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Classical Music for All Occasions

Wedding Ceremony Music & Wedding Reception Music Guide to Hiring Live Musicians
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Visit our home site Find Musicians, Audio and more ... newenglandmusicians.com	Concertizing professional musicians providing classical wedding ceremony music, wedding cocktail music & wedding reception music for Massachusetts, MA, New Hampshire, NH Wedding Music, Wedding Music Maine, ME, Rhode Island, RI, Connecticut, CT and Vermont, VT, Cape Cod Wedding Music. Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello, Trumpet, Harp, Guitar, Piano and more. Available in a variety of combinations, most regularly in the form of a duo, trio or quartet. We are not only limited to wedding ceremonies and wedding receptions, but are also available for corporate functions, parties, balls, reunions, funerals or for an elegant evening dinner party.

	Wedding Ceremony and Reception Music Guide Choosing the music and ensemble for your event can seem a daunting task. The use of music during the wedding ceremony is of critical importance and plays a crucial role in creating the setting and mood which you will treasure in your in your heart and memories. Reputable professional musicians with strong credentials and a wealth of talent can be difficult to find. A great way to start is by asking questions. Contact the musicians who offer wedding ceremony music and wedding reception music directly by phone if possible, or by email if necessary. Have some basic information at-hand and some questions ready for your conversation. 1) Availability - When inquiring about availability, have ready your specific date and time frame. Requesting a quote before you have chosen a specific date and time frame for your event is irrelevant, even if you just want to get a rough idea of the cost it is not advisable. The quotes and ensemble options can only be explored when an actual date and time can be checked by the musicians and their bookings. 2) Holding/Reserving Dates - Dates are reserved for those who contract the players first. Requesting quotes, discussing details, etc. will not reserve your date and time frame. If you know you definitely want to move forward with a particular group, do not delay in contracting them. The contracting process can take about a week to solidify, due to waiting on the reciprocal mailing process (Snail Mail). 3) Hiring Duration - Have in mind the hiring length needed. If you are hiring music only for the wedding ceremony, keep in mind you will most likely need a minimum of 15 minutes of Prelude wedding music to set an appropriate and joyfully elegant mood for the start of the wedding ceremony. In addition to the Processional wedding music, take into account the duration of the wedding ceremony itself including all readings, possible Mid-Ceremony music, Recessional wedding music as well as Postlude wedding music. Often proceedings run slightly longer than expected. We highly recommend hiring for a little extra time to provide a buffer in the case of a delayed start or a longer than planned ceremony. We have witnessed many brides/grooms that worked very hard to ensure a timely flow to the wedding proceedings only to have a very late start due to unforeseen circumstances. Very often, for the musicians, it is not just a simple matter of extending into overtime. Usually the players will have several other engagements lined up on the same day, demanding punctuality. Therefore, hiring for and reserving an extra 15 minutes is a wise move and will provide you with "peace of mind", even in the event of a delayed start. The difference in cost is minimal and well worth it! 4) In-Person vs. Phone/Email - Requesting a direct in-person interview is unnecessary. All the questions and concerns you may have can easily be handled via telephone or email, if you are so inclined. The other wedding guides may encourage the meeting of musicians in-person, which shows a lack of experience in dealing with professionals. Agencies may grant or offer interviews upon request, but the interview will be with the agent, not the actual players. Unlike large businesses and some agencies, the musicians do not have store fronts available to host an interview. The artists work directly from their private residences and should not be expected to grant client interviews in their own homes. The time factor is the biggest reason professional musicians are unwilling to grant free interviews. "Time is Money" and if you are pursuing meeting the musician, you should be prepared to pay them for their time and advice. If the musician were to grant personal interviews, that would place an enormous burden on the artist and at their own expense. The amount of inquiries ranges into the hundreds per year rendering face-to-face meetings unrealistic. 5) Quotes/Fees - The quoted fee should be the total up front fee devoid of hidden additional charges such as mandatory tipping. It should be expected that any overtime playing will be charged at the agreed rate mentioned in the contract, and is not covered by the quoted fee.This is true even in the event of a delayed start to the proceedings. Hiring for the first hour will always be at the higher rate. The fee will cover playing, travel, contracting and materials (if needed). Additional hours will be at a significantly lower rate, covering only additional playing time. Therefore it is wise to hire for at least one additional hour, to provide music for "Cocktail Hour" (for example). 6) "You get what you pay for!" - When collecting quotes from various musicians/ensembles, you will encounter a range of prices. What may not be evident is the level of the musicians behind the quotes. Generally wedding musicians fall into three categories: Student, Amateur, and Professional. Student - This includes undergraduate music students from various conservatories/colleges. Student musicians may offer the lowest price but there are some considerable disadvantages. You may encounter a wide and unpredictable range of abilities, even at a conservatory. Many students may lack experience performing for weddings and may struggle with the logistics of timing, cues and proper etiquette. Amateur - Amateur musicians can be difficult to recognize. It cannot be assumed that all wedding musicians advertising are professional musicians. They may play weddings as a hobby and additional source of income to their everyday non-musical job. Just because they advertise extensively, does not mean they are professional players...you may have to dig deeper. Professional - These players are full-time musicians leading careers in solo, orchestral and chamber music performance as well as playing weddings and other services. These musicians can provide biographies with impressive advanced degrees and have extensive concert and wedding event experience. Additionally, they can give expert advice as to what music and combination of instruments would be appropriate for what setting or mood. 7) Hiring Musicians Directly vs. Agency - (.. QUOTE ..) "...But I would feel better knowing it was a company handling this, rather than some individual." Could this be a concern of yours? Did you know that many agencies that present a strong company-like presence, are in fact, an individual. This by no means makes them cheats or un-trustworthy, rather they are promoters (sales people) of others talents. Many agents are not professional musicians and cannot give you the best advice. Today, they are an unnecessary third party who will charge you for their services rendered. Their fee is usually hidden in the rendered quote and differs from agency to agency. The amount of money that actually reaches the musician, is unknown or unclear to the client and is usually sub-standard and unfair. In the years prior to the internet, many clients relied on agencies to connect them with potential musicians for their wedding events. The musicians were unable to advertise extensively like the agencies, due to the enormous expense of those ads ... since the advent of the internet, those days are drawing to an end. You now have the incredible ability to shop and compare various ensembles anywhere in the world from home and actually get to talk with the artists directly as never before! No one cares more about the success of the music at your event, than the musicians who are playing it and representing themselves to all who hear! 8) Instrument Combinations - Knowing how many musicians to hire and which combination of instruments would sound best together can be difficult. The musicians should be willing and able to discuss your needs and provide some ensemble options for you to choose from. It is not necessarily true that more players means more sound or vice-versa. Different instruments have very different characteristics in terms of volume, brilliance and tone color (all of which play a role in the perception of their loudness). The musicians will be able to recommend an appropriate ensemble for your situation. Keep in mind that some instrument combinations are not the best choice in terms of rendering a balanced and highly polished overall sound. For example, when mixing a trumpet and harp into a duo, the brilliant projection and power of the trumpet will far overpower the natural acoustical sounds of the harp. Even if you were to substitute the harp with a more powerful instrument or try to balance the volume levels, the issue of limited repertoire may still remain to be a concern. The recommended ensembles listed to the right are the most flexible in terms of repertoire choices and volume control. Whether the event venue requires a full bodied sound or a more subtle background enhancement, these combinations have it covered beautifully and dramatically! 9) Instrument Concerns - We have already touched upon the issue of volume, but other factors should be considered when looking to book wedding musicians for your wedding ceremony or wedding reception. Issues such as having the wedding ceremony music outdoors vs. indoors. Weather conditions are of paramount importance to the musicians. The instruments they are playing on are extremely valuable and delicate. Moisture and temperature are the two most destructive factors. If you are planning an outdoor wedding, you need to provide a shaded/sheltered area for the musicians. Direct sunlight can permanently damage the varnish of wooden instruments as can moisture droplets from fog, mist and rain. 10) Outdoor vs. Indoor - New England is rich with incredible locations to choose from and as a result, many Brides and Grooms pursue outdoor venues. When having an outdoor wedding, it is an absolute necessity to have an alternate indoor location ready in the case of inclement weather. Brides/Grooms must stay open to the possibility that the weather conditions at the outdoor location may not be acceptable. Since making a decision will have a impact on all involved, it is advisable to have a reliable plan ready to go. For example, having a specified time/deadline as to when the indoor/outdoor decision will be made, is a good idea. In the event of questionable weather, you may even want to have a call-in phone # with a pre-recorded message available. That way, anyone involved in the wedding could call to check on the decision made without bothering anyone. This technique may prove to be very valuable if the indoor venue is not very near the outdoor setting. 11) Making the Choice - Ensemble shopping is a bit different than everyday shopping. Modern day brides and grooms have noticed the world of difference a wonderfully performed piece of music can have in creating a joyfully elegant atmosphere. The only difficult part is choosing which musicians to hire. The budget is usually the major factor in ultimately determining what goes forward and what is rejected in the planning. Although, when it comes to having live wedding music and wedding musicians, looking for the lowest price will not necessarily render the best possible outcome. After the ensemble research has been done and the quotes have been collected, make your decision based on quality, not price. This once in a lifetime event will remain in the hearts and minds of the Bride and Groom throughout their lifetime. You should feel you chose the highest quality you budget could allow, even if that means hiring a trio instead of a quartet to aid the budget. 12) Booking - It is always advisable to book the musicians earlier rather than later, availability being the #1 reason. If you know that you intend to hire the players and they are available at the time you inquire about them, you should initiate the contracting process as soon as possible in order to reserve your specific date and time with them. Dedicated professional musicians will only reserve the date and time when the contracting process has been completed. Relying on a phone conversation for the reservation of your wedding ceremony/reception date and time are unreliable and not advisable. The agreement should be in writing with signatures of validation by both parties involved.
Wedding Guide Jump Menu Availability Holding/Reserving Dates Hiring Duration In-Person vs. Phone/Email Quotes/Fees “ You get what you pay for!” Hiring Musicians Directly vs. Agency Instrument Combinations Instrument Concerns Outdoor vs. Indoor Making the Choice Booking

Term Definitions Prelude - refers to the music played prior to the start of the wedding ceremony. Processional - refers to the music played during the entrance of the bridal party including the Mothers, Bridesmaids, Flower Girl, Ring Bearer and Bride. Mid-Ceremony - music played for the Unity Candle, Communion, Readings, Musical Interludes etc. Recessional - refers to the exit music for the entire bridal party. Postlude - refers to all wedding music played following the recessional, while guests are exiting.		Hiring Duration Recommendations Wedding ceremonies estimated to run 30 minutes or less should hire for 1 hour. Wedding ceremonies estimated to run 30 - 45 minutes should hire for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Wedding ceremonies estimated to run 45 - 60 minutes should hire for 1 hour and 30 minutes at least.


Checklist Qualifications - schooling and degrees Experience - professional orchestras, weddings etc. Direct Contact - free phone and email consultation References Helpful & Knowledgeable Audio Examples - online examples or demo CD
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		Instrument Combination Recommendations Evenly balanced sound with the ability for greater projection than a strings only ensemble Flute Trio or Flute Quartet has great flexibility and a greater variety of tone colors ranging from warm to brilliant. The flute trio utilizes flute, violin & cello. The flute quartet consists of flute, violin, viola & cello. Evenly blended sound String Trio or String Quartet has a very warm homogenous sound.The string trio has violin, viola & cello.The string quartet consists of 2 violins, viola & cello.