"Economic Conditions Force Difficult Decisions on Wedding Music"
– by Alicia Torres, Weekend Review
The average amount today’s couples spend on entertainment for their wedding and
reception has moved from $816 in 2008 to $749 in 2009. More and more weddings
are saying goodbye to the traditional wedding band and hello to solo musicians or
DJs who average between $500 and $1,500.
According to Wedding Report, Inc., the average number of guests has also declined
from 166 in 2007 to 145 in 2008 to 139 in 2009. As a result, solo musicians
– guitarists, pianists, harpists and violinists – are being hired almost 50% more than
last year.
While DJs and so-called One-Man Bands are on the rise, the newest trend appears
to be live musicians who attempt to bring the best of everything to weddings and
receptions, such as live music, DeeJay services and the role of Master of Ceremonies
all rolled into one.
Thanks to highly-specialized synthesizers, piano keyboards and computer equipment,
this new category of live musical performer is catching on fast in the Washington, D.C.
area. One such local musician calls himself a full-sound keyboard performer who says his
clients love the spontaneity of live dance music, but also appreciate DJ-style music
from a collection of more than 20,000 popular songs.
Apparently it’s working well because this very successful musician and singer, John
Schneider, is performing fairly regularly as a performer and a dynamic master of
ceremonies, according to reviews from his clients. Recently retired from a nonprofit
organization in the area, Schneider started playing music for personal pleasure, but
soon realized he was getting more referral business than he could handle.
“I really enjoy playing at parties, wedding and receptions,” he said, “because it really
feels as though I’m part of everyone’s special day or celebration. Many times I’ve
had to wipe away a tear or two when someone made a speech about the newly-married
couple or the guest of honor.
“Music moves everyone in deep and mysterious ways,” he continued. “It’s the
soundtrack of our lives and it’s personally satisfying to know I’m helping to create
memories that will last a lifetime.”
Schneider says he not only plays music audiences want to hear, but he also encourages
his audience to play or sing along. “People like to become involved with the music, so I
always bring conga drums and extra percussion instruments for people to play. There’s
also an extra microphone and printed lyrics to all my songs for anyone who wants to stand
up and become a star.”
The latest craze, according to Schneider, is commissioning original music compositions
for weddings and wedding videos. “Most people believe they could never afford original
music, but I make it easy for them. And they almost always get goose bumps when they
hear a song crafted especially for them.
Schneider’s website, TheMUSICofLOVE.com, is filled with possibilities for couples and
families who want to reduce their expenses. For example, Schneider proclaims on his
site that he’ll accept bartered products or services in exchange for playing.
“I’ve had clients offer me discounts, printing services and cases of wine,” he explained,
“if I would play for them. In this economy, I’m also willing to except creative payment
plans.” Schneider recently founded his own nonprofit organization called Musicians for
Charity, Inc. which provides a website for musicians and charities to come together for
the good of their communities.
