Why Choose A Classical Guitarist for the Wedding Ceremony?

PRICE

The first reason why you might want to book a classical guitarist for the wedding ceremony is the price. Hiring a solo musician is always going to be a more cost effective option compared to a group/band such as a string quartet. Prices for solo wedding musicians such as classical guitarists usually start at around the £200-£250 mark for the ceremony alone. For a decent string quartet this figure is likely to be around £800-£1000.

SPACE

I’ve played classical guitar at many wedding ceremonies where space is very much at a premium. Despite doing a head count and organizing numbers with the venue, it’s not uncommon to find some people having to stand at the back of the room due to lack of space. Sometimes people just leave seats empty here and there as a ‘buffer’ because they don’t want to sit next to somebody they don’t know.  This too means that some people end up standing. You can imagine how trying to cram a string quartet into an already overcrowded room might be less than ideal. The last thing you want to do is force your guests to stand outside. A classical guitarist takes up very little space and is very discreet. This leaves more room for guests meaning everyone will have a comfortable amount of space to enjoy the ceremony.

DIVERSITY

Another reason why you may consider a classical guitarist for the wedding ceremony is that classical guitarists tend to be very diverse when it comes to repertoire. The guitar is a versatile instrument so when you’re learning to play, you’re exposed to a wide range of genres. Although I still call myself as a classical guitarist, I’ve played everything including blues, rock, metal and jazz on the guitar. I’ve been in various rock/pop and function bands in addition to playing as a solo classical guitarist. My musical history is reflected in the songs I play on the classical guitar. You’ll find all the traditional classical guitar pieces along with a substantial pop/rock set (arranged for solo guitar – no vocals) as well as a jazz set. I also include Spanish music in my repertoire as this is yet another part of my musical upbringing! Although most other classical instrumentalists do now include pop songs in their repertoire, it does tend to be weighted more towards the classical genre (with some exceptions!).

MULTI PURPOSE

Classical guitarists are not only suitable for the wedding ceremony, they are equally suitable for the drinks reception and wedding breakfast too! If you book a classical guitarist for the ceremony, it is cost effective to ask them for an extra set to cover your drinks reception too. By using the same musician for both the ceremony and the drinks reception you’ll be able to save a lot of money compared to booking two separate musicians. Why not go a step further and book a classical guitarist for your wedding breakfast too!

PERFECT AMBIENCE

Something which is easily overlooked when it comes to booking a musician for the wedding ceremony is that the occasion is best served by ambient music. The music should add to the ambience and not steal focus; it’s not a concert after all, it’s a wedding. Classical guitarists perform with no vocals, which means the music is less likely to steal focus during the wedding ceremony, it simply adds to the occasion to make it even more special.

Take a closer look at the wedding music packages on offer and see which one is right for you.