1. What style(s) of music do you play?

Depending on the ensemble you choose, we can perform almost any style, including: classical, jazz, pop, funk, Motown, swing, Latin, tango, Brazilian and others

2. How many musicians / What Bandsize should I book?

Things to consider are the available space, the ambiance you want us to create (background music? dancing?) and of course your budget! For wedding receptions, we usually recommend no less than 4 musicians, so if possible 5 or 6 musicians.

3. Can any of your group’s play the Wedding March or Canon by Pachelbel?

Yes, most of the wedding repertoire is possible to perform with any instrumental combinations.

4. How much do you charge?

Refer to our Packages page. Our rates mostly depend on the number of musicians and the length of the engagement. Please note that the artist(s) are booked for their time of presence, not only the amount of playing they do. If you would like the band to play a set at 2pm-3pm and another 6pm - 7pm for example, that is a five-hour booking, not a two-hour booking.
Prices start as low as $400.00 for a solo musician for up to one hour (additional travel fees may apply).

5. Can we see you perform?

We will be happy to let you know where and when La Vie en Rose is planning to have a concert. Unfortunately we cannot invite you for somebody else's wedding.

6. How far advance can I reserve the date?

The earlier the better. We book any time. Some people leave the entertainment for the last to take care of. That could be stressful for both the bride and musicians. Safe to sign the contract 6 months to a year before the wedding. Please keep in mind that Saturday is the most popular wedding day. Very likely that you will find facilities and vendors more available on Fridays, Sundays and weekdays. If your wedding is just a few weeks away, call us, we might be available on your date.

7. How long have you been in the business?

We started in Boston during the Fall of 2008. We have since then moved to New York and performed about 160 events per year!

8. Do you have a contract?

Yes, we do. It must be signed and completed with the 50% non refundable deposit. Booking and Payment can be handled online through Gigmasters or independently.

9. Do we meet with you to talk about our music selections for our wedding?

Not usually. It works very well to discuss music questions over email or phone. We need to get your final decision about the music selection 2-4 weeks before your event.

10. Where are you located?

We are based in New York, NY. We work mostly in the NY, PA, NJ, MA areas but we are available to perform anywhere in the world.

11. Can you help me with the music selection?

Weddingwire Wedding Songs has great suggestions.

12. Is it necessary to have the group play at our rehearsal?

We have found that it is generally unnecessary for us to attend the dress rehearsal. As long as things are well communicated prior to the ceremony, and you inform us of any changes that occurred at the rehearsal, the wedding music will go smoothly. However, if you strongly feel you want La Vie en Rose to attend the dress rehearsal, we will try to do so if our calendars are not already booked. Another option is to have the leader attend the rehearsal. A separate fee will be charged for rehearsal attendance.

13. My wedding will be outdoors. How do I keep the musicians happy?

In order to keep the promised playing quality and protect our valuable instruments we need a shaded, dry, flat area to set up. Purchaser understands that some instruments, particularly string instruments, are extremely valuable and are susceptible to damage when exposed to certain climatic variations, such as rain, direct sunlight and temperatures above 85 degrees or below 50 degrees. Unless prior written approval is obtained from Artist, Purchaser agrees that the temperature range at the performance site will fall between the stated above and that Artist will not be placed in direct sunlight or exposed to rain, sleet, snow, or other unreasonably inclement weather or performance conditions. Refreshments are greatly appreciated for summer heat.

14. What do I need to know about travel charges?

Those vary by location. All personal price quotes will include mileage.

15. How much time shall I leave for the prelude music before the ceremony?

For a gathering of 100 or less we recommend 15 minutes of prelude music. If the number of guests exceeds 100, than plan on 20-30 minutes of prelude music.

16. When do you take breaks? Do we have to feed the band?

After each 50min of playing we take a break of 10-15 minutes. If we have a long engagement with you(3 hours or more) we ask to be be offered a plated meal (vendor meal is fine but fast food takeaway/wrapped sandwiches are not acceptable), then we take 20-25 minutes to eat. We will plug recorded music during our breaks to make sure the ambiance is not affected.

17. What do your musicians wear on a special event?

Formal clothing: - Suits (men), Gowns (women), please let us know if your event is a black tie only event.

18. What if one of your players is ill or cannot make it on the day of my wedding?

If that happens we will do our best to replace that person immediately. However we cannot guarantee that we can find a substitute player in extreme short notice. The rest of the group will perform the requested music if possible. The deposit/fee for the missing player will be refunded.

19. Do you work with wedding coordinators/event consultants or the music director of a church?

Yes. Our rates do not include referral or booking fees to agents outside of LaVieEnRoseBand.com. We believe in a transparent booking processes. If you are a booking agent, feel free to add your commission over and above our rates to your client. Communication is the key to a well-organized wedding. I.e., music for a Catholic Mass must be carefully coordinated in consultation with the priest or music director. We’ll also speak directly to your coordinator before the wedding regarding cues, etc.

20. Special Song Requests

We are happy to perform any songs that are not on our songlist. A fee will apply and will be determined by the leader of the ensemble. Here’s the process: 1)Make a list of the songs 2) Look each of them up on MusicNotes.com and find piano/vocal music that can be downloaded. Note on your list which songs have sheet music available. 3) Send the edited list to contact@lavieenroseband.com with Music Request List in the subject field. We will look over the list and give you a price for each song. In most cases, songs that have sheet music available will not require an extra arranging fee. If they do, the price ranges between $35.00 - $150.00 per song. Please do not download the sheet music yourself as we have to determine the comfortable key ahead of time.

21. Do different instrument combinations have different repertoire?

Most of the standard wedding pieces are available for any combination but may sound better within a certain context. Feel free to ask us!

22. When is the retainer due to hold the date, how much is it and when is the final payment due?

We ask for a 50% non refundable deposit upon booking. The final payment is due immediately following the event.

23. Can I change the times printed on the contract? What's your cancelation policy?

If you need to make a change to the original time, email/call us asap and we’ll do our best to accommodate that request. If you need to make a change to the original agreement, please note we can only upgrade, (add musicians and/or hours) as once the musicians have been booked and are committed for a given rate, we can not downgrade it. If you are uncertain about how many hours nor musicians you'd like to book, start small, we'd be happy to add on later. As for cancellation, please note the deposit is non-refundable and full amount is due if cancellation occurs within 90 days of the event. In the unlikely event La Vie En Rose was unable to perform we will suggest alternate performers. If you do not agree with any, we will refund your deposit.

24. What if I need the musicians to stay extra time after the contracted time expired?

Please ask the lead musician if they are available to stay longer. Specify how much longer you need them for. The overtime rate is specified on your contract and the extra amount should be added to the final balance.

25. Will the group move or travel from the ceremony site to another location for the reception? Is there an extra charge for travel? How about the transition from cocktail to reception when they are not in the same room?

Traveling from one location to another is no problem. There is no additional fee for this - you will be charged for the entire time the musicians are booked for even if there is travel involved during the contract.

We very often have to transition from the cocktail hour location to the dining room: we usually ask the venue coordinator/banquet manager ahead of time to give us a queue before he/she invites guests for dinner. We then quickly break down our equipment and move to the other room. This process usually takes about 15-20min, but can vary depending on the distance from one room to the other. That time allows us to seemlessly move our equipment and be set up and playing to welcome guests when they actually enter the dining room. In some (rare) cases we recommend renting a secondary PA system ($150-$300) if the distance between the rooms or a tight timeline dictate so.

26. Will you play with the church organist?

Yes. We suggest to add a soloist (singer, French horn or trumpet) to the organ or have one of the musicians from the trio or quartet play a solo piece accompanied by the organ. To have a string quartet or trio perform with the organ might sound too thick. We will need to discuss and work out the music with the organist ahead of time.

27. Can you accompany my friend or family member who sings?

Yes, we'll need to get the sheet music (a piano score or piano-voice score with guitar chords provided in case you have selected a guitar as one of the instruments in the group) of the chosen piece in the same key your singer will perform in. We will look at the music and decide if it can be used as it is or it needs an arrangement. The music needs to be arranged if it is longer than 3 pages or is very densely harmonized. It can cost $50 (and up) to write an arrangement. We need to have a short rehearsal with your soloist (approx. 15-30 min.) before the Prelude music starts. There will be extra charge for that service if we need to arrive earlier than one hour prior to our start time.

28. I would like to hire a vocalist or trumpeter besides the string quartet for my ceremony. Can your group accompany the soloist?

Yes. If La Vie en Rose hires the soloist you have nothing to worry about. Our musicians have a great experience and repertoire available to accompany our soloists.

29. How do the musicians know when to start the processional?

We usually need to get a cue from a wedding coordinator or anybody who is appointed to coordinate your ceremony. That person knows when the mothers are getting ready to proceed. At that moment she/he lets us know by telling us or waving at us and everything flows perfectly after that.

30. Does your group use amplification? How about lighting/staging?

Ceremony: Strings usually perform acoustic meaning that no PA system is used. If you would like a PA system for the ceremony or for any other reason, we do rent these too. (rental start at $50)

Reception: Band quotes will include our own 500Watts amplification system. Our basic system is for up to 150 guests or so. If your wedding has more than 150 guests, additional sound amplification may be needed depending on the size of the venue, in which case we'll gladly obtain a separate quote for you from our trusted sound companies.

Lighting/Staging: None of our rates include additional staging or dance floor hire. We are happy to obtain a quote from some of our trusted service providers if you would like these.

31. What kind of chairs do you need?

Armless chairs, please. The simplest foldable chairs work perfect.

32. Do we need to provide food for the musicians?

We do ask that you provide musicians with a meal and refreshments during a break on a long engagement (3 hours or more), but are discreet and polite about not interrupting your guests.

33. How much space does the ensemble need?

Sample max space needs are: Quartet - 9 feet x 13 feet Trio - 7 feet x 10 feet Duo - 5 feet x 7 feet

34. What do musicians need?

- Chairs: Our musicians will bring their own music stands and gear. Please provide an armless chair for each player and adequate reading light.
- Outdoors/weather: The artist(s) are happy to perform outdoors or in fairly unusual places/setups, but will not perform in direct sunlight without adequate shade covering (such as umbrellas or a gazebo), in gail-force winds, rain, freezing or stormy conditions. Not only is it uncomfortable to perform in those conditions, but it is also bad for the equipment and could lead to malfunction/damage.
- Electricity: The artist(s) will need to be placed in a performance area within 20 metres of a working power point because the equipment needs electricity in order to operate. It is the venue or the event co-ordinator's responsibility to ensure that the area designated for the artist(s) is within 20 metres of a workin power point. La Vie En Rose will not accept responsibility for failure to perform if electricity it not provided.

35. Band Members

La Vie en Rose is a team of generous musicians who have been playing together for years. Please note that due to busy schedules, the band members/musicians and singer(s) may vary depending on their availability. This will not affect the performance and all musical arrangements made at time of booking will be honored. If you had requested a specific performer/singer on the contract and he/she was not able to perform, we will send you alternate options. If none of those were to match your vision, we will refund your deposit.

36. Do you carry insurance?

Yes! We will gladly provide your venue with a COI. Plese have the catering manager send any specific verbiage/coverage they require. Please be advised that any costs related to additional insurance required by your venue will be added to your invoice.