The Chris Sarlas Orchestra – Sarlas Music

We hired the Chris Sarlas Orchestra for our wedding in downtown Chicago in June 2014. Living in California, it was extra challenging to plan our wedding in Chicago. Chris Sarlas did everything he could to make the process as smooth as possible. We met with him during one of our visits to Chicago to do the initial planning, and then all details were finalized via e-​mail and phone. Chris was extremely responsive and available for any questions. The weeks prior to our wedding, Chris was in touch with us regularly to finalize the «day of» details. It was apparent that Chris wanted us to feel relaxed and have complete confidence in his abilities. We were beyond impressed on our wedding day! Chris was an excellent emcee and set a fantastic vibe for our crowd. When the band started playing, the music was incredible! Our guests were very impressed, and we were 100% happy that we choose a band instead of a DJ. The personal experience and beautiful music made our wedding day magical and unforgettable. We highly recommend the Chris Sarlas Orchestra!

I am writing this review to highly recommend Chris Sarlas after our wedding in late July. We had the Artistrings put together a string quartet for our ceremony and the Chris Sarlas Orchestra had a nine-​piece band (or at least we paid for a nine-​piece band because we counted like 13 people there, which was awesome). After dealing with other wedding vendors that were not so organized, it was great to know that Chris was so detail-​oriented with us, providing us with a song list to pick out songs for both our ceremony and our reception. Plus you can go on his website and actually listen to his groups performing many of those songs. Chris, as well as his wife (for the ceremony), also gave us suggestions in helping to put together the perfect music for what we were trying to capture for our wedding.
My family and friends were raving about the quality of the band, and the band had most of us (including my wife and I) on the dance floor the entire three hours that they were performing. With a few exceptions, they stuck to all of the songs that we had identified as favorites. And they even improvised, as dinner was going later than expected, rather than delay the start of the band, they had them perform some of our dinner music songs as we were finishing up with that portion of the reception. Overall, we couldn’t have been more pleased with the quality and professionalism of the entire group. They even performed a Greek song to honor my wife’s father’s Greek heritage.
I definitely think that hiring a band for your wedding is a somewhat pricey but worthwhile decision. And I would encourage everyone thinking of hiring a band in Chicago to go with Chris Sarlas.

We got married 1 week ago and had the most amazing night ever with an unbelievably perfect soundtrack, thanks to the Chris Sarlas Orchestra. We knew the music would be great, but their performance was far beyond our expectations. From simply sharing a list of our favorite bands and songs, Chris Sarlas was able to create a non-​stop, action packed dance floor for the greatest night of our lives. From the first conversation we had, Chris was kind, flexible, encouraging, provided much needed guidance and suggestions and was open to all our ideas and random song requests. We are so thrilled that we got to enjoy this amazing group of musicians for our ceremony and reception. I would happily recommend the Chris Sarlas Orchestra to anyone in need of a band for a wedding or any other event. They made this special event even more special for us and we are forever grateful. I hope to have an opportunity to throw another party (or attend one) with them soon!

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra is phenomenal! We recently got married and had a wonderful day of music. From classical strings at the ceremony to jazzy piano at the cocktail party, and ending with fun dancing music at the reception, they fit the bill! You cannot go wrong. If I could give more stars, I would!

We are going on almost 6 months since our fairy tale day. I guess i waited so long to review because i was in denial that it was all over! There are no words to truly describe Chris and his orchestra unless you experience it first hand but I will try! First and foremost, I had a wedding coordinate for month of who was wonderful BUT having Chris involved was like having another super coordinator by my side. His is fantastically detailed, professional, organized, empathic, kind and concise. I had not one stitch of doubt when speaking to him from the beginning. The band amazed everyone at my reception they are still talking about it nearly 6 months later. I danced EVERY single song as they got better and better through the night. We had a special request for our first dance. A super challenging song by Michael Jackson, a duet called «I just cant stop loving you» they NAILED it. OMG it was just amazing. At the very end they did a little MJ set for my husband as he is a major fan. I have never had so much fun in my life. The whole group was professional and so nice. Especially Mrs. Sarlas! She helped make sure we were getting through the night per the timeline. I can’t stress enough how important it is to have great entertainment at your wedding or any event. It is worth EVERY single penny HIGHLY recommended.

If you want the BEST time at your wedding, you need to choose The Chris Sarlas Orchestra to play at your wedding.
We had a Greek-​Irish wedding and Chris Sarlas was able to accomodate both of our families. His attention to detail and professionalism was not comparable to the rest of the vendors we had for our wedding. He truly is a great and talented person, surrounding himself with great talent. I had so many guests tell me how much they loved the band.

It’s only been a month since our wedding, but we have gotten MANY comments about the Chris Sarlas Orchestra at our May 2013 wedding. Comments such as «WOW, that was the best band I’ve ever heard at a wedding» keep coming! I fully agree.
People were even dancing before our first dance because the music was so good! Our dance floor was packed until the very last song. I would highly recommend Chris Sarlas. The band even wore our wedding sunglasses we gave out as favors without us asking, which was a nice little touch!
The package rate was VERY reasonable and Chris was always accommodating with meeting my husband and I. Chris is the perfect MC. I am so grateful our guests had a wonderful time and a lot of that is due to Chris Sarlas and his band!

We hired the Chris Sarlas Orchestra for our wedding in late 2012. They were outstanding. Chris is a pleasure to work with– very professional. His musicians are top-​notch. So many of our guests were raving about the band. We had them play a couple of Greek dance songs, which everybody loved, and the rest traditional music. Chris does a great job with the MC duties, keeping the reception moving. He’s very classy– no cheesy wedding band stories here.
One note: Chris posts video on youtube and on his website of actual weddings and dates that his band plays. No studio videos/​recordings. You really get a good idea of how they’ll sound at your wedding. This takes guts on his part, and to us, it made the difference.
We’re absolutely thrilled with our choice of bands for our wedding.

I am still recovering from one of the best nights of my life thanks to the Chris Sarlas Orchestra. This past weekend was my sister’s wedding and Unilocal doesn’t give me the option to add more stars to this phenomenal band and orchestra. If you are looking for top quality musicians, this is where you should turn to in the Chicagoland area. Chris and Carol are an absolute pleasure to work with. Whatever requests my sister and her husband had, big or small, Chris and Carol were able to meet that request. I have never seen so many people dancing at any event. I wish I could watch all of the musicians perform every weekend because the show was spectacular! Thank you for making their wedding the success that it truly was. You are the talk of the town!

This is a truly phenomenal band! I think they may be a little hidden gem right now, but I would jump on the chance to work with them. We worked with Chris on our wedding just a couple of weeks ago and it could not have been executed more perfectly. From the very beginning, he was such a pleasure to work with. I had many ideas and he walked me through countless pricing options, instrument combinations, etc. He also had great ideas for things we were unsure about and is an excellent listener. Chris is exceedingly professional — a dream to work with.
We hired Chris and his musicians for our ceremony (cello and violin performed pop instrumental songs), the jazz trio for our cocktail hour, and the 10-​piece band for our reception. Chris did a great job MC-​ing and he and the band’s music was never cheezy wedding band– sounding, just really, really good. All our guests commented on how great they were and the dance floor was full all night!

We hired Chris Sarlas and his band for our August 2012 wedding and couldn’t have been happier. They were spectacular from beginning to end. We had the string quartet for our seating music and processional, and the main band for the entire reception. They were perfect! Chris’ introductions and announcments were totally seamless, the band and vocalists were amazing, and all of our guests were dancing until the very end. I cannot count how many people complimented us on the band choice, and people continue to ask me for their info. Everyone was blown away by the variety of songs and the talent of these vocalists.
Go to their website to hear audio and see video of this talented group. That is how we first decided to sit down and talk with Chris. Professional, pleasant, experienced, wonderful! Thanks, Chris and crew for an amazing night!

Before we get to the music, let me say how wonderful a job Chris himself did managing us throughout the process. From the moment we met with him he made it clear that he had our best interests at heart his main intention was that we get the service we wanted and within our budget. He never once tried to force any additional services on us in order to raise the fee, and we were able to get all of the instruments that we wanted and make it work within our budget. He always responded to all of our inquiries the same day. He was extremely professional throughout the process, especially in the final few weeks when we were finalizing our preparations. Chris was such a calming presence on the phone, ensuring us that everything would go smoothly. He couldn’t have been better.
Now for the Music. Wow. People were coming to us all night and all said some variation of «Where did you guys find this band, they are INCREDIBLE,» and they were. The talent of the musicians was clear, and the dance floor was rocking all night, even our 90 year old grandfather felt the need to get out there. The voices of the singers were amazing, and they really brought so many of our favorite songs to life. I seriously can’t imagine how they could have done any better.
In addition to the music, they did a wonderful job of interacting with the crowd and making sure that people stayed on the dance floor. This was one of our larger concerns, as there are few things sadder than an empty dance floor at a wedding. They knew how to work the crowd wonderfully, and there was never a dull moment.
We only gave 5 stars because we couldn’t give 6. If you are considering Chris Sarlas Orchestra, do yourself a favor and sign the contract now. We promise it will be one of the best decisions you make for your special day.

All I can say is WOW! We booked Chris Sarlas after hearing him at a friend’s wedding. Our wedding was a bit smaller than theirs so we were hopeful the band would translate well to a smaller group. Boy did it ever. Chris himself is wonderful to work with throughout wedding planning. He is very responsive, professional, and just pleasant. The day of the wedding he was the perfect MC and really had things running smoothly. But the music was just unbelievable. Our dance floor was packed the entire night. Several guests commented that it was the best wedding band they have ever heard and could not believe the talent of the singers and musicians. They truly made our wedding memorable and special. I am so grateful that we had them for our wedding celebration!

I have enjoyed The Chris Sarlas Orchestra as a guest at half a dozen weddings and I never tire of them. There was no way that I would get married with out them. they made my wedding an event that I will never forget. You would be crazy not to hire them.

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra is THE BEST band for weddings and events in Chicago!
My wife and I found Chris by accident because we were looking for a wedding band that could accommodate a Greek (me) and Irish (my wife) crowd. After searching the internet, we came across Chris’ website and we immediately contacted him. We were living in Washington, DC at the time and we were preparing to move to Chicago, so Chris mailed us a fantastic press kit with setlists, DVDs of the band, and package rates. After going through all of the information, my wife and I hired Chris on the spot.
During the entire planning process, Chris was very professional from the first phone conversation to the day of our wedding. After you meet with him, he works directly with the venue/​reception site so that you do not get bogged down and you can move on to dealing with the rest of your wedding details. He tailored the setlist to what music we wanted to hear and he was a master at mixing in just enough Greek music to satisfy my side of the family while not alienating my wife’s side. Most importantly, he worked with us (and our budget) to maximize the band’s time on stage so that the party would never lose steam.
Since our wedding, my wife and I have been recommending The Chris Sarlas Orchestra to all of our engaged friends and family and one of the couples who attended our wedding have already hired him for their special day. Hire this band. You will not regret it.

My husband and I found Chris because he was recommended by the Al Sofia Band, which he used to be a member of in the past. We needed to find a band for our wedding, which we were planning remotely. After checking out the website and the videos, we absolutely wanted to book them so we had my dad meet with Chris. After receiving the big thumbs up from my dad (who was paying) we booked them, as well as Artistrings to play during the dinner portion.
Chris was really accommodating with meeting with us when we were in town and keeping in touch via email. He made us feel as if what we wanted was important and actually listened to our ideas. We gave him all our instructions and felt we were in good hands. My husband remarked to me after the one and only meeting with him that even if we didn’t tell him anything, you could tell he would still do a fantastic job.
When the wedding came around, they were amazing. Everyone raved about the band and one of our Florida guests even wanted them for their wedding! Opal, the lead female singer, was absolutely astounding. Her voice was beautiful and strong; she was a big reason as to why we booked the band. They did a great job for our first dance and then pretty much everyone started dancing. They were that wonderful!
I could not have asked for a better performance. So if you are looking for a band to play at that special occasion, look no further. This is it.