Articles Miscellaneous

Getting the Entertainment Right!

Entertainment – don’t skimp on it!

Memory is a funny thing. Rightly, the bride and groom are the centre of attention throughout their big day, and guest’s memories will always be of the happy couple. Oddly enough, the second most remembered part of a wedding day – by the guests anyway – is usually the reception and / or evening entertainment. So, it’s worth spending time pondering on how to make this part of your wedding day go smoothly and be remembered with a smile by all who attended.

For an evening function, It’s the last part of the day and takes place when everybody is at their most relaxed. Everything has gone according to plan, the service was fabulous, the sun shone for the photographs and the best man even remembered the ring! It’s all over bar the party – and that’s when the entertainment you have selected will need to be high quality. The last thing anybody wants is a DJ who mumbles, a band that are too loud / too quiet, or who play music that nobody recognises.

Of course, your budget should be part of the process when planning your evening entertainment, but there are other factors that you should think about.

Many people opt automatically for a DJ as the simplest and – probably - the least expensive option for evening entertainment. There’s nothing wrong with that – most DJs are good at what they do, and understand the sort of music to be played. Make sure they do know what to play though - an evening of heavy metal may be OK for some, but for the majority you need middle of the road, classic songs from the 60’s (what an era for music!) onwards, some smoochy stuff (it is a wedding after all) and some good old rock and roll for the bridesmaids to show off to!

So, you’ve decided to have a DJ – have you heard him /her before? What is he like? Does he speak clearly? Does he speak too much (it is definitely possible to speak too much!!)? Does he speak too little – perhaps that’s a good thing? Are they going to encourage Aunty Martha to play silly games – and is that what you want?

Check things out before you book is the obvious thing to do – if you’re not sure, go through a reputable entertainment agency who should make sure you get what you have asked for.

If you want to add a bit more memory to the evening, why not think about booking a local band as well as a DJ? It’s a great mix – the DJ can keep the party going while the band are having a rest (most bands will play two sets of around 45 to 60 minutes each) and, of course, the DJ is on hand to get the momentum started and to close the evening off with something suitable (but why is it always New York, New York?).

A band is something a bit special. Live music – and I do NOT mean a singer and a machine playing a backing track - just cannot be beaten for giving guests something to enjoy – if they want to dance, they’ll dance and if they just want to sit back and watch, that’s OK as well (some people will love this – dancing is not for everybody even if they love music!) Even just walking in to a room and seeing the set all ready for the musicians to begin – it’s just something that gives guests a bit of a tingle and sense of expectation

Picking the right band can almost be as nerve-racking as picking the right DJ. Use a reputable agent by all means, but it’s also worth checking out relevant websites such as entertainers directories / wedding organisers and taking a direct approach. (Bands like this approach as they don’t have to pay agency fees….) Ask the venue if they can recommend a band that have either played there before, or who they know will provide a good service. A popular, well booked band will not necessarily need an agent…..

If possible, find a band that play the classic covers that all your guests will recognise. This will at least ensure there will be something for everyone. If you can, take the time to see the band perform before booking them. A good band will have a strong working relationship with their clients and will be able to make sure you can “sneak in” to a private function they are performing at. Alternatively, some bands will do “open to all” gigs at local venues, so check out their gig schedule. At worst, you should ask them for a demo CD – good bands will invest in studio quality demo discs and will have no problem in giving you a copy. Always make sure they will play the stuff you want to hear…..ask them for a play list. Most bands will be happy to perform songs you ask for – but give them a few weeks notice to rehearse things first!

Bear in mind that if the band has lots of bookings, it’s a good sign! Of course, this also means they will be a popular choice, so think ahead – a good band will be booking anything up to 12months in advance. Yes, really!

Bands need space to operate. Most venues are OK with this - they’ve seen it all before - but it’s worth making sure that space is going to be OK. The band will bring more equipment than you have ever seen in your life. A good band will bring stage lighting as well as their instruments, the amplifiers, the speakers, the obligatory 2 miles of cabling, and all the other gadgets (guitarists are the worse for gadgets – check out the array of effects pedals near any guitarists’ feet!).

Some bands will use a Sound Engineer to “mix” the sound they produce. Talk to the band and ask if they do indeed use an Engineer – if they do, ask for details of any difference in costs for using / not using the Sound Engineer. If the difference is not too great, and you can afford it, invest in it. Believe me, a Sound Engineer can make a huge difference to the overall quality. It works like this:

When the band arrives and have plugged everything in, they will want to do a sound check, Without a Sound Engineer, the sound check will be a once-only event. Using a Sound Engineer will mean an ongoing sound check and adjustment throughout the performance, thus ensuring that the balance and overall quality of sound – including highlighting particular instruments when needed for solos etc. - is right for every song. The acoustics of the room can play an important part here as well – when the band do the initial sound check, the room will be empty but once it’s full of people the dynamics of the acoustics and overall sound quality can change substantially – again, the Sound Engineer will make sure that things sound as they should

Pick a band that will work with you. For example, it may be that your wedding breakfast is in the same room as the evening function, so the band will need to set up whilst the wedding ceremony is under way and come back in the evening so as to avoid setting up their equipment while your guests are in the room. Some bands get a bit mopey when asked to do this early set-up – so make sure you have picked a band who don’t mind putting themselves out for you. You’re the customer – and the customer is always right! Ideally, you will have a single point of contact to deal with - he or she will make sure that the rest of the band are up to speed with arrangements and any fine details.

Once the evenings over, the band will want to clear the stuff away. All bands hate doing this. Pick a band that will clear the stuff away in a pleasant, unobtrusive way. A good band will wait until the DJ has finished and the house lights have come up before moving the gear away.

How much should you expect to pay? This is a really difficult question. A high number of function bands are not professional musicians, but are excellent amateurs doing what they love as a bit of a sideline. On average, expect to pay around £100 per head for the band and Sound Engineer. So, a cost of around £500 is probably reasonable - and, in the big scheme of things for a day that will cost thousands, is it unreasonable to pay that little bit extra to ensure high quality entertainment that you and your guests will remember for years?

Have a great wedding and a fabulous day!

Article kindly provided by Mike Cushing of “The Cube”, a function band based in North West England

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