7 Things You Need to know about Your Wedding Band (Part 2)

Hi! This week's blog is Part 2 of some tips a wedding planner friend asked me to put together. In Part 1 we tackled 1.What kind of a band should I book?  2.Where do I find a band? and  3.I love the band at my local, can I just go up and book them?

4. How much do bands cost? 

The price of a band will vary depending on the size of the band itself, how long you will need them for, whether they need to provide their own sound system and how far they may need to travel.

Most wedding bands will give you a quote based on a five hour call. They usually play up to four  x 40-minute sets during this time but should be happy to stop and start when required, to fit in with your order of events.

Part of a band’s fee will also be based on the kind of sound and lighting system they need to bring with them. Roughly, the bigger the band, venue and the greater the number of the guests, the bigger (and more expensive) the sound and lighting system will need to be. Sometimes the venue will already have a sound system (PA)  – if so, ask the venue for the ‘technical specs’ and pass those on to the band. If the band is providing the PA, you can also ask them if they would mind you using their system and microphones for speeches and MC duties.

Is your reception being held at a beautiful but isolated winery out of town? Accommodation and travel costs will have to be factored in. An experienced events band will ask you all they need to know and give you a quote based on all those details.

You still want to get an idea of how much you’re going to be up for though, don’t you? Well, prices vary hugely from band to band, but for an intimate wedding, you may be able to get a duo with their own small sound system at prices starting from $1000. The higher end could be more like $10,000, or a lot more if you want to hire somebody famous.

5. When do I need to book them?

It’s best to book at least a year in advance to ensure you get the band you want – particularly if your wedding is on a Saturday night at the most popular time of year (October – February in Sydney, Australia.) Most bands will ask for a deposit of around 20% which will ensure they will not take another booking on that day. Of course bands do sometimes break up or get offers to play in Fiji for 6 months and if something like this happens, they should be professional enough to help you to find the perfect replacement.

6. Can I choose the songs they play on the night?

A good band will be able to ‘read the crowd’ and pick the best songs to keep your guests happy on the dance floor. Or just the tune to have everyone crying with joy into their champagne flutes as they watch you spin across the floor as man and wife. It is usually best to trust a band to use their experience to play what they feel will 'work' at the right time.

But just like a chef needs to know what you’re allergic to before he creates your menu, make sure you tell a band if you’ve got very particular musical tastes or there’s something you simply would never want to hear on your special day. For example, ‘Celine Dion brings me out in hives!!’ or ‘ACDC are my idols’.

Before you book a band, ask to see a song list to find out what kinds of music they usually play. These lists will usually change and be updated quite often and are more to give you an idea of the band’s range of styles rather than being an exact plan for the night. Most bands will choose songs as they go, moving and changing to suit the ebb and flow of the night’s proceedings.

If you have a particular song that’s special to you both but is not on their song list, by all means, ask a band to learn it for you. A professional band will usually be more than happy to do that and there’s nothing like a live performance of ‘your song’ to charge the atmosphere.

7.What else do I need to know about booking a band?

Don’t forget to factor in the band’s set-up time (usually from one to three hours depending on the size of the band) into the running order for the day. They also need to be given parking or loading dock access so that they can haul in their heavy gear and have it ready to go well before the first guest arrives.

The band members (and a sound engineer and possibly lighting technician or roadie for bigger bands) will need to be fed and seated during breaks – this can be backstage if there is available space. Some bride and grooms choose to include musicians on the guest tables which can really make them feel included in the festivities and be quite nice for the other guests too.

Really, it should be as easy as finding a band whose look and sound you like and getting in contact. Once that’s done, they will be able to lead you through everything else to make sure everything’s covered.

If you find the right band for your wedding, the best possible choice of music will happen at the appropriate time, from your first entrance as an officially married couple right up to keeping the last diehard busting moves on the dance floor.  And when you’re sifting through all those wonderful memories in years to come, each one will come with its own special soundtrack.

Amanda Easton fronts Function and Wedding band ‘Dance Little Sister’. She has performed at at least 150 weddings, great and small, all over Australia and overseas. www.amandaeaston.com/dancelittlesister

7 Things You Need to Know about your Wedding Band (Pt.1)

Hello! This week's blog is something a bit different - a wedding planner I work with has asked me to put together some advice on bands, so here goes:

'I’d love live music at my wedding but don’t know how to

organise it...help!'

Music is such an important factor in setting the tone and mood of your wedding reception. But musicians are a strange breed aren’t they? How on earth to go about booking a band? Well, after years of singing at weddings of all shapes and sizes (remember the movie ‘The Wedding Singer’? – that was my nickname for quite a while), I’ve put all you need to know in the answers to these following important questions:

1.What kind of a band should I book?

Ideally you want a band that can get Uncle Felix on the dance floor doing the twist but who is also able to play something a bit cooler for the younger things. And of course, you want to love the music too! A professional wedding band will have a huge repertoire of tunes and the experience to change styles and tempos when they need to. You might want some mood music to set the scene – perhaps some jazz or soul – while your guests are sipping cocktails and waiting for you to arrive. When it’s time to get the party started, you need the band to keep all the generations happy with a good mix of danceable songs

Another alternative, if you have the space and budget, is to book multiple entertainers for the event. Some people will hire a string quartet for drinks on the terrace; a pop band for ambience during dinner and to warm up the dancefloor; and then finish the night with a DJ for the more enthusiastic party animals. This arrangement can work well if you are happy to cope with the extra administration and significant additional costs involved, but a band that can do all of these things will not only be easier for you but will add a lovely seamless character to the event.

2. Where do I find a band?

Apart from recommendations from friends (and if you get some, make sure you still check out the band yourself!) the internet will be your most useful tool. Professional bands all have a web presence and you should be able to see live video footage, information on the types of gigs and venues they usually play as well as song lists -  all online so that you know exactly what you get! If you prefer, you can usually ask a band to send you a promotional package in the mail. Make sure it includes a DVD of a live performance. Wedding websites often have a directory of specialist wedding bands or you could simply use Google ie ‘wedding band Sydney’. Find some bands that look promising and ask for a quote. It’s best then to have a chat to them on the phone to see if they sound professional and friendly, and are willing to guide you through all the requirements.

Another option of course is contacting a music agent (yellow pages or Google will help here) – many of whom are event specialists. For a fee on top of the cost of the band, they should be able to show you a selection of bands as well as look after the administration of the booking for you. Of course, venues, photographers and wedding coordinators all have bands they like to work with too – so you could also ask for recommendations from them.  

3. I love the band at my local, can I just go up and book 

them?

Of course if you love a band you’ve seen somewhere , there’s no reason that you can’t ask them to play for you. Keep in mind, however, that if the band is not experienced at playing at weddings, they may need a lot more managing on your part.  Also, the atmosphere at your wedding reception and your local pub may be quite different! You are no doubt putting a lot of effort into creating a certain kind of ambience for your event. Some bands won’t have the repertoire - or the look - that suits. Khe Sanh and mullets work great at 1am on a Saturday morning, but your Great Aunt Maude might not get it!

Next week's Blog: 

4.How much do wedding bands cost? 5.When do I need to book them? 6.Can I choose the songs they play on the night? 7.What else do I need to know about booking a band?

Amanda Easton fronts Function and Wedding band ‘Dance Little Sister’. She has performed at least 150 weddings, great and small, all over Australia and overseas. www.amandaeaston.com/dancelittlesister