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Ladies Night

For the past fourteen years I have been performing once a year for the lovely ladies of Porlock near Minehead in Somerset. Originally the plan involved tables and chairs filling the village hall floor, a cooked meal provided by the organisers then music, a draw and more music. 

It was soon evident that the ladies just wanted to get together, let their hair down and dance the night away. I got the impression they had never really seen an act like me before. I remember all the lovely comments that came back from that first night and in particular ‘Simon Rees let the genie out of Porlock’s bottle!’ 

Groups of ladies of all ages, jobs and backgrounds come to the event for a bit of good clean fun and dancing. The event has evolved somewhat into tables being placed around the outside of the Village Hall floor leaving most of the floor for dancing and everyone brings their own food and drink! They arrive at 7.30, we kick off at 8 and then don’t stop lol!

The motto is always ‘What goes on at the Porlock ladies night stays at the Porlock ladies night’. My brand of fun and entertainment suits the group and we have a great laugh.

Before the performance, Ros who organises the event provides me with a sumptuous feast which certainly gives me the energy I need for the rest of the evening.

Porlock Ladies Night Feast

When I did my first performance, I eased in with some nice songs, got to know the ladies a little, found out who they were, where they were from and what music the liked. I introduced some of my tricks with a few of the characters in the room at the time and then we partied the night away!

Now it’s basically Prosecco and Gin and straight down to the dancing lol! I ware them out a little first and then I can find out who’s new and have a little fun. It’s great because everyone gets into the spirit of the night and we all party together. 

For the last few years I have been singing a duet with one of the ladies, Chris, with this year being my favourite of our performance. She is a lovely singer and everyone seems to enjoy it.

Next year will be what we think is our fifteenth anniversary and we will be looking to make it a memorable one, maybe fancy dress who knows?! Having spoken to several of the ladies over the years, many say it is one of the highlights of the year and they always look forward to it. I have connected with a few over Facebook and met a couple now and again at other events which is nice. I do love performing there, great company, great sound and great fun!

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Wedding Singer Article

Having worked in the wedding industry for around eighteen years, I have been fortunate enough to provide entertainment for weddings across the South West at some of the most prestigious venues. I have met some lovely couples, many of whom I have kept in touch with over the years. 

I have gained some valuable insight into what is required to be a successful Wedding Singer and wrote an artcle for the Real Brides website highlighting the kind of things that couples should be considering when booking their Wedding Entertainment.

Wedding Cornwall

The Wedding Singer

You will have had a lovely day, a special service and a wonderful wedding breakfast with your friends and family and the last thing you will want is for the day to fall flat at the last hurdle.

A good Wedding Singer can really make your wedding reception and help you finish off your perfect day in style.

Evening entertainment is often the last thing that couples think about when organising their wedding but it is also often the one thing that guests talk about weeks, months and years after the event so it is important to invest in quality.

There are many wedding singers advertising on the internet so it is important to spend a little time making your selection. Some will be tribute artists, some will be more classically trained and some will be party singers. You can often listen to audio or watch video clips, however it is definitely better to meet your wedding singer and if possible see them in action or perhaps speak to other couples who have used them in the past.

The Personal Touch

The first thing is to make you feel happy with your choice of entertainment and to get you feeling excited about the evening. No event is ever the same and it follows that no song sets will ever be the same so it is very important to discuss the evening in detail. You can select songs from your singer’s set list for them to sing on the night and they will integrate these with a few choice numbers of their own. It’s a lovely touch to choose special songs which mean something to your guests or songs which you can dedicate to members of your family. These special moments can also provide priceless photo opportunities.

Your First Dance

This is a very special and personal moment for many couples and so it is important to choose whether you would like your first dance performed live or whether you would like the original song played for you. With enough notice and depending on the song, it is often possible for your singer to learn your first dance and perform it for you live on the night.

Your Party

When you have the right singer you have a great deal of flexibility with your evening. They should be able to guide the evening, engaging with you and your guests, making the important announcements and helping you to create the party atmosphere that you are looking for.

It is often the case that many of your guests will not know each other and therefore it is very important to create opportunities for them to come together and celebrate. DJ’s and bands often rely upon guests entertaining themselves but your singer will often be an entertainer too, singing, dancing, chatting and generally having a laugh with your guests. They will often find creative ways to involve your guests and get the party going.

Many weddings also have a full age range of guests and a good wedding singer will find ways to include the younger members as well as the older ones, keeping everyone happy.

Singer & DJ Combination

Many singers work together with DJ’s which can be a perfect combination. The DJ brings the light show, your singer sets the scene, sings your songs, relaxes people, gets people dancing and helps to create a fun atmosphere and then the DJ can play Disco requests and continue the party.

Closing the night

The end of the night is just as important as the beginning and the skill is to ensure that the night does not fizzle out. Your wedding singer will often bring everyone together in a group for the last fifteen minutes so that you can celebrate the final few moments of your evening with everyone on the dance floor singing their hearts out and sending you off in style.

Many couples still opt for either a DJ or a band for their wedding entertainment; however for a really personal and memorable experience with plenty of fun and classic photo opportunities a wedding singer can definitely hit the spot.

Written by Simon Rees
Wedding Singer in Devon area