How To Book A Band For Your Wedding On A Budget
You’ve set a date, booked the venue and the dress and suits are all in hand. Guest list is decided, next on your list of things to do is to decide on the entertainment for your reception. Wedding parties used to consist of a DJ and disco playing the first dance, but these days more and more people are opting for live music in the form of a wedding singer or a band. But how do you go about finding the perfect music for your wedding, and more importantly, can you do this and still stick to your budget?
Here are a few tips on how you can do this safely and within budget?
- Decide what you want.
Even though it should reflect your style and taste, you have to remember the occasion and your other guests too, You may love thrash metal, but Great Aunt Mabel may not be so keen. Try to find something that can suit you and your guests to ensure the event will be a success – these days Swing bands are quite popular, especially those who do a spin on modern pop and rock classics, and these can be a great option for a wedding.
2. Decide that budget and stick to it.
Ultimately the entertainment is like everything else about a wedding, it needs to be budgeted for, and that budget needs to be stuck to. This can mean shopping around. Using a service like Headliner could help this. They offer a facility where you can search for bands and then book through them, paying only a deposit until after the wedding. They hold the rest of the payment until 48 hours after the wedding to ensure you are satisfied, and there are no hidden fees – your quote is your total price including VAT.
3. Location, location, location
Look at bands that are in your local area, or not too far away. Hiring a band who have to travel a distance may mean that travel costs are also built into your quote, making the price rise considerably.
4. Agree on how long the band will play for.
This is about being clear about your requirements. Decide on how long the set will be for beforehand, and make sure this is clear. The band may be happy to play on and on, but this will probably have to be paid for, so make sure your contract is clear and agreed beforehand.
5. Read those reviews
This is the biggest day of your life, so read the reviews relating to performance, reliability and general attitude towards performing, setting up etc. This could be another good reason to use a service like Headliner, they have especially curated acts that have a high standard of both performance and professionalism to ensure your big day entertainment is just perfect.