Once you’ve set the date and booked the venue you need a plan of action for your wedding band hire! Having live music creates an incredible atmosphere and definitely adds extra WOW factor to your wedding day. There’s no doubt, when you see a live band at wedding events it creates plenty of superb impact. So, if you’ve set your heart on having a wedding band for your party, you need to think about hiring one. Of course, if you don’t know the type of band you want then it’s best to do some research, which isn’t quite as daunting as you might think.
Choose Wisely!
No doubt you’re bound to have been to a few weddings so you definitely have an opinion on what you like and what you don’t like. Even if both you and your partner don’t have similar taste, it doesn’t mean you can’t find the perfect band to cover what both of you love and those old favourites that your guests will adore too. Your wedding band needs to be able to cater to everyone, there’s no point in having a band play jazz all night if half of your guests prefer disco, and, neither is there any point in hiring a wedding band for your party to just play rock ‘n’ roll when most of your guests are age 20 to 30.
The important factor to remember is you need versatility so everyone gets up and parties with you! If you don’t know what you want then talk to a reputable entertainment agency, like us at Warble, as we will help to advise and guide you. At Warble we can arrange for you to see some of our bands we think you will love, in action. However, where this is not possible we have comprehensive profiles available that include audio, images, videos and previous customer feedback to help narrow down your choices.
There are many different styles, as mentioned, rock ‘n’ roll, 80’s music, Rat Pack, jazz, vintage, marching bands, soul, Motown, pop, reggae and more. It could be that you love two or three different genres and there are bands that can definitely play a variety of different types of music. You might even want more than one band. Use our knowledge to help guide you so you can impress your guests and relax!
Know Your Budget
Before you even start looking at bands, do you know what your budget is? Talk to us about what you have to spend but bear in mind prices will vary according to the number of members in a band, any traveling fees, if a sound engineer is required, whether they offer a DJ option, etc. Wedding band prices start from approximately £700+ so work out what you can afford and check what the band package includes.
Listen To Some Bands
Don’t take the decision lightly. If a few bands tickle your fancy or you are unsure what you want then listen to them. We can organise for you to see some bands in action, if they have a showcase available or are close enough for you attend a rehearsal. Failing this, all the Warble profiles are full of useful information, such as previous testimonials, photos of the bands in action, live videos, audio clips and biographical info. It’s hugely important to find out as much as you can before booking a band so your party is a complete success and you get what you both want.
Book Early
Once you’ve decided on what you want – BOOK IT! There is nothing worse than finding out the wedding band you have fallen in love with has been booked up. At Warble we won’t pair you with a band that is unavailable but we will urge you to book the one you like as quickly as possible because they are all in demand. Some bands get booked up more than 12 months in advance – but don’t panic because there will always be an alternative. We have so many bands on our books we’re confident we’ll always be able to help and make your day no less than perfect.
Check Your Venue Size
Before you run headlong into booking a band you must make sure the venue will be able to cope with it. For example, if you have a huge room with a capacity of 500+ then you will need to check that the band has a PA large enough to be heard. It may also be more visually appealing to have a larger line-up band for a bigger venue. It’s a good idea to know the size of your room and speak to us so we can help tailor suitable options to fit the size of your room perfectly.
Get A Playlist
Once you have your mind set on a band, or even if you’ve narrowed it down to a couple of favourites – ask for a playlist and read it through. See what music you love and tick it off so you know what songs are going to be played on the night. This is also a good time to check your wedding band can play your first dance choice. So – while it may be early to choose your first dance music – ask if you know what you want. Some bands are happy to learn first dances, and there is more likelihood of this if they have more notice what your choice is.
Finally, here’s a small wedding band hire checklist for you to help finalise the details. Ask yourself the following questions and if the answer is YES to all of them… you’re ready and raring to go!
PAT and Public Liability Insurance (PLI)
At Warble we ensure that all of our acts have their electrical equipment tested for safety (PAT testing) with appropriate certificates, and, that they also hold pertinent Public Liability Insurance. Just about every venue in the UK will require copies of these documents and this is a logistical matter that we help take out of your hands and give you one less thing to worry about.
Your Wedding Band Checklist
- Have you set a wedding band budget?
- Is the wedding band you want to hire available for your date?
- Does your wedding band cater to your guests tastes?
- Can your band play your favourite songs?
- Will your room be a suitable size for the band you want?
- Do you have a playlist from the band?
- Have you made any special music requests well in advance?
- Does your chosen band have PAT and PLI?
For more information on wedding band hire and to discuss your perfect wedding band, contact Warble Entertainment on 0845 643 9384.
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