Selecting The Right Singer For Your Wedding Ceremony

Music has the power to change and enhance a space’s entire atmosphere. Whether you’re having a traditional church wedding, a registry office service, or something completely unique, finding the right soundtrack for your wedding ceremony can make it a day to remember for you and your partner.

You might be wondering whether hiring a live wedding singer is worth it. Or perhaps you’re unsure how to find a performer who will suit your celebration. Our guide is here to put your mind at ease and help you hire a wedding singer who’s sure to bring that extra touch of magic to your special day.

Why hire a live wedding singer for your wedding ceremony?

Many couples worry about choosing the right songs for their wedding day, whether it’s the track they walk down the aisle to or the music playing as they sign the legal paperwork. Our best tip is to always go for the songs that mean something to you and represent your relationship.

But once you’ve chosen the tracks, there’s another consideration — do you play a recorded version through speakers or hire a live wedding singer?

While a recorded track can be a lovely addition, a live wedding singer can create a unique emotional connection with your guests.

Wedding ceremonies can also involve a fair amount of waiting, particularly when the couple is signing the documentation. A live performer can keep your guests engaged and entertained in a way that recorded tracks just can’t, adjusting to what is happening and providing musical entertainment to meet changes to running times on the day.

Choosing the right singer for your wedding

There are plenty of performers available to sing at weddings, but how do you find an artist who will complement your day?

1. Consider your wedding venue and theme

Many couples hire a solo wedding singer rather than a band for their ceremony. A solo artist can create a calm yet celebratory atmosphere without overshadowing the ceremony itself or the couple’s most special moments throughout their day.

However, every artist is different, so finding your perfect match starts with considering venue logistics and your vision for the day.

• Venue size and acoustics: A soft, ethereal voice may get lost in a vast church space with tall ceilings. On the other hand, a powerful belter might overwhelm a small, intimate venue. Try to determine what your venue can cater to and how the space’s acoustics may carry your wedding singer’s voice. Likewise, what performance area will they need? A performer with an instrument like a harp, cello,keyboard or a string quartet will need enough room to set up.
• Theme and ambience: What kind of atmosphere do you want to create? Would you like a sophisticated, vintage affair with a jazz or swing singer, a selection of classic ballads, or an acoustic wedding singer who performs contemporary tracks? You might also want to consider whether you want a performer who sings with a backing track or plays an instrument as their accompaniment. Ada Grace, for example, combines stunning vocals with the subtle, warm notes of the harp to create a captivating sound.

2. Think about your ceremony’s running order

When and where would you like your singer to perform? It’s helpful to think about whether you want them to sing while your guests are taking their seats, as you or your partner walks down the aisle, as you sign the register and/or as you leave after the ceremony. Do you want the same style and atmosphere for all of these elements?

You may wish to hire a wedding singer who plays throughout or just performs one or two songs.

3. Take your budget into account

There are a couple of factors to take into account when setting your budget:

• The singer’s experience and whether they are based: Well-established performers may charge slightly more than those newer to the industry. Also, if they aren’t local to the area they will charge additional travel costs.
• Song requests: If you have a particular song in mind, the singer may charge extra to learn it if it’s not already in their repertoire. A new song takes a lot of rehearsal time, and the performer may need to rearrange the track to suit their vocal range. Many wedding singers include learning one new song in their quote — usually the “walk down the aisle” song — but additional tracks might increase the artist’s hire cost.

4. Hire a local wedding singer

To help keep the artist fee down and within your budget, we recommend looking closer to home for a performer. As well as supporting local artists, hiring a wedding singer in your area can lower the cost significantly. Plus, many artists include a certain radius of travel within their prices.

If you’re hosting a wedding in the North, why not take a look at the artists in our catalogue? From the North East and Yorkshire to the North West, the Lake District and Cumbria, and into Scotland, we work with dozens of talented wedding singers covering a variety of genres.

When to book a wedding singer for your ceremony

As with most things wedding-related, planning well ahead of time gives you the best chance of finding the perfect wedding singer to hire for your big day.

Many wedding singers start to get booked up around 12 to 18 months in advance, so we suggest browsing performer profiles as soon as you have your venue secured.

Hire a wedding singer with AMV Live Music

Finding the ideal singer for your wedding day can add to the whole experience, and with AMV Live Music, booking a talented, reliable performer is quick and easy.

Our catalogue showcases artists from across the North and Scotland, offering showreels and samples so you can get a clear idea of what each performer can do. After creating a shortlist of wedding singers you like the sound of, you can contact the AMV Live Music team through our handy online enquiry form. You’ll receive a quote back and after paying a small deposit, your wedding singer is booked.

In the run-up to your special day, you will need to get in touch with the AMV Live Music team to provide any final details. The AMV team manages the rest, providing you with personalised advice and support throughout the whole booking process. Contact us to find out more.