How far in advance should I book musicians?

We highly recommend booking your musicians as soon as you have your venue in place. On average, we’re booked about 8 months in advance, however, dates during peak wedding season are often booked 1-2 years in advance.

How many musicians should I hire?

We’ll email you an interactive brochure that outlines each of our packages with more details about each option. We recommend booking as many musicians as your budget will allow. The larger the wedding, the more musicians you’ll want to make sure your guests can hear and enjoy the music. Plus, the more musicians you have, the fuller and richer the sound.

The string quartet is the most popular selection. It’s loud enough for an audience of about 400 guests, depending on the space. A string trio is also a great option and it's usually loud enough for a gathering of 300 people, depending on the space. A string duo is comprised of a violin and a cello and the sound would be fine for an audience of 200 guests. A traditional violin is perfect for a small gathering of no more than 100 guests. Most indoor spaces will carry the acoustics better than outdoor spaces. If you have a larger group to entertain, and you prefer modern music, an electric violin with tracks might be the perfect choice.

Who will perform at my wedding?

Sunset Strings works with professional musicians who are classically trained, have graduate degrees in their instrument, and perform in professional orchestras throughout Florida. Our musicians have performed in thousands of weddings and are seasoned professionals. Throughout the entire process, you will communicate directly with Sunset Strings' management team.

Does Sunset Strings have references from past clients?

Yes, we do! We have over 100 five-star reviews! You can read them on our Reviews page, as well as on WeddingWire, TheKnot and Google. 

Can the musicians perform outdoors?

Yes! Our string ensembles can perform indoors or outdoors. However, they cannot perform in rain of any kind, even a very light rain, as this would ruin their instruments. We also request that musicians be located in a shaded area if possible to protect their instruments from direct sunlight. 

Does Sunset Strings carry liability insurance?

Yes, ​Sunset Strings is fully licensed and insured. If your venue requires vendors to carry liability insurance, we’re all set.

How long has Sunset Strings been in business?

This is our seventh year in business, but we’ve been performing at weddings for over two decades now (how?!?). In that time, we’ve been blessed to work with amazing wedding vendors at the most gorgeous venues in Florida. We’ve been published on BRIDES (a dream!), Martha Stewart Weddings, and Marry Me Tampa Bay. We’re proud recipients of the Wedding Wire Couples’ Choice Award and The Knot Best of Weddings awards for the past seven years and counting.

Will the musician attend the wedding rehearsal?

Generally no, this is quite rare. We’ll discuss your wedding details with you prior and use this to plan the music. The musician’s job is to make sure that the music fits whatever happens during the ceremony, you do not need to time your walk to match a song. The musician will adjust the song so that it fits perfectly to the length of your walk. If you do ask the musician(s) to attend a rehearsal, this would be charged at our regular hourly rate. 

When do musicians perform during the ceremony? 

Most couples book musicians for one hour for the wedding ceremony. Most ceremonies last about 30 minutes. The musicians arrive early and play prelude music to greet your guests for 30 minutes before the ceremony begins. You select a music style (modern pop, classic love songs, classical, etc.) and we’ll do the rest!

During the ceremony itself, musicians perform the song of your choice for the entrance of anyone walking down the aisle (family, wedding party, flower girls, ring bearer or ring dogs!) and the song of your choice for your own walk down the aisle. Sometimes, during the ceremony there might be a sand ceremony, a candle ceremony, or a similar union ceremony for which we sometimes play a soft, meditative song. At the end of the ceremony, usually after the kiss, or after the couple is being announced for the first time as a married couple, we will play something joyful and upbeat to celebrate!

Can I choose my own songs?

Of course! We have a huge repertoire of wedding music from many different genres. We recommend that you choose the songs for the entrance of the wedding party for the ceremony, as well as your walk up the aisle and your exit after the ceremony. 

For the prelude music as guests arrive and the cocktail hour music, we ask couples to simply select a genre of music and we’ll do the rest. It’s important to allow musicians to do what they do best - perform for an audience! We’ll read the crowd and choose songs within your selected genre based on how the crowd responds. We love performing for wedding guests from a wide variety of backgrounds and age ranges and making sure EVERYONE loves the music. 

Can you play a song that’s not in your repertoire?

Please email us to inquire! We can often purchase an arrangement or create a custom arrangement if none exists. Just let us know the song (it helps to include a YouTube link) and we’ll do some research and provide a quote. 

Can I book Sunset Strings for cocktail hour?

Yes! Our most popular package is a 2-hour package which includes both the ceremony and cocktail hour. You select a music style (modern pop, classic love songs, classical, etc.) and we’ll do the rest! 

Can I hire a quartet for the ceremony and an electric violin for the cocktail hour?

Of course! You can change your ensemble between the ceremony, cocktail hour & reception. For example, you can have a string quartet for the ceremony, and an electric violinist performing with tracks for the cocktail hour and reception.

What if there’s a song or style of music I do not enjoy?

Our music questionnaire includes a place for a “Do Not Play” list, just place your preferences there.

Can you perform for the first dance?

We can! We can perform your first dance song either alone or along with your DJ. Just add the additional time to your package in our interactive brochure. 

Can I add more time after booking?

Yes, you can add more time (for example, to add the cocktail hour or a first dance), as long as we are available. Our musicians sometimes run on a very tight schedule, so we'll have to confirm that the change in time is possible. We like to prepare ahead of time, and we'll ask you to sign and confirm a new agreement, preferably one month before the event. 

Can I ask my musicians to play overtime if the wedding runs late?

Due to musicians' schedules, it is not always possible to provide additional performance time. We encourage our clients to book the extra time in advance. Sometimes our musicians play 3 or 4 events per day and might not be able to accommodate the extra time if you ask at the last minute. 

If you know your guests tend to be late, or you are not sure if the ceremony or entire event will take longer than expected, please book extra time. We run on a tight schedule and book musicians far in advance. 

I booked musicians for 4 hours, but I only need them for 3 hours. Can I change that?

Usually, yes, as long as we make the change more than one month prior to the event. If we are within one month before the event, we won't be able to reimburse you for the extra time, we would only be able to add extra time if needed.

What do I need to provide musicians?

We usually bring all the equipment, however, we would need one armless chair per musician at each location in which the musician will perform.

For special services, such as the electric violin, we would need access to an electric outlet. We would also need access to the venue one hour prior to the performance start time for the set-up. 

How do I book Sunset Strings?

Contact us to receive an interactive brochure with our packages and pricing. The process is easy, simply select the package(s) you would like and we’ll send you an electronic contract. To book, we require a signed contract and non-refundable deposit.

When do we plan the details?

We use an online portal, Honeybook, to keep all of the details organized. You’ll receive electronic questionnaires when it’s time to plan the details. You can add your partner, planner, or parents to the online portal if you choose. 

How do you handle cancellations and rescheduling?

If the event is canceled at any time prior to one month away, we would refund your payments minus the initial non-refundable 25% deposit. Payments are not refundable within one month of the date. This applies regardless of the reason for your cancellation, including but not limited to event cancellation, weather, Acts of God, pandemic, illness, financial considerations such as job loss, Venue cancellation, failure of the event to occur, or other. We perform the vast majority of the work associated with an event well in advance of the event date.

We are flexible with rescheduling the wedding date if needed. As long as we are available, we’ll simply update the contract to the new date. In the event that we’re available for the new date, we would refund your payments minus the initial deposit.