How many songs do we need for cocktail hour?
Cocktail hour is where the violin gets to have fun: full songs, upbeat picks, and guests guessing which song is coming next.
Plan on about 20 songs for an hour of cocktail music. Jared plays each song all the way through, and the average song runs about three minutes, so a two-hour cocktail hour needs about 40.
The quick math
| Cocktail hour length | Songs |
|---|---|
| 1 hour | About 20 |
| 1 and a half hours | About 30 |
| 2 hours | About 40 |
In Jared's words: “For cocktail hours, I do tend to play the whole song. And each song is on average three minutes... I estimate 20 songs an hour.” That's different from the ceremony, where songs are often faded to fit the walk down the aisle.
Booking the ceremony too? A ceremony needs about 16 to 18 songs, so a ceremony plus a one-hour cocktail hour comes to roughly 36 to 38 songs in all. That sounds like a lot, but you don't have to pick them all yourself.
Building your cocktail hour list
- Go upbeat and recognizable. Cocktail hour favorites on the list include Espresso (Sabrina Carpenter), Clocks (Coldplay), I'm Yours (Jason Mraz), Can't Take My Eyes Off of You (Frankie Valli), Lights (Ellie Goulding) and What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong).
- Mix the genres. A wedding crowd spans generations. Pop, classic rock, country and jazz can all share one hour.
- You don't have to pick all 20. Choose every song, let Jared choose, or pick your favorites and let him fill in the rest.
- Use your portal. Pick songs in your BookLive client portal; picks are due about two weeks before the wedding.
- Expect some movement. The violin is wireless, so Jared can walk among guests while they mingle.
Ceremony plus cocktail hour
Most couples book the two together. Because ceremonies can be a little unpredictable, that booking plans for up to two and a half hours of music. If cocktail hour is in a different spot, Jared sets it up before the ceremony. Two spots, one violinist.
Couples on their cocktail hour
★★★★★“Your performance on the electric violin was absolutely stunning….both during the ceremony and throughout the cocktail hour.”
★★★★★“Our guests raved about the performance for the ceremony and cocktail hour! 10/10!!”
★★★★★“He played during the cocktail hour, and then throughout dinner more quietly; he allowed us to use his speaker and microphone for toasts which was SO easy; and he played again afterwards during the event wind-down.”
Cocktail hour questions
Do you play full songs or short versions?
Full songs. At cocktail hour Jared tends to play each song all the way through, about three minutes on average.
Do we have to choose every song?
No. You can pick every song, let Jared pick, or meet in the middle.
Can guests make requests?
If you'd like, yes, from the songs Jared knows.
Can cocktail hour be in a different spot from the ceremony?
Yes. Jared sets up both spots before the ceremony, then moves his violin over when it ends.