Spinning Memories at Merewood Country House: A DJ’s Retrospective Lake District, September 2015

Ian Bennett
Apr 25
3 min read

Last month I dove back into my archives and completed the edit of the first hour from one of my favourite DJ gigs: a wedding at Merewood Country House in the heart of the Cumbrian Lake District. Nearly a decade on, listening back to that opening set—and remembering the energy of that dancefloor—reminded me why I fell in love with wedding DJing in the first place.

Behind The Scenes

Setting the Scene

Perched on a hillside with sweeping views of Lake Windermere, Merewood is a picture-perfect backdrop for a wedding. The afternoon had delivered that classic Lake District mist, which burned off just in time for golden-hour photos. As the evening light spilled through the grand windows of the ballroom, guests drifted in from the gardens, glasses in hand, ready for the party to begin.

The First Dance: More Than Words

I kicked off the night with the newlyweds’ chosen first dance, “More Than Words” by Extreme. There’s nothing quite like that moment when the room falls silent, everyone gathers round, and two people share that intimate moment just for themselves. It set a tender tone before the crowd let loose.

Building the Energy

From there, I dialed up the tempo and took the guests on a journey through classic Motown, ‘90s pop, and contemporary anthems. Within minutes, the floor was packed:

Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back”
Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars – “Uptown Funk”
Meghan Trainor – “All About That Bass”
Take That – “It Only Takes a Minute”
East 17 – “Alright”

Each track drew cheers and sing-alongs, spilling into the next golden-age groove.

A Nod to the Classics

Weddings demand variety, so I wove in timeless hits from Motown and rock ’n’ roll:

Diana Ross & The Supremes – “Can’t Hurry Love”
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – “(Love Is Like a) Heatwave”
Elvis Presley – “Jailhouse Rock”
Jerry Lee Lewis – “Great Balls of Fire”

Watching grandparents cut loose to rock ’n’ roll never gets old—and always earns the biggest smiles.

From Beat-Driven Anthems to Dancefloor Classics

By the halfway mark, the energy peaked with singalong classics and dancefloor favourites:

The Beatles – “Day Tripper”
The Beach Boys – “Get Around”
The Kingsmen – “Louie Louie”
The Kinks – “You Really Got Me”
The Rolling Stones – “Start Me Up”

And when I dropped “Mustang Sally” by The Commitments, couples swooped onto the floor for cheeky partner dances.

Bringing the Decades Together

To keep the momentum high, I transitioned into ‘70s and ‘80s party bangers and guilty-pleasure pop:

Mud – “Tiger Feet”
The Gap Band – “Oops Upside Your Head”
Los Del Rio – “Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix)”
Steps – “5,6,7,8”

The Macarena brought the room full-circle into a playful group dance, while Steps sparked a mini ‘90s revival.

Modern Rock to Close Out the Hour

As the crowd’s energy soared, I edged into modern indie rock:

The Killers – “Mr Brightside”
Jet – “Are You Gonna Be My Girl”

These tracks guaranteed the floor stayed jam-packed right up to the end of that first hour—and beyond.

Reflections on Editing

Revisiting these recordings was like time-travel. While mixing, I noticed subtle crowd reactions: laughter at the opening bars of “Jailhouse Rock,” a spontaneous wave of Macarena arms, the roar that greeted “Mr Brightside.” Editing the audio to bring forward those moments reminded me how a well-crafted playlist does more than fill time—it forges shared memories.

Why Merewood 2015 Stands Out

Stunning Venue: The panoramic Lake District views and elegant ballroom created a magical atmosphere.
Eclectic Crowd: From grandparents to teens, everyone found their moment on the dancefloor.
Timeless Playlist: Blending classics and contemporary hits kept the energy fresh.
First-Rate Atmosphere: The couple’s love and guests’ enthusiasm fueled the party.

The Full First-Hour Playlist

Extreme – More Than Words (First Dance)
Jackson 5 – I Want You Back
Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk (Feat. Bruno Mars)
Meghan Trainor – All About That Bass
Take That – It Only Takes a Minute
East 17 – Alright
Diana Ross & The Supremes – Can’t Hurry Love
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – (Love Is Like a) Heatwave
Elvis Presley – Jailhouse Rock
Jerry Lee Lewis – Great Balls of Fire
The Beatles – Day Tripper
The Beach Boys – Get Around
The Kingsmen – Louie Louie
The Kinks – You Really Got Me
The Rolling Stones – Start Me Up
The Commitments – Mustang Sally
Mud – Tiger Feet
The Gap Band – Oops Upside Your Head
Los Del Rio – Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix)
Steps – 5,6,7,8
The Killers – Mr Brightside
Jet – Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Looking back, that September night at Merewood Country House remains a highlight of my DJ career: a celebration set to an unforgettable soundtrack, framed by one of England’s most beautiful landscapes. Here’s to many more nights where the dancefloor becomes the heart of the party!