Ceremony
Live processional, recessional, and interlude music performed by professional musicians who tailor each piece to the moment.
Modern Era Weddings live musician add-ons place professional ceremony and cocktail-hour performers alongside your DJ for a full acoustic-to-electric production arc. Choose from string duets, acoustic guitarists, jazz trios, saxophone soloists, or full band setups, available at more than 20 venues across Florida, Pittsburgh, and Signature Wedding Weekend destinations nationwide.
The work
Solo violin, string trios, jazz combos, saxophonists, and live vocalists for ceremony, cocktail hour, or DJ-fronted live sets.
What’s included
- Solo, duo, trio, or quartet configurations
- Ceremony + cocktail hour bundling
- Live-fronted DJ collaborations
Planning your live musicians.
Tell us about your wedding
Fill out a short inquiry form with your date, venue, and vision. It takes less than two minutes and we respond within 24 hours.
15-minute discovery call
A lead producer calls to cover your timeline, music preferences, lighting goals, and any multi-day or destination plans.
Review your custom proposal
You get an interactive proposal with DJ options, full package details, and optional add-ons. Pick what fits your day and your budget.
Sign and secure your date
A digital contract and retainer payment locks in your team. We handle every production detail from there.
Add live musicians to perform with your DJ and elevate your celebration to the next level.
Customizable packages designed to fit any event, solo or layered, instrumental or vocal, anywhere across the day.
Where live musicians fit
Cocktail hour & dinner
Set the tone for the evening with live instrumentation as guests arrive, mingle, and settle in for dinner.
Reception with your DJ
Layer live musicians on top of your DJ set for first dances, key moments, or full reception-length live-fronted performance.
Built around your moments
Pricing varies based on the musicians you choose and the moments you want them in. We'll build a custom package around the parts of the day you want elevated.
Available for ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, or as part of a full reception package, solo, paired, or fully layered with your DJ.
Common questions
About live musicians.
What kinds of live musicians can you provide?
Our live musician roster includes solo saxophonists, string trios and quartets, acoustic guitarists, pianists, vocalists, and full live dance bands. Live musicians are most commonly booked for ceremony, cocktail hour, and as guest performers layered on top of the DJ during reception peak moments.
Can a live musician perform alongside the DJ?
Yes, this is one of our most-requested formats. A saxophonist, percussionist, or vocalist performing live over the DJ set is a signature move at Modern Era receptions and creates a major energy lift on the dance floor.
How is this service priced?
Modern Era Weddings uses day-rate pricing rather than hourly billing — your DJ, photo, and video packages cover unlimited hours on the day of your event. Photo booth packages run a fixed 5 hours of active rental time (additional hours are available as an upgrade). Pricing depends on the artist or DJ you choose, venue location, equipment needs, and whether the service is part of a multi-event Signature Wedding Weekend. Every couple receives a custom quote within 24 hours of submitting a consultation request.
Where is this service available?
This service is available throughout Southwest Florida (Naples, Marco Island, Sarasota, Tampa, Fort Myers), the Florida Keys (Upper Keys: Key Largo & Islamorada; Middle Keys: Marathon & Duck Key; and Key West), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes regions of New York. Travel is also available for destination weddings in the Berkshires, the Poconos, the DC metro, and nationwide.
How far in advance should I book?
For peak season (October-May in Florida, May-October in Pittsburgh) we recommend booking 9 to 12 months in advance. Off-season and short-notice bookings are accepted when availability allows.
How do live ceremony musicians work (string trio, soloist, vocalist)?
We coordinate the prelude (typically 20-25 minutes of guest-arrival music), processional (one piece per party plus the bride's entrance), the unity moment, and the recessional, working from your music selections through the planning portal. A solo musician handles intimate ceremonies; trios and quartets work better for outdoor and larger spaces.
Can we book live cocktail-hour musicians?
Yes. Cocktail-hour-only bookings are common and are typically a 60-90 minute solo or duo set (acoustic guitar, jazz piano, sax, or vocalist) bridging ceremony recessional and grand entrance.
What styles do your live musicians cover?
The roster covers classical and pop arrangements for ceremony, jazz standards and lounge for cocktail hour, and high-energy R&B / Latin / pop / dance for reception layering with the DJ. Specific musician/style fit is matched during the consultation.
People also ask
How much does a Modern Era Weddings DJ cost?
Modern Era Weddings uses day-rate pricing rather than hourly billing. Standard wedding DJ packages typically start around $2,500 and scale up with add-ons such as elevated lighting, photo booths, ceremony coverage, and live musicians. Multi-day Signature Wedding Weekend packages are quoted custom based on the number of events. Every package includes a professional emcee, premium sound, unlimited planning consultations, and our online planning portal.
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Let’s talk
Want live musicians for your BIG day?
Send us the basics and we’ll get back within 24 hours with availability and a tailored quote.