The music you choose for your wedding is a reflection of yourself. It will

set the scene, create the atmosphere, and highlight the joy and solemnity of the

day, and remain in your memories forever. Not only is the style of music you

choose important, but also the instruments you choose and musicians you select!

Finding the right fit of all three factors may seem like a daunting task.

When selecting musicians, the first thing you will need to consider if what

instrumentation is right for you. You will need to think about the size of the

room where your ceremony will take place, how many people will be attending, as

well as what your venue will allow (some churches require that you use their

musicians while others will not allow any non-sacred music to be played). The

musicians should be willing and able to discuss your needs and provide some

ensemble options for you to choose from.

Start calling musicians as soon as possible after you've decided on the type

of music. Musicians who play for weddings are booked 12-18 months in advance and

may not be available for your date and time if you wait to call. When you call a

musician, have your date, time and place ready for them. They will also want to

know if you plan on having your ceremony indoors or outdoors. If your ceremony

will be outdoors, you will need to verify that the musicians will agree to play

outdoors. Some musicians choose not to perform outdoors, or to charge an

additional fee due to the ware and tear on their instrument from the elements.

When you are gathering price quotes, be sure to confirm with the musician that

there are no hidden fees in addition to the price they are quoting you.

Once you've gathered all the information you need, make an educated decision

on who to hire. A good rule to go by is figuring out what is in your budget for

music and hiring the highest quality musician you can for that amount even if it

means possibly cutting back the length of time they will be playing. This is a

once in a lifetime event that will remain in your heart and mind throughout your

lifetime, you should feel you chose the highest quality your budget could allow.

Beware that the level of a musician is not evident by their price quote, you may

want to ask what experience they have and if they could provide any references.

After you've made your decision, be sure to call this musician back

immediately as they receive many inquiries and may not be available for your

date if you wait to call and reserve their services. Most musicians will only

reserve the date and time when a contract and deposit has been received. Relying

on a phone conversation is not a safe route and I highly discourage anyone from

taking someone's "word" as reliable. Your agreement should be in writing and

include all the details necessary for the music at your event.

Closer to your wedding date, you should get in contact with your musicians to

confirm all of the details and ask any remaining questions. Be sure to clarify

any payment issues so that you do not have to worry about such things on your

big day. Music compromises approximately 70% of the average wedding ceremony. Be

sure that you put as much effort into finding the right music for your wedding

as finding the right dress or flowers.