Christopher Rude

If you don’t know much about classical music, it can be a challenge choosing a musician or an ensemble.  The best place to start is to learn about the musician's background and education.  If the musician is classically trained, or holds a degree in music, you’re on the right track.  This doesn’t mean that self-taught musicians are no good, but degreed musicians are thoroughly proven, and that’s the difference.  After all, would you hire an accountant or a dentist with no degree?  Don’t be afraid to ask potential vendors for recordings, testimonials and/or references as evidence of their success in the field, because anyone can place an ad or throw together a website, but that is not necessarily proof of quality. 

The most common mistake?  Hiring a student musician.  A student may already be a good musician, but musicality is only one necessary element.  You don't want to spend your wedding day wondering if and when the student will show up, or whether they're prepared.  Professionals rely on testimonials, and that makes them predictable and reliable.

Like most brides, you probably want to save a little money wherever you can, but ceremony music is no place to cut corners!  For better or for worse, the music at your ceremony will set the tone and mood for the whole event.  A professional musician might take a bite out of your budget, but gambling on an amateur could ruin your ceremony.  Be prepared to pay between $250 and $600 for a professional soloist and about 75% more for each additional musician in an ensemble.  That may sound like a lot, but keep in mind that some of a vendor's fee goes toward overhead costs like travel, equipment, maintenance, insurance, advertising, administrative costs and self-employment tax.

The most common mistake?  "Guesstimating" music costs when making the budget.  Gather pricing and information early in the planning process because the music may be more expensive than you thought!

According to a recent survey done by Eventective.com, 60% of all vendor bookings are made at least 7 months in advance, with 72% booked by 4 months out.  Musicians should be booked between six and twelve months in advance.  This leaves ample time for planning, consultations, adjustments, special requests, contracts, payments, rehearsals, etc.  Moreover, if you wait much longer than that, your choices will become very limited, and you may not be able to get the music you want.

The most common mistake?  Starting the search too late.  As you probably already know, the best vendors book up the fastest.  Wait too long and you could end up hiring a CD player!

Standard choices for processionals include Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" and “Air on G;” Pachelbel's "Canon;” Purcell’s “Trumpet Voluntary;” and Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus.”  All of these pieces make great processionals, but the classical genre is vast, and the musician you hire should be able to make alternative suggestions.  The soloist or ensemble you hire will have a unique take on each piece, so ask for recordings or demonstrations.

The most common mistake?  Choosing music that is too long for the processional which can create an awkward arrival at the altar.

Generally speaking, you will need prelude music as the guests arrive for 15-25 minutes before the ceremony.  This usually leads into 2 or three processionals that announce and accompany the procession of special guests and attendants.  The bride usually has her own processional which cues the audience to stand and accompanies her advance toward the altar. 

Solos are optional, and are done in several ways:  Sometimes, the soloist performs alone, while other times, the soloist accompanies another part of the ceremony such as a reading, a poem or a unification ceremony like lighting the unity candle or the sand ceremony. 

After the pronouncement of marriage, there is a recessional for the couple, which usually continues until the entire wedding party has left.  At this point, depending on the chosen method of excusing the guests, postlude music is often played to help smooth the transition.  This usually lasts no more than 5 or 10 minutes, unless the musician has been paid to play for an extended period while the bride and groom excuse guests, row-by-row.