Score Live Music
Alan Dalgleish & Marina Fratta, 54 Upper Broadmoor Road, Crowthorne, Berkshire, RG45 7BY
Telephone 01344 772511 Email info@scorelivemusic.co.uk
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How to choose the right entertainment for your wedding
Your wedding is a truly special day which you want to be perfect in every way and
once the venue is chosen you will want to start thinking about the entertainment
to complement your plans. Entertainment comes in many forms and does not have to
be limited to music alone! With so many entertainment options to choose from it
can sometimes seem daunting trying to decide what will be right for you and just
as importantly how it will relate to your choice of venue.
With a whole day to plan, you want to ensure all your guests are catered for whatever their age and also consider the experience they are having. There are often times during a wedding when there is down time such as having photographs taken or a room change round and it is important to make sure your guests are entertained. Whilst considering what type of entertainment will fit with your plans, your venue and most importantly your budget it’s a good idea to break down the day into sections.
Hints & Tips
The Ceremony
If you are having a church ceremony a popular option is to choose the traditional
church organ to play hymns whilst guests are arriving and during the ceremony. However,
you can choose whatever you like to play you into the ceremony and you may like to
consider alternative options such as a harpist or a string quartet. Having a vocalist
at your ceremony will add another dimension – lyrics, which can make a beautiful
occasion even more emotional!
For those of you that are choosing a civil ceremony adding live music such as a harpist or a soloist can create a wonderful atmosphere. If you are thinking of booking live musician/s for your ceremony, you may well be able to also have the same artist/s play for your drinks reception.
Drinks Reception & Wedding Breakfast
As the bride and groom, you are the centre of attention on your special day and it
is easy to overlook the guests’ experience at certain times of the day. Many couples
have their wedding photographs taken during a drinks reception prior to the wedding
breakfast and it is essential that your guests are kept entertained during this time.
Live
music or an entertainer is ideal for creating an atmosphere immediately following
your ceremony, whether you are arriving from church or holding your ceremony at the
venue. Providing entertainment not only keeps your guests amused, but it can also
act as an ice breaker, providing a common point of reference to strike up a conversation
for guests who may not know each other.
Popular choices for musical entertainment at this point in the day include a guitarist,
classical or jazz; string quartet or a pianist, which can be on a keyboard or if
the venue has one, a piano.
If there will be a number of children attending, it may
be worth booking a children’s entertainer – but remember your entertainer is not
a child minder! At least one adult should remain with the children (dependent on
age) to cover toilet visits and so on. If there is suitable outside space you could
hire in some in-expensive garden games such as giant Jenga or giant snakes and ladders
which are a hit with children of all ages and adults alike!
Some of the most popular
musical choices for the daytime are harp, classical ensemble, guitarist or jazz duo/trio.
Alternative entertainment might be a magician or a caricaturist.
Evening Entertainment
The evening entertainment can help turn the evening celebration into a real party!
So, remember, if choosing a band for the evening, most will provide music during
any breaks, providing you a combination of both disco music and live performance,
which is an economical option! Bands can of course also work in conjunction with
a stand-alone disco too. If you decide to choose a band or singer, ensure your chosen
act has a broad appeal. Another consideration regarding your entertainment choice
is whether it needs to fit with your overall theme of the day and there are numerous
styles to choose from including jazz, soul or even a swing singer.
However, remember
that there will be guests of varying ages attending and it’s important to recognise
that. Simply choosing your favourite tunes may not ensure that the reception goes
well – it often pays to offer a broad range of tunes whether that is from band or
disco in order to appeal to all the age groups.
To add that something different you
might like to consider having a fun casino, a magician or even a silhouette cutter.
This will give your guests a night to remember and if your budget can stretch to
it why not consider some fireworks – the perfect finale to your perfect day!
Final points to consider:
- Remember that many venues will enforce the requirement to have public liability insurance and PAT certificate (proves electrical safety), where applicable.
- Weather – one factor you can’t control! However, if you are planning to have any entertainment outside during the summer months consider that musicians may need shade not only for themselves but for their instruments! Also if it rains, do you have an alternative area they can perform in?
- If you choose to have musicians outside that require some power such as keyboards or vocals or even some steel bands, they will usually carry their own extensions cables which can usually be run unobtrusively from the venue onto a terrace.
- Size of venue – is there room for the type of entertainment you are considering. Is there room for a 7 piece band when a good duo or trio may fit the bill?
- And finally, don’t forget that your entertainers will really appreciate being fed and watered – their days can be long too!
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