SO UPSET

The organist at our church is awful. I mean... really horrendous. So we needed someone else to play for us. I asked my choral director form college because I knew he was a cantor and could play the organ... originally he told me he wasn't a great organist, that he's ore comfortable ont he paino, but in a pinch he could do it. So I said that's fine, cause I realy liked the personal element of having someone I have a relationship with act as the cantor and organ for the ceremony.

This was like 10 months ago.

Fast forward to today, he asked me to call to discuss some details and then he says 'Now, the matter of my fee...'

He wanted $325 to play my wedding!!!

AND HE'S TELLING ME WITH
'JLWSJC
Wedding Countdown
31 Days 2 Hours
23 Minutes 51 Seconds '
TO GO!

Now he says he'll take $250 but he can't do less than that since he has to plan and then travel (from Huntington to Howard Beach)
This isn't someone I was just hring as a vendor. THis is someone I invited to my wedding independent of the fact that he was playing.

THEN he tells me his wife can't come and he wants to come tot he reception but he can't stay long bcause he has another event that night.

Am I wrong to be upset?

I'm telling you, I never knew how some people could be until I planned this wedding. I know everyone says it and it seems so cliche... but it's so true

OMG...I would say thanks but no thanks. (Actually it would probably come out more like 'EFF THAT' )

I would be totally upset and would find someone else, just for the moral of the situation

Man, my aunt cantored our wedding. We just gave her a gift and invited her to the RD!

Do they not have any other organist you can use?

---

Posted by IrishAli



Man, my aunt cantored our wedding. We just gave her a gift and invited her to the RD!

Do they not have any other organist you can use?

---

Just the crappy one.

And, by the way, FH and I were going to give him a tip for coming of course, somewhere around $100. I'm realy upset and I don't know how to tell FH now... everything is budgeted so closely

---

Posted by IrishAli

How bad is the church organist? I mean, is anyone really going to remember that?

---

It's really... REALLY..really bad. Like, he plays at mass and people look around and make faces at each other. That bad.

Wow. That's crazy. Sorry you have to deal with this, now. Our officiant is a judge who is also FH's friend - he would never charge us. (He's also invited to our wedding). I can't believe that someone you are close enough to, to invite to your wedding would charge you to play at the ceremony. (We have other friends who are also vendors and they are charging us - discounted rates- but they are not close friends that we would have invited as guests).

I know it would probably be awkward now, but could you look for someone else? (Like you need something else to do now!)

I would honestly find someone else. For that much money, you could hire someone and not have to deal with it.

I'm sorry.

You're right. You really see people's true colors when it comes to this wedding stuff.

---

Posted by chilly313

Wow. That's crazy. Sorry you have to deal with this, now. Our officiant is a judge who is also FH's friend - he would never charge us. (He's also invited to our wedding). I can't believe that someone you are close enough to, to invite to your wedding would charge you to play at the ceremony. (We have other friends who are also vendors and they are charging us - discounted rates- but they are not close friends that we would have invited as guests).

I know it would probably be awkward now, but could you look for someone else? (Like you need something else to do now!)

---

The problem is I'll probably wind up having to pay someone else int hat case... at least if this guy comes I'll know the music will be decent..but now I'm really upset with him so do I really want him to play? IDK what to do

---

Posted by JLWSJC

The organist at our church is awful. I mean... really horrendous. So we needed someone else to play for us. I asked my choral director form college because I knew he was a cantor and could play the organ... originally he told me he wasn't a great organist, that he's ore comfortable ont he paino, but in a pinch he could do it. So I said that's fine, cause I realy liked the personal element of having someone I have a relationship with act as the cantor and organ for the ceremony.

This was like 10 months ago.

Fast forward to today, he asked me to call to discuss some details and then he says 'Now, the matter of my fee...'

He wanted $325 to play my wedding!!!

AND HE'S TELLING ME WITH
'JLWSJC
Wedding Countdown
31 Days 2 Hours
23 Minutes 51 Seconds '
TO GO!

Now he says he'll take $250 but he can't do less than that since he has to plan and then travel (from Huntington to Howard Beach)
This isn't someone I was just hring as a vendor. THis is someone I invited to my wedding independent of the fact that he was playing.

THEN he tells me his wife can't come and he wants to come tot he reception but he can't stay long bcause he has another event that night.

Am I wrong to be upset?

I'm telling you, I never knew how some people could be until I planned this wedding. I know everyone says it and it seems so cliche... but it's so true

---

oh no!! im so sorry you're not wrong to be upset!

are you getting married in st. helen's by any chance? I miss howard beach!

---

oh no!! im so sorry you're not wrong to be upset!

are you getting married in st. helen's by any chance? I miss howard beach!

---

No, we're getting married in Brooklyn

---

Posted by IrishAli

Find someone else. If you have to pay, might as well get someone and make it just business and then just have other organist come as a guest.

---

Yeah, this is what I'm thinking. I just want to cry I don't even know where to begin to find someone though. Any suggestions?

Jamie, one of my good friends is the music director at my parish. I just emailed him to see what he says about how much he might typically charge for that kind of thing.

If its less than that, do you want me to ask if he is available for your date?

---

Posted by JLWSJC

---

Posted by IrishAli

Find someone else. If you have to pay, might as well get someone and make it just business and then just have other organist come as a guest.

---

Yeah, this is what I'm thinking. I just want to cry I don't even know where to begin to find someone though. Any suggestions?

---

You could get crazy and get a harpist! There are a few on here, I think. Do they have organists under vendors? My church used Hugh McCaroll and he was fine

yikes, i would be upset too! Can't believe he didn't mention a fee till NOW

I'm sorry, i don't have any advice...just wanted to say I don't think you're overreacting and I would've been mad/shocked/confused too

---

Posted by JLWSJC

---

oh no!! im so sorry you're not wrong to be upset!

are you getting married in st. helen's by any chance? I miss howard beach!

---

No, we're getting married in Brooklyn

---

ooh which curhc! i can come see you get married!