The Wedding Band Guide

The ultimate guide for choosing the soundtrack and musicians to make your wedding unforgettable

I. INTRODUCTION

II. GETTING STARTED

III. DECIDING ON YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

Do you want a band at all?
What does ‘good entertainment’ look like to you?
What is your budget?
How far in advance should you book your wedding band?
Are there size restrictions at your venue?
Are you allowed to use musicians at your venue?
Travelling between venues
Is there suitable parking?
Venue and musician insurance
Deposit: What does it cover/not cover?

IV. BOOKING YOUR WEDDING BAND LIKE A PRO

How to evaluate a musician’s experience
What is the band’s music style?
What is the band’s playlist?
What can the band offer?
The lineup of the band
How long has the band been together?.
Has the band had a consistent lineup for a while?
Does the band have a variety of singers?
Who is the lead vocalist?
What is the band’s online presence?
Have you seen the band live?
Expecting the unexpected

V. CHOOSING CEREMONY MUSIC

How to choose your ceremony songs?
Popular religious ceremony songs
Popular non-religious ceremony songs

IX. WHAT ARE SOME OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK?

VI. CHOOSING RECEPTION MUSIC

What should you look for in reception music?
Arriving at the reception
Popular reception songs

VII. DURING THE MEAL

VIII. EVENING ENTERTAINMENT

The first dance
Some of the most common first dance songs
How long will the band play for?
Crowd interaction

INTRODUCTION

Having performed in pubs, clubs, weddings and other parties for many years, we know that there is demand for high-quality party music.

One thing that kept coming up was that most couples lack experience when it comes to booking music for a wedding. Almost all ask similar questions, and often, there are key areas overlooked, which can lead to a disconnect between the couple’s expectations and the musician’s delivery.

This step-by-step guide gives you the musician’s point of view to approaching your wedding. Our aim is to equip you with all the knowledge you need to proceed and organise the music for your big day with confidence, making it a night to remember for you and your guests.

The guide is supported by: www.weddingbandguide.com.

GETTING STARTED

For most couples, their wedding will be the first time they’ve had to plan and schedule entertainment for a group of people, which can be a daunting task. It can feel like a lot of pressure to create the perfect day for your loved ones and ensure they have an enjoyable time at your wedding.

So, as you approach planning the entertainment for your big day, just remember that a wedding is like any other party — the music sets the atmosphere and the mood in the room so you’ll need to make sure you’re comfortable with your choices.

DECIDING ON YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

Thinking back to the most enjoyable parties you’ve been to, you can be sure that music and dancing were likely involved. As musicians, we’ve learned that most people don’t remember specifics about the night, the songs played or even the band’s lineup.

What couple do remember is how they feel on the night.

Any experienced band will focus on making their clients and their audience feel good before, during and after their set.

When you start planning the entertainment for your wedding, some decisions need to be made upfront. It’s important to be clear on each of these before moving on to the next section as they will help set the stage for the soundtrack to your wedding.

DO YOU WANT A WEDDING BAND AT ALL?

The first question you need to ask yourself is whether a band is the right decision for you and your big day.

It’s not uncommon for some couples to opt for a DJ for the full night. It’s a smaller expense, and for some people, it’s exactly what they need and want — to hear their chosen songs, performed as intended by the original group.

This is always a key question to ask, and if it’s what you want, then we say, go for it.

WHAT DOES ‘GOOD ENTERTAINMENT’ LOOK LIKE TO YOU?

Everybody has different tastes and requirements when it comes to music, so you need to be sure that you have a good idea of what you want before you reach out to them.

One way to decide this is to think SMART:

Specific: Are there any particular styles of music that you do or don’t want to hear? How long do you expect the music to last? How much are you willing to pay for this? The more specific you can get, the clearer it will be for your chosen musicians.

Measurable: Be clear on what you would consider to be a good night’s entertainment, so you’re able to share this expectation with the musicians. Are you accepting of a mid-set refreshment break? Do you need a DJ? If yes, should they begin playing immediately after the band finishes?

Attainable: Can your results be achieved?

Realistic: Are your expectations realistic, given budget, venue, guests, available bands? If not, it’s important to approach the following steps with an open mind and to discuss in detail what’s realistic.

Time: Set deadlines for making these decisions and reaching out to the musicians. Booking well in advance is advised.

You will also need to speak to your partner to see whether you agree on the direction of your wedding entertainment. As the guests are typically made up of your closest friends and family, you’ll need to think about their needs too.

WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET FOR A BAND?

Weddings are generally not cheap, and the entertainment tends to take up a significant proportion of the budget. The key is to find a balance between your expectations, the standard of the musicians available on that date and the available budget to match the two.

However, when there is a budget, it’s often not easy to see the benefits of years of experience a musician has plus all of the time put in to rehearse and create a band that is ready and able to perform to the highest standards.

You won’t see most of this work, only what shows up on the night, so you’re going to need to sit down with your partner and determine what the price that you are willing to spend on music and entertainment for your wedding is.

However, that being said, it is becoming increasingly obvious that our world is developing an unhealthy attachment to it.

You will need to consider not only the evening wedding band but also the music budget for the entire day.

This will help you to frame all other aspects of this guide and help set expectations for the quality and tone of your wedding’s music.

HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD YOU BOOK YOUR WEDDING BAND?

Musicians, like most professionals, fill their diaries well in advance.

It’s not uncommon for professional musicians to have weddings or other events booked years in advance.

Many will have a full diary for the year ahead so you’ll need to leave plenty of time for them to give notice, confirm availability and make sure everything will run smoothly.

ARE THERE SIZE RESTRICTIONS AT YOUR VENUE?

Your choice of venue will play a direct role in the type of musicians you can use.

Smaller venues may not have the space to host your wedding party and a large group of musicians.

Similarly, there may be restrictions on the times that venues allow music to be played; for example, a hotel may have a cut-off point of midnight to keep it quiet for their other guests.

ARE YOU ALLOWED TO USE MUSICIANS AT YOUR VENUE?

Depending on where you’re hosting each stage of your wedding, you may have to seek permission from venue owners or other stakeholders.

A church or civil service venue may not allow music or may only allow a certain type of musician inside the door.

Space may be the issue, or it could just be venue policy. Some venues may have a limit on the type of music or musicians so you’ll need to clarify if this stands for yours.

TRAVELLING BETWEEN VENUES

The location of your wedding ceremony and reception are other important considerations when booking your wedding band. If your musicians are travelling from far away, they will factor this into the cost for the event.

It’s common for bands to offer package deals on ceremonies and receptions so you can factor this in when you are planning.

Picking a package will make sure that they know that they have enough time to get to each venue and get set up. It can also end up saving you money.

IS THERE SUITABLE PARKING?

Does the venue have parking for musicians to load and unload their equipment with ease? This is particularly relevant for the afterparty when the band is larger and has a lot of equipment to bring and set up.

VENUE AND MUSICIAN INSURANCE

Often overlooked but an important consideration: do both the venue and the musicians have insurance?

What happens if something goes wrong?

It’s good to get clarity on this early on as things do happen and you’ll need some level of protection on the day.

DEPOSIT: WHAT DOES IT COVER AND NOT COVER?

It’s standard practice to pay a deposit for all parts of a wedding, and the music is no different. Your deposit is usually the key to securing the entertainer/band for the day. There are only so many nights that a musician or band can perform in a year, and a deposit ensures that they are covered to some degree.

Likewise, there is an expectation that the musician should use the deposit to honour the date selected and paid for.

Typically, this is paid at the time of booking and acts as a contract to ensure that you will not be left without an entertainer on the day. Similarly, it means that the band has an assurance that their customers won’t cancel the music at the last minute and leave them with a date that they cannot fill.

When you’re booking your band, it’s best practice to get a clear, written statement confirming what is covered and not covered after you have paid over the deposit.

You should also discuss refundable deposits. Sometimes things change, and that is understandable. It’s wise to find out if the musicians offer refunds on deposits if you change your mind.

Check if there is a cut-off point after which the entertainer won’t refund. If it is close to the wedding and unlikely they will fill the date, it may be reasonable for them to keep the deposit as compensation.

The deposit protects both you and the band — some bands, especially specific wedding bands, may ask for a larger deposit because of this.

HOW TO EVALUATE A MUSICIAN’S EXPERIENCE?

When you’ve decided on the budget, the next step is to get an understanding of what constitutes value for money with a wedding band. This one can be difficult so we’ll highlight all of the key areas to watch out for and the questions to ask.

Any experienced musician will be considering their experience and ability when they’ve decided what they will charge.

While most expensive doesn’t necessarily mean the best, in the competitive world of wedding musicians, someone charging more for their services won’t be able to do it for long if the quality of their work doesn’t match.

One thing to understand is that weddings differ massively from a regular pub/nightclub gig.

If you’re evaluating a local band based on their performance at a local pub or club venue, we’d strongly suggest that you take a closer look to make sure that the fit is right.

With weddings being more lucrative than a regular pub/club gig, you can understand why more bands try to move into weddings. But an experienced wedding band will be much better equipped to deal with a multi-generational crowd and how to get people out on the dance floor.

It’s important to spend the time evaluating the musician’s offering versus your budget and determining where to compromise.

WHAT IS THE BAND’S SETLIST?

The band should be open about the songs that they will play for you and it shouldn’t be decided or changed last minute.

The vast majority of wedding bands are professionals with many years of experience in entertaining. They will and should be free to exercise their freedom to switch the night up based on the reactions and feedback they are getting from the crowd.

This ability to read a crowd and manoeuvre the set to suit a crowd is a skill in itself and separates good bands from great bands.

WHAT IS THE BAND’S MUSIC STYLE?

This is more than just looking at pictures of the band or reading a setlist from a website. A band may play all pop songs but in a country music style or they may cover songs differently than the original version.

You’ll need to get familiar with them, their look, the setlist and the way that they cover songs.

The visual appearance of the band should also live up to the expectations you have so be sure to listen to them live often. If you’re booking a band based on promotional materials showing them wearing suits with trainers, or just wearing shirts over jeans, they need to ensure that they live up to this expectation.

WHAT CAN THE BAND OFFER?

Just like any other professional services, your band should offer a clear and documented package for you to review.

This should include how long the set is, what the layout for their set is, whether or not there will be a break and what else they can offer.

THE LINEUP OF THE BAND

Typical lineups are made up of four, five or six musicians, and while there are some amazing offerings out there with larger groups, your decision could just come down to space.

The venue may have size limitations to accommodate crowd size or depending on where you’re located. It’s good to ask the venue so that they’re in the loop and can make any changes to accommodate your chosen band.

HOW LONG HAS THE BAND BEEN TOGETHER?

If you want to get the best out of your night, hiring a group of experienced musicians who have been playing together for a long time is key.

Knowing that the band has been around for a while can give you some reassurance that they will likely still be around by the time your wedding comes around, especially since the best bands are booked for quite some time into the future. So if they have been together for five, 10, even 15 years, then you know they’ve done this well many times.

HAS THE BAND HAD A CONSISTENT LINEUP FOR A WHILE?

Lineup consistency is one of those things that most people don’t consider. Just like any other job or profession, employees move on and replacements are found. Band members do the same, depending on their own personal and professional situations, so in general, don’t worry too much about one or two changes.

One thing to keep in mind, however, is a band facing regular line-up changes. This raises a red flag, particularly if it is the lead singer as most couples tend to focus on the lead vocalist when choosing their band.

Some bands also have a rotating pool of members.

Some couples are OK with that; others might feel more comfortable knowing that the members that they book will be the same ones that show up on the night.

In other cases, a band owner may not be able to keep the same musicians working for them.

This could be for a number of reasons, so just do some research and make sure that the reason is not that they are unreliable.

It’s good to take some time, review the website and social profiles of the band to see that it’s largely the same faces running together over time.

DOES THE BAND HAVE A VARIETY OF SINGERS?

One thing that we’ve found can divide opinions is the importance of choosing a band with multiple singers.

As much as you may enjoy a particular person’s voice, if you’re two hours deep into a three-hour set, one voice becomes monotonous, even for the best of singers.

Ensuring that there are more singers will help to keep the sound fresh over the course of the night. It’s also an additional level of security for you if one of the singers is ill or no longer plays as a member of that group.

A band with multiple singers generally means they can get through a night like this without anyone even noticing.

WHO IS THE LEAD VOCALIST?

Even a band where all members are strong singers has a lead vocalist.

This is important for you because of all members, this is the person you need to show up on the night and perform for your wedding. The set itself needs to be managed well by the lead vocalist to keep the crowd on the dance floor, especially at times when people may not be as quick to get back out on the dance floor like after eating.

WHAT IS THE BAND’S ONLINE PRESENCE?

A professional is always selling and refining their marketing/promotional output. And just like any professional, wedding bands will have to have the right kind and the right amount of promotional material available.

Core to this is having videos online. A lesser commitment than travelling to see the band, their videos should give you a good idea of how they look, who they are and what their setlist is like among other things.

A band without videos online might be trying to hide something so be wary.

Also, it’s good to watch videos of the band performing live — at a venue rather than a staged, music video that was recorded in a recording studio.

It’s easier to hide flaws in playing with a bit of studio magic than it is at a live event.

Checking a band out on social media is also important. Recommendations from family and friends are a good step in determining whether the band is right for your wedding, but it’s important to dig deeper and to find out what others are saying about them.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE BAND LIVE?

Before you book a wedding band, make sure that you see them in action. Video footage and recommendations are great, but you can’t beat the experience of seeing the band live for yourself.

You may need to know if they can play songs that are not a part of their regular set, and how much notice they would need to be able to perform it well at your wedding.

Determining the sound level on the night is another tricky thing to get right. Some venues have bands set up early in the day or the night before to reduce the disruption after the meal. Others may have to do their soundcheck while your guests are talking after their meal, so make sure you know what your venue prefers.

By watching the band live, you will also know that the band you book are the ones who will show on the night.

EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED

What happens if a musician gets sick or something unexpected happens? You should get clarification from any prospective performer as to what would happen if they — or one of the band — cannot make the event on a particular date.

Some bands offer direct replacements while others might have a Plan B or C, which can be put into action. You should know this and be ready for it if it happens.

It’s easier to hide flaws in playing with a bit of studio magic than it is at a live event.

CHOOSING CEREMONY MUSIC

Ceremony music can often be forgotten about in the early stages of planning, but it’s something you should factor in from the start.

Starting the ceremony on a strong note can set the tone for the rest of the day. When your guests are sitting in the ceremony venue, would you prefer them to listen to music or sit in silence?

Experienced musicians, combined with the right music, can beautifully support and convey the sentiments of the ceremony. This will create lasting memories for you and your guests as well as the soundtrack to your wedding video if you choose to have one.

When choosing music for your ceremony, first you need to make sure that your officiant approves of it.

Some officiants (both religious and non-religious) can be particular about this, so it’s a must to check with them. You will need songs for certain sections of the ceremony; there are other sections where some choose to use songs and others don’t.

Some ceremonies will need more than one song, e.g. when signing the register.

Work with your wedding band or entertainer when it comes to how many songs you’ll need as they can guide you through the process.

Keep your wedding guests in mind when choosing your music — considering them will help you make the right decision for music.

You will also need to be aware of the accompaniment for your songs — what instruments will deliver the best performance for your wedding?

There are limits to what different musicians can do so take into consideration whether your chosen musician can deliver on your song choices.

When choosing singers, there are some important factors to consider.

Some singers will sing to backing tracks rather than with live accompaniment. While this is perfectly acceptable and can sound fantastic, it does have some potential pitfalls. If extra songs are needed last-minute, an experienced singer using live accompaniment can easily spring into action and provide songs to cater for these situations.

If you’re choosing music for both the ceremony and reception, it’s worth considering hiring the same musicians for both as it typically brings you better value and will be one less thing to worry about.

The right ceremony music will bring out all the emotions you’re feeling and share them with your family and friends.

What options are there?

Harpists
Pianists
Traditional Irish instruments
Organ
Flautists
Female singers, male singers or a combination of both
Bagpipes

Often people combine a couple of the above, e.g. a female singer accompanied by a guitarist with a flautist added to some songs. It’s advisable to choose your singer first and see what musical elements they can bring to the table.

Typical parts of the ceremony that require songs:

Prelude songs
Wedding party processional songs
Bride’s processional songs
Lighting of marriage candles
Interlude songs
Recessional songs
Postlude songs

As mentioned above, you should be certain that your chosen musician can play additional songs to cover any mishaps or extra time, e.g. if the photographer is taking longer than expected. This happens more often than you would think!

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SONGS?

Some couples have lists of songs that are special to them; others don’t. Don’t worry if you don’t. The songs you pick will become very special to you. Read the lyrics of songs you like, and it’s no harm to do some research into the meanings of songs.

Just because a song sounds nice doesn’t mean the sentiment is fitting for the moment. As an example, we were once asked to perform a song that actually tells the story of a couple getting a divorce. The bride hadn’t realised until I mentioned it and very quickly changed her mind, choosing one she felt more appropriate.

POPULAR RELIGIOUS CEREMONY SONGS

Looking back over some of the setlists we’ve used for covering religious ceremonies in Ireland, there’s a definite trend that appears in the songs chosen.

They might help to set you on the right path for discovering your ceremony soundtrack.

Mo Ghrá Thú
Ave Maria
Here I Am, Lord
How Great Thou Art
Down To The River
The Prayer
Amazing Grace
Pie Jesu
On Eagle’s Wings
The Cloud’s Veil
I Watch The Sunrise
You Raise Me Up
Hallelujah
Tabhair Dom Do Lámh
As I Kneel Before You
Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace
God Gave Me You
1000 Miles
The Day Before You

POPULAR NON-RELIGIOUS CEREMONY SONGS

The following is a list of some of the most popular non-religious wedding ceremony songs. These are commonly played at the church/venue during the ceremony and offer a great mix between the emotion and sentiment felt on the day.

Can’t Help Falling In Love — Elvis Presley
When I Say I Do — Matthew West
Caledonia — Dougie MacLean
From This Moment — Shania Twain
The Rose — Bette Midler
Take My Hand — Emily Hackett
She Moved Through The Fair — Celtic Woman
The Parting Glass — The Clancy Brothers
Higher Love — James Vincent McMorrow
Kiss Me — Sixpence None The Richer
All You Need Is Love — The Beatles
Perfect — Ed Sheeran
Thinking Out Loud — Ed Sheeran
The One — Kodaline
Songbird — Eva Cassidy
Somewhere Over The Rainbow — Eva Cassidy
One Day Like This – Elbow
Always — Bon Jovi
Better Together — Jack Johnson
Beneath Your Beautiful – Labrinth ft. Emeli Sandé
Better — Tom Baxter
Rule the World — Take That
Bless The Broken Road — Rascal Flatts
Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) — Green Day
One Day Like This — Elbow
Unchained Melody — Righteous Brothers
At Last — Etta James
Time After Time — Cyndi Lauper
I Will Always Love You — Whitney Houston
Your Song — Elton John
They Long To Be (Close To You) — The Carpenters
Isn’t She Lovely — Stevie Wonder
Love Me — Collin Raye
Romeo and Juliet — Dire Straits
All I Want Is You — U2
I Got You Babe — Sonny and Cher
You Do Something To Me – Paul Weller
Make You Feel My Love — Adele
I Choose You — Sara Bareilles
Marry You — Bruno Mars
Somewhere Only We Know — Lily Allen
The Way You Look Tonight — Tony Bennett
A Thousand Years — Christina Perri
All of Me — John Legend

CHOOSING RECEPTION MUSIC

The reception music can be fantastic to create an atmosphere for your arriving guests.

It is the link between your ceremony and the rest of the wedding that are often broken up by the drive between venues.

Your reception entertainment helps to set the mood for the guests as they begin to get settled in and comfortable before the meal. This is generally a relaxed affair so the music chosen should reflect this with bright, relaxed and low-volume music.

When you’re choosing the reception music, you’ll likely have a wider scope for song choice as you’re usually not limited by venue. Some couples choose to continue the religious theme; others like to keep it simple with a pianist.

This is a great time to consider the younger guests who may become restless while waiting for the bridal party to arrive and to get through the photos. This can help to keep them occupied while the adults get settled in and have a chance to get reacquainted with friends and family.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN RECEPTION MUSIC?

Overall, you need to look at where the reception falls into your day. How would an overly lively band fit in at this stage? Most families have guests who are ready to begin the party as soon as they arrive at the hotel, but some like to keep it relaxed.

Our advice would be to keep it chilled, set the atmosphere in the room and let the kids play while the adults talk.

WHEN THE COUPLE ARRIVE AT THE RECEPTION

If it’s within your budget, an entrance song for the couple can be a great thing to provide for your guests while they wait. This is even more beneficial if your ceremony location is close to your reception venue as the guests will likely be waiting around for longer to be seated for the meal. You’ll want to coordinate timings with the musicians.

DURING THE MEAL

Having played our fair share of mid-meal events, we can say from a musician’s point of view, it rarely takes hold. People prefer to talk and eat in peace, so a better option is to consider background music without lyrics. If you do decide you want mid-meal music, there are a number of options available:

Singing waiters/chefs
Magicians
DJ’s
Karaoke
Comedians

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT

Once you get to this stage of the day, you can begin to relax, knowing that you’ve gotten all the hard work out of the way. It’s time for the party to begin!

The music chosen for this section of the wedding will stick in your guests’ minds when they think back to the occasion. So how do you get it right when choosing your wedding band?

THE FIRST DANCE

You’ve found your dream band. They are free for your day, you book them and the night is approaching.

The next question is, should you ask the band to perform your first dance or should you play the original track over the speakers?

There are pros and cons to both. If the song is special to you and you love the original, we’d suggest playing the track. No band will recreate it exactly the way it is on the CD. Also, if you have a prepared dance routine for your first dance, you will likely feel more comfortable with the original.

However, we have performed at weddings where the couple wanted a first dance mashup — a slow love song straight into a party song they love. This can be a great way to kick off the night as your guests will likely stay on the floor to get the party started. The band playing works much better for this.

If you do decide to go ahead and ask the band to play your first dance song, tell them as soon as you can.

This gives the band sufficient time to learn and practice the song.

Whichever you choose, one piece of advice is that the couple should aim to stay on the dance floor after the first dance. Guests are much more inclined to dance the night away when they see the bride and groom on the floor having fun.

Your first dance is special, and you’ll want to take the time to get it recorded and for photos. But remember that your guests will only need a minute or two to take photos before it becomes a crowd of people awkwardly standing around.

The best advice we can give here is to talk about this with the band. Maybe they can work something that shortens / refines the song but will keep it both special for you and enjoyable for your guests.

Lastly, you’ll want your first dance to be special, but from a performance point of view, we’d suggest choosing a shorter song or plan to bring in members of the bridal party in the second half of the song.

SOME OF THE MOST COMMON FIRST DANCE SONGS

Here’s a sample of some of the common first dance songs:

Thinking Out Loud — Ed Sheeran
Bed Of Roses — Bon Jovi
Can’t Help Falling In Love With You — Elvis
The Voyage — Christy Moore
When A Man Loves A Woman — Percy Sledge
I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing — Aerosmith
Lovesong — Adele
No One — Alicia Keys
When You Say Nothing At All — Alison Krauss
Marry You — Bruno Mars
Millionaire — Chris Stapleton
The One — Kodaline
Everything — Michael Buble
Perfect — Ed Sheeran
I Won’t Give Up — Jason Mraz
My Girl — The Temptations
Higher And Higher — Jackie Wilson
Wonderful Tonight — Eric Clapton
Truly Madly Deeply — Savage Garden
Candy — Paolo Nutini
You’re My Best Friend — Queen
All You Need Is Love — The Beatles
Happy Together — The Turtles
Endless Love – Lionel Richie/ Diana Ross
Only Wanna Be With You — Hootie & The
Blowfish
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Frankie Valli
Never Change — Picture This
Say You Won’t Let Go — James Arthur
Better Together — Jack Johnson
You Are The Best Thing — Ray LaMontagne
Love Me Anyway — Pink ft. Chris Stapleton
A Thousand Years — Christina Perri
Never Too Much — Luther Vandross
Signed Sealed Delivered — Stevie Wonder
Kiss Me — Sixpence None The Richer
Amazed — Lonestar
Your Song — Elton John
Stand By Me — Ben E. King
You Do Something To Me — Paul Weller
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face — Roberta Flack
The Reason – Hoobastank
Let’s Stay Together — Al Green

Hopefully, this will give you some inspiration. But remember this dance is for you. It doesn’t have to be a love song or a slow song; it can be whatever you want. We have performed songs ranging from heavy metal to dance songs and everything in between for couples. No matter what you choose, just have fun.

HOW LONG WILL THE BAND PLAY FOR?

Different bands offer different packages, depending on what their strengths are. As we’ve said above, make sure you get the set time in writing, so you know what to expect from the band on the night.

Some bands will play a two-hour set, while others choose to play for up to three hours. The length of the set or the makeup of the entertainment for the night will also play a role in determining the price.

It’s also pretty common for a band to take a break in the middle of the night so guests can get refreshments and the band can use the opportunity to switch up the set played.

If you have also hired a DJ, you will also need to know what the transition or overlap time is between the band and the DJ. It’s usually harder to get people back on the floor than to keep them there in the first place, so you’ll want to make sure that the transition is smooth.

CROWD INTERACTION

This is a very important role of your band on the night. No matter how brilliant they are at delivering the music you enjoy, if they don’t also engage and interact with the crowd, the floor may stay empty.

A good band knows how to get the best out of your guests, keep them entertained and keep them dancing through the night. Some have games or dance-offs and competitions — little things like these can help to get some of the more shy or reluctant guests to interact and make for some great laughs on the night.

WHAT ARE OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK?

Some of the other questions that need to be answered so you will have a fuller picture of what is going to happen during the course of the day. These might help you to refine and choose the right band for you.

Are they booked for another gig immediately before the wedding?

Unfortunately, this can happen and does pose a risk to your night. It’s better to get a commitment from the band that they are not gigging elsewhere around the same time. This will help to prevent any possible delays or negative impacts to your wedding by ensuring they do not have other commitments at the same time.

CAN THEY PROVIDE PRE-RECEPTION MUSIC?

Some groups offer package deals to play throughout the wedding, offering significant savings to you and consistency in the music throughout the day.

WHAT TIME DO THEY ARRIVE AT THE VENUE? DO THEY OFFER SET-UP EARLY IN THE DAY?

This one is commonly associated with the venue’s policy. Liaise with your venue on this as to what time they usually have the meal finished. A good idea is to do your speeches during the meal. This means that once the meal is over, the band can get in, set up and be ready to kick the night off.

DO THEY OFFER A DJ SERVICE AS A PART OF THE PACKAGE?

The benefit of getting a band that also provides DJ services is the speed they can switch from one to the other. It’s best done while people are on the dancefloor so the DJ can seamlessly pick up right where the band leaves off.

OTHER ENTERTAINMENT

There are many opportunities to provide entertainment for your guests throughout the day.

Some people choose a comedy or musical act during the meal like magicians or singing waiters, which can be a great segue from the meal to the evening’s festivities.

Other people use a DJ or M,C who plays games and entertains throughout the day. This can be fun and gets your guests participating from early on, which can help to ensure a fun filled dance floor late into the night.

There is also the opportunity to use an act during the band’s break. This is a very popular option. Many people go for dancers at this stage. Others go for acts such as drum/percussion performances.

These are by no means a necessity and, of course, come at a price but knowing that they are available, you can decide if you see the need for another act.

CONCLUSION

We created this guide to help share some of the knowledge that we’ve picked up over the course of our careers.

As you might imagine, things are continually changing, and there may be challenges that come up during the course of planning your wedding. As things progress and times keep changing, we’ll be continually updating our tips and advice using our website: www.weddingbandguide.com.

If there’s something, in particular, you’ve come across and would like to get the musician’s perspective, get in contact with us.

We’ve summarised all key questions into a simple checklist, which you can print off and use when working through the steps of planning your wedding.

And with that, we wish you the best of luck in planning and enjoying your own wedding.