Can Deans' Duets play at my wedding? What are the next steps?
Thank you for your interest in booking with Deans’ Duets! We’re excited to work with you to provide live music at your wedding.
We’ve provided you with a step by step outline of what the process looks like from the point that you decide to work with us to the day we play at your wedding.
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1.) First, we ask that you sign an online contract. After the contract is signed and the retainer is paid, you are booked and on our calendar! A great thing about booking with Deans’ Duets is that there is not much left that is needed until about two months before your wedding.
2.) Next, you will receive an automated email inviting you to our payment portal to pay our retainer and finish the booking process. You also have the opportunity of mailing in a check if you prefer to avoid the small fee that comes with using a credit card.
3.) We will continue to check in with you every 1-2 months to see how things are going and to ask if we can help with anything.
4.) Our planning form is sent for you to start working on, but we don't need the form until four weeks before your wedding.
Planning Form
At four weeks out, the form locks so that we don’t happen to miss any changes you may make last minute.
The planning form asks questions like guest count, which songs you would like to have, and in what order you would like to have those songs Not only do we have a list of every song that we own, but also a song list for every single ensemble that we have. We love to hear about your vision for your wedding and ask accompanying questions along the way.
Some clients like to fill out the planning form by themselves, and they already know what they want. Other clients schedule a phone call for us to help with their flow and music selections. Either works for us!
If you are booking us for your ceremony, there are blanks for all of your prelude songs, but some clients just like to tell us a few songs they like or a general genre they like and let us choose the rest. Again, either one works!
Program
5.) You've completed your planning form. Next, we get to work on your program.
The program is a one page document that lists every song we will play at your wedding. It also lists your venue, the instruments, times, and all the extra details that we like to make sure we have correct. Once complete, we email you a draft to double check, and you can make any changes that you would like.
Customizations
We ask that, if you want to commission any new arrangements, we receive those requests at least 2-3 months before your wedding. For example, sometimes clients will have a song that is very special to them, but that is not very well known, which equates to minimal sheet music available. But no worries! In that case, we can commission an arrangement for an additional fee. We like to give our arranger a lot of time so that she doesn’t have to rush. We love to know any of your custom requests at least two to three months before the wedding if possible.
Didn't see your favorite song on our song list?
Let us know and we can always check and see if we have the song/songs in a different format that might still work.
Accompanying singers
When we’re accompanying singers, we ask that the singers are professionally trained, can read music, send us the key they need the song in, and that they are comfortable with only a 30 minute rehearsal before the prelude begins (or we can add a longer rehearsal for a fee).
6.) Program approval is next. After the program is approved, we send it to anyone who needs it, like your venue coordinator or your planner. After program approval, we take it from there. We compile sheet music, rehearse, and send the details to our musician team.
7.) Final payments are finalized. At 30 days out, we will send you a final invoice for your balance due. That final balance is due two weeks before your event.
8.) It's wedding day!
On wedding day, our team arrives at least one hour before the performance begins. During that time we collaborate with your officiant and coordinator about any details and cues, as well as any important moments that need to be timed perfectly (i.e. the recessional). After your wedding music is executed and everything is completed, we quietly exit.
9.) Thank you for working with Deans' Duets. After your wedding day, we are always honored to receive a stellar review, if you feel so inclined.
Client Example
Here is an example of a bride that we worked with to provide live music for her on her wedding day.
One bride we worked with originally had a vision of classical music for the ceremony, but later changed the direction of what they had first compiled. We reworked the processionals several times so that the songs were able to flow and float which led us to recommend “Lover’s Waltz” by Jay Ungar and “Dream” by Priscilla Ahn.
The couple started out wanting something very different from what they finally ended with at their wedding, but it is equally as important to let your vision evolve with you and your wedding. We are along for the ride and happy to help with all of these changes and developments. We were in contact once every week or two throughout the 10 months of wedding planning
We also collaborated with a singer to sing “Oceans” that was not part of Deans’ Duets, so we proceeded to exchange sheet music, discuss song arrangements, and send audio samples back and forth. Personalizations were important to the couple and we were able to integrate their last names into their set list. They used the instruments to create numerous “flavors” in a really short span of prelude, ceremony, and cocktail hour using the violin, cello, guitar, trumpet, and keyboard. For example, we only used the keyboard for two really big moments - “Oceans” and the bride’s processional. Overall, we worked and personalized this lovely couple’s setlist to bring their wedding music and vision to life.
Photography:
@cheyenneschultz
@abigailmalonephoto
@simonanthonyphotography