Photo by Fallon Michael on Unsplash
Updated on March 14, 2020.
The wedding – a public display of love, devotion, and commitment to your betrothed in front of everyone you’ve ever known. For most blissful brides and grinning grooms, it’s their crowning achievement, their best life moment.
To help create these special memories, most couples know that hiring live musicians to perform at their ceremony is a treat for them and their guests. Whether you want background music before/after the ceremony, or special music for specific spots during the ceremony, professional musicians or singers can perform any time:
- Prelude
- Bridal procession
- Special music
- Recessional
- Postlude
- Greeting line/Cocktails
A professional ensemble will strive to achieve exactly what you want, and some will suggest details that maybe you hadn’t thought of. While playing music is only part-time income for me, I’ve played my share of weddings, and paying attention to music choice, timing, and communication (among other details) are vital on the couple’s special day.
Since most folks already know how to find professional musicians via a website, a booking company, or perhaps their circle of friends, this article focuses on considerations before and after the hiring process.
What type of music do you want? What kind of acoustics does your venue have? What performance details will you give your musicians? How big/small is your music budget? These and other questions are what make planning so much fun (at least for some).
Let’s get to it!
- Know Your Music – Choose a Wedding Soundtrack
Music plays a big part in the character of your ceremony. In a way, it’s your wedding soundtrack. Many couples make use of the pipe organ, violins or other strings, trumpets or other brass, maybe a couple of flutes, or perhaps a clever combination of these or any instruments.
Some couples are extremely traditional, using Klezmer music in a Jewish wedding, for example. Others are musicians themselves, and perform during their own wedding!
More contemporary music lovers might program tunes from a Broadway show or a favorite jazz composer. I once played the Beatles’ All You Need is Love for the bride’s procession. Good times!
Bottom line: it’s your day. Find the music style and instrumentation that means the most to both of you.
- Know Your Venue – Be Aware of Reverberation
In other words, know your acoustics! How well you and your guests can hear the music is important.
An Inside Job
If your ceremony is in a church or cathedral, the echo will help make the music elegant and joyful, no matter who’s playing. Even a smaller space (e.g. hotel ballroom) with less echo is nice.
But that may be when you’re listening to just the musicians, perhaps at your rehearsal when fewer people are there, or at a special point during the ceremony when everyone is quiet. But consider what it may sound like on the special day, when the hall is filled with your guests’ happy banter before and after the formal program.
Guest chatter is a given, no matter where you choose to hold your ceremony. One thing to remember is the more people you cram into a room, the louder it becomes. You’ve probably experienced this phenomenon of sound physics, called reverberation.
This happens for two main reasons:
Room size – a sound’s acoustic energy reflects off the walls and other surfaces multiple times, and more frequently in a smaller space, kind of like ping pong balls in a tile bathroom. You hear the sound echo more (or reverberate) because it has nowhere else to go.
Room materials – uncovered walls, floors, and ceilings made of stone, concrete, and other hard surfaces reflect sound much more than softer materials like carpet, curtains, and people. The softer the materials, the less echo you’ll hear.
I once conducted a 10-piece flute choir at an indoor art gala held in a large gallery with a high ceiling. Lots of wood and metal. Our sound was soon swallowed by the hundreds of guests and their champagne-saturated, hors d’oeuvre-filled conversation. I could barely hear the musicians in front of me. In my opinion, brass instruments would’ve cut through better.
Knowing the size of the room(s) and the number of expected guests will help you decide what types of instruments you want and how many musicians you need to reach your ideal music-to-guest ratio. You should be able to find a good balance at a cost within your wedding music budget.
The Great Outdoors
I’ve been to some wonderful outdoor ceremonies as both guest and performer. There are countless amazing vistas out there, from farms to forests to foothills, just waiting to host a wedding. It’s truly a beautiful thing!
If you’re planning to get married outside, you’re already likely aware of wind, traffic, wildlife, or other potential extraneous sounds. So when deciding on the emotional atmosphere you want the music to provide, consider these two possibilities: use louder instruments that carry well, or use the softer instruments, but with a little electronic enhancement. Don’t get me wrong – flutes, clarinets, violins, and others can produce beautiful sounds, but they aren’t built for projection.
It mainly hinges on the acoustics of your chosen area. For instance, a copse of trees next to a clearing might provide just enough surface for the sound to bounce back. This way, your musicians don’t have to expend much effort to still be heard.
I was at a wedding held on the banks of a wide river, with flat land and a few trees dotting the scenery. A single acoustic guitarist with an amp easily filled the space for a few dozen guests, even though we were out in the open.
It’s up to you and your fiancé to choose wedding music that reflects your musical wishes for the day. Not only will you pick the pieces, instruments, and styles, but you should also choose a venue that allows the music to shine through, accompanying your wedding’s stunning visuals!
And once you’ve taken recommendations, heard some groups play, and finally decided who you want and secured your musicians, what then?
- Know Your Finances – Consider Value Over Cost
Trying to save money by securing musicians for little or no cost can be dangerous. Do they know their craft? Are they reliable? Are they trustworthy? The phrase “you get what you pay for” is also true in the live music world.
To avoid any nasty surprises, certainly listen to potential groups online or in person, but also ask questions for you own peace of mind before hiring. At the very least, get a personal recommendation from someone you trust. It’s just like shopping for anything else – you want to know what you’re getting.
Once you find a group you like, ask yourself if their quoted fee fits into your wedding budget. If not, see if they’re willing to negotiate. Some will, some won’t. Are you willing to move some money around to match their offer? Are they worth it?
If you’re still not sure, it’s time to be honest and figure out your priorities. Do you save a few bucks, or do you provide beautiful live music to add sparkle to your wedding?
- Know Your Wedding Day Plan – Give Cues for Timing
Professional musicians will do their utmost to perform exactly the way you want. However, soon-to-be-newlyweds and wedding planners should keep musicians in the loop to avoid any miscommunication before and during the ceremony. What do they play when grandma is ushered down the aisle? When do they stop the pre-ceremony music? When do they start the post-ceremony fanfare?
Titles and Timing
Wedding musicians will appreciate these three basics: the names and order of the pieces you want them to play, exact cues (visual is best) for when to start and finish these pieces, and frequent eye contact in case of a delay or other unexpected situation. Knowing these details allows them to concentrate on creating a beautiful musical backdrop by playing the right tunes at the right times.
For instance: Perhaps you’ve chosen Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, Clarke’s Trumpet Voluntary, and Pachelbel’s Canon in D. (It helps to know the composer’s last name, since some pieces by different composers have the same title.) Give the musicians specifics on when you expect to hear them.
For example:
- “A few seconds after the organist has finished his prelude, start the Bach.”
- “I want Jesu for when the mothers are escorted in. I’ll cue you from the back.”
- “Please start the Pachelbel piece as soon as you see the first bridesmaid enter.”
- “Sherri will cue you from the door when we’re ready for Trumpet Voluntary.”
Placement and Line of Sight
Place the musicians where they can see the person who will give them a nod or some other cue for starting the music. It’s a good idea to have the musicians up front and off to the side, especially if you want them to play along with an organist.
If there’s no accompanist, you can place the group wherever you want. Just make sure they can see the ceremony’s progress – a sanctuary full of standing wedding guests does not bode well if sitting musicians need a visual cue from someone across the room.
If you want a recording, get a recording; if you want professional musicians who know their art well and can follow your lead if something unexpected happens, give them all the details of your ceremony and make them feel welcomed. In turn, they will help create lasting musical memories for you and your guests.
Thanks for reading!