Things to consider when hiring musicians

• What kinds of music do they offer? This might be different for the ceremony and cocktail hour, or for a reception. Classical music? Upbeat ragtime and jazz standards?
• What kind of experience have they had? There are students out there as well as musicians who are new to performing for weddings and events. Be sure to hire a professional musician who has experience with your type of event.
• Do the members of their group perform together regularly? Sadly, there are such groups in the music world called pick-up groups. These are musicians who may have never even met each other before, and they show up to your event and sight-read music.
• Do they have a demo CD or video? A musical group that is serious about their craft will have a recording that demonstrates their abilities. If they do not have a demo CD, ask if they will be performing publicly so you can go hear them.
• Do they have a contract for you? It is very important that you have a contract from the musicians you hire for your special event. This contract should state when they will be arriving and performing, where, and how much their fee is. Without a contract, the musicians you hire may not provide the services you ask for (e.g. Show up for the cocktail hour but not the ceremony you need them for!) or, even worse, not show up at all.
• Do they have a contingency plan? If they cannot play, what will they do to help you get musicians for your event? A reputable group will, at the least, give you the contact information for other musicians who may be available.
• Will they meet with you to go over musical selections for a wedding ceremony? The wedding ceremony is very individual. A reputable musician will meet with you in person, or over the phone, to help you select the music for your event and iron out when each piece is to be performed.
• When asking about fees, see if they can offer any flexibility in pricing (for example, if they perform as a quartet, their fee will be less than if they perform as a duo)
• Can they provide references? If they have performed for many events, they should be able to provide you with a list of references.
• What do they usually wear for events? Most classical musicians traditionally wear all black. If you would like them to wear something else, discuss it with them — usually they will accommodate your desires.

Event Resources

Need to find a florist, caterer or other vendor? Here is a list of folks we know that we think can really add to your event. Don’t forget to tell them Moonlit In The Sun sent you!

Photographers:

Creative Arts Photography
Rodney Gibbons
http://www.creativefoto.com
540-722-9000

Event Planners:

Celebrations Made Simple
Felicia Owens-Smith
www.celebrationsmadesimple.com
703.401.5318

For All Occasions, Inc.
Myrna Grossman
www.foralloccasionsinc.com
703-222-5912

Monumental Events, Inc.
Stacey Joedicke
703-830-4535

Striking Statements
Keasha Lee
http://www.strikingstatements.com
703-402-6124

Caterers:

Fusions Cuisine Blaise Thompson
703-898-0728 www.fusionscuisine.com

Florists:

KaBloom of Ashburn
Ashwini Jarral
703-723-8500
www.kabloomofashburn.com

Locations for events:

The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm
Beverly Billand, Owner
42461 Lovettsville Rd.
Lovettsville, VA
www.patowmackfarm.com
540.822.9017

Oatlands Plantation
Katherine Farley, Event Manager
20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane
Leesburg, VA 20175
www.oatlands.org
703.777.3174

Belmont Country Club
Nancy Vanesko, Event Manager
19661 Belmont Manor Lane
Ashburn, VA 20147
http://belmontcc.info/
703.723.5330