I have played the piano for weddings, memorials, and other services for many years and enjoy adapting to a variety of tastes and styles of ceremony. Because I work mostly for Unitarian Universalist congregations I am used to being flexible. I expect that the paragraphs below will answer most questions, but please call or email me to discuss further.

 

FORMATS
        You will be settling upon a format for your service with the clergy person or other officiant who will be conducting the service. Please send me a copy of whatever bulletin, etc. that you come up with, or bring it to our meeting. You and I should meet together once that format is decided upon, probably at my house where I have a substantial music library, to decide on the music and how it will fit into the established service. My basic fee assumes ten or fifteen minutes of music before the wedding, a processional, a recessional, and perhaps a piano solo in the middle somewhere, and/or a hymn sung by the entire congregation.

SOLOISTS
        Some people also like to have a singer or instrumentalist or ensemble to sing or play at some point before or during the service. It is especially nice if you have a family member or close friend who can do this, but if you would like musical “extras” like that, Chicago is a big town, and there are all sorts of musicians who are happy to perform for weddings. Most soloists will charge $100-150 for a wedding, depending upon the amount and difficulty of repertoire. I’d be happy to discuss that with you.

ORGAN?
        Sometimes I am asked whether I will play the organ for all or part of the service. I do occasionally play the organ to accompany a hymn, and once in a while for the recessional, but if the organ is the primary instrument that you want, I would refer you to a full time organist.

FEES
        My basic fee for a Unity Temple wedding is $175, for an offsite wedding, $200, payable at the rehearsal (it works best for both of us to have one less thing to think about at the main event!) That includes, as stated above, 10 -15 minutes of piano music before the service, the processional and recessional, and a hymn and/or short solo in the middle. Assumed also in that fee is a meeting to choose music and an hour rehearsal. There are extra fees (at $50/hour) if I need to hold a special rehearsal to accompany a soloist, , or if I am to conduct the rehearsal, or if you request specific music that I must learn especially for this event. I do have a variety of music available, however, and can sight read, so this last is not often the case.