Frequently Asked Questions
Do you perform only at small weddings? flutes of fancy's delicate, unamplified sound is most beautiful at small-to medium-sized weddings in chapels, under gazebos, in courtyards, and at sheltered outdoor locations. What about receptions? flutes of fancy will gladly perform at intimate receptions and cocktail hours, where the couple prefers a minstrel sound to a dance band. We are sometimes asked to perform for an hour after the ceremony while the wedding party is having pictures taken and before the reception has officially begun. What type of music do you play during such an interim reception hour? Our large repertory offers many possibilities.To make your wedding unique, we encourage you to give your input in its selection. Click here for ideas and inspiration for a theme reception. I am having a "last minute" wedding. Would getting a musician be out of the question? Try us! One or both of us may be able to mobilize to provide exactly what you need. While we may not always be able to accommodate weekday events, for short-notice weekend weddings, our potential availability is certainly increased. How do I book a wedding? Once you have decided to book flutes of fancy, we will call you to further discuss your wedding details. We will then send you two copies of our Performance Agreement. Simply mail back one copy with your deposit to reserve your date; keep the other copy for your files. While awaiting your contract and deposit, we will put a hold on your wedding date for 14 days. If the contract and deposit are not received back within 14 days, we will release the hold on that date so that other clients can have a chance to book flutes of fancy for that date.
We will communicate with you amply before the wedding to ensure we honor your choices and preferences and that your day will be memorable.
How many weddings do you book per day? In general, we book only one wedding per day. An exception would be for local weddings, where one is a morning wedding and the other an evening wedding. We never book more than one out-of-town wedding per day and if necessary will travel to your city the night before the wedding. We will arrive at your wedding site at least an hour before the music is scheduled to begin. Please refer to our events listing for dates already scheduled. You are a recorder and violin duo, so why are you called flutes of fancy? A recorder is a type of flute and predates the modern transverse silver flute. Recorders are usually made out of wood. We originally formed our duo to play only recorder music. However, because Dorothy is also a violinist, we increasingly discovered the many lovely possibilities of combining the violin with various recorders. Since we typically bring as many as six recorders (or "flutes") to our performances and because we like the name, we decided to keep flutes of fancy. Is the recorder the same instrument that I (my partner) learned, although briefly, in fourth grade? Quite possibly! Because reliable, inexpensive plastic recorders are available, the recorder is often used in schools as an introductory instrument and as an aid in learning to read music. However, as a player's interest increases, the many complexities and subtleties of the recorder and its repertory unfold. Concurrent with this increased interest is generally an increased expenditure in fine instruments made from rare woods. flutes of fancy's collection contains recorders crafted from boxwood, rosewood, ebony, and maple. What is the best combination of instruments for our wedding processional/recessional? We will consult with you about your preferences in instrumentation. Many couples like to include the violin for their processional, combined with either soprano, alto, or tenor recorders. Instrumentation for the bridesmaids' and bride's processionals should be the same, since there is typically no time to switch instruments. Recessional music could be performed on two recorders or recorder/violin. Two alto recorders can adopt fanfare characteristics that make for a wonderful recessional, but violin/alto recorder is also a splendid possibility. For the prelude music before the wedding (30 minutes), we typically use different combinations of instruments. The soprano recorder combines well with alto recorder or violin for more upbeat Renaissance music. In the Baroque category, much wonderful duo sonata music is written for two altos. The tenor recorder is softer and less agile; it is less often used outdoors but combines well with the other instruments in indoor settings. What type of music do you play before the wedding? We will play 30 minutes of prelude music before the processional begins. We will consult with you about the mood you wish to project and select the music accordingly. Or if you are having a theme (Renaissance or Celtic) wedding, we will select appropriate music. We often begin with 15 minutes of music played on various recorders (a more ethereal sound) followed by 15 minutes of music on recorder and violin (a somewhat heavier and warmer sound). Where do you get your sheet music? Do you perform only in Renaissance costumes? Our beautiful Italian-style Renaissance costumes are an option, but certainly not the only one. We regularly perform in concert black (black tuxedo and black dress or black/white dress). We have the utmost respect for ceremony, and you can count on us to be professionally dressed according to your preferences. We will note your choice on the wedding agreement. My budget is limited, so I was thinking of not having live music at all. Wouldn't a CD suffice? Perhaps, but we truly believe live music will be one of the most atmospheric and remembered elements of your ceremony. Our opinion is that it is a pity to forego it, especially when it can be obtained quite reasonably. I am interested in having live music but somewhat wary of making inquiries and perhaps getting a "hard sell." Not to worry. We love what we do, and we never put pressure on our prospective wedding clients. There are many wonderful musicians throughout California, each offering their unique talents, genres, configurations, and styles. Since couples have such a rich variety to choose from, it is important that they consider (1) their musical preferences, (2) what kind of atmosphere they wish to create, (3) the size and location of their wedding, and (4) their budget. What is your geographic area for performance? Our primary area of performance includes Solano County, San Francisco, Napa County, Sonoma County, Marin County, and Sacramento. We are not averse to an occasional geographic adventure given sufficient advance notice and a modest travel allowance. We love exploring new ceremony locations and magical acoustical spaces (for more about that, read Dorothy's short story, One Love, One Lifetime). Do you perform for events outside of California? Generally not. We concentrate on events that are reachable by weekend auto travel--our preferred mode of travel with multiple instruments and music stands.
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