All aspects of wedding planning are subject to the utmost scrutiny. There are probably few other areas of your life where you do as much research, checking, double checking, doubting and decision making. Planning the entertainment for your day is no different.
Your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your life and a landmark in your development as an individual. It’s understandable that you want it to be just right. That’s just one of the reasons we run this blog, to provide the information you need to make good decisions about your wedding day.
This week, we’re talking about the entertainment. When the formal proceedings are all over, you’re married, tired, relieved and ecstatic at the same time, it’s only right that you have something to take your mind off and let your hair down. If you have guests, they deserve it too.
That’s where the reception and the entertainment comes in. Something loud, disco, rock, electronic, traditional or formal, depending on your tastes. While there are dozens of types of innovative wedding entertainment, we’re assuming you want music. All of these tips can be applicable to other types of wedding entertainment, so the same rules apply whatever you’re looking for.
Here are our top tips for finding the right wedding entertainment for you!
Do Your Research
Choosing the kind of wedding entertainment you want is the logical first step. Then you can decide whether to go with a wedding performer, or performer who play weddings. This is a small, but important distinction.
We have all seen “those” wedding performers parodied on television. While they aren’t all like that, many wedding performers are of a type that aren’t suitable for all types of wedding. You should decide early on which camp you’re in.
Researching your wedding entertainment consists of asking everyone you know, looking on the internet and through either the entertainment press or wedding magazines. Recommendation is always best, but it isn’t always possible. Fortunately, there are lots of artists’ websites and agency websites that advertise a huge range of acts for this very purpose.
Shortlist
Once you have a source of good acts for your chosen type of entertainment, see if you can access their personal site to get a listen. Most performance artists will host videos on their websites showcasing what they do or have some on YouTube. It’s time to watch some.
Making a shortlists concentrates your efforts on a couple, or a few acts that you can learn more about. Your job is made easier if you have a clear favourite for your wedding day, but otherwise, it’s a case of checking them out and either ruling them out or in.
Check reviews of performances, feedback, testimonials, local press and any source of news about the act and how they perform. Get a feeling for them, how they operate and whether they are professional or not. These will all impact how much they add to your wedding day.
See Them Live
If you have ever bought a studio album and then seen an act live, you know how different they can be. With modern artists being polished, auto-levelled and mixed beyond belief, it’s essential to see your chosen act(s) live, or at least listen to a live demo before selection.
This is made easier if you’re looking for a performer who also does weddings as they will be gigging steadily throughout the year. Once you have your favourite or your shortlist, it’s time to go see them.
Quote and Schedule
If you like what you see, you need to book them as early as possible. That’s especially true for summer weddings as it’s always the busiest time for anyone in the business. If the performer is established enough, they may have an agent, if not contact them direct.
Get a quote for the night and see what their schedule is. You will also want to know what their playlist is like, how long they perform, if they have any special requests and anything else they need for the night.
As long as the quote is reasonable and offers you value and they are available, you should book them. Arrange a meeting in person to confirm.
Meeting and Booking
Even though we can run our lives online, it’s always good to meet people face to face. It provides both a tangible and intangible quality to any relationship, business or personal. That’s why it’s such a good idea to meet and greet everyone who is working on your wedding.
Meet the performer and confirm the booking if you still like what you see. Get the confirmation in writing, pay a deposit and get some kind of contract.
Organising a wedding is full of stress and anxiety but do it logically and be organised and you can take a lot of that away. If you follow these tips for booking your wedding entertainment, the process should be easy, enjoyable and reassuring. All things a bride and groom need when they have so much on their plate!