Can a string quartet play our church wedding?
Yes. Church ceremonies are a regular part of what we do, in Lutheran, Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist and other churches.
Yes. About 29 of the weddings Dream City Strings has played were church ceremonies, across Wisconsin. Hymns like Amazing Grace and both settings of Ave Maria sit next to Pachelbel and Bach in our library, and the ceremony runs the same way: prelude, processionals, quiet for the vows, recessional.
Churches we've played
A sample of the Wisconsin churches and chapels where we've played wedding ceremonies:
- Milwaukee: Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Church of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Matthias Parish, St. Hedwig Three Holy Women Parish, Redeemer Lutheran Church, First Unitarian Society, Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church.
- Milwaukee suburbs: Hales Corners Lutheran Church, Fox Point Lutheran Church, St James Catholic Church in Menomonee Falls, St Mary & St Antonious Coptic Orthodox Church in Oak Creek.
- Ozaukee and Washington counties: Immanuel Lutheran Church and St Francis Borgia Catholic Church in Cedarburg, Holy Angels Catholic Church in West Bend, St. John XXIII Catholic Church in Port Washington.
- Elsewhere in Wisconsin: Kimisis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church in Racine, Norway Lutheran Church, Fontana Community Church, St. Mary of the Lake in Baileys Harbor, Sepia Chapel in Two Rivers and Straits Chapel at Whistling Straits.
Dream City Strings also plays Denver and Colorado, where our musicians have performed at hundreds of weddings and events.
Music for a church ceremony
The library already includes much of what couples ask for in church:
- Hymns: Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, Be Thou My Vision, On Eagle's Wings, In Christ Alone, The Lord Bless You and Keep You.
- Sacred classics: Ave Maria (Schubert and Gounod), Panis Angelicus, Pie Jesu, Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.
- Mass of Creation: several parts of this setting, including the Holy, Holy and the Lamb of God.
- Modern worship: Goodness of God and Oceans.
If your church or officiant has guidance about wedding music, share it with us when you pick songs. A hymn that isn't in the library can usually be added for $25 to $50, depending on how complicated it is.
On the day
The players arrive about 30 minutes before the prelude and sit, so they need a chair each where they will play, even in a church full of pews. They play acoustic, which suits a sanctuary. During the vows and readings they stay quiet and let the officiant lead. A full quartet is most common, but a string duo has played a Cedarburg church wedding too; see quartet, trio or duo.
From church weddings
★★★★★“While in the wing of the church, waiting for her processional, our lovely bride even commented on how beautiful the strings sounded.”
★★★★★“They were excellent! On time, the sound was perfect. All our guests raved about how beautiful it was.”
Church wedding questions
Have you played at our church before?
Possibly. We've played about 29 church ceremonies across Wisconsin. Tell us your church when you request a quote.
Can you play hymns?
Yes. Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, Be Thou My Vision and On Eagle's Wings are already in the library, and others can be requested.
Do you play Ave Maria?
Yes. Both the Schubert and the Gounod versions are in the library.
Does our church have rules about music?
Each church is different, so ask your church or officiant and share any guidance with us when you pick songs.