Booking me

Hopefully, you will only ever have to book a wedding musician once! And you've probably never had to do it before. Anyone else you've asked about it probably doesn't really remember how they booked their wedding musician. But wedding musicians, of course, have been taking enquiries for years, at all times of the year. So who better to ask for advice on how to book one?

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Here are the four things to consider when booking your wedding musician(s):

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1. What music do you want?

Maybe you want solo organ music for your wedding. Or a guitarist and singer? Or maybe you want someone who can play piano and accompany some wedding guests who want to sing or play violin?

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Whatever you're looking for, check if the musician offers this package to narrow down your booking options. For ceremonies, I offer the following packages;

1. Solo organ music

2. Solo piano music

3. Piano and vocals

4. Piano and another instrument

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You may also want a different combination of instruments for the drinks reception, if you want to stick with the same musician for both. I offer:

1. Solo piano music

2. Piano and vocals

3. Piano and another instrument

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If their packages are not clear from their website, or Instagram bio, or wherever you're booking them from, you can always ask when you're sending out the enquiry. Bear in mind that solo music will usually be the least expensive. Anyone playing an instrument and singing will charge slightly more, and the fee for a second musician will be significantly higher (normally, a little under twice the price of a solo musician).

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2. What does the musician like to know?

This is the information I like to know whenever anyone is booking me. It's helpful to include as much of it as possible in the initial enquiry, and also ensures that you

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1. The date of the ceremony! (You'd think it goes without saying, but you might be surprised)

2. Where your ceremony is being held, and what type of ceremony it is. This will give the musician an idea of how far they'll have to travel, and how many songs they'll have to learn, both of which factor into the fee they quote. You might only need a musician to play before and after the ceremony, in which case you can inform them beforehand.

3. If you want him/her to play with a guest. This means the musician will have to get in touch with the guest beforehand to make sure they're playing the same version of each song, and that they're in the same key. It's usually only necessary to rehearse about an hour before the ceremony, but if you want the musician to rehearse with your performers on an earlier date, this will incur a higher fee. 

4. How long they are required to play at the reception (if you're booking them for the reception). Once again, this will, of course, influence the fee.

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3. What questions should I ask the musician?

The following questions are useful to ask before booking your musician:

1. How is payment arranged? Do you need to pay a deposit? Do they use Revolut? Do they take cash on the day?

2. Do they take requests for ceremony pieces that aren't on their set list? The majority of musicians will take requests, especially if they're given them far enough in advance.

3. Do they play with other musicians? You might find a solo guitarist who sounds amazing, but you'd love a violinist to play with them and you don't see any videos or any indication that they offer a duo package. You can ask! They might never have been asked for this combination before and so they don't offer it on their website, but they can probably find a violinist to collaborate with for your wedding.

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4. What else do I need to do before the wedding day?

The main thing you'll need to do is select your wedding repertoire around a month in advance. Most wedding Masses follow the same structure, and the priest will inform you of what parts of the ceremony require music. The musician should have a website with a list of songs that you can choose from; I have a selection of songs for each part of the wedding Mass that you can view at the following link: https://www.andrewhardingmusic.com/wedding

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If you're struggling to choose music because you're not sure what's appropriate, you should contact the musician - they're there to help. Most musicians are happy to take one or two requests for each ceremony that aren't on their list, especially if they get them well in advance.

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Drinks reception music is much easier to sort - just let the musician know what style of music you're looking for and they'll take it from there.