Reviews
I say it best, when I say nothing at all ...
We booked Ray to play during the daytime of our wedding at The Parlour, Blagdon. It was a decision taken by my bride to be (Linda) in my absence but one that I am eternally grateful she took independently as it really did make the daytime special for us and all of our guests.
Planning and organising music for your ceremony is one of those stresses you can do without on your big day, but from the moment we booked Ray we were relieved of this stress as he took care of everything. He liaised with the venue, asked us the kind of artists and songs we would like him to play during our reception and also if we would like him to play any songs especially for us, and the ceremony in particular. We asked him to play an instrumental version of Groovy Kind of Love for Linda to walk down the aisle to, which was absolutely beautiful.
Aside from the ceremony itself, background music during the day of a wedding can be one of those seemingly small things that is often overlooked in the frenzy to sort out transport, caterers, accommodation etc. however, it is vitally important in creating an ambience whilst guests are mingling before and after the ceremony. Ray was perfect for this, and I received compliments from several of our guests about how excellent a balance he achieved between being loud enough to create an atmosphere but not so loud that people couldn’t socialise or talk amongst themselves.
I cannot emphasise enough how much having a live performer of Ray’s quality during the day added to our overall experience of an occasion we will never forget and which we certainly hope will be a once in a lifetime event!
Linda & Darren xxx
The Parlour, Blagdon
We got married at Bamburgh Castle – a truly magical day and all concerned helped to make it run like clockwork.
Ray played the grand piano in the Great Hall during the ceremony and his own piano during our reception drinks. His contribution was highly praised by many guests – he had to learn entirely new pieces we particularly wanted for the ceremony, and played them to perfection.
In all our dealings with Ray we found him friendly and very responsive to our wishes – recommend him highly for any event.
Eirik and Wanida
Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland
Me and my partner were planning our wedding and couldn't decide on the kind of music to have, until one day we were having afternoon tea with family at Langley Castle and we noticed a piano playing as we entered the room. We were intrigued by the beautiful sound that surrounded us. At first we took time to listen and it was a talking point for a little while, as we tried to identify the songs and all discussed how really lovely it was. Then, as we all started to engage in conversation, the music kind of softened to where we somehow didn't notice it anymore. An hour passed, we were having such a nice time, until all of a sudden the atmosphere changed dramatically. We found ourselves whispering almost and leaning forward to speak to one another as to not disturb people sitting near us. We soon noticed the piano had stopped. It was at that exact time we decided that this was definitely something we wanted at our wedding - if I'm honest, it's not something I ever would of thought of.
I spoke to Ray just before we left and handed him my details. He got in touch the next day with a lovely gentle email (not pushy in any way). I gave him a few details i.e dates and times, then a little while later after I had chosen the songs I wanted, we discussed it over the phone.
Ray was so wonderful. I chose the beautiful River Flows In You by Yiruma to make my entrance - Ray learnt it and sent me a clip in advance - it was absolutely perfect. My other songs were three tracks from the movie The Greatest Showman, and again Ray delivered these to perfection.
Ray stayed all day from 12 till 5 (he has three pianos, so wherever my guests were, Ray was there playing in the background) – the arrival of my guests, the ceremony itself, our outdoor reception in the grounds of the castle and during our wedding breakfast. He played an array of tunes from chart tracks to old classics - such a variety of beautiful music. I truly believe that nothing could have come close to the atmosphere that Ray created for our wedding. His knowledge and understanding is outstanding - he knew exactly what to play and when to play it and at what volume! You DON’T get any of that from a CD player!
I have to say that Ray was wonderful, the talent he has is exceptional, the dealings I had with him were so relaxed. He was so down to earth, yet so professional. He is a true gentleman, and we wish him continued success - he deserves it!
Debbie & Steve xx
Langley Castle, Hexham
Ray came to our rescue! We had issues leading up to our wedding and it looked like we were not going to have a pianist. However, Ray was recommended to us and from the minute he replied to my email he seemed very upbeat, positive and had a good vibe - always wishing us well, and empathetic towards the stress a wedding can bring.
He is a brilliant pianist. We had so many fantastic compliments from a lot of our wedding guests. He was so easy to work with and such a friendly person. He made our drinks reception a lot more memorable than just having a bit of background music. The children loved to watch him and he played some lovely and meaningful songs which created a lovely, more personal and relaxing atmosphere. We would recommend Ray a million times over. Ray was a great communicator, and very approachable. We can’t thank him enough for making our day that little bit more special.
We both want to Thank You very much for rescuing our drinks reception at The Vermont Hotel. You played some beautiful music and did a tremendous job. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Melanie & Keir xxx
The Vermont Hotel, Newcastle
Jade and I got married at Horton Grange, it was a wonderful day made better by Ray and his piano. The planning was very easy and relaxed which makes a nice change when planning a wedding. We met Ray a few times to discuss our choices and get ideas from him, he was very friendly, approachable and has a great knowledge and expertise in his profession.
Ray’s music gave the day a great atmosphere and many of our guests commented how good it was. Our 2 year old daughter stole the show adding a lovely touch by joining Ray to play us back down the aisle. Ray is great with children and even let our daughter have a turn playing on the piano. I’m sure she’ll be back for lessons when she’s older!
We would definitely recommend Ray to anyone looking for live music at their wedding, once you meet him you’ll be sure he’s the right choice.
Paul & Jade xxx
Horton Grange, Ponteland
Ray played the piano at our wedding reception at the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth. As a couple we have had some wonderful memories together relaxing at piano bars so when we got engaged we decided to look for a pianist to entertain our guests during our drinks reception.
We were both really impressed when we heard Ray playing at a wedding fayre. We got chatting with him and found he was just as friendly as he was talented. He really put us at ease and gave us a fantastic quote to play at both our drinks reception and wedding breakfast so we were excited to book him. In the lead up to our wedding he asked us for song requests and it was so lovely to hear them being played especially for us during the meal. So many of our guests commented to us that they had enjoyed listening to Ray on our special day. We couldn't recommend Ray highly enough! Thank you so much!
Jennifer and Malcolm xxx
Grand Hotel, Tynemouth
My husband and I got married at The Garden Rooms at Tennants in Leyburn and booked Ray somewhat last minute, with no music organised for any part of our day apart from our last dance. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we made for our day.
Ray is very friendly, passionate and incredibly professional, making this part of planning a wedding painless and incredibly easy. We were stuck with what songs we wanted but after speaking with Ray we narrowed down a few we’d like to hear and left Ray to play what he wanted. We requested some songs that weren’t in Ray’s repertoire with only a couple of weeks to go and Ray took the time to learn and play them for us. He even endulged us with our request to not play any Ed Sheeran!
From first contact to him leaving Ray was amazing. Having Ray there only added to an already great atmosphere with many of our guests commenting and praising Ray and his playing. We can’t thank Ray enough for making our day that extra bit special.
Samantha and Jamie xx
Tennants Garden Rooms, Leyburn
From the first contact with Ray he put our minds at rest. We gave him a list of what we liked and Ray sent us back some samples of what he play. There was no doubt we were going to book him. Our wedding day was perfect and his music added that touch of class to our special day. Ray spent the full day with us and never left the piano’s side for very long, playing perfectly from start to finish. Our guests loved our music and kept each other entertained by trying to guess the song the quickest!
Not only is Ray one of the best for music but his attention to detail is second to none and his communication is fantastic. I want to thank Ray for the early messages of me questioning the music and never once telling me I was over thinking! We had such faith in Ray before we even met him on the day through all the communication we had.
Ray also has a fantastic personality and that added charm to our music. The music is such an important part of any wedding day. It leaves you with memories and a tingle of nostalgia every time you hear your song after your day. Ray left us with new music memories that will last our lifetime. We can’t praise “our music man” as we called him enough - if you want your guests to have a talking point, Ray is your man.
Thank you Ray - we won’t ever forget our songs and for spending the most special day with us.
Selina & Ben xx
Beamish Hall, Co. Durham
Ray played the ceremony and drinks reception at our wedding at the Grand Hotel, Tynemouth. My husband and I met him at a wedding showcase at The Grand a few months before our big day, and Ray instantly put us at ease when we chatted to him. He was so enthusiastic about our ideas, and knows the venue inside out. We emailed back and forth about ideas for the ceremony music: I knew for sure that I wanted to come down the aisle to Everlong by the Foo Fighters, but didn’t have concrete plans for the other songs. We sent a list of the kind of stuff we like and from there Ray came up with some beautiful suggestions which really worked, and fit with the ambience we were aiming for.
Ray’s playing on the day was incredible and many of our guests commented on how much they enjoyed the music both during the ceremony and then in the bar afterwards. The version of Everlong that Ray arranged for us was absolutely perfect - we couldn’t have asked for better. We’d wholeheartedly recommend Ray for anyone considering having piano music as part of their wedding day. Thank you so much for making it so amazing!
Sam and Mike xx
Grand Hotel, Tynemouth
We can’t thank Ray enough. From start to finish he was amazing, contacting us to make sure everything was as we wanted, so friendly and professional!
If you are looking for something different to make your wedding day that little bit extra special we would definitely recommend Ray! The music he played in the background whilst we were having welcome drinks just made the atmosphere perfect! Our guests loved it as much as us!! Thank you so much!!
Love Mr and Mrs Moat :-) xx
Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle
My husband and I first met Ray at Preston Park Wedding Fair. We were considering some form of entertainment for our welcome drinks and wedding reception. We had tried a few different options but nothing quite appealed to us much - my husband wasn’t fond of magicians and I was not keen on having a caricaturist. We heard Ray playing and took a leaflet, so decided to drop him an e-mail for some more information. We were delighted to find that he offered a package that covered a 90 minutes drinks reception and 2 hours wedding breakfast - this was perfect for what we wanted, so decided to book him straightaway.
From his first email, correspondence with Ray was amazing, always checking in with us and making sure everything was in place to run smoothly on the day. I also admired his patience with me as I have a very hectic life and often overlooked e-mails ... oops! Ray is very professional and was all setup and ready for the guests arriving for our drinks reception. He added a very nice touch to the day. Without him being there would have been a real lack of atmosphere as my wedding was very small with only 30 guests. His music added a real lively feel to the day. He played non-stop for the entire reception and meal and all of our guests were commenting on how lovely it was to hear him playing such a variety of tunes - he even learnt a few new songs that we requested. I also had a few singalongs with my mother-in-law and my husband’s best man which make for amazing memories for us all.
I am so glad we decided to book Ray for our wedding. He was the perfect choice for our small, laid back wedding. His music reinforced the kind of relaxed mood I wanted to create for my day and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. I would recommend him to anyone that is struggling or unsure on what they would like for their day as this is how we felt, and he fit the bill perfectly. Thanks Ray for making our day extra special!
Melissa & Alex xx
Tees Valley Rowing Club, Stockton
Hi Ray,
Thank you so much for playing at our wedding yesterday. We couldn’t have asked for anything more. The music was just perfect from start to finish through our wedding ceremony, drinks reception until the end of our wedding breakfast.
Thank you again for everything and for making our day so special.
Mr and Mrs Lowe xx
Kirkley Hall, Northumberland
Big thank you to Ray for playing our wedding ceremony and wedding breakfast on Saturday 25th May at Lumley Castle. Ray was lovely to talk too, took our ideas on board and made them a reality! Couldn't fault his service and would highly recommend.
Mr and Mrs Murray xx
Lumley Castle, Co. Durham
Dear Ray,
We would just like to say thank you for the amazing playing during our wedding ceremony and drinks reception at Matfen Hall. Walking down the aisle to the sound of a grand piano is a truly magical experience. We have watched the video a couple of times now and what makes it so unique and gave that extra dynamic we were looking for, is your performance on the piano. All of our guests were impressed and many have said how much they enjoyed listening to you as they sat in the gardens (we were so lucky with the weather!). We love the piano and your repertoire was so varied we could not have asked for more. Thank you once again for creating such a perfect backdrop to our day.
Holly and Andy xx
Matfen Hall, Northumberland
We heard Ray playing the piano at a Wedding Open Day in the ceremony room we had booked for our wedding at Lumley Castle, and it really did create a lovely atmosphere. So we decided to book Ray to play our ceremony music and also music during our drinks reception. Ray is very friendly and communicating with him was very easy - he always got back to us promptly which was appreciated. We chose two specific songs we wanted to hear at the ceremony and he learnt these songs and put some nice arrangements to them that were very effective. He was very good at working off the cuff too, as there was a delay to me getting into the ceremony (the Bride) but from what I've heard the entrance song was extended by Ray seamlessly so no-one noticed! The atmosphere created during the drinks reception with the piano music was lovely. I definitely recommend piano music and played by Ray for your wedding.
Natalie and David x
Lumley Castle, Co. Durham
We had the pleasure of Ray playing at our wedding at Ramside Hall. He played during the ceremony, photographs and the wedding breakfast. He is an absolutely brilliant pianist with a very good personality. With Robert working away from home for several months at a time, he was very relaxed with us making decisions and throughout the booking process we found him very approachable. Ray was also very accommodating with any requests we had, even in the few weeks coming up to our big day. Our guests were very impressed with Ray and we are still receiving comments about the music afterwards. We are both extremely happy that we chose Ray and would certainly recommend him to anyone else who may be looking for a pianist for their wedding.
Ray, thank you for making our special day even better!
Chloe and Robert xx
Ramside Hall, Durham
Well, where do I start? I bumped into Ray at a wedding fair in Middlesbrough. He is such a likeable man. After deliberating to have Ray play at my wedding and looking on his website, the decision was made and I'm so glad I did.
After a few emails and calls he knew exactly what I wanted. My children adored him - he even played the 'Baby Shark' song for my flower girl (my daughter, Phoebe)
Ray turned up at the venue, Rushpool Hall, and played non-stop! He is an amazing pianist and a genuinely nice man, chatting with our guests whilst playing all the time. He even met his long lost brother at our wedding!!!
10 out of 10 for Ray and his piano! An amazing day was had by all.
Nicola & Dan xx
Rushpool Hall, Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Ray played beautiful music for us at Middleton Lodge for our reception. It was wonderful to arrive and hear the music coming from the piano as we got out of the car and greeted all our guests. A lovely addition to the summer's afternoon! Ray was always so friendly and professional when we spoke to him and he seemed willing to do what he could to make our day special! The guests all really enjoyed the music and I would definitely recommend hiring Ray to play for you without second thought. It really was a wonderful addition to the day.
Laura & Michael x
Middleton Lodge, Richmond
We first met Ray at a wedding fayre whilst looking for ideas after we got engaged. There were many different people to speak to but Ray came across as the most professional yet friendly person in the room. Having spoken to him about our type of songs, Ray played a few samples and we just knew we had to book him for our big day. Being conscious of the budget, we enquired about our options and were pleasantly surprised. Ray kept everything simple, explaining what we could have and having booked, kept in touch at the key times to ensure everything was going to plan. Of the many things we booked for our day, Ray was the most pleasant and easiest to deal with by far!
On the day itself, we arrived at our venue to find a smiling Ray, all set up, looking smart and playing to our guests. Ray was booked to play during our drinks reception and wedding breakfast and was superb throughout. We had guests ranging from 2 years to over 80 years and everyone enjoyed the range of well played music and nothing was a problem for Ray. He played requests and even made sure that the children were entertained by playing child friendly songs when they got up to dance. My wife and I had a few personal song requests and he made sure they were played too. Having spoken to guests after the wedding, Ray’s playing was regarded as one of the highlights of the day.
Overall, we were over the moon with the ambience Ray created with his playing and know we made the perfect choice of wedding day entertainment. We have only positives to say about Ray and we would not hesitate to book Ray’s Piano again for any function, not just weddings.
Claire & Gavin x
Hallgarth The Manor House, Co. Durham
We had Ray at our wedding day, playing for us during our ceremony and the reception drinks. Ray was a real pro from start to finish, helping us pick our song list for the day and his confident yet relaxed manner meant we knew we were in good hands. Ray is a hugely talented musician and a really nice guy, he interacted well with our guests during the reception drinks and really contributed to the atmosphere of the day. We couldn't recommend Ray highly enough to anyone thinking of having a piano player on their big day - a real 10/10. Thanks Ray!
Alex & Mark xx
Lumley Castle, Co. Durham
Ray's playing created the perfect atmosphere at our wedding reception. He played as our guests were having arrival drinks and during our wedding breakfast. We didn't choose specific songs as we decided to go with Ray's songbook, but the songs were perfect. His music made the day extra special. Thanks Ray
Joanna & Ben x
Grand Hotel, Tynemouth
We first met Ray at a local wedding event last September. After having a chat and listening to some of his beautifully played music, we booked him for our wedding day. We exchanged emails soon after, each time Ray was very prompt and professional, but most importantly friendly in his replies. We requested a list of songs for him to play throughout the afternoon of our wedding, which ourselves and guests thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you so much Ray for being such a special part of our day. We received compliments from so many of our guests saying how wonderfully you played, and we will definitely be recommending you to family and friends in the future!
Sophie & Nick xx
Treebridge Hotel, Nunthorpe
We booked Ray to play at our wedding after meeting him at a wedding fair in Newcastle. From the minute we booked him for our wedding he was fantastic offering lots of help and advice with song choices, even things that he had never played before he would record and send it through to see if we liked it. My wife Laura was really struggling with what different songs were going to sound like, so we met up with Ray a few weeks before the wedding where he played a lot of songs for her to get a better understanding of how they would sound. This was invaluable as it cemented all of our song choices and took a lot of stress out of some of the final decision making.
On the day Ray was great. He came and set up with no fuss and constantly played when needed. Our guests loved having Ray there and we had a lot of people telling us how great it was. It certainly added an extra special feel to our day to have live background music and Ray ticked all the boxes. I would not hesitate to recommend him. Massive thank you for being part of our day.
Laura & Daniel x
County Hotel, Newcastle
We were contacted by Ray after visiting a wedding fayre. Right from the first email we knew we wanted to have Ray at our wedding. He was the most kind and considerate person we had spoken with. He was so helpful in ensuring we got all the music we wanted at our wedding and not just that but, he also offered help and support and his knowledge of other wedding contacts for our big day, which really helped. We wanted a calm and relaxed atmosphere during our wedding breakfast and he delivered that and more. All of our guests commented on how lovely his music was and how the ambiance of the meal was made by Ray and added a perfect special touch to our day. His music is so beautiful and he has such a warm and friendly energy. Ray made our meal extra special and we cannot be more thankful for his time and patience, even with four children running around him. Thank you Ray!
Samantha & Ben xx
South Causey Inn, Stanley
My husband and I had been struggling to decide on what kind of music we wanted for our wedding and happened upon Ray at a wedding fayre. Right from the off he was friendly, informative and playing little snippets of music for us, so we booked him for the full day.
We weren’t quite sure what songs to use for each part of the wedding and Ray was really helpful in advising us what kinds of music would go well. On the day of the wedding I was really impressed.
Ray’s music provided a great atmosphere throughout and I’m really pleased that we chose him. From walking down the aisle to background music during the wedding breakfast, everything was perfect and many guests commented on how good Ray’s piano playing was.
Thanks again for playing an important part in our day.
Katy & Ben xx
Headlam Hall, Darlington
We are beyond pleased that we booked Ray for our wedding on the 6th September 2019! Ray is extremely professional, accommodating, friendly and an incredible pianist (the list goes on!!)
Ray made our wedding day truly magical!
I can’t emphasis enough how effective the piano is and how great Ray is at playing it, all of our guests commented on how wonderful and emotional it made the day.
Ray played for our wedding ceremony, drinks reception and our whole wedding breakfast, he even managed to play all of the songs that we had told him we liked.
Thank you Ray for contributing to the best day of our lives and giving us the most amazing memories, it would not have been the same without you playing for us.
Lauren & Elliott xx
Middleton Lodge, Richmond
We can’t thank you enough for playing so beautifully throughout our big day - ourselves and everyone else were wowed and completely mesmerised.
It was definitely one of our favourite moments when you played Phantom of the Opera along with our two singers, Cathy and David, during the signing of the register - very moving. You even made my grandmother cry and she never cries!!
You have been so brilliant to deal with, very professional and friendly and you always got back to me so promptly with everything I needed to know.
We will definitely be recommending you to everyone we know!
Julia & Tim xx
Sandburn Hall, Flaxton, York
We had our wedding reception at Lartington Hall and we booked Ray to play their grand piano as guests were arriving and having welcome drinks and canapes.
Ray has been a delight to deal with from the moment we first saw him at a wedding fair, regularly emailing to check in even though we booked him over 18 months in advance! We wanted a mix of showtunes and popular music and Ray was happy to learn some music from Les Miserables that we specifically asked for, it wasn't a problem at all.
On the day itself the music sounded amazing, with several guests commenting on how good his playing was. Ray even played a little something especially for my 2 year old niece who was particularly fascinated by him!
All in all, Ray was an incredible asset to our day and we would highly recommend him to anyone!
Bekah & Simon x
Lartington Hall, Barnard Castle
Ray played at our wedding during our ceremony and drinks reception. I had first seen Ray at a wedding fayre and fell in love with his music instantly. I hadn’t even considered a pianist for my wedding but after hearing Ray I knew instantly I must book him! The communication I received from Ray prior to the wedding was second to none. Ray accommodated my song choices and even took time to learn a rather unusual choice I asked for from the Beach Boys. Walking down the aisle to Ray playing A Thousand Years was just perfect. Our guests showered us with compliments on Ray’s music during the drinks reception, and I can honestly say choosing Ray for the wedding was one of the best choices I made. He made it even more perfect.
Katy & Rich xx
Treebridge Hotel, Middlesborough
Ray played for us at our wedding at Horton Grange on 30th November 2019. He played before, during and after our ceremony and our ceremony songs included John Denver’s Annie’s Song, Elton John’s Your Song, John Lennon’s Woman and Aretha Franklin’s I Say A Little Prayer For You. Fantastic!! We even had a little ode to the Aussie link with Waltzing Matilda in there too! We had the most fantastic memorable day and everyone has commented on how lovely it was to hear the tinkling of the keys before and after the ceremony whilst enjoying their canapes and fizz. Thank you Ray!!
Gillian & Jason x
Horton Grange, Blagdon
We booked Ray for our wedding in October after seeing and hearing him play at a wedding fair and It’s fair to say we were blown away by his performance. From our meeting to the day of our wedding, Ray was polite, charming and very helpful and was happy to give up his time to answer all our questions . Ray's piano provided us with a beautiful wedding ceremony, drink reception and wedding breakfast. It really did make a massive difference to our ceremony as it provided us with a relaxed and romantic atmosphere for ourselves and our guests .
Thank you for turning our melodies into memories!!!
Jess & Adam xx
Middleton Lodge, Richmond
Having Ray playing for our ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast was one of the best decisions I made. From the moment I heard him playing my aisle song I knew it was real, and it brings so much emotion back just thinking about it - it was perfect! I am not the best with choosing music and I am very indecisive, however, Ray made the whole process very easy for me, always available to answer my questions and even when I made last minute changes on the day! Our guests loved the romantic feel of the piano playing during the ceremony and he even played for extra time during our breakfast as we were running behind. All in all he was a pleasure to work with, very happy and easy going and a pleasure to have at our wedding!
Sophia & Danny x
Yorkshire Wedding Barns, Gilling West
Ray played piano for our wedding at The Lowry, Salford Quays on 16th November 2019 and we cannot recommend him enough.
We met him at a wedding fayre in North Yorkshire with relatives and didn't want them to know what we'd be walking down the aisle to so he asked us to tell him the song and he'd play something in that style. After 30 seconds we'd decided he'd be perfect!
He is such a lovely guy and so easy to chat to. In the lead up to the day he asked us to come up with a few songs for the ceremony and then, for the drinks reception and wedding breakfast, artists and particular songs that we like and things we definitely didn't want playing.
We have had so many comments from guests on the day and since about how great the music was and some of the kids had a great time joining in with him on the piano!
Thank you so much for being a special part of our day!
Becky & Shaun xx
The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays
This is just to say thank you so much for helping make our day so special. The music you played throughout our wedding ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast was a great success. We had so many of our guests comment on both the choice of music and what a good idea it was to have a piano player. We cannot thank you enough for making our day special and would not hesitate to recommend you. Thank you again.
Tonya & Paul xx
Horton Grange, Blagdon
My daughter got married at Alnwick Treehouse, a romantic and beautiful setting. Ray played at the ceremony and drinks reception which made it even more special. My daughter’s friends loved him at the drinks reception - lots of song requests and singing from them which Ray just went along with it – it made the reception so much fun. He is so friendly and very professional. I would 100% recommend him. Thank you Ray for being amazing!
Joanne x
The Treehouse, Alnwick
One thing that stands out on our wedding day is Ray playing me down the aisle so beautifully to my favourite song, I Giorni ... I will never forget it!
From start to finish Ray was really easy to deal with, friendly and enthusiastic. He is clearly talented given the list of random songs we gave him to play...from jazz to pop and the Grandstand theme tune! Ray definitely was a big part of our day playing from when our guests arrived, through the ceremony, drinks reception and throughout the wedding breakfast, and knew exactly how to set the tone to each part of the day. He joined in the fun and added to the atmosphere! Many of our guests commented on how incredible and unforgettable the music was.
A massive thank you to Ray for making our wedding day so special - we are hugely grateful!
Lucy & Dan xx
Yorkshire Wedding Barn, Gilling West
Ray’s playing was fantastic and created a perfect atmosphere for the day. Ray even went the extra mile and learnt the songs we requested to make our wedding ceremony extra special for us which we are very grateful for.
Jordan & Ross x
Horton Grange, Blagdon
Ray was a massive part of our day. The music he played brought us to tears and created such a lovely calming atmosphere on such a busy manic day! From the moment we met Ray we knew he would be perfect for our day. All through the planning and run up to the wedding he was always there willing to help us wherever possible, even if it was just so we could have a rant to him about the latest restrictions on our wedding! We loved having a FaceTime with Ray where he would play us some tunes and give us ideas for songs but every FaceTime, call or email he was always so positive, which is exactly what we needed at a time like this. Thank you so much for everything.
Ashleigh & Liam x
The Parlour, Blagdon
Ray - where do we even begin!
With all the changes that we had to make with our wedding you still managed to join us! From the minute I was waiting outside of the ceremony room and heard you play I started to well up! Craig also said when he heard you play it choked him up (this doesn’t happen often trust me ha!) It truly made the ceremony magical and everyone loved it. When we were relaxing with a drink and through our wedding breakfast, your music made it feel like we were in a fairytale!
Safe to say that you were so lovely to every one of our family and everyone commented on how talented and great you were as a person. We are so glad that we booked you and would do it again in a heartbeat. Thank you ever so much for an amazing day - we will remember the day forever and your music will always take us back to the day! Thank you so much once again!
Love The Sunderland’s xx
(aka Coral & Craig)
The Grand Hotel, Tynemouth
Thank you so much for being part of our special day!
It was wonderful to have you play. A lovely set with seamless transition between the pieces. You listened to all our (my!) requests with patience.
Such beautiful memories for us to cherish for years to come!
Manisha & Mitesh x
Rudding Park, Harrogate
Ray’s music was the perfect addition to a perfect day. We can’t thank Ray enough for playing so beautifully throughout our ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast.
The variety of music in his repertoire, from Elvis and Coldplay to Pachelbel and more, is simply incredible and suited all of our guests young and old.
Ray was so easy to work with and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him. The music he played will always bring back the special memories of our day and we’re very grateful for that.
Katherine & Ian xx
Crathorne Hall, Yarm
From when we first enquired about Ray's availability up to the day of our wedding, Ray has been exceptional. The pre-wedding video calls where Ray showed us what sort of thing he could do were fun, and he was able to include song requests for our wedding.
On the day he played non-stop, timing Sarah’s entrance music to perfection. He played a wide mix of songs that we had requested as well as his extensive songbook and was loved by all the guests. We had many comments during the day and after about how he played the right songs to create a really nice atmosphere.
Always friendly and cheerful, it is easy to see that he really cared about making sure that we had the best day. Words cannot do justice for how much we would recommend Ray.
Sarah & Ross x
Middleton Lodge, Richmond
We booked Ray for our wedding in May of this year and couldn’t have been happier with him!
In the build up to the wedding Ray was fantastic to deal with and we regularly caught up with him to talk about what songs we wanted to be played throughout the day.
On the day itself Ray was simply amazing and the Glasgow Love Theme entrance as I came down the aisle brought more than a few tears to our guests. After the ceremony, Ray provided more fabulous music whilst our guests enjoyed a drink and then he also played during our wedding breakfast which was a great backdrop to the meal.
We couldn’t recommend Ray enough to any other couples looking to book him!
Chris & Ruth xxx
Horton Grange, Blagdon
We would like to start by saying a massive thank you for being part of our wedding day on 27th May at Middleton Lodge. The moment we heard you twinkling those keys at the wedding fair we first saw you at, we knew we had to have you at our special day … you had us hooked!
Thank you for being so accommodating and understanding during our wedding postponements due to COVID, and thank you for always being at the end of an email, phone or FaceTime - making us smile, laugh and generally getting us so excited for our big day.
Nothing has ever been too much trouble for you, even after the turbulent year that everyone has had - especially everyone working in the wedding industry. Contacting you has been a doddle and planning the music we wanted you to include at our wedding was so easy. You listened to everything that we said and suggested, and your performance was utterly amazing!
Our guests at the wedding thoroughly enjoyed listening to you and loved playing “Guess The Tune”… we are still getting messages about you now.
Dad doesn’t often share his Timothy Taylor’s, so he must of liked what you were doing ;-) … always remember UTB!
I will never forget walking into The Fig House and seeing you there, playing ‘Thinking Out Loud’ whilst I walked down the aisle to Ben. The beautiful atmosphere you created was more than I could ever have imagined for that special moment in our lives … a million Thank Yous!
We cannot wait to find another reason to plan a party over the coming years and have you there on your keys to celebrate with us. We will be sure to keep up to date with what you are doing on Instagram.
Thank you so much again from the bottom of our hearts.
Kirsty & Ben xxx
Middleton Lodge, Richmond
Not only would myself and Lee recommend Ray but every single one of our guests would also. The music and tones matched each part of the day from the more emotional parts to the celebrations at the drinks reception.
Ray was very precise by keeping in touch from the point of booking to the final weeks leading to our big day to ensure every song was personalised to us and made our day feel just as important to him as to us.
Our ceremony songs we carefully picked and created the atmosphere even more. It really helped make our day even more special.
Guests loved the musical touch and Ray even kept our youngest guest entertained (two year old page boy) by allowing him a go of the keys which he loved and we got many photos to keep in our memories.
To sum up, from start to finish Ray was brilliant and from all at the Blades wedding he gave us 5* entertainment
Thank you again Ray
Leanne & Lee xx
Horton Grange, Blagdon
Massive thank you to Ray for playing our drinks reception at the last minute!
He created an amazing ambience and was flexible to move from indoors to outdoors on the day. Lots of our guests commented on how lovely the music was and the range of songs he performed, saying they felt the atmosphere was very relaxed and they could catch up with loved ones after such a hard 18 months apart.
Thank you so much Ray, you're a genuinely lovely man.
Heather & David x
Beamish Hall Hotel, Stanley
We would just like to take this time to say thank you once again for being such a special and important part in our day.
From the very beginning you made all of the planning for our big day as simple and easy as could be, and that took away a lot of our stress. You kept in touch throughout the build-up and even FaceTimed a few times whilst you were practicing our songs.
From being children we both imagined walking down the aisle to the songs we both chose, but never imagined it would be so magical and that is down to you. All of our guests thought you were incredible and rightly so. One of our guests mentioned their son has booked you for their wedding in the next few weeks and they were over the moon seeing you play first hand.
Thanks again Ray.
Bethan & Meg xx
Hallgarth Manor, Pittington
We got married at Matfen Hall on June 30th, 2021. It was an absolute pleasure to have Ray being our pianist during both the wedding ceremony and the drinks reception. He played two pieces by Ludovico Einaudi – ‘Nuvole Bianche’ when walking down the aisle, and ‘Primavera’ during the ceremony upon our request. They were totally new pieces, and Ray performed them with remarkable skill, as well as sincere emotions. The wedding wouldn’t have been so moving and perfect without his music.
Ray was very friendly and cheerful from our first contact. Though we postponed our wedding, he has always been prompt and supportive. We recommend him highly.
Viana & Barry xx
Matfen Hall, Northumberland
We had never thought of having a pianist at our wedding before we heard Ray playing at the only wedding fayre we went to, and I’m so glad we went that day!
Ray was so approachable and relaxed, but above all amazingly talented. Since the wedding we have had lots of compliments from our guests about how lovely it was to have Ray playing during the day.
We’d 100% recommend Ray to anyone looking for live music by somebody who fits perfectly into your day. Thank you Ray, and thanks for sticking with us for 3 years of changes of dates!
Jess & Dan xx
The Parlour At Blagdon, Northumberland
We met Ray at a wedding fair in 2019 and even though we walked in not knowing what we were looking for after speaking to him and hearing him play he was the first supplier we agreed on booking.
We eventually got married at Northside Farm 3rd time lucky after having to postpone and find a new venue due to COVID, but through all of the stress Ray couldn’t have been any more helpful. He was always easy to get in touch with and responded quickly. He was very accommodating with multiple date changes and he was extremely friendly and easy to talk to. It was a huge relief to have him on board for our big day.
On the day Ray was a pleasure to have around. He showed up with plenty of time for guests arriving and it was lovely to be able to hear him play as I finished getting ready. He played a good selection of music and there was definitely something for everyone. Ray was really good at getting guests involved, letting the younger children have a turn at playing and keeping the older guests entertained with Name That Tune.
Walking down the aisle to Ray playing our favourite songs was an amazing experience and he would be an asset to anyone’s big day, we couldn’t recommend him enough.
Shannon & Adam xx
Northside Farm, Northumberland
We were so lucky to have Ray perform during our reception and wedding breakfast. From the first time we spoke, he was so friendly and personalised everything to suit our music taste, as well as our guests music taste. From rock music to Motown, everything was perfect and really made our day just that little bit more special. Thanks so much for everything.
Sophie & Andy x
Black Horse Beamish, Co. Durham
We first met Ray when he was playing at a friend’s wedding a few years back and knew then he would be the perfect addition to our big day. Unfortunately Ray was originally booked on our date and we booked someone else, however, he contacted us several months later to say he had become available and with no hesitation we booked him for our date and boy did we not regret it!
Ray was absolutely amazing during our wedding ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast, and everyone loved his music. Ray also managed to keep our 2 little boys entertained during the drinks reception leaving us with some fantastic photos and videos making our memory of our day even better!
If you want a very special and personal touch to your big day then look no further! A true professional and an absolute gentleman who completed our Special Day.
Bethanie & Ben xx
Great North Hotel, Newcastle
To Ray Snowdon
(The best wedding pianist ever!!)
Thank you so so so much for supplying your amazing talent at playing the piano for our church service and drinks reception on the Saturday 24th July 2021 (the best day of the year!😉🤣)
Ray, not only did you play the piano, you also helped Jacob in the church calm down before the service began (I heard he was rather nervous🙈😅)
You played beautifully and really made a huge part of our day special. Thank you for entertaining our guests with requests of cheesy mash ups and also original classical music.
If we have any party or special occasion again in the future I will be certainly getting in touch with you again. We will be recommending you to all of our friends and family!!
Once again, thanks a million.
Suzie & Jacob xx
St Eloy's Church, Great Smeaton
Crathorne Hall, Yarm
We got married at Gisborough Hall - this was our 4th date due to cancellations caused by Covid. Ray was so flexible and accommodating and was more than happy to rearrange and fit in with all of our date changes. Any time we messaged him he got back to straight away and stayed in touch with us throughout.
Ray did a fantastic job playing throughout the wedding ceremony, playing through the welcome drinks and also through the wedding breakfast.
Ray is a great pianist and thoroughly entertained ourselves and our guests. We would highly recommend Ray - you can’t beat having live music at your wedding and Ray even took requests from our nephews which made their day.
Thanks very much Ray, you’re a star!
Erin & Simon xx
Gisborough Hall, Guisborough
We loved having Ray and his music at our wedding. He made the whole process so easy from beginning to end and was a highlight for our guests. We met Ray at a wedding fair and his music choice told us he was perfect for our wedding. He really listened to the type of music we enjoy and read the room well. We appreciated the attention to detail he took, including a Zoom during lockdown where we had a mini-performance so we could talk about our music selection.
As per our request, there was a lot of Elton John and mixtures of older hits as well as some more modern music thrown in. He was a hit with the guests and we couldn’t recommend him enough. If you are in any doubt about having music or which pianist to choose, we would definitely recommend Ray playing music for any arrival drinks and during the wedding breakfast as he did for us. He was a special part of our big day and we can’t thank him enough.
Grace & Ben x
Middleton Lodge, Richmond
5🌟!
We would like to say a massive thank you to Ray, for playing so beautifully at our wedding. Everything was exactly as planned. I can't explain enough how perfect all the selections and the timings were.
We would highly recommend Ray and will be using him again for sure.
Caroline & Peter x
Horton Grange Country House Hotel, Ponteland
We first met Ray at a wedding fair back in 2019 and straight away we knew we wanted him to play at our wedding. He is a dream to work with and during our video calls to chat about our music options, the way he could effortlessly switch from song to song on the piano just blew us away.
On the day the music was perfect and exactly what we wanted. Ray played during our ceremony and drinks reception and many of our family/friends commented on what a nice touch this was and added so much to our special day.
We would recommend Ray to anyone, he is so friendly, professional and excellent at what he does!
Amy & Andy xx
Matfen Hall, Northumberland
Ray provided the music on our wedding day. He played at both the church and the reception venue and was spectacular.
Ray was helpful and easy to deal with, offering us advice and support throughout the planning, such as what to play throughout the day.
All of our guests commented on how wonderful the music was and what a wonderful atmosphere it created, adding a wonderful touch to our very special day. One of the songs we wanted was a specific version of “How Long Will I Love You?”, Ray found the correct version and played it to perfection - putting my Dad into floods of tears!
Ray is a lovely man, totally professional and would recommend to everybody.
Emily & Simon xx
Judges Hotel, Yarm
Jason and I got married in Middleton Lodge where we were absolutely chuffed to have Ray play the piano for us throughout the day. Due to the pandemic our wedding planning process was somewhat out of the ordinary as we were unable to go to any wedding fairs, for the most part couldn’t meet with any suppliers in person, and so the majority of our wedding was researched online and planned via emails and FaceTime! Thankfully Ray made booking our musical entertainment an absolute breeze, and on the day itself Ray was a superstar.
When looking at venues, Ray was recommended by several of the wedding coordinators so we knew we had to check him out. On the website we were able to listen to recordings of Ray playing a wide variety of music, so we sent an email enquiry. Ray replied very quickly, was very polite and friendly, and we arranged an evening to FaceTime so that we could speak in person (sort of) and bounce around ideas for the sort of music we’d like.
During the FaceTime meeting Ray was amazing! He had one of his keyboards set up and literally any song we mentioned he could either play already or managed to improvise very competently and never once said ‘I can’t do that’. He instilled great confidence that he was exactly what we were looking for and would do a fantastic job on the day.
In the last couple of months before the wedding we finalised the type of music and songs we’d like playing during our ceremony. Ray was very positive and took note of all our preferences and even managed to learn a song for our ceremony which he hadn’t heard of before, for which we are very grateful as the song meant a lot to both Jason and I.
On the day itself, Ray had played at the venue multiple times before and so knew exactly where to set up and he added great atmosphere to our day. The bridal entrance music was ‘A Million Dreams’ from the Greatest Showman, we signed our wedding certificate to ‘Your Song’ by Elton John and our specially requested song of ‘Stolen’ by Dashboard Confessional (thank you so much for learning this especially for us Ray!), and we ended our ceremony to ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ by Marvin Gaye.
Ray stayed with us and our guests throughout our drinks and canapés reception and also during our wedding breakfast. He played an absolutely amazing array of music and a great many of our guests commented on the ambience he created and how much they enjoyed listening to him play throughout our day.
Ray really helped to make our day very special and we are extremely pleased we were able to have him join us on the day. We cannot thank him enough and would highly recommend him as the musical entertainment for a great many events.”
Lizzie & Jason xx
Middleton Lodge, Richmond
Having seen Ray first at a wedding showcase, we knew we needed him for our big day. From start to finish Ray was fantastic. He played beautifully throughout both our wedding ceremony in the church and our reception and wedding breakfast.
Would recommend Ray to anyone, and already looking for an excuse to hire him for any future events we have!
Jane & Michael xx
Hallgarth The Manor House, Durham
We couldn’t be happier that we chose Ray to play at our wedding. He organised meetings prior to ensure he knew exactly what we envisioned and completely surpassed our expectations.
We loved the music Ray played at our church and also during our reception drinks and wedding breakfast! Ray played a huge variety so there was something for everyone and I could see a few people miming the words when they recognised the songs. Everyone commented on how lovely the music was and how it added to the relaxed atmosphere. Due to Covid, we had some last minute changes at our church and Ray was very flexible and adaptable which is something we’re very grateful for. He also played alongside the parish choir which sounded beautiful.
Ray is an talented pianist who listens and strives to make your day every bit as perfect as your imagined. Planning a wedding can be stressful but when it came to our music, Ray put us at ease and we trusted him completely.
Gemma & Owen xx
Linden Hall, Longhorsley
It was a pleasure listening to Ray playing at our daughter’s wedding at Homer Hill Farm. Ray set the perfect ambience for the wedding making everyone feel relaxed.
Ray played continuously at the reception and during the wedding breakfast. His music is varied so appeals to everyone.
We highly recommend Ray - he is brilliant.
Mr & Mrs Hide
Homer Hill Farm, Durham
Ray was absolutely amazing from start to finish. From the original booking, to final details and then on the day - wow, just stunning!
Excellent music throughout the ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast. All of our guests raved about him all day … and still are now.
We can’t thank you enough for making our day so special and memorable.
Ashley & Steve xx
Charlton Hall, Northumberland
From the moment we heard ray at a wedding fayre at Hallgarth Manor, we knew he would be an excellent addition to our wedding. We were very lucky to be able to book him at relatively short notice.
Every interaction with Ray was positive leading up to the wedding and also on the day. Even though we were quite indecisive. Ray thought of things that we wouldn’t have thought about ourselves.
On the day Ray was really professional, setting up multiple keyboards so he could play in the different areas of our wedding. Many of our guests commented on how lovely Ray’s playing was.
We asked Ray to play “Can You Feel The Love Tonight?”, the theme from “Up” and also songs from Bruno Mars, Etta James and Christina Perri - all played beautifully.
We would definitely recommend Ray to help make any occasion special.
Laura & Liam xx
Hallgarth The Manor House, Durham
Ray played at our wedding ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast and we both feel this helped give the day a natural flow.
Ray made the whole process very relaxed and straightforward, no song request was too much for him. We received lots of compliments from our guests who really enjoyed the added atmosphere of live music.
We would highly recommend Ray!
Beth & Scott x
Holiday Inn Gosforth Park, Newcastle
We first met Ray at a wedding show near Durham and were immediately taken by his friendly and down to earth personality, and of course his brilliant piano skills - so booked him very shortly after.
Before the wedding, Ray was great in organising for us to have a video catch up to go through the sort of music we would like playing on the day. We had a really good chat about everything and felt confident leaving the rest up to him.
Ray played on the day throughout the wedding reception and the wedding breakfast. He was brilliant - the tone was lively throughout the reception when everyone was mingling / drinking and then was very mellow and subtle throughout the wedding breakfast which is exactly what we wanted. He played everything we wanted from classic songs to current chart music.
In terms of set up Ray was so professional, he got straight in and set playing at all the right times without any prompt. Our guests had nothing but good things to say and he really added to the atmosphere of the day.
Ashleigh & Will xx
Middleton Lodge, Richmond
Ray was absolutely spot on from beginning to end - he was so welcoming and friendly from us first reaching out, and nothing was too much trouble.
Ray added an extra personal touch to the day, and was a massive hit with all the guests - from my little nephew who insisted on "helping" Ray play, to our other relatives who were asking Ray to play some of their own favourite songs.
We'd recommend Ray to anyone looking to add that something extra for their wedding :)
Lisa & Liam x
Redworth Hall, Darlington
Ray is the utmost professional - through four date changes and setbacks he kept us informed all the way through.
Ray played during our canapés, welcome drinks and reception - he provided the perfect background to our 25th wedding anniversary party and our guests loved him. Our little guests loved the interaction with him too.
Ray was very easy to deal with and we knew what to expect due to his excellent communication and regular updates. It was lovely to finally see him on the day and hear him play. Thank you so much again Ray.
Louise & Scott xx
Rushpool Hall, Saltburn
So happy that we managed to book Ray for our wedding day. His music was such a special part of our day. Due to him being such a talented pianist, we could just pick our favourite songs and the next minute we're hearing them being played back to us. We have always wanted to walk down the aisle to a specific song because we love it so much, but something about hearing it on the piano just made it even better.
He was so friendly and professional and made the whole planning process and the day run so smoothly! All of our guests commented on how lovely it was having the piano playing in the background while we were outside having a few drinks.
We first met Ray 2 years ago planning our first attempt of our wedding and 2 years later he was still just as excited and enthusiastic for us. Totally worth the wait and so pleased he was available for Round Two.
Would highly recommend him to help make your wedding day that little bit more special!
Helen & Adam xx
Shotton Hall, Peterlee
Ray is amazingly talented, friendly, and just a lovely man, and I implore you all to book him to play the music at your wedding - you won’t be disappointed. He is so enthusiastic at what he does and this is visible when you first meet him. He goes above and beyond to make the day perfect and has an extensive repertoire that will please all of your guests.
I first met him at an open evening at Horton Grange and whilst I hadn’t thought about wedding music previously, as soon as I got home I knew that not only did I want a pianist, but I wanted Ray and I didn’t hesitate to book him straight away. During the wedding journey I found Ray very professional, and he was wonderful at his correspondence both with myself and the venue, which took some of the stress off me. He was also fantastic at the constant postponements during the pandemic and was reassuring despite facing uncertainty.
Ray helped me to choose the wedding music when we met virtually by playing all my favourites so I could hear what they would sound like and he even changed the style to make them fit the day, because that is how talented he is. He provided me with a beautiful sample of the music I walked down the aisle to which will be something I treasure and play over and over again. On our wedding day itself Ray played our music to perfection, I loved every part of our ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast and know the music played a big part in this. He was very professional and was very friendly to all of our guests and played any requests they could think of. We had many comments about how wonderful the music was and just how genuinely nice and amazing he was.
Thank-you Ray, I hope we cross paths again and I will not hesitate to recommend you to anyone and everyone in the future. It was a pleasure. 😊
Vicki & Tom x
Hartlepool Royal Navy Museum
What can we say - Ray was just amazing from start to finish. This was our third date due to Covid and every time Ray was brilliant at accommodating us, holding dates until we made final decisions.
Our date finally came and he didn’t disappoint. As soon as I started walking down the aisle and heard the song we chose ,it took my breath away - it was absolutely perfect.
He continued to play through our reception outside which was just lovely all our guests commented on how it was that added special touch.
Thank you Ray for being part of making our day special - it was an absolutely pleasure to meet you.
Kaley & Paul xx
Horton Grange, Blagdon
When we first heard Ray play at our local wedding fayre we knew instantly we wanted him to play at our wedding. We chose for Ray to play not only for our ceremony but also throughout our reception and wedding breakfast .
I chose Canon In D to walk down the aisle to - it’s a beautiful song and Ray played it to perfection! There was a certain point in the song that I wanted to walk out to after my bridesmaids and Ray timed this amazingly. During the day Ray played a mix of songs for us. He was setup to play inside and also outside - we were lucky enough to have sunshine and it was lovely having music played whilst our guests socialised around the grounds. We had so many compliments from friends and family throughout the day - having live music really does create a wonderful atmosphere.
Ray is so talented and can play absolutely anything you wish for. He’s professional, friendly and down to earth. We would recommend him to anyone! We want to say a big Thank You again for helping make our day truly amazing.
Gemma & Lewis xx
Middleton Lodge, Richmond
Ray really made our wedding day even more special than we could have imagined. His version of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s 'The Power Of Love' was absolutely fantastic and we loved it.
We loved listening to the piano play all day long as did our guests.
Ray is an amazing pianist who is very kind and so easy to get along with and nothing is too much trouble for him. We would recommend Ray to anyone!
Nicola & Steven x
Thief Hall, Northallerton
Thank you for making our day so special. Ray was very professional, kind and understanding of our requests from the outset. Everything we asked of him, he delivered on and gave 100%!
In terms of our day, as soon as I heard my entrance song coming into church it was exactly how I imagined it, and made everyone quite emotional. Everyone commented on how beautiful the music was and we both felt Ray’s music made our wedding day.
If any of our friends were to marry in the future, Ray would be top of our list for recommendations as he gave our day that special personalised touch.
Finally we would both like to say thank you again for making our day so special. Our testimonial is true account of how we feel, and our day wouldn’t have been the same without you there!
Helen & Mark xx
St Lawrence's Church, Pittington
Hallgarth Manor, Pittington
We came across Ray at a wedding fayre at South Causey Inn, I followed his Instagram page and started to listen to the videos of him playing and we knew instantly that we wanted him to be a part of our day. We saw Ray had posted a competition so we entered not really thinking we would win, but we did and we were absolutely delighted he was going to be a part of our day!
Ray made the planning so easy and made us feel so relaxed from the first time we spoke! Ray's playing on the day was incredible and a lot of our guests commented on how much they enjoyed the music during the ceremony and in the bar afterwards, not forgetting how much our son Louis enjoyed himself bashing the keys.
We highly recommend Ray if you are after that extra special touch on your wedding day!
Amy & Scott xx
South Causey Inn, Stanley
Couldn't have asked for a better pianist to play at our wedding!
With having to postpone our wedding a few times, we had been speaking to Ray for just over 2 years. Throughout everything Ray was professional and very helpful with any enquiries that we might have had.
Ray played from the ceremony until after our wedding breakfast. We wanted lots of different styles of music and Ray certainly fulfilled that request. It was amazing to have live music at our wedding - it made our day extra special, and all the guests especially loved trying to guess the songs Ray was playing!
We would highly recommend Ray to play at your wedding. If it's a friendly and fabulous pianist you are wanting at your wedding, he's your guy.
Rachel & Martin x
Crathorne Hall, Yarm
I fell in love with the piano about 20 years ago and when I bumped into Ray at a wedding fayre for my sister, I took a leaflet for myself. We weren't planning our wedding at this point, but I kept Ray's details safe for almost a year.
Ray went above and beyond for our wedding at Beamish Hall. He asked if we had any songs or artists we wanted or didn't want and he liaised with the venue about timings and where he would be located in each room/outside etc. We felt completely relaxed and had full trust in Ray so let him have full reign over our songs and he played them all perfectly. He played something for everyone and created a fantastic atmosphere from the ceremony to the drinks reception to the wedding breakfast. I had an unusual but sentimental song request to walk down the aisle to, and nothing was a problem or too much trouble for Ray. He learnt it, he FaceTimed me to make sure I was happy with it, and executed it magically on the big day.
Ray - all of our guests loved you and we would not hesitate to recommend you to anybody. You are such a lovely gentleman and it was our pleasure to have you there on our special day. Hope to see you again soon!
Megan & Dan xx
Beamish Hall Hotel, Stanley
We booked Ray as we wanted live music all through the wedding to play in our drinks reception and through our wedding breakfast. Ray was familiar with our venue and was able to get set up with no issues on the day.
The music was a true eclectic mix from music our parents enjoyed to modern day chart music. It created a great atmosphere and all of our guests commented on it being different from a standard playlist in a venue - it really brings an energy to the day and also something for guests who don't know each other to talk about.
Ray was super easy to book with and considering we moved our wedding so much this made us feel confident in him on the day as he remained professional and understanding through the process.
We wouldn't hesitate to book Ray again for future events especially with us having big birthdays coming up!
Philippa & Alexander x
Ellingham Hall, Northumberland
We got married at Beamish Hall and asked Ray to play during our ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast.
We knew we wanted music for the ceremony based around the A View To A Kill soundtrack and asked Ray to take elements of the songs to create something subtle and romantic. He did it absolutely perfectly, capturing the feel beautifully. Our family commented how emotional the music was, even bringing a couple of them to tears! We walked out as man and wife to a cover of Bruce Springsteen's Tougher Than The Rest which we later had as our first dance; allowing our guests a secret preview of the dance, without them even knowing.
For the reception, we asked Ray to play general, easy listening background music which our guests commented on how relaxing the atmosphere was while mingling at the drinks reception and during the wedding breakfast. They enjoyed picking out songs they recognised too!
From the first email exchanged with Ray, all our communication with him has been perfect. From keeping us informed via email, to chatting on video calls and listening to the music he created for us, Ray has made it so personal and memorable. It is very evident how talented he is, and how much he enjoys playing.
We can't thank Ray enough for helping make our day so special!
Sarah & Jonathan x
Beamish Hall Hotel, Stanley
Ray played at our wedding at Blackwell Grange Hotel in Darlington. He was fantastic from start to finish. He has multiple keyboards so there is no awkward setting up or moving as he played in three different locations throughout the day - nothing was too much for him.
My best man organised a shot of tequila for everyone after the wedding breakfast and it was a lovely surprise that Ray played the Tequila song to really set the mood of family and friends coming together. He plays a great range of genres which helped keep all our guests entertained throughout.
I couldn’t recommend him more! Fantastic pianist, and will no doubt make future brides and grooms wedding days just that little extra special!
Jess & Jonathan x
Blackwell Grange Hotel, Darlington
Where do we start? Booking you was a last-minute addition to our wedding, and Wow Wow, are we glad of it!
From our first Zoom meeting to post-wedding communication, you are a true delight, Ray! We loved your enthusiasm when discussing music options, especially when you agreed to go with our 80s A-Ha exit song!
On the day, your professionalism and talent really shone, and the atmosphere was perfect because of you. All of our guests commented on how special you made the ceremony - there wasn't a dry eye walking down the aisle to I Giorni.
We can't thank, or recommend you enough, Ray, for making our wedding day an unforgettable, magical occasion.
Thank you for everything
Sarah & Tom xx
Bowburn Hall Hotel, Durham
Ray was an absolute delight to have at our wedding.
The music he played was brilliant …. it was a really treat for our guests and they all thoroughly enjoyed it. In the run up to our wedding Ray was always on hand to help answer questions and give advice. He helped us create some beautiful memories!
Thank you Ray
Amanda & John x
Judges Hotel, Yarm
We first heard Ray play at a Horton Grange wedding fayre and, both being music lovers, agreed immediately that we wanted Ray to be part of our day. From the outset Ray was courteous and clear that anything we wanted on the day would gladly be provided - it was our day. Ray even came to our home to ensure he had everything correct to ensure it met our needs.
We asked Ray to play entrance music for the bride and other favourite songs during the service. We chose for Ray to play them and we are delighted we did as the personal touch just added to the occasion. Ray played a wide variety of tunes during the photographs and the wedding breakfast and numerous guests commented on the lovely relaxed atmosphere the music created.
We originally booked Ray for our March 2020 wedding which due to Covid was delayed to November 2020 and then finally took place in October 2021. In the intervening period Ray kept in touch, asking how we were, and checking our music requirements hadn't changed
All in all I would fully recommend Ray for anyone's wedding. Personal customer service is excellent and the music and occasion he creates is wonderful.
Kay & John x
Horton Grange, Blagdon
Greg and I would like to thank you so much for playing the piano at our wedding on 1st November.
We’ve had so many compliments on how beautiful the music was throughout the day. Elvis Presley “Can’t Help Falling In Love” as I walked down the aisle definitely set the tears off! The music kept our guests entertained during the day and whilst we were off getting pictures taken. It added such a special touch during our wedding breakfast.
Thanks again for being part of our special day.
Emma & Greg xx
Shotton Grange, Blagdon
We saw Ray on an on-line wedding fair at Thief Hall and immediately knew we wanted him to play at our wedding. He was such a pleasure to deal with throughout the booking and preparation Zoom calls. We never got to meet him before our big day, but never had any nerves about his part of the proceedings. No requests were ever a problem including asking him to learn the Hawaii FIve'O and Muppets theme tunes or asking him to arrange a saxophonist for him to play with during our reception.
We had so many compliments about the music they played from our guests. He also played whilst we were having photos taken outside so although no one was in the room with him, our guests could still hear him. (I don’t believe he realised the video camera was still recording in the room following the ceremony, and I have got to say he stayed 100% professional throughout this time.)
My wife and I couldn’t recommend Ray enough - he knows just how to set an atmosphere in a room perfectly.
Karen & Chris x
Thief Hall, Northallerton
Ray played at our wedding. He was amazing! Every guest I spoke to commented how good he was. Ray took the time to get to know us as a couple and play music we enjoyed listening to. Thank you for being part of our wedding day and contributing to make it the best day of our lives.
Sarah & Johnny xx
Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield
Our day wouldn’t have been the same had we not had you there.
The songs throughout our day were beautifully played, and so many friends and family commented at how the music added to the occasion. Thanks also to Therese, the vocalist who you recommended, and who sang as beautifully as you played, during our wedding ceremony.
We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you!
Rebecca & Richie xx
Hallgarth Manor, Durham
We got married at Pinchinthorpe Hall on 28th October 2021 and Ray played at our ceremony, reception drinks and wedding breakfast. We first became aware of Ray when Pinchinthorpe Hall posted many months ago that Ray was testing out the grand piano they had. We were instantly impressed! From the first contact with Ray, we were instantly put at ease and really enjoyed every video call we had. We had no clue what music to pick but Ray soon helped us with that! Ray responded promptly to emails and even manage to accommodate us when we suddenly had to bring our wedding forward.
When Ray played at our wedding, it created a lovely atmosphere and it made a massive difference to our wedding! He went above and beyond by learning new songs and the walking down the aisle song was just what I as a bride dreamed of!
We will be fully recommending you to family and friends! Thank you for making our day special and memorable.
Hannah & Russell xx
Pinchinthorpe Hall, Guisborough
We originally booked Ray for our May wedding, which had to be postponed to November due to the pandemic. Ray moved the date with no drama and was quick to reply to everything.
Not only is Ray's music beautiful but he's a joy to be around too. He played a mix of classic wedding songs and accommodated some of our punk/rock favourites as well. I don't think anyone expected to hear My Chemical Romance played on piano ... but Ray made all that possible.
Our guests thought he was fabulous and we would honestly recommend him to anyone - it wouldn't have been the same without him!
Hannah & Matt x
Redworth Hall, Darlington
The wonderful Ray …
Me and my partner got married at Kinmount House on 18/11/21. I always knew I wanted a pianist to attend our wedding, and when I found Ray I instantly knew he was the one to do this. Ray played throughout the ceremony and the drinks reception. He played a number of songs me and my husband love for our ceremony - Clinton Kane - I Guess I’m In Love, Yiruma - River Flows In You and Kodaline - The One. Ray then played a mixture of classics including Coldplay, The Bee Gees and Elvis.
I honestly hand on heart cannot recommend Ray enough. He was so pleasant, so friendly and overall a great guy to chat too in the running up to my wedding, and of course on the day he was outstanding (even my 4 year old twins got on the piano with him). The background music in the drinks reception was just beautiful while we enjoyed a few drinks and canapés!
If you are debating whether to have a pianist or not at your wedding DO IT, and make it Ray - you won’t be disappointed!
Thanks so much Ray,
Jade & Aaron xx
Kinmount House, Dumfries
Ray was absolutely unbelievable from start to finish. He played at my sister's wedding and we absolutely knew he had to be a part of our day as soon as we heard him play.
The planning and build up to the wedding was so easy with a couple of video calls to discuss the plans. We were quite specific with some of what we wanted but nothing was too much or too picky for Ray and within half an hour we had sampled some of Ray's talents on the piano and had a list of songs that left us beaming.
The day itself was flawless. My mind was elsewhere when I turned up to the venue and when I went upstairs Ray was already set up ready to go. The ceremony was amazing and the way Hannah was played down the aisle to Clair De Lune was just so perfect, albeit very emotional. We moved over to The Orangery for drinks and canapes and when we got there again Ray was set up and playing some brilliant songs with a gentle nod to Christmas. It set the tone for the rest of the day and all the guests commented on how amazing Ray was.
Not once did I have to worry or think about the music or where he was. Ray was such a professional from start to finish and was an absolute gentleman, even humouring my best man for ten minutes about him wanting to learn the keyboard.
Ray was without a doubt the best addition we could have made to our wedding day. There was a perfect mix of song choice and he absolutely nailed our want of a subtle nod to Christmas amongst some classics. Faultless from start to finish and helped make our perfect wedding - I cannot thank you enough.
Hannah & Jordan x
Woodman Inn, Thunderbridge
We booked Ray at one of our first wedding fayres. His music is fantastic and a real mix of genres! (For our Christmas themed wedding, he was more than happy to throw in a few Christmas classics!)
It’s not only Ray’s music that makes him great - it’s also his personality making everything from booking to final arrangements a breeze.
Our family and friends thought Ray was a great addition to the day. We would 110% recommend Ray!
Ashleigh & Liam xx
Walworth Castle, Darlington
I don’t think any amount of words will be able to express our thoughts and thanks to Ray. From our first interaction with Ray at a wedding show he was so kind, thoughtful and genuine. He took the time to talk to us about our wedding and what we wanted and from this moment we knew that he was the perfect fit.
He has been professional and friendly throughout including being very accommodating for us having to change our wedding date 3 times (thanks Covid!). He kept in contact with us at exactly the moments he set out from the outset making it a seamless and stress free process! Exactly what we needed running up to the wedding with so much to sort!
On the wedding day itself Ray was just amazing playing multiple genres and ages of songs to produce fantastic entertainment for our guests. Ray even took the time to let our little flower girl and her sister have a little play on the piano which they loved and adored him for.
I don’t think we had one guest that didn’t compliment and comment on how much of an amazing job Ray was doing, and it warmed our hearts to know that everyone else loved him as much as we did.
Thank you so much Ray for making our day extra special. You are a true gentlemen and I can’t wait until we get to hear you play again.
Lauren & Hayden x
Ellingham Hall, Northumberland
Well how can you describe Ray? We first met Ray at a wedding fair and we knew we needed him at our wedding. His personality was outstanding and this was only outshone by his talent. Ray was fantastic through Covid and was happy to rearrange with the restrictions with no hesitation. Ray kept in contact and ensured we were OK.
Before the wedding we had a video call to have a catch up to discuss the music choices for the day. Ray has a wealth of musical knowledge which aligned with our taste. We were discussing songs and he was able to play most straight away. This meeting was fantastic and he showed so much love to what we wanted.
Come the wedding day, Ray was tucked away at the back of the ceremony room but took centre stage before the bride entered. The sweet sound of the piano was a fantastic background for the guests taking their seats. The talent of the music was effortless to Ray as the bride entered, and there was not a dry eye in the room.
Ray continued to entertain guests during the drinks reception which was perfect for the atmosphere enabling guests to mingle with some amazing sounds in the background. The feedback we received from guests was so good.
The only regret we have is that we didn't have Ray with us for longer! Ray was a big part of the day and the love for his music and couples is second to none.
Thanks Ray for being part of our big day!
Claire & James xx
Blackwell Grange, Darlington
I can’t believe it’s been 2 weeks already. Absolutely crazy!
Thank you so much for being part of our big day. Walking down the aisle was even more magical with you playing the music.
We had so many compliments from guests, approaching us to say how brilliant you were.
You’re absolutely brilliant and played such a variety of music for us - we were just so impressed.
EJ & Oli x
Shotton Grange, Northumberland
We got married on 21st December 2021 at Horton Grange and booked Ray to play in between our wedding breakfast and evening based on recommendations from family members that had seen him play.
From the first point of contact he was so friendly and accommodating. We had a FaceTime call with him a couple of weeks before the wedding to discuss what kind of music we would like played and he gave some suggestions and played lots of songs for us to hear. He played all our requests, including songs he hadn’t played in a long time, and our guests loved him and said that he was awesome. We could have watched him play for hours!
Thank you Ray so much for playing at our wedding - we really enjoyed it and would thoroughly recommend you to anyone!
Leanne & Niall x
Horton Grange, Blagdon
We didn't plan to have any live music at our wedding but we heard Ray playing at a wedding fayre and both instantly knew we wanted him to be part of our special day. The range of music genres Ray plays means there's a tune to please every guest, and ours were all very complimentary.
Planning with Ray was very easy. A FaceTime chat and we agreed our ceremony music, helped by Ray playing the songs over the call. We wouldn't have thought about Elvis as a bridal entrance song, but on the piano 'Can't Help Falling in Love With You' was just perfect, something we'd heard Ray play on an Instagram Live.
The remainder of the day just flowed, Ray moved seamlessly between reception rooms to keep the music playing. One of our youngest guests, 15 month old Stanley was very taken with Ray and was very pleased when he got to play a tune too - a lovely photo from the day.
We can't recommend Ray enough. A very friendly man who will keep your guests entertained playing rock to showtunes to Christmas carols (we got married in December) - something for all.
Thank you so much Ray for being a part of our magical day.
Gemma & Jonathan Chambers xx
South Causey Inn, Stanley
Me & my wife, Emily, came across Ray at Redworth Hall's wedding fayre, which funnily enough is the place we would tie the knot. I always thought having a live musician at our wedding would give it a far more authentic and joyful atmosphere as opposed to just using a standard playlist. We took one of his flyers and continued on perusing the fayre. We had been going back and forth for about a month prior to this regarding what music to choose, when would be best to play which song etc. Eventually we decided to make the decision to book Ray.
Thankfully, this was one of the best decisions we made as he made the day very special. He is friendly, responsive and you can tell he thoroughly enjoys what he does. I'm not the biggest fan of most modern music, however, when I asked for some classic Motown and soul to be played he showed so much enthusiasm. His presence enhanced our day massively, and almost everyone I spoke to was both impressed and fascinated with how impeccably he plays. Not only does he play beautifully, he is a lovely chap to simply speak to and really makes you feel comfortable as if you've known him for years.
If you're thinking of a pianist for your big day, choose Ray. Extremely talented and such a gentleman. 10/10, 5 stars and all that good stuff. Thanks again Ray :)
Tony & Emily x
Redworth Hall, Darlington
Absolutely fantastic! Ray and his piano brought a perfect vibe to our wedding reception playing whilst our guests enjoyed a welcoming drink and canapés, then into our wedding breakfast. He learned a song at our request for our entrance and nailed it! - Going Home - Mark Knopfler)
Throughout our wedding breakfast he played away and interacted with guests, especially our younger ones to their delight! One or two of them even playing a note or two alongside Ray!
We couldn't recommend Ray more - he brings a wonderful vibe to your wedding day and is genuinely one of life's good guys. Very approachable and easy to talk to!
Thank you Ray!! ❤🎹⚫⚪
Nicole & Lewis xx
Hallgarth Manor, Durham
From the first time we heard Ray play we knew we needed to book him and we're so glad we did.
He played a mix of music to cater for all our guests and we had so many lovely comments from them on his music.
I wouldn't hesitate to book Ray again for anything! Thank you again Ray for being part of our day and helping to make it as perfect as possible 💕
Sophie & Ryan x
South Causey Inn, Stanley
(C) Leopard Print Photography
Like most couples, were looking for something else to add to add to our day, that little bit extra. Both loving music, Ray was the natural choice.
We organised a Facetime to meet virtually, instantly his warmth, personable manner and talent shone through - we were hooked. In the run up to the wedding, working with Ray was a pleasure. He was always available to jump on Facetime, go through our music choices, talk through the day, how it will all work, music sequencing and timing. Wedding planning is stressful, but genuinely, we had one less thing to worry about with Ray given his thoroughness and professionalism.
We chose several song Ray hadn't played before, he took our choices, went away and learned them especially for us. We also wanted a mash up of several songs from a particular artist, which Ray delivered exquisitely.
On the day, Ray was all set up, sound checked and ready to go well before needed. Ray had multiple setups at our venue which allowed for seamless transitions between the ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast - which were all in different rooms. Although we were expecting the music and 'knew what was coming' during the ceremony given we had chosen it, the way in which Ray brought it to life and created a moving atmosphere really blew us away. The music was amazing and played beautifully!
We received countless comments from our guests throughout the day regarding Ray, how good he was and what an excellent touch the live music was. It really was the perfect addition to our day - Ray was the perfect addition!
Thank you so much to Ray in helping to make our day so special, atmospheric and memorable.
Lauren & Connor xx
Beamish Hall Hotel, Beamish
Well what can I say! Absolutely amazing!
Ray is a lovely bloke, friendly and nothing was a problem. Song selection was great and everyone loved the music playing throughout the day. Beats a CD anyday!
Couldn’t recommend Ray enough. Made mine and Jayne’s day.
Jayne & Stuart x
Black Horse Beamish, Co. Durham
From the moment I met Ray at a wedding fair held at the Riverside Stadium, I knew I had to have him as our pianist for our long-awaited big day.
Even before I'd stepped into the church, Ray had set the loveliest of environments as he played a variety of songs to our guests. So many people commented on how great he was. He played Christina Perri's A Thousand Years as I walked down the aisle and what a beautiful job he did. As myself and my new husband signed the register, he played Bryan Adams - Everything I Do and Shania Twain - From This Moment. As we walked back up the aisle Ray played Ellie Goulding - Still Falling For You. It was all absolutely brilliant and very well timed.
Ray also went on to play at our wedding reception and wedding breakfast where he tinkled away for hours. We were all impressed with how long Ray played without a break, some worried his hands might drop off!!
Ray was so lovely to talk to and was always reachable if you needed to talk to him about the music. He took all the stress and worry away in terms of organising the music and his arrival and set up at the venues.
I'd love to do it all again just to hear Ray play again. Thank you, Ray, for making our day so special.
Sarah & Lee x
Synthonia Suite, Billingham
Ray played the piano at our wedding at The Woodlands Hotel. He played during the ceremony all the way through until the end of our wedding breakfast. I really wanted to add that elegant touch to the day by having a pianist and Ray came and did exactly that.
From the first dealings with Ray he was approachable, friendly and professional. He helped us narrow down a list of songs when we were unsure what kind of music to go for, and he was in regular contact which was reassuring.
Everyone on the day on the wedding approached Alex and I and said how amazing the music was. I will always remember the goosebumps I got as soon as I heard “Can’t Help Falling in Love” being played as I entered the ceremony room, it will stick with me forever.
Thank you Ray!
Paige & Alex xx
Woodlands Hotel, Leeds
From the minute we booked Ray (2018!) he has been nothing short of amazing and an absolute pleasure to deal with!
Due to Covid we had to rearrange our wedding a few times, which obviously brought more stress, however, Ray was so accommodating each date change and tried to reduce any stress we had!
Ray regularly kept in touch (which was amazing in itself cause as a bride you often feel like you have to pester suppliers a lot), and offered regular phone calls/FaceTimes to go over playlists etc. I asked Ray if it was possible to have multiple songs to come down the aisle … nothing was too much for Ray and he went above and beyond any expectations I had, making my walk down the aisle unique and memorable!
Ray made such a difference to our wedding day! He played in the church whilst guests arrived, bridal entrance, during the signing of the register and leaving the church. We also had the pleasure of Ray playing during the wedding reception and wedding breakfast back at Ramside Hall. We gave Ray a few names of bands/artists that we liked, so it was lovely to hear those! Everybody commented on the music he played throughout and said what a difference it made having live music rather than just a playlist of songs on a CD! It really changed the atmosphere!
I couldn’t recommend Ray enough! He is friendly yet professional and will go above and beyond to make your wedding music as perfect as you could ever imagine!
Thank you Ray! Not only for the music, but for also being amazing to work with! Thank you for being such a lovely part of our day!
Michelle & Josh x
Ramside Hall, Durham
Ray was very good at communicating with us before the wedding and arranging video calls. His messages and emails were always warm and happy messages to receive. He had a fantastic range of songs he could play to fit to the mood and style of the crowd. He played us a good number of these when we met on video before the wedding. He is very flexible in terms of the songs we wanted and he gave great suggestions about how to approach the ceremony and after drinks. He gave us examples of songs other people had chosen which made it easier for us to have a think about what we wanted.
On the wedding day, he was easy to talk to, relaxed, he sorted himself out in the background, and played both indoors and outdoors. The timings were perfect and our guests commented on how good the music was - it really added to the event.
It was a pleasure to work with Ray and we would not hesitate in recommending him to anyone else.
Helen & Alex xx
Headlam Hall, Darlington
Ray's Piano was the perfect accompaniment to our dream wedding day, and we are so pleased we booked him.
From first enquiring Ray was fantastic at listening to our requests and made sure anything was possible including arranging a special surprise of my brother playing a quick song as I walked down the aisle.
Ray's piano playing was exceptional and added the perfect ambience to the ceremony, reception drinks and meal. All of the music we requested (and more) were included and Ray had definitely listened carefully to what our favourite music styles / artists were.
We had lovely comments from our guests about how beautiful if was to have live piano throughout the day, and we would recommend Ray to anyone.
Sophie & Mally x
Blackwell Grange Hotel, Darlington
We booked Ray to play at our wedding all the way back in 2019, for our first wedding date, which was supposed to take place in April 2021. Unfortunately we had to postpone due to Covid and like many other couples we were devastated, but remained positive and booked our wedding at the gorgeous Grand Hotel in Tynemouth for April 2022. Ray was amazing with altering our date from 2021 to 2022, and always on hand with any questions we had leading up to our wedding day.
Ray played absolutely beautifully throughout our ceremony, and everyone enjoyed when he played during our drinks reception!
Thank you Ray for making our day so perfect!
Beth & Steven xx
Grand Hotel, Tynemouth
Booking Ray for our wedding was the best thing we ever did. Ray is an absolute gentleman and his passion and knowledge of music is unrivalled.
From our initial enquiry right through to our wedding day (and beyond), Ray has always been quick, responsive, courteous and knowledgeable in every area we have discussed. As music lovers ourselves, he perfectly captured what we envisioned for our day and our guests have not stopped complementing us about our music.
We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Ray to anyone! Thanks for such a fantastic day!
Lucy & John xx
Shotton Grange, Seaton Burn
We first met Ray at a wedding fayre at Crathorne Hall, where we got married on Easter Monday. Ray’s easy and accommodating manner was immediately apparent as well as clearly being an excellent pianist. We decided there and then to have him playing at our wedding.
In the run up to the wedding Ray was very responsive and able to meet our requests for specific songs, where and when he would play etc. He would always contact us to confirm what we had agreed.
On the day Ray was excellent. As well as playing all ‘our songs’ to an extremely high standard, what was equally impressive was how aware Ray was of what was going on and how he offered to adapt where he played e.g when we went out on the lawn for photographs. Many of our guests remarked on how good Ray was, and a number asked him for ‘special requests’ which he seamlessly accommodated.
We would unequivocally recommend Ray and he certainly played his part in making our day even more special.
Beth & Martin xx
Crathorne Hall, Yarm
We got married on the 4th May 2022. The day was such a happy experience where all the guests seemed to really enjoy themselves. I would say part of the reason for this would have been the bar, but a considerable contribution was when Ray started playing half an hour or so before the ceremony - it really provided to a happy, relaxed and upbeat atmosphere.
Ray continued to play for our ceremony, and I have to admit when he started the song “Only You” for my now wife to walk down the aisle, the room did get really emotional - I think it just hits you harder than music from a speaker. Ray also played favourites of ours including A Million Dreams and She’s Always a Woman.
We decided all of this over a really friendly, informal chat over FaceTime a couple of months before the big day. I was actually looking forward to seeing Ray on the day cos he just seemed like such a top bloke, and he is!
All the guests were saying they really enjoyed the music during the ceremony and reception, and commented that it was a bit less intense than having a live singer/loudspeakers - it set a perfect tone for the day.
Lucy & Sam xx
Thief Hall, Northallerton
What can we say about Ray?
Ray’s addition to the wedding was so seamless, it just fitted perfectly and I can’t imagine the day without him. Our guests were so complimentary of the atmosphere he created as they arrived, during our ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast.
We would recommend Ray to anyone getting married, and even if you have not even considered having music, just have an informal chat - you honestly can’t meet more of a lovely chap!
Simone & Gavin x
Bowburn Hall, Durham
After picking up a flyer for Ray’s Piano at a wedding fayre, we decided to contact Ray to discuss playing at our wedding. After initially contacting Ray by email, we then had a couple of Zoom calls where we were able to discuss what music we would like and Ray was also able to play some samples of his music which we were really impressed with. He’s a lovely guy and very knowledgable about music, and also really easy to talk to.
With the songs chosen, we were looking forward to hearing him play for our ceremony and reception drinks. My entrance song “A Day Without Rain” by Enya was played by Ray beautifully, it sounded exactly as I had imagined, if not better. So many of our guests commented on Ray’s music, saying how lovely it sounded and how well Ray played.
Ray was certainly a key part of our day. We would not hesitate to use his services again and we will definitely be recommending him to all our family and friends.
Selina & Steve xx
Gisborough Hall, Guisborough
Ray was absolutely brilliant! Everything we wanted and more, from the moment we got back from our church ceremony, Ray was there playing some beautiful music from the gardens while we were having photos and drinks. He then played while the wedding breakfast was being served, and can we add he played my husband’s favourite song Local Hero as we entered the room, (Newcastle United theme) to then playing some music while the speeches were going ahead, especially for the groomsmen!
A top bloke, who has such a lovely personality and a fantastic musician! Thank you Ray for adding that extra sparkle to our perfect day!
Emma & Glen x
Hallgarth Manor, Pittington
It was a pleasure meeting you 2 years ago at the wedding fair at the Blackwell Grange. I'm so glad we booked you for our wedding as the music was fantastic. All my guests were so impressed with your music and so many compliments were made that it was a lovely touch to our wedding throughout the day.
Through all the Covid etc., the communication I had with yourself was fantastic, always on hand if any questions needed to be asked, helping us with our song choices for our special day and playing my Mum and Dad’s Foster and Allen song - you played it so well it brought a tear to my Mum's eye - even mine! The Ed Sheeran music when my wife walked down the aisle was played so perfectly you made our day. All the music that you played was amazing - a mixture of 60s, 80's and modern music.
We would like to thank you Ray from the bottom of our heart. You are a gentleman and it was a great pleasure to have you play on our wedding day and we would definitely recommend you to our family and friends. Thanks again Ray - it was a pleasure from the beginning to the end.
Claire & Steve xx
Blackwell Grange Hotel, Darlington
A massive thank you for playing the piano at our wedding reception. From our arrival into Pinchinthorpe Hall where we and our guests were greeted to you playing on the grand piano, and throughout the reception and wedding breakfast, it was a pleasure to listen to you.
The choice of music was perfect and covered the wide variety of music we love. You captured our favourites so perfectly with a wide range of songs and everyone commented what a beautiful way to be entertained.
We would definitely recommend Ray for anyone planning their wedding and would particularly comment on his attention to detail from the initial few meetings right through to the day. Many thanks for making our day so special.
Lynne & Maree xx
Pinchinthorpe Hall, Guisborough
I was married on 12th June 2022. Our day was rearranged on two occasions, however, when we finally married our day was better than we could have imagined. We booked Ray on our original date to play piano and he has been amazing from start to finish - he is such a lovely man.
First the communication from Ray has been second to none - he always replies in a timely manner and nothing seems too much trouble. He helps with ideas too, which really helped myself and my husband.
On the day he played at our ceremony playing Perfect as I walked down the aisle - it honestly made the moment magical. We also had I Want To Grow Old With You, Tale As Old As Time and A Thousand Years for signing our marriage schedule and You’ve Got A Friend In Me on leaving. He played amazingly - it really was flawless. I'm so thankful we booked Ray as he honestly helped make our day so special. For our reception and wedding breakfast I asked Ray to play a range of different things and he honestly did not disappoint.
I would recommend Ray to anyone planning a wedding who would like to add that extra special touch. I wish we could do it all again. Thank you Ray for being so amazing - you’re a lovely man and I'm so pleased we got to share our special day with you.
Robyn & Dan xx
Horton Grange, Blagdon
We had the pleasure of Ray playing piano throughout our wedding day. From the moment we made an enquiry until the actual day, Ray was extremely helpful, professional but most of all friendly. He helped put our mind at ease and had patience when dealing with us.
Lots of our guests made nice comments about Ray, and his range of music is really good. We loved having him play a part in our big day and would highly recommend him!
Sophie & Ryan xx
Charlton Hall, Northumberland
We discovered Ray at a wedding event at Rudding Park and were immediately impressed by not only his obvious pianist skills, but also by his lovely friendly persona. He was more than willing to demonstrate different songs (Disney mainly) for my Maid of Honour and myself.
Not long after, I emailed and booked him for my wedding at Hazlewood Castle on the 14th May 2022. During the run up to the wedding we spoke several times over Zoom and he played for my now husband and myself. He was incredibly helpful and put us at ease as to what songs would suit where and when, and also the number of songs he would need. He took notes of our personal music tastes, and even included our love of Leeds United! He confirmed how he would set up and that the music would be constant throughout our day. He made us feel excited about our day even more than we already were.
On the wedding day itself, he played effortlessly for our guests and whenever you glanced over, there was always a warm smile on his face, which made the music seem that much sweeter. As I walked down the aisle, listening to him play made me relax and not fall over my own feet (not an easy thing to achieve!).
Our guests loved listening to him play and we received compliments all through the day because of how brilliant he was. Ray played for our ceremony, drinks and wedding breakfast. He set up a piano in each room, including outside, so the music flowed beautifully and the day was stunning, with his playing highlighting what a perfect day should sound like.
Evie & James xx
Hazlewood Castle, York
Our perfect day was made special by walking in and seeing all our friends and family laughing and smiling with each other and listening to really nice music in the background.
From the start to finish of our reception and wedding breakfast it was truly exceptional, and we really couldn’t have asked for anything better. It certainly made it a special atmosphere to what was a perfect day.
Chloe & Joshua x
Gisborough Hall, Guisborough
Tom and I want to say a huge thank you for your spectacular piano playing at our wedding! The music helped create such a lively atmosphere during the drinks reception and wedding breakfast, and everyone was telling me how much they loved it!
We had the most fantastic day, and thank you so much for being a part of it!
Emily & Tomas xx
Jesmond Dene House, Newcastle
After visiting a wedding fair at Redworth Hall we immediately decided to hire Ray to play all day at our wedding at Charlton Hall. Ray is the kind of person you can have one conversation with and feel like you have known him your entire lifetime.
As soon as we booked Ray, our wedding preparations began, and he honestly helped the day run smoothly without a hitch. He regularly kept in contact with us and was more than accommodating in our choices in music, even offering to learn songs that we wanted for our day. I think this shows his commitment and diligence to his vocation.
On the day itself, Ray played such a wide mix of songs for our guests and so many guests have since commented on how wonderful the music was. He helped create the perfect tone throughout the day. I honestly think that if I had not hired Ray, I would have regretted it; he truly exceeded all expectations. He was also a great hit with my little nephew; I think it is because of how approachable and friendly he is to everyone that he meets.
I cannot express how delighted I am in finding Ray to play at our wedding. It is a memory that I will cherish forever. If you are anything like us, as soon as you hear Ray play, you will want to book him immediately.
Philippa & Adam x
Charlton Hall, Northumberland
I am so glad we booked Ray to play at our wedding. We had him play our ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast, and it was absolutely perfect.
The entire booking process was so easy, Ray was so amenable and on the other end of a text or email if I had any questions about music choices and his thoughts. We had a FaceTime discussion which put me completely at ease, and at no point did we feel silly about songs we had thought about being played.
The moment I heard Canon in D start I knew I was about to walk down the aisle and it’s a moment and song I’ll cherish forever.
Ray had the smallest guests at our wedding up dancing amazed by his skills, he even let them join in which was just lovely. Everyone had something positive to say about him throughout each aspect of the day as he played for us and I honestly can’t thank him enough for the vibe he and his music added to our wedding. It was perfect!
Kim & Chris xx
Middleton Lodge, Darlington
We found out about Ray through social media, when he played a wedding at the venue we were due to get married at. From the first message we sent, we knew we had to have Ray playing at our big day!
We have fairly ecclectic music tastes, so we weren't sure if our song choices would even be possible to play on piano, but on the first intro call we had, without batting an eyelid, Ray was rattling off Sweet Child O' Mine, Only You by Yazoo, Mr Blue Sky and plenty more of our weird and wonderful choices!
The communication in the build-up to the day was brilliant. We shared a Spotify playlist with Ray, which we could just keep adding to as and when, and any messages we sent were answered straight away. There were some elements of the day we weren't sure about, and Ray was really helpful in making suggestions and recommendations to help us decide.
On the day itself, it was really special to walk down the aisle to live music, it gave such a personal feel. He played during our ceremony, reception and throughout the wedding breakfast. All our guests could talk about was how much they loved the keyboard interpretations of their favourite songs. Although Ray had a good idea of what he was going to play from our playlist, he was open to impromptu requests during the wedding breakfast, which was brilliant!
We can't recommend Ray's Piano highly enough! All throughout the process, he has been friendly and approachable. If you're a music lover, you won't be disappointed. He will give your wedding something unique and special that your guests will be talking about for a long time after.
Clair & Allison xx
Horton Grange, Blagdon
We first met Ray at a wedding fayre at Hardwick Hall and he was lovely from the minute we met him. We hadn’t been engaged long and we were at the very beginning stages of our wedding planning - we hadn’t even booked a venue or picked a day! I remember we got chatting about what music we liked and he started playing A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. I remember getting emotional and knowing that not only was that was the song I wanted to walk down the aisle too, but I wanted Ray to play it.
We started really wedding planning during the pandemic when we had several video chats with Ray and he was always really accommodating when fitting us in as we could only chat after work or weekends. We talked about what song choices we wanted and he even played a few which was lovely. He was so easy to talk to and not at all pushy. We booked Ray from 1pm for our ceremony right through to 7pm when our evening do started. He already knew the venue and staff well, so he fitted into the day nicely.
Ray was fantastic on the day - all of the songs he played were exactly what we wanted. They were upbeat and definitely helped set the mood for the day. When Ray started A Thousand Years just before I started walking down it all just felt perfect. That song will now forever be my favourite!
We really can’t thank Ray enough for help making our day so special! He was smiley, relaxed and all-round lovely. We had many of our guests say how nice he was and how his music just added something special to the whole day. We can’t recommend him enough and we’re so very glad we booked him for our wedding day.
Thank you so much Ray!
Helen & Simon xx
Headlam Hall, Darlington
Can’t thank Ray enough for setting the most romantic, relaxed and blissful atmosphere during our wedding day with his music. From the moment we heard him playing at a wedding fair in Derwent Manor we knew that Ray was going to be a perfect addition to our wedding.
What made Ray exceptional is his excellent customer service. I’m sure no couples would like to work with an unreliable supplier or someone who is very difficult to communicate with. He is very approachable and easy to talk to, replies as promptly as he can, meetings were spot on, and most importantly he never made us worry even once about how things will go during the wedding.
We cannot fault his music - our guests loved all the songs he played! He can play all genres and we pretty much let him decide what he thought was best on the day. Of course, this is all down to his experience and the number of weddings he’s played. He gave us ultimately peace of mind and assurance that everything is gonna turn out well! And I am sure that’s what every couple would want.
We highly recommend Ray! Thanks Ray for making our day as special as it could be. You’re the best!
Alpha & Ian xx
Derwent Manor, Allensford
I started following Ray’s Piano on Instagram after he was recommended by our wedding venue - Horton Grange. We hadn’t decided on what type of music we wanted for our ceremony but every time I went on Instagram Ray kept popping up and after seeing some of his videos, I knew we had to have him play on our wedding day.
We booked Ray to play our ceremony, drinks reception, and wedding breakfast and he was the perfect addition to a perfect day. One of our favourite memories from the day is sitting on the swing eating an ice-cream listening to Ray play after all of our guests disappeared early for dinner …it’s a memory we’ll always cherish!
Every single one of our guests mentioned how impressed they were with Ray. The range of music he played (we requested a lot of 80’s classics) was enjoyed by everyone and he added an intimate touch to the wedding breakfast.
Organising a wedding can be stressful and I have to say dealing with Ray was an absolute pleasure. He just puts you at ease, nothing is too much trouble, even though we changed our ceremony list a couple of times! I couldn’t recommend Ray enough, he is so professional, friendly and talented. He helped us create the relaxed atmosphere we wanted for our big day by playing beautiful music, and always with a big smile.
If you want to add something special to your wedding day, don’t think about it - just book Ray’s Piano and I promise you won’t regret it!
Tara & Michael x
Horton Grange Country House
We are so happy we booked Ray for our wedding in July.
He was an absolute delight, very professional and nothing was a bother. We had Ray for our wedding ceremony, drink reception and wedding breakfast. We had so many compliments throughout the day, the music was wonderful and exactly we wished for, and far more!!
I highly recommend Ray’s Piano!
Thank you for making our big day even more special!!
Kate & Matt xx
Black Horse Beamish, Stanley
Ray helped make our day happy, relaxed and memorable. We’d met and were in touch several times before the wedding to ensure we had all our song choices at the perfect times.
Ray played beautifully during our ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast. No song we wanted was a problem - even learning our favourite Disney tune to walk down the aisle. Not only was Ray a fantastic pianist he was lovely with all our guests and we had so many complements about him. He even let our one-year old nephew sit beside him and have a turn on the piano.
We would highly recommend Ray in a heartbeat! He helped make the best day of our lives so far really special.
Lucy & Lee xx
Woodhill Hall, Otterburn
As soon as we saw Ray at a wedding fayre, we knew we needed him. Since the first moment I messaged him, he has been absolutely fantastic. From answering all of our questions straight away to helping us choose the perfect songs for our perfect day, he has been second to none and we knew he would live up to expectations and more! Ray played at our ceremony and our reception drinks. So many people commented on what a talent he was and how much they enjoyed hearing him play. Couldn’t thank him enough if we tried and to top it off, he is a true gentleman who will help make any special occasion everything you dreamed of and more!
Jordan & Antony xx
Blackwell Grange, Darlington
Ray was absolutely amazing throughout. He communicated well in the run up to our wedding and we felt like we really knew him on our day - what a lovely, lovely man! The feeling of walking out to him playing the piano was one I will never forget. Ray playing created such a good atmosphere during the day and all the guests loved it!
Laura & Luke x
Bowburn Hall, Durham
Wow…. just outstanding! From the very first moment we came across Ray on social media, we knew we wanted him playing on our wedding day. Ray was so lovely and friendly from the very first message through to post-wedding.
Ray played our wedding ceremony, wedding reception drinks and our wedding breakfast including our walking down the aisle song ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ and our exit song ‘A Sky Full Of Stars’. Ray played a mixture of genres during our drinks reception and wedding breakfast which were a huge hit with our guests. Our guests commented how talented and amazing he was, and they also commented how happy and friendly he was.
Ray offers that unique touch of live music with elegance on your wedding day, and we would recommend him to anyone. He was totally amazing and we have great memories from our wedding day that include Ray.
Zoe & Scott x
Shotton Grange, Northumberland
We got married at Rushpool Hall in June 2022. We really fancied a pianist and after a quick search we found Ray was local to us! As soon as we listened to some of his recordings, we loved him and dropped him a message on Instagram. Ray was so lovely straight away, providing all the information we could need and even asking us about a trip that we were currently on in the Lake District. Ray left us to have a think with no pressure whatsoever. A few days later I went to a wedding show with my Mam in James' absence and Ray was there. I was over the moon so went and introduced myself, Ray remembered me and we chatted about everything we spoke about and also a little performance of a variety of different music. We already knew we were going to ask to book Ray, but this sealed the deal!
We booked Ray to play whilst our guests arrived all the way through to the end of the wedding breakfast. He was absolutely amazing and knew exactly what to play at the right time for the perfect atmosphere! We had a call a few months before the wedding to go through key songs we would like and what type of music we would like to fill the gaps which was also a really lovely catch up!
Aside from the music itself Ray really took the stress out of having to choose background music for the full day. The music he played throughout was just perfect - you really can leave it down to Ray if you're unsure!
Having Ray perform really added to the day in such an amazing way. It really added to our experience as well as our guests and we will be recommending Ray for every event to come!
Zoe & James xx
Rushpool Hall, Saltburn
When deciding to enrol the services of a musician for our big day, Ray's Piano came highly recommended by Crathorne Hall and we immediately got in touch. We arranged to meet via FaceTime which proved to be the ideal way to discuss plans. Ray himself was charming, friendly and very talented and so we booked him there and then. On the lead up to the wedding itself, Ray was regularly in contact with us ensuring the style of songs we had chosen sounded how we envisaged.
On the day itself, Ray played during the ceremony and the wedding breakfast. There is no other word to describe his performance other than perfect! The ceremony, he performed a beautiful rendition of Tom Petty’s “Won't Back Down” before two beautiful hymns. During the signing of the marriage schedule, he played Tom Walker - You and I, Ed Sheeran - Perfect and Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares To You. All songs were truly atmospheric and totally enhanced proceedings. During the wedding breakfast, we gave Ray free reign and we were so pleased that we did as the song choices maintained the perfect atmosphere during our meals and between courses.
To summarise, Ray totally enhanced our wedding through his performance and personality and we couldn't recommend him enough!
Rachel & Jamie x
Crathorne Hall, Yarm
Where do I start? I first met Ray at the Wynyard Hall wedding fair and me and the girls were just about to leave when we heard Ray start playing. We were instantly drawn to Ray and just stood and watched for a while. Ray then asked us if we had any requests to which I requested “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith. This was actually our first dance song, and obviously I burst out crying in front or everyone at the fair. Thank you for that Haha!! Once I got home, I straightaway told Luke we HAD TO HAVE RAY and he agreed, not really know how amazing he was.
The whole journey from there was so smooth and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. Ray was always on the other end of his emails and Instagram DMs whenever I had any questions - he is so easy to talk to. We also had a few FaceTimes where he would play any songs for us we were thinking about incorporating into our big day and he also gave us some examples of what works best and where. We felt so special it was like our own mini private show.
Fast forward to the day and Ray was just AMAZING. Walking down the aisle to his piano was like something out of a movie. We had Ray playing to welcome our guests all the way through to the end of the wedding breakfast. He also turned into our children’s entertainer at one point when he let my little 10 month-old nephew have a go of the piano which made him one happy little boy.
All I can say is THANK YOU SOOOO SOOO MUCH for everything. If I ever have to do it all again I would definitely hire you again Haha.
Kate & Luke xx
Seaham Hall
Ray was fantastic from the word go! So professional and incredibly talented. He took the time to get to know us and our music taste, and gave us some really good ideas whilst also listening to what we wanted. Ray replied to all emails really quickly which definitely eased some of the wedding anxieties! Ray kindly came to our church rehearsal too which made us feel really at ease and confident about the ceremony.
Ray’s music in the ceremony was perfect - it was exactly what we wanted and we have such special memories of our favourite songs being played. So many of our guests commented on what a nice touch it was having Ray at our drinks reception - it really was the icing on the cake and suited our venue perfectly! Ray was great with our page boy and let him play the piano which he absolutely loved.
We would use Ray again in a heartbeat and would highly recommend him to anyone!
Ella & Chris xx
Shotton Grange, Northumberland
We first saw Ray playing at a wedding fayre at the South Causey Inn back in April. I emailed him a day or two later. With only a few months to go until our big day, Ray responded immediately saying he was available and that he would arrange a video chat with us. After getting to know us on our first video chat, Ray suggested our exit song could be Local Hero which we absolutely loved.
Ray's communication in the run up to the wedding has been fantastic which definitely put us at ease. He was also happy to learn any specific songs we wanted playing. He was a real hit with our guests and paid special attention to our little boy Joshua, who sat on his knee and helped him play after the ceremony.
We could not recommend Ray more, he was the perfect addition to our big day, so professional and a genuinely all-round lovely guy.
Sam & Neil xx
South Causey Inn, Stanley
Before we booked our venue we already knew that we wanted to have Ray play at our wedding and he was such an important part of our day, it really wouldn't of been the same without him. Ray played from guests arriving all the way through to just before the evening and all our guests commented on how talented he was and was amazing to listen to.
Ray rang us a couple months before our day ensuring what music we wanted but also gave us advice on what works and what maybe doesn't which was a massive help. We were quite chilled with what music Ray played during our drinks reception and wedding breakfast and we are so glad we trusted his judgement as it was a perfect mix for all ages and was fun to see people being able to recognise the songs as he was playing.
Ray is such a genuine and friendly person and we instantly felt comfortable with him from our first conversation. On our wedding day it was scorching hot and as he was outside playing I offered for him to go inside away from the heat but he was a trooper and played without any complaints. We are so glad that we chose to have Ray at our special day as he was incredible and we couldn't thank him enough.
Shannon & Tom xx
Horton Grange Country House
Our experience with Ray was second to none. We first met Ray at a wedding open evening at Walworth Castle. From the moment I heard Ray playing for the first time I knew I wanted him to play at our wedding - he played so beautifully he had me in tears that day just thinking about it.
I emailed Ray later that week to see if he was available. Ray was very quick to respond and had us booked in no time. From then on Ray kept in touch on the run up to the wedding day to check-in and inform us of anything we needed to do.
We had a FaceTime catch up a few months before the wedding to discuss all things music for the day. Ray asked about the most important song which of course was for the walk up the aisle. I had told Ray I had song in mind and had heard a specific piano cover which I fell in love with, and Ray went above and beyond to make sure he played it exactly like that on the day!
Fast forward to the big day - Ray set up outdoors in a spot where he could be seen and heard by all and despite the beaming sun and heat that day he never stopped once. Our guests were in awe of Ray and said it made the day more memorable. They really enjoyed the sound of Ray playing as they arrived and took their seats. It created a wonderful atmosphere. When I heard my song begin to play as I stood at the top of the aisle ready to take the most important walk of my life, I could not hold back my tears - the music was so beautiful!
We had Ray playing for us throughout our reception and wedding breakfast. Guests again commented on how much of an atmosphere it created having live music during the meal and many spoke to and complimented Ray themselves. He played a variety of music, all different styles and genres, and we noticed that Ray played practically every song we had specifically asked for.
Ray is an all-round amazing person, so down to earth! He was one of the first people to congratulate us on our marriage and took time to come and see us after the ceremony when he was not playing and made the effort to find us to say goodbye before he left. He is a true talent and we were honoured to have Ray play for us at our wedding! We could not recommend Ray any more, and if we were to do it all over again Ray would be the first person on my list to book. We will never forget how magical Ray made our day and we cannot thank him enough.
So Ray … thank you so very much from the bottom of our hearts.
Kirsty & Jamie xx
Walworth Castle, Darlington
We booked Ray quite late on and were thrilled when he was available for our big day. We'd seen him at a Thief Hall wedding fayre previously and loved the relaxing melodic sound he brought to the venue. Ray was very helpful in finding out what type of music we wanted but we were pretty easy-going and were happy for him to have a bit of free reign, just giving him an idea of the genre of music we were hoping for.
Fast forward to our wedding day and everyone commented on how beautiful the music was, how it really added to the vibe and atmosphere of our wedding and how it was just a perfect addition - we wholeheartedly agree with all of the above comments.
Ray is such a professional and comes ready for the event, with a huge smile on his face. It was a pleasure to have you with us on our wonderful day and we were so glad we picked you. We'd highly recommend Ray for any weddings as he fits in perfectly and is superb.
Sian & James xx
Thief Hall, Northallerton
Ray was absolutely amazing. His presence at our wedding was one of the best decisions we made. He was a dream to work with leading up to the big day, and nothing at all was an issue. With his expertise and experience, knowing Ray was in control meant the music was one less thing for us to worry about.
He was fantastic and played songs we requested, which was extra special for us.Our guests loved him and were full of praise at how well the day flowed with the beautiful background music he played. We had a few late requests and last minute changes, even as late as on the morning of the wedding, and Ray was more than happy to go with whatever we wanted to do, and was so accommodating.
We cannot recommend Ray highly enough. Our day would not have been the same without you there.
Louise & Dean x
Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield
We first saw Ray at the Grand Hotel’s wedding showcase, and we instantly fell in love with his music! The day came and he was spot on with every song that was played! Truly impressed with Rays Piano, very talented man. He was a very special part of our day! Thank you so much!
Chelsea & Jack xx
Grand Hotel, Tynemouth
From the first time we met him, right through to our wedding day itself, Ray was absolutely fantastic. Other than a couple of specific songs we had very little idea as to what we wanted but Ray helped massively and put together an amazing blend of music which fitted perfectly into the day - we can’t recommend him highly enough. Our guests have not stopped commenting on how much they enjoyed him playing and how friendly and professional he was from start to finish.
Emily & Steven xx
Horton Grange Country House
We first met Ray at a wedding fayre at Bowburn Hall in early 2021, his pleasant piano music was filling the air as we looked around the venue. Straight away it put us at ease and gave an air of something special to the place - we knew we had to book him. Ray was so friendly and approachable and gave us soundbites of songs we mentioned we liked – even some obscure Dire Straits tunes!
We had numerous video calls with Ray in the lead up to our wedding (Covid was still a thing!) and he always seemed to understand what it was we wanted on our big day. We talked through songs and artists we liked with Ray giving us a quick blast of the tune and any songs we liked that he didn’t already have in his repertoire (which weren’t many I have to add) he was more than accommodating to learn for us.
We chose a lot of our songs from Ray’s playlist - songs for guests to arrive to, songs for the ceremony and then songs for our afternoon tea which we wanted more upbeat, fun and modern – including some 90’s/00’s dance songs which sounded fantastic and had our guests playing Name That Tune.
Our guests said how fantastic it all was and a few asked if Ray was a friend of ours as he was so lovely and personal with everyone. To be honest, we feel like Ray is now a friend of ours having had so many meetings and conversations with him over the past year and a bit and following him on Instagram!
We would highly recommend anyone thinking of booking Ray to go for it – you won’t be disappointed!
Sarah & Max x
Bowburn Hall Hotel, Durham
Ray was exceptional.
Kris and I had been arguing for some time about the music we wanted for the ceremony. We both knew we didn’t want a sound system, we wanted live music, but Kris wanted strings and I wanted a piano. We were at our first wedding fair, just gathering some ideas and I heard Ray playing and dragged Kris over. Ray was amazing, could play anything and Kris was so impressed we pretty much booked him on the spot – strings forgotten! It also helped that he was such a lovely guy.
Ray played our ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast and we can’t imagine our day without him. He’d given us great advice throughout the booking process and when we asked for a few special bits and bobs he was more than happy to help. This meant creating a custom wedding entrance of two songs (traditional and new), playing a short rendition of ‘Kiss Me’ during our first kiss as husband and wife and accompanying the entire wedding breakfast whilst we wished my Dad a happy birthday. More importantly, there wasn’t a whisper of Ed Sheeran all day!
Ray didn’t just play songs for us, he entertained our guests (taking bets on the length of the speeches!) and set the tone for the whole day – bright and happy and relaxed. Thanks Ray, you absolutely made our day and I would not hesitate to recommend you to anyone.
Maddie & Kris xx
Durham Castle, Durham
We’d just like to thank you for being a part of our magical day. Finding you at Kinmount House at their wedding show was a blessing. From start to finish you were amazing, from messages and FaceTime calls you kept us right. The FaceTime calls really helped give us a better idea of what we wanted and nothing was a bother. We asked for upbeat on the day and that’s exactly what we got.
I remember standing for photos and having a boogie at the same time listening to the music in the background which is what I really wanted. Our guests commented how fantastic you were and loved the variety songs you played. We’d highly recommend Ray to anyone. He’s a perfect gentleman and we were so lucky to have snapped him up for our special day.
Claire & Sean x
Kinmount House, Annan
It was just over two weeks to our big day and we were going round in circles trying to choose appropriate yet meaningful songs for our ceremony. I was stressed! Then I saw Ray on our venue’s Instagram story and a lightbulb went off!
I contacted Ray and thankfully he was available on our wedding day. We had a video call where Ray played some tunes and we chatted about what our thoughts and likes were, and I knew instantly I wanted Ray to play on our day. He was so friendly, reassuring and helpful.
On our wedding day, Ray played my husband’s favourite Oasis song Champagne Supernova as I walked down the aisle, and The Sterephonics Dakota as we left as a newly married couple! Ray then played throughout our drinks reception and wedding breakfast, creating the perfect, relaxed atmosphere that I had hoped for, for us and our guests. All of our guests commented on how beautifully Ray played and spoke about how lovely he was - my 1 year old niece even had a sit on his knee, playing the keys!
We cannot recommend Ray highly enough. I believe he genuinely saved my sanity over songs and I am so glad he was a part of our day and he really did make it perfect and added to our precious memories! Thank you Ray!
Kay & Paul xx
Rushpool Hall, Saltburn
Ray played from our guests arriving, during the ceremony and for the drinks reception. He was amazing and really helped create an exciting, fun atmosphere.
From start to finish Ray was super friendly, quick to reply to our messages and open to ideas for song requests. As part of the planning for our big day, we had a video call with Ray, he was able to demo a wide range of songs, bounce ideas around and share his knowledge of how things can run on the day.
We are so glad Ray was part of our day, helping create an amazing atmosphere. Guests loved the live music and the range of songs Ray played during the drinks reception!
Anyone looking for live music for your wedding - we would absolutely recommend Ray!
Rachael & Bob x
South Causey Inn, Stanley
We found Ray at a wedding fair in Middlesbrough. He is a lovely guy and very passionate about making people’s big day.
He was really helpful whilst we planned the wedding. We had a video meeting to discuss our thoughts and ideas. This was really helpful; giving us an insight into what he can provide and how his music would work around our day. This also helped us get to know each other.
On the day his music was fantastic. He was key in setting the scene and in my opinion was much more effective than a playlist through a speaker! The bridal entrance song was perfect and added to the very emotional moment of her entrance. He was able to give us exactly what we wanted, including a unique request from the groom to enter to the Imperial March.
Many guests remarked on Ray and how nice it was to have live music through the ceremony and day time reception. He creates the perfect ambience and adds a more personalised touch to your big day. I would definitely recommend Ray for your wedding!
Zoe & Jamie xx
Rushpool Hall, Saltburn
We found Ray on a virtual wedding fair whilst planning our wedding during lockdown. Pretty much the whole wedding fair we spent in his 'virtual room' listening to him play and we knew we just had to book him for our big day!
Ray was brilliant during the planning process and we had a couple of catch-up calls/ emails to discuss music choices etc. We are not huge fans of more traditional wedding music but are big fans of RnB/Hip-Hop. We weren't sure how or if our music choices would work on the piano, but as Ray is extremely flexible and plays such a variety of genres it came across as no bother for him to try something new!
Ray did an absolutely fantastic job playing us some great T-Pain and Drake piano covers during the ceremony which we were absolutely over the moon with. We had some really wonderful feedback from our guests saying how talented Ray was. He really kept everyone entertained throughout the day moving around the venue with the flow of the day and ended with playing a great variety of music for us and our guests at our wedding breakfast.
We highly recommend booking Ray for your big day and you will not be disappointed!
Michelle & Andrew x
Ellingham Hall, Northumberland
We booked our wedding in Northumberland, an area me and my husband are not from, so sourcing suppliers was a bit more difficult for us. We came across Ray via Instagram - we were drawn to Ray’s warm personality and amazing musical skills shown on his videos.
We arranged a call and knew we had to have Ray play for us. Ray helped us with music selections along the way and kept in contact in the lead up to our wedding which was really appreciated.
On our wedding day Ray was fantastic, a true professional and all our guests loved the music. I will never forget the moment I heard my entrance music to the ceremony – I was filled with such emotion - that is the power of music 💕
If you want something extra special for your big day book Ray - you won’t regret it!
Colette & Sean xx
Charlton Hall, Chathill
We met Ray at a wedding fair and knew straight away we had to have him play at our wedding. He was so easy to talk to putting us at ease straight away and sounded brilliant even in a loud, busy arena.
We gave him broad genres and asked him to play whatever he wanted and we were right to put all our faith in him as he kept the day flowing beautifully (ceremony through to the end of our wedding breakfast). We had high hopes (even recommending him to a friend before we even had our day) and Ray smashed it!
He really adds an extra bit of magic to the day 🥰 We loved him, ours guests loved him and everyone should have Ray play at their wedding!
Thank you so much Ray, it was so wonderful to have you as part of our day!!
Steph & John xx
Dalton Old Pump House, Seaham
We booked Ray for our wedding ceremony and drinks reception and came across him through a mutual friend’s wedding post.
I remember having our first chat over FaceTime which was a very relaxed general conversation and he really put us at ease. Ray showed off his musical talent during the call, majestically playing a number of different songs, and we felt like we could sit and listen to him for hours. Our half hour chat felt like we had known Ray for years.
Ray played a variety of genres and styles for our drinks reception, which was well received! He had everyone in the room singing along, and our guests praised the atmosphere and vibes he created which set the bar for the rest of the day.
Ray was amazing, so friendly and very accommodating! He even learned a new song especially for our ceremony, within a week. He’s exceptionally talented and we were delighted to have him be part of our special day.
Sophie & Nick x
Charlton Hall, Chathill
We found Ray to be very approachable and nothing was too much trouble, very easy going and a genuinely nice guy. Ray kept in touch regularly prior to our wedding and was more than happy with amendments - right up until a couple days prior.
Ray was the first person I saw before walking down the aisle and gave a reassuring smile - such a gentleman. Music was beautifully played and very tasteful during the ceremony and wedding breakfast. Ray accommodated every song we requested without any hesitation. So many guests during the day and after our wedding commented on Ray and how nice he was, and the music he played, which was varied to suit all ages.
I certainly wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ray - an absolute pleasure to deal with.
Sharon & Andrew xx
Bowburn Hall, Durham
We first discovered Ray’s incredible talent and friendly charm at a wedding showcase at Hardwick Hall - he was playing in the beautiful Floral Chapel which we had already booked for our wedding day. We were immediately drawn to the elegance of Ray’s music and were amazed at how effortless he seemed to make such wonderful melodies. We began chatting to Ray and instantly realised he also had a brilliant personality and way of making you feel at ease - exactly the kind of person we wanted to be part of our wedding day.
In the lead up to the wedding, Ray kept in touch on a regular basis, and arranged video calls to arrange the finer details. This was really helpful and we found ourselves chatting for ages about all things music and weddings! Ray was really organised and always kept us informed, as well as helping us feel comfortable and confident that everything would run smoothly.
Ray played from welcoming our guests to the end of our wedding breakfast. We were blown away with how perfectly Ray played our choice of song to walk down the aisle to, and it made it even more precious and personal to us. Ray learnt songs which we had specifically requested and created a lovely atmosphere which our guests thoroughly enjoyed. When we sat down to eat, there were moments when we got lost in Ray’s music and looked around the room to see our guests loving it too. It made every experience throughout our day even more memorable.
Ray’s Piano was the perfect addition to our wedding and it wouldn’t have been the same without him. We didn’t want him to leave! People say music makes a movie great, and Ray helped make our fairytale wedding into a day we will never forget for the rest of our lives.
Angela & James xx
Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield
We first met Ray at a wedding fair and couldn’t pull ourselves away from standing listening to him play. He was the first supplier we booked after our venue, and everything from booking to final details were super easy and Ray is a joy to work with.
Ray played for 6 hours at our wedding from guest arrival through to the wedding breakfast, and even on our Windermere cruise boat! Our guests all commented how fab he was and that his fingers must be aching! Ray played a wide range of different music and there was something for everyone.
If you’re planning a wedding, please consider live music because it really did make our day extra special. We’d book Ray again in a heartbeat!
Caitlin & Steven x
Cragwood House, Ambleside
You are by far the most genuine, friendly and caring man we came across during our whole wedding journey, and your character sure shines through in your work!
We are extremely grateful for the song requests we sent through as some of these were not conventional piano tunes, however, you went above and beyond to ensure these were perfect and played for us on our big day!
I remember conversing with you and just wondering how you were playing so effortlessly while holding an in-depth conversation with me.
Ray is phenomenal ... and if you book anyone for your wedding, this guy is definitely the guy!
Melissa & Mitchel xx
Kinmount House, Annan
When me and my partner were planning our big day, we always wanted a pianist to play throughout the day. As soon as we started chatting to Ray on a FaceTime call about music, venues, timings, the order of the day etc, both me and Kelly knew straight away we had made a great choice. Ray was easy going, nothing was too much trouble and he was a pleasure to talk too.
We were married at the Dalton Old Pump House - an amazing venue in which Ray was a big influence entertaining everyone. Before the ceremony he immediately put myself, best man and two young sons at ease - the two lads even posing on the piano and playing a few tunes with Ray's encouragement.
Ray played throughout the day. The timing of all the song choices at various stages of the day, including the ceremony, was spot on. Ray played at three different locations around the venue and everyone commented on how great he was and how great the variety of music was.
In all honesty, Ray played a big part in making our day a special one.
Kelly & Paul x
Dalton Old Pump House, Seaham
We’d been recommended Ray by my sister after he’d played a wedding she’d been to, and impressing my sister is no mean feat! Ray played for our reception and meal, creating the perfect atmosphere for our guests, with an eclectic mix of tunes to please everyone - my only regret is that we didn’t get to hear more! Our Auntie wanted to ask everyone to be quiet so she could hear The Greatest Showman in all it's glory!
We found Ray to be an excellent supplier to work with, no request was too big or small and he’s extremely personable, which is definitely needed during stressful wedding times!
Thank you so much for performing on our special day Ray, we appreciate it so much!
Alex & Jonny xx
Masham Town Hall
Our wedding venue, Crathorne Hall recommended Ray to us. We contacted Ray and it very quickly became apparent he was the right guy for us. Ray made every step so easy and kept in regular contact via, FaceTime, texts and phone calls. We had some vague ideas of what we wanted and Ray developed this into a fabulous day.
Ray played from the moment guests starting to arrive until the wedding breakfast had finished. He also arranged for the music/songs we needed to be played on MP3 was all set up and played when needed. All of our guests commented on how amazing the piano playing was and what a great atmosphere it created.
We would highly recommend Ray - nothing was too much trouble and everything was made to feel so effortless on our behalf.
Steph & Richie x
Crathorne Hall, nr Yarm
We first heard Ray playing at our wedding tasting evening and whilst eating our food we heard this beautiful relaxing music being played and immediately wanted to find out who was playing so we could book this for our wedding day, for ourselves and our guests to enjoy.
As soon as we booked with Ray he was so professional and accommodating as we needed him to play two separate sets throughout the day, but nothing was too much for him to do for us - he was absolutely amazing. The music he played at our wedding was fantastic - we even had guests at the tables guessing “Name The Song” and I believe one of our wedding guests has booked Ray for their wedding next year!
If you’re looking for a professional, talented, down to earth musician and a great guy, then look no further - you need to book Ray today. He will truly make your wedding a day to remember.
Emma & Simon xx
Horton Grange Country House
I immediately decided I wanted to have Ray play at our wedding as soon as I heard 20 seconds of him on his keyboard at a wedding fayre last summer. He just sounded "wonderfully wedding" and after he finished the song he was playing he chatted to me and my Mum for ages and was so pleasant, friendly and very knowledgeable.
After I got in touch with him to book him for our wedding, we arranged a video call at to discuss our song options and he was open to pretty much any suggestion we had! He plays a wide range of songs and we threw in a new one he hadn't played before. He had the patience of a saint with me chopping and changing songs out for others! Prior to our wedding he kept up the level of communication in a relaxed and helpful manner ... he made planning things very easy.
Ray smiled away on his keyboards on the day of our wedding (you can tell he just loves what he does) and so many of our guests commented on how amazing he sounded, and the upbeat vibe he created post-ceremony for cocktails and mingling went down a treat. I cannot recommend Ray enough for your big day!
Louise & Ewan xx
Newton Hall, Northumberland
We met Ray at a wedding fair at The Riverside Stadium. Before our wedding, communication with Ray was great – he was very professional, easy to contact, listened to our ideas and shared some of his own which made the process very easy and enjoyable.
Ray played during our ceremony, reception and wedding breakfast and moved seamlessly between the parts of the day. My Dad commented on how talented Ray was and how he was playing with such ease and grace. The music was beautiful and exactly what we wanted, which completed our day.
Becca & Daniel x
Rushpool Hall, Saltburn
Ray is wonderful man who truly made our wedding special. He made it easy to work with him with his great sense of humour and excellent communication skills and he can play the piano like a true maestro.
The real value in Ray’s service came after our wedding. We had loads of people say how beautiful it was to have a live pianist and how lovely the music he played was and that he was lovely to chat with too. Thanks Ray, our day wouldn’t have been the same without you.
Lucy & Liam xx
Horton Grange Country House
We had been looking for something/someone to add a special something to our wedding. Yes, I know we were very vague and didn’t have a clue what that was … but then we found Ray! We had been to what felt like thousands of open days/wedding fairs and just as we were deciding hmmm maybe the thing we’re looking for doesn’t exist we heard Ray playing at Walworth Castle. I remember looking at each other and saying this is what we want, so of course we went over and spoke to Ray.
Ray is such a pleasure to work with. He helped us every step of the way and could not have been more accommodating if he tried. He helped with things like music suggestions, the type of feelings we wanted to evoke on our wedding day, made sure to ask songs we did not want to hear (and yes, I had a few 🙈😂) and to me the most incredible thing he helped with was all our many postponements and re-arrangements. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he made himself available any time we had a problem or change.
When our wedding day finally came round I was so at ease and comfortable knowing that we had Ray there keeping our guests entertained while I was running late finishing getting ready. I knew my guests were in great hands and this really took some pressure off me! Then when I heard him start playing my bridal party down the aisle I knew it was time and I can honestly say hearing him play that song while I was walking down was truly magical!
We booked Ray to play for our ceremony, reception drinks and wedding breakfast and I am so glad we did! Every time I heard Ray play a song we had suggested it made me feel amazing and like we had fully been listened to and understood what we wanted. We had so many compliments throughout the day from our guests about how great Ray was and how they especially loved when he played at the wedding breakfast as it meant there were no awkward silent moments – we just heard the incredible music playing.
Thank you so much for being such a big part of our special day! I will never forget everything you did for us! You made my wedding feel so personal and a day I will never forgot!
Vivianne & James xx
Walworth Castle, Darlington
I found Ray at a wedding fair. He was very friendly and helpful answering all my questions. The communication between myself and Ray running up to the wedding was fantastic, again answering any questions I had. He was very helpful with music choice recommendations and nothing was a bother for him to do.
Ray played before, during and after the ceremony - it gave a lovely feel having live music played during this time. Our guests commented on how lovely it was to have him play during this time. Thank you again Ray for helping make our day special.
Elisabeth & Kevin x
Dalton Old Pump House, Seaham
Ray really made our day super special. We found him at a wedding fayre at our venue and were impressed immediately. Ray was quick to respond despite his busy schedule and had plenty of ideas to help us as we really had no idea what we wanted, including accommodating our unconventional song choices for both ceremony and reception, including songs from The Killers and Paramore, Our guests loved every minute. Even our flower girl was able to play the piano with Ray which made the day even more special for her!
Jess & Elliot x
Manor House Hotel, West Auckland
Ray first caught my eye, actually my ear, at a wedding fair at South Causey. I really enjoyed listening to Ray and I remembered him. Turns out it was a godsend because a couple of months before the wedding, being an absolute emotional wreck with melody and lyrics, I was really struggling to choose the ceremony music because everything made me cry. After a few weeks of trying every tune, I found Ray’s Instagram page and messaged him to see if he was available. He responded quickly and, luckily, he was available for our day. He arranged a FaceTime call and when we met, I explained the dilemma - he solved it within minutes, playing the music for us during the call, without any rehearsal, even though some of it wasn’t on his usual playlist. The piano was absolutely beautiful and I was able to hold it together (in the main!).
Ray is so talented, but more than that he’s warm, friendly and just having him to take care of that part of the day was a massive weight off my mind. I knew immediately we were in safe hands and I didn’t need to think about it anymore.
We booked Ray for our guests arrival pre ceremony, ceremony, drinks reception and meal. He didn’t stop all day - the music was fabulous and he was just so pleasant and cheerful all day, interacting with the kids and guests, and with a smile on his face all day. We loved having Ray as part of our wedding - the music was just perfect but he also helped to ease my husband’s nerves pre-ceremony, and it was a wonderful experience all round. We had so many guests comment on the beautiful music and how lovely they found Ray as a person.
To summarise, Ray saved the day for me and he made our day. He took so much stress away from the most important part - the ceremony - but we really got a lot more than we could have asked for. You can’t underestimate the impact of having such a lovely person doing such an important job! I reckon he should charge more and bolt on a support package for the nervous grooms! He gained a lot of fans that day, but we are definitely his biggest!
Thank you, Ray. You’re just fabulous and we love you!
Donna & Grant xx
South Causey Inn, Stanley
Ray was absolutely fantastic from the start of our wedding planning to the actual big day itself. Such an approachable guy - nothing is too much trouble for him. He was very organised and kept in touch with us from the point of booking up to the wedding.
Every artist/song we asked him to play he did without any hesitation. The piano music he played throughout the wedding day was faultless - lots of our guests commented on how great the atmosphere was.
We would have no hesitation in recommending Ray … a true gem of a find!
Amanda & Paul xx
Dalton Old Pump House, Seaham
We knew we wanted our day to be perfect and personal to our family and when we booked our wedding with Lumley Castle back in January 2022 your name had been given to us by the wedding team. This gave us the incentive to make contact and we are so, so happy we did. From the offset your professionalism shone and when you asked us to take time to listen to your work we immediately did and WOW was it awesome. We knew from January 2022 that it was certainly yourself we we're looking forward to hearing on our special day.
Your lovely manner, your time, and your knowledge leading up to the wedding was so much appreciated knowing that you had filled us with confidence for our day to be perfect. On the day your beautiful music made our day super special from the start to finish - your talent was amazing playing many pieces of music special to our guests.
Your added a personal dynamic to a very emotional and memorable day. We just want to say a huge thanks Ray and we would definitely recommend you to others especially if they are looking to make their day as special as you did ours.
Donna & Gavin xx
Lumley Castle, Chester-le-Street
If you're reading this and on the fence about booking Ray, then let me tell you - do it, now! I guarantee you will not regret it. He brought the dream soundtrack to our big day and I genuinely couldn't imagine him having not been a key part of our wedding now.
To be honest, I am notoriously finicky and very black & white with music, it's not terribly important to me in the grand scheme of things, but for my wife it is one of the most important things in the world, it is her life-blood - music runs in her veins, her heart has always beat to a tune, so for us it was essential that music play a big part of our day. It had to be exactly right.
I was initially hesitant about having a piano at our wedding (it felt maybe too fancy for me I'd thought) but we fired off an email to be open-minded and Ray was immediately prompt, friendly and professional in his reply. We scheduled a Zoom call or two and I immediately felt better about the idea. He listened to our thoughts and understood that we weren't sure in a lot of places and was very accommodating of that.
Ray's music alone is worth it, his versatility is incredible. Chances are he either already knows how to play what you want, or give him a heads' up and he then will! We asked him to play a specific type of cover of Hozier's Take Me To Church for the big moment, which he hadn't heard but he’d go away and learn it, and he wasn't kidding! He nailed it so well I got all choked up (much to my guest's surprise, because that does not happen very often at all!)
Personally I found him to be such a friendly, likeable guy, who puts you at ease with a warm smile. I was sweating buckets and really nervous on the big day and just standing round speaking to Ray before the ceremony did me the world of good! Chatting away to him felt like talking to someone you've known for years.
Thanks again Ray, you were simply wonderful.
Josie & Dan x
Rushpool Hall, Saltburn
We first met Ray at a wedding fayre and knew instantly that we wanted him to be a part of our special day. Myself and Kieran had always liked the idea of having live music throughout our wedding and Ray was exactly who and what we were looking for! He is so friendly and professional and also amazing at doing what he does 🎹
All communication with Ray was so smooth and effortless and we genuinely couldn’t fault him. So many guests commented on how talented he is and loved the variety of music he played on the day, including lots of Christmas songs! Would 100% recommend Ray to anyone planning their wedding.
Laura & Kieran xx
South Causey Inn, Stanley
A friend recommended Ray to us, and as soon as we spoke on Instagram I knew we needed him to play on our day! Ray is so happy to help and always responds quickly to questions any time of day.
We requested a song Ray hadn’t played before for my bridal entrance and he learned it for us no problem at all. All our guests commented on how great he played and how friendly he is, even letting our baby niece sit on his knee while he played in the reception!
Thanks again Ray for being so easy-going and brilliant at what you do.
Jessie & Dan xx
Middleton Lodge, Richmond