Luxury Destination Wedding with Encore Occasions: Our Loire Valley Experience
Naoise and some of our team travelled to the stunning Loire Valley to provide music at an exclusive French Destination Wedding.
When the phone rang asking us to travel to France to provide live music for a destination wedding, it was a call that made immediate sense. Eimear, an international wedding planner, had first heard our music at a church ceremony in Dublin – classical soprano with piano and string duo – and later booked us again for a wedding in the west of Ireland. The following year, she got in touch with a new brief: a five-star destination wedding in the heart of the Loire Valley.
Travelling for destination weddings outside Ireland is something we’re well accustomed to. From organising instruments and sound, to sourcing and working alongside excellent local musicians, there’s a lot of planning involved long before the music begins. My Musical Director, David Wray, is fluent in French, and together we handled planning calls, coordination, and travel logistics with ease – ensuring the live wedding music for this Loire Valley celebration ran seamlessly.
This was no ordinary wedding. It formed part of a four-day celebration hosted at Fleur de Loire, a five-star luxury hotel in Blois, in the heart of the Loire Valley. With menus – and a beautifully tiered wedding cake – designed by two-Michelin-starred chef Christophe Hay, every element of the weekend reflected an exceptional level of care and detail. Our ensemble was engaged for the main wedding day itself, within a thoughtfully curated four-day itinerary that included personalised welcome notes awaiting guests in each room on arrival.
We travelled to France the day before, allowing time to settle in, familiarise ourselves with the venue and prepare for the day ahead. I was joined by my long-time collaborator and Musical Director, David Wray, who has worked with me since my teenage years, as well as Paul Morrissey – a close friend from my Royal Academy of Music days – who travelled from London. Paul’s background as a West End performer and theatre producer made him a natural fit for a wedding of this scale.
Ceremony Music
For the ceremony, I was joined by David Wray on piano and a beautifully matched local string quartet from the Blois region. Collaborating with exceptional local musicians is an important part of how we approach destination weddings, and this ensemble was a perfect fit in both experience and professional training. Two of the quartet members had trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London at the same time as Paul and I, which created an easy musical rapport and confirmed that this was the right group to book. This made all our pre-wedding calls and in-person rehearsals efficient, relaxed, and musically assured. They also helped finesse a few French lyrics for me, and as an Irish wedding singer in France, it was wonderful to have their expert coaching.
We travelled by hotel transport to the Château de Chambord, arriving two hours ahead of the ceremony to set up in the chapel on the grounds. Once positioned at the back of the church, we ran the full ceremony programme with the quartet, allowing time to balance sound, refine details and ensure the music sat beautifully within the space – an essential part of live wedding music in a venue of this scale and acoustic.
The bride made a rather fabulous entrance – an hour later than scheduled – giving us an unexpected stretch of time in the chapel before the ceremony began. As musicians, flexibility is second nature. We used the time to revisit the music, take in the extraordinary surroundings and prepare calmly for the moment guests took their seats.
🎥 Watch the reel below for a glimpse of the ceremony at Château de Chambord, including a live audio recording of Caccini’s Ave Maria performed on the day. The full ceremony music selection is also listed in the video – a wonderful example of French destination wedding ceremony music at its most elegant.
Ceremony Music Song List
- PRELUDE – Classical Repertoire & Traditional Wedding Music
- ENTRÉE – Canon De Johann Pachelbel
- GLORIA – Gloria de Lourdes De John-Paul Lécot
- ALLELUIA – Allelu, Mo Ghrá’sa Mo Dhia
- CHANT – Benedictus de Karl Jenkins
- MÉDITATION – Ave Maria de Caccini
- SIGNATURE – Gabriel’s Oboe de Ennio Morricone
- TROMPETTE – Ave Maria de Schubert (played by the Groom’s Father on Trumpet with our musicians accompanying)
- ENVOI – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba de George Frideric Handel + La Primavera de Antonio Lucio Vivaldi
Preparation for this programme of ceremony music began well in advance of our departure to France. Our Musical Director, David Wray, created bespoke arrangements tailored specifically to the ensemble. The music was designed to be piano-led, with layers of strings woven delicately throughout to create a rich, resonant texture, the result of which was a balanced, orchestral sound designed to support the classical soprano pieces chosen – a style that felt entirely in keeping with both the setting and the elegance of a traditional French wedding ceremony.
Following the service, we returned to the hotel – where a rather unexpected surprise was waiting for us.
A Little Rain, a Lot of Drama!
After the ceremony, the newlyweds and their photographer headed out to explore the Château de Chambord grounds, while guests returned to the hotel for pre-reception drinks. The string quartet welcomed everyone with their music – though not before an unexpected downpour swept in.
Just as the hotel team had finished setting up the outdoor reception – crisp white linens, personalised stationery, crystal glassware – the skies opened. Staff moved quickly to protect the tables and décor. We dashed to assist the sound crew, lifting speakers, safeguarding the piano and relocating equipment into the hotel before it could be damaged.
Meanwhile, the couple remained blissfully unaware, still smiling for photos in the sunshine at the château – a perfect reminder that timing is everything.
Once the rain eased, the hotel team reset the outdoor space with remarkable efficiency, and the string quartet resumed their set. The unexpected interruption had, however, left us without the planned soundcheck and rehearsal for the evening’s bespoke performance – a programme we’d never performed together before.
A hotel-room rehearsal followed. In a space borrowed from the minibar corner to the window ledge, we ran through the music, checked harmonies, and staged the set as best we could. By the time the evening began, everything was ready and exactly as it should be – proof that careful preparation and adaptability are essential for live wedding music, particularly at a destination wedding in France.
As the Sun Set… Round 2 of Our Music Began…
As dessert was served under the stars, we took to the open-air stage – two singers, piano and string quartet – for a 25-minute concert that met with warm applause from guests. With many travelling from the USA and the groom’s family rooted in both French and German traditions, we curated a programme designed to resonate across cultures. I performed “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables, with two verses in French (J’avais Rêvé), followed by “La Vie En Rose” in all its soft, golden glory. Paul brought theatrical highlights from The Phantom of the Opera, while we also shared classical Italian pieces and elegant crossover numbers, ensuring the live wedding music complemented the setting of this Loire Valley wedding. As the final notes drifted into the night, the couple were presented with the most exquisite cake, crafted by Michelin-starred chef Christophe Hay, and a spectacular fireworks display lit up the sky above the Loire – a perfect close to a magnificent celebration.
In quieter moments around our performances, I had the chance to speak with the bride – gracious, warm and genuinely moved by the music. We chatted about her plans for life between France and the USA and had a moment over my gown, designed by the talented Irish designer Claire Garvey.
The groom’s father who had joined us during the ceremony to perform Ave Maria on trumpet, was incredibly complimentary and we shared a few stories over a glass of wine. The next morning, he gifted me the sheet music for The Irish Blessing – a thoughtful keepsake from a German man I had met in France, and a touching reminder of how music can bring people together.
After a relaxed morning by the Loire, we returned to Paris for a final stroll along the Seine and a special meal at one of David’s favourite restaurants, before parting ways – Paul to London, and David and I home to Dublin.
It had been an intense, exhilarating few days: full of logistics, rehearsals and beautiful music, but also moments of creativity and connection that made it all worthwhile. I was, naturally, exhausted – especially after the preceding weeks of planning – yet completely fulfilled, and ready for a well-earned rest.
Dream With Us
Over the past 15 years, Encore Occasions has had the privilege of performing at weddings across the UK, Spain, France, Italy and Sardinia.
Encore Occasions is trusted by couples and wedding planners for our experience, meticulous attention to detail, and discreet, professional approach to every event. Whether you’re planning a luxury destination wedding abroad, celebrating in Ireland, or returning home for your special day, we ensure your ceremony is filled with unforgettable music that speaks to the heart. We also love to include an international touch – a way to warmly welcome guests from every corner of the globe.
Get in touch with Encore Occasions to bring live Irish ceremony music to your luxury destination wedding.
