In Nashville, wedding entertainment proves to be a profitable business
Updated: Jun 3, 2020
By Teylor Hines, Studio M staff //
From finding the venue to getting the decor just right, planning a wedding is all a meticulous process and deciding on the music entertainment is just as important. Choosing a live band in comparison to a DJ could be just thing that adds to or takes away from this big day.
The Corwin Trio performs in October 2017. (Photo courtesy The Corwin Trio)
Based out in Nashville, Whitney Skirvin started professionally singing at wedding events in 2012 when realizing her love for wedding music and how much it meant to her. It was during that year that three of her friends got married and she was booked to sing at all of their weddings.
“My goal is to bring joy and beauty to every performance,” Skirvin said, adding “I try to help make this the most special day of their life.”
Today, Skirvin makes a living off performing at wedding ceremonies and receptions. She has a mixed repertoire that includes classical, jazz, rock, country, R&B and gospel. Her former clients give her the highest of praises for her velvety and crystal clear voice that can cover any song.
“Whitney sang beautifully at my wedding. Her voice is both soulful and elegant,” Becca Hampton said. Skirvin performed at her wedding in Dallas, Texas. in March 2013, making her wedding day that much more memorable.
Skirvin’s pricing ranges from $200-$700, with most her popular packages ranging from $300-$500.
“I think wedding entertainers are profitable ultimately because people want the absolute best for one of the biggest days of their life,” Skirvin said.
On the other side of things, Nashville-area string ensemble The Corwin Trio has seen wedding-related success for the past six years.
“Our basic fee for a wedding ceremony is $600. This includes a 30-minute prelude, ceremony music, and a brief postlude,” Veronica Joines said.
Each member of the classically trained trio — Veronica Joines, Melissa Edgington and Syneva Colle — holds a degree in music performance. Thier goal is to make the music planning for any wedding event as easy as possible.
“Some brides already have a plan for the their wedding music when they come to us, and so our job is to bring it to life for them,” Edgington said.
The trio’s name, “Corwin” is an Old English name meaning “friend of my heart.” The ladies chose the name because playing music is more than just a job for them, but is a outlet to connect with more people.
How popular is live music at a wedding in nashville? “It’s very popular
Do you think people want live at nashville-area weddings because it’s the music city? I tihnk it comes down to budget.
For wedding planners like Meredith Zeller of Sage Nines Event Design & Production, when it comes to music entertainment it depends on solely on the budget when working with a couple.
“Our specialty is luxury weddings, so the people we tend to deal with will set aside anywhere between $1,000 and $1,500 for their music entertainment,” Zeller said.
With Sage Nines being based out in Nashville, the Music City, there’s almost an expectancy for their clientele to request live music of some sort to really have their weddings pop.
“It’s the couple’s day so if they to walk down the aisle to a playlist they made or simply have a DJ for their reception, that’s their choice,” Zeller said, adding, “We’re just aiming to give them the best for what they pay for.”
Teylor Hines is a student majoring in journalism at Middle Tennessee State University.
Studio M, a project of the College of Media and Entertainment at MTSU, allows student journalists to be published statewide and nationwide. It’s made possible through grants and donations from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Tennessean and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.
