In my opinion, after the venue the wedding band is THE most important decision you have for your wedding day. After all, you are relying on them to entertain all of your guests and of course the happy couple yourselves for at least 2 hours after the meal. Think of the best party you have ever been to and I guarantee you, the music/band/dancing is what will stick out in your head! You want the same thing for your wedding, so make sure you choose your wedding band with care.
5 Things to Ask your Wedding Band:
- Do they provide a DJ for afterwards or do you have to source one seperately?
- Do they need much time for set up of their equipment?
- Do you have to pay their expenses on top of the quoted amount for the band?
- Will they take requests on the night?
- Do they have a back-up band/contingency plan in case one of them gets sick/is unavailable on the day?
Don’t assume anything, particularly if you are dealing directly with the musicians themselves. Make sure they have played a wedding before and know the dynamic of the event. Think about your age-group – if you have alot of elderly people coming to your wedding, you may not want a very loud band for example. Make sure you go to see them live before you book them – you have to be able to judge their live performance and not just the audio from their website. Talk about their set list, and ask up front for any special songs that you want to be played. So, if they don’t know a particular song that you REALLY want, they have time to go away and learn it for you.
Some (of my favourite) first dance songs:
- Your Song – Elton John
- Someone Like You – Van Morrison
- You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
- You Are The Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
Our Favourite wedding band here at weddingdates.ie are the fabulous Marvels who played our launch party in February. In their own words:-
There is a strong dedication to Groove, Funk and Hip Hop with the band which is brought a fresh new face to the entertainment scene. It’s not every day you see your granny jumping up and down to House of Pain’s Jump Around. The Marvels don’t do empty dance floors!
How about you guys out there – any suggestions for great wedding bands around the country?? Share your knowledge and expertise with our readers by adding a comment below!
