wedding – Mike Slayen ~ Guitarist

Why Hire a Professional Wedding Musician?

on August 25, 2013August 25, 2013 By mikeslayen

I get plenty of these type responses, as to why people don’t want to pay a professional musician to perform their ceremony…

“My nephew plays guitar,”

“My Uncle’s barber’s son plays guitar and will do our wedding for $50,”

“Our best man plays guitar,” and so on and so on.

Careful you might get this person!! That is assuming they even show up. I often book last minute weddings from those who hired their uncle’s barber’s son, who chicken out two days before the ceremony when they try to learn the music and realize they can’t play it…

Here is why you might want to have a second thought hiring family, a friend or friend of a friend.

Classic Viral Wedding Photo

on May 30, 2013May 30, 2013 By mikeslayen

What a great idea…perhaps this is where the term Bridezilla originated????

Please click on the picture for info on the photo and photographer!

Wedding Idea

on April 29, 2013April 29, 2013 By mikeslayen

This post is for all my upcoming wedding couples.

This is a great idea and WOW! …talk about thinking ahead!!! A personalized thank you card.

Congrats to Chris & Katie!!

on February 20, 2013February 20, 2013 By mikeslayen

This post may be interesting for the couples I work with. I often play guitar for the ceremony and cocktail hour. Some weddings I play the reception, as well. But, for those of you with a DJ for your reception this article may give you some good ideas!

The Reflective Bride

Songs for shaking your wedding groove thang

Trying to figure out which songs to play for which important moments on your wedding day? Get some inspiration as The Reflective Bride shares what her and her groom chose for their big day, and how it turned out.

For our reception we hired a DJ, which meant that we could play any song of our choosing, and of course any version of that song. And here’s what we came up with!

View original post 905 more words

Looking for an Adventurous Wedding in 2013, But Maybe Not Quite Like This

on January 8, 2013January 8, 2013 By mikeslayen

I still haven’t had anyone book me to play guitar for their Elusive Daring Crazy Adventurous Wedding I wrote about last year. Maybe 2013 will be the end of my wait.

You know the type of wedding I am talking about? The ones you see at the end of the news every now and then… A couple gets married on a zip line, under water or in a hot air balloon.

I used to work for a hot air balloon company back in my college days. They really aren’t that adventurous. You take off, float over a scenic landscape, watch the sunset, drink champagne, land and head out to your dinner, etc. It really happens that way 99.9% of the time. Actually a cool way to start off a marriage. But, this wedding………….not so much!

Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt as this high-flying wedding ceremony was abruptly brought to an end in a San Diego neighborhood.

This story aside, I am not deterred in my quest to play your wedding with a twist. If you have an idea let me know and we can set it up!

Getting Married in Yosemite

on November 13, 2012November 13, 2012 By mikeslayen 2 Comments

Here is an idea for the couple looking to try something different for their wedding. Could you imagine standing in the middle of the Yosemite Valley to take your vows with El Capitan and Half Dome peaks in the background as your altar?

Living and playing music in Southern California is amazing! I get to play guitar for weddings and events at some of the most beautiful and historic venues in the world regularly. That said, it would be a thrill to play guitar for a wedding in Yosemite!

Better yet, why not at the top of Half Dome itself?

Let me know if you need any help with your wedding music..wherever your venue is being held.

New Trend in Wedding Videos

on November 5, 2012November 5, 2012 By mikeslayen 1 Comment

Looks like there is a new trend in wedding videos. Couples are expressing themselves through their favorite music instead of a traditional video of the day and their guests. Hmmm, one could argue they are just trying to go viral and get some attention, but it seems like a trend that is gaining popularity.

I think it would be a fun change to play a wedding where everything was a bit crazy and different. Although, these days most couples are not throwing their parents weddings and the ‘traditional’ is now less the norm. Most couples enjoy having music and events that are more reflective of who they are than traditional wedding marches, etc.