Whether you’re getting married in a church, stately home or back garden, a classical guitarist creates the perfect mood for a wedding. The soft tone and versatility of the classical guitar puts guests at ease and creates a harmonious background for your vows.
Over the years I’ve watched couples discovering just how much a single musician can change the tone of a day. It’s not always about volume or spectacle—it’s about moments. Having someone play live means songs that match you, performances that respond to the space, tempo that adjusts to your rhythm, not the other way around.
Incorporating a classical guitarist can be one of the most cost‑efficient, beautiful additions to your wedding: small footprint, minimal fuss, maximum emotional resonance. Below are even more reasons why booking a classical guitarist isn’t just a nice idea—but something that can elevate every part of your wedding day, from vows to final toast.
Flexibility
Classical guitar music is, at its core, elegant and traditional, with repertoire spanning several centuries, but it's the instrument's versatility that makes it so adaptable. A good classical guitarist can create bespoke arrangements of any given song - just talk to the musician about your favourite tunes in advance. For example, our classical guitarist Ed recently played a version of Newton Faulkner’s ‘All I Got’ for a wedding ceremony processional, and has arranged everything from John Williams movie scores to ‘Flight Of The Conchords’!
Adaptability
What makes live music so special at a wedding isn’t just the sound, it’s how the guitarist responds to what’s happening. A solo classical guitarist can slow things down, soften passages, or prolong a moment if, say, a speech runs long, or the bride walks more slowly down the aisle. It’s not just hitting the right notes: it’s modulating tone, timing, and atmosphere to match the mood of the moment. Those subtle shifts like an extra pause here or lower volume there can turn beautiful music into deeply personal memories rather than just background noise.
Repertoire
Ceremony music might include songs from the classical/baroque repertoire such as Bach's ‘Air on the G String’ and Pachelbel's ‘Canon in D.’ For the drinks reception, Latin and jazz numbers go well with champagne and canapés; our flamenco guitarist, Andres G has a fantastic repertoire of Latin, flamenco and world music, as well as jazz. The classics are instantly appreciated; ‘Summertime,’ always goes down well, and guests enjoy singing along to well-known tunes such as ‘Someone To Watch Over Me’. Classical guitarist Joseph Joshua has an extensive repertoire, and prides himself on being able to play almost any song on demand, providing he has heard of it!
Space
Space is an important consideration when booking a band, particularly if you’re getting married in a small venue, a garden, or at home. While a band will need plenty of space and and technical equipment, a classical guitarist can easily fit into a space of around 1.5m x 1.5m. This means they can set up almost anywhere on the big day.
You’ll need to think about logistics during the drinks reception or wedding breakfast. There should be enough room for your guests to move around and for waiters to serve drinks or food. By choosing a musician with a small performance area footprint, you can still enjoy live music even if your wedding venue is short on space.
Ease
A solo classical guitarist generally needs very little in the way of equipment—often just their guitar, a stand, and perhaps a small amp or pickup if required. That means less loading in, fewer technical issues, minimal wiring, and a simpler setup. If your venue has limited space or awkward access, this is a huge benefit. Less fuss, less chance of delays, and fewer things to go awry on the day.
Cost
While cost isn’t the only factor to consider, hiring a solo musician can significantly reduce the outlay for your wedding. If you’d like live music during your ceremony but don’t want to spend your entire entertainment budget on a string quartet, why not book a classical guitarist like Alan T instead? By saving a little on your ceremony music, you might even have enough left in your budget to book more live entertainment for the drinks reception, wedding breakfast or evening celebrations.
Written by Function Central's much in-demand classical guitarist Ed Patrick.
