So, the results are in. All the entrants in the “2025 best wedding guests of the year” competition have been collated, cogitated and analysed, and we have a winner. Back in August we thought we had found the front runner, but storming in at the last moment are the guests of Sarah and Matthew, who absolutely knocked it out of the park with their unbridled energy.
Of course, in this competition, if you’re going to pit yourself against other brides and grooms, you need a sound foundation. And these means providing an amazing venue with just the right ambience to set the scene, relax your guests and get them in the mood for the contest ahead. Sarah and Matthew did exactly this by hiring wonderful Lapstone Barn in leafy Gloucestershire, which combines the rustic appeal of a barn setting with a high end modern dining room situated adjacent for the best of both worlds. This means that guests flow easily from dining to dancing – not that Sarah and Matthews’ guests needed any encouragement!
Luckily for their guests, another key ingredient for an amazing, unforgettable nights’ entertainment was in place the moment lovely bride and groom hired HARD TO HANDLE BAND + DJ to provide live entertainment. In case you were wondering, here’s who we are and what we do:
- Professional, versatile, entertaining and cost-effective live wedding band
- Perfect as a Gloucestershire wedding band for small to midsized wedding receptions
- Massive 370+ multi-genre classic and contemporary playlist
- Song requests learnt and played
- Superb live DJ playing sets before, inbetween and after the band
- Self-contained including top of the range sound and lighting system
- Fully insured (PLI) and all equipment electrically tested (PAT)
- No entertainment agency fees
- A full dance floor, all night!
From the moment our DJ kicked in with a tasteful set of Ibiza classics, the dance floor saw some serious usage. At the appropriate time, our DJ then brought the energy down a little to allow us to announce the cake cutting. Then we gathered guests around the edge of the dance floor in preparation for announcing bride and groom onto the dance floor for the all-important first dance – “Suddenly” by Billy Ocean, a masterclass in love balladry, masterly learnt and tastefully performed especially for Sarah and Matthew by an amazing sounding superb live band – that’s us!
From the end of the first dance until the last song of the night we piled on the musical pressure, ensuing that there was no let up and no escape from classic and contemporary bangers and anthems spread out over four sets with songs requested by bride and groom:
SET ONE
Dancing in The Moonlight
All Night Long
Does Your Mother Know
Freedom
I’m Still Standing
Go Your Own Way
Daytripper
Sweet Home Alabama
I’m Your Man
My Sharona
Living on a Prayer
Pompeii
SET TWO
Wild Rover
Watermelon Sugar
Praise You
Pink Pony Club
Shut Up And Dance
Love Machine
Can’t get you out of my head
I gotta feelin’
Jagger
Happy
Get Lucky
Shake it Off
Can’t stop the feelin’
SET THREE
She Moves In Her Own Way
Sweet child o’mine
Don’t stop me now
Don’t you want me
I’m a believer
Valerie
Counting stars
Teenage kicks
Town called Malice
I love rock ‘n’ roll
Summer of ’69
Proud Mary
Walking on sunshine
SET 4
All The Small Things
Learn to Fly
All star
Blinding Lights
Girls and Boys
Sex on Fire
Smells Like Teen Spirit
Bet you Look Good on the Dancefloor
Mr Brightside
Common People
Teenage dirtbag
Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)
Dakota
This is just a fraction of our huge playlist: https://hardtohandleband.co.uk/playlist/
If you’re surprised to find a three piece male vocal band performing some of the songs in this setlist, don’t be – HARD TO HANDLE aren’t just your average Gloucestershire wedding band. Of course, Sarah and Matthew knew this. That’s why they hired us. And that’s why their friends, family and loved ones win the coveted “best wedding guests of the year” award! That’s why Sarah was happy to say “You’ve been amazing, thank you so much!”
So naturally you want to be in with a chance of winning next years’ award, but to do that you need to enter the competition by getting in touch with us for a quote. FOMO is real, so don’t delay.
HARD TO HANDLE BAND – 2 hours of killer rock, pop, indie and more + free live DJ!
Tel: 0796 433 5657
E: info@hardtohandleband.co.uk
https://hardtohandleband.co.uk/wedding-bands-gloucestershire/