When planning your wedding, one of the biggest considerations will be your entertainment. Live music turns an event into an unforgettable celebration – but how exactly to go about it?

Selecting wedding entertainment can seem impossible. There are so many options, an internet full of potential! Starting with the obvious question, what sort of music do you like? Knowing at least the genre from the off (soul & Motown, folk-style, heavy metal etc) will focus your search. Keep your guests in mind, but don’t let their opinions outweigh your preferences. If you’re having fun on the dance floor, your guests will be too.

If you’ve been to any weddings or events lately, think about what you enjoyed and didn’t enjoy and why. This could highlight how you want the entertainment to take shape. Remember your entertainment doesn’t have to just be a band on stage. You could have interactive roaming acts, an acoustic drinks reception or even drag or aerial performers in the evening.

Budget

This one can be a shocker if unexpected so it may be helpful to know that a professional 3-4 piece party band starts at £1,500 – £2,000, while a good soul & Motown band can start from £3,000 – £4,000. Planning your expenses will guide your search. Also, be open about your budget when enquiring. Suppliers don’t mind what your budget is; they simply want to get you the best entertainment at the price that works for you.

Get Researching

If you’ve got a genre of music or entertainment in mind, it’s time to get researching. If you’re working with an agency or a wedding planner, they’ll do a lot of the heavy lifting here.

One of the best ways to get to know a band is through their promotional videos. It’s worth checking their site as well as socials and YouTube. These will give you an immediate feel for a band’s performance style, and if this matches the atmosphere you want. If you’re able to find videos with audience reactions, all the better.

On the topic of visuals, some couples want to see a band live before booking. While you may catch local bands playing nearby, this is rare for professional wedding bands (who are often performing at other weddings, so it might be a little unusual if you showed up to watch them…) It may be comforting to know that the majority of weddings are booked without first seeing the band live.

Even if you can’t see your chosen band live, lots of others have. So, check out the testimonials and reviews! As you read the comments, think about what you want to say at the end of your event. If other couples are mentioning aspects that are important to you, like how the band kept everyone dancing, or that the booking process was super smooth, that’s a really good sign. This could be the band for you!

And what is a band without their repertoire? Whether your style is vintage, rock, or something else incredible, the repertoire you choose should reflect the atmosphere you’d like for your big day, and include plenty of songs you like. Most bands will also let you confirm which songs you love (and those you don’t) so that they can tailor their setlist accordingly.

Ask Questions

So, you’ve done your research and decided on the band – but, wait, what’s this? They’re booked?! That’s right. Bands and wedding entertainment book up quickly, so here are some of the top questions to ask:

Is the band available?

We recommend booking as early as possible, ideally 12-18 months ahead of the wedding. If you’re having a shorter engagement than that, don’t worry, just start looking at the same time as you’re booking things like your venue and photographer. If your date is fast approaching, tasking this to an agency removes a lot of the headache for you. They consistently update their rosters (which means new acts with empty calendars), meaning that they can be best placed to help you to find an act that suits your style, budget and timeline.

What can my venue accommodate?

This one’s a bit more logistical. You’ll likely be booking suppliers after you’ve booked your venue, so you may know some of this. Ask the venue for the room size and if there are any sound restrictions. This may influence whether you have space for a 10-piece showband with full audio and staging, or if you actually need a 3-piece unamplified roaming band.

Does the band/ entertainment have any riders?

For those of you who want to avoid any last-minute surprises, ask your entertainment provider if you need to account for any riders – that is, anything essential to the act’s performance. Commonly, we think of this as food and drink, but it might also mean four armless chairs for the stage set-up. You never know! This is easily overlooked, and could catch you off-guard just as you head to your first dance. Checking ahead of time will help you to plan accordingly.

Tailor it to You

By now, you’ve chosen a band, and they’re available for your date (yay!). There are just a few more things to consider before everything is fully booked. Let’s say you’ve decided on a band for the evening, but you’d also like some live music at the drink’s reception…

This is the time to review what the band offers to create a bespoke event. These are usually listed under “upgrades and extras”, so take a look if budgets permit. Professional wedding bands can often offer to play an acoustic set at your drink’s reception, or have a band member act as DJ before and after live sets.

Also, did you know that most professional bands will learn one additional song for free? This could be your first dance song, or part of your evening line-up. What could make your day more special than a live rendition of your favourite song?

Booking live music and wedding entertainment may seem like a daunting task to start, but this manageable process leaves you space to have fun exploring options! If you’d like true peace of mind to enjoy your wedding, consider working with a trusted agency like Tailored Entertainment who will take care of everything for you.

About the Author

Florentyna Martin is Content Manager for Tailored Entertainment. She loves working with creatives, and is always writing, reading, and ready with a recommendation.