From daytime entertainment to late finishes, wedding bands can offer so much more than a couple of sets in the evening (and even that’s amazing!) We’re here to help you get the most out of your wedding band to help you save money and ensure that your wedding day is as spectacular as it deserves to be. Here are our top tips!
Looking To Hire A Wedding Band?
Book Daytime Entertainment
Did you know that many bands offer acoustic daytime sets as well? If you’d like some live music during your drinks reception, it will nearly always work out cheaper to hire musicians from your evening band to perform rather than booking a separate act. Many offer solo or duo performances but often the whole band will be available to perform acoustically. They may even offer a roaming service!
Or maybe you’d prefer them to play during your wedding ceremony? A live musician will bring an incomparable level of intimacy to this magical part of your day and will captivate your guests far more than a recording.
To find out whether a band offers a daytime service, check their profile or speak to your adviser, who’ll be more than happy to help you find a band that offers exactly what you’re looking for!
Boost Their Line-Up
Have you checked the line-up of the band you love? It’s very possible that there are optional extras available that can add a huge amount of extra pizazz for a very small price! Many bands have the option to add in extra players, for example a sax, keys player or extra singer. Some offer whole horn sections and even dancers! The impact that these additional players can have on the atmosphere a band can create is phenomenal, and well worth the money if you can afford it. Soul and Motown bands sound incredible with added brass instruments and acoustic folk bands sound next level with the addition of a smooth sax!
Use The Band’s DJ Equipment
When you book a wedding band, it’s highly likely that a DJ playlist service will be provided as standard. This means that music will be played through the PA system so that guests can continue dancing while the band aren’t onstage. So this is great news, as it means you don’t need to source a DJ to fill in between sets. Some bands offer a manned DJ service or even a full pro-DJ service as standard and others might offer these services as an optional upgrade. Find out more about DJ services to decide which service is best for you and opt to upgrade or ask about a band who offer your chosen service as standard if you’d like everyone to be able to make requests.
Some bands offer more than a pro-DJ service! Look out for bands that offer a DJ and live musician option. This will often be a saxophone or drum soloist who will play along with the DJ tracks and ensure your guests never want to leave the dance floor!
Ask The Band To Learn Your First Dance
There’s nothing like a first dance song performed live. It’s so much more intimate and memorable when you have a personalised performance of your chosen song. The good news is, nearly all wedding bands offer to learn and play your first dance as standard, so make sure you take them up on it! Ensure you give the band around a month’s notice if you’d like them to learn a song so they have enough time to get it perfect for you. Some bands will learn more than one song so you can have some of your favourite tracks played throughout the night as well. Awesome!
Use The Band’s PA System For Your Speeches
Most bands will be happy to allow you to use their PA system and microphones for your speeches. As long as you have agreed this in advance this can be a great way of saving money if your venue doesn’t have an in-house system.
Book A Late Finish Or An Extra Set
When you book a live band for your wedding, nobody will want the night to end because of the electric atmosphere, so if your venue has a curfew after midnight, you should consider choosing a band that offers a 1am finish so everyone can party into the early hours. Normally this will be their DJ service for the last hour, but if you agree it with the band prior to your wedding you can often book an extra set to keep the party going longer. You only get married once so it’s worth the small fee to extend the best night of your life. You can see whether each band offers these services on their profiles.
Get The Most For Your Budget
If your budget won’t stretch to a standard 4 or 5-piece band, never fear! There are so many smaller options that will keep your dance floor packed all night and create the same level of excitement as a larger band. Soloists or duos will often use backing tracks to produce a full track sound while providing the live music element your guests will crave. Or why not consider a three-piece wedding band? They will create a full-band feel and are generally cheaper than larger bands.
Let’s Get Started…
If you’re ready to browse different acts, check out the best wedding bands available for hire in the UK below. Once you’ve chosen your act, fill in the simple enquiry form on their profile and we’ll get back to you with a quick and comprehensive quote. Or give us a ring on 0800 53 000 35 to speak to one of our friendly advisers who can help match you to your dream wedding band!
