Classical Music For Weddings - for your Event

Live Music Booking Service for Your Party, Wedding or Event from - Midsummer Music - the music people


To see available Classical Music For Weddings
select your County or Location



About Classical Music For Weddings

The Classical Music For Wedding pages list ensembles that are available to perform in your area. They are probably the most versatile music group for Weddings and Banquets. To find out more about them, read on:

Classical music for weddings covers many of the top wedding ceremony songs as well as background music for wedding receptions. It also includes music and music groups suitable for anything from a dinner party to a corporate event, a military banquet to a charity fundraising event. There is a wide range of music groups who perform this style of music, each with its particular sound and merits. Some music groups might be more appropriate to a large expensive wedding, others would also be appropriate to a low costs budget wedding. There are music groups for all tastes and costs, so although our pages of live music groups for weddings have a price indications, it is best to send us an enquiry to get a more accurate indication. We may even be able to suggest some options that are better in terms of price or meeting your particular requirements.

String quartets and other smaller string trios and string duos are probably the most popular and versatile.  Wind quartets give a very different sound and are less unusual in the UK, though less so in the USA. There are vocal groups ranging from duos to small choirs. There are smaller combinations of just about every instrument and voice type. Then we go on to soloists, solo wedding pianists, classical and flamenco guitarists (who often offer guitar duos too). Harpists go in and out of fashion, and are on the ascent at the moment. Solo singers, such as sopranos and tenors. So all in all, there is plenty to choose from.wedding music ideas
Let us consider the many options you have for live music for weddings, including the cost of hiring a live band or ensemble.

As your guests arrive for the wedding ceremony itself

This is quite different depending on whether it is a church wedding, or a civil ceremony and can vary depending on the type of venue

Church Wedding

Church weddings vary dependent on denomination. Catholic weddings tend to last the longest, typically taking one and  a quarter hours of more and often requiring more pieces of music to be played. However, in most cases, guests will tend to begin arriving from half an hour before the ceremony itself. There is little worse than a large group of people sitting in uncomfortable silence, and this is the first point at which a live music group can make a major contribution.

Typically the string quartet or other ensemble will play for half an hour as guests arrive. They may stop while the vicar makes 'house keeping' announcements, but otherwise would play fairly continuously. There can be conflict if the bell ringers are also booked, depending on when they are ringing and how loud the bells are inside the church. This can vary a lot. Think about this before the wedding, and perhaps define when each should do their thing. It's no good leaving it to chance on the day. The ball ringers are in their tower and often have no idea that there is a string trio or duo performing. The string duo can be drowned out suddenly by the bells and has no idea whether they should continue playing as they are ringing for only a few moments, or whether they should give up trying to compete until they play for the entrance of the bride.

There is a wide range of wedding processional 'songs' that can be played for the entrance of the bride, bridesmaids. Some churches are very large and it can be difficult for the string quartet to know how much music they will need. They may never have been to the particular church before the day. It is up to the bride to rehearse the walk down the isle and time it, including bridesmaids. She must remembering herself how fast she walked, because if she panics on the day and sprints down the isle, or decides to do a dramatic entrance and walk at half speed, it can throw the musicians entirely. Remember, they may be put somewhere in the church where they can't really see well and may have to guess when the bride has reached position. Also, be aware that tiny tot bridesmaids may freeze with fear and have to be coaxed down the isle by the adult bridesmaids, so account for this in your timings and tell the music group your timings well ahead of your wedding day.

The signing of the register is another opportunity for music, where it plays a very important part. Always discuss and agree at least two pieces of music with the live music gropu for this. They might only need one piece, but the time to sign the register can vary church to church and can be adversely affected by some photographers. Make sure that the musicians are placed somewhere where they can see when you have finished signing and the music needs to stop. This is particularly important for string trios or string quartets that, because of the space they take up can be relegated to the back of the church. Get an usher placed to tell the musicians when to stop if this is necessary. Most vicars are well used to co-ordinating with musicians, but it is best for you on such an important day, to leave nothing to chance.

Recessional music songs tend to be very positive pieces of music, not only because this is a triumphal moment, but because wedding guests tend to get noisy at this point and the music still needs to be heard. Leave the wafty romantic pieces of Delius and the like for the signing of the register, where they are most appropriate.

If the wedding musicians are also playing at your reception, it is important that they can escape from the church and get on their way. You don't want them to be blocked in by your guests queuing at the church door, or blocking the entrance for photographs. If this happens, your string quartet won't be at the reception venue in time to play for your arrival, which would be a pity. Before your wedding day you need to arrange with the vicar or whoever is in charge of opening the church on the day, for them to open another exit that you and your guests will not be using. Churches always have more than one exit, even if it means going through the vestry. Task one of your ushers with showing the string trio or other music group, where the exit is as soon as they arrive and before they start playing. In this way you will get the best value from your investment.

Other religious ceremonies have their own traditions that the music must fit in with, such as the stamping on the glass in the Jewish tradition.

Civil Ceremony and Civil Partnership

Civil ceremonies and partnerships are usually (but not always!) easier to orchestrate. The ceremony and drinks reception are in the same building. Guests are usually ushered in 10 minutes or so before the ceremony begins (you still need music from the harpists or string quartet, but usually for less time), and with the isle usually being shorter, there is less music needed as you make your entrance. I did say, not always. Some venues have magnificent stairways which the bride, dozens of bridesmaids, the brides mother even, descends, so in such cases a lot of music will be needed and the musicians must be warned about this before the day.

All kinds of venues are licensed for marriage these days, from forts in the middle of the sea to railway carriages, from historic ships to agricultural barns. Each has  their own 'challenges' for musicians, so make sure you make it clear to them before the date all the difficulties they may encounter. They will arrive on the day and have to give a perfect musical performance of your favourite wedding songs, and although they will be experts at this and have played at many weddings, so give them tall the help you can. (Some people ask the musicians to go to the venue before hand. They could, but they would charge you the same to travel there for the visit as they would for their performance at your wedding, so it is not a realistic - nor necessary option.)

Often the same musicians will play at the drinks reception and even during the wedding breakfast, but that is something that is covered elsewhere on our website.

Resources

Here are some interesting resource pages about string quartets:

| What is a string quartet |
| Listening to string quartet music  |
| The style of playing a string quartet |
| The string quartet musician |
| The voices of the string quartet |
| The layout of the string quartet |

Other types of music

All Female String QuartetsEnglish Barn Dance BandsNew Year Party Bands
American Barn Dance BandsFolk Solos And DuosParty Bands
Barn Dance BandsFunction BandsPop Bands
Ceili and Barn DancesHarpsScottish Ceilidh Bands
Ceilidh BandsHire Local Live BandsString Quartets
Ceremony Music For WeddingsIrish Ceilidh BandsWedding Ceremony Songs
Classical DuosJazz BandsWedding Entertainers
Classical GuitaristsJazz DuosWedding Music Bands
Classical PianistsJazz GuitaristsWedding Songs
Classical SingersJazz PianistsWedding String Quartets
Classical Solos Duos And TriosJazz QuartetsWind Ensembles
Covers BandsJazz Solos And Duos
Covid or Lockdown MusiciansJazz Trios

Locations where our musicians play:

Classical Music For Weddings: AldridgeClassical Music For Weddings: HerefordshireClassical Music For Weddings: Staffordshire
Classical Music For Weddings: BedfordshireClassical Music For Weddings: HertfordshireClassical Music For Weddings: Suffolk
Classical Music For Weddings: BerkshireClassical Music For Weddings: HuntingdonshireClassical Music For Weddings: Surrey
Classical Music For Weddings: BerwickshireClassical Music For Weddings: KentClassical Music For Weddings: Sussex
Classical Music For Weddings: BuckinghamshireClassical Music For Weddings: LancashireClassical Music For Weddings: the East Midlands
Classical Music For Weddings: CambridgeshireClassical Music For Weddings: LeicestershireClassical Music For Weddings: the East of England
Classical Music For Weddings: Central ScotlandClassical Music For Weddings: LincolnshireClassical Music For Weddings: the North East
Classical Music For Weddings: Central WalesClassical Music For Weddings: LondonClassical Music For Weddings: the North West
Classical Music For Weddings: CheshireClassical Music For Weddings: Mid WalesClassical Music For Weddings: the Scottish Borders
Classical Music For Weddings: CornwallClassical Music For Weddings: NorfolkClassical Music For Weddings: the Scottish Highlands
Classical Music For Weddings: County DurhamClassical Music For Weddings: North WalesClassical Music For Weddings: the South East
Classical Music For Weddings: CumbriaClassical Music For Weddings: NorthamptonshireClassical Music For Weddings: the South West
Classical Music For Weddings: DerbyshireClassical Music For Weddings: NorthumberlandClassical Music For Weddings: the West Midlands
Classical Music For Weddings: DevonClassical Music For Weddings: NottinghamshireClassical Music For Weddings: Wales
Classical Music For Weddings: DorsetClassical Music For Weddings: OxfordshireClassical Music For Weddings: Warwickshire
Classical Music For Weddings: EnglandClassical Music For Weddings: ScotlandClassical Music For Weddings: Wiltshire
Classical Music For Weddings: EssexClassical Music For Weddings: ShropshireClassical Music For Weddings: Worcestershire
Classical Music For Weddings: GloucestershireClassical Music For Weddings: SomersetClassical Music For Weddings: Yorkshire
Classical Music For Weddings: HampshireClassical Music For Weddings: South WalesClassical Music For Weddings: Yorkshire and the Humber