How Much Does a Wedding Guitarist Cost in the UK? (2026)

What affects the price of a wedding guitarist?

The biggest factor is how much of your day the guitarist covers. A ceremony only booking is short, but the guitarist still has to travel, set up and wait for your start time. Adding drinks and dinner spreads that setup across more hours.

Vocals are the other big one. An instrumental guitarist and a singer guitarist are two different acts, with different sounds and different setups.

Timing can also matter. A ceremony at 1pm with drinks until 4pm is a neat afternoon booking. A ceremony at 11am followed by a long gap before drinks means the guitarist is on site, but not playing, for a large part of the day. We help you shape timings so you are paying for music rather than waiting time.

• Ceremony only, or ceremony plus drinks and dinner
• Instrumental or singer guitarist
• Number of sets and total time on site
• Travel distance and parking
• Learning specific songs, such as a walk-in or first dance
• Separate PA for a second location, such as a garden ceremony

• Guitarists
• Areas we cover

What package shapes are most popular?

The most common booking is a ceremony and drinks package. The guitarist plays as guests take their seats, performs your walk-in and signing songs, then moves outside or to the drinks area for a relaxed acoustic set.

Many couples extend into dinner, and some add a short evening set before the DJ. Singer guitarists are especially popular for this, as an acoustic cover set gets people singing along before the dancing starts.

For South Asian weddings with a civil ceremony on a separate day, a guitarist is often booked for that smaller, more intimate event, with dhol and a DJ saved for the main celebrations.

• Ceremony only
• Ceremony and drinks reception
• Ceremony, drinks and dinner
• Acoustic evening set before the DJ

What is included in a guitarist quote?

A standard quote covers the guitarist, instrument, a compact battery or mains powered PA, travel within the agreed area and the agreed sets. Most guitarists carry a large song list and take requests with notice.

Things to check are a second PA if they are playing in two places at once, extended hours, and overnight stays for long trips. We spell this out so there are no surprises.

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How can you get better value from a guitarist?

Book the guitarist for the whole daytime section rather than just the ceremony. The travel and setup are the same, so a few extra hours usually makes the booking better value.

Also think about what each part of the day needs. A guitarist is ideal for ceremonies and drinks, but for a full dancefloor you will want a DJ or band later on.

If you like the idea of something a little different for the ceremony, a harpist or a guitar and violin duo are worth comparing. We can quote side by side so you can hear the difference.

• DJs

When is a guitarist not the best fit?

A solo acoustic guitarist can get lost in a large, noisy ballroom. If you have hundreds of guests in one room, a pianist with amplification, a string quartet or a small band may carry better.

For some religious ceremonies, live pop covers may not be appropriate. Always check with your officiant or venue before planning ceremony music.

• String quartets

How far ahead should you book a guitarist?

For summer weekends, enquire six to twelve months ahead. Guitarists are in high demand for outdoor ceremonies in spring and summer, particularly in the countryside around London, Surrey, Kent and the Cotswolds.

Once you enquire, we check who is free, send video and quotes, and stay your single point of contact.

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