A Calypso Band playing at a wedding – Photo Courtesy: Brian Kelley
Wedding entertainment is really important so it’s imperative that you look into the history of bands and understand the extra costs that you may incur.
Making sure the reception of your wedding runs smoothly is just as important as making sure the ceremony itself runs smoothly. If your reception is going to run like clockwork, you need to make sure that everything is planned beforehand. You need to choose a venue and food and decide on how the evening will flow, as well as the most important element of entertainment. Do you want a DJ, a band or something completely different altogether?
Professional Band or DJ?
For a lot of people a professional band makes the perfect end to the best day of their lives, however, sometimes it’s not easy to find a good band – especially if you leave it until the last minute or you’re trying to stick to a tight budget – so a DJ may sometimes be the best option. Some people will have a preference of a DJ whereas others prefer live music; there are advantages and downsides to both and it’s definitely down to personal preference.
Choosing a Band
Choosing a band for your wedding is a lot easier if you know exactly what you’re looking for. You should remember that it’s not just your tastes that you need to cater to, you also need to consider your guests. If you like heavy metal music and you choose a purely heavy metal band then your guests are unlikely to stick around long – especially the older generation – so it’s important that you choose a band that can play a mixture of music that everyone likes. A mix of the modern, oldies and party classics always goes down well.
If you’ve been to a wedding or party recently and really enjoyed the entertainment, ask for recommendations. If you liked a band that a friend used for their wedding, don’t hesitate to get in contact with them as they’ll be complimented by the fact that you like their day so much. If you haven’t had such luck and you don’t have any contacts of your own then it’s time to start working.
Local Bands
The internet is the best place to search for wedding bands – you’ll find loads of them – but it’s not as easy as contacting one and booking them because you have to consider the extra fees involved. If your wedding is in Cumbria and the band are coming from Essex you should be prepared to put them up for the night in a nearby hotel; the only way to avoid these kinds of costs is to find a band that lives quite locally – no more than a two hour drive away. Whatever band you hire though you will have to feed them and provide them with a separate room to practise and get ready after their journey.
Whatever band you decide on, in order to make sure they’re definitely what you think they’ll be on the day, it’s advisable to go and see them in a show leading up to your wedding. Always ask for the contact details of past customers too so that you can contact them for their opinion on the band and whether or not they would recommend them to anyone else.
Gemma Mackintosh decided on a summer wedding in a country manor house and after much positive feedback chose www.mandrweddingband.co.uk as her entertainment.
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