All of Me (John Legend) from Ed Peczek on Vimeo.

 

I think the guitar is one of my very favourite instruments to listen to and a meaningful acoustic set can sound so very romantic. Which is why a wedding guitarist can add so much feeling and atmosphere to a wedding day.

I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to Ed Peczek‘s delightful covers. The films of his performances really are a must watch and they will transport you in an instant. Let’s get to know Ed and find out more about his work…

 

Hi Ed, could you firstly tell WWW readers a little bit about you?

 

My name is Ed Peczek and I’m a wedding guitarist. I perform during the ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast. I play everything from Classical and Spanish to Jazz and Pop/Rock covers. I’m based in Staffordshire however I travel throughout the UK to play guitar at weddings.

 

What do you love and dislike about your job?

 

I’ve been playing music since I was 8 years old and for as long as I remember it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I love the fact that I now get to make my living by playing guitar at weddings.

A Thousand Years (Christina Perri) from Ed Peczek on Vimeo.

 

How did you get into the wedding industry?

 

As a musician I’ve been asked to play every kind of gig under the sun. I’ve performed at weddings, dinner parties, private/corporate events etc as well as in show bands, pantomimes, orchestras and even as a wandering minstel (playing the lute no less!). Performing at weddings was the type of gig that felt right to me. I enjoy being part of somebody’s wedding and making it extra special, so that’s why I’ve focussed my efforts on becoming a full time wedding guitarist.

 

Tell us about your typical working day.

 

Being a wedding guitarist does not just involve turning up on the day and performing. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. I’ve created my own website to promote myself which I now maintain. I do a lot of my own advertising, marketing, PR and so on. On the creative side I also record my own demo tracks and videos which you can find on the website. I also take photographs of all the venues I visit for use on my website and promotional material. On top of that I like to keep on top of my emails and enquiries regularly to maintain a good level of service to my clients. I know I hate waiting around for days to hear back from somebody so I always aim to respond quickly.

 

Prelude from 1st cello suite BWV1007 (J.S. Bach) – Classical guitar from Ed Peczek on Vimeo.

 

If you could choose another role in the wedding industry what would it be?

 

If I wasn’t able to play music anymore and had to pick a new career in the wedding industry, I would probably choose to be a photographer. I wouldn’t make a very good wedding photographer but it’s something I’m interested in. My portraiture and documentary photography are pretty awful! I’m told I have a good eye for landscapes and architecture though. I always take my camera along to weddings so that I can take photographs of the venue and surrounding area. I’ve been to some incredible places and I always enjoy looking back at the photos to remind myself of where I’ve been.

 

What do you aim to achieve for your clients?

 

My goal is to make my client’s wedding day extra special. It’s a personal thing to me and not just a job. I’ve always felt like I need to be adding significant value and I wouldn’t be happy to just turn up and do the bare minimum to get by. My clients need to be ecstatic with my service for me to feel like I’ve done my job right. I’m always blown away by the comments I receive on the day of the wedding and in emails, cards etc afterwards.

 

Could you tell us some information about your packages/prices?

 

The style of music I play is best suited to the daytime parts of the wedding. With this in mind I offer 3 main packages which are all highly flexible to suit your day. I offer a Ceremony Package, Drinks Reception Package and Wedding Breakfast Package.

The Ceremony Package includes music before the ceremony, for the processional, signing of the register and recessional.

The Drinks Reception Package consists of 2 x 45 minute sets during the drinks reception and photographs. Longer sets are available on request too. It all depends on how long the drinks reception is and can be tailored to suit.

The Wedding Breakfast Package consists of 2 x 60 minute sets during the meal. Again, the set duration can be tailored to match the duration of the meal.

 

Do you have any tips for couples in selecting their wedding musician?

 

My biggest tip would be to make sure you listen to each musician before you make any decisions. Better yet, seek out musicians who have videos on their website so that you can actually see them perform. It’s likely that your short list will consist of musicians from various parts of the UK so it will be impossible to see them all play live before you decide. A video is the next best thing.

I actually wrote an article on how to book the perfect wedding musician a while ago. If you’re in the planning stage it’s well worth a read if I do say so myself!

 

Which is your most popular wedding song at the moment?

 

My most popular wedding song at the moment by far is ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri. I also get a lot of requests for Pachelbel’s Canon (Canon in D), particularly for the processional.

 

How can you use music to personalise your wedding?

 

I love incredibly personal weddings. There’s no better way to celebrate your wedding day than by really making it your own. Everyone has their own tastes and music is no different.

What I really love doing is taking a couple’s favourite song and creating a unique version especially for their wedding. It doesn’t matter what the song is, I can always create a bespoke wedding version. I’ve had all sorts of requests in the past, from chart topping hits to obscure songs nobody else knows. I think the best request I’ve had is a song called ‘Carol Brown’ by Flight of the Conchords. Not a traditional choice by any means, but it obviously meant something to the couple and that’s what made it so special.

 

Which is your favourite song to perform?

 

I play a couple of Stevie Wonder covers; ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ and ‘Superstition’. I always enjoy throwing those in towards the end of my set. Those two songs are a lot of fun to play!

 

How can we get in touch with you?

 

The best way to contact me is via email at ed@edpeczek.co.uk

I check my emails as often as possible and can usually respond within 24-48 hours. You can also reach me on my mobile by calling 07859 413721.

 

I’m currently running a Facebook competition where one lucky couple will win a FREE performance for their wedding in 2016 worth up to £225.

Details of how to enter can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/EdPeczekGuitarist

 

Wow. So beautiful. How wonderful were those performances? Do pop over to Ed’s website to enjoy even more of his music and book him for your upcoming wedding xo Lou

 

 

Images By | R D Short Photography, Neale James, Stott Weddings

 

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