Denver wedding violinist
Extreme Strings plays live electric violin at Colorado weddings: the songs you love, played on violin with a full-band backing track, so your ceremony feels romantic and your cocktail hour feels like a party.
Extreme Strings is a Denver electric violin act led by violinist Jared Judge, with over a decade of wedding experience and a 5.0 rating from 61 Google reviews. Most couples book the ceremony and cocktail hour together; some add the reception, where the violin plays along with your DJ. We travel anywhere in Colorado and beyond.
What we play at each part of the day
Ceremony
Prelude while guests arrive, a song for your wedding party, your own walk down the aisle, and a recessional to send you off. We stay quiet while your officiant speaks.
How many ceremony songs you need →
Cocktail hour
Upbeat, recognizable songs while guests mingle, about 20 full songs an hour. This is where pop songs on violin get people talking.
Cocktail hour music →
Reception with your DJ
The violin can pop in over your DJ's set for big moments on the dance floor, then step back out.
Reception music →Why couples choose electric violin
- Songs your guests know. Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Bruno Mars and Chappell Roan sit next to Pachelbel and Bach. Guests hear a few notes and think, “wait, I know this.”
- A full-band sound from one player. Jared plays over professional backing tracks, so you hear the whole band behind the violin.
- Wireless, so the violin moves. The violin is wireless, so Jared can walk among guests during cocktail hour.
- No lyrics to worry about. Because the violin carries the melody, songs with explicit lyrics work fine in front of grandparents.
- Hundreds of songs, plus yours. Pick from the song list; 3 custom songs are included, then $25 each.
Watch a ceremony prelude
Jared playing “All of Me” by John Legend at Dunafon Castle in Idledale while guests take their seats.
How booking works
- Check your date. Send your date, venue and the parts of the day you want music for. We confirm availability and send a proposal.
- Sign and hold the date. You sign a simple one-page contract and pay the deposit online in your BookLive client portal, which holds your date.
- Pick your songs. In the same BookLive portal, you choose songs for every moment and can request songs that aren't on the list.
- Plan the timeline. Once your day-of timeline is set, we meet over Zoom to walk through cues, and we coordinate with your planner, venue and DJ.
- Enjoy the day. Jared arrives about an hour early with his own sound system and plays exactly what you picked.
What couples say
★★★★★“He played the violin during our ceremony, reception, dinner, and cake cutting, and every moment was perfect.”
★★★★★“I had them play before and during the ceremony and it was FANTASTIC. I received so many compliments on the music...it set the tone perfect - especially with the violin version of many modern pop songs that were recognizable yet sounded divine.”
★★★★★“All of our wedding guests commented on how amazing he was. Our DJ even said how impressed he was with Jared.”
★★★★★“This was without a doubt everyone's favorite part of our wedding!”
From Extreme Strings reviews on Google and BookLive. Read all reviews.
The musicians
Jared Judge leads Extreme Strings and plays most weddings himself. Denver violinists Lannie Shelton and Bonnie Brooksbank, the violinist for Illenium, also perform with Extreme Strings, so a trusted backup player is available. Meet the musicians.
Where we play
We're based in Denver and play weddings across the Front Range and the mountains, including Boulder, Golden, Evergreen, Castle Rock, Estes Park, Breckenridge and Vail and Beaver Creek. A travel fee may apply outside metro Denver. Planning a destination wedding? We travel anywhere, including abroad.
Wedding questions, answered
- Is it just one violinist, or a group?
- Does the violinist need an outlet?
- How much space does a violinist need?
- When does the violinist arrive and set up?
- Can the violinist play along with our DJ?
- Electric or acoustic violin for a wedding?
- Can the violinist learn a song that isn't on the list?
- How far ahead should we book a violinist?
- How many songs does cocktail hour need?
- Does the violinist play during the vows?
- Who provides the officiant's microphone?
- What happens with violin at an outdoor wedding if the weather turns?
- How many processional songs do we need?
- Can the violinist play songs with explicit lyrics?
- What if the violinist gets sick?
- Can the violinist play ceremony and cocktail hour in two spots?
- How long does a wedding violinist play?
- How booking a wedding violinist works
- Music for a unity candle, sand or handfasting ceremony
- Can guests request songs?
- What does the violinist wear?
- Who picks the songs, us or the violinist?
- Can a violinist play modern pop songs?
- Destination wedding violinist from Colorado
More moments we play
Questions couples ask
Do people usually hire you for the ceremony, the reception, or both?
Most couples book the ceremony and cocktail hour together. Some add the reception, where the violin plays along with the DJ for big moments on the dance floor.
Is it just you, or do other musicians come too?
Extreme Strings is a solo electric violinist playing over professional backing tracks, so it sounds like a full band. Jared performs most weddings; Lannie Shelton and Bonnie Brooksbank also perform with Extreme Strings.
Do you bring your own sound system?
Yes. Jared brings his own professional speakers and arrives about an hour early to set up and sound-check. If your venue has an audio engineer or your DJ has a system, he can work with them too.
Can you play a song that isn't on your list?
Yes. 3 custom songs are included with every booking, and each one after that is $25.
Do you play outdoors?
Yes. Many Colorado ceremonies are outdoors. Jared needs shade and has a plan for weather, and his setup can run on battery power where there are no outlets.
How far ahead should we book?
Dates are first come, first served, so reach out as soon as you have your date and venue.