FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Avalanche requires a nonrefundable deposit to reserve your date and time. We accept Visa, Master Card and Discover over the phone or you may mail us a check. All final booking arrangements are handled by phone and then followed with a letter (email or regular post) when your deposit is paid.

The most important thing is to secure the date with us. Our weekend dates, especially Saturdays, book quickly. In order to ensure our quality, we do not substitute other musicians once we are booked. If you hire Avalanche for your wedding, Liz  and Don will be your musicians. When we receive your deposit and reserve your date you can keep us posted as you finalize the other details of your celebration (microphone rental and DJ service).

No. We are able to review the cues that we need the day of your wedding with your officiate prior to the ceremony. We often provide music during rehearsal dinners and for Sunday brunches after weddings, so please ask about our discounted fee for other wedding related events.

We will arrive to setup approximately 20-30 minutes before we begin playing. You are not charged for this set up time. Our fee begins when you’ve requested the pre-ceremony background music for the seating of your guests. If we relocate after the ceremony to a different location our fee continues for the travel and 2nd set up.

It’s up to you. We’ll ask you when you’d like us to begin playing background music for the pre-ceremony seating of your guests. We usually begin 30 minutes prior to the ceremony, but sometimes we begin as early as an hour before the wedding or as late as 15 or 20 minutes before the ceremony is scheduled to begin. The number of guests attending your wedding, the location and other factors will help decide the start time for the music. Avalanche is available for consultation on scheduling questions.

You may choose the Processional Music for the entrance of your bridesmaids and other attendants (ring bearers ~flower girls) and the Bridal Processional Music as well as the Recessional Music for the Wedding party. We also offer music for the seating of the parents, unity candle, sand ceremony, communion and other special requests. Liz is available for unlimited music consultation via phone and email. When you are ready to choose your specific music selections please complete and submit the Wedding Questionnaire Form. We like to receive it at least one month before your wedding.

Because our repertoire changes as we add and delete music from our  traveling library we do not have a Song List. As you listen to our music samplers you will hear the wide variety of our musical styles offered. Avalanche will discuss the styles of music that you’d like to hear as well as specific requests.

Yes, we are happy to accommodate special requests. Please allow as much time as possible so we can check our vast library to see if we own the music that you’d like. If we have to purchase the music we will ask you to reimburse us for the cost. We will arrange and rehearse it free of charge.

Yes we can accompany a singer. We require a rehearsal before the ceremony and we charge a $100.00 fee.

Several factors, including the number of guests, your location and your officiate, will help you decide if you need a microphone . We rent a cordless, standing microphone with amplification for your ceremony (subject to location).

Avalanche can provide music for your ceremony, during the cocktails and appetizers, during dinner and for dancing afterwards. It’s up to you how long we provide entertainment for you and your guests. We offer our acoustic violin and guitar duo and an alternative DJ service after our live music has concluded.

After our live violin and guitar duo music has concluded, Don will provide  professional DJ equipment and play the favorite music that you’ve provided him on CDs and/or iPod. He will also bring several hundred of his own songs on CD and iPod. One of the nice features of this option is that Avalanche can go with the flow of the day and play live music according to the feel of the party and then transition to CDs as requested. Of course, we can adhere to a preset schedule if you prefer. The DJ service is very affordable and includes a cordless microphone for toasts and announcements. 

Avalanche will need 2 arm less chairs. For outdoor events we require protection from the weather (direct sunlight or rain) for our instruments. Some locations provide cover with a market umbrella, tent or a canopy of trees. Access to electricity is helpful, although not necessary for the duo. it is required for the microphone rental and DJ service. We will bring extension cords if needed.

We have a full CD available which features some of the most requested songs from our repertoire: Cheek to Cheek, Moon River, It’s Only A Paper Moon, Night & Day, Tangerine, Ashokan Farewell, Bluegrass Medley (East Tennessee Blues~Mississippi Sawyer~Devil’s Dream), Lover’s Waltz, Londonerry Air (O Danny Boy), Pachelbel Canon in D and Time to Say Goodbye.