Adding a Vocalist to Your Wedding Ensemble

So you have a cousin or best friend who is a singer, and you want them to sing at your wedding? Should you have the string quartet or brass ensemble accompany them?

NO! Ouch! The amount of times I have seen this done and seen it fail is astounding! First of all, there is little, if any, practice time. Brides usually will not pay extra for a rehearsal with the soloist and ensemble, and they resort to getting together a few minutes before the ceremony. Secondly, without PA monitors for the vocalist, it is hard for her/him to accurately hear the ensemble and know if he/she if singing in tune or in tempo with the ensemble. Thirdly, the ensemble cannot hear the vocalist over their own instruments unless they have a monitor as well. Adding monitors means hiring a sound person, which is an added expense, and may be very difficult or impossible if the ceremony is outdoors.

Finally, a string quartet, brass ensemble or any other small group simply is not the best choice as a back-up group! Leave it to a pianist, guitarist or a large orchestra...that is the way it was meant to be!

where to find musicians

Need to find musicians for your wedding? If you want quality and experience, don't go to the local high school or college and ask for recommendations. Students may come quite a bit cheaper, and they may play really well, but they simply haven't "been around the block" enough to know how to handle the many complications that commonly arise during wedding ceremonies. Just knowing how to end a piece early without sounding like a train wreck takes quite a bit of experience!

Best places to find musicians: popular websites like www.gigmasters.com, www.atlantabridal.com, and others that are focused on your area of the country are your best bet. Why? Because the musicians are paying a fee to be advertised, therefore you know they are serious about their business, and have an investment in wanting to play for you. Check out their website link from these larger sites and see what they look like. If you like what you see, contact them and inquire about pricing.