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I like Square as well. You can take a payment over the phone immediately (for a higher interest rate), so you don’t have to have a smart phone or tablet for it. It makes it easier for clients who don’t have PayPal, and goes directly into your account instead of you needing to transfer from Paypal later on.
For background music, mine is all in two binders. Classical, and Pop. I flip from one to the other depending on the mood of the event.
I have three different packages for weddings. Two of them include consultations AFTER they have booked the wedding. My studio is decorated Shabby Chic and I offer beer, wine, tea, soft drinks or bottled water. They last about 45 mins and are a huge part of my business. I almost always get a good review on various on-line planning boards as a result. I don’t do rehearsals, and often tell them that what they want is a musician who is seasoned enough to know what to do when things DON’T go as planned in the rehearsal. The last thing you want is dead air because the musician stopped exactly at the point they rehearsed the night before, but the bridesmaids are taking a bit longer to get down the aisle, the flower girl had a meltdown on the way down, the bride forgot her bouquet…etc. This is also my argument when it comes to DJ’s. I can find an appropriate place to stop a piece and make it sound like it was meant to be that way without an annoying fade out in the middle of a song. My clients love that!
Is there a Harps International close to where you live? When I moved from Chicago to Seattle, I took my pedal harp to the Joliet branch, and paid to have them do it. It was much easier this way because he packed it up for me and arranged all of the shipping. I think it was around $300. http://www.harps-international.com/
David, it was ridiculous! I’m playing my little recital pieces, and suddenly a bright light is in my face and I look through the strings to see a cameraman kneeling down, getting the “harpist through the strings” shot. My parents let me stay up late to see myself on the local news. That was the biggest highlight for me back then…forget the politicians!
I have a funny story that I hope encourages you. I was just a kiddo (maybe 14) when my harp teacher had to turn down a gig, but offered it to her young student (me!) for the experience. She had no idea what she was getting me into. I lived in Iowa at the time, a very political state for certain. It turns out that this event was a party for the first female to be elected to national office. I showed up with my lever harp (didn’t own a pedal then) and my folding stand, only to be greeted by TV cameras and put in the middle of a a HUGE room to play. It’s a wonder anyone heard me. They only stopped me when the host of the event made welcoming remarks…via satellite…because the host was Pres. Bush Senior. He was scheduled to be there in person, but was on the campaign trail for his son, and couldn’t make it.
After the cocktail party, this wide-eyed kid rode the elevator with the then governor who looked me in the eye, congratulated me on a job well done, and told me I was a young asset. I’ll never forget it.
I was incredibly unprepared for that “caliber” of event. I didn’t even have the right equipment. But, I’ll never forget being given that chance. I’m sure no one was blown away by the music at that time, but I learned SOOOO much from it.
Bottom line, do the gig!
P.S I’m in Seattle now, and hope to meet you soon!
Thank you, Tony. Your skiing analogy helps me tremendously! It makes perfect sense, and really puts my mind at ease. I have never cancelled a gig, and have no intention of doing so now. I just want to do right by my clients, and make sure that my reputation stays in tact!
I SO love Adele, but think an album about a bitter breakup is TERRIBLE music for a wedding. Someone Like You is an awful wedding choice, IMO.
I used to to bridal shows when I lived in Iowa. I did two per year at $300/each. I always made money! Then, I moved to the Chicago area where it costs over $1,000 to be in a show, and it is HUGE, AND there is a waiting list. I said “forget it”. Now I live in the Seattle area, and it is the same story. Even in the smaller, cheaper shows I did in Iowa, I felt doing follow up emails is a huge waste of time. Nothing ever came from it.
What I would recommend is contacting local venues (hotels, country clubs, etc.) and see if they host a large tasting for all of their signed couples and offering to play for that. They won’t charge you, it is a smaller venue, you know the couples are for sure getting married (a lot of “lookers” at the bridal shows), and you will get on the sales manager’s good side, perhaps landing on their preferred vendor list. All for free. That is what I’m doing from now on.
The obituary was in the email I received from Alison Attar. I hadn’t seen anything on harpcolumn.com yet, so I thought I would post it. I’m glad to see something was in the Trib as well!
This is one of my new favorites. I LOVE it! The harp part isn’t too stressful, and the arrangements are lovely. Have fun with it.
