Wedding VendorsThe day of your wedding is such an exciting time, but worrying about whether your wedding vendors will work well together on your wedding day shouldn't have to be at the forefront of your mind. Some clients have even expressed worries about their vendors even showing up on their wedding day! These wedding day worries are the last items on a couple's list of things to do on such a special day. We at Deans' Duets have taken into account a wide variety of "What Ifs" to ensure that your wedding day runs as smoothly as possible. From planning and set up to the rehearsal and breakdown, we work alongside your vendor team to provide elegant music for your cocktail hour and wedding ceremony. Not only do we work with your vendors such as your coordinator, DJ, and officiant to make sure we align with your wedding timeline and vision, but we also make arrangements in advance to attend your wedding as prepared as possible.  Planning For Your Wedding DayWe continuously work with clients to formulate a personalized set list of music that highlights their interests, favorite songs, and overall atmosphere that they are wanting to create. In order to stay organized and make the planning process as easy as possible, our clients fill out a planning form to compile all of their music selections. Four to six weeks before their wedding, we use this to make a program. We then send the program to the couple for their approval which we continue to edit until the program is just right. Once we receive final approval, our setlist is ready to go. Working with couples to choose the music that will be played on their wedding day creates some of the most rewarding moments. Next, we make a set list of all of the sheet music and download the list to our iPad, after which, it will be sent out to our musician team to begin rehearsing. Day Of CoordinationWe arrive at every event at least one hour before music begins so that we can set up, rehearse, and speak to vendors. For example, if a wedding is at 5:00pm, we begin prelude at 4:30, which means a 3:30 arrival. We are usually a little earlier, but at least an hour in advance. We feel it’s vitally important to play together right before your event so that we provide the most cohesive ensemble possible and so that we have time for a thorough sound check when using sound equipment. After arriving at the wedding venue, our musicians receive an in-depth outline of all of the boxes to check when they arrive and all pertinent information for your wedding day. Vendor CollaborationCollaborating with our couple's vendor team is one of the ways we are client centered. While working hand in hand with other vendors, we are able to work towards a common goal of making your wedding day vision a reality. On our planning form, we ask for names of your vendors, and if you fill in those areas, we'll email them to check in before wedding day! DJs We collaborate with DJs at weddings by sometimes mic’ing the instruments and coordinating segments of the ceremony that are being handed back and forth from DJ to ceremony musicians. If a DJ is providing a microphone for an officiant, we pause our warm-up while they do their sound check. Before the ceremony begins, we also collaborate with the DJs about the order of the ceremony and any parts we might overlap (ie. unity candle, communion music, etc.). Coordinators We also collaborate with coordinators by first and foremost bringing him/her a copy of the program just in case they need it. We discuss how the run-through went during the rehearsal the night before and whether there are any last-minute changes to the program. Some of the most common questions that we ask include, "Are all grandparents present as planned? Are the flower girls and ring bearers cooperating and still planning to walk down the aisle? If there are dogs in the ceremony, are they all set and what’s the plan for that part? Is the officiant walking down the aisle? Is the officiant making any sort of announcement at the beginning to silence cell phones?" We also confirm the order of the processionals to make sure the correct songs are played according to the order of individuals walking down the aisle. The order in a traditional wedding usually proceeds as such: grandparents, parents, officiant, groom, groomsmen, bridesmaids, flower girls, ring bearers...... but this varies a lot from wedding to wedding.  During each song change, we ask the coordinator to give us a cue. The first cue occurs when we need to end the prelude and start the first processional and then another cue for each processional after that. We also work hard to play the most recognizable parts of each song so that you get a complete picture of the song even though the real song might be 5 minutes long, but we only get 1 minute to play the song. Our musicians will play the intro, a verse, and a chorus, but will sometimes shorten the verse if needed to ensure that the chorus is played. The chorus is typically the most important part and the segment that couples most want to hear. We spend a lot of time reworking our arrangements to make them sound like “the end” even though it’s not actually the end of the song. Finally, we discuss the move to cocktail hour with the coordinator. Do we need a golf cart to move? How far is it? Are there chairs already set up there? If we’re playing a reception, we also discuss first dances, timing, entrances of the couple and the bridal party. Officiant Another vendor that we like to collaborate with is the officiant. We like to ask the officiant the following: “What are the last words you’ll say before we begin the recessional?” Should we start as soon as they kiss? Or will there be a presentation of the couple? Sometimes there’s even a blessing or a prayer, so asking this question is very important to avoid awkward pauses. If we are running a sound check, we we'll have much more contact with the officiant because of sound checking the microphone that they would use.  PersonalizationWe don’t have much collaboration with vendors like florists or cake bakers, but we often see them setting up or delivering, and it’s fun to say hello to people we work with often but don’t actually see in person. When our portion of the wedding is finished, we try to pack up discreetly, and we often slip out without anyone knowing. We don’t make a habit of going up to introduce ourselves to the clients because it’s their day, and they hired us to do a service. We do, however, enjoy following up with an email to congratulate the couple and thank them for having us at their wedding. We get to know clients well throughout the planning process, so it’s always special to see their wedding day happen so beautifully.
Vendor Collaboration ExamplesCharlotte Country Club Wedding Last year in May, we played a Charlotte Country Club wedding where there was a vast amount of collaboration with numerous vendors. We even had a vendor team meeting in person about a month before the wedding. Sol Fusion was the band for the reception, and they collaborated with our musicians to hand music back and forth during the ceremony. The coordinators at the Charlotte Country Club along with the band and the ceremony musicians did a lot of planning beforehand to make sure everything went seamlessly the day of the wedding. Banner Elk Wedding I remember one wedding in Banner Elk, NC, where the directions about the location for loading in a harp were very ambiguous, and to make it more complicated, it was raining. Ultimately we were most concerned about getting lost and losing valuable time. Oftentimes, cell service is limited and the connection fails in the Banner Elk area. We DM’d Hallmark Cakes, and she gave us a detailed description of how she had loaded in the cake that morning, and even told us about a secret entrance gate that made it even easier to load a harp!! So even though we didn’t see her that day, her help made our day go smoothly. Highlands Wedding At a recent wedding in Highlands, it was snowing and 8 degrees! Only one of us had brought rain boots, so we unloaded the car with the rain boots and everyone else went inside to set up so that they didn’t have to walk in the snow in their heels or dress shoes. Charlotte, NC Corporate Event Another time we played at a corporate event and we worked with Split Second Sound. They brought Panthers jerseys for all of us to wear since we didn't have any! Vanlandingham Estate Wedding At this wedding at Vanlandingham Estate, it started raining. Thankfully everyone pitched in, started moving things, and protected the instruments and iPads from the rain! Jackie Fogartie Events was a rock star. She was soaked and still working and making sure the ground wasn’t flooded for when the guests arrived. The VanLandingham Staff and Best Impressions Caterers Staff all worked until things were dry enough for guests to walk into the tent, and the wedding proceeded without a hitch! Biltmore Wedding Another wedding that also comes to mind is a Biltmore wedding we played in October and couldn’t find some of our equipment at the end of the event because it was so dark. Mary Bell Events found it, saved it for us, and we met her the next day to get it back! Behind The ScenesThere are behind the scenes moments that we take care of that often clients don't even know about. We make sure that all the small details are accounted for so that the couple doesn't have to. There’s almost always something that needs to be resolved on wedding day, but if you’ve hired great vendors, it’s going to be solved before you are even aware. At the end of the day, we want our couples to enjoy their beautiful wedding day and know that their amazing vendor team came through on every element of their day.
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Hi! I'm April Dean McConnell, and my sister Megan and I are co-founders of Deans' Duets. We started playing the violin at a very young age through the Suzuki method. Our Nana (grandmother) saw an advertisement for Suzuki violin lessons on the cable advertising channel which sparked our interest and was the beginning of us playing instruments. Although there were no musicians in our family before us, we quickly learned to love the art of music. Both Megan and I started violin lessons at the age of three, and at the age of nine I also became interested in playing the piano. Fast-forward a few years and by the age of 13, I was playing for my first wedding. We charged $25 each! That first spark and love of weddings carried through to today and it's still such an honor to be a part of so many couples' wedding days.  The Beginning as Professional MusiciansWe played several weddings for friends as young teenagers. I started working at Dairy Queen and then won a contracted seat as a second violinist in the Western Piedmont Symphony when I was 16. Weddings and symphony were my first experiences of music being a job. Our grandfather had the idea to call ourselves “Deans’ Duets” and said we should make some business cards and start doing that on weekends instead of working at Dairy Queen. After starting my symphony job and booking a few weddings, I quit Dairy Queen. haha. We ended up distributing business cards to local alteration and dress shops, and sure enough, people started to hire us for their weddings! At first start, we never worked with professional wedding coordinators, and most weddings took place in churches. I can remember one wedding where the couple requested Yankee Doodle - ha! By the age of 16 & 18, we were playing at least 1-2 weddings a month. We gradually started developing a song list and figured out ways to make our performance one that couples would seek out for their wedding day music. Learning & GrowthI later received my bachelor's degree in violin performance from Wake Forest University, in Winston Salem, NC. While at Wake Forest, I was concertmaster of the University Symphony and also performed as a violinist with the Western Piedmont Symphony in Hickory, Salisbury Symphony, and Winston-Salem Symphony. While we both were in college, we played in orchestras, but didn't playing many weddings during that point in our lives. After I graduated from college, I took a year off and started teaching private lessons at Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory, NC. Once the year ended, I began grad school for clinical mental health counseling at Appalachian State University in Boone. When I moved to Boone, NC I started playing weddings in Boone again on Saturdays just for fun and to earn some extra money. I continued teaching private lessons one to two days a week in Hickory at LRU. I graduated from ASU with my master's in clinical mental health counseling and started a counseling job in Charlotte, NC to be near to my fiancé (now husband) Jeremiah, who also lived in Charlotte. After moving to Charlotte, I drove back to Boone almost every weekend to play weddings in Boone.
Expanding Our TeamOnce Megan moved out of the area, I started playing with Madilyn Schmidt who was one of my advanced students. We played together for about three years. Then when she graduated from high school and went to college, I met Donna at a Salisbury Symphony Concert where we were stand partners. We then met Jackie Barnes, who was a fantastic violinist and had also just graduated from ASU. At that point, we had three wonderful violinists in Charlotte as part of our team, and I started to wonder if it would be smart to book two weddings on a given Saturday. While I couldn't be at two weddings at once, it made me nervous sending musicians out to weddings without me being on-site personally. We tried booking two weddings at a time on busy weekends and realized it was successful as long as we worked with great reliable players. New Instrument Variety In 2014, a bride asked if we could play with guitar which we had never done before, but we were excited to expand our horizons. Up until then, we had only offered the violin and piano, until we met Paul Bowman. He came to Charlotte, and we jammed for a few hours, and ultimately decided that offering the guitar at weddings was a great idea! It was such a fun ensemble! Deans' Duets really started to come to life in 2016 when we started booking three to four weddings on busy weekends, and in 2018, when we hosted our Duke Mansion training. You could truly see the business beginning to boom as we began integrating more instruments. As more clients asked if we could play specific instruments, we added more instruments to our portfolio. We would figure out what the clients were looking for on their wedding day, find a musician who excelled in playing their instrument, and develop it. Even our song list and our styles have all developed from client requests! Wedding Experiences Our mom came to weddings with us for the first 3-4 years of us playing when we were teenagers, and since there were never professional coordinators, she would stand at the back and hold up these large cue cards for us. We had a "G" for grandmothers, "M" for mothers. "BP" for bridal party, and "B" for bride. Megan and I would get frustrated at each other at times when playing at weddings, as siblings do, and we would make faces at each other while we were playing. We would forget we were up in front of so many people. Our mom told us after we had caused a scene that the next time she saw us make a face, she would take all of our money from that wedding. We never made a face again. We saved our arguing for after the wedding :) In the beginning of Deans' Duets, we played a wedding show where NOT ONE PERSON showed up. It was so poorly advertised that not even one bride or groom came. It was horrible, especially because so much preparation yielded no results. There were a few experiences like that, but we learned so much. There were a lot of things to learn in those beginning years. But by the time we were 30, we had 15 years of experience and really had a good understanding of wedding music and the industry in general. Deans Duets WeddingsDeans Duets performs at events throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia by providing solos, duos, trios, and quartets for weddings, cocktail hours, private events, receptions, parties, church services, funerals, memorial services, fundraisers, and more. We collaborate with violinists, pianists, guitarists, harpists, and cellists. Our travels take us most often to Charlotte,, Greensboro, and Asheville, as well as Durham. We also have locations in Hickory, Raleigh, Greenville, SC, Columbia, SC, and Charleston, SC, in addition to destination wedding travels, which have taken us to Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Georgia, and Florida. We are excited to see what the future holds for Deans' Duets!  -April Dean McConnellMountain Wedding Venues in North Carolina (or South Carolina)Looking for a wedding venue is one of the first items on the list that newly engaged couples seek to check off in order to have their wedding date marked on the calendar. With so many options these days, brides and grooms are looking for unique venues that are remarkable and that fit them as a couple. From beach and waterfront weddings to banquet halls and barn venues, mountain wedding venues are one venue option that offers a breathtaking ridge line no matter the time of year. Wanting to have a wedding in North Carolina with a mountain view? We have found mountain wedding venues in the Carolinas that you may not have heard of. Brown Mountain Beach Resort - Lenoir, NC "Brown Mountain Beach Resort is a timeless combination of rugged beauty, and elegance for those who desire a unique wedding experience. Let the sunset over the gorge and the gentle sound of Wilson Creek provide the most captivating setting for your big day. Our wedding packages include exclusive use of the resort grounds, wedding arch, tables, chairs, and essential decor. BMBR staff will provide both setup, and clean up so you and your loved ones can simply enjoy the celebration. Let your life’s adventure together begin here at Brown Mountain Beach Resort!" -http://brownmountainbeach.com/about-brown-mountain-beach/wedding-venue/your-wedding-weekend/  Brown Mountain Beach Resort has scenic views and is located on the beach. Some couples even go tubing after their ceremony. How fun! One of the great perks that Brown Mountain Beach Resort provides is on-site lodging. They can currently host 50-60 guests in their cabins and yurts but are looking to expand in Summer 2022 to provide lodging for 74-80 guests on site. Do you have more than 50-80 guests? Brown Mountain Beach Resort also recommends hotels and Airbnbs in the surrounding area to accommodate for all guests. Kelsey is the coordinator on site and is absolutely wonderful to work with. If you are looking for both a mountain view and beach wedding all in one place, this could be the wedding venue for you! Pretty Place - Cleveland, SC  Photo: Jessica Kait Photography This one is not in North Carolina, but it's worth the short drive into South Carolina for these views! The Pretty Place is located in Cleveland, SC and the venue's views speak for themselves! This venue space is so unique and gorgeous to have as a mountain wedding venue and covers 1400 acres. The chapel is located on private property owned by the YMCA Camp Greenville and has been in existence since 1912. Having your wedding ceremony at Pretty Place will provide you with a beautiful mountain view of South Carolina's Upstate. The Chapel can hold 350-400 people with parking capacity being around 75-85 vehicles. Weddings at Pretty Place are scheduled in two hour time blocks which also includes set-up, clean-up, and rehearsals within your two hour reservation. With the limited amount of time, couples can reserve additional hours as needed for an additional fee. Background adjustments can also be made depending on the couple's event decoration preferences, and a sound system can also be rented on site if needed. Nantahala Weddings & Events - Topton, NC Nantahala Weddings & Events is a 6.5-acre lake and mountain view estate venue with the perfect backdrop for your wedding ceremony. Nantahala offers a variety of package options, from as many as 125 people to as intimate as 20 people. Couples are not given mandatory end times and noise restrictions and can use any vendors of their choosing. Pets are even allowed! Not only does Nantahala offer a an open-air and covered ceremony space, but also an open-air pavilion & caterer's kitchen for your reception, bride and groom's suites, a rehearsal dinner room, onsite lodging with a lake view for 14, and two bonfire pits. Nantahala's ceremony spaces are areas on Nantahala Weddings & Events's property to highlight. The Chapel in the Sky has a lake and mountain view seated high above the clouds at 3,500 foot elevation. Another spot to say " I do" is on Wayah Bald* on the Appalachian Trail which is at 5300 foot elevation ( 11 miles from the venue). Nantahala's outdoor and covered ceremony chapel located next to the reception facilities is a great rain plan that has a moss covered rock wall and sycamore benches. "We are a destination wedding venue with a focus on nature. The lake, mountains, river, and waterfalls provide a wide variety of activities for your guests – boating, swimming, whitewater rafting, hiking, and fishing – as well as spectacular wedding photo opportunities. Our goal is to make your experience as stress-free as possible so you can relax and enjoy the beauty of Nantahala with your family and friends." Chestnut Ridge - Canton, NC  Chestnut Ridge is yet another venue space that sits amid the North Carolina mountains. Chestnut Ridge has been historically known as the Medford Farm and is surrounded by a family homestead on a 150 acre farm. Chestnut Ridge is still an operating working farm that is full of homegrown sugar cane for old fashioned, batted molasses and grazing livestock. "Chestnut Ridge believes in the lasting experience. This is where we transcend the expected by offering breath-taking views, meaningful amenities, and the freedom to dream. Chestnut Ridge is where you’ll truly meet your memories. From weddings, conferences, luncheons, and business events, we look forward to sharing our piece of home with you." Chestnut Ridge has the most amazing and caring planners who ensure that your wedding days goes smoothly and are so fun to work with. They also offer a variety of package options one of which is all inclusive for everything that you would need on your wedding day. This premium wedding package includes everything from the basic venue package and includes the venue's essential preferred vendors. You have the opportunity to choose all of your wedding vendors from their given list to help make your wedding decisions easier. The White Crow - Banner Elk, NC "At The White Crow, we can bring your wedding and special event ideas to fruition. Our picturesque Wedding Venue offers everything you can dream of to ensure a memorable experience for you and your guests. Our years of experience in the service industry has taught us the value of personalized service. At The White Crow, you are not just another date on our calendar. We feel honored to be a part of your special day, helping to make memories that last a lifetime."  "The White Crow Wedding and Event Venue is on a 37 acre mountaintop with the most beautiful and astounding. views in Banner Elk, North Carolina. This newly opened venue in 2020 is a 6,400 square foot building that is close to Banner Elk and Boone in Western North Carolina. The White Crow Wedding and Event Venue can seat up to 300 people and offers a variety of package options to suite your wedding day needs. All of the wedding venue packages include tables and chairs, cocktail tables, farm tables, a 9ft head table, and arbors to choose from. While outside vendors will need to provide the additional details, the impressive mountain views come at no extra cost."
Hello New Year!What a way to end one year and begin another than with a wedding! In 2021, we played in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, and Alabama. Our most popular ensemble was the string quartet with our most booked instrument being the violin. We played more mountain weddings in comparison to beach weddings, and the most-booked city was Charlotte, NC. Not only did we play numerous weddings throughout 2021, but we also played corporate events, vow renewals, cocktail hours, receptions, brunches, fundraisers, funerals, charity events, wedding shows, church services, private parties, rehearsal dinners, welcome parties, and birthday parties. We are looking forward to all the weddings and events along with the vendors and couples we will have the privilege of working with in 2022. We are so excited to see what this year holds. The following wedding at the Old Cigar Warehouse in Greenville, NC was one of our last weddings of the year that we had the privilege to play for on New Year's Eve before heading into 2022. Our musicians were able to create breathtaking moments for the bride and groom's ceremony on their wedding day. After countless hours of preparation, music selection, practice, and arranging, we provided this bride and groom with a beautiful, fun, and personalized instrumental performance that we brought to life. Planning & PreparationWhen we first met our couple, inquiring about hiring us for their wedding, we set up a phone call and spoke to the bride about all the details that the couple had envisioned for their wedding day. The bride told us that she wanted a lot of music by Taylor Swift, a Schitt's Creek remake of the Tina Turner classic Simply The Best, and that she wanted to walk down the aisle to a specific Jason Walker cover of Kiss Me. We could imagine her vision coming to life for her wedding day at the Old Cigar Warehouse in Greenville South Carolina as she spoke about her plan to walk down the beautiful staircase at the venue to create a dramatic bridal entrance. At the end of our call, it was time to do some research to take a few days to listen to the songs that stood out as the bride's favorites and research the sheet music before communicating with her an outlined plan. After more phone calls and emails with our bride, we decided that two strings with a keyboard would be the best combination to see her vision to fruition. Song SelectionWe were happy to learn five Taylor Swift songs for her wedding which included, Willow, Champagne Problems, Peace, Cardigan, and New Year's Day. With these five songs not being played as frequently as others, we began to listen to them on repeat weeks before the wedding! It's much easier to learn songs by ear than actually reading the music oftentimes. Communicating songs and the covers of the original is perfected by listening to the original recordings and how we envision it sounding instead of sticking too closely to the sheet music. The accompanying musicians of the ensemble listened extensively as well, and the songs came together beautifully. The bride's request of the Schitt's Creek remake of Simply The Best, preformed by Noah Reid, was the sweetest cover to learn. We also played Holy by Justin Bieber and Royals by Lorde in the prelude, which we ended with Sunflower by Post Malone. One of the more notable songs in the prelude was Starboy by the Weekend which the bride really wanted because it was an inside joke with many of her friends from high school and college. The best part was that when we started playing it, about five different girls doubled over laughing. We were happy to know that we created a cover that they recognized! Day Of The WeddingWhen we arrived at the venue, we set up our sound and keyboard, we rehearsed, and we talked with the coordinator extensively about how we could communicate about song changes. The seating of the mothers and the bridal party procession was a song called Everything We Need from a Day to Remember. This was a very special song to the bride, and we had an arrangement of it commissioned for her wedding day. It was a moving moment. After this, the officiant asked everyone to stand, and we then proceeded to wait about five more seconds to let the commotion and noise dissipate before beginning the song, Kiss Me. It started with three single notes on the piano before the introduction began. The moment was magical as so many tears flowed, and you could feel the magnitude of the moment in the air. These are the moments that we live for. We listen, practice, rehearse, and arrange the music, all for that one moment to create an entrance that will never be forgotten.
As the bride took her last step down the aisle, we ended the last note of Kiss Me. Even the timing was perfect and was everything that we had hoped it to be. We were just so thrilled with how this wedding went! All the preparation, the importance of the moment, and the time taken to learn a lot of new music can lead to lots of nervous butterflies, but being able to see past those led to a very successful performance. We were so happy with what we achieved for this sweet bride and groom. After the couple lit their unity candle, we played Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran and Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding for the recessional and postlude. The bride and groom were so much fun as they had two of their best friends officiate their ceremony. Both the bride and groom love Stephen King novels and they even incorporated them into their vows which was an added personalized touch. The ceremony was filled with lots of laughs and funny stories, but it was also very personal for the couple. Although we only played for about 60 minutes on their wedding day, the hours of preparation that had led up to this moment was so rewarding as everything came together. Congratulations to this sweet couple!
Most Popular InstrumentationWe are frequently asked which ensemble is best; however there's not a one size fits all answer to this one! The string quartet is best known as the classic wedding ensemble which includes two violins, a viola, and a cello. This quartet is the quintessential wedding ensemble. If you are wanting classic traditional elegance, the string quartet is the perfect way to go. While these ensembles are two of the most popular options amongst couples on their wedding day, there are many other wonderful options. Since we are on the subject of the string quartet, let’s start there.
String QuartetThe string quartet, comprised of four instruments, is a beautiful ensemble that holds a lot of volume - usually enough volume for 200+ guests at an outdoor ceremony (if it’s not windy). The string quartet is four string instruments set up into a classic configuration that we recognize from so many wedding movies. The sound is so pretty! Another advantage to the string quartet is the variety of music arrangements that can be played with a string quartet. For example, if you are wanting some new modern music, you have the best chance of finding it with a string quartet.  *Our string quartet performing at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. The string quartet is versatile. Guests swoon when they hear Canon in D on the string quartet for the bridal entrance, and they cheer when the ensemble surprises the crowd with an exciting rendition of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” for the recessional. It can be a classical and modern atmosphere all at the same wedding! The one drawback: budget. Four musicians is more of an investment, but not to worry! We have equally as harmonious arrangements that can be played by a string trio, a duet, and a soloist for a wedding ceremony, you're being more budget conscious. String Trio *A photo of our string trio at Pinehurst Resort, in Pinehurst, NC The string trio is basically a string quartet without the viola, which is two violins and a cello. The string trio has volume and illuminates an exquisite sound. An advantage of hiring a string trio is the budget friendly element comparative to that of a quartet. We find that the trio pulls off the same elegance as the quartet without quite the price tag, so if you want to minimize costs but still give your guests an elegant evening, the string trio is a great option! While there are slightly fewer modern songs arranged for a trio, we are more than happy to accommodate and can integrate more modern music to the arrangement for your wedding day. Ask about the song list for the trio before booking, and we will do our best to make the wedding music of your dreams become a reality! DuetsBut what if three of four instruments is out of my budget, but I still want high quality sound and top 40 music? If you want to stick to two musicians and still play some killer covers of pop songs, we recommend pairing a violin with an accompanying instrument! While this is a great option, the violin violin duet is also the most classical duet that we offer. The violin is a melody instrument which plays the vocals. If you pair it with a guitar, a piano, or a harp, then you still have all the melody and the accompaniment. That's all you need to pull off pop music successfully (well... as long as you have two really skilled players who have a lot of experience playing modern music on strings! Pop music is generally not easy to pull off on strings, so make sure you hear video samples first and hire professionals. It's not as easy as it looks ;) ). Here’s an example of a violin and guitar duet playing "Here Comes the Sun" by The Beatles: This is a video from a wedding we played at The Farm at Brusharbor. It has great sound with the violin pulling off the melody and the guitar filling in elsewhere. What if you want a little more depth of sound? You can add a violin or cello to make it a trio! Here is an example: Violin & Cello Duet The other duet we play frequently is the violin cello duet. It is a beautiful combination that is very classical but can also pull off some pop music. Double checking the song list is always a safe bet to ensure that the instruments offer enough of the style that you enjoy. *Our violin cello duet at Larkin's on the River in Greenville, SC SoloistViolin Solo We play a lot of solo violin weddings! One helpful tip is to make sure, when you’re browsing YouTube videos for ideas for your solo violinist, that you’re actually hearing only a violin. Many solo violin recordings have other instruments in the background. It’s important to us that you're able to hear exactly how that solo violin is going to sound! The video below is a great example. A solo violin can be a pure gorgeous sound! Looking to hear a cover of a rock song at your wedding? We do have that option on violin, but it might not quite sound like the original! Other Soloist Options Cello Solo Bach Cello Suites and The Swan by Saint-Saens are two very romantic options from the solo cello for a wedding! Harp Solo The harp solo is arguably the most romantic instrument that exists! The harp is a WOW factor. Trumpet Utilizing the trumpet as a stand along instrument allows for a one of a kind performance that will have your wedding guests in awe. Guitar Solo The guitar is so versatile. It offers many songs that sound really great and that mimic the originals, and this instrument can be classical or popular. Piano or Keyboard Solo If your venue has a piano, take advantage of it! It’s kind of sad to see a piano sitting there and not being played. If your venue doesn’t have a piano, a keyboard rental is a great option! Additional ConsiderationsWEATHER: Is it going to be very cold or very hot? If so, keyboard and guitar are your best options! They’re not nearly as susceptible to weather as the other instruments. Please see our weather policy for exact details. AMPLIFICATION: “Will it be loud enough?” We can amplify any ensemble! If you’re concerned about the volume, there are tons of amplification options. Memorable Music“I want my music to be something that my guests will remember forever. What do you recommend?” What about a small orchestra, as seen here? *This is a video from a wedding we played at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, NC. Bagpipes also create a memorable experience for wedding guests and can be played for your recessional or to lead your guests from the cocktail hour into the reception! Here’s a clip: *This is a video from a bagpipe wedding at Eseeola Lodge in Linville, NC. Live Wedding Music ReviewsWe hear again and again from past clients, “My guests are still talking about that song you played for me to walk down the aisle.” Clients are repeatedly surprised at how many compliments they get from their guests about their ceremony music. It’s something that they remember for a long time. Music is played during the most emotional moments of a wedding, and when music is used to create such a powerful memory, it sticks around for a long time - for guests, family, your wedding party - and for you too! Whatever you decide about your wedding ensemble, we are here to answer your questions and to personalize it so that it fits YOU, your budget, and your vision! More questions we can answer? Leave them in the comments below! Or email us! Reach out to us anytime with questions. Even if you’re not in North or South Carolina, we’re still happy to help point you in the right direction! And we travel often to other states. Contact us at DeansDuets@yahoo.com Deans’ Duets provides live music for wedding ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception events throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and beyond.
Does the weather affect our ability to play? The answer is: it depends. However, we are more than happy to work with you and your inclement weather plan. Instruments have differing levels of sensitivity to weather which dictates our policies and procedures. Temperature has no effect on our keyboards with the guitars having little to no sensitivity. While this is the case for our keyboards and guitars, the harp, for example, is the most sensitive instrument to the weather. We have to be extremely careful when playing this instrument in inclement weather conditions. Equally as important to protect are the violin and cello. With high-end instruments on the line to protect from the elements of the weather, having a plan B and C in place is important, just to be safe. We have to be pretty careful with these instruments; however, we do have backup plans in place so that we can continue to give the same high level of experience to every performance.  Backup PlanWhile we have backup plans if the weather causes us to shift our initial plans, we do have the ability to use backup instruments made of carbon fiber that can be rented. Since these instruments are cheaper instruments and not as high quality, the tone is not nearly as crisp and as strong as it would be with nicer instruments. But they're a great alternative in rough weather, because weather doesn't affect them at all. Snow If the weather doesn't permit and it's too cold outside, we've been able to also play inside a doorway close to the ceremony in order to keep the instruments warm. Please refer to our weather policy for exact temperature details. Cold weather impacts stringed instruments by causing them to warp, causing wood fibers to contract, crack, split joints, and cause damage to the body of the instrument which will impact the sounds to not be as full or resonant (Music & Arts, 2020). In the event that we are asked to play a wedding that is outside in the cold while nearing the temperature cut off point, heaters can also be provided by the client to warm up the space a few extra degrees. We do ask that the heaters be lit 30 minutes before the performance begins so that the space is warmed before the use of the instruments. In cold weather, the strings begin to loosen and going out of tune, impacting the quality of the performance. Rain A light drizzle still permits us to play in rainy weather conditions if we are in a covered area (like a tent or a gazebo); however in a downpour, our instruments are at high risk. We bring trash bags to all outdoor events as a precaution in case that the skies open and it pours. We are then able to place the trash bags over our electronics to ensure that damage does not occur, until we move into a covered area.
Weather PolicyWhen you book with us, here is the wording of the weather policy you will see in our contract: During outdoor weddings, the temperature must be above 55 degrees for the sake of the instruments. If temperatures are lower than this, a heater may be provided by the client to raise the temperature enough for musicians to still perform. Heater(s) must be sufficient to raise the temperature of the performance area and must be turned on in enough time to provide warmth. Instruments and electronics must stay out of direct sunlight. If rain, mist, fog, or other weather conditions make it inadvisable to complete the performance for the sake of the instruments and/or the electronics, the full contracted fee does not change, due to nonperformance as a result of weather. Weather ExamplesHere are some examples of weddings that we have played in that the weather caused for some day of adapting. #1 One wedding that comes to mind when discussing the effects that the weather has on our instruments was an outdoor wedding we played in Blowing Rock, NC as a string quartet. Most of the day had been threatening rain, but the skies were still clear. We proceeded to play for the couple’s ceremony, and as soon as the minister said, “I present to you Mr. and Mrs.,” the skies opened up, and it started pouring. All 4 musicians ran for the gazebo with their instruments (luckily we anticipated it, so no instruments were harmed). Our music stands and iPads got soaked until we could run back and get them from the ceremony spot. Once we got to the gazebo, two of the violinists knew the recessional by ear, so they played it so that there would be music for the exit. #2 Another wedding where we had inclement weather difficulties was in Sapphire, NC. The bride really wanted to get married outside in a field; however, it was sprinkling rain. We ended up setting up about 200 feet away, and we blasted our music through a speaker so that they could still hear it without ruining the instruments. All of the guests had umbrellas and sat through the rain. We were very thankful that we had a speaker that day that we were able to use to still give the couple the wedding music they had envisioned. #3 While we don’t put a maximum temperature as a stipulation, we’ve considered it several times. We played a violin/keyboard duet for a Charlotte wedding in July where it was over 100 degrees outside, and guests were not in the shade. Everyone was legitimately dripping with sweat by the end of the ceremony and their clothes looked wet. We ended up loading in the keyboard and then took a break to drink lots of water before we performed. The heat doesn’t really hurt the instruments, but direct sunlight will. We run into these “it’s too hot” situations so rarely, that we ultimately decided to not have a maximum temperature in our contract. But it's nice to consider moving inside if the temps are in the high 90's or above, for the sake of your guests. References: Music & Arts. “How Weather Impacts Your Sound.” The Vault at Music & Arts, 20 Mar. 2020, https://thevault.musicarts.com/how-weather-impacts-your-sound/. Photography:
@jimtricephoto Thank you for your interest in booking with Deans’ Duets! We’re excited to work with you to provide live music at your wedding. We’ve provided you with a step by step outline of what the process looks like from the point that you decide to work with us to the day we play at your wedding.
1.) First, we ask that you sign an online contract. After the contract is signed and the retainer is paid, you are booked and on our calendar! A great thing about booking with Deans’ Duets is that there is not much left that is needed until about two months before your wedding. 2.) Next, you will receive an automated email inviting you to our payment portal to pay our retainer and finish the booking process. You also have the opportunity of mailing in a check if you prefer to avoid the small fee that comes with using a credit card. 3.) We will continue to check in with you every 1-2 months to see how things are going and to ask if we can help with anything. 4.) Our planning form is sent for you to start working on, but we don't need the form until four weeks before your wedding. Planning Form
Program 5.) You've completed your planning form. Next, we get to work on your program. The program is a one page document that lists every song we will play at your wedding. It also lists your venue, the instruments, times, and all the extra details that we like to make sure we have correct. Once complete, we email you a draft to double check, and you can make any changes that you would like. Customizations We ask that, if you want to commission any new arrangements, we receive those requests at least 2-3 months before your wedding. For example, sometimes clients will have a song that is very special to them, but that is not very well known, which equates to minimal sheet music available. But no worries! In that case, we can commission an arrangement for an additional fee. We like to give our arranger a lot of time so that she doesn’t have to rush. We love to know any of your custom requests at least two to three months before the wedding if possible. Didn't see your favorite song on our song list? Let us know and we can always check and see if we have the song/songs in a different format that might still work. Accompanying singers When we’re accompanying singers, we ask that the singers are professionally trained, can read music, send us the key they need the song in, and that they are comfortable with only a 30 minute rehearsal before the prelude begins (or we can add a longer rehearsal for a fee).  6.) Program approval is next. After the program is approved, we send it to anyone who needs it, like your venue coordinator or your planner. After program approval, we take it from there. We compile sheet music, rehearse, and send the details to our musician team. 7.) Final payments are finalized. At 30 days out, we will send you a final invoice for your balance due. That final balance is due two weeks before your event. 8.) It's wedding day! On wedding day, our team arrives at least one hour before the performance begins. During that time we collaborate with your officiant and coordinator about any details and cues, as well as any important moments that need to be timed perfectly (i.e. the recessional). After your wedding music is executed and everything is completed, we quietly exit. 9.) Thank you for working with Deans' Duets. After your wedding day, we are always honored to receive a stellar review, if you feel so inclined.  Client Example Here is an example of a bride that we worked with to provide live music for her on her wedding day. One bride we worked with originally had a vision of classical music for the ceremony, but later changed the direction of what they had first compiled. We reworked the processionals several times so that the songs were able to flow and float which led us to recommend “Lover’s Waltz” by Jay Ungar and “Dream” by Priscilla Ahn. The couple started out wanting something very different from what they finally ended with at their wedding, but it is equally as important to let your vision evolve with you and your wedding. We are along for the ride and happy to help with all of these changes and developments. We were in contact once every week or two throughout the 10 months of wedding planning We also collaborated with a singer to sing “Oceans” that was not part of Deans’ Duets, so we proceeded to exchange sheet music, discuss song arrangements, and send audio samples back and forth. Personalizations were important to the couple and we were able to integrate their last names into their set list. They used the instruments to create numerous “flavors” in a really short span of prelude, ceremony, and cocktail hour using the violin, cello, guitar, trumpet, and keyboard. For example, we only used the keyboard for two really big moments - “Oceans” and the bride’s processional. Overall, we worked and personalized this lovely couple’s setlist to bring their wedding music and vision to life. Photography:
@cheyenneschultz @abigailmalonephoto @simonanthonyphotography  You've said yes to a wedding date, you've said yes to your bridal party, and you have begun compiling your guest list, but it's now time in the process to pick a venue. Where do you even begin? Don't worry, we've got you covered! What season are you looking to get married in? Determining what season you're planning on getting married in will help you to create the aesthetic and mood you are looking for. If you are having a classy black tie wedding in the winter, you may choose to have your wedding inside a banquet hall, hotel, or indoor event space. A summer bride looking for an outdoor wedding may opt for a barn wedding venue or a beach wedding. Beginning with a season will help you to narrow down the type of venue to search for. How many people are you having attend your wedding? The size of your guest list will help you to choose a venue that will comfortably allow for all your guests without feeling like the space is too big or too small. Looking for a venue that fits within the parameters of your guest list ensures that you have the appropriate amount of space WITHIN your budget. Larger venue spaces tend to cost more, so make sure you aren't paying for extra space that won't be utilized. Determine your budget early on. One of the last things that you want to do is tour a venue, fall in love with the space, and find out that the venue is WAY over your budget. Decide the range of your budget even before touring a venue so that when you do go to view the space, you won't have to worry about staying in budget. This way when you tour the venue, you'll be able to enjoy the searching process and will be able to envision your big day. Questions you'll want to have with you when booking a venue. Frantically running around on wedding day is the last thing a bride wants to be doing on such a special day, so we have put together the top most forgotten about questions to ask that you'll want to have with you when booking a venue. We have asked our vendor friends to help us out to give you the most helpful tools to put your mind at ease and make this a fun and enjoyable process.
If catering is included........
Vendor Answers: We've compiled a list of answers directly from vendors so that you can gauge a bet†er idea of some answers to your questions: How many wedding packages do you have to choose from at your venue?
Some of our responses were from.... @overlookbarn @the_andrews_farm @hospitalitybutler @ROOTS Catering and Cafe ....and others What are things you don't allow at your venue? Kids!!! (J.K. But for real though) What percentage of the time do couples have to use Plan B? 20%. Usually in the late fall with wet months. What are the common add-on fees that couples forget to ask about? Videographer!! Is there an additional cost for having a couple's ceremony at your venue too? No. This is included in the price. Is scheduling a tasting always important? Tastings are important because it is an opportunity for the client or couple to connect directly with their catering sales manager and have a personalized experience to fine tune their menu by sampling various items, viewing the ways they will be served, previewing rental items and going over any details specific to their event. What's the most budget friendly option? Buffet? Stations? Plated? Buffets are typically your most budget friendly option as they do not require as much on-site labor to efficiently manage your catering services. Stations and plated dinner are much more labor intensive, therefore, increasing the cost of your overall catering service. Do I (client) supply the plates, silverware, etc or does the caterer? While the client can provide their plates, utensils and glassware, we can provide all the items for the client or coordinate rental orders through various rental partners! Having your caterer coordinate your rentals, streamlines your planning process as they can combine contracts and invoices. What's a food option that's memorable for guests after the wedding? I want something that my guests will remember! Late night bites are a great way to commence the evening before your guests send you off! This is a great opportunity for the couple to personalize their favorite snack, go-to item or a memory of a great date they had (i.e. pretzels & beer cheese at a baseball game from their first date or food from their hometown like a mini Philly cheesesteak). When do we need to send our final guest count? We ask for your final count two weeks prior to your wedding! How do tips work? Do we tip the catering staff? Are tips built in? We do not include gratuity in our catering contracts, nor is it required of our clients. It is always appreciated if a client chooses to do so and will be evenly divided between all on-site catering staff members. Are there extra costs that tend to come up with catering that people don't plan for? When creating your catering budget, it is important to consider that labor, china, flatware, glassware, any additional rentals and the service charge contribute to roughly half of the overall catering bill. How many hours before my event do you like to be on site for set up? We will typically arrive 2 hours before your event begin to set up. Thank you to Overlook Barn, The Andrews Farm, Hospitality Butler, and ROOTS Catering and Cafe for your help in creating this guide! Photography Credit: @christa_rene @jennifer_b_photography @abigailmalonephoto @amandasuttonphoto The grounds at Camp Merrie Woode in Sapphire, NC, boasts natural beauty and mountain views for what is a traditional wilderness camp for girls. But boy did it also make the perfect backdrop for Sara Ellis and Trey's October wedding celebration!  Our Asheville guitar and violin duet performed for this wonderful couple's ceremony in the mountains, as well as their cocktail hour at the host's private residence afterwards. Sara Ellis and Trey chose a fully popular music line up for us to perform, from Beatles hits and Elvis, to Ray LaMontagne to James Taylor. This couple also selected 3 special songs for their wedding processional that we were happy to learn exclusively for them! We are always happy to customize and learn new songs for our couples! You can see in the images below from Syd & Lex Photography that this was a beautiful celebration! With a nod to the chilly weather, Fox Events designed a reception of lush florals and candlelight, featuring lounge furniture, cozy blankets, and fire pits for guests to enjoy. Even the couple's pups were on hand to join the celebration as guests dined and danced under the twinkle lights throughout the evening. We were thrilled to be a part of their wedding day! Cheers to the Snellings!! Vendor Team -
Photography: Syd & Lex Photography Planner: Fox Events Rentals and Decor: Crush Event Design / Professional Party / Technical Event Company Live Music: Deans' Duets Florals: Statice Florals and Events Venue: Camp Merrie Wood / Hosts' Private Residence Stationery: Studio R Design Wedding Gown: Ladies of Lineage Bridesmaids: Bella Bridesmaids Grooms Attire: Rush Wilson Limited Everyone in North Carolina knows that the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, is such a gorgeous backdrop in the Fall to host a wedding. We were completely floored by this stunning couple, Sara-Beth and Jason, AND their wedding!  For this intimate affair, our Asheville string trio of Jackie, Emmalee, and Paul were the perfect combo to provide a musical backdrop to this historic space. With Jackie and Paul on violin, and Emmalee on cello, we played some of our popular music favorites such as "All Of Me" and "Can't Help Falling in Love", which are two of our most requested songs for ceremonies. We are always happy to learn new songs for our couples too, and Sara-Beth requested two special songs for her entrance and their grand exit as husband and wife. We performed for their ceremony, cocktail hour, and intimate dinner into the evening with dancing and toasts. You can see below that the couple and their decor were simply beautiful, with planning by Casey at Events by La Fete and florals by Floressence Flowers. We simply love a Biltmore Wedding! Cheers to the Nicolays!! Vendor team who brought this together:
Venue: Biltmore Estate Asheville Planner: Events by La Fete Photographer: Perry Vaile Florals: Floressence Flowers Rentals: Professional Party Rentals Music: Dean's Duets |
AuthorApril is a professional violinist and the music coordinator for Dean's Duets. Archives
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