What size ensemble should I choose for my wedding?

The size of ensemble you choose will be a balance between your preference and your budget.

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Small, intimate weddings with 50 guests or less can definitely accommodate the rich beauty of a full string quartet (2 violins, viola and cello). But they can easily get away with hiring a soloist, like a violinist, or a string duo, like a violin and cello.

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Larger weddings with more guests benefit from having more musicians, but it also depends on the venue where the wedding is held. More enclosed locations lend themselves to smaller ensembles. And even outdoor venues can be "enclosed" when there is good tree canopy overhead, or buildings surrounding the outdoor area. Number of musicians does not always correlate with volume. 

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Consider also how much space is available for the musicians. String duos like the violin and cello occupy very little space, while delivering a big sound punch. 

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Can all the groups play the same music? If I choose a group will it limit my ceremony song choices?

One of the biggest advantages of Allegretto Music over other music groups is that we control EVERY ASPECT of our music. The arrangements (that is, the sheet music we read from) are written in house by the owner -- Jose Irizarry. That means that practically any of the ensembles can play any of the songs.

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Other ensembles depend on buying sheet music from the music store and the arrangements are often thin and spotty. Let's say the music was written for a quartet, but you hired a trio. Well, with them you will be missing one of the voices in the ensemble, because the music was written for 4 instruments, not 3. With Allegretto, the arrangement the trio plays was written specifically for those 3 instruments, so it will be full and rich.

 

And after playing wedding gigs with other companies we know, sometimes a quartet is "reading" from a part written for piano, and sort of fudging their way through as best they can. Is that the quality you are looking for and expecting when you hire a professional wedding musician?

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We don't think you should settle for less than the best on one of the most important days of your life.

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Who exactly is going to show up to play at my wedding?

We are so glad you asked! Here at Allegretto we are 100% committed to the quality of the performance we provide at your wedding. That is why we do not send sub-contracted groups to play your wedding songs.

 

OUR GUARANTEE - There will ALWAYS be a company owner present and involved in your wedding music. Violinist and owner José Irizarry is always the lead violinist in any of the string ensembles. 

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Isn't that a little obsessive? -- We don't think so. There are no do-overs here! Nobody cares about a company's reputation and quality like the ownership.