When you’re trying to find a venue for your wedding, it seems like there’s an endless list of questions you should ask them before signing on the dotted line. If you’d like to book some live music, you’ll want to make sure you’ve asked the following questions, so you’re sure that your venue can accommodate your dream wedding band!
Contents
- Is Live Music Allowed?
- Are There Any Sound Restrictions?
- How Big Is The Performance Area?
- Does My Band Have To Use An In-House Sound System?
- Is There A Sufficient Power Supply?
- Is There Space For The Band To Park and Unload?
- When Is Curfew?
- What Food and Refreshments Can You Provide For The Band?
- Does The Band Have To Arrive At A Set Time?
- Where Can My Guests Go While The Band Do Their Sound Check?
Looking To Hire A Wedding Band?
Is Live Music Allowed?
You’d think this is a given – but it’s not always! Some venues are very particular about the type of music allowed to be performed on the premises and amplified music might be off the agenda. (If it is, we can suggest alternative acts that will still make your party pop!)
Are There Any Sound Restrictions?
This one is far more common. More and more venues are introducing sound limiters these days. A sound limiter is a device that will simply cut the power to amps and speakers if the noise level reaches a certain point – which can be very frustrating for both the guests and the band! However, for a regular 4 or 5-piece wedding band, the musicians will be very used to working within the parameters of sound restrictions and it shouldn’t be a problem at all.
In order to conform to sound restrictions, your venue might ask drummers to play on an electric drum kit, or ask amplified instruments to be played through a sound system rather than an on-stage amplifier. This can affect the quality of sound, so find out before you book. If you’re struggling to find a band who are able to play at a low enough sound level, get in contact with us, and we will be able to help you find someone who can.
How Big Is The Performance Area?
There’s nothing more upsetting than hiring your dream band then finding out on the day that there isn’t enough space for them all to perform. Find out from your venue what the ideal size of band is before booking anyone. You could always consider a smaller band or an alternative line-up instead if the stage area is small.
Does My Band Have To Use An In-House Sound System?
At Entertainment Nation, nearly all our bands provide their own high-quality sound systems. Some venues insist that bands use their in-house system instead. This shouldn’t be a problem for most bands, but obviously run it by your agency before booking!
Is There A Sufficient Power Supply?
If a band needs amplifiers, it needs power to supply them (normally 2x 13 amp sockets). This isn’t normally a problem inside, but if you’d like them to perform outdoors (which many bands will) the venue will need a decent outdoor power socket. Often, this is unavailable, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have an awesome band. Roaming bands perform acoustically, without any need for amps, wires or plugs, and will move around and interact with your guests!
Is There Space For The Band To Park and Unload?
Check out the space available for your band to unload. There has to be plenty of space to get drum kits and large instruments into the venue easily. Try to ensure that the unloading areas is as close to the performance areas as possible to minimise the lugging of heavy equipment. Also make sure that there is parking available for your band – they won’t be able to perform if there isn’t!
When Is Curfew?
Most venues will have a finishing time of midnight, but some venues are able to offer later finishes of half twelve or 1am. If your venue has a later curfew, you might want to consider a band that is able to offer a late finish as an optional add-on to keep partying even longer!
What Food and Refreshments Can You Provide For The Band?
Bands work incredibly long hours and often have to travel across the country to get to different venues. Often, they might not have had time to eat! It’s therefore reasonable that we ask you to provide a hot meal and mineral water or soft drinks for them. It doesn’t have to be what the wedding party are eating, but most venues are able to supply something to give them the fuel they need to perform their best! Find out what’s on offer at your venue and whether you need to make alternative arrangements so the band can eat.
Does The Band Have To Arrive At A Set Time?
Venues will sometimes ask bands to arrive earlier than usual to make sure sound checks can be done before guests arrive. This is uncommon but not unheard of. If this is the case, your band will need to charge more to cover their time so it’s best to find out in advance!
Where Can My Guests Go While The Band Do Their Sound Check?
Bands normally take around an hour to set up and complete their sound check. Most venues will have a plan to make this as unobtrusive as possible for you and your guests, so find out what the plan is before booking, to ensure everything can run smoothly.
Once you’ve got all the answers, you should be ready to choose your dream wedding band! At Entertainment Nation we have hundreds of the top live music acts in the country available for hire. Check them out!
