How to Choose your Wedding Entertainment

Choosing your wedding entertainment can be a daunting task for any bride or groom, and there are many considerations and pitfalls. We would like to discuss some of these here.

What type of Entertainment?

Choosing the type of entertainment you require will largely depend on the theme, style, or type of wedding reception you are planning. The two most common types of weddings are "sit-down" and "cocktail".

After deciding on your wedding theme, you will need to decide whether the music will be Classical, Jazz, Latin, or a Popular style. You may also decide to break the music into 3 parts. For example: You may decide to use a String Ensemble for your Ceremony, a Jazz Pianist for your pre-dinner drinks, and a Pop Duo, Trio, band or dj for your wedding reception.

Consider Your Guests

Without stating the obvious, it is important that you choose entertainment that you like. However, we talk to many brides and grooms who have particular music preferences, that may not be suitable for a wedding reception environment.

For example: If you like "Silver Chair" or "AC/DC", you may find that your wedding reception is compromised, if you have your heart set on this style of music. The reason being that you must consider the musical tastes, age group, and style of your guests.

If you want your guests to dance at your reception, and enjoy the music you have selected, then it is important to pitch your music towards the more popular styles. This way, you are guaranteed to please the majority of your friends and relatives, unless of course they all like "Silver Chair" or "AC/CD".

Alternatively, you may be considering a more laid-back reception, where your guests can enjoy Jazz, whilst mingling in a cocktail style atmosphere. In this case, consider the type of Jazz band that you may require.

For example: There are a huge range of jazz styles that may or may not suit your wedding reception. Dixie Land, Trad, Big Band, Fusion, Funk, Contemporary, are just some of the styles you may encounter, so make sure that you pay close attention to the jazz band you are choosing.

Consider Stage & Space Requirements

The next major consideration is the space requirements of the band or act that you are looking to employ. If you have space limitations, then you may want to consider a smaller act such as a Duo or Trio, or even a DJ.

Alternatively, you may have a large area that can accommodate a bigger "live" band or latin dance band. You may also want to consider the location and type of stage that your reception has. For example: If you are having a rose garden reception, you may want to consider a quiet string ensemble, or a small jazz trio.

If you are having a catered wedding reception in a hall, marquee or other type of quasi reception venue, then you need to consider power requirements, and power access for the band or dj. You may also need to check that the area is dry and secure, and protected from high winds, rain or intense heat.

Budget & Financial Considerations

Perhaps the most important consideration of all is your budget. Whilst this may be considered the place to start, it is extremely important that you do not make your budget the driving force behind your wedding entertainment choice.

You should consider some of the issues we have spoken about first, before you consider you financial allotment for entertainment. Furthermore, you should also consider how important the music on your wedding is, or how important you would like it to be. In our opinion, your wedding entertainment will make or break your wedding reception, whilst being the thing that you remember most for years to come.

Having said that, you will need to be practical about the type of wedding entertainment you choose. For example: If you are looking to hire the services of a large 6+ piece band, then you will most definitely need to look at your budget.

You will also need to allow for food and drink for the band. Most wedding reception venues require you to provide the band or dj with at least one course (usually the main), whilst soft drinks are always a standard issue. You may also decide to allow your entertainment to have beer or wine, so be sure to budget for this.

Sourcing Your Entertainment

Once you have decide on the style and type of music, your budget constraints and your stage limitations, you will then set about the task of actually sourcing your entertainment.

This has been made fairly simple by the Internet and Online Wedding Directories such as Weddingnews.info, which enables you to view and listen to the act that you are considering. However, there are pitfalls that you must be aware of, otherwise you may be tipping your valuable budget down the drain.

Firstly, consider from the very outset the overall presentation of the act. Your initial impressions will serve you well here. For example:

Does the act have a registered business, how long have they been together (in their current form)?
Do they have a Demo you can listen to?
Do they perform anywhere you have ever heard of?
Do they have a web site?
Do they have information that they can send you?
How professional is that information?
How quickly do they respond to you?
Do they have any reliable Testimonials?

Music Agents & Referrals

There are a number of Music Agents who can help you to source your wedding entertainment, however there are a number of critical considerations before you start down this track.

Most music agents have a number of acts which they will recommend to you, whilst you will probably receive a compilation CD of the acts offered by the agency. It is often difficult to decide your entertainment from such compilations, since they are usually only very brief "grabs" of the artist's original Demo CD, with many of the acts performing similar styles and tunes.

Furthermore, you probably won't get to deal with your band or dj directly at any stage, unless authorised by the agency. This can result in confusion on your wedding day, so be sure to verify exactly what it is you are being given by the music agency.

If possible, talk to friends who have been married before to see who they used for their entertainment, and try to locate bands that are recommended to you. There are some bands that work together in a network, you should be able to find success from one of these groups, since they usually only recommend quality acts.

When choosing your entertainment, you need to feel comfortable right from the start. If you feel at any stage that the band or dj may not be able to deliver what you want, then walk away.

How accurate are Demo CD's?

A Demo CD usually represents an act's keenness to do business, and is the most basic requirement for any band. For example: If an act is disorganised and sloppy, then their Demo CD will usually reflect this, or they may have no Demo CD at all.

Whilst a well recorded Demo CD can make an average band sound great, you will find a Demo CD very useful in narrowing down your selection. It is always important to view your entertainment "live" prior to making your choice, however if you are dealing with professional wedding entertainment acts, you may find that they can only be viewed at reception venues.

In these cases, you may get permission from the wedding venue to allow you to see the act performing during at a "live" wedding, also there are many acts who will perform a 'Private Viewing" session, to give you an idea of their sound and style.

Paying for your Entertainment

The type of entertainment you have chosen will determine the varying payment options available to you, but here is rough guide. You should sign a contract with any entertainer that you are looking to hire, as this will bind your agreement.

In most cases, your deposit should not exceed 10% of the total fee, and the balance of payment shouldn't need to be paid until the final week leading up to your wedding, or until the day of your wedding. This decision is a matter of convenience.

If you are booking your entertainment through a music agent, then you may find that payment terms are a little different to the above. You will still need to sign a contract with your booking agent so, as with all contacts you sign, make sure you read the fine print.

See Also

Listen to Wedding Demo CD
Magnet's Wedding Song List
Images of Magnet Wedding Duo
Order FREE Demo DVD