How To Choose A Live Wedding Band

Becky: How do you choose a wedding band for your wedding? Where do you even start to find trusted bands who will give you exactly what you want? The easy answer for that is to check out our Recommended suppliers where you can find wedding bands that we trust to give you the celebration you deserve. And to answer my first question we have enlisted the help of Recommended supplier Music HQ. Music HQ are industry specialists who can help you put together an impeccable entertainment package and we're joined by Suzie to share her top 4 tips for how to choose a wedding band.

If you don’t work in the events industry, you have probably never had to book live music before. Booking a band can seem like quite a daunting task. With this in mind, we have put together a few helpful pointers to set you on the right track. Suzie - Music HQ

How Far In Advance Should I Book My Wedding Band?

Our advice would be to put booking a band at the top of your priority list. Even for dates that would ordinarily be considered ‘off-peak’. The atmosphere a great live band can create will make the day. That fantastic party atmosphere is one of the things your guests will remember more than anything. It will take your celebrations to the next level. So if you find a band you love snap them up.

How Much Does A Wedding Band Cost?

We all know weddings can be costly and everybody has their own budget to adhere to but the impact a brilliant professional live band can bring to your big day is priceless. The memories you create on that dance floor will last a lifetime. There are lots of things to pay for when it comes to your wedding and not all of those things are essential. For example, could you look to disregarding smaller, more insignificant items that might not last beyond your wedding day and move that budget to your entertainment instead? Here's a rough guide of what to budget for a professional wedding band on a peak date. (Travel costs excluded) Example cost of 3 piece wedding band: from £1200/£1400. Example cost of a 4 piece wedding band: From £1500/1800 Example cost of a 6 piece wedding band: From £1750/£2000 There are of course varying levels to the price of bands but hopefully that has given you an idea of starting points. To further elaborate; a Higher-End Showband will start from around £2000 and can go up to £10,000. The price will be depending on the caliber and experience of their musicians and lineup size. With premier wedding bands like iPop their musicians can be on stage with Kylie Minogue or James Arthur one week then playing at your wedding the next. How cool is that?

Why Should I Hire A Professional Wedding Band

It is always also possible to hire a cheaper band. There are plenty of good bands who will happily play at your wedding for a fraction of the cost. They might be a band you’ve seen down your local pub or a friend’s band. However, they may not be of the standard you will require for your special day. Part-time hobby bands potentially may not even still exist when it comes to your wedding day or have the correct equipment needed for a performance in a larger space. Full-time professional wedding musicians specialise in performing at wedding receptions week-in, week-out. Weddings require a significant amount of etiquette; they are high-pressure events with very little room for sub-standard behaviour or mistakes.

Does My Wedding Venue Allow Live Music?

Sounds like an obvious question but not all venues do allow live music; sometimes this is due to sound restrictions or other things. So if a band is an integral part of your celebrations, it is definitely worth checking with the venue before you book anything. With this in mind, it is also worth checking if the venue has a sound limiter system in place or any other rules and regulations that could affect the band's performance. A professional wedding band is not cheap so it's important to make sure the band can deliver their best performance for you, so you get real value for money.

Which Type Of Wedding Band Should I Book?

It can feel quite overwhelming trying to choose the perfect band. You have guests of all ages, and you may feel like you have to try and please everybody. So our advice is to choose a band that you love! Don't worry too much about everyone else. It is your day, and if you are happy, that will set the tone. When your guests see you on the dance floor having a wonderful time they will join you. Rest assured if you book a high-quality professional wedding band they will be able to cater for everyone. As I mentioned above, they do this week in week out and are experts at what they do. They will have a large repertoire of hits and will be able to read the crowd to keep the audience engaged and on the dance floor.

Brilliant music is one of the key ingredients to any great event. An awesome live band will make the day - a bad one can have quite the opposite effect. So whatever band you go with make sure you do your research. Read real reviews, check out their Instagram, watch their promo videos and make sure they are fabulous! Suzie - Music HQ

Becky: Make sure you check out Music HQ and iPop Band on our supplier directory and find the right band for you. You can head over to our IGTV to hear Suzie talk about this more. And you can also check out Music HQ's great YouTube channel here.