Top foreign wedding destinations for

U.S. brides

Source: LA Times 2/11/11

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Quote of the Month

Word of the Month

~ Loquacious ~  

Very talkative; gabby

by Anne Roos 

How do you choose the right musicians for the chosen location? I like to think of this as decorating the stage with musicians and decorating the room with sound. The instrumentation needs to work within the chosen musical theme and fit properly at the location.

Can the musicians all fit on the stage? Can they load in, set up, and perform easily? Where will you place them in terms of the main action of the event, be it a wedding ceremony, a corporate function, a fundraiser, or a big, rousing party?

Here are 10 secrets for determining what kinds of vocal and instrumental combinations will work at the chosen venue:

1. Do the size of the venue and the size of the guest list make sense for the instrumentation that interests you and your client? It might be a tight squeeze to get an eight-member octet into a little chapel that holds only thirty guests, and conversely, a solo guitarist may get lost in a reception hall that can seat three hundred, unless he is placed on a well-lit stage.

Note the size of the performance area. Make sure that it's on level ground and not on sand, wet grass, or a slope. Also make sure that it isn't near a food-service station and that it's clear of foot traffic. Give the musicians enough space to do their job and be seen. Can you now clearly see where to place them and how many band members will fit the space? (Rule of thumb: Each musician takes up the space of about three people who are seated and facing each other comfortably.)

2. Can your musicians see the action? Sure your brass trio will make their presence known if they play up in the choir loft of the church. But can they see the bride enter from there? How will they get their cues? It's incredibly frustrating to musicians to be placed in an area because they'll look "pretty there", but they cannot see the dance floor, cannot see the bride, cannot see the master of ceremonies, cannot see someone giving them important cues regarding the agenda of the event. The dance band can't read the crowd, can't keep the action going, and this sets them up for failure and a dud of a party.

Click here to learn all 10 secrets to "decorating" an event with music! 

About the Author: Anne Roos

has been playing the Celtic harp at weddings for nearly 30 years.  She regularly appears on radio and television programs and is active in many wedding organizations.

Roos' special Celtic wedding music album,

Haste to the Wedding, is popular among couples looking for romantic music to accompany their wedding festivities.  Musicians interested in performing at weddings will want to check out Anne's book

The Musician's Guide to Brides, also available from Hal Leonard Books.  She lives in South Lake Tahoe, CA.  For more information, visit her

website.