The funkiest wedding band in Kent

Endless dancefloor fillers​

Having played together for over seven years and entertained literally hundreds of brides and grooms over the years, Party Up know how to get a wedding started! And without resorting to the kind of tired cliches common to many wedding bands.

The band are constantly scouring their record collections in their search for those elusive, tasteful tracks that not only they love to play but will appeal to all generations and fill the dance-floor.

They're only too aware that what floats the bride and groom's parents' musical boats may not necessarily push the buttons of the younger guests. With that in mind, the band's set quickly alternates soul and funk classics with (the tasteful side of) modern R&B, chart, and UK garage, to keep everyone engaged.

Their song list puts a special emphasis on the very best soul and funk songs of the 70s and 80s, with the band tipping their musical cap variously to Earth Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Kool and The Gang and Prince.

They can also cover more modern material – let's face it, a lot of contemporary pop and dance music is rubbish! – and they take pride in selecting only the most tasteful soul-infused floor-fillers of the moment. Songs which they genuinely love and they feel will outlast the latest fashion. Think John Legend, D'Angelo, Pharrell, Outkast. Okay, there's some JT and Bruno Mars in there too – but you get the picture!

Based in the South East? You're in luck. As a Kent-based wedding band, Party Up primarily perform in and around their home county. Most weddings take place in London, Surrey, Essex, Hampshire, East and West Sussex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. But do get in touch if you're based further out – they will travel!

Stellar line-up

Their 6-piece line-up includes keyboards and saxophone, with options to add extra brass, vocals or percussion – so you can create your own, multi-layered smorgasbord of sound!

Party Up's credits in the music industry are wide-ranging. Their bass player regularly deps for US funk legends Sister Sledge and British acid jazz band Incognito. Their singers have appeared as backing vocalists on Top of the Pops, Parkinson, Later With Jools Holland and TFI Friday. 

Members have also played alongside stars including Tom Jones, Sir Elton John, Boy George and Richard Ashcroft at venues such as The Shepherd's Bush Empire and The 100 Club. The band have also recently played for Cadburys, Ernst & Young, MTR Crossrail, Sky, Tesco, Lego, BT, Tag Worldwide, Standard Life and The London Eye.

The band offer a Jewish/Klezmer medley on request as well as a manned DJ service that can keep your guests dancing between the band’s sets, creating a seamless night of entertainment. They can also offer afternoon acoustic or jazz sets.

How to book

If you'd like to book, Party Up will put you in touch with their agents at Function Central who will draw up a safe, thorough booking contract covering every eventually. A small deposit store is payable by card to confirm the date, and the rest is typically payable nearer the event date.

In the run up to the event, the band and Function Central will work to accommodate your every request, from choosing the music for the day, to on-the-day logistics: arrival, set-up and set times.

On the day

The band perform 2 x 1 hour sets as standard. A typical schedule for the day might be as follows:

  • 5.30pm – band arrives to set up and sound-check

  • 7pm - band finishes sound-check and puts on background music and eats dinner.

  • 8.55pm – first dance (either the recorded version or performed live by the band) 

  • 9pm – first set

  • 10pm – interval

  • 10.30pm – second set

  • 11.30pm – encores and close, or band DJ service until close

Wedding suppliers

Party Up are an exceedingly well-travelled wedding band – up to 80 weddings a year  – so they've come across a few suppliers in their time, both in Kent and further out. A few suppliers they've worked with who they can recommend are: 

Photography: Helen England, Derek Anson

Videography: Hand Craft Pictures

Catering: Kitchen Of Kent

Cars: Quirky wedding cars 

Wedding venues

Party Up have delivered exceptional performances at a variety of venues, making each event memorable with their energetic live music. From the stunning Cooling Castle Barn in Rochester to the elegant Blackstock Country Estate in East Sussex, the band has catered to weddings, corporate events, and private parties with enthusiasm and skill. They’ve also graced the stylish 100 Barrington in London and the iconic Bloomsbury Ballroom, where their diverse repertoire always ensures an unforgettable atmosphere. Whether it's a grand celebration or an intimate gathering, Party Up brings a unique and lively vibe to every occasion.

Barns, castles, manors, halls, hotels, oast-houses, tree-houses – you name it, they've played it. In fact, Party Up have played too many wedding venues to include them all here. So instead here are a few of their favourites – all local venues in the South East which they've played at least a handful of times:

Eastwell Manor, Ashford, Kent

Danesfield House, Buckinghamshire

Notley Abbey, Buckinghamshire

Hengrave Hall, Suffolk

Farbridge Barn, Chichester, Kent

Buxted Park Hotel, East Sussex

The Bell Inn, East Sussex

Gaynes Park, Essex

Gosfield Hall Gosfield, Essex

Froyle Park Country Estate, Hampshire

Hanbury Manor, Hertfordshire

South Farm, Hertfordshire

Cooling Castle, Rochester, Kent

Old Kent Barn, Dover, Kent

Bloomsbury Ballroom, London

Pembroke Lodge, London

Spring Studios, London

The Hurlingham Club, London

The Loft SKY, London

Lillibrooke Manor, Maidenhead, Kent

Lains Barn, Oxfordshire

Ufton Court, Berkshire

Loseley Park, Surrey

Millbridge Court Hotel, Surrey

Northbrook Park, Surrey

Fallowdale, West  Sussex

Wiston House, West Sussex

 

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