"The wedding pianist during the reception drinks was excellent...Thank You!"
We will discuss the styles of music that you love, and our wedding pianist will learn your favourite pieces especially for you. We have over 150 recordings of our wedding pianists online.
18th Variation - Rachmaninoff
We regularly receive letters of thanks from couples who have hired a wedding pianist from us and these testimonials are available for you to read. Why not watch videos of our pianists?
You can hire our wedding pianist to play your favourite music on the piano.
Q: My wedding venue doesn't have a piano. Can I still have a wedding pianist?
A: The short answer is yes, you can still have a wedding pianist.
All of our wedding pianists have professional digital pianos that they can bring to your wedding venue and this is included in the standard price of a wedding pianist.
Our wedding pianists use digital pianos that sound just like a concert grand piano and every note will sound as stylish and beautiful as you would expect from an acoustic instrument.
The width of the digital pianos that we use is between 130-150cm and the depth from the front of the piano to the back of the piano stool is between 90-100cm.
Q: I am having a large wedding. Will the sound of the piano get lost in the room?
A: When we provide a wedding pianist to play the piano for a wedding, we aim to have the volume of the piano at a consistent background level across the room.
For large weddings, our wedding pianist will connect their digital piano to a discrete professional speaker system at the opposite side of the room. This enables more people to hear the piano music at a nice background level.
~ WEDDING HORROR STORY ~
I have seen and heard other wedding pianists playing for large weddings without a remote speaker system. The end result is that the table next to the wedding pianist are deafened by the volume of the piano and the table at the other side of the room cannot hear the piano at all.
A: We have a stunning Roland digital grand piano for hire and this can be hired with one of our wedding pianists or on its own.
This instrument makes an incredible sound and when we tested the digital grand piano in Harrods, we had so many shoppers stop and look inside the lid for the strings. Even when they saw the internal speakers, they still couldn't believe that it wasn't a real piano!!
It is much cheaper to hire a digital grand piano than a traditional acoustic grand piano, it is easier to transport and set up and it will sound just as good.
Q: During which part of the wedding reception does a pianist usually play?
A: You can hire a wedding pianist to play for the ceremony, the drinks reception, the wedding breakfast or all of the above.
Civil Ceremony - Imagine how special it will feel to hear your favourite piece of music played sublimely on the piano as you walk down the aisle towards your future husband. Piano music helps to set a magical atmosphere for your civil wedding ceremony.
Drinks Reception - You are likely to be whisked away by your photographer during the drinks reception (after all, you are the stars of the day). Our wedding pianist will play lively and upbeat background music to keep your guests entertained in your absence.
Wedding Breakfast - Without a wedding pianist playing romantic piano music, a wedding breakfast is just a meal. Live music helps transform the ordinary into something spectacular and it gives your guests something to talk about if the conversation on their table drys up.
Piano music adds something special to each part of the wedding day and you can see why so many couples hire a wedding pianist to play throughout their wedding reception.
Q: What style of music will the wedding pianist play?
A: We will choose a wedding pianist who specialises in your favourite styles of music.
You will probably have visited other pianist websites and read numerous claims that "the pianist is an expert in all styles of music". I would advise that you treat this statement as dubious.
All of our wedding pianists play a varied selection of piano music that will appeal to your guests young and old. They will play piano music in different styles and from different genres and they will mix together old and new songs.
We will be the first to admit, however, that a pianist can only really be a true expert in one or two styles of piano music.
Styles of piano music could include: classical, jazz, music from films, indie, the great American songbook, music from musicals, pop songs and chart hits arranged for piano, 90s dance music played in a chill-out style, etc.
One of the benefits of booking a wedding pianist from us is that we are able to pick the wedding pianist who is most passionate about the same styles of music that you like.
A: Yes - all of our wedding pianists are happy to learn requests to play at your wedding.
Our wedding pianists are often asked to play requests on the day by guests and family members. If the pieces that has been requested is in our wedding pianists repertoire then they will happily play it.
If it is not, then they will politely explain that they do not know the piece and are unable to play it on this occasion.
Q: Can Your Wedding Pianist Play "Our Song" on the Piano?
A: We are often asked by couples who have booked our wedding pianist to arrange a piano instrumental version of their favourite song especially for them. Requests have ranged from love songs and chart hits to rock and UK garage.
"It is rare to find people who really care about making your wedding day special but PianoDJ went out of their to help me out for which I am eternally grateful." ...read more
You can be sure that our wedding pianist will make every effort to learn a piano cover of "your song" - even if it has not been done before...oh, and our wedding pianists can play Your Song by Elton John (recently brought back to the charts by Ellie Goulding).
Q: I am worried that the song will sound weird on the piano without the lyrics. Perhaps I should have the mp3 played. What do you advise?
A: A piano arrangement of a song will always sound different from the original, but the live music will add an extral special sense of occasion and intimacy that you cannot get from a recorded track.
We hope that live piano music will be able to give you that "spine tingling" sensation as you walk down the aisle towards your husband-to-be...
Brighter Than Sunshine by Aqualung (cc)
...and just to make sure, we'll record a sample for you to listen to - for free!!
Q: What happens if the pianist that I have booked for my wedding is ill on the day?
A: When one of our piano players is taken ill on the morning of a wedding, they are instucted to call us immediately. This gives us time to call one of our other wedding pianists and prepare them with all the information they need to play at the wedding instead.
All of the music requests, venue details and logistics of the day are kept at our head office and we can email these over to the replacement pianist.
In the unlikely event that none of our pianists are available to stand in at the last minute, we would look to book a pianist of a similar or greater standard from another agency and we would incur any additional costs.
Q: How far in advance do couples usually book a pianist for their wedding?
A: We currently have bookings in the diary for weddings that are in two years time.
We find that couples who have seen one of our pianists playing the piano at a friend or relatives wedding tend to book us as soon as possible to make sure that we are definitely available.
In the summer, we are exceedingly busy and often have 4-5 weddings every day. If you are getting married between May and September, we recommend that you book your wedding pianist at least a year in advance in order to make sure that one of our brilliant piano players is available for your wedding.
Q: I am saw one of your pianists at a wedding in Essex, but I am getting married in Hertfordshire. Can you still provide piano music for our wedding reception?
A: Yes we can!
Although our business address is in Chelmsford, we have a brilliant team of pianists who are based all over the UK, including Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Sussex, Suffolk, Kent, London and the Midlands.
We work regularly at venues in all of these areas and our musicians are often booked to play further afield as well.
Q: Do your musicians have public liability insurance?
A: We actively encourage all of our musicians to join the Musicians Union and this membership includes a £10,000,000 public liabilty insurance policy.
All of our pianists have to send a copy of their public liabilty insurance certificate to our head office to prove that they have sufficient cover before we book them to play the piano at any event.
A: All of our digital pianos and electrical equipment is PAT tested yearly and we are happy to email proof of PAT testing to your venue if they require this information.
A: We have an interactive price list on our website so that you can see how much a wedding pianist will cost before you make an enquiry. We have set fees that reflect the standard running order of a wedding. You can book a pianist for the ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast or any combination of these.
If your wedding has a different format to this then we will quote you a price that reflects the amount of hours that the pianist will be playing for.
Our aim is to build a network of exceptional pianists across the UK and this means that there should always be a pianist living within a reasonable driving distance of your wedding venue.
In the event of a local pianist not being available, we may look to charge travel expenses on top of the advertised price. You will be advised of this at the time you make your enquiry.
Q: What qualifications and experience do your pianists have?
A: All of the pianists that we supply for weddings undergo a thorough selection process:
1) The pianist must provide recent demo recordings or videos which reflect an exceptional standard of piano playing.
2) They must have already been performing at weddings for a minimum of one year.
3) Each applicant must be able to provide a minumum of 15 positive testimonials from their previous clients.
4) A reference must be provided from a venue / restaurant at which the pianist reglarly plays to show that they are reliable, trustworthy and punctual.
If a pianist meets and exceeds all of these standards, then they will be called to audition.
In the audition, the pianist will be asked to play an hour of background music in their preferred style. They will also have to play three "set pieces" that they will be asked to prepare at the time they are invited to audition.
Our pianists are exceptional musicians and are the best pianists available to play for weddings.
Q: What will the pianist wear when they play at my wedding?
A: You can be sure that our wedding pianists will be dressed smartly for your wedding. The male pianists will wear suits and the female pianists will wear dresses.
For more formal occasions, we are more than happy for you to request that our musicians wear dinner jackets or ballgowns as required.
For themed weddings, we will ask our pianist to make every effort to fit in with the theme. We have supplied pianists for masquerade balls, medieval weddings and tudor weddings.
Q: Do I need to feed the pianist during the wedding reception?
A: This is a very good question - and I recommend that you should ask the same question to your photographer, videographer, toastmaster, magician, etc.
For all weddings, we ask you to provide our pianists with soft drinks. In most situations, the pianist is able to ask a passing waiter for a glass of water and this is more than adequate.
If you book a pianist to play for the ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast (over 5 hours of continuous piano playing), we ask you to provide the pianist with a main course or a plate of sandwhiches. Our pianist will eat this when they have finished playing for your wedding - at the end of the wedding breakfast (during the speeces).
Q: Will my guests be able to chat over the top of your piano playing?
A: I can assure you that your guests will be able to talk comfortably whilst enjoying the piano music.
The piano is a beautiful instrument. When it is played sensitively, it forms a lovely backdrop to conversations in sophisticated and romantic settings.
There is a long standing history of high-end restaurants and hotels using live piano music to create a really special environment for afternoon teas and fine dining. The UKs most famous restaurants have a live pianist playing background music - Harrods, the Dorchester Hotel, the Ritz and the Savoy.
Q: I am having a summer wedding - can your wedding pianist play outside?
A: In the summer, we often provide wedding pianists to play outside for the drinks reception. It is really lovely to hear the sound of live piano music drifting through the courtyards and across the gardens at your wedding venue.
You should consider that our pianist will need a safe supply of electricity, and they should ideally be playing in a spot that is sheltered from the wind.
Our musician will check the Met Office weather forcast on the day of the wedding and if they feel that it is likely to start raining, then they will set up the piano inside with speakers positioned so that you can still hear the piano music outside.
We are often asked to provide pianists for open-air civil wedding ceremonies and some of our favourite venues that offer this service include the Reid Rooms, Hunters Meet, Quendon Park, Newland Hall and Blake Hall.
Q: What is the difference between a wedding pianist and a pianist?
A: A wedding pianist is a pianist who specialises in playing wedding piano music.
It doesn't matter if you are looking for a modern pianist, a jazz pianist or a classical pianist to play at your wedding.
A wedding pianist will play music with a romantic theme and they will play a range of music that appeals to guests of a variety of ages from your preferred genre (classical / jazz / modern).
You wouldn't want your guests to be bored by long and tedious classical piano music, confused by complicated jazz solos or uninterested with modern piano songs that only the teenagers would know.
A wedding pianist has experience in playing music that your guests will recognise and they have spent a lot of time putting together a set of music that will make the day feel even more romantic and special.
Most wedding pianists will be more than happy to learn requests for your wedding because they understand the importance of adding a personal touch to the music.
As a pianist you can specialise in various areas: concerts and recitals, live bands, shows and musicals, recording music in studios, teaching, accompanying other musicians, ballet and dance, playing in bars and pubs, etc.
Q: I am not sure what music I would like playing on the piano for my wedding ceremony. Can you recommend anything to me?
A: I would like to invite you to check out our free online guide with recordings, hints, tips and suggestions about choosing your wedding ceremony music.
Hopefully, this easy to use guide will give you some inspiration.
If you have a favourite song that you would like to have played on the piano for your wedding ceremony then why not drop us an email with your ideas?
Q: Can you accompany my friend who I would like to sing for my wedding ceremony?
A: Our wedding pianists are more than happy to accompany singers for your ceremony.
However, there are a couple of stipulations:
1) You must provide the sheet music for our pianist. The music must be the same version as the song that the singer has learnt and it must be in the correct key.
2) We recommend a 15 minute rehearsal on the day of the wedding to run through the song.
Our pianist will be able to play the piano part to an exceptional standard, and the rehearsal is just to give the singer and the pianist a chance to play together before the performance.
This rehearsal will take place 1 hour before the ceremony and it is included in the price that you have paid for our wedding pianist.
3) If you want to book an additional rehearsal prior to the day of the wedding, then this is possible but it will incur an additional fee of £150 for each hour of rehearsal.
Q: I have a friend who is a pianist and I would like them to play a special piece for me. Would it be OK for them to use your piano?
A: We are happy to trust your judgement about your friends piano playing and we would love to help you with such a special request.
It is important that you let us know about this before the wedding so that we can pass on the message to our pianist.
Also, if your friend is a guest at your wedding, then it is likely that they will have been eating and drinking. To protect our instruments, we insist that your friend must wash their hands before playing the piano - sticky piano keys are bad!!
Q: Is a digital piano like a keyboard? Will it sound like a real piano?
A: Digital pianos are designed to replicate the sound of a real piano. Keyboards are designed to play a range of different sounds, effects and rhythms.
All of our digital pianos have the full range of 88 keys (the same amount of notes as a real piano) and many of them have wooden keys with a weighted action so that the feel of pressing a note on the digital piano is the same as on a real piano.
This means that our pianists can play the same pieces of music that they could play on a real piano.
The sound of the digital piano depends on the quality of the instrument - just as a cheap real piano will sound horribe, a cheap digital piano will sound horrible too.
Our musicians use top of the range professional instruments that sound absolutely beautiful.
A: Our wedding pianists are specialist musicians and they only play at weddings - unfortunately, we cannot invite you to somebody else's wedding!!
However, we completely understand that you would want to hear and see our pianists playing the piano before you book them for your wedding, so we have taken the time to make the following options available to you.
