Choosing a Band or DJ for your wedding.
By Colette O'Leary
We all know that your wedding is all about showing your family and friends how much you love each other, but there are some factors that can make or break your special day.
If your flowers are disappointing, no one will remember. If your cake does not taste great, no one will remember. If your bridesmaids colour turns out awful, no one will remember. But if your BAND or DJ IS DREADFUL, EVERYONE WILL REMEMBER !
It is the one aspect of your wedding that people respond to. The girls will remember " I
danced all night, the band were fantastic!” The guys will recall how many times they were
dragged up on the dance floor.
I am often asked by Brides “Should I get a DJ or a band?”
I always tell them that a DJ is great and they are less expensive than live entertainment. Their play list can be customised and well chosen. A sophisicated DJ may be the perfect choice for your wedding and it may suit your venue perfectly too.
Meet with your DJ to guage their personality and style. Discuss your needs and wishes for your wedding , and see if you can get to see him in action. Be very clear on what you don’t like and what kind of music you believe will keep your guests happy. But be careful, just because you love Guns and Roses does not mean that your guests will too. Also, make sure that he will play requests for your guests when asked.
Whether its swing or salsa or a four piece ensemble, live music has the ability to get even the most reluctant dancer on to the dance floor. Think about what kind of music you really want. Don’t just the book the “ In” wedding band of the moment ". Pick a band that will reflect you and your partner. You want to enjoy the band as well as your guests and you will want to dance the night away, in your dress, surrounded by all of your family and friends.
I DO’S FOR CHOOSING A BAND
Get references from other couples, ask them what did they like and not like about the band.
Be sure to hear the band live a CD or a video is not enough!
Choose a playlist and a “don’t playlist”.
Make sure your venue has enough electrical points and check if they have their own sound engineer.
Give the band leader your wedding timeline, and ask them how long it will take the band to set up. You do not want the guest sitting there with nothing to do, while the band takes an hour to set up.
The bands needs to get breaks too, so make sure to allow for that.
Make sure the Band Leader can correctly pronounce the name of each person in the bridal party.
I DON’TS FOR CHOOSING THE BAND
Avoid having one style of music throughout.
Don’t position the band too far from the dance floor. If they are not directly in front of the dance floor the energy will not be the same.
Don’t hire a band that you saw live at an outdoor concert. Everything sounds very different in an indoor venue .
WHAT’ S YOUR FAVOURITE SONG FOR YOUR FIRST DANCE?
