Cost of violinist at wedding??

[SidJames]

DoubleSix said:

Quick sanity check if you don't mind folks!

Just organising last few things for my wedding and violinist has quoted £170 for a 45min registry office ceremony.

Appreciate she will need to set up etc but this seems a ridiculous amout no?

You tight git.

You're not payig for a bloody bog cleaner, which it seems you've benchmarked it against.

Shocking.

[guillemot]

Mobile Chicane said:

No.

The only way to stop the cost of the wedding spiralling dangerously towards ludicrous is to rein in Bridezilla.

Violinist at a wedding? Bad move IMVVHO.

Unless you can afford Nigel Kennedy, give it a miss. Your guests, and the region's cats and dogs will thank you for it.

Seriously - the region's cats and dogs will thank you??!! As a professional violinist I find it desperately sad to read such disparaging remarks. I'd wager professional musicians are the most highly trained of all and have probably put the most motivation and money into their chosen skill. If it's the not the instrument for you, fair enough, but if you've heard a st one it's because you've heard a st one, not a professional one who's worked for years and takes immense pride in what they do.

I don't think it's daylight robbery OP, although it seems a tad high for 45 mins, but you don't give details about travel or any special requests she'd have to learn or equally how much time she'll be sitting around. I am lucky enough to have a rather lovely sounding fiddle and a good bow to complement and need to maintain them properly, which is pricey. Plus I need to acquire any specific music requirements you may want, spend time practising those pieces. Added to that there's travel there and liability insurance as someone else has suggested. Add in all of that and potential travel time it starts to look cheap for half a day's work....

Edited by guillemot on Saturday 29th August 22:01

Edited by guillemot on Saturday 29th August 22:07

[Sheepshanks]

Snag (for any trades-person) with little jobs is they could stop them taking a bigger job elsewhere - especially in this game, it's not like another wedding/event can wait until the performer has some free time.

Edited by Sheepshanks on Sunday 30th August 14:40

[DoubleSix]

guillemot said:

Seriously - the region's cats and dogs will thank you??!! As a professional violinist I find it desperately sad to read such disparaging remarks. I'd wager professional musicians are the most highly trained of all and have probably put the most motivation and money into their chosen skill. If it's the not the instrument for you, fair enough, but if you've heard a st one it's because you've heard a st one, not a professional one who's worked for years and takes immense pride in what they do.

I don't think it's daylight robbery OP, although it seems a tad high for 45 mins, but you don't give details about travel or any special requests she'd have to learn or equally how much time she'll be sitting around. I am lucky enough to have a rather lovely sounding fiddle and a good bow to complement and need to maintain them properly, which is pricey. Plus I need to acquire any specific music requirements you may want, spend time practising those pieces. Added to that there's travel there and liability insurance as someone else has suggested. Add in all of that and potential travel time it starts to look cheap for half a day's work....

Edited by guillemot on Saturday 29th August 22:01

Edited by guillemot on Saturday 29th August 22:07

Thanks for your insight, appreciate it.

She's local. Only playing a few simple pieces already within her repertoire. Like you, I thought it a bit toppy but not miles off.

We're happy. She's happy. It's only a few hand-wringers on PH that seem put out..

[Chrisgr31]

Slightly strange when you think about it. There are many people on here who will charge a higher hourly rate than this violinist and the reality is that virtually anyone could be trained to do the jobs of most people on here, however could virtually everyone be trained to be a violinist?