Story:
On 11 June 2019 Klaus received an email from a bride looking for an organist for her wedding. She wanted to know if Klaus was free on date X and how much he would charge.
Klaus does not want to be treated like a plumber, never competes on price and only plays for couples who first decide whether they want him to play, how much they are prepared to pay, how much they can afford, and then make him an offer. He then accepts or rejects this offer depending on all circumstances. He does not even negotiate with people who first want a quote, which they then can accept or reject.
Klaus replied to the Bride along those lines.
The Bride replied: 'We were thinking of £30.'
Klaus usually receives between £90 and £150 for a wedding, and most people would be too embarrassed to offer him anything under £60. Klaus therefore concluded that the Bride must be really hard up and could presumably not even afford £30 but did not dare offer what they could really afford.
He made some enquiries from the parish priest and found out more about the couple and about the impecunious community served by this church: This couple was really nice and decidedly poor.
Date: 2019-06-13, 14.30h
Dear Bride,
Thank you for your email and your offer. That's exactly what I needed to know.
Usually couples offer between £100 and £150 for weddings, sometimes plus travel expenses, e.g. to Lake District or to Scotland. But I like your approach and your church and want you to have a great start for your marriage and therefore ACCEPT YOUR OFFER OF £30.00.
I also want to give you a wedding present to brighten your great day, and that present will be £24.90.
So that means that you owe me only £5.10, but I have to insist that you pay that in full, including the 10 pence. Even my generosity has its limits!
The best-man can give me the money before the service starts (but I will be playing background music then) in a sealed envelope (including the coin) so that I don't have to count. (I have to concentrate on my playing.)
And please do NOT tell this arrangement to a soul: I cannot afford to play at this rate on a regular basis, not even in your lovely parish.
Please confirm that you are happy with this arrangement.
Yours, &c
The Bride replied forthwith:
Date: 2019-06-13
Hi Klaus,
I'm delighted you can play at my wedding. It's fantastic news. /../ snip /../
And, Klaus, I will be giving you more money then a fiver.
(Bride) x
Klaus met the Bride in person when he played during the wedding rehearsal, so she had a chance to hear him even before her wedding.
While Klaus was playing background music before the wedding service itself, the Best Man came with a sealed envelope. Klaus opened it after the service. It contained a beautiful thank-you card and £50 in banknotes and, notably, a £1 coin.
The card contained the following text:
Dear Klaus,
Thank you for being part of our special day and playing such gorgeous music for us on our wedding day.
from
(name)
x
This was one of the rare and memorable occasions when a happy and generous couple paid him ten times as much as he had demanded.
Klaus told the parish priest about this generous payment. The priest sagely nodded and said:
'All this took place to fulfill what the Lord said, 'Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.' ' (Luke 6:38)
