There are many different line-ups and types of musicians you could choose from to perform at your wedding. You might be wondering how to decide! Here are 10 questions to ask yourself before making your choice.
1. What styles of music do you like?
Some couples come to me with clear ideas about what they like and don’t like. Jazz seems to be a big divider – I speak to couples who love jazz music and couples who really don’t! (As well as the majority, who haven’t even considered it!) If you have strong musical preferences, then this is a great starting point. Think about what kind of music you like listening to, your favourite artists, and any songs that mean something to you as a couple. Then go from there.
2. What kind of music do you think your guests will enjoy?
If you have no strong opinions about musical styles, consider what your guests will enjoy. If you’re inviting a wide age range, you’ll want something that will appeal to all ages. Familiarity is a safe bet, with plenty of songs your guests already know and will recognise. That’s why classical favourites from adverts, film scores and TV shows are always popular for weddings.
Thinking about your guests’ enjoyment is also a good way to compromise if you and your partner have very different musical tastes!
3. Are there wedding musicians available to book who can play your favourite type of music?
This is a big sticking point for some couples. If your favourite music genre is not typically heard at weddings, finding wedding musicians who can play in that style will be more challenging. That’s not to say it’s impossible. Sometimes you just need to think outside the box and find a way to make it work! I love doing this with couples – I can help you work out what line-up would best achieve what you’re looking for.
4. Can they play your chosen song(s)?
You might have your heart set on hearing a special song on your wedding day. It may be the piece of music you or your partner wants to walk down the aisle to. Or the song you want to end your wedding ceremony with. Short of hiring the original artist to perform (let’s face it, most couples don’t have the budget to book Ed Sheeran or Ellie Goulding!), you’ll need a bespoke arrangement for a different line-up. You’ll want to choose a musician or line-up that can adapt the music appropriately. A string quartet is an obvious choice and the most popular among my couples, as it’s a versatile ensemble. However, it depends on the song. There are plenty of other options depending on your unique requirements.
5. What style of music suits your venue?
Some venues lend themselves to certain styles of music. For example, a grand stately home suits very traditional wedding music. Many barn venues, on the other hand, suit more contemporary genres. You may have chosen your venue because you want a particular wedding style. So you’ll want the music to complement that. Of course, all wedding venues are unique, so there are no hard and fast rules.
6. What will your venue allow?
Occasionally venues have restrictions on live performances. Usually, these are dictated by the terms of their licence. Venues in residential areas often won’t allow music outdoors; if they do, it must be acoustic (not amplified). Many venues have a sound limiter installed, meaning the power cuts out if amplified music goes above a certain volume. Churches often have rules in place too, which are not always predictable.
It’s vital you know about any restrictions before you book musicians. Otherwise, you could find yourself losing time and money, as well as souring the relationship with your venue. As part of my Overture Package, I will call your venue to check out any restrictions and help make that part of planning a little bit easier for you.
7. What will work in your venue?
As well as knowing what rules your venue has in place for live music, it’s also worth thinking about practical and technical considerations. For example, how much space will there be in your ceremony room once all your guests are seated? What’s the access like? Are there electrical outlets nearby? Is there a solid, level surface, shade, and shelter if the performance is outside? Some musicians have particular requirements you'll need to consider to ensure they can perform. If your venue can’t meet those requirements, you might need to find another line-up with different ones.
8. What line-up suits the size and scale of your wedding?
This is the number one mistake I see couples make. If you’re having a big wedding with 100+ guests, one or two unamplified musicians aren’t going to cut it! They just won’t be loud enough. The line-up needs to be proportional to the number of guests you invite. That ensures that the volume level is just right – not too loud, not too quiet.
9. Do you want to book locally, or are you willing to spread the net more widely?
Many couples these days like to use local suppliers where possible. That’s much easier if you’re getting married in and around a major city. Cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, and Cardiff are major hubs for UK music industries across all genres. As a result, lots of highly trained professional musicians live and work in those cities.
If you’re getting married in a smaller town or more rural location, you will have fewer choices locally. I’m generalising, but it's likely that local musicians won't be full-time professionals and will have a lower level of musical training than those based in cities. If using local suppliers is important to you, you might be willing to accept this (and you might save some money too). On the other hand, if getting the best musicians is really important to you, you might choose to look further afield!
10. How much are you willing to spend?
This overarching question is a factor in all the other points I’ve made. There’s a vast range of pricing amongst wedding musicians, from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands. (Or hundreds of thousands if you want to book Ed Sheeran!) Every couple needs to figure out their main priorities when planning their wedding budget and ensure they get the best value out of their available funds. That’s why answering all the questions above is essential before you book anything. Then you’ll make the right decision for you as a couple.
Need help figuring out the answers to these questions for you and your wedding? That’s precisely what my Overture Package is for! I’ll work through all these points with you, guiding you on all the options to find the line-up that suits you best. You’ll also get a personalised wedding music proposal packed full of tips and advice to help you make your choice.
