contact enquiry list

Wedding reception musicians

Your party gets started at your drinks reception, so don’t forget the music! Hire weddings musicians for your drinks reception or breakfast to create a magical atmosphere and help break the ice.

Excellent

5 stars

1022 reviews on

Trustpilot

To check availability, please add your event date to the menu above.

Play 'video'
from£445

Paul James

  • Brighton
  • 1
  • (18)

Refined and brilliant solo piano player boasting a varied compilation of beautifully arranged modern pop and rock tunes from Bob Marley to Bruno Mars as well as classical music.

Play 'video'
from£370

Amelia James

  • London
  • 1
  • (7)

An incredibly gifted singer, pianist and songwriter based in London who regularly provides music for weddings and events performing both at the piano and as a solo singer, as well as with her quartet.

Play 'video'
from£1,465

Son Aché

  • London
  • 5-9
  • (21)

Internationally acclaimed Cuban band with incredible female lead vocals, a driving intensity and irresistible rhythms guaranteed to turn any event into a fiesta!

Play 'video'
from£430

Wildwood Folk Duo

  • Devon
  • 2-3
  • (20)

Engaging and authentic acoustic folk duo with both male and female vocals, playing popular songs by artists such as Coldplay, Jake Bugg and The Beatles, in their own inimitable style. The duo can perform unplugged and provide a DJ service where requested.

Play 'video'
from£305

Alan T

  • Leicestershire
  • 1
  • (5)

Adaptable classical guitarist with a large repertoire bridging a range of styles, from classical to jazz to pop and world music. Alan has enchanted audiences and critics alike with his virtuosity and range of expression.

Play 'video'
from£430

Lawrence Ray

  • Hertfordshire
  • 1
  • (18)

Talented guitar player and vocalist who has appeared on The Voice. Lawrence specialises in songs by modern artists and performs anything from hits by The Beatles to chart toppers by Ed Sheeran. Additional guitar/vocalist and afternoon entertainment also available.

Play 'video'
from£280

Luca Dimitri

  • Surrey
  • 1
  • (19)

Entertaining, versatile and charismatic solo pianist playing the best of pop through the decades, by artists such as Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Adele, as well as jazz and classical favourites.

Play 'video'
from£1,540

The Brasstones

  • Leicestershire
  • 5-7
  • (40)

Inspired by the sounds of the streets of New Orleans, The Brasstones are a 5-7 piece outfit featuring a mighty sousaphone, horns and percussion! One of the horn players doubles on vocals and frontman duties if required - recommended for evening parties.

Play 'video'
from£370

Lucy Estelle

  • Derbyshire
  • 1
  • (8)

Sophisticated, elegant harpist with over a decade of experience. Lucy Estelle has featured on television dramas and is able to arrange songs by request.

Play 'video'
from£330

Elizabeth A

  • London
  • 1-2
  • (5)

Award-winning corporate and wedding harpist performing a wide range of popular, classical and Bollywood material. With 15 years of experience in the industry, Elizabeth’s prodigious musical talents will enhance any event. Flute & harp duo also available.

Play 'video'
from£330

Oona L

  • North
  • (8)

A brilliant classical harpist with many years of experience playing classical, Celtic and modern style harp for weddings and private functions in reputable hotels and venues throughout the UK.

Play 'video'
from£550

Brazil Connection Duo

  • London
  • 2
  • (13)

Enchanting Brazilian guitar and vocal duo playing Latin, samba, tango, bossa nova and choro music. Perfect for background music or small events. Extra musicians available.

Play 'video'
from£1,785

Brass AF

  • Manchester
  • 5
  • (39)

Brass AF's huge sound - a melting pot of drum beats, pumping bass lines and roaring horn parts - will get even your shyest guests onto the dancefloor!

Play 'video'
from£665

Cosmo Strings

  • Manchester
  • 3-4
  • (5)

Versatile and modern electric/acoustic string trio packed with energy and playing the very best pop music through the decades. Classical and jazz repertoires also available.

Play 'video'
from£1,595

Steamin Brass

  • Manchester
  • 6
  • (48)

A brass band like nothing you've ever experienced before. Trumpets, sousaphone, group vocals and stilt-walking percussionists combine to belt out classic pop tunes from the last 50 years and create an audio-visual spectacle!

Play 'video'
from£1,045

Lisa Maria

  • London
  • 1
  • (3)

From classic 80s love songs to hip-hop harp versions of Drake, Lisa Maria can do it all. If you are looking for something unforgettable that is sure to impress, you've found it!

Play 'video'
from£495

Its A Swing Thing

  • Liverpool
  • 1
  • (15)

A highly accomplished male tribute vocalist singing in the Rat Pack style, who has worked and sung alongside artists such as Paul McCartney and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. DJ service available.

Play 'video'
from£615

The Locks Duo

  • Sunderland
  • 2
  • (18)

Lively acoustic duo based in the North East, combining guitar with male and female vocals for a captivating variety of harmonious renditions of popular songs from the '60s to today.

Play 'video'
from£305

In A Sentimental Mood

  • Glasgow
  • 2-7
  • (1)

Young yet experienced jazz duo, playing their own carefully crafted arrangements of classic jazz tunes. Solo guitar sets or larger line-ups available.

Play 'video'
from£275

Stuart John

  • Newcastle
  • 1
  • (6)

Seasoned solo wedding and event guitarist, with a repertoire featuring popular music arranged for fingerstyle acoustic guitar, spanning pop, classical, and jazz.

Guide to booking wedding musicians

Weddings are unique events. Each wedding drinks reception or wedding breakfast will have a different combination of guests, venue and entertainment requirements, so finding the perfect wedding background music can take some time!

The choice you make depends on what you would like live music to do for you. Do you have a lot of very young guests who would love some entertainment while they’re waiting for the cake? Would you like some gentle wedding background music as a soundtrack to a formal wedding breakfast or drinks reception? Or would you just like to hear your favourite sounds and share them with your friends?

You might be wondering what kind of live music your guests would enjoy, and how you can make that work with your budget and venue. Fortunately there are a huge number of options available, so we’ve written this guide to take you through some of the most popular and more unusual ideas.

All wedding reception musicians

Choosing a genre

For some old-fashioned glamour, hire a jazz band; they make the perfect soundtrack for a classy, vintage wedding. For the full vintage experience, see if they can stay on for the reception party and play a swinging set with drums and a vocalist, to get the dancing started.

If your venue is tight on space, a solo guitarist can fit in almost anywhere – choose between flamenco and classical or acoustic pop with or without vocals. Likewise a solo sax player can squeeze into most spaces.

Classical musicians are a wonderful complement to an elegant wedding reception and the perfect enhancement to a grand Georgian wedding venue. And don't forget, while all string quartets, harpists, wind trios and other classical groups will have a repertoire of classical favourites, most can extend their range to include pop hits, medleys of folks songs and even Bollywood material.

For outdoor receptions, nothing beats a steel band or dixieland jazz band for creating an upbeat, joyful atmosphere.

All wedding reception musicians

Wedding reception musicians on a budget

Want live background music without compromising on the dress, the food and the drink? Rather than hiring a cheaper act, the best way of saving money on your wedding background music is to ask the band if they can reduce the number of musicians in the line-up. That way you still get the best quality, but won’t have to break the bank.

The cheapest option is a soloist. A wedding pianist, harpist or classical guitarist, or sax player can provide gentle sophistication and a musical background to your wedding reception or wedding breakfast without being intrusive. Some even play with backing tracks for a fuller sound.

If you've already booked a wedding band it's worth checking to see if they can provide a smaller line-up for earlier on in the day, such as an acoustic guitarist/vocalist, a cocktail pianist or a jazz trio. Using the same musicians for wedding background music earlier in the day could save you money and help keep stress levels to a minimum!

After booking

Make sure you get in touch with your wedding musicians well before the actual day, so that you can explain the arrangements to them and they can make sure you’re happy with the music they plan to play, giving you the chance to specify any special favourites.

Wedding musicians always have to work around the rest of the day’s events, so will be keen to hear about your plans and what you’d like them to do. They usually provide all their own equipment, so you won’t have to worry about organising this - though it’s always worth checking with them beforehand!

Some venues are designed with live music in mind, and some can easily accommodate it. Others might be a little more difficult because of noise or space restrictions, but you can work around these kind of problems. It’s easy to keep the volume down by using an adjustable backing track, or save space (and money) by using fewer people.

Good wedding musicians will have experience of many places, and will be able to adapt to your requirements with enough notice, so make sure you tell them as much as you can about your venue.

All wedding reception musicians

How much do wedding musicians cost?

You will always be able to find musicians to suit your budget: live wedding background music ranges from very simple and inexpensive solo acts and duos to 10-piece show bands with brass, backing vocals and percussion.

If you want one of the bigger bands, but can’t afford the full show, there are bands available in all genres who offer compact versions of their full show, perhaps playing to a backing track or using fewer members.

Jazz trio: from £545

String quartet: from £465

Steel pan duo: from £480

Acoustic rock/pop guitar/vocalist: from £250

Acoustic rock/pop guitar/vocal duo: from £415

Rat pack singer with backing track: £330

Solo male or female pop singer to backing tracks: from £250

Harpist: from £255

Cocktail pianist: from £230

Solo guitarist: from £230

We keep our rates as low as possible – but if another agent offers you one of our acts at a lower price, or on better terms, we’ll match their offer. The price we quote for an act includes all costs, (such as travel, VAT, and any accommodation necessary), unless we say otherwise.

Top Wedding Musician Genres

Sax player header

Wedding Saxophonists

Hire a solo saxophone player for mellow mood music during a wedding reception or meal.

String Quartet Hire 2

Wedding String Quartets

An elegant, timeless addition to a wedding ceremony, drinks reception or garden party

Acoustic Duos Bands For Hire

Wedding Acoustic Duos

Ideal for afternoon receptions, garden parties and venues with noise restrictions.

Steel Band Hire

Wedding Steel Bands

Laid-back, tropical steel bands for garden parties and outdoor wedding receptions.

Singers For Hire 2

Wedding Singers

Wedding singers, Rat Pack style crooners, guitar vocalists and vocal groups

Pianist Hire

Wedding Pianists

Background pianists and singer pianists playing jazz, classical, film music and pop.

Guitarist For Hire

Wedding Guitarists

Classical, flamenco and pop guitarists for weddings and parties, with or without vocals.

Wedding Jazz Bands for Hire

Wedding Jazz Bands

Swing, blues, dixieland or bebop – hire a jazz band for mellow background music or dancing.

+ Show more


The easy way to book wedding reception music

Function Central is a wedding music agency specialising in wedding musicians who have been hand-picked for their talent, professionalism and reliability. We take over 600 wedding music bookings a year and get great feedback from our clients. We make choosing and booking your wedding entertainment easy, providing support and advice right up to the day, and even a 24-hour helpline.

Choosing wedding background music doesn’t need to be a chore – we hope you enjoy browsing the site and listening to our bands! If you’d like more information and suggestions, get in touch.

Back to top