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1. Bands, or DJ's are essential
elements of your wedding reception and getting it right can make or break your wedding!
There are so many different
varieties of bands and DJs available.
What should you be looking for when choosing Your entertainment
?
Often, a DJ or musician will act as the MC of a wedding reception, which means you'll need them
to be entertaining , friendly, and charming. Most hotels use their own in-house MC but don’t get caught out ask well
in advance.
On many occasions, less time is spent on choosing the DJ than any other aspect of the reception - this
can be a disappointing mistake!
Overlooking this aspect of your wedding planning is easy to do. However, choosing
the right DJ is crucial to the success of your wedding reception and these tips and ideas should help you accomplish this:
How much will your DJ / band cost?
Everyone has an eye on their wedding budget and
wants to keep their costs down, but make sure that you are not selling yourself short by employing a bargain-priced DJ or
el-cheapo band, you might be paying for what you are getting .
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you
are paying over the top for your musicians/DJ because all that they are being paid for is to play music for 3 or 4 hours!
Professional bands and DJ's like myself will have invested a lot of time in your wedding prior to your actual
wedding reception.
Typically they will be spending between 10 to 20 hours consulting with you, purchasing the
music, learning songs, rehearsing, setting up the equipment, packing up the equipment and other administrative tasks like
letters, contracts song lists etc.
As well as the fact you found them, which means they have spent time and money
marketing, including brochures, business cards, banners & web site.
All that, as well as years honing their
craft !
Prices can vary enormously and it is important to realize that a lot of couples say in hindsight that they
wished they had spent more of their wedding budget on the entertainment.
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3. Does the DJ or Band Leader
perform emcee duties?
If you want the DJ or musician to make announcements, such as the introduction
of the newlyweds' first dance, the cake cutting or the bouquet being tossed, and act as an emcee during the evening, be
sure to check that they are comfortable doing this.
Some people will charge you extra for this, and some simply
don't do it. If they don’t talk through a microphone during the evening then it might be hard to do requests.
For a wedding you need to choose someone who has a fun personality and a professional delivery for announcements.
Ensure your entertainers knows the dress code
Always ask about how they intend to
dress on the day of your wedding. Your Band or DJ should always dress in a manner that is appropriate for the occasion. Essentially
they are a service provider on your wedding day, so should always be neatly dressed.
Whilst this does not mean
that he must wear a penguin suit, you do not want the other extreme of him turning up in shorts and trainers!
If
you are having a themed wedding make sure you have informed your DJ so that they can fit in as best they can .
Ask
the Band or DJ about public liability insurance
It is also really important that you check that your DJ
or band has public liability
insurance. If one of your wedding guests trips over a cable that the hired help has not
taped down to the floor or if a speaker falls on top of a guest then it will be the DJ or band they look to for compensation.
Does your DJ / band own quality audio equipment?
A professional band or DJ will generally
have spent over £10,000 on their equipment. Proper equipment will give good sound quality that will not be disturbing
for your wedding guests. There is nothing worse than being seated next to a speaker at a wedding that is producing poor sound
quality.
Will your DJ / band be using a wireless microphone?
Wireless microphones work
well at weddings and allow the emcee to roam the dance floor without tripping over a chord. It’s the best choice when
having Karaoke.
Sometimes musicians prefer sticking with a chord microphone because they are more likely to get
interference from a wireless microphone. If you have a preference discuss this with your DJ or band beforehand.
Has the DJ / musician worked at the venue before?
Do ask your DJ / musician whether they have
performed at your choice of wedding reception venue before. Although this is not essential, the more familiar they are with
the layout and staff at your chosen venue the better.
If they have not played there before, it is best to meet
your DJ / band at the venue so that you can discuss the specifics of setting up the DJ table or stage, dance floor location
and speaker positions.
Who pays for your entertainers food?
Feeding the band or DJ
is often overlooked, but it is necessary if they are there for long periods of time.
They are providing a service
for you , so you should definitely feed and water them during the course of the wedding reception - you don't want them
passing out halfway through the evening.
You should arrange to provide the artist with a smaller meal that is quite
inexpensive you can pre-arrange this with your catering manager and confirm this with the artist. Alternatively, if you have
a wedding buffet in the evening you can let the band or DJ know that they are welcome to help themselves as most do.
Will your DJ or band provide a lighting system?
Most bands and DJs will be able to offer a decent
sized lighting system. Typically most DJs and bands offer a basic lighting system within their fee but if it is
within
your wedding budget you could pay extra and upgrade. Usually they will have plenty of options to tell you about.
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4. Know what you really want
in terms of music before you begin looking for a band or wedding DJ
If you are thinking of classic Big
Band music, be up front about this the first time you
talk to the band or DJ.
People who specialize in rock
and pop music may be great, but the play list will be limited when it comes to what you want, and you'll be disappointed.
Ensure your entertainers music is up to date
Make sure that your DJ or band has a
wide range of music including the most recent chart songs. Do provide them with a list of specific songs which you want to
be played at your wedding so that they can source them out prior to the wedding reception if they do not have them in their
current music collection or repertoire.
Ask about emergency arrangements
It is any
DJ or bands worst nightmare that the sound system fails during a performance. It is really important that you ask them beforehand
if they have any backup equipment available for use in case there is a problem during your wedding reception.
Although
it doesn't happen often, equipment can fail, and if it happens on the night of
your reception and it is the only
set your DJ or band has, you may find yourself faced with a night without music, unless the venue has piped music available
(in-house system).
Also, discuss what alternative arrangements will be made in the event that the DJ you hire is
sick or unavailable for your wedding reception. Will he provide a back-up DJ that is suitable for the occasion?
References
Anyone who consistently pleases their clients should be happy to provide you with contact details so that you can
obtain recommendations from other satisfied customers. They should be recent, not five years old!
Additionally,
if they have a website you should take a look at it to see whether it contains any testimonials.
You want to be
sure that they have a good reputation for overall conduct, punctuality and ability to work alongside other wedding service
providers.
In an industry where any unqualified person can easily enter the profession, you need to do research
to ensure that you hire someone that will provide you with a top quality service. Ask Recent newlyweds for music recommendations
. Do make sure that if a friend recommends a DJ to you that you check that you and your friend's music tastes and expectations
of a wedding entertainer are similar.
Another idea is to ask the band, musician or DJ if they can show you an example
of their work such as a video clip taken at another wedding where they have performed.
Most performers these days
will be able to provide you with an example of their performance. You must ask the artist(s) how much experience they have
had.
These kind of questions will enable you to determine whether they are the right person to perform at your
wedding reception.
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