Music for an Off-Peak Wedding – With such glorious sunshine this month, many couples choosing to get married in the autumn have found that by waiting a couple of months, they can save money on the cost of their wedding venues – as peak costs for summer bookings often don’t apply to this season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. As the busiest summer wedding season also draws to a close, groups like the Manor House String Quartet have better availability, guests probably won’t have to choose between different friends weddings on the same day and caterers can get creative with all the fresh seasonal produce around at harvest time‚ not to mention the stunning colours of trees in the wedding photos.

Certainly in terms of music, it’s often the season where people are in the mood to hear mellow, lyrical pieces. Vivaldi‚ Autumn is far less commonly played than the bright and chirpy Spring from the Four Seasons, but is deeply romantic – conjuring up images of glorious woodlands, gentle sunsets and ripe apples. Pieces like Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach can work well, also any piece with a hint of magic such as Dance of the Blessed Spirits by Gluck, Reverie by Debussy, or the very traditional melody Greensleeves.
Any music that adds a touch of elegance and grandeur is in keeping with autumn, and a good wedding string quartet will be prepared for any weather if we are required to play indoors we’ll usually have plenty of our most popular upbeat music ready to entertain guests if they need to keep out of the rain. As darkness falls and little lights or candles start to appear, dreamy music such as the Swan by Saint Saens or Nocturne by Borodin (see the video above) can set a romantic atmosphere. Some couples might prefer to liven things up with a firework display accompanied by rousing classical pieces for which Handel music for the Royal Fireworks is absolutely perfect!
If couples are not too familiar with classical music but want some suggestions of seasonal pieces that work well and will compliment an autumn wedding, we’re only too happy to have a telephone consultation and put together an individually chosen selection of pieces based on the theme or atmosphere that they are hoping to create. Although popular classics are often an ideal choice as many guests will be familiar with the melodies, there is plenty of exquisite chamber music that can offer people the chance to hear something they may not have heard before and create the perfect ambiance for a memorable autumn wedding day.