The ceremony was hours ago, your guests all caught up over drinks, confetti was thrown, dinner a triumph and the speeches have kept us all crying and laughing in equal measure. There’s only one thing left to do. Roll up the proverbial rugs, it’s time to shake a tail feather!

Booking a live band for a wedding

The team The Wedding Arrangers we have produced and managed in excess of 300 London weddings over the years. As a result we have been lucky to hear some extraordinary live music; from New Orleans style marching bands to ceilidh, steel pans to swing orchestras - the musical world is your oyster when it comes to your wedding. Whatever your style, we’d be only too pleased to help you find the perfect band to entertain your guests.

But what about the practicalities of live music at your party?

• Set up and soundcheck - many live bands will state an earliest arrival time in their contract. This is often around 6pm which may well be whilst you are enjoying your meal or even during scheduled speeches. A band’s load in and soundcheck can take from 60 - 90 minutes with the sound test itself being particularly disruptive. This may not be an issue in a venue with multiple rooms, however there are venues where the entire event takes place in a single room. Work closely with your planner on the schedule and ensure that the band’s arrival is well managed and that tests do not clash with speeches. You may consider paying an extra fee to ensure early arrival or perhaps having the main PA in place so that set up is 50% done. Again, an experienced planner will work out the best options for you.

• Is size important? From a financial point of view, yes. The more musicians make up your band, the more expensive the group will be. Obviously a nine piece will therefore cost more than a duo, but apart from that they will also take up more space and probably create more volume. Think about the space in your venue and the ‘size’ of the sound you want to create. Remember, sometimes less is more.

• Volume and venue rules. Where a band has a drummer or a brass section there is often difficulty in achieving a lower volume. Where venues have noise restrictions there may be a time limit on live music. It’s easier to turn down a DJ than a drum kit.

• Finish times - like the set up, bands will state a latest finish time in their contract. This is often midnight with additional charges for later closes.

• DJ service - many live bands offer an ‘additional DJ service’. The majority of the time this will be a member of the band managing a playlist on a laptop through their PA set up. You’ll need send the playlist in advance rather than expect the controller to ‘DJ’ in truest sense. If you’d like someone to use their creativity and read the floor (keep the party going!) your best option will be to book a separate professional DJ. Your planner should help with logistics (can the band and DJ share a PA to keep costs down for instance?), timings and practicalities.

DJ or playlist?

Whether you book a live band or not, we’ll need something for your guests to dance to. The obvious choice is a DJ although many clients do consider the option of building their own playlist for the dancing. Clearly the skill of a DJ is to take your musical tastes and translate it to the dancefloor. They will notice when the dancers are flagging and rejuvenate the party with an unexpected twist. A good DJ will blend and mix unexpectedly creating seamless dancefloor moments that Spotify will never achieve.

For some clients the playlist option works. There may only be a short window for dancing and compiling an hour or two of killer party tracks isn’t difficult, but with much more than this, or perhaps for retaining the energy following a band, the DJ option will always win out. If you do go for the playlist option, ensure your laptop is accesible only to your planner. There’s nothing worse than drunk uncle Dave taking over your Spotify with his prog-rock selections half way through your party.

Choosing a DJ

Essentially you have two choices with DJs. Mobile DJs (those that come with a full sound set up, maybe even some dancefloor lighting) and Club DJs (those who arrive with only their music to plug through an existing or hired in system). There are great DJs in both categories and, of course, some dreadful ones in both too. If you’re keen to avoid the cheesey Phoenix nights style Ray Von types, generally we’d advise that Club DJs are less likely to be in that vein. The Wedding Arrangers are always happy to recommend DJs that work for your style, and of course organise all sound and light set ups that they may need. Get in touch to discuss your requirements today.

Thankyou!

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