How to Hire a String Quartet for Your London Wedding: A Complete Guide
Are you thinking about hiring a string quartet for your wedding? Live music infuses a touch of magic to a wedding, and not many ensembles match the elegance and musical versatility of a string quartet. Whether you’re planning an intimate ceremony in Fitzrovia Chapel or a grand affair at a luxury London hotel or a villa in Italy, a string quartet will absolutely elevate the atmosphere of your wedding.
In this guide, we’ll discuss with you through everything you need to know about hiring a string quartet for your London wedding—from music choices to pricing and how to book the best string ensemble for your special day. Do we also travel out of London? Yes, we do! We perform all around the UK and also for destination weddings. We also offer other ensembles suited to a smaller venue or budget, which don’t compromise on quality – you may choose from a string or piano trio, string duo, solo violinist or cellist.
Why Live String Music Is Ideal for Weddings
There’s a reason string quartets remain a timeless favourite for weddings. The lush sound of a string quartet is romantic, and also musically very adaptable! (We can thank Bridgerton for the revival in the popularity of the string quartet!) From walking down the aisle to your favourite classical piece (Canon, perhaps?) to enjoying drinks while listening to modern pop songs —live string music adds emotion, elegance, and even a bit of fun to your wedding day.
Unlike recorded music, as a string quartet we can easily adjust the tempo, mood, and volume, seamlessly integrating our music into the flow of your ceremony and day.
If you have particular outfits, colours or styles of dress that you envision us wearing, please let us know and we’ll see what we can do! Our motto: Your Vision, Our Strings.
Should You Hire a String Quartet for the Wedding Ceremony, Drinks Reception, or Dinner?
Ceremony:
An ideal celebration in which to feature a string quartet! We will play before the ceremony for the guests to set the mood. Then we will perform special songs and music during the ceremony itself. Couples will need to choose:
- Music for the bridal party entrance
- Music for the signing of the registry
- Music for your exit as a married couple at the end of the ceremony
Drinks Reception:
As guests mingle and celebrate, our string quartet will perform your favourite style of music to lift the atmosphere and add to the celebratory vibe!
Wedding Breakfast / Dinner:
We are often booked to play background music during dinner. Our string ensemble playing softly in the background adds sophistication and a bit of fun without overpowering conversation. Another note – live string music offers a unique talking point for guests. We so often receive comments and compliments from guests who have been listening and trying to guess which songs we have been playing, and even requesting some of their own favourites during our performances (which we absolutely love and welcome)!
What Does It Cost to Hire a String Quartet or Wedding Violinist in London?
Pricing depends on performance duration, travel, and ensemble size, but here’s a general guide:
- Ceremony only (1 hour): from £300–£670
- Ceremony + drinks reception (2–3 hours): from £410–£920
- Full day packages: from £740+
At String Musicians London, we offer bespoke packages to suit your requirements and requests, and all quotes are fully transparent—there are no hidden fees.
If you have a special music request, let us know – we offer one song for free that isn’t on our list! The fees for arranging any others will be quoted to you, but do let us know what you have in mind because we may already have the music!
Popular String Quartet Repertoire for Weddings
Here are a couple of links to blog posts we’ve written about current favourite songs and pieces of music for weddings: Pop and Classical. And in a nutshell:
Classical Favourites:
- Pachelbel’s Canon in D
- Clarke’s Trumpet Voluntary
- Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Modern Love Songs:
- Perfect – Ed Sheeran
- A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
- Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis
As mentioned above, you can also request special songs—we’d be delighted to arrange music that has a special meaning to you! Our varied repertoire includes:
- Bridgerton-style pop covers
- Classical masterpieces
- Film music
- Bollywood hits
- Disney
- Turkish and Klezmer
- Custom song requests – let us know if you have a special request that you can’t find on our list!
What to Look For in Professional String Musicians and Why Choose Us?
Not all string quartets are equal. Look for:
- Experience with weddings. We have over a decade of experience performing at weddings in London, all around the UK and also overseas.
- High-quality recordings or videos – These give insight into musicianship, presentation quality and style.
- Professionalism – We believe in prompt communication, smart attire, and reliability.
- Customizable playlists – Our ensembles, violinists and string quartets will tailor our musical playlist to your taste. We have a lot of music to choose from!
At String Musicians London, our musicians are all classically trained professionals who regularly perform at famous venues including the Royal Albert Hall, and share the stage with stars including Ed Sheeran and Bocelli. From string quartets to solo violinists, all of the musicians in our team bring elegance, versatility, and top-notch musicianship to every performance. Our motto – Your Vision, Our Strings. We’re ready for anything and excited to work with you!
🎻 Contact us today to book your wedding string quartet.