How long is a piece of string?!
There’s an enormous range of pricing for wedding musicians – from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand pounds (and more). Even one supplier can charge different amounts for different bookings. It’s a real minefield.
That can make planning your wedding budget confusing. Most couples who enquire with me don’t have a clue how much they should expect to pay! Or why some musicians are so much more expensive than others.
No matter how big or small your wedding budget is, you want to make sure you’re getting good value for money. When figuring out how much you want to spend on musicians, knowing what you’re actually paying for is useful. So, I’ve put together this helpful guide to demystify it for you. Keep reading to the end to get some real prices.
I’ll start with the three most significant factors impacting the price of wedding musicians.
Top 3 cost factors for booking wedding musicians
How many musicians you’re booking?
How long you’re booking them for?
How far they will have to travel?
It stands to reason that an ensemble will cost more than a single musician because you’re paying more people. Likewise, a ceremony-only booking will cost less than a 3-hour booking.
Travel distance is the thing many couples forget about. If you’re booking locally, this won’t have too big an impact. But if you’re asking musicians to travel for 2-3+ hours on top of performing, there will be a cost attached. That’s more likely to affect couples marrying further away from the major cities where many professional musicians are based.
Musicians have varying opinions on how much to charge for travel. For Tailor Made Music Agency I use travel rates recommended by the Musicians’ Union for two reasons. Firstly, I know my musicians are getting a fair rate which ensures the long-term health of the music industry. And secondly (and more importantly for my couples), at those rates, I know I’ll be able to guarantee the availability of high-quality musicians, even at short notice.
As well as those three main factors, several other things influence how much wedding musicians charge.
The musicians’ skill and training level
My musicians are all highly skilled professionals. There are also a lot of amateur, student and self-taught musicians offering live wedding music, as well as those who do it part-time alongside other careers. Some of these musicians will cost less to book. That’s one of the reasons there’s such a wide price range available. Others will try to charge just as much as highly trained professional musicians, which makes booking wedding musicians even more confusing for couples!
Training to be a professional musician takes decades. Not to mention tens of thousands of pounds invested in instrumental lessons, higher education, and professional development. And the training never stops! Professional musicians will spend hours practising, honing their technique, and learning new repertoire. They will spend time figuring out what they want to communicate through their music and how to achieve that. I can assure you; you and your guests will notice the difference. Just as you’ll be able to tell the difference between wedding flowers bought at Tesco and arranged by your Nan and a floral display created by a highly skilled wedding florist!
If you’ve got a limited budget, lower-priced musicians will still be a great addition to your day. But if you want to wow your guests and experience genuine emotion through music, it’s worth splashing out. Just make sure you are getting true professionals, not someone who’s Googled their competitors and picked the highest price!
The quality of the musicians’ instruments and equipment
Often another big difference between the types of musicians I mentioned above is how much they’ve invested in their instruments and equipment. Most professional musicians will spend tens of thousands on their instrument, plus regular maintenance costs.
Some will also have invested in amplification equipment and additional instruments (such as electric string instruments) to offer a wider range of services to couples.
Higher quality instruments and equipment will sound better, create a fuller sound, and show the musicians’ skills to the maximum. And naturally, just like anyone running a business, musicians need to recoup their expenses. So, their price will reflect these costs.
How extensive their repertoire is, and any songs you’ve chosen
Wedding musicians devote much time to sourcing, arranging, and rehearsing brilliant songs to play at your wedding. Those keeping their repertoire updated with the latest hit songs will be at the pricier end of the scale.
Plus, if you request a particular song for the musicians to learn especially for you, that might also cost a bit more.
The level of demand on your date
Musicians want to fill their diaries with lovely weddings like any wedding supplier! There’s a higher demand for weekends and dates in the peak summer season, so many musicians charge more for those dates.
Some unscrupulous musicians will accept a wedding booking then cancel if another offer comes along on the same date, which they can charge more for. Usually, they write one-sided contracts that allow them to do this without penalty. Couples trust them and don’t even realise until it’s too late. I often get enquiries from couples who have been let down at the last minute by musicians who gave them an unreasonably low quote.
I refuse to work with musicians who do this. I also ensure your contract protects against this happening to you. That brings me to my final point…
Agency and administration costs
Booking musicians through an agency usually costs you more, it’s true. You’re paying for an extra level of customer service to save you time and effort sourcing musicians yourself. But not all agencies are created equal. Some charge commission to their musicians (which ultimately gets passed on to couples) and don’t do much for it beyond making an introduction and issuing a contract. They expect the musician to handle all communication with you and the venue and deal with all the intricacies of the booking.
In my experience, the best musicians are busy people. They spend their time performing, practising, rehearsing, and travelling the world to exciting gigs. They’re not at the end of the phone or on their emails whenever you need them! Many of them will admit they’re not great at admin!
So, with Tailor Made Music Agency, I look after every detail for you. That way, I know you’re getting the best service and a stress-free experience. Plus, the musicians can perform at their best. I also don’t charge commission. My pricing is a transparent, fixed rate based on how much work I do for you. My Sonata Package covers everything most couples need for £180. My Symphony Package covers more complex bookings for couples who want to go all out – that costs £250.
So now you know what factors influence the price of wedding musicians. But I’m sure you’re still asking, how much will it actually cost you?!
How much will wedding musicians cost you?
Below is a rough guide to what you can expect to pay in 2023 for the most often requested bookings. I researched the average prices for each option from the information I could find on the internet. And my goodness was it a challenge! It’s no wonder couples get so confused. Most musicians don’t list any prices at all (likely so they can charge different amounts to different clients - quite cheeky, in my opinion). Listings on other agency websites make it impossible to compare like for like, and a lot of the information looks out of date. It only goes to show how important it is that you do your research. Or that you trust a professional, expert agency to do it for you and make sure you’re getting good value for money, providing excellent musicians for a fair price.
String Quartet in Hertfordshire
Wedding ceremony and drinks reception: prices listed online range from £620 to £1,950
Tailor Made Music Agency price: £1,435
String Trio in Berkshire
Wedding ceremony and drinks reception: prices listed online range from £450 to £1,650
Tailor Made Music Agency price: £1,150
Solo Harpist in Surrey
Wedding ceremony and drinks reception: prices listed online range from £280 to £860
Tailor Made Music Agency price: £700
Solo Violinist in Buckinghamshire
Wedding ceremony only: prices listed online range from £100 to £1,500
Tailor Made Music Agency price: £660
Jazz Duo in Central London
Wedding drinks reception: prices listed online range from £300 to £2,600
Tailor Made Music Agency price: £795
I hope that gives you a helpful starting point for your wedding budget. If you’d like a more accurate quote based on your venue location and exact requirements, click to send an enquiry.
Or, if you want to learn more about the options available, visit my Classical, Jazz and Singers pages.
