Wedding Musicians by Patrick Murphy

Live music for your wedding can make the event so special and personal. Live musicians can add style, class, and a warm personal touch to the wedding in many ways. The music can and should be tailored to the families and the wedding couple, not the musicians. There are many styles of music that can be used quite effectively for every part of the wedding. There are also some pitfalls that can happen when choosing your musicians.

Many couples decide to ask a friend or family member to perform a piece at their wedding. They have heard this individual or heard about this person. This can work out or it can be a disaster. Weddings are unique performance situations for musicians. For instance, a trumpet player sits for thirty to forty minutes then has to stand and perform at a very high level for the bride's entrance. The problem, the trumpet player is completely cold. For younger or inexperienced musicians, they usually bobble a couple or more notes, which completely ruins the entrance for everyone.

Selecting musicians who are experienced at performing in front many people assures that the wedding is going to hear a polished piece, which will fit into the ceremony like a jewel. When selecting musicians, look around! Go and hear them perform. I suggest going and listening to them at a real wedding at which they are performing. This will give you a complete picture as to how your wedding will look and sound using that musician.

Another factor is that many times the bride and groom are paying for a musician from a church with the fees of using that church. Do you really want an organist who sounds like a funeral home player? Will they play the music that you would really want for your ceremony? Go to one of the churches services and listen to that musician. Check with the church to see what the fee for the church would be without their musician if they were unacceptable.

There are many questions when selecting musicians for your wedding. Musicians can make the ceremony memorable and beautiful. Musicians can also ruin a ceremony by their lack of experience or playing skill. Your wedding is a very important and significant part of your life. Don't overlook the music and shortchange your event!

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me, Patrick Murphy at patrickbmurphy@aol.com. I have been performing weddings since 1975 and I would be glad to offer advice from my experience.

Patrick Murphy
Foland and Murphy Wedding Music
765-426-5964
patrickbmurphy@aol.com

Last changed: Nov 24 2007 at 2:50 AM