About this vendor
Got an event? We'll bring the party.
Based in Southern California, Christien Anthony provides high quality entertainment for weddings and events with the best musicians and performers the industry has to offer. First established in 2016, this band features a variety of talented musicians who strive to match any couple's unique vision. Whether you prefer classical string music or lively Top 40 hits, they will work to give your event plenty of positive energy.
Owners, Israel and Ricky, are passionate about performing and leave their hearts and souls on each stage they step on. They were inspired to start Christien Anthony (their middle names) as a way to bring a fresh take on wedding and corporate entertainment. The band now includes a diverse selection of talent to suit any couple's musical tastes.
The team will work closely with you during your planning process to create a setlist that best suits your big day. They will tailor each detail to add a stunning element to your ceremony, reception, or pre-nuptial events.
Details
Business Attributes
- Hispanic or Latinx-owned Business
- LGBTQ+-owned Business
Instruments
- Bass
- Cello
- Flute
- French Horn
- Guitar
- Harmonica
Music Genres
- African
- Bluegrass
- Bollywood
- Caribbean
- Classical
- Country
Music Services
- Live Music
- MC Services
- Recorded Music
- Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Wedding
- After Party
- Ceremony
- Reception
Awards and Affiliations
Pricing
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Reviews
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4.9
out of 5.038 reviews
Review photos
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Absolutely thrilled with Ricky and the band! They were fantastic to work with—sweet, caring, and incredibly talented. Our guests couldn't stop raving about them (one even said they thought the DJ was playing Alicia Keys and was surprised to look up and see the band!). The vocals and sound were top-notch, and Ricky went above and beyond, even arranging an extra violinist for our ceremony. Grateful beyond words! 🎶😊
Love,
A&B
Ricky and Trisha and the band were very easy to work with, professional, and 100% delivered on the energy for the night. Their song list selection was plenty to choose from and their talent is unmatched! They had our guests singing along and dancing all night and also knew when to adjust their sound to match the events of the reception. Absolutely recommend!
This band is AMAZING!! Ricky is so cool, passionate and helpful. Since our first phone meeting, I knew they would be excellent. Ricky understood my vision 100%. The day of the wedding everybody was talking about the band and how good they were! They played everything me and my husband had asked for. The best part is that my husband is a drummer and they allowed him to play a song, that was the best ever!! Would definitely recommend Christien Anthony Music!
Any questions?
Ricky and the Christien Anthony Music team were super easy to work with from the start. Very responsive and provided great options for entertainment for our wedding rehearsal event. The musicians we had were AMAZING and we heard so many compliments from our guests. Definitely would recommend Christien Anthony Music for any live music needs!!
Response from the Vendor on 10/24/2022
🥰❤️ Thank you for the wonderful review Johanna!
Ricky and his team were really great to work with! They went through everything with us beforehand and were quick to respond to any questions we had. The wedding guests loved them and the energy their team brought! Their live music for both cocktail hour & reception was amazing! I've always wanted live musicians and they definitely set the bar high. Thank you again! :)
They were absolutely amazing!
We hired Christien Anthony Music for our wedding in Cabo and we could not be happier with the result. We had them play music during our ceremony, our cocktail hour, as well as the reception. Ricky was our primary point of contact (as well as one of the 2 main singers), and he made everything easy and smooth. The band worked with us to ensure we had all the music we wanted for each aspect of the wedding. They even learned our first dance song for us!
They have an extensive catalog of music to choose from, and they seem to update the more modern songs on it pretty regularly (I saw some pretty new music such as dua lipa, etc. on their current hits list). However, they truly shine on their oldies (at least for us, we're big fans of the old hits). We curated the playlist ahead of time that we wanted them to play, and they executed it to perfection. Our guests (that ranged in age from 2 to 85) are still talking about how amazing they were and how much they enjoyed the music.
Their energy was phenomenal throughout the evening. Of course we will never forget our wedding day regardless, but the band was the cherry on top that made it something none of our guests will forget as well!
I could not recommend them more. Seriously, not one negative comment about them. They made the travel arrangements easy, took care of their equipment/what they needed from the planner, and did so much behind the scenes work to make our wedding dream a reality.
Thank you guys for making our day so special. It was truly amazing!
This band is so top notch, we felt like we were at a concert that just happened to be taking place at my daughter's wedding reception. If you like R&B music that get's everyone up and out of their chairs and onto the dance floor, you can't go wrong with Ricky Jaquez and the Christien Anthony musicians.
The band was amazing from site visit to day of wedding. Venue was outside and the space was big. They exceeded expectations with sound quality- which was a huge concern. They showed up on time to prepare and put on an amazing show. The Latin vocals were amazing as well. The dance floor was full all night long and the band did an great encore with my wife that finished night off to her favorite song. The 3 vocalist were on point, the keyboard and drummer were great and the horns just went over the top. Wow - people are still talking about them.
I'm beyond happy we chose Christien Anthony for our wedding! From beginning to end, working with Ricky was a breeze. He's such a joy and incredibly personable. Ricky was also very helpful/flexible with me when navigating some last minute venue changes. Last but certainly not least, the band's performance was top-notch! Their talent, sound quality, and range of instruments and vocals is impressive. Our guests loved them and we received multiple compliments about them! Without a doubt, I'd book them again for an event. Thank you for everything, Ricky + team!
We heard about Christien Anthony Music from our venue and honestly, THEY MADE OUR WEDDING AMAZING!!! (Hired Ricky & Izzy as a MC & DJ).
I was worried about whether guests would like the music and all of that. They made it simple and easy! I filled out a form where it broke down wedding music, cocktail music, and reception music. They made it simple in letting me send Spotify links for specific songs and honestly just told them I (the bride) grew up listening to R&B and my husband grew up listening to Pop. And they took it from there! I started getting worried 2 months before and realized I don’t have to worry!
They also did not let me know of any problems during the wedding day, but found out from a relative that they were doing everything to make it work with the lack of WiFi (bc of the location). Truly if you hire Christien Anthony Music, they do make everything easy and a great time!
They were the highlight of the evening! Easy to work with to coordinate everything prior to the big day, and they were very flexible when we had to change the date of our plans due to covid. All of the guests were raving about the music both during the party and after. Extensive music list and they learned one of our requests for the reception! The piano player even went above and beyond to learn one of my father’s piano songs for our walk down the aisle which was so sweet and special.
They arrived early to get everything set up on time and it was a breeze to use their equipment for the ceremony and toasts. Ricky is a great MC and personality for the evening, making sure the guests had a great time. You definitely won’t regret booking them!!
Beyond my expectations!
We booked them for our wedding based on reviews and Instagram. I could not be more happy with our decision. They brought the party and then some. The vocalists were amazing and Ricky was such high energy and felt the crowd. They provided the BEST time at our wedding. Still getting compliments from our guests and already thinking of another function to have them at. Do not wait to book them! Snatch them up if they're available, you will not be disappointed.
Christien Anthony was the perfect completion to our special day! Having them play and sing the song I walked down to, made the day even more emotional and special! I remember my dad pointed out how good they were while we were walking down the aisle! Ricky and Izzy killed every bit of it and understood exactly what we wanted! A great group to work with, very professional and worth every bit of resources!
Look no further for your event entertainment. I am speechless and have no words how how amazing they were on my special day!
Please do yourself a favor and contact them!
These guys were the absolute best and my wife and I could not be happier with them! We loved the YouTube videos and they sounded even better in person. Our guests loved them too, and we would definitely hire them again. We might even hire them next year for our daughter’s birthday party. Cannot say enough good things, they were so professional and talented. Thanks!
Ricky and his band played for my wedding in September and they made my day so special. Ricky’s voice is absolutely beautiful! I chose a song and he delivered 100%. They were very professional and on time actually they arrived really early to allow time to set up. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who is having a special even, wedding.
I hire the band for my daughters wedding! This was the absolute best thing I did for the entire event. Talking with Ricky prior to the wedding was a pleasure, he is very professional and just an all around nice human! Ricky and his group were amazing I can’t say enough about them from the first person to arrive to do the sound set up he was polite and very personable. They are one of the best group of musicians and singers I have had the pleasure of listening to. I would recommend them 150% to everyone. They didn’t miss a note such professionalism. You will not be disappointed if you choose them for your event.
All of our guests danced the night away. Ricky was very responsive and gathered a list of wedding songs we wanted them to perform. The wasn’t a dry eye during the mother and son dance. Thank you it was unforgettable experience to have all of you there!
Hired the band for my wedding. I booked them to play 2.5 hours but only got maybe an hour of live music and 1.5 hours of an iPhone playing a jazz playlist. I also requested a female vocals, negative covid tests, and only 1 car into the venue per strict logistics. Instead a male vocals came, I never received the negative covid tests I requested, and they came in with 3 vehicles to my knowledge where the venue owner had a nightmare of shuffling guests cars out to make room for them to park. After final payment it seemed that the band manager "Ricky" was only reachable via text.
Seriously the BEST OF ALL TIME!!!! They were perfect! From the first email to our actual wedding, they were great to work with. Such a fun crew and so lively! They made our ceremony and reception something special! Would 87/10 recommend Christien Anthony!!!
We hired a cello & piano player for before the ceremony and during cocktail hour. They played beautiful music and we received so many compliments. This was a must have for our wedding and I’m so glad we went with Christien Anthony Music.
Amazing band @Jackelynho and @nicholas_21 wedding. The band was amazing and traveled all the way to Kanab for a beautiful wedding at Best Friends Animal shelter. The band really completed the wedding and the music was absolutely perfect. Very well organized and professional. I didn’t count but I believe they had 15 musicians and singers. It was as if we were at a huge concert. I know If I need a band in the future for any event I’ll be contacting Christine Anthony Music. I believe all 80 guests danced the night away!
Christien Anthony was one of the biggest highlights of the night! The talent alone stood on it's own but their enthusiasm, professionalism and showmanship really took the performance to the top. I would see them as a separate concert so the fact they were a part of an already epic wedding was even more enjoyable! I can't wait to find someone to marry so I can book them!!
Spectacular band! Had so much fun and dancing and enjoying their performance.
If you recognize my name, it's because YES, I am back!
I rarely give referrals but this one has my whole entire heart in it. I love Christien Anthony so much that this is my SECOND TIME working with them. I first found them a few years back for my sister's wedding and the moment I heard them play, I promised myself that when it was my turn, they would be my must-have. I didn't care about any other detail, except that Christien Anthony had to be there.
Here we are, a few years later, and you know they were the first vendor I reached out to!
We got married in Southern Utah just a few weeks ago (!!) and they were everything I dreamed of, and more. They SHOWED UP and exceeded all my expectations, even though my expectations were already exceeded the first time! Like, how?!!
My friends and family could not stop talking about the CONCERT that was happening! Like, they're not just a wedding band. They are a full-on concert experience and pop star group. Literally, THE BEST. I love this crew so much, it felt like having best friends with me on our big day. They look good, sound good, and are just good people.
Ricky was so easy to communicate with during the entire experience and he was professional and so down to earth. I had some other vendors I worked with who felt so dry, boring, or like I was just another bride. Ricky hyped us up and made us feel special and cared for. We felt it in the weeks leading up to the wedding and most definitely on the day of.
If you are on the fence about band vs. DJ or other band vs. Christien Anthony, let me stop you right here. This is the BEST investment you could make. I promise, promise, promise you won't regret it.
I can't wait to book with them a third, fourth, fifth, millionth time! Love you, Christien Anthony!
I literally do not even know where to begin. Leading up to my wedding there were so many issues with vendors. Weeks to answer inquiries, inconsistency with what would be available, and even multiple vendors DROPPING OUT less than a month before the big day. Ricky said COULDN'T BE ME. This man and his team not only communicated at the speed of light, offered ridiculously hard to beat prices, and said "yes yes and yes" to all my wishes, but he even stepped up to the plate weeks before the wedding when our strings broke contract and left us high and dry. He provided sound equipment and back up to make sure our string song selections would play during the ceremony even though we only originally booked him for cocktail hour and reception. I could not believe someone would go out of their way to make sure that my vision came through when it was not even his responsibility. This goes to show that he not only cares about his business but also the people he is interacting with.
Next was the cocktail hour. This was what I was MOST excited for because of live music! Ricky brought a female singer and you could literally hear them singing from across the acreage of the venue. They were absolutely beautiful, so fun, and really made the cocktail hour something that guests could not stop talking about.
Reception? Game changer. Ricky brought a production team to make promotional content and I was SO excited. As a thank you he gave me a copy of the video that was made and I think I've watched it 30 times since. The DJ was phenomenal and really elevated the reception experience. It was important to my husband and I to have reception music that was not corny, cheesy, or "typical". Our DJ played top hits, old bangers, and everything in between that had 90% of our guests on the dance floor the entire night.
All in all, Christien Anthony Music was the absolute highlight of our day and I am so incredibly grateful for everything that was done for us. Thank you so much Ricky + co <3
I literally can't even articulate how I really feel about this band! First off, they arrived way before their call time to ensure that sound and instruments were ready to go. They came in with such cool, and calm demeanors, which is a heaven sent for a stressed out bride. They executed every song with effortless perfection, and their stage presence is superb. Our guests are still talking about them! My only regret is not booking them longer. They're seriously worth the investment, and then some. I PROMISE you will no be disappointed, and as a matter of fact, my girlfriend just booked them for her wedding next year! THANK YOU Christien Anthony Music!
Christien Anthony Band was the BEST decision we made for our wedding. They were so much more than a band for us and became like family. We chose them during COVID when everything was shut down because of how incredible they sounded in every video we could find. They blew us away in person and were EVEN BETTER than we could have ever imagined. They were incredible to work with as we had to postpone our wedding due to COVID and they made it the simplest part of that process for us - they were beyond accommodating and told us they would be there for us no matter when or where our wedding ended up taking place. :) Our guests were raving that this was the best band they had ever heard and we were so proud of the decision we made to have them as such a huge part of our wedding day. Not only are they incredibly talented and the best source of live entertainment, but they went out of their way to learn every one of our first dance songs that were unique in choosing - the bride/groom first dance, the father/daughter first dance, and the mother/groom first dance. We were anticipating that the DJ would play each of these because we provided them such short notice, but of course Ricky and team blew us away when performing live and sounding beyond our wildest dreams. Christien Anthony Band is a MUST for your wedding and we can proudly say it was the greatest decision we made for our April 17, 2021 wedding. Thank you so much for making our day complete!!!
Ricky and the entire Christien Anthony band were the absolute highlight of our wedding. They were SO easy to work with from our very first inquiry through to the end of the night where we last minute decided to extend the reception because everyone was having such a blast. They helped bring our music vision, and honestly entire dream wedding to life. We had a soft drum and guitar during the ceremony and cocktail hour that was SO unique and enjoyable. And during the reception, they absolutely crushed it and brought the party. We added a three piece horn set up that I would highly recommend (and at such a reasonable cost!) They were so much fun, our guests were texting us weeks after the wedding still talking about how amazing the band was. I could not recommend them more!
We hired a cello and piano for our ceremony and cocktail hour. I have zero complaints! Ricky was easy to get hold
of via email. Everything went smoothly and as planned. Everyone loved having the cello and piano. The price was very reasonable in our opinion.
ruth be told. There are not enough words to describe the amount of praise, gratitude and thanks I have for Ricky, Izzy and the entire Christien Anthony band. We booked Christien Anthony and their DJ about 10 months before our wedding date. We discovered them just by browsing through the Wedding Wire – we saw that they were local and decided to take a look at their social media pages. It only took a few seconds of watching some of their performances on video and we knew we had to have them at our wedding. Booking the band for our wedding date was a piece of cake. Most of the communication I had was with Ricky who is the band’s lead singer and manager – Ricky is soo easy to work with and provides world class A1 service.
As far as the wedding is concerned, I knew I wanted to do a special performance along with my wife’s cousins. Ricky and Izzy went ahead and held a little jam/practice sessions for us so that we could work on the musical arrangements. I mean, how many bands do you know that would go above and beyond just to ensure that everything on your special day is flawless – and it was just that – flawless! From the styles of music they played down to the overall experience, my wife, family and friends could not have asked for a more enjoyable and memorable night.
As far as booking your next band/DJ for your next event, I would highly suggest and recommend you look no further and just book Christien Anthony:
I would rate them a million stars/thumbs up for all of the following categories:
• Musicality
• Styles of Music
• Communication
• Customer Service
• Quality
• Overall Experience
P.S.
One thing I realized towards the end of the wedding – is I actually knew Ricky from my local gym! 😊.
Such a fun reception all because of this amazing band!! Our guests were extremely impressed with the live music and the dance floor was never empty! Extremely professional and dressed to the 9’s! Loved the elegant fresh persona they had. Amazing vocals and so accommodating to work within our set budget. 10/10
When you’re a musician, it can be very challenging to find a band that not only impresses you, but blows you away. Christien Anthony is that band. Their talent is indescribable. During our holiday party, I was already dreaming up other events I could throw just so that I can see them again. If they were touring, I would be first in line for tickets. They are THAT good. Please do not lose your chance to hire this band. They will take your event to the next level and you will be begging for more!
We actually own a wedding venue ourselves and I have been the wedding planner for over 300 events, averaging 200 guests and some as small as 30 guests and as large as 380 guests. EVERYONE says "our guest commented the best ever" or "our guests are still talking about them", etc. I will say yes, same here. Our guests ...
Ricky and has team were phenomenal. In one of my first correspondence, Ricky mentioned that they really get a feel of the crowd and will play to their taste. The band was spot on! They arrived extra early and dressed very professionally.
The event was in Palm Springs where it rains 10 days a year. Well, on our day, the rain lasted all day ...36 hours consecutive in fact. This was an outdoor poolside event. The band was so accommodating even with the challenge of the elements. The lead female vocal by the end of the evening was drenched, her dress was soaked yet they continue to work the crowd and moved around the area rather than hide underneath the tent! Absolutely impressive.
But as a wedding professional myself, I will add that Ricky and his team were amazingly flexible. I did not give them a detailed schedule or timeline which caused me to ask for several day of requests. I never heard the word no. As I told Ricky, working with him really taught me a lot about our industry. Hand holding, being compassionate, and genuinely care that this is a big day for your client, doing whatever it takes no matter what the contract terms state is what every vendor should do and Ricky and his team definitely did that.
So, yes, our guests and we are still talking about how wonderful Christien Anthony Music is. Thank you Ricky and your team for being gifted, professional and so compassionate, making our big day truly unforgettable!
PS Weddings cost a lot, no doubt. It is your big day. Have a budget but don't always hire based on price. More times than not you get what you pay for. You can usually judge what you are getting a lot of times alone on just your initial correspondence! Vendors that are professional, quick to respond and accommodating generally are also very creative, quick to put fires out and will go above and beyond. Ricky and his team for sure would be our choice over and over!
Words cannot describe how incredible the Christien Anthony Band and their String Quartet were.
With my husband being a musician and music being a huge part of our life it was so important it was right for our wedding day - They exceeded all expectations!
We didn't leave the dance floor all night and neither did the majority of our guests they just know how to keep the energy up!
They turned up promptly, very well rehearsed, looked amazing and were just delightful to have at our wedding.
Thank you guys!
Amazing amazing amazing. The Christien Anthony band went above and beyond for us. They learned some custom songs...so many good 90s stuff...but the craziest part was that they learned how to sing the Hora which we didn’t even know we wanted live until 2 days before the wedding!!! Omg!!!
The energy Christien Anthony brought to our wedding was INFECTIOUS. We did an 11 piece band complete with percussion and horns. NECESSARY if you want your guests dancing all night long.
Best night of my life. Music was ON POINT.
We were so fortunate to have Christien Anthony Music for my sister's wedding and OMG. It was THE BEST.
The team was super professional, kind, and talented. They took our requested songs and crafted the most beautiful and seamless playlist ever. People were dancing the ENTIRE time. At a wedding! It was insane!
They both looked AND played the part. Everyone was dressed in black tie and they just were so well put together. I can't even describe how much I loved them. I am absolutely obsessed and wholeheartedly recommend them!
Now I'm just waiting to get married so I can call them in again :)
Ricky and the band were seriously amazing! Thoughtful, caring and willing to work with us on all of our ideas. The band had great energy all night and sounded great too. Highly recommended!
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Meet the team
Showing slide number 1 out of 2
- Ricky JacquezOwnerCo-owner Israel “Christien” Santiago and I started Christien Anthony in 2016 when we felt the wedding and corporate industries needed a fresh new take on entertainment. Life is full of special moments worth celebrating, and we believe they ALL deserve the highest quality of performance tailored to whatever the size and taste of the audience. Our versatile team has performed with high-profile artists including Bruno Mars, John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Stephanie Mills, Doja Cat, The Jonas Brothers, Becky G, 6lack, and more. With our extensive experience, we strive to make your event memorable.
- Trisha lopezProduction Coordinator | Talent RelationsTrisha is not only one of our female LEADS, but she's incredible at paying attention to detail! I love having her on our side because we know she's going to get it right for all of our clients. When she's not singing and saving the world you could find her at home with her husband and her three beautiful children.
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