Performing Live Wedding Music at Whistle Barns - Our Experience as an Acoustic Duo

Since March 2025, we have had the pleasure of performing at Whistle Barns, one of the Midlands' most beautiful wedding venues (in our humble opinion!). From the stunning ceremony space to the relaxed outdoor areas, it's a venue that lends itself perfectly to live acoustic music.

If you're planning your wedding at Whistle Barns, here's a look at how live music can fit into your day and some of the things we loved about performing there. If you'd like a sneak peek before you read on, here's a little highlight from a recent Whistle Barns Wedding!

A little about Whistle Barns

Where do we even start? This venue is relatively new, but it follows in the footsteps of incredible venues across their brand, such as Hanbury Barns, and The Ashes Barns - and they may be new, but they sure have weddings down to a T!

It's just stunning, from the moment you walk in the doors, and see the breathtaking ceremony space, you will fall in love with Whistle Barns! There's plenty of options for live music as well, including through your ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast and evening party too, and there is a beautiful flow throughout the venue as well.

If you're looking for a stand out moment for your ceremony, a gorgeous drinks reception space, the most beautiful and unique wedding breakfast room, and the team of dreams, then Whistle Barns is for you!

Where we performed

We have performed at various weddings here, and here's a run down of how live music can work throughout your wedding.

Your ceremony: we usually perform as your guests are entering the space to set the scene, and play some gentle, romantic style songs while you both get ready to see each other! We're positioned at the bottom of the staircase, giving us the perfect view of the bride/groom at the top of the stairs, the wedding co-ordinator, and the registrar/celebrant as well, making entrances slick and smooth. We perform your aisle entrance song, and this is the perfect time to have live music, as the staircase is so grand, sometimes we need to lengthen the song just a bit to make sure there's enough music to cover you and your party coming down. We perform your signing songs, and then your exit song too, before heading out into your drinks reception!

Drinks Reception: for amplified musicians, this is placed in the bar, usually over the far side towards the piano, but we have played near the phonebooth too.

One important point to note, is that amplified live music is not permitted outdoors due to licensing restrictions.

It's not a case of, can we just, it's a we're legally not allowed, and we wouldn't risk any consequences for the venue. What you can do is have non amplified music, such as a string quartet, but anything going through a speaker is off limits. That being said, we have played for some sunny drinks receptions, and there will always be guests that want to come indoors for a break from the sun, or if it's too hot, people often retreat too, so we won't go unheard!

Wedding Breakfast: If you're going to do one thing for your wedding breakfast, have an entrance song! The grand doors will open up, and it creates such a moment! We're happy to play this acoustically, or to a backing track. We are placed at the end of the room, near where your dance floor will be, this way we're visible and audible, but out of the way of your fabulous catering team! Check out this clip of us performing at a recent wedding breakfast! (By the way, Jenkinsons caterers? THE BEST! You will be blown away I promise!)

Room Turnaround: If you're having music for your room turnaround, this will be in the bar area, and usually needs about 1-1.5 hours. If you have booked us for your evening party as well as in the daytime, we don't include the room turnaround in this package, just due to the time needed to set up, but for daytime packages, this is a great time for some more music, to help lift the energy and to welcome your evening guests in!

First Dance/Evening Party: This is back in the wedding breakfast room, and for all evening music, we plug into the venue sound system, to ensure volume remains controlled and doesn't go over any limits during the night. Our daytime packages can include a first dance add on, and it's the perfect way to end our time with you!

Why we love performing at Whistle Barns

• We know the venue, and where to set up for each moment - we even have saved settings for the exact rooms, so soundcheck is a dream and transitions are smooth!

• The acoustics are just out of this world, especially in the ceremony space!

• The team are just incredible, they are so welcoming, so friendly, and SO SLICK! Honestly they have their weddings nailed!

  
  

Tips for couples getting married at Whistle Barns

• If you are thinking of live music, but don't have the budget for the full day, always go with your ceremony - this will alleviate any worries over songs not being long enough for the grand entrance. Why not have a look at our packages?

• Don't forget about the licensing restrictions for outdoors, and don't beg us to move outside on the day, we just can't!

• The main toilets are upstairs - random of me to mention right?! But when you get called into the wedding breakfast, most people will go to the loo and get a drink - just factor this into your timings, as it may take a while especially if you have a lot of guests! (The team will have this covered though - and there is an accessible loo downstairs)

  
  

  

  
  

Looking for live wedding music at Whistle Barns?

We know the venue, we know the team, and whats more, we love the venue - it is such a special place, and we just love being booked here! And even better, we're proud to be recommended suppliers here, and for their range of venues too! Check out our supplier page here!

If you're getting married at Whistle Barns, we'd love to hear from you! Fill our our enquiry form here to receive your personalised quote - but don't just take our word for it, here's what one of our lovely couples said about working with us - read their thoughts here!

(Also, we couldn't go without crediting the amazing photographers Abigail May Photography and Matt Selby Photography - go check them both out!)