Musician at wedding party
After saying yes comes the best part: shaping the dream you´re fulfilling. What could be more romantic than having a string ensemble wedding and slow dancing your way to love in the hands of your newly-wed significant other?
I know, you went searching for how much a string quartet wedding costs and found a mesmerising amount of options, and now you are clueless about where to start. Don´t fall into despair just yet; you came to the perfect place; this is the ultimate guide to choosing the right string ensemble for your wedding.
Are you ready to add even more magic to your perfect plan? Let’s turn your wedding into the event of the year!
Perfect planning makes that day more special
The day you´ve been dreaming about for so long is finally settled in the calendar. Yes, your dream has a first name, last name and a date to marry you. That is enough of a reason to make it a stellar event. After all, you don’t fulfil lifelong dreams every day, right?
The secret to a magic event has a perfect plan. If you go the extra mile, do the proper research, and hire everything in advance, you´ll save money, time, stress and allow your guests to have the time of their lives. They´ll be speaking about your wedding for years!
The perfect plan needs to include a string quartet wedding ensemble playing your favourite tunes in a mellow mood.
Why live music?
Nothing, not even the most amazing recording, can outdo the power of live music. Indeed, wedding ceremony musicians probably have the busiest schedules in the market. This is because having tuxedo musicians playing your all-time favourite tunes is just pure magic. Live music takes any event to the next level, so dare to take that leap and hire a string ensemble for your wedding.
The ultimate guide to a string ensemble wedding
Now that we are clear about why to hire a string quartet wedding, it’s time to tackle the how. Read on and don’t forget to grab a pen and paper to jot down some points. Coming up next is all you need to know about string ensembles for weddings.
Let’s talk about budget
This is the first thing to bear in mind when planning. If you are not conscious of your overall budget, you might spend it unevenly. This means that you can end up having the most amazing, one-of-a-kind menu, but you might miss out on hiring a DJ because you spent all your budget in one section.
The ultimate suggestion is to create a series of categories so you can break down your budget evenly. For example, it could look something like this:
- Venue
- Food & drinks
- Music & Entertainment
- Souvenirs & extras
Once you´ve written down the main categories in terms of budget, you should go for more precise information. For example, “Music & Entertainment” could look something like this:
- Live band
- Party DJ
- Fake hats, glitter, fun goodie bags
Then, you can go inside each category and break it down even further. This is exactly the moment you can fit your live band in. How much money can you invest in it? Once you are fully clear about the budget, it is time to think about what you can get for that money.
Let’s talk about guests & sizes
Second in line, but always deeply related to the budget, is the place the string ensemble wedding will be held and the number of people they’ll be playing for. This is so important because it will define many of the following categories as well.
The first question is the number of guests. For example, if you´re thinking of a small, cosy wedding with a small-to-moderate number of guests, then you can devote more budget to quality than quantity. Translated to a string ensemble, you could go for a solo or a two-piece.
On the other hand, if you are thinking of a big wedding with many guests, then the number of musicians in the ensemble needs to be higher. You could also hire more than one ensemble to play in more than one location within the venue as well. Bear in mind that entertaining more guests requires more space and budget.
Let’s talk entrances
Speaking of the venue, usually, musicians playing at weddings do so on several occasions of the ceremony. Let’s break the type of music down based on occasion and then talk about the location.
Prelude music
While people are arriving, there should always be music playing. This section usually goes for twenty minutes or so, and during this time the musicians usually play standards and classics. You can think of it as background music being played live. That being said, you can always make room for some of your favourite tunes.
Be clear with your hired musicians and ask them for the tune you would like your guests to hear while they take their places.
Processionals music
This is the moment to go extra special with your music selection. The music you’re walking to the altar needs to be meaningful; it will be the soundtrack of a lifelong memory. Do you and your significant other have a tune you feel deeply related to? Was there a magic moment in your relationship that involved a particular song? Trained musicians can play mostly anything from Bach to Christina Aguilera.
Recessionals
Hey, it’s time to par-tay and ce-le-bra-te! You just made a lifelong commitment to love! The music in the recessional will accompany people leaving the ceremony and, sometimes, into the party itself. Make sure you choose something uplifting and celebratory to set the mood for the rest of the event. Again, choose a special song that will bring it all up a notch!
Let’s talk about the band’s technical rider
Asking the band for the technical rider before even setting the price and signing the documents is a must. This technical rider will tell you exactly what they need to perform.
For example, if you hire a four-piece wedding ensemble, you are hiring a loud live band. Perhaps the natural acoustics of the place can help, and you don’t need any amplification to help them.
On the other hand, if you have many guests, then they will need to amplify the sound of their instruments. Calculate a sound system for them, including microphones, cables, a stand, chairs, and someone to set it up and operate it. Bear in mind that most large venues provide such equipment.
Let’s talk about the band
Finally, let’s tackle the tips you need to follow to hire the best band to fit the aforementioned characteristics.
- You need to hear them – Hearing the band you are about to hire is a definite must. They should offer you some kind of link where you can hear them playing; if they provide you with video samples, even better.
- Clear terms & conditions – A serious company will offer you a clear set of terms. Those must include time to be played, number of musicians, overtime options, and schedule.
- Punctuality – Musicians should always arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time. This will allow them to warm and set up.
- The number of songs you can choose – This is the final item, but it is not at all the least important. String ensembles will usually let you choose up to three or four songs in their repertoire. Arranging a pop hit for a string ensemble is not an easy task, so this is a very valuable asset when offered.
Conclusion
A string ensemble wedding can, literally, be the event of the year for you and your loved ones. The magic that they can bring to your ceremony is way beyond what any set of speakers can provide you. Moreover, you would be amazed to know just how much does a string quartet wedding cost when compared to a DJ and a good sound system. Your dream is much closer than you think; follow our tips, hire the perfect string ensemble for your wedding, and make a memory that will make you smile for a lifetime.
