Woman Frenzy

For an extra special wedding reception, it is important to make the right choices about what music to have playing. Leaning towards a live band? Here is some information you should consider when making your decision to hire wedding band.

The benefits of hiring a live band:

Whereas a DJ can only play pre-recorded songs from a play list, a live band has the flexibility to adjust their music (within the constraints of your own personal music preferences) to suit their audience. They can build a unique relationship with their audience and judge the mood of the night and choose music appropriate to that mood. Another handy benefit of choosing a live band is that you may be able to ask one of the band members to act as MC for the evening.

When should you start looking?

You should start looking for a band a minimum of 6 months before the actual date of your wedding. This will give you enough time to make enquiries, sample music produced by different bands, and make sure that everyone is clear on all the details for the event.

Looking for a wedding band:

Take a moment to think about what kind of music you are after. Is there a particular style you want played at your reception? When you’ve thought about what music you want, start asking people what great bands they know of. You can ask friends and family, and anyone with experience in weddings, such as wedding planners, photographers and florists.

It is a very good idea to get a feel for the kind of music your band plays and their performance ability before hiring them. They might have other performances coming up that you can go to, in order to assess their competency. Otherwise, ask for a recording of some of their music. This would preferably be in video format.

Details, details, details:

Ask the band for a copy of their play list well before the night and make sure that it has a wide variety of songs that will appeal your guests. A good band should be able to get a feel for the songs that will best suit their audience, and will also be open to any suggestions you might make. Many bands will also be happy to learn some new songs if you request them.

Call up the venue ahead of time and ask if they have any kind of restriction in place for noise levels or the space the band uses. Talk with the band too, and ask about any special requirements, how many power points they will need, how much space they need to set up, etc. Have a look through venue and double check that it will be suitable for your band to play in.

Write up a contract that has all possible details in it. It will help everyone to know exactly what is happening and what the expectations are. Include times and dates, set up, departure times, transport arrangements, attire, food and drinks, break times, overtime, payment schedules, insurance, and the unforeseen events and costs. If you have any special requests for particular pieces or play lists, or if you want your band to act as Master of Ceremonies (MC), add this to the contract as well. Name band members individually within the contract.

To avoid any delays, have the band arrive at the venue an hour before the event to set up and perform necessary sound checks.

Musician Rick James is a member of ‘Soul Desire’ featured at the http://www.souldesire.co.uk site. Having a live Wedding Band will ensure the success of your event. Find out more about hiring an amazing Hire Wedding Band from this site.