Whistlin' Rufus Old Time String Band

We can't say enough about Whistlin' Rufus, the wonderful old time string band that we first discovered at Kentucky Music Weekend the summer before our wedding. We were so blown away by their sound that we immediately went home and emailed Caleb (the fiddle player) to see if the band ever did weddings. We hadn't booked any vendors yet or even set a wedding date, but we wanted to make sure we could get this awesome band if at all possible! Caleb replied that they did, indeed, play weddings (and they love playing weddings). We really didn't think that we would be able to afford live music at our wedding, or even a DJ, and were afraid that we would have to make do with some speakers and an IPod mix. But Whistlin' Rufus's price was HALF of what the most affordable DJs in Louisville charged! We booked them immediately, and they agreed to do our ceremony music as well as the reception music. We were so excited, and Whistlin' Rufus was absolutely delightful to work with. I can't count how many emails went back and forth between me, my husband, and Caleb during the months before our wedding. Our questions were numerous and, in many cases, quite silly, but they were all answered and our worries were put to rest because the band members are so kind, accommodating, and incredible at what they do. Because Whistlin' Rufus is not a mainstream band, they have a very different repertoire than the typical wedding band, so we had to trust their musical selections, most of which we were unfamiliar with. This was not a drawback AT ALL, however, and it was actually quite a relief not to feel like we needed to dictate every song or generate a "do not play" list. All of the music they chose was wonderful! They even graciously learned a hymn for our wedding ceremony that I had my heart set on, "For the Beauty of the Earth," and they did a fantastic job with it. It brought tears to my eyes. The ceremony music was beautiful- soft, sweet, and lilting with a bluegrassy bent to it. At the reception, they wowed the crowd by picking up the pace and making all of us want to dance the night away! Caleb did a great job keeping the reception moving, stepping in as emcee to announce our entrance, the pie cutting, the first dance, etc. They also suggested a wonderful song for our first dance, "The Annual Waltz," a song that we still can't get out of our heads because it was so beautiful and perfect for the occasion. The feel of their music was a natural fit for our wedding style- we got so many compliments on our wedding music. Whistlin' Rufus was a perfect choice!