Top Ceremony Musicians for Weddings to Book

Live music during the ceremony sets the tone of the moment and makes it unforgettable, lasting from the moment your guests walk in and are seated all the way through your recessional. From a string quartet that invokes classic luxury to a contemporary love song performed by a guitarist and vocalist to a beautiful piece performed by a keyboardist and acoustic guitar duo that’s completely and perfectly YOU, top ceremony musicians take weddings to the next level.

What Top Ceremony Musicians for Weddings Do Differently

Wondering what sets the best musicians apart from the rest? It’s more than just great musicianship. While we can’t stress enough how important it is to hire musicians that rock, there’s so much more that goes into choosing top ceremony musicians.

Top ceremony musicians know how to:

Work alongside your planner and venue team
Dress appropriately for your venue and event
Start your processional at the perfect time
Adapt to any unplanned pauses in your ceremony seamlessly
Quiet down while your celebrant or officiant is speaking so that guests hear every word
Provide an extraordinary, personalized, unforgettable moment as you walk down the aisle
Move through multiple genres, perhaps playing some classical songs while your guests are seated, epic movie music while your wedding party makes their entrance and an acoustic pop cover for your entrance, and making it sound like they belong together

Choose the Sound That Fits Your Celebration

The format of musicians that are right for you will depend on your ceremony format, the vibe and atmosphere you’re hoping to achieve, your venue’s acoustics, guest count and a few other details.

Duos, such as an acoustic guitar player and keyboardist or a talented guitar duo, provide a nice intimate sound that won’t take over an outdoor ceremony. String quartets are perfect for couples who want to invoke classic luxury during the ceremony. And, if there’s one song that defines your relationship, finding musicians to perform it can take your walk down the aisle to a whole other level.

String Quartet: Timeless, Grand, and Versatile

The quintessential pick for upscale wedding events, a String Quartet includes violins, viola, and cello that are sure to give your reception an upscale flair. Their sound carries well, too, so they’re a go-to ensemble for large, open areas like ballrooms, historic properties, country club lawns, and cathedrals.

While a String Quartet lends itself nicely to classical music, many ensembles offer contemporary renditions of everything from rock, pop, and R&B classics, to film scores to the latest love songs, creating an eclectic mix to help couples achieve the best of both worlds, a formal, classic-looking group with their favorite contemporary pieces.

A quartet like Emerald Electric Strings is a great option for ceremonies with 100+ guests, expansive, outdoor venues and black tie events. A quartet is also our recommendation if you’re thinking of carrying your ceremony ensemble into your cocktail hour to maintain that sophisticated, luxurious feeling throughout your celebration.

String Trio or Duo: Elegant With a More Intimate Feel

A string trio will provide a very similar experience to a quartet; it’s a smaller footprint and the sound is not quite as robust. Trios are a great option for more intimate weddings and smaller venues such as a home or garden. Violin and cello duos are a great option if you’re looking for the beauty of live strings without the footprint.

That said, smaller ensembles can be overwhelmed in expansive, windy, outdoor venues and/or cavernous spaces. Also, if your event is on the larger side, a trio or duo will need to have some sort of amplification and good placement throughout your venue. We’d be more than happy to help you figure out if your setup will have adequate sound without a quartet.

Piano and Vocalist: Personal, Romantic, and Emotionally Direct

A great vocalist and the right song will enhance any wedding, and when accompanied by piano, the lyrics really sing with emotional resonance. When you’ve got a world-class singer, songs you already love will sound incredible. The piano and vocalist combo is perfect for the entrance, unity ceremony or recessional.

The ceremony music should make an impact but not overshadow the event; piano and vocalist accomplishes that task beautifully. This combo lends itself particularly well to intimate spaces with great acoustics, luxury hotel venues and indoor ceremonies. You can achieve a similar affect at an outdoor ceremony by way of an electric keyboard and a great sound system as a substitution for the acoustic piano.

Acoustic Guitar and Vocalist: Warm, Modern, and Effortless

If you’re looking for a feel-good act that’ll provide a current, hip sound but doesn’t feel too casual, an acoustic guitar with a vocalist may be the right act for you. It’s the perfect accompaniment for indie, folk, and country songs or a stripped-back cover of a pop tune. The genre lends itself especially well to stylish and/or destination weddings: think coastal venues, private estates, vineyards, etc.

The best ceremony acts have impeccable vocal control, beautifully-crafted acoustic arrangements, and an intuitive sense of how to read the crowd. If your ceremony is outdoors, be sure to ask the act if they have the necessary sound equipment. A voice and guitar that are not amplified can easily get lost among chatty wedding guests, winds, or crashing waves on a beach.

Harp, Classical Guitar, or Specialty Ensembles: Distinctive and Memorable

When looking for something different and wanting to create an atmosphere that will be remembered, consider a harpist, classical guitarist or some other specialty act. These options can be wonderful choices, but are best complimented by the rest of the event. Don’t just hire a harpist because it’s unusual. The bright, romantic tones of a harp are beautiful in a garden or formal courtyard, or a luxury interior.

A classical guitarist offers a sophisticated, sunlit sound and is a perfect accompaniment to a destination-themed, Mediterranean, or Spanish-inspired wedding. Jazz trios, brass ensembles, cultural ensembles, and anything else outside the norm should be used to celebrate your heritage or personality, add to the beauty of the venue, or create a mood that sets the tone upon guest arrival.

Build a Ceremony Music Plan, Not Just a Generic Song List

Ceremony music isn’t just a special song or two, it’s what carries your guests from arrival all the way to the celebration. The best ceremony music should be thought of as moments, not playlists.

The 5 Ceremony Moments Your Music Needs to Cover

Prelude, as guests arrive and settle, 15-30 min of softer, flexible-volume music that fills the space and sets a welcoming tone. This is usually about 4-8 songs.
Wedding party processional. Play music with a confident, walkable tempo for the wedding party and family.
The wedding couple’s entrance. This is the moment guests realize “here they come.” This music is often brighter or more elevated than the processional music.
Unity moment / reading / signing. Choose a longer or more flexible piece that supports candle/lighting, sand, a reading, or a quiet pause. Timing can vary, meaning flexibility matters.
Recessional music is joyful and celebratory, and has a tempo the entire wedding party can exit to.

Choose the feeling of your entrance song first. Traditional? Tender? Upbeat? Cinematic? That vibe becomes your anchor and makes the rest of the ceremony music decisions dramatically easier.

Music should be emotionally paced. The processional builds anticipation. The recessional releases that energy. Even if you’re unsure about everything else, you need a lift between those moments. You don’t need a different song for every second, but big shifts deserve musical shifts.

Share with your musicians a short list of songs you love, and also the styles you would rather not hear. Many couples pick songs they love that don’t work in a live setting, whether it’s because the original has lyrics, is the wrong tempo, or simply isn’t practical for a processional. If this is the case you can use the song as an instrumental version, a shortened arrangement, or another track that carries the same feeling but performs beautifully live.

You’re not just hiring a bunch of musicians, you’re hiring years of wedding experience. Let them help you build a ceremony that flows, sounds cohesive, and actually works the way you want it to.

Questions Worth Asking Before You Book

10 Questions to Ask Before You Book a Ceremony Musician

Are you available on my date? How do you hold a date? Do you require a deposit?
Will you be the musicians performing at our wedding that we hear in the sample tracks/videos?
What kind of experience do you have playing at weddings?
Do you offer to play during cocktail hour? Would this be part of a package or quoted separately?
What is your policy regarding outdoor performances (heat, wind, rain)?
Will you be playing acoustically or will you need to amplify? What are your equipment/space/power needs? What provisions does the musician(s) need from us (shade, chair(s), a level surface on which to set up, water bottles, time to load-in, etc.)?
Do you accommodate learning/arranging new pieces? Is there an additional cost for custom arrangements?
What happens if the ceremony runs longer/shorter than expected? How do you coordinate with us to accommodate the changes?
How much does it cost? What is included in the cost and what may be charged additionally, such as travel costs, overtime, deposit, etc.?
Do you regularly perform at weddings, Do you have a lot of wedding experience?

How much experience do they have performing at weddings? Knowing this will help you understand how flexible they are to work with and how they’re going to respond to unexpected changes, such as running behind schedule.

What is included in their setup? Is amplification available?
Are they planning to speak with our planner/officiant/venue?

For outdoor ceremonies: How are they planning to manage the elements? Have they considered rain, wind, heat, power sources?

Is the song for my partner’s entrance possible? Some acts will happily create a custom arrangement of a song if they’re given enough notice, while other acts perform a preset list of songs. Neither scenario is better or worse, it’s a question of figuring out what kind of act will mesh well with your planning process.

Bonus tip: Can they perform at our cocktail hour, too? Hiring the same act to perform acoustic/jazz/live strings during cocktail hour while waiting for the reception band to take over can make your wedding more enjoyable for your guests and makes it easier to get the most from your investment.

Make the First Moment Feel Like the Main Event

The ceremony is the heart of your wedding, and shouldn’t be viewed as a waiting area for the real party to happen. Think of your wedding as an opportunity for someone to strut down the aisle during an important life event. The last thing you want is for the music to detract from the moment.

Wedding Music Bands knows that live music during a wedding ceremony, such as a string quartet, vocalist, or classical acoustic guitarist, requires talented musicians that are also aware of the event they’re performing at. We hand-pick bands that can command the room, stopping it in its tracks and creating a sense of excitement that will carry over into the rest of the celebration from the first note on.

Wedding Ceremony Music FAQs

How many songs do we need?

Most couples choose 4-6 songs for their wedding ceremony, including: Wedding Party Processional, Processional (entrance), Unity/singing (optional), Recessional (exiting song) and possibly another processional to seat parents/honored guests. Also, there’s the prelude music played while your wedding guests arrive, typically for 15-30 minutes, and certain religious/cultural traditions that call for other songs. For shorter ceremonies, 3-4 songs will be enough.

How many guests before my musician(s) needs amplified sound

A quartet will likely fill a chapel/ballroom just fine, but soloists (harp/guitar/vocalists) will probably need some type of amplification in those venues. For outdoor ceremonies, microphones and speakers will very likely be needed to combat the dissipation of music into the atmosphere, ambient sounds (like traffic/wind), or the buzz of the party. It’s best to discuss amplification with your musician(s), taking into consideration the ceremony site, guest count, seating arrangement and electrical access.

Can the same musicians play the cocktail hour?

Most couples want to save money by having their ceremony musicians play during the cocktail hour as well. If you’re interested in a crossover, inquire about the group’s musical versatility, their ability to transition between ceremony/cocktail locations, including setting up and breaking down equipment, traveling, and resting, and ask about sound system fees. And make sure that timing details are specified on your contract.