Tips on hiring a band from Dorset Marquee Hire. This is one of a series of articles about weddings that we found and thought might be of interest whether your wedding is in a hired Dorset marquee or not.

Your wedding is one of the most treasured nights of your life, so it’s important to make sure that it’s remembered for all the right reasons. Choosing the right musicians for your reception can make all the difference between a good wedding and a great wedding. Here are some tips and pointers to remember if want to hire a wedding band.

The benefits of hiring a live band:

Whereas a DJ can only play pre-recorded songs from a play list, a live band has the flexibility to adjust their music (within the constraints of your own personal music preferences) to suit their audience. They can build a unique relationship with their audience and judge the mood of the night and choose music appropriate to that mood. Another handy benefit of choosing a live band is that you may be able to ask one of the band members to act as MC for the evening.

When to start looking:

You should start looking for a band a minimum of 6 months before the actual date of your wedding. This will give you enough time to make enquiries, sample music produced by different bands, and make sure that everyone is clear on all the details for the event.

How do you find the right band?

When you have decided what style of music you would like played at your reception, it is time to start looking for the right band to perform it. Word of mouth is always the best way of finding a good, reliable band, so ask your friends and relatives, wedding consultants and event coordinators. Try and choose a band that already has some experience with wedding entertainment. If they haven’t, you will have to make sure they know exactly what they are doing and when, to ensure that the night runs smoothly.

Where possible, try and see your potential entertainment performing live. This will give the best idea of their musical competency and the relationship they create with their audience. Otherwise, ask for a recording of their work, preferably in video format.

Details, details, details:

Knowing beforehand what pieces your band is going to be playing is key to ensuring that you and the audience enjoy the selection. Get a copy of the band’s regular play list, and don’t be afraid to tell them what you want. Some bands will even learn new pieces for you, so if there’s a particular song you have in mind, just ask if they would be able to include that in their play list.

Make sure that the venue or marquee hire is capable of hosting your chosen band. This includes finding out if there are any sound or space restrictions, how many power points there are and where, and how big the stage is. Ask the band about the equipment they will need, how much space they require, and whether they have any other special requirements.

A contract is necessary to make sure that everyone understands what is expected of them. It should contain all the details of dates, times, set-up and departure, payment of the band, break times and refreshments, attire, insurance, transport arrangements, overtime, and other unforeseen costs. If you would like the band to act as your MC for the evening, this must be added into the contract. Band members should be named individually in the contract, and the desired play list or musical style should be written down.

The band should start setting up at the venue or marquee an hour before the reception starts. This will provide plenty of time to work out and problems and do all the sound checks.

Musician Rick James is one of the members of Soul Desire who writes for the http://www.souldesire.co.uk website. Hiring a specialist Wedding Band will make all the difference to the success of your event. Find out more about hiring an amazing Essex Wedding Band when you visit this website.

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