Larkspur Lodge Wedding Pianist | Craig Smith Music
Larkspur Lodge Wedding Pianist
Found on the outskirts of Knutsford, Larkspur Lodge is a stylish Cheshire wedding venue where wedding pianist Craig Smith provides live piano music for ceremonies, drinks receptions and wedding breakfasts.
The venue is a restored 18th-century shippon barn combining rustic character with a modern layout and a particularly distinctive ceremony room featuring cinema-style seating around the aisle and atmospheric lighting. This creates a dramatic setting just made for the immersive quality of live music.
One of the defining features of weddings at Larkspur Lodge is the way celebrations move between spaces, indoor and outside, particularly during drinks receptions. Live piano works seamlessly throughout, helping maintain a consistent atmosphere across the day while allowing the energy to build naturally from the formal to the more celebratory parts of the day.
Whether welcoming guests as they arrive, accompanying the ceremony itself, or providing relaxed music during drinks and the wedding breakfast, live piano helps bring the different moments of the day together while complementing the venue’s creative atmosphere and often very individual weddings.
Find out more on the Larkspur Lodge Website.
Live Piano Music at Larkspur Lodge
Craig has been playing piano at Larkspur Lodge weddings since its launch in 2018 and has been a familiar face at the venue’s open events over the years. Several couples have booked him after hearing him play there or following staff recommendations, making Larkspur Lodge one of Craig's most visited Cheshire wedding venues.
Craig’s white or gloss black portable baby grand pianos are usually first positioned so they're the first thing guests hear as they walk around to the ceremony room, and the first thing they see as they enter. They look particularly striking reflecting the candles and fairylighting often chosen to decorate Larkspur Lodge ceremonies.
For arrivals and drinks receptions, the piano often sits outside on the decking or just inside the dining room, positioned so the music carries through the double doors into the bar area. During wedding breakfasts, Craig's music really comes into its own with unlimited live guests' requests creating a fun, interactive vibe! The video below features a Larkspur Lodge wedding breakfast.
A key advantage at Larkspur Lodge is that Craig has developed a setup that does not require amplification. With strict sound restrictions in place at the venue, this allows couples to include live piano throughout the day — including outdoor drinks receptions on the decking — without compromising on sound quality or atmosphere. It's one of the reasons the staff often recommend Craig, especially to couples looking for music outdoors. It also means the piano can be positioned anywhere within the dining room afterwards, rather than having to be on the stage using the in-house sound system.
Watch Craig Playing at Larkspur Lodge during a wedding breakfast:
‘We like alternative music, and Craig turned our favourite metal and rock songs into romantic ceremony music. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when the music started to play.’
Music Throughout Your Larkspur Lodge Wedding
Music can be included at every stage of a Larkspur Lodge wedding, from guests’ arrivals and the the ceremony, during the drinks reception, wedding breakfast and through to the room turnaround before the evening celebrations begin:
- Guests’ arrivals
- Wedding ceremony
- Drinks reception
- Wedding breakfast
- Room turnaround / early evening
Live piano in Craig's hands offers unrivalled stylistic flexibility to provide the perfect match for each couple and the atmosphere of their wedding. Take advantage of Craig's unlimited choice on ceremony music (with absolutely no charge to arrange and learn your chosen music no matter how niche!), and allow guests to get interactive, sending requests direct from the table using Craig's unique and very popular Electronic Requests System.
Having worked at Larkspur Lodge for many years, Craig understands how the venue flows and how music can enhance each part of the day — helping couples create a celebration that feels relaxed, personal and perfectly suited to this unique Cheshire wedding venue.
Planning your Larkspur Lodge wedding? Get in touch to check availability and discuss music for your day.
You may also be interested in other North West barn wedding venues such as Sandhole Oak Barn, The Out Barn and Meols Hall.