Wedding String Quartet & Live Music for New York Weddings

New York weddings run on scale and standard. A ceremony at an Oheka Castle or Old Westbury Gardens estate on the North Shore, a tented reception on a Hamptons dune, a rooftop in Tribeca overlooking the skyline, a fall wedding at a Hudson Valley riverfront estate in Westchester: each one asks something different of the music, and each one is being watched closely by guests who know the difference between a band that's good and a band that's exactly right.

Glass Artists performs string quartets, trios, duos, and solo strings alongside piano for ceremonies, cocktail hours, and receptions across Manhattan, Long Island, and Westchester. We build repertoire around the couple, not a fixed set list, and we run our own logistics, including load-in, sound, and timing cues, and coordinate directly with your planner, so nothing about the music becomes something you have to manage on the day.

Four musicians, two men and two women, holding violins and a cello, posing in a room with blue walls and white curtains. One woman is seated on a cream-colored chair. String Quartet.

Ensembles for Every Moment of the Day

Most New York couples build their day around two or three musical moments: ceremony, cocktail hour, and either dinner or a first dance, and want the option to scale the ensemble up or down between them.

STRING QUARTET

Our most-booked configuration for Manhattan and Long Island ceremonies: two violins, viola, and cello, with a repertoire built around your processional, readings, and recessional, then extended into cocktail hour.

A number of couples come to us after already booking a DJ for the reception and are deciding what to do about the ceremony and cocktail hour, and a smaller number are deciding between a quartet and a DJ for the whole day. Both are valid choices; they solve different problems.

A DJ covers a broad range of requests and can carry a dance floor for hours on recorded tracks.
A string quartet or trio gives a ceremony and cocktail hour a live, acoustic quality that a speaker system can't replicate, and it reads as more formal in a landmarked or estate setting.

Many of our New York bookings pair the two: quartet or piano for the ceremony and cocktail hour, DJ or band for the reception. We coordinate directly with your DJ or bandleader on timing so the handoff is seamless.

New York is the most competitive market we work in, and couples here are comparing a lot of vendors before they book. What tends to matter most isn't price. It's whether the group can hold a room at The Pierre as comfortably as they can a barn in the Hudson Valley, and whether the person answering your emails at 11 p.m. two weeks out is the same person who'll be tuning up when your first guest arrives.

Repertoire depth: from Bach and Pachelbel through film scores, Broadway, and current pop, arranged for strings and not just played from a fake book.
White-glove logistics: load-in coordination with venue and planning teams, quiet-hours awareness for co-op and condo venues, and contingency plans for Long Island Sound and coastal weather.
Pedigree: conservatory-trained musicians who perform regularly in and around New York's serious concert and session scene, not a rotating roster of subs.

Built for New York's Pace and Pedigree

Where We Perform

We're equally comfortable in a landmarked ballroom and a private backyard, and we travel throughout the five boroughs and the surrounding counties, including:

Manhattan: hotel ballrooms, rooftop and penthouse venues, and private clubs
Long Island: Gold Coast estates on the North Shore (Oheka Castle, Old Westbury Gardens) and the Hamptons
Westchester & the Hudson Valley: riverfront estates, historic manor houses, and vineyard venues
Brooklyn & Queens: industrial lofts, botanic gardens, and waterfront event spaces

Ensembles for Every Moment of the Day

SOLO PIANO OR PIANO & STRINGS

For venues where a full quartet isn't practical, such as a smaller Manhattan loft or an intimate Westchester chapel, a wedding pianist alone or paired with one or two strings covers ceremony and dinner with the same attention to arrangement and pacing.

String Quartet or DJ: What New York Couples Are Actually Choosing

DUO & TRIO

A violin-and-cello duo or a trio adds warmth to a cocktail hour without needing the footprint of a full quartet, a common choice for rooftop and terrace venues with tighter load-in access.

Choosing Ceremony Music

Ceremony song choice is one of the most common questions we get from New York couples, particularly for processionals and recessionals in venues with a house of worship's formality or an estate's grand entrance.

We work from your requests first, such as a family favorite or a song from how you met, and fill in the rest with classical and contemporary arrangements suited to the room and the walk length.

If you don't have song ideas yet, we'll send a working list built around your ceremony's structure and venue.

string quartet performing at New York wedding

Frequently asked questions

Can you play both the ceremony and the reception?

Yes. Many couples book us for the ceremony and cocktail hour, then bring in a DJ or band for dancing; others keep strings or piano running through dinner as well. We'll help you figure out what fits your timeline.

What if our venue has strict sound or quiet-hours restrictions?

Common in Manhattan co-op and condo venues and some Westchester properties. We ask for your venue's sound policy up front and plan instrumentation and volume around it.

How far in advance should we book for a New York wedding?

New York has the tightest availability of any market we serve, particularly for spring and fall Saturdays. Most couples book six to twelve months out; peak dates go earlier.

Do you take specific song requests, including non-classical music?
Yes. Pop, film scores, Broadway, and cultural or religious pieces are all part of what we arrange for strings and piano. Send us your list during booking, and we'll build the set around it.
Do you offer music for both the ceremony and the reception?
Yes, we can provide music for every part of your wedding, including the guest arrival, ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and even special moments like your first dance.
Can you accommodate song requests on the day of the wedding?
While we prefer receiving requests in advance to prepare, we’ll do our best to accommodate last-minute changes whenever possible. If we have the music on hand, consider it done!
How do you ensure the music fits our brand?
We’ll collaborate with you to understand your company’s brand values and event goals. Our musicians will create a professional atmosphere that aligns perfectly with your company’s image.
Can you work with other vendors we’ve hired for the event?
Of course! We regularly coordinate with event planners, AV teams, and other vendors to ensure seamless integration and flawless execution.
What types of ensembles do you offer?
We offer a range of ensembles, from solo performers to string quartets and hybrid setups with live musicians and backing tracks. Our packages are fully customizable to meet your event’s size and style.
Do you provide your own equipment?
We provide our own instruments and music stands. For select events, we are also able to provide amplification and basic sound equipment when appropriate for the venue and performance setup. When amplification is required and supplied by Glass Artists, an additional fee may apply and will be clearly included in your quote.
We are always happy to coordinate with your venue or AV team to ensure a seamless technical setup and an elevated guest experience.
Do you offer consultations?
Yes! We’re happy to meet with you to discuss your event details and preferences. You can fill out our contact form to schedule your complimentary consultation.
If you choose to move forward, you’ll be paired with a dedicated Glass Artists concierge who will serve as your primary point of contact throughout the entire planning process, at no additional cost.
How much do your services cost?
Our pricing varies based on the ensemble size, duration of performance, and travel requirements. Contact us for a personalized quote tailored to your event.
What is your payment policy?
We require a 50% deposit to secure your booking, with the remaining balance due prior to the event.
What happens if we need to cancel or reschedule?
We understand that plans can change. Please notify us as soon as possible, and we’ll do our best to accommodate rescheduling. Cancellation policies and fees are outlined in your contract.
Is Glass Artists a scam?
No. Glass Artists is a registered Boston-based live music agency providing professional musicians for weddings, hotels, and corporate events. We have performed for clients including Four Seasons, Boston Harbor Hotel, Cartier, SERHANT, and more.