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Banquet and wedding music specialists
The London Banqueting Ensembles
Professional musicians for all occasions
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WEDDING MUSIC GUIDE
Live music at your wedding will make an incredible difference to the atmosphere of your day. Not only the sound, but the visual aspect of live musicians will make everything seem that bit more special, and add a real sense of occasion that you will remember forever.
If you have shopped around for wedding music ideas, you will have realised that there is a huge choice of musicians on offer. Unless you are a musician, or know about music, you probably won’t have a clue on which musicians and music to choose!!
Our wedding music guide will help you through the choices that we can offer, and hopefully make it easy for you to choose the musicians and music for your wedding ceremony and wedding reception even if you decide to book elsewhere!! Our guide covers the most popular choices of music for weddings, so if you would like to do things a little different please make an enquiry or call Steve Fletcher on 01376 513378 to talk over your ideas.
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CHOOSING MUSICIANS FOR WEDDINGS |
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Choosing the right musicians for your wedding should not be difficult! As your read through our wedding music guide, click on the links for more information. All links below will open in a new window so that you don’t lose your place on this page!! Alternatively, simply browse our musicians pages. If you can’t find what you are looking for, contact us, we may be able to help!
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 Our Palm court trio is our most popular ensemble for weddings, due to it’s amazing versatility! The trio includes violin, piano (Our state of the art electric piano can create highly realistic organ and harpsichord sounds, as well as piano!!) and cello. Our cellist, Steve Fletcher is also our principal trumpeter and can easily swap between cello and trumpet! With a huge choice of music in many styles, including classical, popular, light jazz, TV and film themes, music from the shows, gypsy violin, trumpet solos and fanfares, our palm court trio is quickly building a reputation as one of the most versatile small ensembles in the UK.
In summary, our trio has the same capabilities as a string quartet, cocktail pianist, wedding trumpeter, fanfare trumpeter and dinner jazz group all rolled into one, with only 3 musicians! If you would like varied music during your wedding ceremony and reception, our palm court trio is the ideal choice.
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For more information and demo clips, please click the button below to visit the main Palm Court Trio page.
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 String quartets are generally the first ensemble that people consider for weddings, and not without good reason. Our string quartet can provide suitable music during your wedding ceremony, along with music during photographs/Champagne reception and throughout your wedding breakfast. Although not quite as versatile or popular as our palm court trio, our string quartet has a huge repertoire of music in many styles. Our cellist, Steve Fletcher is also our principal trumpeter and can easily swap between cello and trumpet! This is ideal if you would like a trumpet voluntary played during your wedding ceremony, but is usually only possible at a church wedding ceremony as he will need accompaniment played by the church organist.
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For more information and demo clips, please click the button below to visit the main String quartet page.
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 A trumpet fanfare will provide a huge impact at key points of your wedding. Visually stunning, in bright red tailcoats and playing very long fanfare trumpets with banners, our fanfare trumpeters can also make a great ‘prop’ for your wedding photographs!! Most commonly used to announce the arrival of the bride at your church or civil wedding ceremony, trumpet fanfares can also be used at your wedding reception to announce your entrance to the wedding breakfast and to introduce speeches. Our fanfare trumpeters can also play ‘standard’ trumpets, and can provide any of the services offered by our wedding trumpeters.
Please note that several of our ensembles include trumpet players (Palm court trio, string quartet and brass quintet) and can play trumpet fanfares, although will need a brief pause to swap instruments and outfits for the full effect!!
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For more information and demo clips, please click the button below to visit the main Fanfare Trumpeters page.
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 A wedding trumpeter is the perfect solo musician solution for your wedding ceremony music. Wedding trumpeters are able to play music for the processional, recessional, signing of the register and provide a boost to the hymns. Trumpet voluntary is our most commonly requested piece of music for the entrance of the bride, and never fails to make a lasting impression. A solo trumpeter will require accompaniment from your church organist, or for civil ceremonies we can provide a pianist with a portable electric piano able to produce a realistic organ sound.
Please note that several of our ensembles include trumpet players (Palm court trio, string quartet and brass quintet) able to perform the full range of trumpet wedding music.
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For more information and demo clips, please click the button below to visit the main Wedding Trumpeters page.
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 Our brass quintet is a highly versatile ensemble. The 2 trumpeters from the quintet can act as fanfare trumpeters or wedding trumpeters, or the quintet can play a full brass fanfare followed by Trumpet voluntary or similar for the arrival of the bride at wedding ceremonies. During the signing of the register our brass quintet can offer a large selection of suitable music, including ‘Air on a G String’ and ‘Chanson de Matin’ (Morning song), have a listen to our demo clips whilst you read on!! Our brass quintet sounds particularly good in church and can provide a valuable boost to your wedding hymns. Our brass quintet is also one of our most suitable ensembles for outdoor occasions such as during your photographs or Champagne reception.
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For more information and demo clips, please click the button below to visit the main Brass Quintet page.
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 Generally unheard of by the public, woodwind quintets are fast becoming a fantastic alternative to string quartets for those who are looking for something a little different. The musicians of our woodwind quintet are all graduates of top London music colleges, and can offer a large choice of music for weddings, suitable for your wedding ceremony and wedding reception. Have a listen to our demo clips and you will soon understand why the lively and interesting sound of our wind quintet is becoming so popular.
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For more information and demo clips, please click the button below to visit the main Woodwind page.
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Harpist or harp and flute duo
 The harp is a very elegant instrument, in both looks and sound. Our harpist can provide suitable music for all parts of your wedding ceremony, along with beautiful relaxing music during your photographs, Champagne reception and wedding breakfast. Our harpist is an ideal choice if you have limited space available for musicians, and can easily move to a different position for the next part of your wedding day.
A flautist will add an extra dimension to your music. Our harp and flute duo is very popular for both wedding ceremonies and receptions.
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For more information and demo clips, please click the button below to visit the main Harpist page.
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 You don’t have to be Scottish to enjoy the sound of a piper at your wedding! A bagpiper can be used for several parts of your wedding. Most commonly, a piper will play outside your church or civil ceremony venue as guests arrive, pipe the bride up the aisle and pipe the happy couple back down the aisle! Your piper can also play during your photographs and Champagne reception. This is most effective in a large church yard, or the grounds of your wedding reception venue with your piper standing at a distance so as not to intrude on conversation! Following your ‘line-up’, your piper can lead you to your seats for your wedding breakfast.
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For more information, please click the button below to visit the main Bagpipers page.
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WEDDING CEREMONY MUSIC
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The music you choose should reflect your personalities and compliment the atmosphere you wish to achieve.
Make your wedding unique by choosing one of our ensembles to play your choice of music.
Important note! If you are planning a civil wedding ceremony, you can not choose music with any religious connections. If you are in any doubt, please email, or call Steve Fletcher on 01376 513378 for advice. Whether you are planning a civil or religious ceremony, you should always check your wedding music choices with your registrar, vicar or minister.
Your wedding ceremony music can normally be divided into 5 main sections, the LBE musicians can provide music for any, or all of these. Most of the wedding music ideas listed below can be swapped to any section, depending on the style that you are looking for.
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Wedding prelude music
This is music played as wedding guests arrive at your church or Civil wedding ceremony venue, usually for around 15 minutes. Music at this point can set the mood and relax your guests, especially if they have had a long journey! Many couples leave this choice to the musicians, but it is your day, you are welcome to have as much or as little input as you would like.
Wedding prelude music ideas:
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Barcarolle - Offenbach
Berceuse - Faure
Minuet - Boccherini
Wachet auf - Bach
Arioso - Bach
Chanson de Matin - Elgar
Chanson de Nuit - Elgar
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Panis Angelicus - Franck
Andante from piano concerto 21 - Mozart
‘Badinerie’ from Suite No.2 - Bach
Flower Duet from ‘Lakme’ - Delibes
The Dance of the Blessed Spirits - Gluck
Intermezzo - Mascagni
Softly Awakes my Heart from ‘Samson’ - Saint-Saens
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Processional wedding music
The brides big moment! This is the music played for the arrival of the bride and bridal party.
Popular choices for this are:
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba - Handel
Canon - Pachelbel
Trumpet Voluntary (Prince of Denmark’s March) - Clarke
Bridal Chorus (Here comes the bride) - Wagner
Grand March from Aida - Verdi
Trumpet Tune - Purcell
Rondeau - Mouret
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Music during the signing of the register
You may wish to choose a piece of music which has a special meaning to both of you and can be either traditional or modern.
Popular choices for this are:
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Canon - Pachelbel
Salut d’Amore - Elgar
Ave Maria - Bach/Gounod
Ave Maria - Schubert
To a wild Rose - MacDowell
Air on the G string - Bach
Pearl Fishers’ Duet - Bizet
Melody in F - Rubenstein
Jesu, joy of man’s desiring - Bach
Sheep may safely graze - Bach
Alleluja from Exultate Jubilate - Mozart
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Your song - Elton John
Here, there and everywhere - The Beatles
For your eyes only - Barry
Nobody does it better - Hamlisch
We have all the time in the world - Louis Armstrong
Unforgettable - Gordon
Moon River - Mancini
The sweetheart tree
A Nightingale sang in Berkeley square
Pennies from heaven - Johnson
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Wedding hymns
Add a boost to your hymns and have your chosen ensemble play along. Our brass quintet or trumpeters are most suitable for this, due to their ability to compete with the congregation!
Your choice of hymns will be very personal depending on your denomination and taste. We can only advise you to choose hymns that are well known by the majority of your guests. There is nothing worse than a congregation trying to sing a hymn that they don’t know!! Your Vicar or Minister should talk through the options with you, and help you to choose hymns which have words with a special meaning to you both.
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Recessional wedding music
This should be a piece of music that is joyful to celebrate your marriage as you walk back down the aisle as husband and wife.
Popular choices for this are:
Trumpet Voluntary - Stanley
Wedding March - Mendelssohn
Hornpipe from the Water Music - Handel
La Rejouissance from Music for the Royal Fireworks - Handel
Te Deum Prelude - Charpentier
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Don’t worry if any of your preferred music is not listed above, give us a call to discuss your choices and we will do our best to source the appropriate arrangement for the ensemble you have chosen.
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WEDDING RECEPTION MUSIC
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Whilst this is your day, it is unlikely that all your guests will share the same taste in music. Almost all ensembles featured on this page can perform music in a wide range of styles to suit all tastes.
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Music during your drinks reception and photographs
During your drinks reception and photographs, light background music can create a relaxed atmosphere helping to break the ice between the 2 families, often meeting for the first time. Our most popular musicians for this part of the day are our Palm Court Trio, String Quartet, Brass quintet, Harpist or Cocktail Pianist.
If you would like your chosen musicians to perform outdoors, please refer to our outdoor function guide.
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Music during your wedding breakfast
Coming soon
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Music during your evening reception
Coming soon
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LBE musicians are based in and around London and generally cover London, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Middlesex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, but are happy to consider enquiries from any area subject to expenses.
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Copyright © 2005 - The London Banqueting Ensembles
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