WEDDING SOUND, SPEAKERS & LIGHTING
Wedding PA & Lighting Hire in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds
Professional sound systems, microphones, party lighting and venue uplighting for ceremonies, speeches, wedding playlists, DJs and live bands.
Oxford Sound Hire can deliver, install, test and collect your wedding sound and lighting equipment, with an engineer available where the event needs active technical support.
KEEP CONTROL OF THE SOUNDTRACK
Wedding sound and lighting planned around your day
Wedding sound is rarely just a pair of speakers. The same celebration may need ceremony music, clear speeches, background music, a wedding playlist, a DJ or a live band—sometimes in several different spaces.
Tell us the venue, guest numbers and running order and we will recommend the equipment, connections and installation time required. You will receive a practical proposal with itemised equipment, transport and crew costs.
The recommendation draws on decades of professional sound-engineering experience, but the service remains straightforward: suitable equipment, clear costs and the support the wedding requires.
Tell us
- The wedding date
- The venue and guest numbers
- The parts of the day that need sound
- Your entertainment and lighting plans
CLEAR STARTING POINTS
Choose the right wedding sound package
Choose your starting point. We will adjust it for the room, guest numbers, timings and access rather than forcing every wedding into the same package.
EVENING PLAYLIST SYSTEM
Small wedding PA
From £200
Smaller receptions, speeches and background music
- Two professional RCF speakers and stands
- Compact mixer and wired playback connection
- Essential power and signal cables
- Suitable for smaller receptions and background music
MOST POPULAR FOR DANCING
Medium wedding PA
From £250
A fuller sound for an evening dance floor
- Two professional RCF speakers plus subwoofer
- Fuller low end for a busier dance floor
- Mixer and phone, tablet or laptop connection
- Add automatic party lighting and a wireless mic
MARQUEES, TIPIES & FESTIVALS
Large wedding PA
From £300
Designed for larger weddings including marquee, tipi and festival weddings, DJs and live bands, our large system pairs two 12-inch speakers with twin subwoofers for stronger bass capability and additional low-frequency headroom for energetic dance floors.
Greater bass capability for more demanding music-led events
- Two professional RCF speakers
- Two professional RCF subwoofers
- Powerful equipment for professional sound
- Mixer and phone, tablet or laptop connection
- Add automatic party lighting and a wireless mic
Tailored quotation
- Ceremony and drinks-reception sound where required
- Wireless microphone for speeches and announcements
- Reception PA, dance floor and venue lighting
- Staged installation, handover and collection plan
DANCE FLOOR AND ATMOSPHERE
Choose your wedding lighting
Good wedding lighting does more than add “disco lights”. Dance floor effects create colour, movement and energy, while wireless uplighting can transform marquees, barns and function rooms or highlight stone walls, doorways, trees and garden features. We will recommend a coordinated package suited to your venue, layout and atmosphere.
Party and dance floor lighting
Automatic sound-to-light fixtures add colour and movement without an operator. From compact function rooms to larger dance floors, each package is positioned for effective coverage without getting in the way.
Venue uplighting and atmosphere
Wireless uplighters add depth and atmosphere to plain rooms, white marquees and rustic barns. They can also highlight architectural details and outdoor features, with colours chosen to complement your wedding and venue.
AUTOMATIC DANCE FLOOR LIGHTING
Wedding lights package: Small
Two Chauvet GigBAR 3 ILS systems create a complete automatic light show, with colour, movement and effects that respond to the music. Add 6, 8 or 12 uplighters to carry coordinated colour beyond the dance floor and around the room or marquee.
- Two Chauvet GigBAR 3 ILS lighting systems
- Automatic sound-to-light operation with no lighting desk required
- Optional 6, 8 or 12 synchronised uplighters
MOVING LIGHTS FOR EXTRA IMPACT
Wedding lights package: Large
Two Chauvet GigBAR Move + ILS systems add moving heads for a more dynamic, room-filling light show. The fixtures follow the music automatically, while optional uplighters can coordinate the dance floor with the rest of the venue.
- Two Chauvet GigBAR Move + ILS lighting systems
- Moving-head beams, colour and effects controlled automatically
- Optional 6, 8 or 12 synchronised uplighters
ROOM, MARQUEE AND OUTDOOR LIGHTING
Wedding venue lighting
Wireless battery uplighters can transform a room, marquee or outdoor setting without trailing power cables. This might mean six static-colour lights placed beneath trees at dusk, or a larger architectural scheme with changing scenes and wireless iPad control.
Tailored packages for your venue
- Flexible quantities for rooms, marquees, grounds and architectural features
- Static colours or programmed scenes and colour changes
- Optional wireless iPad control, including remote power and scene selection
EVERY WORD HEARD
Wedding speeches everyone can hear
Compact professional loudspeakers give wedding speeches clear, even coverage, allowing the back tables to hear without overwhelming guests nearest the system.
A discreet wedding speech PA
For a wedding breakfast or marquee reception, we normally provide compact professional RCF loudspeakers chosen for clear speech and discreet appearance. The system is placed and tuned so guests can hear naturally without the front tables being overwhelmed.
A short handover makes a difference
Beforehand, we explain where to stand and how close to hold the microphone. A brief rehearsal lets speakers hear their amplified voice before the room is full and often makes the real speech less daunting.
DISCREET SPEECH SYSTEM
Wedding speech PA system
Equipment hire from £200
SPEECHES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Which microphone works best?
A wireless handheld microphone is normally the simplest and most dependable choice for wedding speeches. It can be passed between speakers, used for announcements and returned to a safe place afterwards.
We position and test the PA for even coverage, then show the speakers how close to hold the microphone. That small piece of guidance usually matters more than adding unnecessary equipment.
- Professional Sennheiser wireless systems
- Configured and tested before use
- Multiple microphones available where genuinely useful
SPEECHES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
On-site wedding sound engineer
For larger weddings, outdoor speeches or more involved running orders, an experienced engineer can remain on site to manage the sound. We prepare the system, check every microphone and adjust levels as people speak, leaving you and your venue team free to concentrate on the occasion.
- Sound system and microphones set up and tested in advance
- Live management of speech levels and music playback
- Discreet technical support throughout the speeches
CLEAR SOUND IN OPEN SPACES
Sound for outdoor wedding ceremonies
Outdoor spaces do not contain sound like a room. Coverage, power, wind, background noise, and safe cable routes therefore matter as much as the nominal size of the PA system.
Even coverage is better than excessive volume
For a larger ceremony, several loudspeakers at sensible levels often work better than two driven too loudly. Distributed speakers help vows, readings and music reach the back while remaining comfortable at the front.
We check the audience area during setup and adjust the system from front to back. Wind protection and careful filtering help microphones remain clear.
Safe, discreet installation
We prefer mains-powered equipment where practical. Battery systems are available when the location, power supply or cable route makes them the safer choice.
On uneven ground and around walkways, we use secure supports, ballast, cable protection and discreet perimeter routes.
CONNECTING YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
Sound and equipment for wedding DJs and live bands
If you have booked professional entertainment, put the suppliers in direct contact before the day. A short technical conversation is more reliable than relayed connection details.
Wedding DJs and DJ equipment
Most DJs bring a controller or decks. We confirm their outputs, power and monitoring needs, then provide the right PA connection. A dedicated monitor may be needed for accurate cueing and mixing.
A stone barn, marquee, village hall and glass orangery can require very different speaker positions and low-frequency control, even with similar guest numbers.
Live band PA and engineering
A DJ system is not automatically a live-band system. A band may need more inputs, microphones, DI boxes, monitor mixes and setup time.
We review the band’s technical rider before confirming equipment. The band can use its own PA, integrate with ours, or hire a complete system and engineer.
INDUSTRY-STANDARD DJ EQUIPMENT
Pioneer CDJs and DJ mixer
Give your DJ a familiar, professional setup without asking them to transport a complete booth. A pair of Pioneer CDJs and a club-style mixer can be connected directly to the wedding PA, with the essential cabling prepared and tested before the evening begins.
Equipment hire from £200
- Pair of professional Pioneer CDJ players
- Club-style multi-channel DJ mixer
- Connected and tested with the wedding sound system
A SMARTER DANCE FLOOR SET-UP
Wedding DJ booth
A dedicated DJ booth gives the entertainment area a clean, finished appearance while keeping equipment, stands and cabling neatly contained. It can be supplied on its own or as part of a complete setup with CDJs, mixer, sound and lighting.
Equipment hire from £100
BACKLINE FOR LIVE WEDDING BANDS
Wedding piano hire
We supply professional backline for wedding musicians, from drum kits to keyboards. Our Nord Piano 5 is a particularly flexible choice, whether used for the ceremony, played during the drinks reception or accompanying singers and guest performers later in the day.
Tailored quotation
- Professional Nord Piano 5 stage piano
- Suitable for solo piano, vocal accompaniment or a full band
- Available with stand, pedal and appropriate amplification
YOUR MUSIC, PROFESSIONALLY AMPLIFIED
Be your own wedding DJ
Some couples want a DJ to read the room, mix live and take requests. Others would rather play their own carefully prepared wedding playlists. Both are reasonable approaches.
For a DIY wedding disco, we provide, install and test the speakers, mixer, playback connection and lighting. You choose the music and nominate somebody to manage playback.
A phone, tablet or laptop can provide ceremony cues, background music, the first dance and the evening playlist. The same PA can accept a DJ controller or band console later.
A professional DJ remains the better choice if you want live mixing, requests, crowd-reading or master-of-ceremonies duties throughout the evening.
A DEPENDABLE PLAYBACK PLAN
Build a wedding playlist that works on the day
Good music still needs a dependable device and a simple running plan.
01 • PLAYLISTS
Prepare the playlists
Separate ceremony, drinks, meal, first-dance and evening playlists. Check important tracks and decide how guest requests will be handled.
02 • DEVICE
Prepare the device
Download playlists for offline use, disable calls, notifications and updates, and keep the device powered. Bluetooth suits casual background music; use a wired connection for entrances, the first dance and other important cues.
Bring a second prepared device if the soundtrack is critical; we can test both during setup.
03 • PERSON
Put one person in charge
Choose a trusted friend who knows the running order, has the passcode and can deal with requests. We show them how to control playback, volume, the microphone and automatic lighting.
BUILD YOUR WEDDING PLAYLIST
The Ultimate Wedding Playlist
400 Songs to Get You Started
Every wedding playlist is different, but after supplying sound equipment to hundreds of weddings, there are certain songs we hear again and again. So we’ve put 400 of them in one place: more than 26 hours of wedding classics, dance floor favourites, guilty pleasures and, inevitably, a few gloriously questionable choices.
You certainly won’t want all of them, but if you’re building your own wedding playlist, think of this as a starting point. Pick out the gems, ignore the rest and create something that sounds like your wedding.
BEFORE THE GUESTS ARRIVE
Plan the setup around the venue and timetable
Access, installation time and communication with the venue matter as much as the equipment. Agree them while the schedule is still flexible.
01 • AVAILABILITY
Book early where possible
Four to six months ahead is sensible, and earlier for popular summer weekends. Short-notice bookings are possible when equipment and crew remain available.
02 • ACCESS
Allow enough installation time
A professional setup must be unloaded, positioned, secured and tested. A short room change is rarely the best time to begin installing speakers and lighting.
Morning access, an earlier window or installation the day before is preferable where allowed. We agree a realistic plan instead of compressing the work into an unreliable gap.
03 • DETAILS
Tell us the practical details
Useful information includes the venue, date, guest numbers, indoor and outdoor spaces, timings, ceremony and speech plans, entertainment, access restrictions and any known power limitations.
Most weddings can be planned from venue details, photographs, video and maps. We arrange site visits for unusual outdoor layouts, difficult access or complex plans where they add genuine value.
BASED IN OXFORD
Wedding sound and lighting across Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds
We deliver wedding PA systems, microphones and lighting to hotels, barns, marquees, village halls, Oxford colleges, private homes and outdoor ceremony spaces.
Our core area includes Oxford, Abingdon, Didcot, Wantage, Wallingford, Thame, Witney, Woodstock, Bicester, Banbury, Chipping Norton, Burford and Henley-on-Thames, with suitable bookings across Gloucestershire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire.
Send the postcode and timings and we will confirm transport, access and setup costs.
Wedding sound and lighting FAQs
How much does wedding PA hire cost?
A small wedding PA starts at £200 for equipment hire, and the medium system starts at £250. Delivery, collection, crew time, microphones, lighting, and other extras are itemised separately according to the venue and plan.
How many speakers do I need for a wedding?
It depends on guest numbers, room shape, whether the event is indoors or outdoors and whether the system is for speech, background music, a DJ or a live band. We often achieve better coverage with more speakers operating at lower levels rather than two loudspeakers turned up excessively.
Can we play our own Spotify or Apple Music playlist?
Yes. Connect a phone, tablet or laptop to the system and play your own wedding playlist. We recommend downloading key playlists for offline use, disabling notifications and keeping the device powered.
Can one sound system cover the ceremony, speeches and evening reception?
Sometimes. It depends on whether these parts of the day use the same space and whether there is enough time to reposition equipment. Separate speaker zones or a second compact system may be more practical when guests move between several locations.
What microphone is best for wedding speeches?
A wireless handheld microphone is usually the most reliable and straightforward choice. It should be held close to the mouth and can be passed between speakers. Headset microphones are available where hands-free use is essential.
Can our DJ connect their own decks or controller?
Yes. Most DJs use their own equipment. We confirm the available output connection and monitoring requirements in advance so their equipment integrates correctly with the PA.
Can a live band use the same PA as the DJ?
Sometimes, but a band normally requires many more inputs, microphones, monitor mixes and setup time. We review the band’s technical rider before confirming the required console, stage equipment, loudspeakers and engineer.
Do you provide outdoor wedding sound?
Yes. We plan speaker coverage, power, cable routing, wind protection, safe support and weather contingencies around the specific outdoor space.
Do you deliver, set up and collect the equipment?
Yes. We can deliver, install, connect and test the equipment, provide a clear handover and collect it afterwards. Collection-only hire is also available where it is appropriate for the equipment and event.
How early should we book?
Four to six months ahead is sensible, and earlier is recommended for popular summer weekends. If the wedding is sooner, contact us anyway; short-notice bookings are often possible where equipment and crew remain available.
TELL US WHAT YOU ARE PLANNING
Tell us about your wedding
Send five useful details and we can recommend a sensible starting point:
- The wedding date
- The venue or postcode
- Approximate guest numbers
- The parts of the day that need sound or lighting
- Whether you want collection, delivery or a complete installed service
You do not need to know which speakers, microphones, mixer or cables to request. That recommendation is our job.