Choosing A Professional Wedding Band

With so many bands available on the internet, we have created our exclusive guide which will help you to find a true professional band. Read on to find out what you must remember to check and which questions to ask before making a booking!

Why Book A Professional Wedding Band?

You've set a date, booked the venue and sent out the inviations! You may have thought of all the other things such as flowers, caterers, cake and the photographer. Now all you need is entertainment for the evening! You love live music and your friend Craig has offered to play at your wedding. He'll probably do for it for 'mates-rates' as he sometimes plays with his band for fun on weekends down the local pub.

You could ask Craig to do it but what if the band doesn't play the music you like? Or worst of all what if they don't turn up?
By hiring a professional band you're not only getting fantastic entertainment but also their years of experience as well as a secure contract, which means you can be assured that the band will turn up on your wedding day. Professional bands will have played many weddings, from small intimate barns to grand castles and know exactly what they are doing. They are used to liasing with you and your wedding cordinator to ensure you get exactly what you want on your special day.

All you have to do is sit back and enjoy your wedding day, knowing your entertainment is in safe hands.

What Should I Look For?

• Type of Music: Think about the type of music you would like your band to play during the day. Professional bands will have their repertoire list on their website, so you can see what styles they cover.  Their lists should contain songs from all genres, suitable for all guests. Bear in mind that your taste in music and your guests' taste may vary. A good band will get everyone on the dancefloor without comprimising on your tastes!

• Testimonials: Make sure you check for client testimonials to see what other couples have to say. Do they have glowing reviews or just one-liners? Look for bands with detailed reviews.

• Timings: What time would you like the band to perform? By giving them as much information as possible about your day, the band can taylor a package for you. Don't worry if you only have estimated timings, a professional band will be able to guide you! Most bands cover anything from 2x60 to 3x40 minute sets of live music and some will be happy to play background music via an iPod during their breaks and after their performance.

• Ask questions: An experienced wedding band will be happy to liase with you before the day, making sure to ask all the right questions and giving you their experiecned advice, ensuring your day goes ahead as planned.

• Security: Professional bands will always make sure to send you a contract with all the necessary details. In addition most band's will aks for a small deposit which will secure the date and ensure that no other booking is taken for that day. It also guarantees that they won't cancel on your event!

• Equipment: Cheaper bands are more likely to sound cheap whereas professional bands will have much better quality equipment (such as their PA sound system and lighting) on top of that they also have better playing ability! Above all they will be able to provide your wedding venue with Public Liability Insurance as well as fully PAT tested equipment.

Hopefully this guide has been useful. If you would like more information or a bespoke quote for your wedding just get in touch!