Everything You Need to Know
Planning live music for a wedding or event often comes with a few practical questions. Below you will find information about booking, timings, repertoire, setup, outdoor performances and what to expect on the day.
If you cannot find the answer you need, please contact Quattro String Quartet and we will be happy to help.
ABOUT QUATTRO STRING QUARTET
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A string quartet consists of four instruments – two violins, viola and cello.
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We regularly cover weddings in Surrey, Hampshire, Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and London. If your venue is further afield it is always worth asking us as we can travel further afield
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No. We have performed at a large number of high profile corporate functions, birthday parties, vow renewals, bar mitzvah & bat mitzvah ceremonies, funerals, military dinners and even a surprise proposal.
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We can play as a string trio which consists of violin, viola and cello. This can be ideal for smaller weddings or events or for those on a limited budget. Please be aware that our trio repertoire is more limited and can be found on our String Trio page. If you are having more than 75 guests we recommend the string quartet as the sound will carry further. Unfortunately we do not offer a string duo.
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We wear smart black clothing. We find this compliments all colour schemes whilst also looking professional.
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All of our musicians are fully covered by Public Liability Insurance of up to £10,000,000.
We do not use any equipment that requires PAT testing.
We can provide a risk assessment if requested by your venue.
PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS
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Yes. We are happy to travel between venues, for example between a church and reception venue. Any time taken travelling between venues would form part of your total booking time.
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Ideally we need a flat area of approximately 3m x 3m (string quartet) or 3m x 2.5m (string trio) with four chairs without arms (or three for trio) set up in a semi-circular shape. If you would like us to play in multiple locations within your venue it is very helpful if you can provide the chairs in all locations in order to make our set up as quick as possible.
That said, we have fitted into some unique spaces for ceremonies in churches and venues so we will always do our best to work with you to find something that works.
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We are happy to play outside during the warmer months however the British weather presents its own unique set of challenges at all times of the year. Being a professional quartet/trio we perform using expensive instruments and equipment. The instruments, sheet music or ipads, stands and musicians must be protected from wind, UV rays (Sun) and rain as well as anything else that may drop on us from above, meaning that both cover and complete shade are required. A marquee, gazebo, several large stable umbrellas or parasols, extended canopy or the inside of a doorway are acceptable. Tree cover is not sufficient.
Please note that if the weather is breezy and it starts to rain or if it is too cold (below 16 degrees), we may not be able to play even if cover is provided but is not sufficient to protect us, our instruments and our equipment. We will always do our best to play outside but the decision whether to perform outside will be made by the musicians at the time of performance.
Depending on your venue and date we may be able to provide a gazebo for an additional charge.
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We play on acoustic instruments which are not amplified. We find that our sound carries well without being intrusive. Should you need us to be amplified, this will need to be organised with your venue/ sound technician and agreed with us in advance. No microphones can be attached to our instruments so standalone mics would be needed. Please discuss with us.
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We always arrive 30 minutes before we are due to start playing in order to set up. We will take a short comfort break every hour. For longer bookings of over 3 hours we will need to take a slightly longer break but we will work with your timings to try and find the most appropriate time to do this.
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For bookings of up to 3 hours we do not require any food although some tea, coffee and water are greatly appreciated. For bookings of longer than 3 hours, a small meal is appreciated.
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We would do our utmost to ensure that we find a replacement. We have a trusted group of musicians who perform with us regularly and are used to our repertoire, and whom we can count upon to maintain our high standards.
PRICES AND BOOKING
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Our prices will be dependent on both the location of your venue and the duration and date of your booking. If you complete our contact form we will be happy to get back to you with a bespoke quote. Our minimum fee is for a booking of up to 2 consecutive hours although we can play for less time. Our fees are based on total booked time and therefore include any breaks or time taken between venues.
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Yes. We ask for a deposit upon booking in order to secure the date. This will be set out in your quote.
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Firstly complete our contact form or email us at info@quattro-strings.co.uk providing us with the following information so that we can check our availability and provide you with a quote:
Date of wedding/event?
Venue location(s)?
Length of booking?
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We understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise and, on rare occasions, clients may need to cancel or amend their booking. While we always aim to be as accommodating as possible, we also have a responsibility to ensure our musicians are treated fairly and compensated for reserving their time.
The following cancellation terms apply:
All cancellations: The initial deposit is non-refundable and will be retained.
Cancellations made within 3 months of the event date: 50% of the total booking fee will be payable.
Cancellations made within 1 month of the event date: The full contracted booking fee will be payable.
These terms reflect the likelihood that, at short notice, we may be unable to secure alternative bookings for our musicians.
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Any requests to change the date of your booking will depend upon our availability. If we are unavailable your booking will be cancelled and subject to the cancellation policy above.
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We appreciate that timings can be subject to change in particular when bookings are made far in advance. Most of the time, we can accommodate small changes with notice however our musicians are all professional performing musicians and are often booked several months in advance for work. Whilst we will do everything we can to be as flexible as possible with moving the timings of the booking, we are unable to guarantee that we will be able to accommodate moving the booking earlier or later in the day, especially at late notice. We highly recommend that any changes to the timings of the booking are requested at the earliest opportunity in order to avoid disappointment.
WEDDING MUSIC
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If we are playing for your ceremony, we recommend the booking starting 30 minutes before the ceremony start time so that we are playing for your guests arrival and whilst they are taking their seats.
As a guide, a booking of up to 2 hours will provide you with 20-30 minutes of music as guests are arriving, the ceremony itself (based on a civil ceremony) and approximately an hour of your drinks reception. Alternatively we can play for up to 2 hours of your drinks reception or meal. A booking of up to 3 hours would cater for a longer drinks reception or longer time before the ceremony. These timings are for guidance only so please do ask if you would like to quote for longer or if your wedding day is following a different format.
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No two weddings are the same and your music should reflect you as a couple.
We have a huge repertoire for string quartet of over 1000 pieces to cater for all tastes. Upon making a booking with us we will provide you with a guide to choosing your music including an approximate number of pieces to select for the different parts of your wedding or event. If you are struggling to make a selection we will be happy to suggest some pieces that work well for certain points or share our favourites with you.
For your drinks reception, we also offer a Quattro ‘Pick ‘n’ Mix’ where your guests can choose the music that we play from our repertoire list.
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With over 1000 pieces to choose from we hope that you will find something to suit your taste however if there is a particular song you wanted that is not currently on our list then do ask us and we may be able to purchase this for you or have it arranged especially for you for an additional fee.
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We liaise with the venue, your registrar, celebrant, or vicar to ensure that we know the relevant cues. We will then bring your music to a suitable close once the entrance has been made.
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We can offer a Pick and Mix service where guests can choose from a list of different pieces. We will do our best to accommodate their requests if you require this but we can not guarantee we will have time to play all requests.
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If you are having a church wedding, we can play alongside an organist for hymns however we need to ensure that they are using the same music as we are and can see each other. The list of hymns that we currently have can be found on our repertoire page.
Still have a question?
Tell us about your date, venue and plans, and we will be happy to answer any questions and prepare a tailored quotation.