Frequently Asked Questions
What information should I give you to book? Contact us to get a quote and we will send a performance agreement. You sign, return with a 50% deposit, by check, cash or eTransfer, with the balance payable right after the performance is complete.
What kind of music do I need for my wedding ceremony?
We’ve got a wedding music checklist to help you plan where to place your music! Click here for our guide to choosing your wedding music.
Help! I don’t know which classical music to pick for the ceremony!
No problem; that’s our specialty! We will help you pick appropriate titles for each part of the ceremony. Click on our listening tracks page to hear some ideas, and for what part of your ceremony we think this piece suitable. Wedding Ceremony Classical Music Idea List gives suggestions for suitable classical music; please download, look up some samples either here on our site or on youtube, and feel for the ones that offer the mood you like!
Can I give you songs to arrange? Can you learn a new song? Can you play my church hymns or special liturgical music? My aunt wants to sing; can you accompany her?
Yes, yes, yes and yes! We love arranging your special songs. (An extra fee may apply, depending on how many songs there are to arrange: it takes us sincere time and effort to create a tasteful, creative arrangement of an existing song but we will do a great job for you!)
We would be honored to participate in your church’s liturgy to make your wedding an extra meaningful celebration of faith for you and your guests, and we can learn your liturgical music or hymns. And of course we can accommodate other musicians you’d like us to work with.
Which instruments do you play? What should I choose?
We play a lot of instruments, hire other musicians as needed, and will help you choose what works best for you! Rosanna is a professional opera singer, as well as playing the piano, guitar and ukulele. She has extensive jazz/movie standards/world & folk music repertoire and sings in several languages (English, Italian, Latin, French, German, Spanish and Russian). Aleksandra plays the violin, guitar, bass, mandolin and sings. We work with many cellists and can help arrange ensembles of any size and instrument. We can offer any combination of these skills for your event. That’s why Alchemy Rose is a great option for both ceremony and cocktail hour/reception.
While we are of course classically trained classical music experts, we offer much more in our repertoire! Each member of Alchemy Rose plays a variety of genres of music (Canadiana, folk, Irish traditional, Italian traditional, cabaret, singer-songwriter, jazz, blues, rock, funk, house) in popular venues all over the city with various groups.
What instrumentation you choose is a great opportunity to express your personalities and connect with your guests. We would love to talk to you about this, to help tailor the perfect performance for your special day, and create an extra-memorable time for your guests.
How far ahead should I book?
Generally you should book 6-8 months ahead. But contact us anytime if your wedding is coming up sooner than this, as we will always try to accommodate all requests and may be able to fit you in!
How much does live wedding music cost?
This depends on how long we play and how many of us play. For one performer in Calgary for a 1 hour wedding ceremony the fee is $350. This includes about 20 mins of music before your ceremony, while your guests are seated, and a little after if needed, while your guests recess. For two musicians, it’s $500. Basically, contact us for a quote and let us know what you’re interested in, so we can give you the accurate price. If you would like us to play at your cocktail/reception, we are available for this also.
Do you travel outside of Calgary?
Yes, to the nearby areas and as far as Banff/Lake Louise. There is a travel fee depending upon the amount of time required, ranging from $75-$200.
Can you perform outside?
You bet. We have lots of weddings under our belt and have performed in all sorts of weather and locations. We show up and make it easy for you, so you don’t have to think or manage anything. Keep in mind that string / electronic instruments can’t get wet, and string instruments can’t be in the sun since it damages the varnish, so we bring our canopy tent and have an extra fee ($50) to set it up.
Do you provide amplification?
Most ceremonies won’t require it, but if so, we will provide our own amplification at no extra charge. We can also work with your DJ/sound system.
What are your payment terms?
We collect 50% deposit at the signing of our contract, with the balance due at the completion of the performance. Cash, check, e-transfer, or credit card are acceptable.
What do you wear?
We wear understated black formal wear unless you have a special wardrobe request, and then we’d be happy to accommodate that!
Do you do other types of events?
Yes, we do all sorts of special events: weddings, receptions, cocktail hours, anniversaries, private house parties, banquets, funerals, holiday and company parties; show and gallery openings, and more. If you want live music, we will play it!