8 Hidden Fees Your Musician Might Charge You

Let's say you've always dreamed of having live musicians at your wedding—a DJ or, God forbid, an iPod, just won't do. Live music is more romantic, right? The Budget Guru asked Anne Roos, the author of The Bride's Guide to Musicians, for her advice on the unromantic matter of fees. (Anne has been playing the Celtic harp at weddings for thirty or so years, and she lives in South Tahoe, CA.)

Anne says, "Most musicians may charge a first-hour rate and then a reduced rate for subsequent hours (for instance, $299 for the first hour and $200 for each hour thereafter)." Or, they may simply charge you a package fee for the number of hours that you need them. There could be other charges added to this performance fee, which may include:

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— Susan Schneider