Frequently Asked Questions

We hope the information below will assist you with your music booking. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to call Jane on 02 9899 2429 or email and we will try to answer your questions.

How do I make a booking? If you would like to make a booking, please send all of your details, including the date, venue, times etc. of the wedding or function, to jane@sydneyweddingmusic.com.au or call on 0414 903 498.
Do I Need to pay a deposit? There is a non-refundable deposit, usually between $80 and $250 due within one week of making your booking. Most people prefer to pay by direct deposit but other payment options are available.
How do I pay the balance? The balance is due the week before the wedding or function by cheque or direct deposit. Other payment options are available by arrangement. For corporate events an invoice including ABN can be provided.
What amount of time do you recommend for my wedding ceremony? The minimum booking time is one hour for string groups and longer for others. A one hour booking can be made for wedding ceremonies but we advise against it, unless you are having a very short civil ceremony. If you are having and Anglican or other protestant wedding ceremony we would advise a minimum time of 1 1/4 hours and for a Catholic ceremony, 1 1/2 hours. For a full nuptial mass, you may require more time, depending on how many people are taking communion. There are countless stories of less reputable companies packing up and leaving part way through the ceremony. Some musicians book cheap one hour wedding ceremonies very close together and speed from one to the next. They arrange to arrive 5 minutes before the start time and leave as soon as the hour is up. If anything goes wrong, there is simply no music. Even though you think you will definitely be on time, you never know what might happen on the day. You are spending thousands on your wedding and you want it to be perfect, so it is worth paying a little more for the peace of mind of knowing that you have planned for all contingencies.
Are there any other charges involved? No. The price is fixed unless you change your arrangements. When making your booking we will take the start and finish time and the location into account and charge accordingly.
What events do you have experience in? Sydney Wedding Music has been providing music for weddings and functions for over 15 years. We have played at literally hundreds of weddings, and we also have experience playing at corporate events, parties, product launches, award ceremonies, concerts, conferences, formal dinners, engagements, christenings etc.
What different groups can I book? Sydney Wedding Music provides a range of different classical and jazz ensembles. You can choose string quartets and trios, other classical trios, jazz combinations and groups which can do a mixture of styles. Click here to see a list of suggested combinations. If you have something else in mind, let us know as we have contact with a large variety of vocalists and instrumentalists and we can tailor a group to suit.
What do the musicians wear? Our musicians are always well groomed. We believe that it is better to be over dressed than under-dressed. Women wear all black evening wear. For classical ensembles, the men wear a back suit and bow tie. For jazz groups, the men usually wear a black suit and long tie. They can also wear bow ties upon request. If it is a more casual event, the men can wear black shirts with a long tie or open collar upon request. Any other ideas? Let us know and we’ll see what we can do. Please make sure to tell us if you are having a black tie event.
Do the musicians need to take breaks? The musicians need to take a 15 minute break about every hour. This can be timed to fit in with yours speeches etc. Generally, during a wedding ceremony the musicians will not be playing the whole time so no break is necessary, but they will still need a drink, especially on warm days.
Do the musicians need to be fed? If the function is three hours or longer, the musicians will require a meal. There is no need for the full three course meal. Most venues offer a meal for musicians, photographers etc. for a reduced price. These are usually referred to as "crew meals". Please enquire with your venue.
Do the musicians require refreshments in their breaks? Yes they do. Just a soft drink is fine but they do sometimes appreciate a glass of wine with dinner if it is a long function.
Do the musicians require chairs? Yes, the musicians need one armless chair each.
Do the musicians require shelter when playing outdoors? If it is sunny the musicians will need shelter from the sun. A large tree is usually enough. The glue and varnish can melt on wooden instruments in hot sun. If the weather turns bad the musicians can not play in the rain. You will need to provide shelter or a wet weather alternate venue. The instruments, especially the wooden ones are very delicate and valuable and can not get wet.
What about amplification? Sydney Wedding Music can provide amplification. This is not always required for classical groups and outdoor wedding ceremonies, and it often looks nicer if you can have no amplification. For jazz vocals, amplification is always required. We can provide a 100 watt PA which is suitable for background music for up to about 250 people. For outdoor events, Jane Hart Trio and Recuerdos Trio can be amplified using state of the art battery powered amplification. This means you can have vocals outdoors. This amplification is less powerful but provides enough amplification for small outdoor events and can accommodate quite large wedding ceremonies. If you have a very long or very large room, there is a limit to the amount of sound we will be able to produce and it is advisable for you to speak to a sound engineer. We will recommend amplification when required.
Can the musicians do overtime? Generally this is no problem. Overtime is charged at $70 per player per hour for up to 4 hours and $90 per player from the beginning of the 5th hour and $100 per player from the beginning of the 6 hour. Overtime is charged in 30 minute increments. Sydney Wedding Music leaves a generous amount of time between bookings but it is generally advisable to let us know in advance if you might need overtime so we can plan accordingly. This is especially important on Saturday afternoons as musicians often have bookings on Saturday nights.
What songs can I choose? Different groups have different repertoire, so you can choose from the appropriate list. The musicians are very talented and versatile, so generally if there is a special song you want, if you let us know in advance, we can play it for you if it is suitable. There are generally no extra costs involved if it is a well known song. Occasionally, we may need to purchase and/ or arrange the music, will incur an extra cost. Usually if we need to arrange a song there will be an extra $50 person fee. This is not a genuine reflection of the time and effort it takes to arrange your song. It usually takes a few hours minimum.
How long do you require to set up? Usually we need half an hour before the booking time. You do not pay for this time and the booking time should be form when you want us to start playing. Classical groups need much less time if there is no amplification but they are still required to arrive half an hour before the booking time as it ensures a punctual starting time. If there is a PA, one of the musicians will arrive 45 minutes to one hour before the starting time to set up.
What are my responsibilities re safety? You are responsible for providing a clean, dry, safe work environment for the musicians.
Do you need lighting? The musicians require adequate lighting for their music. This is especially so for classical groups. If the jazz trio is playing at a wedding reception and you want to dim the lights, please let us know as we can bring along a music stand light.
Return to top of page
Home

Why Book Us?

Sydney Wedding Music is a premium wedding and function music service. By booking with us you are choosing the best available wedding music in the industry. Why compromise on quality when you can have the best at a reasonable price? You may find something cheaper but you will not find better value for money. Here’s why:

We offer a money back guarantee: We are so confident about our services that we offer this guarantee: the musicians will be punctual, polished and professional or your money back.
We are recommended by Sydney's leading celebrants: This is because they recognise that we know how to help make your wedding ceremony run smoothly and we have the been playing together for a number of years, so our performance is always very polished.
We offer personal consultations: Every client of Sydney Wedding Music is entitled to a personal consultation with the manager Jane Hart in Baulkham Hills. At this consultation you can discuss your needs and go through music samples etc.
We have experience: All musicians employed by Sydney Wedding Music have several years experience performing at weddings and functions. The manager Jane Hart has almost 20 years experience in this area. This means that Jane has been to hundreds of weddings and can therefore factor all contingencies into your booking. We do not employ students and recent graduates.
We are professional: Near enough is not good enough for us! All musicians employed by Sydney Wedding Music are highly professional, fully trained musicians who have dedicated their careers to performing at weddings and functions. They are renowned for their reliability and punctuality.
We do not book “back to back”: We leave adequate free space between your booking and any others on that day. This is extremely important if something goes wrong. Some cheap groups are booking weddings and functions one hour apart. In other words, there will be another wedding finishing one hour before yours and another starting one hour after. You may be on time, but what about the booking before yours? If a booking goes overtime, the musicians have a choice of either leaving before the wedding ceremony is finished or turning up to the next one late.
We give realistic quotes: We quote you for the whole booking time, so there are no unexpected costs on the day of the performance. We recommend a minimum booking time of 1 ½ hours for church wedding ceremonies. This is because after years of experience in this area we can confidently say that this is how long it takes. Some groups will quote you for one hour, then chase after you on the day of your wedding to collect overtime payments, or they will leave before your ceremony has finished. We play for 1/4 to 1/2 an hour before the bride arrives to create a lovely atmosphere for your guests. Then we play when the bride walks down the aisle, during the signing and any other appropriate moment during the ceremony as requested by you. Then we play at the end of the ceremony. In a church wedding, this means that we play when you are walking out of the church and then continue while the guests are walking out. If it is an outside wedding, we play while the guests are congratulating you and having a chat or drinks after the ceremony. We do have shorter booking times for our string groups, suitable for very short civil ceremonies. We quote you according to how long the entire performance will take. So unless there are extenuating circumstances, we will not be asking you for extra money once the performance is finished.
We receive regular positive feedback from happy customers: Click here to read a sample.
We look great: We believe that it is better to look overdressed than underdressed.Your guests go to the trouble to get dressed up, and so do we.
We arrive early: All musicians are required to arrive 30 minutes before the booking time. If there is a PA involved, one of the musicians will arrive one hour to 45 minutes before the start time to set up. This means that when your guests arrive, the musicians are ready to play. It looks very unprofessional for the musicians to be wandering in and setting up just before the bride walks down the aisle! It also means that if something does go wrong, we are still able to start on time. Some music groups ask musicians to arrive only 15 minutes (and some even 5 minutes) before the start time. This not only looks bad if you have guests arriving already, but it is also a big risk if there is heavy traffic, or if musicians have trouble finding the venue or a parking space. A half an hour arrival time means players will always be ready to play on time, and the musicnas will be set up and looking lovely when your guests start walking in.
You get personal attention: We are a first-rate wedding service. It is our strong desire that your wedding day runs smoothly. The Manager Jane Hart can take the time with you to make sure you are happy with all the arrangements. Jane checks e-mails daily and you can also ring for a personal phone consultation.
We are versatile: Many of the musicians employed by Sydney Wedding Music can play classical, popular and jazz styles, and several of them can also sing. So if you have a special song in mind, even if it is not of part of our regular repertoire, we can play it as long as it is suitable for the combination you have chosen. We can also advise you as to the music appropriate combination for your requirements. Sydney Wedding Music musicians can provide music for your wedding right from the arrival of guests through to the reception and dancing, often meaning that you can save money by only booking one group.
We have various different groups available: Even though many people think of a string quartet when they go to book wedding music, there are other lovely groups available which may be more suitable for your needs. For example, group including classical guitar may be more appropriate in you want some more romantic music or popular ballads. A soloist, duo or trio may be more appropriate for you if you are having a smaller wedding or function. Some people also like to have a jazz trio or a classical soprano to make their wedding or function unique.
We can provide packages: Because Sydney Wedding Music employs such talented and versatile musicians, we are able to provide music for both your ceremony and reception. This can work out cheaper than booking two different groups. Usually one or more members of the group can do both your ceremony and reception so you have the same contact person throughout your function. With a couple of instrument changes (for example, exchange the cello for a bass) you can completely change they style of music between your ceremony and reception. We can manage your or function music from beginning to end.
We’ve been there too: The Manager Jane Hart and many of the employees of Sydney Wedding Music are married so they know what a huge job it is to organise a wedding. We understand the stress that you go through and we also understand that you want your big day to be perfect in every way.
Nothing is too much trouble: We understand that arrangements can often change, especially when you are organising a big event like a wedding. Sometimes in the weeks before the wedding the finer details can change as everything comes into focus. Your happiness is our main concern, so if you need to change a song, or the time etc. we are more than happy to accommodate your needs where possible.
We provide our own amplification: For wedding receptions and functions, members of Sydney Wedding Music provide a PA suitable for up to about 200 people. Unlike many classical ensembles, our musicians have extensive experience in this area, and they are able to judge the correct volume so that the music can be heard without being too loud or intrusive. Of course, the musicians are also happy to follow your requests with regard to the volume. We can provide a 100 watt system suitable for background music for a few hundred people. Jane Hart Trio and Recuerdos Trio can also provide state of the art battery powered amplification for outdoor events.
Return to top of page
Home

Corporate Event Music

Recuerdos Trio

Recuerdos Trio Repertoire List

Jane Hart Trio

Jane Hart Trio Song List

String Quartet

String Quartet Song List

Other Groups