A surprise first-dance sax entrance at Inn on the Lake

Leah and Greg’s wedding at Inn on the Lake in Glenridding had a spectacular setting overlooking Ullswater—and an evening party to match.

They booked me for evening sax alongside David from Dancing in the Dark, a DJ I work with regularly. We shaped the music around Leah and Greg’s favourites, with plenty of room for the tracks I knew would work brilliantly with live sax.

The first dance held a surprise. I was sitting quietly beside the DJ, waiting for the big chorus in Coldplay’s “A Sky Full of Stars”. That was my cue to join in.

The room erupted. I took a few guests by the hand and brought them onto the floor; within seconds, everyone was dancing. Leah brought incredible energy from that moment onwards.

For this wedding, I played two 45-minute sax sets, and the dance floor stayed full throughout both. Working with a familiar DJ helped us keep the music flowing and make the live sax feel part of the whole evening.

Inn on the Lake is one of my favourite venues to perform at. I often join couples there for a full day of music, but Leah and Greg showed just how much you can pack into an evening.