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Wedding Planning; Tips on Hiring Reception Entertainment
Congratulations, you're planning a wedding! Whether you are
arranging a wedding for someone else or taking an active role in
planning your own, here are some tips that will make the job of
selecting your reception entertainment a little easier. Your
choice of entertainment can mean the difference between a
wonderful wedding reception and a celebration memorable for all
the wrong reasons.
The first decision you must make will be ‘what kind of
entertainment should I hire?' There are three types of
entertainers that traditionally perform at receptions; disc
jockeys, bands, (including solo and duo entertainers) and
karaoke services.
Disc Jockeys are probably the most common entertainment at
wedding receptions for several reasons. A good DJ can provide
almost any type of music; adding material for him is just a
matter of purchasing CDs or downloading songs. A professional DJ
will be able to adjust volume levels to suit the venue and
event, and in most areas, it's easy to find DJs that specialize
in weddings. If you are using a wedding planner, he or she will
certainly have a list of good wedding DJs. You could also check
local Yellow Pages listings, log on to a wedding planning
website or consult with your wedding photographer and caterer.
It's usually a good idea to select a DJ who specializes in
wedding receptions. He or she will probably be a little more
expensive (remember, the most weddings are weekend events, the
DJ has 2 days in which to earn the majority of his income.) The
dance club spin-master who has been keeping the floor full at
the local watering hole might be a little cheaper; he also might
have a few problems satisfying the wide variety of guests who
will attend your reception. Remember, the music that might make
the groom ecstatic could easily drive Grandma out of her mind.
The novice wedding DJ could also have a lack of understanding of
expected protocol, have difficulty adjusting to the fact the
focus of your event is on something other than the dance floor,
or be incapable of MCing the event if you wish him to.
If you do hire a non-wedding oriented DJ, make sure he or she
has access to a wide variety of music, including the bride and
groom's favorite slow dance songs and something to satisfy the
older guests. You will definitely want to make sure your DJ
knows that volume levels will probably be considerably less than
he or she is used to. You also might want to specify what the DJ
is expected to wear if you expect formal attire, (you should
remember, he might be accustomed to very casual attire, so get
that issue straightened out when hiring him). If you are
expecting your DJ to MC the event, make sure to go over every
detail, assign someone to keep the DJ informed of what's coming
next and specify he will provide an extra microphone for guest
speeches and announcements.
Many people prefer live music; sometimes there is just no
substitute for a band. Having live music at your reception does
introduce a few complications. It is much harder to find a band
that specializes in weddings in a small market. A live band will
find it harder to adapt to various volume levels, and will
probably have a much smaller song selection than even an average
DJ. Still, there is nothing like a live band to bring excitement
to a party, providing everything goes right.
Finding the right band is important. You could try the same
sources for a band that you would for a DJ, hire a favorite band
you've heard, or you could visit a local music store; some
stores will provide you with band listings or have bulletin
boards filled with musician's business cards. If you are not
very familiar with the act, make sure they have been together a
while, and have references. Bands tend to break up and reform
often; the last thing you want is to receive a call from the
band leader the day of the wedding and told "we broke up last
week, sorry." Remember, many bands can only perform a certain
style of music, if you hire a country band, don't expect them to
know the latest hip hop song.
If you hire a band that does not specialize in weddings, go over
the same things you would go over with a club DJ. You will also
want to make sure the band has a CD player and CDs for any
special songs the bride and groom may request that the band does
not know. If you want a band member to MC the occasion, once
again, go over every detail with him or her, assign someone to
keep the band informed and make sure they have a microphone
available for speeches and announcements. Giving the bandleader
some direction on expected dress for the band members as well
might head off the unpleasant surprise of having them show up in
sandals and tank tops, then explaining "It's our image, man..."
One other thing; keep in mind a band will take longer to set up
than a DJ, and will require a ‘sound check.' Make sure
when you book the band, it is understood and in the contract
that all band members will be there for the sound check and it
is finished well before the reception starts. There is nothing
more disruptive than to arrive at a reception just to be greeted
with a blast of feedback and 30 minutes of a band repeating
loudly, "microphone check, 1, 2, 3..."
If you decide on having Karaoke as your entertainment, the
number one thing you should insist on is that the Karaoke
Company you hire will provide dance music as well as backing
tracks for singers. The company should understand that their
primary function is to entertain the reception as a whole, not
just the singers. Karaoke can be quite fun, but it is an all too
common situation for a few bad singers to dominate the stage,
with the rest of the party wincing at the off-key cacophony and
wishing the entertainment would ‘just shut up.' You might
consider having the Karaoke host mix the format so that guest
singers alternate with dance tracks; this is a very good way to
avoid this problem. You should also mention at the time you hire
the company if you would prefer they not bring any of their
regular singers with them. It is surprisingly common for a
Karaoke host to show up at a wedding reception with 5 or 10
extra people and state, "they always sing with me..."
Irregardless of which kind of entertainment you decide on, a few
simple procedures will help you insure the success of your
reception. Always use a written contract. This should state the
date, starting and ending time of the reception and the price.
It should also include the times for setup and sound check, and
state that all preparations will be concluded at a specific time
(which should be well before the start of the reception.) There
should also be a clause stating that the act will perform at a
reasonable volume as determined by a specified representative of
the wedding.
It's a big job planning a wedding, so good luck and get to work!
Make sure to follow these few simple hints; your guests will be
commenting on how beautiful the bride looked, not, how bad the
band sounded.
About the author:
Reese Thomas is a 35 year veteran of the live music industry.
You can check him out at http://www.musicbyreese.com
Reese Thomas
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