We feel we did not just hire a singer for our special day, but a true artist who engaged everyone with her presence and creative performance!
The very first time we heard Gemma Ashley sing, she performed "In the Arms of an Angel" on a YouTube channel. We absolutely loved her voice and knew she would be the ideal singer for our Christmas wedding in 2022, and we were so fortunate that our wedding date suited her diary. Little did we know, then, that Gemma would - in a metaphorical sense - come to provide those very angelic, reassuring arms for us on our wedding day, as we were faced with a number of unexpected challenges (including train strikes, snow chaos, and traffic delays). It all added to the stresses of the day, particularly for the bridal party, who were not sure they would even make it to wedding in time. However, the moment we entered the Church and were met by Gemma's soaring aria as she performed her opening song to the Groom ("Nella Fantasia"), any worries and anxieties magically disappeared. Instead, a wonderful sense of calm and serenity descended - like arms of an angel - where Gemma's song, accompanied on the piano by amazing Paolo Freitas, literally transported us to a breathtakingly beautiful, almost etheral, space in time. From that point, everything fell into place, and Gemma became our guiding light and steadfast beacon for the rest of the day and evening. Not only was she our amazing soprano for our wedding ceremony, singing five songs in four different languages (Italian, Latin, Portuguese and English!), but she single-handedly provided the full musical entertainment for our wedding reception, covering everything from Depeche Mode to Abba - and even led the wedding party in a surprise Les Miserables flash mob! We are indebted to Gemma for making our wedding day the huge and unforgettable success that it was; her work ethic and professionalism is second to none, and her warmth, great sense of humour and generosity of spirit is something we will never forget. We feel we did not just hire a singer for our special day, but a true artist who engaged everyone with her presence and creative performance, and who has become a friend for life. We cannot recommend Gemma enough. She will bring joy and light and life-time memories to any special events, giving 110% until the very moment the lights go out for the night. Perhaps the greatest testament to the lasting effect that Gemma had on our wedding day was when the Priest himself leaned over and whispered to us during the ceremony: "Where did you find this singer? She is fantastic." We would only like to add that choosing this lovely young woman to sing at our wedding, and at the reception, was one of the best, if not the best, decision, that we made when arranging our wedding. Thank you so much, Gemma. We love you xxx.