Since the advent of the barn wedding and outdoor performances, musicians with string instruments have had to get creative when considering the elements. Nature can be very unpredictable, but we love being outdoors when we play.

A few years ago we purchased a beautiful white canopy with sides for those rainy, windy, sunny days and it has been our friend ever since. Portable and easy to set up/take down, we can fit in with our music and instruments at no extra charge ... just in case.

Temperature is another thing we have to consider and Wisconsin extremes can be just that...extreme. Our contracts will soon read that we can't promise great performances under 60 degrees F. and over 90 degrees F. (depending on the wind chill and heat index). This gets tricky so we are grateful when clients have indoor option ready to go or heaters, fans and plenty of water to help us out!

String instruments do not like cold or hot, dry conditions. Humidity is good but too much humidity can cause pegs to stick and bows to misbehave. Human beings...as in your guests, family, and friends... are also sensitive even as they love to support you, so they appreciate when you realize your dream of an outdoor ceremony or concert may be more uncomfortable for them than enjoyable for you.

Having said all this, we are looking forward to another farm wedding this coming weekend in Columbus, Wisconsin. The weather is looking nice ... mid-80s and sunny, but we'll have our canopy to keep us and our instruments cool and some wonderful music to add elegance and fun to the ceremony and cocktail hour.

Pachelbel Canon, Grieg Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty Waltz, Beatles Here Comes the Sun, Guns 'n Roses Sweet Child of Mine, Queen Crazy Little Think Called Love, Darius Rucker Wagon Wheel, Coldplay Clocks and much more

. Here we go!!