Category Archives: Chicago String Quartet

Wedding Songs – The Best of Both Worlds

If you’re looking for a modern song for walking down the aisle that’s also grand and regal, have we got an idea for you!

The Prime Minister’s Love Theme from Love Actually bridges the gap between traditional classical music and driving pop. It’s elegant, regal, grand, and classy. It’s also from one of our very favorite movies, so win-win!

All you need to do is imagine this huge sound filling the room, from floor to walls and ceiling, welcoming you as you walk down that beautiful aisle. If you’re looking for a modern song for walking down the aisle that will make you feel like royalty, stop and give this one a good listen.

Pretty good, right?!

(For a quick win, check out our list of 10 favorite songs for walking down the aisle)

Speaking about Love Actually, one of our favorite things to do is to tie a ceremony together with a musical theme. Think about taking all of your ceremony music from the score of Love Actually, it works! When you combine the Glasgow Love Theme, Portuguese Love Theme, PM Love Theme, and All You Need Is Love, you’ve got a cohesive ceremony plan that will win the hearts of everyone in the room.

Here are some more modern ceremony music theme ideas:
All Beatles
All Coldplay
All Bruno Mars
All Beyonce
Yacht Rock!

Isn’t your creativity just flowing now?! The possibilities are simply endless and so very exciting. This is your chance to create something that will last forever.

If you’re looking for inspiration, take a spin through our wedding ceremony ideas and get access to 25 already done for you templates to mix & match ideas. We’ll be back soon with more ideas. Happy planning!


Where To Start When Choosing Wedding Songs

It seems that one of the most common concerns we hear from brides & grooms about their wedding ceremony music is that they don’t know where to start! So, let’s lay some basic groundwork.

We’re all unique individuals, so the first thing to think about is the mood you want supporting you as you walk down the aisle. What suits your style? If you’re getting married in a traditional church and having a religious ceremony, classical music might fit the bill. And, it might be the only kind of music that’s allowed, so be sure to check with the music director at your church!

If you’re getting married anywhere else, you’ve got ALL the options. Would you feel best walking to something that feels regal, like an entrance fit for a queen? In that case, you’ll likely want to look at classical music. Start listening to things and see how it feels. How does this feel to you?

Sarlas Music Inc. · Trumpet Voluntary (Jeremiah Clarke)- String Quartet & Trumpet

The opposite end of the spectrum is if you’d prefer something that’s more relaxed and pretty. This one is very traditional, and is chosen often for good reason! Goosebumps, right?

Sarlas Music Inc. · Canon in D (Johann Pachelbel)

This next one still fits the relaxed and pretty spectrum, but is more romantic.

Sarlas Music Inc. · Flower Duet from Lakme (Leo Delibes)

If you’re thinking that those were all nice, but not for you, consider some pop music. Whether you have live musicians or a DJ, instrumental music is easier to time for walking down the aisle, because you don’t need to worry about cutting lyrics off in the middle of a thought. So, we’re going to give you all instrumental examples here. This one fits the bill for relaxing pop music with a message that’s perfect for a wedding day:

If you want something a little more lively (but not too much!) check this out:

And, if country music is more your thing, here’s one:

Finally, how about making your big entrance to a rock tune?

So, from these 7 examples, go with your gut and tell us which direction feels best to you. From there, you’ll know which door to open and do a deeper dive into finding the right song, just for you.

If you’re looking for inspiration and want to ditch the guesswork and save time, take a spin through our wedding ceremony ideas and get access to 25 already done for you templates to mix & match ideas. From classical to pop, rock, country, and film music, we’ve got you covered!

Chicago Wedding Band String Pop – Imperial March from Star Wars – String Quartet

The Imperial March from Star Wars string quartet, performed live by Artistrings, a modern string quartet in Chicago that specializes in pop and rock music. This is one of our favorite Star Wars string covers for our Chicago wedding band musicians, with a string quartet arrangement written by our talented violist, Benton Wedge! If you’re a fan of Star Wars and you want to make a statement walking down the aisle, consider this. We actually wrote this one for a little ring bearer who walked down the aisle in his Darth Vader mask and cape and could not have been more excited about his contribution to the big day. Love it!

Katherine Hughes, violin
Carol Kalvonjian, violin
Benton Wedge, viola & arranging
Matthew Agnew, cello

Modern Pop Strings – Wedding Love Song – The Luckiest, for String Quartet

Happy Day, everyone! This is our favorite Ben Folds string cover, with a string quartet arrangement and sheet music written by our talented violist, Benton Wedge! If you’re a fan of modern pop music and wedding love songs, this is an absolutely beautiful song for walking down the aisle, prelude music as your guests are being seated, or the first dance. Imagine floating down the aisle to The Luckiest for your wedding processional music. Our Chicago wedding band and Artistrings string quartet are partial to this song, as it’s a perfect wedding song and an exceptional choice for wedding music.

Grab our free list of the best songs for walking down the aisle. Whether your vision is classical elegance or fun and accessible pop, this quick-start guide has got you covered.

Wellerman Sea Shanty One Hour String Cover

Hey all!

So, we’re back this week with a one-hour version of Wellerman sea shanty for string quartet. This TikTok tok sea shanty craze started by Nathan Evans has been a whole lot of fun, and the Artistrings players from our Chicago wedding band made this long version video for those who want to join us and play (or sing) along. Two violins, viola, cello, and bass is the instrumentation for this all string version of Wellerman. Grab some tea, come in from the snow and join us. The fire is on and it’s cozy in here!