Booking your wedding entertainment
The latter portion of your wedding day is a time for you to let your hair down. Most of the formalities are out of the way, you've enjoyed a few glasses of champagne, the nerves from the morning are now gone, so now it's time to party and boogie the night away, right? Well, only if you get your choice of musical entertainment right.
A wedding band, DJ or both?
Ideally a live band and DJ combination would be the perfect complement to your wedding but it does have budget implications. Usually a live band will be more expensive than a DJ and they will also generally play for a shorter time (most bands will usually perform two sets of around an hour each or three shorter sets of around 40-45 minutes), but it’s worth noting that the singer can often double as host for the evening. A larger band will charge more as naturally all performers need to paid, whereas a DJ is quite often a solo act and will generally cost less. Having a smaller band (perhaps using backing music) may be a good compromise but this may also compromise on quality. Some bands may fill any gaps by agreeing to play music through their own PA system, so it’s always worth asking to see if you can they will fulfil two roles for the price of one.
What about your wedding venue?
Some venues are just not suitable to house a full band, often being too small or simply unable to accommodate a live band due to power restrictions or noise limitations. Some venues may even restrict the type of music played so your choice of band may be limited. Remember, your band will need changing facilities so make sure that your venue is able to provide this. Something else to consider is that potential curfews for loud music could be put in place meaning your musical entertainment could be cut short, meaning that things end on rather a non-existent sour note.
Personal preference?
While you may think that it’s your wedding and you’ll have what you want, you still have to consider all those likely to be present. A DJ blasting out the latest radio-friendly tunes may not go down too well with grandma, while a band delivering a load of jazz or swing classics is unlikely to have the dance floor heaving. Here's some wedding entertainment tips to ensure you get it right.
Check your wedding entertainment out
Only a fool books a band or DJ without hearing them perform. Go along and see the band or DJ and speak to them afterwards. In the case of a band, check out their image and stage presence. Can you imagine them fitting in with your wedding? Question DJs about their music collections – it may be that they play a far wider range than you expected and they can tailor their playlist to suit you. What you need is someone with the skills behind the mic to make your party guests get up and dance rather than cringe.
Go on wedding recommendation
If you are unable to check the band or DJ out personally, then the next best thing is recommendation. You’ll want someone who comes highly recommended and who has performed at many weddings. You want to book entertainment that is going to add to your evening and make it memorable for the right reasons. Word of mouth is great way of cutting down on search time and it could prevent having to sit through one shocking audition after another. Some venues may provide you with a list of recommended bands, but it’s worth asking if they receive a commission for obvious reasons. Any experienced function band should be able to supply you with a selection of references from past clients.
The all important wedding first dance
Depending on your choice of DJ or band, the first dance can become the entertainer’s responsibility. Some bands may prepare their own version of the song for the first dance so you’ll want to hear this in advance of your wedding. Alternately you should be able to hand over a CD or MP3 player to be played through the sound system.
Wedding entertainment conclusion
Getting your choice of wedding entertainment right could make or break your evening and remember that wedding guests are more likely to hit the dance floor if the bride and groom are already strutting their stuff. Ultimately, you are never going to please everyone so if the choice is proving difficult, why not just please a couple of people…yourselves. Read more on getwed.com...
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