Booking Your Wedding Entertainment
What should you consider when booking your Wedding Entertainment? Let’s face it, booking a wedding band or musician isn’t something that you do every day. In fact, the chances are you’ve never booked a live performer of any kind before so we understand that it can be quite a daunting prospect! To help you out, we’ve put together some top tips for what to consider when booking your wedding entertainment. It should be a fun experience after all!
Why Should I Book Live Entertainment?
Put simply, live music hits harder and creates an atmosphere unrivalled by music on a playlist. A live wedding band will interact with your guests. They are experts at keeping your dance floor full and will create lasting memories for everyone involved. You can guarantee if you nail your wedding band, people will be talking about how much fun they had for years to come.
The same goes for live music during your ceremony or drinks reception. The intimacy that comes from having a live musician perform as you walk down the aisle feels magical. It will almost certainly mean your guests will be reaching for the tissues. They can perform while you sign the register too, like a mini concert for everyone! Alternatively, you might be considering non-musical entertainment. From magicians to caricaturists and circus acts to fire-performers, a live entertainer is the way to go if you want your guests to have the time of their lives and always remember your wedding day!
How Do I Choose My Evening Entertainment?
The first thing to consider when choosing a wedding band is the style of music you’d like them to play. By far the most popular type is the pop and rock band, who’ll play a wide range of music, suitable for all ages. If you’re having a rustic wedding, an acoustic folk band will always go down a treat. They’ll play an eclectic mix of tunes with a quirky twist and come dressed in rustic attire to fit in perfectly with your theme. If you want to rock out or love yourself a bit of indie, you might prefer an indie and Britpop band. For vintage weddings, jazz bands always look and sound incredible. Performing Postmodern Jukebox-style tunes to keep your guests swing-dancing the night away.
Perhaps you love the idea of having live music at your wedding but are tempted by the versatility of a DJ – never fear! Many of our acts combine the two, with saxophones, bongos, trumpets and even full bands accompanied by pro DJs for a club vibe like no other!
Once you’ve chosen a style you love, set aside a budget for you wedding entertainment and watch the videos of bands and artists in your price range. Talking about budgets…
How Much Does A Wedding Band Cost?
We would recommend setting aside a healthy budget for your wedding band. They will become the centrepiece of your entire evening and help to create the stand-out part of the day for most of your guests. The price you pay for a wedding band depends on their popularity, distance from your wedding venue and their experience. To give you a rough idea:
- A solo or duo musician – £500 – £1200
- A three-piece party band – £1100 – £2000
- A four or five-piece band – £1500 – £2500
- A band with 6 or more musicians – £2000 – £3000+ (but really the sky’s the limit with some stage-bursting show bands!)
How Long Will The Band Play For And When Should They Start?
A wedding band will normally provide 2×60 minute or 3×40 minute sets, depending on what works best with your schedule. Don’t put them on at the same time as your buffet is served. Even if you were to hire Beyoncé – the food would always win! The optimum time for your first dance, followed by the band’s first set is around 9pm. Starting earlier might sound tempting but if you want to end the night in style with the band still playing, leaving it later is the way forward.
Can I Choose What My Wedding Band Play?
Most bands will offer to learn your first dance for free. This is a wonderful way of making sure that your special moment is one in a million. When it comes to the rest of the songs they’ll play, you have a fair amount of flexibility. Look through their repertoire and if there are any songs you really want them to play, let them know! The same goes for songs you don’t want to hear. In our experience, it’s always best to leave the rest up to the band. Years of experience means they know exactly how to keep your dance floor full all night and which songs are guaranteed to be crowd-pleasers. Put your trust in them and you won’t be disappointed!
When Should I Book My Wedding Entertainment?
We always advise booking as early as possible. Our most popular bands get booked up around two years in advance. However, most couples book their band around 12-18 months before their wedding day. Even if you choose to book at short notice, you’ll still have a wonderful selection of incredible bands to choose from.
How Much Space Does A Wedding Band Need?
It’s really important to check how much space is available for your band before you book. It’s not just the musicians you need space for, but also their instruments and amps, as well as some room to move around if they’re a bit lively! Typically, we would recommend 3x3m for a three-piece band, 4x3m for a four or five-piece band and 5x3m for a six piece band. Remember these are minimum requirements. We’d always recommend booking a band who can comfortably work with the space you have available.
My Venue Uses A Sound Limiter – Is This a Problem?
Usually not. Sound limiters are used in most venues nowadays and bands are used to working within their parameters. Ask what level the limiter at your venue is set to and when it’s time to book, tell your sales advisor so they can help you choose a suitable band. There shouldn’t any problems if your limiter is set to 95db or higher. If it’s set lower – don’t panic! We’ll be able to help find you a superb band who can play at a quieter volume.
What About Our Drinks Reception?
Your drinks reception deserves some love don’t you think? What better way to bring some sunshine and cheer to your tipples on the terrace than with a live entertainer? If you’d like a live musician to provide some lounge-style entertainment, it’s always worth choosing a wedding band that offers this service as an add-on. It will almost certainly work out cheaper than hiring a separate act.
Roaming bands are becoming an increasingly popular option with couples thanks to their ability to wander amongst your guests, providing them with an intimate performance and the chance to interact! This type of band plays acoustically, making them perfect for outdoor receptions. Ask about which evening bands offer this service as an add on and you’ll save a ton of money!
Alternatively, you could hire an amazing singer guitarist, a smooth saxophonist or perhaps a vintage jazz trio for a classy feel to your celebration. Whatever vibe you want to create, you’ll find a musician to bring your drinks reception to life.
Can I Hire Musicians For My Ceremony?
Of course you can! In fact, we highly recommend it. Whether you want an acoustic singer, a sumptuous string quartet, a breath-taking gospel choir or a stunning classical soloist, there’s nothing quite like the sound of a live musician if you want that fairy tale feel while you get married. At Entertainment Nation, you’ll find an enticing selection of string players, pianists, harpists, saxophonists and guitarists, who’ll provide the perfect backdrop to your entire ceremony.
Whichever act you choose will normally play as your guests arrive, as you walk down the aisle, while you sign the register and then play you back up the aisle too. Ceremony musicians will normally have a standard booking time of one or two hours, so the second half of their performance (if you’ve booked it) would make delightful background music for your drinks reception.
I’d Like Some Non-Musical Entertainment Too
This is a great idea! The last thing you want is for your guests to get bored so hiring some sort of entertainment will not only prevent this but help to make your wedding a stand-out event. Whether you want to astonish your guests by hiring a magnificent magician, give them a hilarious keepsake in the form of a caricature or wow them with something a bit different. Maybe a fire performer, some dancers or even some singing waiters. You’ll find the perfect act to impress at Entertainment Nation!
Why Should I Book With An Agency?
OK – busted! We are an entertainment agency so of course we’re going to tell you that you should book with us, right? Well, yes, of course we are, but with good reason! Here are just a few of the reasons why booking with a trusted agency like Entertainment Nation is an absolute must:
- There are literally hundreds of different acts to choose from and they have all been hand-selected by industry experts. This ensures that whichever band or musician you choose, they are guaranteed to be of the highest quality and will provide first-rate entertainment.
- Our customer service is key. We’re here for you when you need us to help recommend bands, answer all your questions and be on hand right up until the band perform. No question is too small – ask away!
- Your booking is safe – this is a big one! You will be provided with a secure contract, giving you the peace of mind that your chosen act will deliver exactly what they say they will. If, for any reason something goes wrong and they aren’t able to perform, we’ll find you an awesome replacement.
- Watch the band before you book. High-quality videos are available for each of our acts, showing their true performance, which means you can sample each act before choosing your favourite.
- The whole process is really easy. Just fill in the enquiry form on your chosen act’s profile and we’ll get back to you with a fully inclusive quote. Booking after than is a cinch!
See our Wedding Guide UK Listing here
If you’re feeling inspired, check out the spectacular range of wedding bands, musicians and entertainers available at www.entertainment-nation.co.uk and get your wedding entertainment journey started today.
