Wedding Planning » Wedding Musician Fees

Flat Charges

Organist Fee (including one 1-hour consultation with the couple)	$200
Additional rehearsal (including ceremony or necessary musical rehearsal)	$50 per hour
Learning of additional new repertoire	on a case-by-case basis

The fees given above are in line with those published by the American Guild of Organists,
“the national professional association serving the organ and choral music fields.”

Please, follow this link to the AGO’s Salary Guide.
The section for weddings is about half way down the page.

Other Considerations

Vocal selections (including Mass parts) require the employment of a cantor. If the Organist is asked to sing as well, his/her fee will reflect the added responsibility.
Choral or instrumental embellishments may expand as far as your budget permits – keeping in mind that more does not always mean better.
All fees should be paid to the musicians prior to the wedding ceremony. This eliminates a great deal of chaos after the ceremony, for the musician and the person responsible for the payment (mom, best man, whomever)!

CODE OF ETHICS
The resident organist should have the prerogative to play all weddings. If another musician is requested, and the resident organist is available, the guest organist may play only with the approval of the resident organist and the pastor. Under such circumstances it is recommended that the resident organist receive the customary fee as a consultation fee.