5 Essential Aspects To Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Music
December 8, 2012
1) Check the credentials of the musician(s) carefully
Although you should value the opinions of friends and family, sometimes just relying on this can backfire when choosing your wedding music. You research should go further by checking a musician or band's website, their testimonials and references. In most cases, live video often indicates how they will look and sound on the day.
Better still, go to one of their live gigs, but don't totally rely on audio clips on their website as these can be edited in a studio or on a computer.
2) Book early and sign a contract
Make sure you book the musician(s) in plenty of time, at least 6 months in advance, and sign a contract with them. You can pay a deposit, usually around 25%, and you will find most bands have a cancellation fee policy so check this carefully. You should also verify that they have public liability insurance. Most policies cover up to £1 million or even more.
3) Check the size of the venue and see if there is enough space for the musician(s)
You will undoubtedly go to the venue on a few occasions as you make preparations for the wedding, but make sure on one of your visits you decide where you would like the musician(s) to set up. If you are hiring a wedding band then ideally they should perform in front of a large open space as your guests will want to dance to the music in the evening.
Also, check if there are enough power sockets for them to use. Two or three should be fine for a 4-10 piece band as they should have their own extension cables and 4-way connectors.
4) What type of music do you want?
You should think about what the guests like as well as yourself. Can the musician(s) play different styles of music from different eras? Some of the older guests may want to hear some classics from the 60s, such as music by The Beatles and Elvis Presley, where as the youngsters will want to hear some more modern tunes. However, as long as the wedding musician(s) can play a mixture of songs, it normally goes down well with all the guests.
5) How long should the band play for?
Make sure you think about this carefully. The musicians you choose should possess an extensive repertoire of songs, but you need to plan when you would like them to start and finish, particularly for the evening entertainment.
For a live band, normally 3 x 45 minute sets is a good length as they can then provide music for at least 3 hours with breaks. You should also check if they supply music during their breaks, playing music through an iPod or another music device.
Although you should value the opinions of friends and family, sometimes just relying on this can backfire when choosing your wedding music. You research should go further by checking a musician or band's website, their testimonials and references. In most cases, live video often indicates how they will look and sound on the day.
Better still, go to one of their live gigs, but don't totally rely on audio clips on their website as these can be edited in a studio or on a computer.
2) Book early and sign a contract
Make sure you book the musician(s) in plenty of time, at least 6 months in advance, and sign a contract with them. You can pay a deposit, usually around 25%, and you will find most bands have a cancellation fee policy so check this carefully. You should also verify that they have public liability insurance. Most policies cover up to £1 million or even more.
3) Check the size of the venue and see if there is enough space for the musician(s)
You will undoubtedly go to the venue on a few occasions as you make preparations for the wedding, but make sure on one of your visits you decide where you would like the musician(s) to set up. If you are hiring a wedding band then ideally they should perform in front of a large open space as your guests will want to dance to the music in the evening.
Also, check if there are enough power sockets for them to use. Two or three should be fine for a 4-10 piece band as they should have their own extension cables and 4-way connectors.
4) What type of music do you want?
You should think about what the guests like as well as yourself. Can the musician(s) play different styles of music from different eras? Some of the older guests may want to hear some classics from the 60s, such as music by The Beatles and Elvis Presley, where as the youngsters will want to hear some more modern tunes. However, as long as the wedding musician(s) can play a mixture of songs, it normally goes down well with all the guests.
5) How long should the band play for?
Make sure you think about this carefully. The musicians you choose should possess an extensive repertoire of songs, but you need to plan when you would like them to start and finish, particularly for the evening entertainment.
For a live band, normally 3 x 45 minute sets is a good length as they can then provide music for at least 3 hours with breaks. You should also check if they supply music during their breaks, playing music through an iPod or another music device.
Posted by Martyn Croston. Posted In : Wedding Music Tips
Martyn Croston is a professional jazz pianist who performs at weddings and parties throughout London and the home counties. He has performed throughout the UK, USA and Russia both as a solo pianist and with numerous ensembles
