Weddings & Civil Partnerships

Divertimento has specialised for years now in organising the entertainment for our clients' weddings. We take great interest in your requirements and enjoy finding exactly the right performers for your special day.

String Quartets are always the most popular choice, along with harpists, for the ceremony, often staying on to play for the first part of the reception. We can also provide organists, fanfare teams and singers for church weddings. Bagpipers are popular for Scottish weddings and some people like to be accompanied by jazz during the ceremony.

Our musicians usually start playing 15 to 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony, while the guests are arriving. A processional is played for the bride's entrance, either a loud declamatory entrance, or something more gentle, depending on the nature of the bride and the impression that she wants to make. Following the official part of the wedding ceremony, some more music is played during the signing of the register. Then shortly after that the Recessional is played as the couple leave. We can offer advice on suitable music if you don't have any particular requests.

For your reception we have a large collection of bands for background or dancing, and other entertainments that you will find on this website.

Choices for your wedding day

For Church or Civil Wedding
Choir
Organist
Trumpet & Organ
Brass Ensemble
Solo singer
Solo instrumentalist
Duos & Trios – wind or string
String Quartet
Harpist – Concert harp or Celtic harp
Harp with violin or flute
Bagpiper
Guitarist
Pianist

You will need
• Music while guests arrive
• Music for processional
• Music during signing of the register
• Music for recessional

Your choice of music
• What atmosphere do you want?
• A lively, declamatory processional, or a peaceful gliding one?
• Something gentle is usually played during the signing so as not to interfere with conversation.
• The recessional music is usually joyful and declamatory.
If you don’t know what to choose, Divertimento can talk you through the possibilities or will make your choice for you, based on the atmosphere that you would like to create.

Musicians can play for either or both ceremony and reception. Most contracts are up to 3 hours in length. Often the musicians will play at the ceremony and then continue into the reception even if this means moving venue. Travel time is included in the standard 3 hours. Many of the summer wedding receptions take place outside our musicians are happy to play in the open if at all possible.

Divertimento or the musicians you are booking will be able to help you with your choice of music if required. They may well be able to get hold of a specific piece of music for your ceremony. Please don’t hesitate to ask about this.

RECEPTION

Music
Pop – covers, soul, funk
Jazz of many different styles
Disco or karaoke
Folk Bands for Ceilidh or background
Classical – as listed above Entertainment
Magician
Clown or Jester
Childrens’ entertainer
Caricaturist
Fun Casino
Fireworks

• Music to be played on arrival at reception
• Music during drinks and canapés
• Music during meal
• Evening entertainment for dancing or background

• Afternoon and evening? Possibly two different types of music?
• Entertainment – strolling magician, caricaturists, fun casino
• Children – keep them amused during the reception with a clown, jester or magician.

• Marquee weddings need a special power supply for bands and discos and a good level floor for the equipment.

• How much space have you got for the entertainment? Enough room for a duo or a 10 piece band? If you are not sure how much space is required, please ask Divertimento.

BUDGET
Try to have an idea before booking the musicians on your budget. A rough guide would be to allow approximately £150 per musician. A string quartet will be approximately £600 and a soloist £150. A concert harpist will be more than this, but most other groups will be approximately within this range. As a general rule a musician or group will only be able to take one booking a day, so even if you only book them to play one piece you will probably still have to pay them the full fee.

BOOKING
You book your venue well in advance to ensure you get exactly what you are looking for. Remember that musicians and entertainers also get booked up well in advance. The music and entertainment is one of the most special things about your big day so don’t leave it too late to ensure that you get exactly what you have in mind. If you don’t have any idea what you are looking for then Divertimento are happy to guide you through all the possibilities. If you find that you have left everything to the last minute, don’t worry, we will endeavour to find something to suit you.