Choosing the Right Band for Your Wedding - Part 1 - Style and Genre

So...you’re lucky enough to have found the partner of your dreams, and now you’re planning the biggest day of your lives so far! You’re probably swimming in a heavenly sea of bouquet designs, table decorations and (my favourite part) making-ever-so-sure  you go to as many caterers free ‘tasting sessions’ as possible (just to make sure you get the meal ‘just right’)...it’s a wonderful time! More importantly it’s a great time for the whole wedding party, your family and friends coming together to help with all-things-wedding!

When it comes to finding the right band for your wedding, there’s a lot to think about, and much like everything else it’s something that everyone has an opinion about and wants to be involved with! There are a million factors running through your brain... Do I want to find a band that will please everyone, or would I rather have something that will please us (it is our day after all!)? Do I go for the traditional ‘old men in suits’ vibe or something more modern and funky? How do I know if a band is professional, reliable and will (more importantly) put on a fantastic show?

My next three articles are here to help make your decision easier by going over a few key factors. Obviously finding a band that you love is a personal thing and everyone looks for something different, but if you follow these rough guidelines I think you’ll find it a lot easier to sift through the thousands of bands you may find online.

Think about what style band you’d like

This is difficult – perhaps your hubby-to-be is an avid lover of ‘Megadeath’, whereas you are a big ‘Sclub7 fan’ (they do say opposites attract). Then of course you have the other hundred or so guests to think about, with their mix of tastes! It is of course your day, and if you tried to please everyone you’d go absolutely nuts trying to find a band who could play a specially designed playlist of Megadeath, Sclub, Barry Manilow, Spice Girls, Acon and The Killers...to name only a few (not a good idea!). However, here’s a bit of a rundown of some great choices...

All round Party Band

Probably the most common band you will find online for weddings. Playing a wide range of hits from 50’s to the modern day, this sort of band will appeal to everyone and are guaranteed to keep your guests up and dancing all night!

I would recommend looking for: a young, fresh looking band that have a wide repertoire and play a good mix of tunes, including a modern selection for the younger generation (a lot of bands of this style don’t include much modern music, which is a shame as a bit of Killers, Kings of Leon and Robbie Williams always goes down a treat!)

Try to stay away from: Old men in bow-ties who read sheet music and look like if they played too hard they may pass out and need an ambulance to take them home! (unless that’s what you want of course!)

Handy Tip...You might be interested in booking some kind of jazz act for earlier in the day as well as your ‘main event’ for the evening – I’d recommend looking for a party band that offers a jazz option, rather than booking two separate bands. This will save you bundles of money, and cuts down your searching time!

Themed Band

Alternatively, you could go for a more specific themed band if you have more defined ideas of what you want and what you think your guests would like.  There are a plethora of great themed bands out there, which are brilliant fun, and if it’s a theme you really love then perhaps this will suit you better.

Popular ideas for a themed band for your wedding:

• 70’s disco tribute (always great fun with the cheesy costumes)
• 80s or Skool Disco tribute (bit of a walk down memory lane is always a giggle)
• Motown theme (this is a nice theme that usually keeps the older generation happy as well as the younger guests)
• Ceilidh band (fantastic fun, get your granny doing the dance routines!)
• Tribute bands (Robbie Williams, Abba, Beatles, Elvis etc)
• Rock/Indie theme (VERY popular at the moment, playing hits from Killers, Arctic Monkeys etc)

I would recommend looking for: A themed idea that you LOVE! If you’re going to go for this option, it’s got to be all about you, you, and you! Choose a theme that you and your other half will love, and want to hear a whole evening of!

Try to stay away from: Anything too cheap. Unfortunately with this, money does matter. If you’re going for a theme you want to book a high quality act that has an authentic sound, costumes and equipment.

Handy Tip...Themed bands are great fun, but perhaps it might be worth thinking about teaming them up with a DJ for the night, so while the band will cover all your favourite tunes,  the DJ can cover a wider range to suit the other guests tastes.

Check out my next article to discover the wonderful world of bands and their promotional material...

Love & Hugs

Sera

Article by Wedding Entertainment Specialist Sera Golding

Image 1 and 3 Courtesy of Shirley Nicklin Photography

Image 2 Courtesy of Tony Woolliscroft

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Read other Wedding Advice articles