One of the biggest questions I'm always asked by friends and family is "How do I hire a musician and find the Perfect musician for my wedding?"
Although it seems like a super complex question, it's actually quite simple. The question I typically turn around and ask couples is, "What matter to you most with music?" There's never a really cookie cutter answer here and that's where really sitting down and thinking this through is super huge when it comes to planning your wedding.
I've been experienced enough to do Catholic Weddings officially since 2006 - but in that time I've seen just about everything there is - from bare minimal to going all out. If you're having a hard time figuring out what matters to you most, here are five things I'd ask yourself when planning or considering hiring a musician:
1. How much help do we need?
At Music for Any Occasion - our price structure really falls behind this question. How much help do you need?
Some couples just need the bare minimum - they have their music already planned out and simply need a musician to show up and sing on their wedding day. Typically these individuals will find themselves sometimes just needing ideas to choose from and pick and place songs wherever they need. We consider this the "virtual option" where all planning and coordination happens virtually with one less thing you have to make an appointment for and coordinate with.
Other times - couples opt for a little more help - they want to sit with a musician, hear different song selections, practice walking in and out, hire an additional musician, and even have music played at their rehearsal so the wedding party (parents, grandparents, groomsmen, and bridesmaids can all practice walking in together. I always say this is a good idea because sometimes - wedding parties get nervous and end up walking in way too fast or just as a mass gaggle. It happens - so knowing your wedding party is crucial. We call this the Premier package which includes everything - including coordinating with your wedding coordinator or priest to help fully prepare you without a worry on your end.
2. What do we want our emphasis to be during the ceremony?
This can be a really tricky question as some couples want the emphasis on the words of the music for church, or sometimes on the portfolio of music being played. If you're one to read into the words that will be sung - it's always a good option to meet with a musician and have them plan out the music with you. At Music For Any Occasion, we have options to sing in English, Spanish, and even Latin! So having choices is always good for your selections.
Other times, couples place the emphasis on the experience of planning the music with their parents, friends, and/or families. If this sounds like you, we typically recommend having the musician come to your rehearsal in order to help facilitate the rehearsal with your wedding party.
Reverence during Mass is always typically high up on the priority list for couples - so making sure you find a good and experienced musician who can bring everything together with the standards of a Catholic Wedding Mass that will meet and exceed your expectations and requirements of your priest. Unfortunately, sometimes people skip this step and end up finding 'Bargain Musicians' who put even more stress than needed on the couple.
We pride ourselves here on making sure that if you choose us, you go with a musician who knows the Mass and won't put more work on you - that's also our job and a major consideration for couples.
3. Do we need any special equipment?
Finally, one of the most often overlooked items at a Catholic Wedding is the equipment needed for music. This can be a major headache for couples who often book musicians, only to find that they are only musicians with little to no equipment.
At Music for Any Occasion, we have the ability to bring our music to any venue or set up. Sometimes too - churches don't have adequate music equipment (or even a piano or sound system) so having a full, complete music sound often falls short. This is definitely a major questions to find with your musician - do they have a keyboard, do they have sound systems speakers, and even a reliable mixer they can use - if they don't, we recommend finding a different musician.
One of the major upgrades Music For Any Occasion acquired in 2020 was fully wireless mixer system that allows us to properly adjust sound levels and volumes from anywhere in the venue. This is especially useful with our vocalists, guitar and piano playing to ensure you obtain the right kind of quality sound in your venue.
With that being said, if you're looking still looking for a good quality, reliable, and experience musician, at Music For Any Occasion, we can help you find the right kind of music needs for your wedding.
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