Cocktail hour live music... anyone hire a sax player?

I think this is a know you’re crowd type of thing. For me, and our crowd, a sax probably would not be the instrument of choice, and would not set the type of mood we are going for with our wedding. We plan to have a string quartet play for our ceremony, because it will create a beautiful, chill, ethereal type of environment, which is what we are going for with our ceremony. By the time cocktail hour rolls around, we are hoping to get some drinks in everyone and start to liven them up. So we plan to play popular classics that everyone will know over the sound system in the venue (Loud enough that you can hear it, but not so loud that you can’t hear those around you speaking). I would think about your guests and their musical preferences, and what kind of vibe are you are hoping to create during your cocktail hour; then go with whatever music or musician you think will create that vibe for your guests.

It’s a know-your-crowd thing. We had a violinist for the ceremony and an accordionist who played pirate/sea shanties for our cocktail hour (pirate reception).

If you like the sax - it is definitely a know your crowd think indeed. I will be having a solo guitarist play and I am pretty excited for some live music!

I've seen saxophonists accompany recorded music well. Plus, alot of current music has a horn section, e.g. Bruno Mars, so it doesn't have to be all sax solos like in the 80s. Live music during the cocktail hour can energize the vibe, but guests will be talking and catching up before dinner. If this is your mood, definitely go for it.

View Quoted Comment Thanks. It'll be mostly jazz Stds with backing music. Not overly loud and outdoors.

Yes, with the backing music, I think if you love the sax it should be really good!

We wanted a sax player! But after speaking with our venue which was smaller and more intimate the sax player would be too much and too loud. We were going to do sax with backing music. We went with a jazz band instead.
But if a sax player works with your venue and its something you want, do it! Sounds so fun! And i think your guests would enjoy!