Grace and Sam

We booked Southend Barns in Chichester for our wedding, and it was absolutely perfect. The location is gorgeous, and the surrounding areas, including West Wittering Beach, hold sentimental value for both sides of our family. It felt special to celebrate in a place that already had so much meaning for us, while also giving our guests a beautiful and relaxing backdrop for the day.

Our venue was so stunning that it didn’t need much decoration, so we focused on a rustic, woody theme that complemented the natural surroundings. We added personal touches wherever we could — from our logo on stationery to bespoke details throughout the venue — to make the day feel uniquely ours. The balance of rustic charm and personal touches created a warm, inviting, and memorable atmosphere for everyone.

We’ve been to weddings with both DJs and live bands, and we much prefer the energy and atmosphere a live band brings. The Runaways immediately caught our attention with their unique selection of covers — very different from the usual wedding bands — and their demos had us dancing in our seats even before the day. Their sound and vocals were incredible, and we knew they would get everyone up and moving on the dance floor. Having live music really elevated the whole day and made it feel truly special.

There were so many highlights! Exiting the ceremony as husband and wife and dancing to our exit song while being showered in confetti was pure joy — a moment we’ll never forget. Another standout moment was our entrance into the wedding breakfast: just five minutes before, we decided everyone would wave their napkins as we came in, and it turned out to be absolutely hilarious and so much fun. Seeing all our friends and family enjoying themselves and participating in these little spontaneous moments made the day feel magical.

We discovered Function Central after doing plenty of Google searches for wedding bands. The communication from the team was fantastic — fast, helpful, and reassuring. While we were still making final decisions, they even held our price, which made the whole process stress-free. Their guidance helped us book the perfect band for our day with confidence.

Do everything exactly how you want it to be, especially when it comes to the guest list and key decisions. Enjoy the planning process by making it fun — a glass of wine in hand can help! Also, get as much done early as possible so you can avoid unnecessary stress in the final weeks leading up to the wedding. Trust your choices and enjoy the day — it goes by so quickly, and the memories you make are what matter most.