Sounds by the sea – La Escollera, Ibiza
This wedding had everything one could want in terms of family, friends and a fundamental commitment to having fun. Aimee and Albert are a beautiful couple from South London, and after a recommendation from their wedding planner, Francesco Mancuso, Fonoteca were on the case to make every musical moment perfect for them.
The Date : June 15th 2019
The Couple : Aimee & Albert
The Venue : La Escollera, Es Cavallet, Ibiza
They wanted live music to be prominent throughout their big day; just our kind of people! So I went to set everything up at midday and soundcheck for the party.
For their ceremony, we’d set them up with a pair of musicians from our talented team, Yeshe Ryser and Cuban violinist, Ramses Puente Matos. They performed a unique and beautiful version of ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ by The Verve as Aimee walked up the aisle, looking magnificent in her fishtail gown. The aisle at La Escollera is one of my favourites. You won’t really notice it as a customer of the restaurant, but when La Escollera is transformed into a wedding venue, the aisle leads off around the headland, towards the sea, always decorated so beautifully and at such a great length as to create a unique romantic tension. Though this spectacular corner of Ibiza, facing directly towards Formentera, is always exposed to the blistering heat of the sun, because it is adjacent to the coast the congregation can soothe themselves with the cooling sea breeze.
After the ceremony, Yeshe Riser stayed to entertain the party of 110 guests for the aperitifs, with his uplifting, sunny cover versions, singing solo with piano, accompanying everyone as they celebrated and prepared for dinner and speeches.
I love a good speech, when the emotion, the laughter and the love spills over and out of everyone in the room. It’s the perfect way to get a few more glasses of dance-floor courage down the necks of the less seasoned party person… although there weren’t many of those at this wedding!
In no time at all it was time for the ‘First Dance’, and our cue to get in position and start the party. With Yeshe on lead vocals, they’d requested ‘Magic’ by Coldplay, “Magic when I’m with you…” It was a magical moment, as their family gathered round, and watched their loved ones dancing together in matrimony. As the night progressed, our set travelled through Motown, classic Disco, 90’s Dance music, the odd Pop gem, and a significant chunk of noughties House of course… the whole party went crazy!
The bride Aimee was queen of the dance floor from start to finish. They were blown away, and in particular by Dominique De Larrard on saxophone… as you will see in the photos and the video below, as he lets loose over one of the most seminal Ibiza sax anthems, ‘The Man With The Red Face’ – what a crowd!
I just love this video that Ian managed to capture from behind his DJ booth too…. that’s how you sing it back!!
As soon as our 90 minute set had reached its crescendo, and our brilliant musicians humbly received their applause. I’d been on site from midday setting up our various sound systems, sound checking and liaising with the performers prior to the guests’ arrival, and signing off with the wedding planners on schedule, before backing up the band by DJing and leading the transition on the decks towards the proper ‘party.
As the night progressed, and moved into the ‘late’ section, we sensed that the guests would react to something a little different; that was, specifically, Underground Garage. Although this was the last thing they were expecting, we remembered something mentioned early on in our communications, about a love of garage music; that Aimee and Albert hail from Croydon, and as I’m a born and bred SE Londoner, this revelation didn’t come as much surprise to. What they didn’t realise, or expect, was that I’ve been a dedicated collector of garage music for almost 25 years, owning many of the rarest vinyls in the genre. Suffice to say, things got a bit bouncy, more or less, until the end. I finished up the night with a underground classic “Haunted House” by Krush Groove Productions, and I’ve never forgotten that special moment. In seemingly impossible circumstances, celebrating the marriage of two brilliant people, sharing that moment with their friends and family, (underneath a pretty much full moon!), on the peaceful shores of Ibiza’s SE peninsula, I had played one of his most treasured tunes – one which would only be received and danced to by a certain subculture of people – and they absolutely loved it. I can certainly say that that 4 minutes – that tune, and the dancefloor response – is right at the top of my highlights in 2019.
For us, exhausted and exalted, that’s where the story ends. We packed up our equipment and rolled home to feed the pets. But, I heard a day or so later in a thank you message over Instagram, that they’d ended up in Amnesia at Elrow, one of the craziest parties on the island (and that’s saying something!). I give you, possibly, the most fabulous wedding after-party photo I’ve ever seen.
Last ones standing! Aimee and Albert, I wholly salute you and your love!
Here’s what they said…
Absolutely love you guys! The band were amazing! Everyone can’t get over how amazing you were! They are still talking about how amazing you are! You guys made our wedding! Phenomenal and so talented, it’s unreal! BIG LOVE!
Thank you for helping us create the best memories and making our wedding unreal! Wish I could do all night all over again! Couldn’t recommend you any higher!
Aimee & Albert
You can’t ask for more than that, hey? Except maybe this video of Aimee, drunk on love and cocktails, expressing it on the night itself! WE ARE ON IT LIKE A SCOTCH BONNET!
What a memorable couple! We can’t wait to see you on a dance-floor again another night!
All photos by Natasha Marshall Photography