Short answer: a solo violinist for a UK wedding usually costs £400 to £650, including travel. At Wedding Violinist UK, prices start at £425 for the first hour, and each extra hour is from £95. The weddings booked with us for 2026 and 2027 average £541.
Below are real prices from our own recent bookings, what changes the price, and how to get the most from your budget. Updated November 2026.
Real wedding violinist prices: our 2026 and 2027 bookings
These are the actual all-inclusive prices our couples are paying, with names and venues left out. Every price includes the violinist’s travel.
| What was booked | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremony, electric violin | 1 hour | £395 |
| Guests arriving and the ceremony | 1 hour | £480 |
| Guests arriving, the ceremony and the exit | 1 hour | £525 |
| Drinks reception after the ceremony | 1 hour | £650 |
| Walk down the aisle, then the drinks reception | About 2 hours | £520 |
| Ceremony and drinks reception | About 2 hours | £565 |
| Guests arriving, ceremony and drinks reception | About 2 hours | £585 |
| Ceremony and drinks reception | 3 hours | £490 |
| Ceremony and drinks reception | 3 hours | £585 |
| Ceremony and drinks reception | About 3 hours | £615 |
You’ll notice that a longer booking isn’t always more expensive. One 3-hour wedding came to £490, while a 1-hour booking came to £650. That’s because the length is only one part of the price. Where your venue is, and the date, matter just as much.
Prices for parties and events
| What was booked | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Surprise birthday party | 2 hours | £520 |
| New Year’s Eve evening at a hotel | 3 hours | £850 |
| Christmas Eve evening at a hotel | 3 hours | £975 |
Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are among the busiest nights of the year for musicians, so they cost more. See Christmas party violinists and corporate violinist hire.
What changes the price of a wedding violinist?
- How long you need them. One hour covers the guests arriving and the ceremony. Two or three hours adds the drinks reception. Each extra hour is from £95, so staying on is good value.
- Where your venue is. Travel is built into our prices. A remote venue, or one a long way from the nearest violinist, costs more than one close by.
- The date. Saturdays from June to September, bank holiday weekends, December and New Year’s Eve are in the highest demand. Weekdays and winter dates are often more flexible.
- Acoustic or electric. An electric violinist plays over backing tracks with their own speaker. It suits a party or evening do.
- Special song requests. Many of our violinists will learn a new song for you. Some include a few new songs in the price, while others charge a little for each one. We always tell you which before you book.
What’s included in the price
- A professional solo violinist for the time you book
- Their travel to and from your venue
- A chat with your violinist before the day to plan your music
- Your own online booking page, with your booking agreement and secure card payment
- One person looking after your booking from your first email to the day
There’s no extra booking fee on top. The price we quote is the price you pay.
How to get the most from your budget
- Book the ceremony plus the drinks reception. The first hour costs the most. After that, extra time is much cheaper, and the drinks reception is when most of your guests really hear the music.
- Book early for summer Saturdays. The violinists nearest your venue get booked first, and a closer violinist means less travel in the price.
- Send us your timings when you enquire. If we know your ceremony time and how long the drinks reception lasts, we can quote for exactly what you need, not a minute more.
- Choose from the songs your violinist already plays. Their repertoire is usually huge, and it saves any cost of learning something new.
How paying works
When you’ve chosen your violinist, you get your own secure booking page. You check your details, sign the booking agreement and pay a small deposit by card to secure the date. The balance is due about two weeks before your wedding. That’s it.
Wedding violinist cost: your questions
How much is a violinist for a wedding ceremony only?
Our ceremony bookings for 1 hour (the guests arriving and the ceremony) have come to between £395 and £525. Prices start at £425 for the first hour, including travel.
How much is a violinist for the ceremony and drinks reception?
For 2 to 3 hours, our couples have paid between £490 and £615.
Is travel extra?
No. Every price we quote includes the violinist’s travel to your venue.
Is a violinist cheaper than a string quartet?
Yes, usually by a long way, because you are paying one musician instead of four. A solo violinist also needs less space, which helps at a small venue or register office.
How far ahead should we book?
For a summer Saturday, 9 to 18 months ahead is ideal. We can often help at shorter notice too, so do ask.
Can we see the violinist play first?
Yes. Every violinist we suggest has a profile with real performance videos. Meet our violinists.
Ready to find out the price for your date? Send us your details and we’ll check which violinists near your venue are free. Read more about ceremony music, violinist hire and the most popular violin wedding songs.