Chris Sarlas Orchestra

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra is fantastic!! All of our wedding guests have been raving about them. Our dance floor was packed the whole night and everybody had a blast dancing the night away. All of the singers are great and they will play/sing anything you want. Chris is so great to work with...he is flexible, helpful, and extremely professional. The band has now played at both mine and my sister's weddings and a lot of our friends have been recruiting them for their own weddings. My wedding would NOT have been the same without the Chris Sarlas Orchestra!

I first heard Chris' band a couple of years ago at a church anniversary party. I was amazed that a band existed that was as versatile as his orchestra and could play both excellent Greek and American music. I am Greek and my husband is of Italian/Slavic descent. We were in search of a fun wedding band. We found it in Chris and his orchestra. Chris was able to accommodate all of our different music requests from Greek to tango. In deciding on our American music, Chris met with us and offered an impressive song list - over 6 pages long! He offered to learn new music as well if it wasn't on the list. His recommendations on what gets the crowd dancing were spot on. He was extremely professional and accommodating throughout the entire process. The band made our wedding. To this day, friends and relatives keep talking about our wedding and the band, in particular. It was memorable and unforgettable. His band gets everyone dancing on the floor and no one wants the night to end. We highly recommend this band. They were worth every penny and more.

Fabulous... absolutely fabulous!!! I wish I could give more than just 5 stars. The Chris Sarlas Orchestra played at all of our siblings wedding and my husband and I wouldn't have had anyone else. The music is current and just phenomenal. The Chris Sarlas Orchestra created the atmosphere that was the highlight of our wedding. All of our guests were blown away by the performance. Chris provided us with an extensive song list and allowed us to choose the songs that we really wanted to hear which made the night a unique experience for us and our guests. If you are considering booking the Chris Sarlas Orchestra I am sure you will not regret it.

I just wanted to thank you for making our wedding night the best night ever! You guys are absolutely amazing!! We have been getting non-stop compliments about how great you all were, and everyone had a blast dancing to your music! You made our wedding and I can't thank you enough! Please pass our thanks on to Opal, Barry, Tim and Tarita, they were awesome!!! Thank you again so much! Hope to see you again in the future!


Wish you the best!
Bethany Fenby (Yarosz)

We used them for our wedding three weeks ago.

Tons of guests came up to us during the wedding to tell us how much they loved this band - and we are still hearing it today. What sets them apart is Chris. He is no hack-job cover-band leader. He has a strong formal education in music, tons of experience and is a true lover of music. Yes, the songs are covers, but he has a very talented band and he makes sure they perform each song as though it had been written for them. Believe me, I have seen my share of cheesy wedding bands. Adam Sandler is not showing up with these guys :) they know how to work a crowd and make it a fun night.

We also used their strings, Artstrings, for the ceremony and it was beautiful. What can I say? A great string trio for a garden wedding. You can't go wrong with that.

For the reception we used the seven piece band, based on Chris' recommendation. He gave us a great price. Don't waste your money on things guests won't remember (party favors, chair covers, over-done centerpieces, whatever...) Spend the money on the things people remember - Food, venue, bar and music. And for goodness sake, don't get a DJ!

The best part about working with Chris, though, is his incredible respect and patience for the customer. Weddings can bring out the worst in you, unfortunately. As the wedding got closer and I became more and more nervous, Chris let me know over and over that I was in good hands and I could count on him for anything I needed. He gave much more of himself than you would expect from a band leader - he kept me sane. We are so grateful.

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra was AMAZING! My husband and I had the best time at our wedding! Chris was so easy going and really great to work with! We still have people from our wedding saying how great the band was and how much fun they had. They played a variety of music that everyone loved and danced to the whole night! Chris and the orchestra made it the perfect evening!

They also played the trumpet and violin at the wedding ceremony and it was absolutely beautiful!

Fantastic, fun, five stars for The Chris Sarlas Orchestra! The Chris Sarlas Orchestra played at our June 2011 wedding. The band was amazing. The compliments and rave reviews about the performance from our guests continue to pour in. We worked with many vendors during the planning process, but none were like Chris Sarlas. Chris was reliable, responsive, honest, very professional, kind, and just wanted the best for us. Chris went above and beyond to make our wedding celebration a great success, and it really showed. The final product was outstanding.

Chris combined our unique music styles and song selections to create wonderful sets. Our guests were on the dance floor enjoying the party. Chris was also able to accommodate our unique request to have another ethnic band playing at the reception. Chris graciously shared his equipment and sound system. He really went out of his way to create and coordinate a schedule that worked for both bands, our guests, and most importantly us. Chris did all this while filling the role of master of ceremonies as well. He was sensational. We would recommend The Chris Sarlas Orchestra in a heartbeat. Chris, the singers, and band are extremely talented and you will be thrilled with this selection...we know we were.

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra was wonderful! They put on quite a performance!!We hired them for our daughter's wedding and they were outstanding. Chris was very professional and extremely helpful with song choices and details for the outdoor ceremony and indoor reception. Our family highly recommends the Chris Sarlas Orchestra.

They played at my daughters wedding with 260 guests. Weeks later every one is still talking about the band. Great music, great musicians, very responsive and considerate. Every one danced all night and had a great time. The musicians were superb and the vocalists just fantastic. Every member of the band was extremely professional including the sound technicians. Having music in my background made this even more of a wonderful experience. I highly recommend Sarlas Orchestras.

Can't say enough about our wonderful experience with Chris Sarlas and his band!!!!!!! Without a doubt, they made the party!!!!!! He provided guidance, expertise, and professionalism throughout the entire process leading up to the wedding and until the last guest left. He's the BEST!!!!!!!!!! Easy to work with!

Julie Nof (mother of the bride)

To say that the Chris Sarlas Orchestra was absolutely amazing is an understatement! We all had the BEST time and having them there played a huge part in that. Our wedding reception was held at Evanston Golf Club on August 8, 2010 in Skokie, IL. Everyone in the band was so full of energy and truly seemed happy to be there to celebrate with us. I'm pretty sure that they had every single person on the dance floor! The song choices were fantastic and after going over the evening with everyone, the band was definitely the highlight!! I can not thank them enough for the wonderful energy they brought to our day and for being so amazing to work with. From the moment I met with Chris, I knew that the music was going to be very special, and they certainly did deliver!! I can not say enough about the Chris Sarlas Orchestra. It was an absolute pleasure working with them. Look no further for your wedding entertainment.. they were truly unbelievable!

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra made my son's wedding at the InterContinental so special. They worked miracles. Like the true professional that Chris is, he handled our delays beautifully and calmly kept us all aware of any upcoming toasts, etc. Chris and his band were completely tuned in to the rhythm of the guests during the reception, and selected music that had the dance floor packed for hours and hours and hours. Everything with which they dealt was perfect: the vocalists --- there aren't enough words to express how talented they are, Carol and the strings --- they enchanted us throughout the entire wedding ceremony, and the harpist during the rehearsal dinner --- she captured the true essence of the Art Institute of Chicago function.

I've always said that the band makes the party, and Chris and his band made our party!

Chris Sarlas Orchestra was so much fun!!!!! Their music was fabulous and people wouldn't leave the dance floor! It was 1am and people would not get off the dance floor! It was packed all night long. If you want a party at your wedding be sure to book Sarlas!!!

Chris Sarlas was one of my favorite wedding vendors. Throughout the whole planning process he was quick to respond to my emails and very easy to work with. Chris provided a piano and saxophone during cocktail hour, a jazz quartet during dinner and a 10 piece orchestra for dancing. Chris served as the emcee for events that occurred throughout the evening. At the reception the orchestra sounded fantastic and there were people dancing and having a great time until the reception ended at midnight. Weeks after the wedding we continued to receive compliments from our guests regarding the band and how wonderful they performed. We definitely recommend the Chris Sarlas Orchestra to any couples looking for a band to make their wedding reception memorable!

The Chris Sarlas Orchestra's performance at our wedding reception was absolutely amazing. They were very easy to work with prior to the wedding, responding to both phone calls and emails promptly. Their contract was clear and effortless and they surpassed expectations. All the songs were executed beautifully and we had a full dance floor all night. They worked in very smooth transitions of Greek and American music, and I was very happy at their ability to perform both. We actually booked them before our reception location because it was that important for us to have them perform at our wedding (we have been to other weddings where they were the Orchestra). Overall, I would absolutely recommend them and we still (months later) get complements of how great they were!

My husband and I really cannot think of one negative thing to say about the Chris Sarlas Orchestra. They were very professional throughout the entire process and were very easy to get ahold of and work with. Chris knows how stressful wedding planning can be and from our initial meeting was very down to earth and not pushy one bit. We had met with other bands that were the complete opposite. One band gave us a 20 minute spiel then stepped out of the room and expected us to make our decision on the spot. Chris was not like that at all! He presented the facts and then gave us plently of time to decide what was right for us.

The whole planning process was very smooth. I tend to be a perfectionist and freak out about everything. Chris was there to calm me down and let me know everything would be okay. We obviously have not done this before having never been married but this is what Chris does as a business. He knows the timing of everything down to a 't'. That was quite a relief. We told him the songs we wanted and didn't want to hear and he did the rest!

As for pricing Chris Sarlas Orchestra was very reasonable compared to other bands we checked out. I believe they had some packages or ideas of what people normally do but he completely tweaked everything to meet our needs. We ended up having a 3 piece ensemble playing during dinner and since we didn't need them for the full time due to speeches and a video montage, he threw in another female vocalist instead. Very reasonable and willing to compromise. That is all I can say.

On to the wedding. Our guests and my husband and I were blown away! We still catch people talking about the band to this day and I know we will continue to for years to come. We could not have asked for a better band. We had a very young, energetic crowd and I don't think the band let them stop for a minute (Check out the videos on his website from the Knickerbocker hotel 8/29/09) It was a blast and I will definitely be referring the Chris Sarlas Orchestra to all my friends and hope to hear them play again in the near future. Thanks again...sorry this review is a year and a half late Chris!

I cannot recommend Chris Sarlas Orchestra enough! He performed at our wedding at the University Club of Chicago last June and was absolutely spectacular! We contacted and interviewed a number of different bands, but it quickly became evident that Chris was exactly what we were looking for. His band has an energy that is second to none and he was a delight to work with. He accommodated all of our specific song and other requests and was always professional and responsive to us, which was particularly appreciated given that we were planning the wedding from New York City. The dance floor was packed the entire night with all our favorite tunes, and our family and friends are still raving about what a spectacular time they had at our wedding. Choosing the right band is one othe most important decisions you have to make in planning a wedding and I guarantee that Chris Sarlas is the right decision.

They were absolutely amazing! The quality of their singers were unbelievable. I met with Chris months before and was very specific about what I wanted and the feel of the wedding. He did everything I asked and learned a number of songs that I definitely wanted played. Everyone at my wedding said how amazing the band was and how much fun they had. It was great too because they provide ceremony musicians as well.

My husband and I were so lucky to have such an amazing band at our wedding. The Chris Sarlas Orchestra was amazing! We had a Greek/Jewish wedding, and the band accommodated all of our requests. We had beautiful music all night! The dance floor was packed during all the ethnic dancing as well as during the more traditional dance sets. So many people mentioned that our wedding was a lot of fun, and they ALL loved the band. What a great way to start a marriage - with a celebration filled with joy and dancing! Also, working with Chris was so easy. He returned our calls promptly and was incredibly professional during planning and at the wedding. We were so lucky to hire this band for our special day.

Absolutely fantastic band! Our dance floor was packed all night. It's more than a month after the wedding, and everyone is still talking about how great the band was. Chris was super easy to work with and very accommodating. I can't recommend them highly enough!

Worth every penny! We couldn't be happier with the choice we made with this band. Our dance floor was packed all night long. Chris is a complete professional, super nice, honest, very responsive, and the music is incredible! He even let my brother sit in and play guitar! We got a package that included the Artistrings string quartet for our ceremony.

Talented, Professional and All-around pleasure to work with, are the best words/phrases to describe the Chris Sarlas Orchestra. They are dedicated to each and every client, with unwavering enthusiasm for providing an exciting, fun-filled and entertaining experience for all.

Chris and his band are extrememly professional throughout the entire process and will blow your guests away with their sound!

Enjoy!