Thank you, Musical Heartstrings, for celebrating and sharing our wedding day with us. It felt like a dream. It was truly the most magical moment of our lives, and your presence was a part of that. We fell in love with musical Heartstrings even before we met them. Through their YouTube videos, we felt an initial sense of their love, joy, and just the right touch of silliness and giddiness. Gretchen and Kerry were amazing and professional in every way. Not only did they have an extensive repertoire from which to choose our wedding pieces, they were willing to learn new pieces for very reasonable fees. We were able to include inspiring pieces from Yiruma, Final Fantasy, and Studio Ghibli. We were lucky enough to be able to meet them before our wedding and preview many of our songs choices at one of their restaurant performances. They were so generous with their time. On our wedding day, they volunteered to show up quite early to rehearse a song a family member was going to sing for us. When we walked down the aisle, they were able to anticipate if we were walking too slow or too fast and adjusted the song duration accordingly. Our wedding inevitably ran behind schedule. Without a moment's hesitation or anyone even asking, the quartet voluntarily and graciously continued playing way beyond their appointed time. We of course offered to compensate for their extra time, but what they did for us was priceless. These ladies are doing this because they love what they do. They play to their musical heart's content. Their delightful energy, heartfelt playing, and professional courtesy all contributed to a memorable ceremony and reception despite all the unexpected delays and hiccups we had. We and all of our guests were moved and mesmerized by the music and the way it seamlessly carried our ceremony. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful moment in our lives, and we had Musical Heart Strings there to help make it all happen. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We were truly lucky to have met you and were deeply honored to have had you at our wedding. read more

Hire Musical Heart Strings, you won't regret it! We had always dreamed of having a live string quartet at our wedding, and Musical Heart Strings truly brought that dream to life. One of the most special elements we wanted was a custom arrangement of the bride's processional song: a softer, lighter version of Love Wins All by IU, based on a rendition by YouTube pianist James Wong. We spoke with a few local string quartets, but the moment we connected with Gretchen, we knew she was the one who could make it happen. Gretchen immediately knew the pianist we were referring to and mentioned she had even done custom arrangements of his work before, including a beautiful blend of Lover x Daylight. From the very beginning, she was incredibly engaged and genuinely cared about making the arrangement perfect. She was always communicative and thoughtful, offering detailed insights and suggestions with every email exchange. Whenever we asked for adjustments, she responded quickly and sent updated audio clips for us to review. She even created multiple versions in different lengths to help us find the one that fit our timeline best. When we heard the final version, we were absolutely thrilled. It was everything we had hoped for. On our wedding day, Gretchen and her team played for two hours. They performed during guest seating, for the bridal party processional and recessional, and during our cocktail hour. The music was flawless, and they created a beautiful, elegant atmosphere that we'll never forget. Gretchen has an incredibly extensive repertoire on her website, covering everything from classical pieces to video game soundtracks, movie themes, and modern pop songs. We got to select every song ourselves, which made the experience feel even more personal and special. We are so happy we chose to work with Musical Heart Strings. If you're not looking for a full quartet, they also offer duo and trio options. Gretchen is a true professional and artist, and we can't recommend her highly enough. read more

Musical Heart Strings duo absolutely contributed to the elegance of our daughter's wedding. Kerry and Gretchen were available on short notice and allowed the bride and groom to pick the music of their choice both classical and poplular. Putting all of their music to strings created a magical feel in the ceremony room and in the lounge after when cocktails were served. They are such a delight and communicated openly with us before the wedding. We visited another venue they were playing at a local restaurant. , prior to the wedding, and were able to chat with them there,also. They played the bride and groom's play list so they could hear it ahead of the wedding! Their website is user friendly to work with and helped us create the musical vision of the day with over 300 songs to pick from. The samplings on their website made that process of choosing so much easier! Their fees were very reasonable, their black attire made for a formal appearance the day of. I would encourage any bride or event planner to use these delightful ladies and their group in any event upcoming. I hope to find a purpose to invite them again to create another magical event!!! Their music was wonderful! Great Job Ladies, until we meet again!!! read more

Gretchen and Kerry from Musical Heart Strings are so wonderful! My mother in law had discovered them on another website, and contacted them about playing at our wedding in June. They responded promptly to our emails, and were sincere in their desire to play at our wedding. Before our wedding, my husband and I went to tasting room in Danville and listened to them play live, and I was so impressed! Their samples on their website are beautiful, but do not do them justice! They have a wide range of music they can play from ACDC to Colbie Caillat to Pachelbel and anything in between. I had always had a dream to walk down the aisle to "When You Say Nothing At All" by Alison Kraus, and though it wasn't on their repetoire, they learned the song and played it for us at our wedding. They played beautifully during the ceremony, and also during our cocktail hour. All of our guests were so impressed, and just loved listening to them play. I never realized how much live music contributes to the atmosphere of a wedding/event, but I am a believer now. Gretchen and Kerry added such a unique aspect to our wedding, and it wouldn't have been nearly as amazing without them! We are so thankful! read more

We were delighted with our selection of Musical Heart Strings for our wedding event in July at the Edgehill Mansion on the Dominican University Campus in San Rafael. We selected a trio with Gretchen on the Cello, Megan on the violin and Matt on the keyboard. They did an outstanding job playing before the ceremony and at the cocktail hour on the beautiful wraparound porch, coming onto the lawn for the ceremony, and playing inside the mansion during dinner. Their musical abilities were impressive and along with their good humor, flexibility, experience and high energy we felt we made the perfect choice for our wedding music. Kerry was very helpful in explaining the selection alternatives for instruments and arrangements. We chose music from their large selection of arrangements spanning from the Beetles to Louie Armstrong to Vivaldi. Comments from the guests were enthusiastically positive. One guest said she thought the ceremony was moving, the venue beautiful, the food excellent but for her the music was the highlight of the evening. Thank you Musical Heart Strings for making our hearts sing. Stacey C read more

My words will never begin to describe how wonderful these ladies are. We arranged for Gretchen and Kerry to play at our daughter's vineyard wedding. The bride had a particular song in mind for the processional that unfortunately was not part of Musical Heartstrings repertoire. After speaking with the group, without hesitation, they agreed to find the music and play it at the wedding. Even more unfortunate, they were only able to locate the music for guitar. They were quick to suggest learning the piece by ear. The result was fantastic. These ladies are so professional and accommodating. Smiles never leave their faces. They were happy to take and quick to play guest requests. When on break, they quickly jumped up to help with an audio problem that was occurring which was unrelated to their performance. It was as though favorite cousins offered to play at the wedding and reception. I can't say enough wonderful things about this group. Both their music and personalities were beyond magnificent. You will not go wrong with this duo! read more

My wife and I were married in the wine cave at Viansa Winery on Bastille day 2012. We knew we wanted music to be at the heart of our big day, and heart strings provided that beautifully. They played the ceremony indoors and the cocktail reception outside immediately following. The sound of acoustic strings added such sweet ambience and beauty to the ceremony. My wife and I were so pleased, and got loads of compliments on the arrangement and simple elegance of having a string trio play. Also, we didn't want a traditional wedding march for the ceremony, so asked if they could learn an Otis Redding tune for the guys entrance and a Carole King song for the bride. For the reception we also wanted a Louis Prima tune "Buona Sera", as New Orleans and Italy are both huge parts of our lives. We were blown away by how beautifully the Heart Strings interpreted and played the music. Just unforgettable. My wife and highly, highly recommend Gretchen and Kerry/Heart Strings for your wedding or party. 5/5 stars without a doubt. Thanks again! read more

Gretchen and Kerry were absolutely wonderful! They played for eight hours -- covering both our ceremony and the entire reception -- and were flawless the entire time. They are truly exceptional musicians with an incredibly large repertoire. Choosing the music with them was so much fun. They had everything from classical pieces to pop, Disney, and even EDM. They're detail-oriented, empathetic, and such a joy to work with. Our guests couldn't stop raving about the music. Some were even singing along to Bohemian Rhapsody and Disney classics! The atmosphere they created was elegant, emotional, and full of life. One of my favorite moments was when they performed "Levels" by Avicii -- an EDM song they learned just for me. It was such a fun and memorable highlight that my friends are still talking about. Hiring Musical Heart Strings was truly one of the best decisions we made for our wedding. They brought so much heart, professionalism, and joy to our day. I can't recommend them highly enough! read more

Musical Heart Strings made our wedding day absolutely magical!!! They arrived early and began playing for pre-ceremony into ceremony and cocktail hour. They are SO talented and wonderfully friendly to work with. Leading up to the wedding, Gretchen thoughtfully went over our music selections and day of timeline with us. They have a brilliantly expansive repertoire of songs to choose from and were even willing to learn a special selection or two for our ceremony. My husband and I are both musicians and were truly blown away by not only their amazing talent but also the beautiful sunshine-filled energy that they shared with us and our guests. I will never forget walking down the aisle with my Dad as the strings emotionally accompanied us on our way. It was beautiful. I cannot imagine the day without their hearts and music setting the tone for the entire wedding. Thank you so much Gretchen and team! We're forever grateful!! -Libby read more

We had the absolute pleasure of having Musical Heart Strings perform at our wedding, and we couldn't have asked for a more magical experience. From the ceremony to the cocktail hour, their musical talent added an enchanting touch to our special day. The duo's ability to create a beautiful atmosphere was remarkable. The ceremony music was both elegant and emotionally moving, setting the perfect tone for our vows. During the cocktail hour, their versatile repertoire had a few people, in the spirit of the holidays. Not only were they incredibly skilled musicians, but their professionalism and flexibility made the planning process a breeze. They took the time to understand what we wanted and answer any questions we had. If you're looking for talented, professional, and personable musicians to elevate your wedding day, Musical Heart Strings are the perfect choice. read more

I hired Heart Strings to play at my daughter's wedding at the Sacramento Zoo on Labor Day weekend of 2012. I highly recommend them for whatever occasion you are planning. They were very professional, had a wide repertoire of music and even adapted 1 song for us. Every time I had a question, they responded right away. The wedding guests all loved their performance. They were not intrusive and were perfect for our occasion. Their beautiful music even lured the Giraffes to come and observe the wedding in the platform! In addition, they arrived ahead of time for the wedding event and even played even though the wedding ran short and they could have left. I believe they love what they do and it shows. I know that I truly enjoyed my experience dealing with Heart Strings. Hire them, you will not be disappointed! read more

Musical Heart Strings was absolutely amazing for our wedding! They customized the music perfectly to fit both mine and my husband's personalities and interests, including beautiful Zelda and Star Wars pieces that meant so much to us and our guests. Despite our limited timeline, they were incredibly professional, responsive, and efficient throughout the entire process. Everything felt seamless and thoughtfully coordinated. Their performance added such a magical and personal touch to our ceremony, and we received so many compliments from guests afterward. Highly recommend to anyone looking for talented musicians who are flexible, professional, and truly care about making your event feel special and unique! read more

As the bride and groom, we couldn't have asked for a more perfect musical experience on our wedding day. This incredible duet not only delivered a breathtaking performance, but they also went above and beyond by composing original music for two songs that held deep meaning for us, as we were unable to find the sheet music. Their talent and dedication added so much emotion and beauty to our ceremony. Every note was flawless, and their ability to create the perfect atmosphere was truly unforgettable. We are so grateful for their hard work and highly recommend them to anyone looking for musicians who will make your special day even more extraordinary. read more

Musical Heart Strings was amazing. Gretchen took the time to have several phone conversations with me to help me fine-tune the ceremony details. Ironically I got more help planning my ceremony from Gretchen than my officiant. On the day of the wedding ceremony, they performed beautifully. They made my ceremony feel very special and beautiful. All our guests loved their performance including my cousin who has a music degree. Musical Heart Strings is very nice, friendly, professional, and talented I highly recommend them. An added bonus is their affordable pricing. 10/10 recommend. read more

I recently hired Musical Heart Strings to play at my beloved mother's memorial. My mother meant the world to me and I wanted to have beautiful music played in her honor. I could not have been more pleased with Musical Heart Strings. They arrived early, set up at two different locations and played absolutely beautiful music. They were extremely respectful, professional and accommodating. Kerry, Gretchen and their heart felt music brought me comfort in one of the most painful times of my life. I am grateful to have found them. I would highly recommend them. read more

Musical Heart Strings played for my father's memorial service. I chose to have the cello/violin combo and it could not have been more perfect. The musicianship was of the highest quality, and Gretchen worked closely with me to select the playlist -- even going so far as to learn a new song (my dad's favorite) just the day before the service. I found their prices to be very reasonable and from start-to-finish it was an excellent experience working MHS. I would recommend them to anybody and look forward to using them again at a happier event. read more

Musical Heart Strings were incredible! Super easy to work with from day one, they were very responsive and helpful. They looked very professional at the wedding and sounded amazing. All of our guests were impressed and they more than exceeded our expectations. We loved the fact that they had such a large repertoire of music, from classical to fun modern songs for the cocktail hour. Would more than recommend them to everyone! read more

I hired Musical Heart Strings for my wedding back in November and they were such a joy and pleasure to work with!! Gretchen was so nice and personable! They are very professional and their performing is magical. In addition, their website made choosing between songs SO easy!! They were the perfect touch at my wedding and would definitely hire them again in the future. read more

Highly Recommended! Classical ensemble does not express the range that Heart Strings will bring to your event. They brought a wonderful energy to both our holiday party and the 90th birthday celebration. We look forward to the next event when we can share and enjoy their positive energy and incredible talent." They are extremely professional and fun to work with. read more