stephen and I am a solo artist based in Cardiff but play all over the country performing acoustic folk, rock, pop and soul - from old favourites to modern classics. I love to sing and play the guitar, and after a few requests to perform at friends and families weddings, I thought, I should do this for people I don't know too. Its great fun!

Music has a way of connecting with everyone, a song can bring back different memories or create an emotional response. It is no wonder that music is such a key aspect of the day, and I absolutely love being the person who can bring that. 

I tend to stand out from other performs as I don't replicate the songs in their original form. What I love to do is put my own unique approach to it, making those songs, that are so special to the couple, even more, memorable to them. For me, it's about creating something that's individual, and I think couples really appreciate that.  

Fun facts: I enjoy keeping fit, and I am a keen runner and love to surf. I also make a mean Egg Custard Tart!

Most of the time I am very lucky to be able to initially meet my couples face to face and when showcasing at Chosen Wedding Fairs, I try and perform as much as I possibly can. Giving everyone a chance to get to know my sound. This naturally flows into the opportunity to have a good old chat with any passing couples showing interest, which opens the conversation on how I can fit into their wedding plans. This is the most important thing.

Couples can choose from set packages, or a more bespoke package can be developed to cater to the layout of the day. I have an extensive setlist to choose from, but new song requests are welcome, as I know couples will always have those special songs they love to hear. I have a well-detailed flyer and website and couples will generally make their enquires through my socials or via email. Once we have established the package and ironed out all the finer details through email or phone, the booking is firmly in the diary.

On the wedding day itself I will arrive at the venue in good time to set up my equipment and soundcheck. I use a Bose L1, which fits perfectly into any space. It looks super professional and the sound is unmatched. It is so important that I never overpower the space I'm performing in, my job is to be a subtle addition to the day, allowing guests to chat and enjoy the atmosphere. 

What do I find rewarding about my job I hear you ask.

Well simply put I love that I get the opportunity to perform live music, and at such an important day of peoples lives. For example, when I sing the bride down the aisle and get to observe the tears and smiles from their friends and family members, I feel like I am really contributing to this moment. It's really special. Cheesy I know... :-) 

When I chat to my couples and the topic of wedding planning comes up I always offer the same advice to every couple - Do your own thing!

The best weddings I have attended and performed at have been unique to the couples themselves. Little personal quirks, homemade table decorations, food trucks, whatever it may be. Just make it about you and what you like as a couple. 

The current situation with COVID-19 is very hard on everyone, in many different ways. But within this particular business, where the source of income in some cases solely from weddings, it's very hard. We are talking about a whole wedding season with no business, which is a scary thought!

All my current bookings have been moved to later this year, or to 2021. So thinking about how I could take advantage of lockdown, and my current skill set, I began offering Recording Packages. This would include a professionally recorded track for the couples I performed for in the past, giving them the requested tracks from their special day. It's been great and kept me busy during these strange times - creativity on the whole has had such an uptake all over the world with this pandemic and it's great to see people exploring this more and more.

I always enjoy showcasing at Chosen Wedding Fairs as the events have such a friendly approach and really enjoyed my trip to Oxford in the Spring. I can't wait to perform in my hometown of Cardiff at the next show I am booked into exhibit at.

I would personally like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support, and I look forward to bigger and better wedding celebrations to come. Bring on 2021!

As a little treat I would like to offer all the lovely Chosen Wedding Fair readers 15% off any bookings made with the promotion "SHM15" as a little wedding gift for their big day. This discount covers any type of event not just weddings. The offer expires on 13th September 2020.

If you would like to see me in action or find out more you can contact me at the following channels:

- Website: www.stephenhallwoodmusic.com

- Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephenhallwoodmusic

- Instagram: @stephenhallwoodmusic

I am going to leave you with one of my most popular, and equally one of my most favourite to play covers of the classic Lana Del Rey track 'Video Games' - Enjoy!

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