After launching the concept in 2020, our Cello and Guitar duo has become one of our most popular ensembles for Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Hour. This especially sweet wedding ceremony took place at the Owenego Beach Club in Brandford, CT in Summer of 2022.
Owenego is definitely a venue to consider if you’re looking for a coastal New England setting within a few hours drive of NYC. It has a sort of mid-century nostalgia about it that we found charming, and of course the views are incredible!
Our good friend and wedding planner Marian Versalko at Marian Frances Weddings connected us with the couple and we worked together throughout the planning process. The Ceremony took place on an expansive lawn perched high above Long Island sound. We provided a wireless mic for the officiant and set up under the shelter of a nearby tree.
Cello and Guitar is such a versatile combination. We are definitely not the only ones offering it, but what sets us apart is the rhythmic drive and energy that we bring to the music. The default for Cello and Nylon String Guitar maybe lovely and serene romantic melodies, but we also embrace the more percussive sides of our instruments and love to play pop songs from all-eras as special requests for Wedding Ceremony.
During the consultation with the couple, they shared that they really loved the music of Queen. We started bouncing song ideas around and quickly arrived at a wedding Ceremony made up entirely of Queen songs.
- Prelude: “Somebody to Love”
- Processional: “We Are the Champions”
- Recessional: “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
We loved the how thematic these Ceremony selections where! And, of course with the music being instrumental the theme was subtle enough never to feel cheesy or overshadowing the ceremony itself. After the recessional our duo moved to a gazebo for Cocktail Hour. We continued with classic rock and romantic favorites, like Elton John’s “Your Song.”
One insider tip for couples planning live music for Ceremony and Cocktail hour is that we didn’t actually book the Cocktail Hour until about a month before the wedding. The couple was sure that they wanted us for Ceremony, but Cocktails wasn’t decided yet. We gave a quote for adding cocktails and said it would be that price as long as they decided by a certain date. Whether or not we also played Cocktails wasn’t going to impact our big picture planning or even scheduling for that day, because the venue was already somewhat of a destination. This makes it easier for a couple to make the most important decisions first and avoid getting overwhelmed in the wedding planning process.
