When I decided to re-launch our blog this summer, I wrestled with a few different topics… The “Whys” of having live music on a wedding day kept coming back to me as a starting point. To every couple and family who has ever trusted us with the music for your biggest moments, thank you! So… really… Why Have Live Music On Your Wedding Day?

1. Flexibility! Ever seen a flower girl take off for the back door when it’s time to walk down the aisle for a ceremony? We have! How about a veil that gets caught and you need a minute before things begin? Or maybe you’re only halfway down the aisle, but it would really “up” the drama if that chorus looped one more time? Pressing a start/stop button or a fade-out on a pre-recorded track might seem safe, but it ultimately limits what’s possible – we respond in the moment and can loop, tag, cut, and fade as needed. Basically, live musicians for your ceremony music create possibility for not only beauty and nuance, but even problem-solving with unexpected timing needs!

I take it as a serious challenge to really make the moment’s music fit perfectly, and it’s one reason you’ll often see me (or another ensemble leader) standing to get a better vantage point as the bride walks down the aisle! Relying on trained professional musicians who know when and how to start and end a musical moment is key to adding the right amount of drama, beauty, and meaning to the moment!

2. Beauty! Clichés exist for a reason, and it really is true: there is absolutely nothing quite like live music. For most people, a reason to hire live music comes along just a handful of times in life at the most, and a wedding day is certainly one of those. We love the chance to surprise guests with a previously unheard piece of classical music as they wait for the ceremony to begin, or a creative cover of the most popular songs streaming right now. And when we sit down to plan our performance calendar, I’m laser-focused on who we bring for each event: with some of the most highly trained classical musicians in Cleveland on our roster, I’m mindful of each player’s skill set and strength. As a group, we regularly have ensemble rehearsals and even “workshops” among certain instrumentalists to coach each other on the many styles we perform, from pop and jazz to Irish fiddle, classical, etc.

3. Creativity! Yes, we get a lot of Spotify playlists sent over from clients as inspo, or maybe an Insta or TikTok clip as reference, but ultimately, the *way* we perform your songs is going to be one-of-a-kind. As an ensemble, we are known for avoiding cookie-cutter arrangements of songs unless it’s specifically requested: we tend to work most from the score or a leadsheet (in musical terms, this gives a lot of flexibility – and it’s one reason we have so many possibilities with instrumentation: adding guitar, upright bass, or another less common instrument to our ensemble is possible).

Once again, if you’ve trusted us with live music on your biggest days, thank you. If you’re on the fence about bringing in musicians, feel free to reach out and we can chat! It’s a total privilege and joy to be a part of such beautiful moments in the life of each love story... Now, off to prep for another big weekend of weddings in Cleveland!

Three (Of Our Favorite) Reasons To Choose Live Music For Your Wedding Day