Q&A with Anne Roos

Anne Roos is the author of The Musician’s Guide to Brides and The Bride’s Guide to Musicians (Hal Leonard Books).

This Q&A was posted in the Harp Connection. Please visit their newsletter to read the entire interview.

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.What sort of equipment/gear/accessories do you make sure to always take with you to a job?

I take a LOT of gear to a job, and actually, you’ll want to read my chapter on this in my book and my past articles in the Folk Harp Journal for the details. But in a nutshell, I like to have a spare for everything and anything that can break down. I call this “Noah’s Ark Rule”-two of everything. I have had many equipment failures over the years, and no one can bail you out if you have a faulty cord, a battery-operated amp that runs out of juice, or a misplaced tuning wrench.

My suggestions for the most important items to take to any performance:

1. A copy of your contract and your correspondence with the client. If you have any questions about the location, set-up, music list, cues, etc., bring everything that has been agreed upon. If the Client conveniently forgets how much they owe you, you can remind them by showing them your written agreement.

2. Hand sanitizer. At some point in your performance life, your clients will sneeze or cough right into their hands and then reach out to shake your hand. Or they will want to shake your hand after eating fried egg rolls and barbecue chicken wings. Yuck. Or, there may not be a bathroom in sight and you need a quick clean up before your performance. Keep individually-wrapped towelettes or these little plastic bottles of hand sanitizer with you and in your car.

3. A cell phone. Your GPS took you to the wrong side of town, or you are driving around in circles looking for the house number of the backyard wedding. Or, heaven forbid, your right front tire blew out on the way to the wedding. How will you contact your clients for assistance? This may seem pretty obvious, but I’ve performed at many weddings where one of the vendors forgot their phone somewhere and were in a pickle.

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Money Saving Ideas for Your Wedding

Guest Blogger: Anne Roos, author of The Musician’s Guide to Brides and The Bride’s Guide to Musicians (Hal Leonard Books)

Saving money is not about pinching pennies or cutting out items that are necessary for your wedding. Instead, saving money is about adjusting your wedding plans to that you are in a better position to obtain lower price quotes for the items you want, including live music.

Timing is everything!–Choose a date, time, or season that is less popular for tying the knot. Here are 7 ways to time your wedding to help you save money on musicians:

   1. Any day except Saturday

Saturday is the most popular day to tie the knot. Choose a weekday to get married, and not only are all your services likely to be available, but you may also receive midweek discounts.

   2. Be a “morning person”

Morning is the best time of day to get married, for a number of reasons. First of all, most couples have evening weddings, so your musicians and other services are more likely to be available in the morning (and may even offer you discounts). Your guests and musicians will be able to find parking earlier in the day (some musicians and wedding vendors charge extra when no suitable loading zone or parking is available adjacent to the wedding site). One more note: People won’t drink as much in the morning hours, so you’ll save money on the bar tab at your reception.

  3. Avoid holidays

Musicians and other services may charge time-and-a-half or more if you hold your wedding or reception on Christmas Day, the Fourth of July, or other holidays. Or, they may not be available at all. Valentine’s Day weddings can be quite popular, so if you have your heart set on that date, book your musicians, celebrant, and other wedding services far in advance.

Keep reading more great tips on  Anne Roos’s website!

In The Bride’s Guide to Musicians: Live Wedding Music Made Easy and Affordable, renowned harpist Anne Roos draws upon 25+ years of experience to guide you every step of the way in planning the musical portion of your perfect wedding. She also helps you find cost-effective ways to include live music in your overall wedding budget. With tips from internationally recognized wedding professionals, this fun guide is designed to be the only book you’ll need when you go shopping for your wedding musicians. It comes complete with worksheets, checklists, and more!

Visit CelticHarpMusic.com for more information about the author.