Wedding String Duo at Flitwick Manor, Bedfordshire – Last week, the Manor House String Duo, consisting of Nancy (viola) and I played for a wedding at the Hallmark Hotel Flitwick Manor in Bedfordshire. As this venue is quite intimate, a string quartet would have taken up too much space in the wedding ceremony room so we recommended a string duo which the couple were delighted with as it also helped them to keep within their wedding budget.

We provided music for both the wedding ceremony and reception, having played some classical music to set the atmosphere as guests arrived and took their seats. Whilst we were there, the wedding photographer Richard Hedge took some pictures of us – one of which is below.

The violin / viola combination is quite a versatile option for a string duo as it’s very portable and can play a range of musical styles while taking up less space and being much more affordable than the price of a string quartet. Because both instruments can also be played standing up, we often recommend it if we’re going to be playing in several different rooms or moving outside (then back in again) with the guests during photographs or drinks.