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String quartets

18 replies

TommyShelby · 04/12/2021 23:05

I’m looking for music for my ceremony and wedding breakfast and am keen on the idea of a string quartet. Does anyone have any advice to the costs of this? I don’t know if it’s complete pie in the sky and if I should direct my funds elsewhere. If you had a quartet/trio what did you pay for this?

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Frazzled2207 · 04/12/2021 23:08

I had one. At the very minimum I would say expect to pay around £200 - you might be lucky with some music college students where you live - but quite possibly a fair bit more than that especially if they need to travel.

A solo player for obvious reasons is a lot cheaper. A mobile digital pianist for example. You’d probably get one of those for £100-150.

TommyShelby · 05/12/2021 00:08

@Frazzled2207 - thanks so much for coming back to me - I’m completely blind as to how much things should cost when it comes to weddings! Would you say the string quartet really added to the atmosphere of your day?

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Bonnealle · 05/12/2021 00:26

How long would you like them to play for? What would be your favourite pieces for them to play?

Double3xposure · 05/12/2021 00:27

We spent quite a lot on live music at our wedding. We had a trumpeter (and organist of course ) at the church, a string quartet during the drinks reception and meal and a ceilidh band at night.

And yes I think it added greatly to the atmosphere of the day and I don’t regret the extra cost. We economised on other things to allow us to do so.

We spent more than average on the venues ( atmospheric but convenient for guests ) , food, drink and entertainment.

We spent less than average on wedding party outfits, cars, photographs, best man / bridesmaids, cake , favours, hen/ stag do, decorations and the honeymoon.

It was important to us that our guests had a good time. IME guests don’t care if the brides dress is £200 or £2000 or about the brand of her shoes or underwear.

Kite22 · 05/12/2021 00:41

Obviously it does depend how long you want them to play (and how remote the venue is, or how far from where they are based, but I can't imaging you would get a quartet for £200 as suggested above.
I know someone who sometimes gets asked to play at weddings. She is a soloist, and gets £300 - £400 for a wedding generally.

There are agencies that book people for weddings - you could do a bit of an internet search for one near you and then you are speaking to an agency so not in that awkward situation of asking about prices and then looking agao when they tell you Wink

Laufeythejust · 05/12/2021 00:45

I’m in the northwest and thought a quartet would be lovely but nearly fell through the floor at the price I think I was quoted around £2000 for a couple of hours. I’ve got a harpist booked for half the day instead for £500.

londonmummy1966 · 05/12/2021 00:51

You should budget for somewhere in the region of £125 - 150 per player as a minimum - good players will be double or more. Unless you have a very musical family/friends with particular quartets in mind you could look at fewer musicians - a trio or duo. A solo harpist is another option - although as an individual they are usually more expensive even a top player is likely to be less than a quartet.

TommyShelby · 05/12/2021 00:57

I would be looking for Them to play at the ceremony and during the wedding breakfast. Was hoping I could get someone to play the intermezzo from cavalleria rusticana for my entrance music. After that I’m open to suggestions

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CMeredithC · 05/12/2021 01:14

As a professional musician who also did weddings in my student days and have many colleagues who do this for a living now... I must say, any quartet charging you £200 for a wedding (in 2021) is either one of extremely bad quality, or they are massively undercharging everyone else in the area, and therefore making it impossible for others musicians to earn a decent living. Please don't hire such 'musicians'.

Ceremony + wedding breakfast - I would say £800-1000 is the very minimum they should charge.

You are paying for:

Being there and actively working for 2/3 hours
Set up and pack up - they will most likely need to get there 1h before guests start arriving, so that's another 1-2 hours of their time.
Transport to the venue/s
Preparing what they're going to play. People often brush this off but they will need to meet up once and rehearse - or at least read through - what you've asked them to play. If it's a new item not on their usual rep list, someone will have to sit down for a few hours and find the music, arrange it for the ensemble, send it to the others, who will then need to learn it.
Plus all the hours one of them will spend emailing or calling you, and going back and forth between rep options, dress code, timings, etc. Yes this takes hours, never have I met a couple who managed to decide all the above in 30 minutes and one swift phone call Grin

You're paying for 4 people to be available for half a day, and a good chunk of the week leading up to the wedding.

Most ensembles and musicians will have a base fee for the shortest amount of time (ceremony only), which will seem high to begin with, but it doesn't exponentially grow if you book them for more hours.

As a soloist I used to charge £300 for ceremony only, but only £400-450 for ceremony + 2h at reception. So £150 for the first couple of hours, and only £50-75 per hour after that.

It basically depends on how long and what you want them to play, the location of the venue and distance from where they're based.

TommyShelby · 05/12/2021 01:16

Ok, cool - at least I now have an idea of the ballpark where I didn’t before! Thanks all 🙂

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CMeredithC · 05/12/2021 01:18

@TommyShelby

I would be looking for Them to play at the ceremony and during the wedding breakfast. Was hoping I could get someone to play the intermezzo from cavalleria rusticana for my entrance music. After that I’m open to suggestions
The best thing to do is book a consultation with them, they do weddings week in week out so will know what to suggest, and will offer many different options based on your preference. More classical, pop, musicals, Disney... each couple goes their own way when it comes to music.

They would basically help you put together the pieces you want to have in the ceremony, and will then provide 'standard' background music for the reception, from the style/s you have chosen.

Some quartets/solo players will say 'no, we have a set list and can't offer anything else'. Shop around, chances are other ensembles will offer more flexibility and be open to explore your preferred options with you.

SageRosemary · 05/12/2021 01:26

Well, I got married at the end of the last century, would have been happy to just have us and our parents but DH wanted the whole shebang and talked me into it! I had a pre-loved dress, bargain basement shoes and minimal flowers, a very affordable photographer and no video recording - but we did do everything to make the day enjoyable for our guests.

So yes, we had a string quartet at the church, I didn't want the Bridal March so they played The Arrival of The Queen of Sheba (morto Blush) and many other beautiful pieces. DH also arranged for a tenor he knew and a pianist to do some other pieces.

The string quartet also came to the hotel venue and played for about 90 minutes or so whilst the guests were enjoying mulled wine and canapés.

After dinner and speeches we had a super Wedding Band, the dance floor was full all night, they finished up around 1am and then we had a DJ for an hour. Then there was a sing-song and a couple of our guests brought guitars and did Take That covers and there were some ballads and rat pack covers too.

We did get loads of compliments on the music (and the food), and yes, it was an extravagance but it was employment for a day for 11 local musicians and it was brilliant fun. Glad to spend it on that rather than fancy flowers or favours or fireworks or a crazy balloon arch or message in a bottle invitations.

Kite22 · 05/12/2021 16:19

Very well explained @CMeredithC

I think people often forget this about people that are self employed...they only think about the hour or 3 that they see them, not all the work that has gone into getting them to that point.

Not people on this thread, I hasten to add Smile but you do see it a lot when people ask about anyone from builders to tutors for their dc.

TommyShelby · 05/12/2021 18:41

@Kite22 no I understand that too Kite - I have a quilting business as a side hustle. Because people just see the end result they think I overcharge for my quilts. What they’ve not seen is all the hours it takes to learn how to do it and then the hours to make the quilts on top! Plus materials! So I fully appreciate the value of a musicians skill - I just had absolutely no frame of reference for it (only being a pretty pants clarinet player myself Grin)

Turns out the quartet I was looking for charge £1200 for what I’d need and that feels like good value to me so I’ve jumped right in and gone for it!

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Double3xposure · 05/12/2021 19:48

Good decision @TommyShelby! Now we need to know your selection of music.

My thought is that the intermezzo is lovely but quite slow for a processional. But I’m far from being an expert .

TommyShelby · 05/12/2021 20:48

@Double3xposure music is also where I need help from the hive mind of mumsnet 😂

I’m pretty set on intermezzo as my music. It’s my favourite, it was my dads favourite and is really special to me. I don’t mind having to creep along if I have to!

Otherwise I’m open to suggestions! Me and my OH love film and classical music - he has suggested concerning hobbits from lotr and also Jupiter by holst.

What would you guys choose?

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booksandballet · 06/12/2021 07:58

[quote TommyShelby]@Double3xposure music is also where I need help from the hive mind of mumsnet 😂

I’m pretty set on intermezzo as my music. It’s my favourite, it was my dads favourite and is really special to me. I don’t mind having to creep along if I have to!

Otherwise I’m open to suggestions! Me and my OH love film and classical music - he has suggested concerning hobbits from lotr and also Jupiter by holst.

What would you guys choose?[/quote]
I've booked a solo cellist to play for my ceremony and last night I horrified my fiance by suggesting I might ask for Ride of the Valkyries as I come in. Grin

I actually think the intermezzo would work beautifully as a processional. It's slow, but it has definite 'flow'. Go with music that means something to you.

TommyShelby · 06/12/2021 10:26

@booksandballet I love the idea of ride of the valkyries! That’s tickled me that has Grin wedding dress and Viking helmet! That’s my look sorted 😂

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