Location, location, location

As artistic director of your own wedding you need to put a lot of thought into the logistics of your wedding location. One question is where to put the musicians during the ceremony. Here are some tips to get that right:

01. Size matters. A small chapel that holds thirty guests will burst at the seams with the addition of an eight-member madrigal group. Similarly a solo guitarist at a reception for three hundred will be lost unless placed on a stage.

02. If you can’t see them they probably can’t see you. It is important that your musicians have a clear view of the ceremony so they can begin and end your music choices gracefully in accordance with the action.

03. Good lighting for your musicians allows them to read their music and to be seen by your guests. For outdoor weddings know where the sun will be in the sky at the time and date of your wedding. Try to avoid your guests or musicians having to look directly into the sun’s glare in order to view your ceremony.

04. Some musicians require electricity in order to be heard. If mains power isn’t available at your outdoor location, don’t worry. Any professional wedding musician worth hiring has their own silent and unobtrusive solutions for that problem.

05. Can the musicians easily load in? If your wedding site is a long walk from the parking area (common with beach weddings) consider not only your musicians who have to sometimes carry heavy equipment but also your guests who may be less mobile or not wearing the right shoes. Pick a flat well paved route if you can.

Location weddings are special because the location means something special to couple getting married. On top of a mountain or in the smallest village church your wedding music will be wonderful if you consider your venue size, sight lines, lighting and accessibility from your musician’s point of view.

Finally do let your musician know exactly where you wish her to be performing during the ceremony or reception. Musicians are often the first to arrive at a wedding because setting up takes time. Moving to another part of the venue after setting up is not fun and at worst can hold up your wedding. Avoid this possibility by clearly deciding where your musician will be standing or sitting. Tell your musician this information well ahead of time so they can research the location if they have not performed there before.