Preston wedding singer Jessica Helen wins best entertainer award at Nation’s Wedding Awards 2023

Jessica Helen Schofield, 32, from New Longton has just been awarded the ‘Wedding Entertainment of the Year’ accolade at the first ever Nation’s Wedding Awards 2023, a celebration of the wedding professionals that have gone above and beyond to make a difference in the industry.

Hosted by DJ, comedian and presenter Tommy Sandhu and organised by Oceanic Events, the ceremony took place on November 1 in Manchester and honoured the talented individuals, teams and businesses, whose sole aim is to provide their couples with a wedding day to remember.

Jessica, who also owns a singing school called Do-Re-Mi based in Longton has been a professional singer in pubs, clubs and weddings for the past decade, focusing more on weddings in the past seven or so years.

Commenting on her award win, Jessica said: “It’s the first national award I’ve ever been up for so that was an accomplishment in itself, I didn’t expect it.

"I’ve lost three stone in 10 weeks on the Cambridge Diet so I was just going with the mindset ‘I love my dress, I’m going to have a good night, I’m going to enjoy this’, I wasn’t expecting to win, I was just happy I had a nice dress on and would like having my picture taken... so then when they said my name I was like oh my god, it took me off guard and then they asked me to sing when I was onstage! I ended up dong some lines of ‘Make you feel my Love’.

"If you’re not overweight, you don’t understand. I’ve always hated having my picture taken which as a performer is the worst thing and I’ve now found, since I’ve lost the weight, that when I’m singing, I perform more, I’m happy to prance around like I used to and for the ceremony I was back in my black dress that I won awards in years ago so it was nice to be back in that – I call it my Adele dress. I am really really proud of it.”

Jessica, who wants to lose a fourth stone in time for her marriage in 2025, added: "My dad’s also just had an operation – normally my parents are at the awards – but he couldn’t come so I ended up Facetiming him and he was chuffed to bits, he said it made him feel better!”

Jessica had previously won the same accolade in the ‘North’ category at the English Wedding Awards 2023, as well as in 2019 – but this is the first year where the winners of each regional category competed for the National Wedding Awards.

She is also up for Entertainer of the Year and Outstanding Wedding Supplier of the Year at the seventh English Wedding Awards to be held in 2024.

When asked why she enjoys being a wedding singer, Jessica said: "I’m nosy and I like being part of someone else’s big day. It is a very emotional thing, most people will do bespoke set lists and it’s quite nice to perform what a couples picked, and it’s to their taste too. You also find people are so appreciative at weddings and it’s fun, it’s a really nice job to do.”

The Nation’s Wedding Awards is the latest successful edition of the wedding awards hosted by Oceanic Events following the English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish & Northern Ireland Wedding Awards.

A spokesperson for the first Nation’s Wedding Awards 2023, said: “It was another outstanding event. It was another opportunity for us to showcase those who have shown great commitment, professionalism, creativity and care for their clients. The winners truly deserve this recognition for their exceptional work, and we hope that their success will inspire others in the industry to strive for excellence. We want to congratulate the all of our winners on their accomplishments.”

The winners of The 1st Nation’s Wedding Awards 2023 are:

Wedding Boutique of the Year: Bells & Whistles Bridal Boutique (Caerphilly)

Wedding Boutique & Accessories Supplier of the Year: Blue & Sixpence (Liverpool)

Groomswear Supplier of the Year: Murray Kilt & Formal Wear Hire (Kilwinning)

Event Decorator of the Year: Exquisite Events (Newcastle upon Tyne)

Wedding Venue of the Year: Shotton grange (Northumberland)

Romantic Wedding Venue of the Year: Sorn Castle (Sorn)

Cake Designer of the Year: Cake & a Cwtch (Barry)

Hair & Make Up Specialist of the Year: LA Make Up & Hair Design (Glasgow)

Wedding Photographer of the Year: Your Choice Photography (Batley)

Videographer of the Year: QS Digital Video (Loch Flemington, Inverness)

Wedding Venue Coordinator of the Year: Priodas Fach Gymreig – Little Welsh Wedding (North Wales)

Caterer of the Year: Epic Caterers (Cardiff)

Stationary Supplier of the Year: Love Beth Stationery (Galashiels)

Transport Provider of the Year: Love Me Do Wedding Cars (Leeds)

Wedding Entertainment of the Year: Jessica Helen Wedding Singer (Preston)

Wedding Band of the Year: Manhattan Function Band (Edinburgh)

Florist of the Year: Becky’s Flowers (Bathgate)

Jeweller of the Year: John McKay Jewellers (Paisley)

Specialist Wedding Supplier of the Year: Simply Devine Hat Shop (Tadcaster)

Wedding Planner of the Year: LBS Event Design & Wedding Planners (Glasgow)

Outstanding Wedding Photographer of the Year: Francis J Smith Photography (Glasgow)

Wedding Hair Artist of the Year: Hair Trip by Nicki (Wishaw)

Wedding Make Up Artist of the Year: ARK Makeup Artistry (Carluke)

Wedding DJ of the Year: DJ Ally Bongo (Dundee)

Outstanding Wedding Supplier of the Year: Pop up Play Village Basingstoke (Basingstoke)

Celebrant of the Year: Craig Flowers (Falkirk)

Wedding Seamstress of the Year: Alterations Boutique Manchester (Manchester)

Honeymoon Planner of the Year: The Travel Business (Newport)