Wedding Music FAQ & Advice | Craig Smith Music
Wedding Music FAQ
Booking your wedding music, you're bound to have hundreds of questions flying through your minds. Most of the answers should be on the other pages of this site, but here are the most frequently asked questions and answers. Think of it as a mini online wedding consultation!
Index
Amplification & Sound Restrictions
Do you provide amplification?
Yes. Tower PAs are available when required, but the output of Craig's pianos means that's only necessary in the largest spaces, or outdoors if you want the sound to really travel. Too much volume sounds unnatural from a piano, and will prevent your guests from conversing properly.
My venue has sound restrictions. Is this a problem?
Certain venues (particularly in Cheshire and the Fylde) have restrictions on amplification, especially outdoors. Sadly, many venues don't inform couples of this issue until after they've signed agreements, causing considerable stress. For this reason, Craig has invested in pianos that do not require amplification and create their own sound, so you don’t need to worry.
This also negates any requirements to perform through a venue’s own sound system, which (whilst they may try to tell you otherwise) drastically affects the musicality of a performance and the musician's ability to hear themselves and how they sound in the room. As stand-alone instruments that don’t use amplification, the pianos do not create enough volume to meet level restrictions imposed by councils.
If you have any concerns about sound restrictions at your venue, please get in touch.
My venue has a sound limiter. Is this a problem?
Sound limiters are designed to cut power to certain sockets if a volume level is exceeded. Ask your venue what decibel level that is. It's highly unlikely a piano would trigger the limiter, and we'll be able to confirm with that information.
The problem with sound limiters is that although they're designed to limit the volume of music, any number ofunpredictable occurences at weddings can exceed the volume and cut the power. A tray of glasses being dropped next to the limiter's sensor might well cut the power, for example. Not only does this stop the music if your musician is plugged into the limited circuit, the power cut can also be very damaging to the circuitry of musical equipment. For this reason, it impossible to sign any waiver provided by your venue pertaining to liability for electrical damage caused by sound limiters, and Craig's equipment cannot be plugged into those circuits. It is not fair for musicians to be left liable for damage caused by volume peaks made by venue staff or guests.
Venues are usually OK with this once it's explained (after all, the limiters are designed for evening music like bands and DJs, not piano music), but it will be your responsibilty to check this prior to booking and regrettably no performance can take place if your venue doesn't agree to these conditions.
If you have any concerns about sound limiters at your venue, please get in touch.
Arrival Times
What time will you arrive on the day?
Arrival times will be based on the timings you provide using your Final Details Form. If music is beginning with guests’ arrival hour or your ceremony, loading in will be completed before the time you provide for guests arriving. Where pianos are to be set up in the room to which they arrive, setup will be complete prior to this time too.
Where music will commence after the ceremony, arrival times will vary dependent on venue and whether setup out of view of guests is possible. Arrival will always be at least an hour prior to music starting.
Given the portable nature of the pianos, setup itself is done easily within 20 minutes unless there are access issues such as lots of stairs or long distances between parking and setup location.
Attire
What will you wear?
Whatever you like (within reason)! Craig will usually perform in a regular suit. He can also play in a dinner suit and bow tie if you'd prefer, or if you're going more modern, he'll dress more smart-casual — just let us know. If you have a different theme that might suit different clothing, get in touch.
Craig will wear black tie when all guests are asked to wear it. Where they aren't, but you'd still like Craig in black tie, there is a cleaning fee applicable.
Booking Process & Payments
How much does it cost?
Prices generally begin at £549 for local venues (before any venue-specific offers), and weekday Lake District elopement packages are available from £250. Head to the packages page for a brochure and the full list of packages.
How do we book?
Bookings are made initially with an online booking form, to which you will be sent a link once you've expressed an interest in booking. Once that's received, we'll set up your customer portal, which will contain (as well as lots of useful info and documents) your Date Retainer invoice. Payment of this Date Retainer secures your booking and finalises the creation of a Booking Agreement.
Is there a contract?
Yes. The previously mentioned Booking Agreement forms the contract. It's created automatically when you submit your booking form (you'll receive it by email) and formalised by the payment of your Date Retainer.
When should we book?
As early as possible! Craig tends to book up sooner than many other pianists. On average couples book about 18 months in advance, with Summer and December dates usually booking up particularly early. We've even had couples book Craig before they knew which venue they were using!! Craig does have other pianists that work for him who will take on dates if Craig is already booked; Craig passed on almost as many weddings as he booked last year, so booking early is definitely advisable to avoid disappointment.
How much is the Date Retainer?
Date retainers are usually £150 per musician (we'll handle the booking for all musicians if, for example, you book a violinist alongside Craig). On elopement packages, the Date Retainer is £100.
When is the balance due?
Balances are due two weeks before the wedding.
Can we pay in instalments?
If you have the money spare early to pay in instalments, we strongly recommend you put it into a high-interest account and enjoy the interest. Do this for all of your suppliers and only pay on the due dates; you can earn a lot of interest on the amount you'll pay in total for a wedding!
What else do we need to know about the process?
After booking, you'll have access to a personal customer portal, which essentially handles all your musical planning. It's where you'll find everything in one place, from invoices and due dates, to important documents, to help sheets about selecting music, to forms for supplying your finalised timings and song choices.
Changes to Packages / Upgrades
Can we change our package after booking?
No problem. Just get in touch.
Collaborations
My friend / relative sings or plays an instrument - can you accompany them for a performance?
Yes. This happens a few times a year. They'll need to provide any instruments and equipment necessary for them to perform, and can rehearse after Craig's arrival at the venue.
We were wondering if you can perform alongside another professional musician in collaboration?
If you already have another singer or musician booked before Craig, please inform Craig prior to the payment of your Date Retainer if you would like him to accompany them at any point during his booking.
To ensure a quality performance, it is strongly recommended however that you allow Craig to recommend musicians in the first instance. There are several singers and musicians that he works closely with, with existing rehearsed material and a strong musical understanding. They are usually better musicians too.
You are not prevented from booking third party performers, but should inform Craig prior to doing so if you intend them to take part in a collaboration, as there may be reasons that he cannot do so (it isn't usually a problem though). If there are any additional costs associated with a collaboration, such as rehearsal studios and time, you will be asked to cover those.
Emergencies
What if you're ill on the day?
It'd take something like a serious illness or an immediate family bereavement to mean Craig wouldn't be there on the day. Craig has other pianists that work for him regularly, and a wider network of (top-quality professional) musicians beyond them. If something crops up to mean he can't make it, someone else comparable will. In the extremely unlikely event that we can't provide someone suitable to cover and he's physically able to be there, he'll play through the suffering! Absolute worst case would be a refund, but that's never happened in 20+ years.
Insurance
Are you insured?
Yes. Craig is insured with public liability insurance covering him up to £10million, during time spent at the venue, and loading in and out. Most venues ask for musicians to be insured with PLI these days, and may refuse to allow one to perform without it. All documents are available on your customer portal.
Do we need wedding insurance?
We strongly advise you take out wedding insurance. If you need to cancel your wedding and it means you forfeit payments to suppliers, we're able to provide you with the documentation to have them refunded by your insurance company.
Outdoor Performances
Can you perform outside?
Yes, as long as the weather is dry and not too windy, and there's an electrical power supply safely available, all of Craig's equipment is suitable for outdoor use.
Where there isn't a power supply, if you're able to supply a battery power supply such as used for camping, the equipment doesn't draw much power so these work fine. If in doubt, get in touch.
Performance Lengths
How long will you play for?
Too many musicians set limits on performance lengths, and this isn't compatible with the unpredictable timings of a wedding day. For this reason, Craig works to parts of the day, so you'll have music for the duration of any parts of the day you book.
Ceremonies include music while guests take seats and await the start of the ceremony. This is usually advertised by venues as 15 minutes, but in reality is usually 25-35 minutes factoring in the obligatory late arrival of the bride! However long you need, you'll have music for it.
Pianos
My venue has no piano. Is that a problem?
Not at all! Craig has a number of top-quality instruments, including portable baby grand pianos in white and gloss black, included as standard on most packages.
Craig also has compact electric pianos for smaller spaces, or to allow Craig to play in different rooms without gaps for moving equipment. Moving equipment in front of guests looks untidy and takes the gloss off your day, so it's important to keep this to a minimum. Provision of two pianos is included as standard on most packages to cover this.
Craig also has a faux wooden upright piano shell, which makes the compact electric look like a "real" piano. There is a small additional charge for this shell as it involves extra load in/out and set-up time.
Are the pianos loud?
Loud enough without being too loud. They're designed to reflect the volume of acoustic pianos. If you need more volume to fill a large space or for use outdoors, amplification is available (see Amplification). Too often wedding entertainment — particularly that which uses backing tracks — is too loud for the daytime parts of a wedding day, so Craig's equipment is carefully selected to avoid that, meaning your guests are free to talk and can enjoy rather than endure the music. If we need to up it for a party atmosphere later in the day though, you've got it!
Do you require power?
Yes. All of Craig's pianos are electronic, so a safely accessible power supply is necessary.
Can we have the piano outside?
Yes. See Outdoor Performances for more detail.
Can pianos be moved from room to room?
Yes, but consider the benefit of having two pianos (included as standard) because your day will seem far better planned if your guests don't see pianos being moved around.
Where should we place the piano?
See Positioning of Pianos
Planning
Will we have a planning meeting?
Not usually, no. Why? Two reasons. Firstly, they're not usually necessary for music in the same way that they are for very detailed aspects such as timings with venues or floral arrangements. Meetings usually take minutes and they're just not worth you travelling. Secondly, the nature of musicians' work means evenings and weekends are generally busy and it can be hard to find a mutually suitable time for a meeting. For this reason, there is a final details form and lots of advice on your customer portal that in essence creates a "virtual consultation", ensuring you should have all the help and info you need and Craig gets all the details he needs.
Of course, we're there for you every step of the way so any time you have questions or ideas, you're more than welcome to email or arrange a call. Even better, why not attend a showcase evening where you can also hear some music live?
Years of experience has led to a very efficient and customer-friendly planning system that means you almost certainly won't need an actual meeting, that's all.
What's the best way to contact you with questions?
It doesn't really matter. Email and social media tend to be couples' preferred methods. Just try to stick to one method so that you can always find what you need!
Do you require a meal / dressing room?
A dressing room not required. Food is to be included on bookings for two or more parts of the day that see Craig on site during the wedding breakfast as a part of the T&Cs.
Positioning of Pianos
Where is it best to place the piano?
This depends on each venue and the parts of the day you're booking for. Generally for ceremonies, place the piano where you think it'll look best and isn't in the way of your photographers. For receptions, it's best placed fairly centrally within the space where possible to allow a consistent volume throughout the room. Particularly in long spaces, a piano at the very end of the room means either the tables closest have more volume than they need or the tables furthest away have too little. We'll advise on your individual venue though; just get in touch.
For outside ceremonies, it's best to position the piano fairly close to the "altar" end of the aisle, so that it's close to you for the majority of the ceremony and you can really feel the atmosphere it creates.
Requests & Choosing Music
Do you take requests?
It's what Craig's best known for! Whether it's specific song requests from you in advance, or requests made by guests on the day, Craig's huge repertoire and ability to play songs he's never played before make him stand out as so many venues' preferred pianist.
All ceremony songs will be entirely your choice - you have to have your own choices for your ceremony!
For other parts of the day, requests in advance are no problem, nor are requests on the day from guests using his unique and extremely popular Electronic Requests System (allowing them to send requests without even leaving their seats!).
Craig's repertoire is over 72 hours of music. It's better to give Craig a more general idea as to the style(s) of music you'd like, rather than a long list of exact songs to play. The more flexible you can be, the more you'll allow him to read your guests and change the set as he plays; Craig's experience means you can trust him to know what will work well. This also means that there's a better synergy between your music, your guests and the venue.
There's a song I really want - can I hear it before I book?
Of course! Get in touch; Craig will record (free-of-charge) a short demo of the song for you, or possibly a few snippets of it played in different ways for you to choose between.
What styles do you play?
Craig plays all styles of music. He specialises in modern music, both popular and classical, in styles that will allow your guests to enjoy the music without being forced to listen. His most popular sets include pop, rock, indie, soul and RnB, both classic and ultra modern, and that's what he specialises in, as do most of the other pianists that work through the business.
Do you have a playlist we can choose music from?
It's impossible to list everything Craig plays, but there's a sample of 180 songs by style on the Repertoire Page along with a list of 250 artists by whom Craig plays (often many different) songs. Ultimately, though, Craig will much prefer you to come up with your own ideas so that your wedding music is unique to you!
Where can we hear you play?
See the Videos page for live video of performances from real weddings. There's more on social media, linked at the bottom of the page. On Craig's socials, you'll also get advance notice of public showcases that you can attend to listen and chat in person.
How much notice do you need of our song choices?
We generally ask for 8 weeks' notice, but if your local authority's registrars want to see your choices before the day, they'll usually want them three months before so it's important to speak to Craig about them before this point in that instance.
Songs and styles for wedding breakfasts, wedding cocktail music etc can be provided up to two weeks before the day, but again, the more notice you give the better it allows Craig to prepare your specific requests, which is why your customer portal will give you a date 8 weeks before the wedding for supplying these.
Do you need sheet music?
The simple answer is no. As a professional session musician, Craig is experienced in quickly transcribing (working out) and learning material by ear. No truly skilled musician should need to take so long to transcribe or learn music in most styles that there should be the need to charge for the time to do so; such a charge is usually a sign of inflexibility or inexperience.
Classical music is better played using sheet music. There's usually a lot more detail to work to, and often it takes longer to source sheet music or transcribe, and then learn, so it is always worth having a chat prior to booking if you know you'd like lots of classical music, especially if it is anything obscure.
Wedding Planners
We have a wedding planner - how will the booking work?
90% of wedding planners become wedding planners after working as successful florists or venue dressers. Whilst that means they're great for helping you choose the visual details and handle those on the day, experience has shown that they simply do not have the knowledge or experience to be able to properly handle the musical planning, nor will they know your musical taste in the same way you do.
For that reason, whilst he is of course happy to work alongside wedding planners on the day, all musical details will need to be handled by you personally, and it's important everyone is aware that Craig will be working for you, not the wedding planner, both in advance and on the day. The musical planning isn't time consuming, and we guarantee you'll get a far better result on the day without a middle-(wo)man.
Venues and Travel Radius
Which areas do you cover?
Wedding piano services are available UK-wide and in Europe too. Beyond the North West, a travel fee is applicable and accommodation costs are payable beyond around 3.5 hours of travel. To give an indication, including that travel, the Platinum Package at the Northern tip of Scotland would come in at £1599, still a very reasonable price for Craig's top package!
Have you played at my venue before?
Probably! Craig plays multiple weddings most weeks, all over the country. Based in Lancashire, there are very few North West wedding venues he hasn’t played at least one, and there are many, such as West Tower, Eaves Hall, Bartle Hall, Mitton Hall and Sparth House, he plays at very regularly.
Can you perform abroad?
Absolutely! Work abroad is available — particularly in Spain and France — and may cost far less than you'd think. For more information on the practicalities of destination weddings, please get in touch.
Do you charge for travel?
The nature of working in weddings means that travel is inevitable. It's included within the price of packages for venues in the North West, beyond which there is a mileage addition. Accommodation is only required for venues beyond around 3.5 hours of travel. This is largely to ensure that you don't need to worry about traffic issues on the day; the longer the distance, the more likely one is to hit traffic, especially on Fridays.
My venue has no piano. Is that a problem?
Not at all! Craig has a number of top-quality instruments, including portable baby grand pianos in white and gloss black, included as standard on most packages. By providing two pianos, Craig can play in different rooms without gaps for moving equipment.
Can you perform outside?
Yes, as long as the weather is dry and not too windy, and there's an electrical power supply safely available.
Do you need parking / lift access?
Pianos are not easy things to carry, even if they're portable ones! Parking / loading close to the venue is an absolute must (in the interests of transparency, for city-centre hotels where parking is chargeable, that cost will be passed on), but it's no problem to then move the vehicle away from the venue.
All equipment fits easily through regular doorways. Lifts are helpful but not essential where performances are upstairs. If there are a significant number of stairs to navigate, please discuss this with us before booking.