6 Things to Ask Yourself When Hiring a Wedding Band
Arranging entertainment for your big day can feel like a big task – but once you understand the process of hiring a wedding band, you’ll realise that there is really no need to worry!
The team at Twisted Entertainment have many years’ worth of experience in helping engaged couples through the process of booking a wedding band.
In this article, we’ll explain what you need to consider before going ahead and hiring a wedding band for your event. This easy guide on how to plan wedding music will help you to answer the following questions:
- How soon should I book my wedding band?
- Should I book my wedding band through an agency?
- Do I need to hire any equipment?
- Do I have to provide food for my wedding band?
- Can I have a DJ and a live band on my wedding day?
- Do I need liability insurance to hire a wedding band?
1. How soon should I book my wedding band?
As soon as you have confirmed a venue for your wedding, you should start researching and contacting entertainment acts.
After all, the best performers will be booked up months – and sometimes even years – in advance. To avoid missing out, you’ll need to confirm things as soon as you possibly can. Most couples book their bands between 8 and 12 months prior to the big day.
Getting your act booked early will also help you when it comes to the matter of how to pick wedding music. Simply select performers that tie in with your preferred theme, and they’ll give you an idea of the type of setlist they usually perform at weddings.
If you have any requests, all you need to do is let them know. More often than not, they’ll be very happy to learn a couple of songs of your choosing.
2. Should I book my wedding band through an agency?
When your hiring a wedding band, it is almost always best to arrange your entertainment through a specialist booker or agency like Twisted Entertainment.
This is partly because every act on our roster has been cherry-picked, so you know they’ll be talented and experienced. What’s more, you’ll receive regular transparent communications from your booker, and if anything goes wrong, they’ll have contingencies in place to help you out.
Twisted Entertainment has been helping marrying couples to find their ideal musicians for many years, and our talented acts are available to perform anywhere in the world.
We’ll support you throughout the entire process, making everything easier and more streamlined.
3. Do I need to hire any equipment?
The answer to this question depends on how you have hired your act. If you’ve gone through an agency like Twisted Entertainment, your chosen act will always have their own amplification equipment – which will all be PAT tested and ready to go.
Be sure to check with your act and venue about any equipment requirements. One of our top wedding music tips is to discuss any noise restrictions well in advance to avoid any problems later on.
4. Do I have to provide food for my wedding band?
If you’re having live music throughout the day – at your ceremony, drinks reception and evening event of a combination of the above, it’s highly recommended that you provide food and drink for your act. After all, it’s going to be a long day for them!
Ideally, this should be factored into the cost of hiring a band for a wedding, and included in your budget.
Even if they’re only playing at the reception, the marrying couple is usually expected to provide food and refreshments for the band.
5. Can I have a DJ and a live band on my wedding day?
Absolutely! In fact, when considering hiring a wedding band, most couples choose a DJ to play at their reception.
You might choose to only have live music at the ceremony and drinks reception, then switch to a DJ for the entire evening. Alternatively, you might prefer for a live act to play a two hour set to get the party going after your meal, then switch to a DJ once they’ve finished.
6. Do I need liability insurance to hire a wedding band?
This depends on the booking method you’ve chosen. If you’ve used an agency to hire your wedding band, the act will usually have their own insurance. This is always the case with performers represented by Twisted Entertainment.
Always be sure to check what the situation is regarding insurance before you confirm your chosen act.
For further tips on how to hire a wedding band, or to find out about the superb acts we have on our roster, simply get in touch with Twisted Entertainment today. We’ll provide you with all of the information you require.