Wedding Music Without the Stress: What It’s Like Working With Southern Strings
When I was planning my own wedding a couple of years ago, I was overwhelmed almost all the time.
My to-do list felt a mile long, and every time I checked something off, three more things immediately took its place. It felt like running on a treadmill: constantly moving, completely exhausted, and somehow never getting anywhere.
What surprised me most was that I had been a wedding industry professional for nearly 10 years at that point. I knew the basics. I understood timelines. I had seen hundreds of weddings come together beautifully! And still, the sheer number of details—especially the ones involving vendors and decisions I wasn’t familiar with—felt completely consuming.
Claire stood beside me as a bridesmaid on that day, and having someone so deeply immersed in the wedding world alongside me made something really clear: if I felt this overwhelmed, how must it feel for couples who aren’t in the industry at all?
Claire and I on my wedding day, 9/6/24, at Legacy Farms. After months of planning and decision making, it all came together beautifully… but not without a lot of headaches along the way!
This experience really made me think about brides like one of my best friends, Brielle, who’s currently planning her wedding while working full-time as a nurse. She doesn’t have endless hours to dedicate to researching every little detail and honestly, she shouldn’t have to.
As wedding professionals, I think we can sometimes fall victim to the “curse of knowledge.” We live, eat, and breathe weddings and sometimes it causes us to forget that when a couple comes to us, they’re usually planning a wedding for the first time and, in theory, the last.
We forget what it’s like to be asked a million questions and make a million small decisions, from table linen colors to bridesmaid dress fabrics. (Brielle recently informed me that at the time I’m writing this, there are eight different material options for bridesmaid dresses on the Azazie website. Eight!!)
It’s a lot, to say the least. And while wedding planning can be joyful, it can also be incredibly draining… Especially for women, who so often carry the weight of decision-making while still being expected to smile and say how “magical” this time in their life is.
And this, my friend, is one of the biggest reasons the Southern Strings wedding experience exists the way it does today. Let me explain!
We Start With Your Vision, Not a Checklist
When couples reach out to Southern Strings, our first priority isn’t song lists or logistics, it’s listening.
We want to understand the feeling and atmosphere you’re hoping to create, and the moments that matter most to you. Whether that’s a grand entrance into an emotional ceremony, something intimate and understated, or a celebration that blends tradition with your personality, we want to hear all of it.
Many couples come to us knowing how they want their wedding to feel, even if they don’t yet have the language for the music, and that’s more than enough to get started.
Do you know how many times Claire and I have heard someone say they want “Bridgerton vibes” for their cocktail hour? We don’t say this to be dismissive, we actually love it. Descriptions like that give us an immediate sense of the mood you’re trying to create and help us translate your vision into music!
Just last week, I was on the phone with a 2026 bride named Erin, who’s planning what she lovingly calls a “nerd wedding.” For her and her fiancé, that means they want guests to feel like they’re attending a more elegant version of a Renaissance fair.
With that in mind, I put together a custom setlist featuring music in our repertoire list from The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Halo, The Witcher, Game of Thrones, Howl’s Moving Castle, and other Studio Ghibli favorites.
This wedding is going to be a blast and, more importantly, the music will directly reflect how the couple wants their guests to feel. Being trusted to help bring a vision like that to life is truly a privilege!
Clear Guidance Without Added Stress
Let me say something loud and clear: you do not need to know the difference between a processional and a recessional. You certainly don’t need to worry about timing cues or transitions. And you definitely don’t need to add “become a string music expert” to your to-do list.
That’s our role.
We walk couples through the flow of ceremony and event music step by step, offering suggestions that feel thoughtful and supportive, never overwhelming. Our goal is to simplify decisions, not add to the mental load.
Last year, our client Lauren got married to her husband Shannon on Palm Sunday at the Hermitage Hotel. It was a stunning, intimate wedding with an 11:30am ceremony, followed by cocktail hour and a brunch reception, and Southern Strings provided music for every part of the day.
In the months leading up to the Ceremony, Lauren shared with us her vision: she wanted us to play all worship music for her Prelude and Ceremony, then transition to romantic elegance with beautiful, recognizable love songs over the decades for her Cocktail Hour and Brunch Reception.
She didn’t come to us with a rigid song list or a perfectly mapped-out order. (Though we always welcome specific requests if couples have them.) Instead, she shared how she wanted each part of the day to feel, and we took it from there.
Simple, intentional, and completely stress-free. That’s our motto. :)
Southern Strings performing for Lauren and Shannon’s wedding on 4/13/25 at the Hermitage Hotel. A few weeks later, she generously left a 5-star Google review for us!
Prepared, Professional, and Seamless
At Southern Strings, a lot of the work we do happens long before the first note is ever played.
Behind the scenes, we coordinate details, communicate with planners and venues, and make sure everyone is aligned so the day unfolds smoothly. We also load all of our music onto iPads ahead of time, meaning we’re never relying on spotty WiFi or flipping physical pages that may or may not be flapping wildly in the wind during an outdoor ceremony. (Yes, this used to happen all the time before the music world unanimously shifted to iPads, and thank goodness for them!)
All of this preparation means that by the time your event arrives, everything has already been thoughtfully handled.
On the day itself, our musicians arrive prepared and attentive, blending seamlessly into the experience. Our goal is to elevate the moment without ever pulling focus away from it, which is also why our team dresses in professional, all-black attire.
If you’re wondering about our dress code, my near-retirement college orchestra conductor, Dr. Robert McCashin, used to put it this way: “No slits up to here or cuts down to there!” I’m sure you can imagine the rehearsal room filled with stifled laughter as he enthusiastically demonstrated exactly where those slits and cuts could not be!
Live Music That Adapts to the Moment
One of the most beautiful things about live music is its flexibility.
Unlike a recording, live musicians can respond to real moments as they unfold: extending a processional, holding space during an emotional pause, or timing a transition so it feels natural and unhurried.
Our musicians are always watching, listening, and adjusting in real time, ensuring the music supports what’s happening instead of rushing the moment along.
We’ve extended processional music more times than we can count because a toddler decided to take her sweet time tossing flower petals before the bride’s entrance. We’ve also shortened pieces during candle lighting ceremonies when couples finished sooner than expected… sparing everyone an awkward moment of standing there, waiting for the music to catch up.
It’s all part of being fully present. Even as we perform, we’re constantly aware of what’s happening around us so the music feels effortless, seamless, and perfectly in step with the day.
Let’s Make This One Part Feel Easy
Claire and I created Southern Strings out of a shared belief that music should feel supportive, not stressful, especially on days that carry so much meaning.
Having experienced wedding days both from inside the industry and from the perspective of the bride, we understand how quickly decision fatigue can set in. That understanding shapes how we show up for every couple we work with.
It’s a privilege to be part of such meaningful moments, and we don’t take that responsibility lightly.
While we can’t take the stress out of every wedding decision (that’s what your wedding planner is for!), when it comes to your ceremony and cocktail hour music, we’ve got you covered.
If you’re planning a wedding or special event and dreaming of live string music, we’d love to come alongside you and make this part of the process feel calm, thoughtful, and beautifully handled.
Click here to work with us for your wedding or special event, stress free!