From Classic to Contemporary
Illinois
Service area
Kelly Jozwiak
CO-OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (1X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
3rd Coast Live is an ensemble band based in Chicago, IL, that provides live music for weddings, rehearsal dinners, and other nuptial events. These talented team members can incorporate an array of instruments for your special day, including cello, violin, piano, and vocals. They will customize their set list to match your favorite genres, whether you prefer classic composers or instrumental renditions of Top 40 hits.
Each musician at 3rd Coast Live has decades of training and experience, and holds their performances to the highest standards. They know that each couple is different, and work to create a personal soundtrack that best reflects the couple's unique connection. Serving all types of venues throughout the Midwest, the band can easily customize its services to best suit your theme and atmosphere.
3rd Coast Live boasts an extensive list of songs in its repertoire, with genres ranging from Bollywood to Celtic to classic jazz. They will happily play throughout your wedding events, from your guests’ arrival to your recessional. To add a one-of-a-kind touch to your big day, the band can also incorporate DJ mixes into their performance for a dance-floor-ready experience.
Details
Instruments
Bass
Cello
Fiddle
Flute
Guitar
Harp
Keyboard
Percussion
Piano
Saxophone
Trumpet
Viola
Violin
Vocals
Music Genres
Bluegrass
Bollywood
Celtic
Classical
Country
Dance
Disco
EDM
Folk
Hip-Hop
Jazz
Latin
Pop
R&B
Rock
World Music
Music Services
Live Music
Recorded Music
Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
Rehearsals & Parties
After Party
Rehearsal Dinner
Welcome Party
Wedding
After Party
Ceremony
Cocktail Hour
Reception
Rehearsal Dinner
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Showing slide number 1 out of 2
- Kelly JozwiakCo-OwnerCo-Owner of 3rd Coast Live, Kelly Jozwiak, is passionate about creating the perfect soundtrack for each of her clients. Whether a classical ceremony, pop/rock/jazz cocktails, or DJ and Violin duo for reception, Kelly loves personalizing every part of the night! Not only does she work with wedding clients, Kelly also performs as a violinist. Kelly has decades of training and working in the industry. In Chicago, she has worked as a recurring musician in the hit Fox TV show, Empire, playing with Terrance Howard. Kelly worked with other artists such as Siedah Garrett, Patti Austin, Bill Whelan, and John Oates of Hall and Oates. She has played at many music festivals such as Lollapalooza and Electric Forest with Grammy nominated artist, KYGO.
- Dorothy DeenCo-OwnerDorothy is a professional cellist, teacher and live music contractor with more than 20 years experience in the Chicago area. After touring professionally, she now enjoys the fun interactions she has with couples who are in love and need someone to help design their dream wedding day music. She is passionate about the magic of live music! From classical, jazz, rock to indie bands, she will find the right mix of DJ and live music to make the most unforgettable wedding day vibe happen for you.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.021 reviews
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Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
3rd Coast Live was highly praised by several reviewers for their exceptional musical performances at wedding ceremonies and cocktail hours. The musicians, particularly Kelly, were described as professional, talented, and emotional, creating a beautiful atmosphere and receiving compliments from guests. Reviewers appreciated the group's flexibility with song choices and their ability to bring their vision to life, making their wedding day more special. Overall, 3rd Coast Live was recommended for adding a magical and memorable touch to celebrations.Darcy G
5.0
1/10/2026
We are so grateful we hired Kelly with Third Coast Live to play during our cocktail and dinner hour—she was truly exceptional. Kelly is an absolute professional and unbelievably ta...
lented, and she brought such a fun, welcoming energy that completely wowed our guests. So many people came up to us to rave about the music during cocktail hour—when does that ever happen at a wedding?
We were also incredibly appreciative of how seamlessly she coordinated with our DJs at Best Life Entertainment to ensure everything flowed smoothly. She even went above and beyond by playing our grand entrance song, which made the moment feel extra special. If you’re looking to elevate your cocktail or dinner hour, Kelly and her team are phenomenal and an absolute joy to work with.
Maxine H
5.0
11/11/2025
Kelly and the team at 3rd Coast Live were WONDERFUL to work with. Having live ceremony music during our wedding ceremony was important to us and Kelly and team were exactly as we h...
ad hoped for. They were flexible with our song choices, very professional throughout the whole process, and played beautifully. Not a dry eye in the house!
Any questions?
Varsha B
5.0
9/08/2025
We first saw Kelly and team playing at the Chicago Wedding Venue Tour event. As someone who grew up playing viola, I knew immediately they were what I was envisioning for our big d...
ay. We had a string trio (Violin, Viola, & Cello) play our wedding at the Chicago Cultural Center and it was everything I wanted - and more! Kelly was very easy to work with, our wedding planning team had no issues coordinating with her for the day of, and we had SO many compliments from our guests not only on the arrangements they did but the fact that they played some Indian/Bollywood songs as well! Kelly did a fantastic job of combining my husband's and my favorite "top hits" songs, some classic wedding songs, & Indian/Bollywood to create a list that complimented our pre-ceremony, ceremony, & cocktail hour perfectly!! We only wish we had had more time to experience the music ourselves during our big day but from everything we heard and heard from our guests - we could not have been more happy with the emotion and presence Kelly and team brought to our day. THANK YOU again, 3rd coast team! :)
Peter M
5.0
8/16/2025
We first saw Kelly and the talented musicians of 3rd Coast Live at the Chicago Wedding Venue Tour event, and we were immediately struck by their incredible musicianship and profess...
ionalism. After scheduling a one-on-one meeting with Kelly, we quickly realized she was exactly the sound we were looking for to bring our wedding ceremony to life.
Kelly took the time to truly understand our vision, and her music created an emotional journey that resonated with everyone present. From the very first note, she set the perfect tone—bringing tears during the sentimental moments and joy during the lighthearted ones. Her ability to capture and enhance the emotion of each part of the ceremony was truly remarkable.
Throughout the planning process, Kelly was responsive, kind, and easy to communicate with. She made us feel heard, and we were completely confident in her ability to deliver something special—and she absolutely did.
If you’re looking for a ceremony musician with both exceptional talent and the emotional intuition to elevate your special day, we highly recommend Kelly and 3rd Coast Live.
Response from 3rd Coast Live on 08/27/2025
Peter, thank you so much for the kind words! It was such a pleasure performing for your we...
dding ceremony! You two had a beautiful vision of how you wanted music incorporated and together we made a perfect plan! From Mission Impossible, Kiss the Girl and Grow Old With You to classics like Can’t Help Falling In Love, we got to take guests on a journey with us down the aisle. Wishing you all the joy and love in the coming years!
Stephanie T
5.0
8/06/2025
We had the absolute pleasure of having Kelly play violin at our wedding, and she was phenomenal from start to finish. She was incredibly prompt, professional, and her communication...
throughout the planning process was excellent. Kelly’s talent is unmatched—her music added such a beautiful, emotional touch to our ceremony. So many guests commented on how moving her performance was. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect addition to our big day. Highly recommend!
Kayla D
5.0
8/06/2025
Absolutely wonderful. They made my vision come to life! I had requested 2 songs one being A Moment Apart by Odesza (which I knew was definitely not easy to learn) and they CRUSHED ...
IT. Truly a dream come true and so easy to work with! Everyone loved them as well! Would book them again immediately!
Madeleine M
5.0
8/02/2025
3rd Coast Live was the most phenomenal addition to our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour! They truly set the tone for the beautiful day we envisioned. They went above and beyond b...
y learning my parents’ wedding song to play as our wedding party walked down the aisle. During cocktail hour, they performed incredible covers from the list we selected, and every song was amazing.
From start to finish, they were an absolute dream to work with! Responsive, flexible, and so genuinely kind. We truly can’t imagine our wedding without their lovely soundtrack in the background. We would recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking to elevate their celebration with live music!
Kaitlin K
5.0
6/19/2025
We booked a pianist (Megan) through 3rd Coast for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour and she was amazing! She played a contemporary song I selected that was not originally on t...
heir playlist, and played it just as I’d envisioned! Guests loved the music and it paired so well with our outdoor venue/vibe. 3rd Coast was so easy to work with, responsive, and professional. Would recommend to anyone!
Katherine H
5.0
4/16/2025
We had a fabulous time working with 3rd Coast Live for our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour music! They were very responsive and easy to communicate with, including having a prep...
ared document for us to fill out with exact music details we were looking for. They were very accommodating to my very specific requests of which parts of songs I wanted included, so we got to walk down the aisle to Concerning Hobbits from The Lord of the Rings! :) The quartet performed beautifully and all of the guests said that the cocktail hour music was perfect. Thank you, 3rd Coast!!!
Alex D
5.0
12/10/2024
We had the absolute pleasure of working with Third Coast Live for our wedding, and they exceeded every expectation we had! For our ceremony, we had a pianist and cellist who brough...
t our vision to life with beautiful, folky, Gilmore Girls-inspired music. They helped us curate the perfect playlist to set the nostalgic vibe we were going for, and their performance was nothing short of magical.
As we got further along in our planning process, and after already booking ceremony musicians, we decided to add on some live music to our reception. We had reached out to Kelly, the owner, and coordinated she that she would join us with an electric violin on the dance floor as a surprise element during our reception. She was one of the highlights of the night - people loved it! Without needing a set list in advance, she seamlessly vibed with the DJ for an hour, creating an unforgettable, high-energy experience for our guests.
From start to finish, Third Coast Live was an absolute dream to work with. They handled everything with such care and professionalism, which meant we didn’t have to worry about a single thing when it came to music on our wedding day. Their talent, attention to detail, and ability to create the perfect atmosphere made our wedding so special. I cannot recommend them highly enough!
Savannah S
5.0
11/26/2024
We had the pleasure of having 3rd Coast Live perform at our wedding, and we cannot recommend them enough! From start to finish, they were absolutely incredible. We had a trio throu...
ghout the day - featuring a violinist, saxophonist, and pianist, and their performance truly elevated our entire celebration.
The violinist, Kelly, played with such emotion and grace, setting the tone for a beautiful and intimate ceremony, cocktail hour, and throughout the entire evening. The pianist was simply mesmerizing, filling the air with love throughout guest arrival and the ceremony. And to get the party started, the saxophonist brought all the vibes during the reception.
What really stood out to us was how seamlessly they worked together to create the perfect atmosphere. They listened to our vision for the day and executed it flawlessly. The music was not only beautiful but also perfectly matched the vibe we were going for—romantic, elegant, and fun!
Our guests were absolutely blown away by their talent, and many of them asked where we found such a fantastic group of musicians. It truly felt like we had hired the best in the business. The professionalism, skill, and passion of the musicians made our wedding day even more special, and we will cherish the memories of their performance forever.
Thank you so much to 3rd Coast Live for being such a significant part of our celebration. We are so grateful for the beautiful music, vibes, and memories you provided us and cannot wait to recommend you to others!
Jennifer F
5.0
10/09/2024
Highly recommend booking 3rd Coast Live for your event! They are such an amazing and talented group of musicians. Our friend, who is a professional violinist, referred us to 3rd ...
Coast Live, as we were looking for a string quartet for our wedding ceremony. My husband also has a background in music, so he was very selective in choosing the right string quartet.
We hired 3rd Coast Live and were extremely happy with them! Our guests, as well as our parents, loved their performance, too. 3rd Coast Live is incredible, professional, and easy to work with.
Kelly N
5.0
11/10/2023
My dad found 3rd Coast Live as a surprise for my wedding and I was so pleased and happy to have had them play at our ceremony! The guests loved the music!
Suzanne E
5.0
9/21/2023
We had some complications with wedding planning, and Dorothy was exceptional to work with. She is thorough, kind, and professional. She is concerned with perfection for a beautif...
ul wedding experience.
Emily D
5.0
9/10/2023
Amazing! Absolutely stunning performance during our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. My husband and I both got the chills walking down the aisle to such talented musicians - we ...
did a cellist and violinist! So many people said they loved the music and it truly set the mood!
Emily O
5.0
10/07/2022
Loved working with Kelly & Isaiah! Kelly was very communicative and Isaiah really was the perfect accompaniment to our ceremony. Thanks guys!
Samantha S
5.0
10/03/2022
Kelly was so responsive to every email that I sent and was extremely flexible with my request. I gave a completely customized song list with all Disney songs for the guest entrance...
and it was absolutely beautiful. They were also flexible when I asked to extend the time that they were playing that cocktail hour as well. Nothing but good things to say about 3rd Coast Live!!!
Shauna G
5.0
9/23/2022
I loved working with 3rd coast live. From the very first interaction with Dorothy - they were responsive, warm and really friendly. I knew they would give all their efforts to make...
our wedding special. We hired them as a string trio for our ceremony music and they played absolutely beautifully. They even composed an arrangement of a pop song for our recessional just for us which was really touching. They were always very responsive to my emails and communication was fast and easy.
The day of music was just perfect - once I heard the string trio playing the processional I started crying out of happiness :) I would recommend them highly to anyone getting married and have already recommended them to friends getting married next year.
Thank you Dorothy and 3rd coast live team!
Response from 3rd Coast Live on 09/27/2022
Thank you so much, Shauna. It really DID take a focused team of musicians to make it happe...
n, but we were so glad you were happy on your big day!
Nanjie Y
5.0
9/22/2022
I booked Kelly's team as a string quartet for my wedding. Kelly is so nice and professional, from the initial meetings, to helping us select songs, to calibrating with other of my...
wedding vendors to make sure of the sound sharing, and eventually playing great music for my ceremony. I would definitely recommend 3rd Coast is you are looking for a decent live music service for your event!
Ashley O
5.0
11/06/2021
Best experience ever working with 3rd Coast Live! Kelly was so organized and made me feel at ease about every aspect of the music preparations. Dorothy and Olya played for our cere...
mony and cocktail hour and everyone in attendance raved about the music! Thank you so much 3rd Coast Live for being a part of our special day! -Ashley and Matt (10-9-21)
Jenny G
5.0
11/04/2021
Kelly and her team were AMAZING!!! They worked with all of our song selections, and made our day perfect! I highly recommend getting them for your events. It’s was such a nice touc...
h to our special day.
Service area & Contact info
Illinois
Typically included in the starting cost
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3rd Coast Live
Kelly Jozwiak
|
Co-Owner
Typically responds within 24h
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