The Wedding Gig Book, Volume 1: Score

Marlatt has selected ten pieces that every brass quintet should know, then arranged them with the wedding context in mind. The collection acknowledges the practical reality of ceremony timing: many selections are brief enough to repeat seamlessly, and the medium difficulty level means your ensemble won't spend rehearsals wrestling with technical hurdles when they should be focusing on blend and ceremonial pacing.

Elegant and reverent. These classical standards carry the ceremonial weight the moment demands while remaining accessible enough that musicians can focus on communicating warmth rather than fighting the notes. The familiar melodies create an immediate sense of occasion.

Brass quintets at the medium level who want reliable, playable wedding repertoire without arrangements that demand advanced technique. This works equally well for strong middle school groups seeking their first wedding gigs and for professional ensembles building a wedding repertoire library.

• Balance the melodic line carefully during the slower pieces like Largo from Winter. The lead voice (typically first trumpet or French horn) must sing through without overwhelming the harmonic foundation provided by the lower voices.
• Nail consistent attack and release points, especially at the starts of processionals and recessionals. A clean, unified entrance and a soft, synchronized cutoff signal professionalism and respect for the ceremony.
• Adjust your tempo slightly if repeating a piece for timing. A modest ritardando on the final repetition provides a natural sense of closure without disrupting the flow of the ceremony.

Build an entire ceremony from this collection or cherry-pick pieces to anchor your wedding music planning. The short length of many selections makes them ideal for filling gaps during logistical moments like the signing of the register, where repeating a piece two or three times works naturally into the timeline.

• Balanced ensemble voicing in sustained harmonic textures
• Consistent articulation and attack-release control across five players
• Adjusting tempo and phrasing to accommodate ceremonial timing and repeats
• Reading and interpreting classical arrangements without excessive notation