When you are looking to hire a wedding band in London, you just don’t want to book a band. You want to book and enjoy a whole music experience for your special day which will live on in the memories of the hosts and guests for many years to come.
Most wedding bands in London love what they do - giving musical pleasure to people. This should shine through in their every performance. Their sheer energy at the reception venue, a tight musical ensemble and varied repertoire all contribute to near non-stop dancing and singing all through the event to ensure a good time being had by all. They are in effect committed to creating truly great memories of the day.
Premier wedding bands in London
This aim is certainly that of one of the premier wedding bands in London, Sensation Band. This line-up of musicians and vocal talent has accompanied top names in the UK music scene - stars like Lilly Allen, Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson, Taio Cruz, Incognito, as well as a host of others who have in their careers performed on the global stage. The energy and extensive talents of Sensation Band have placed them in much demand on the wedding bands in the London circuit.
Seven top tips for booking bands
So, what are the criteria for booking a successful wedding band - in London or anywhere for that matter? Here are 7 top tips:
- Having chosen a short list of bands, get them to send you a list of the songs they do and sample recordings before booking any one of them. This should eliminate any doubts you may have about whether their act is right for you and, of course, for your guests. Remember, it’s their day as much as yours - you have to keep them happy. Such info bands can usually provide online these days, although some bands still send out CDs and DVDs.
- You don’t have to have seen them play live. Their demos, repertoire, experience and of course the all important testimonials from past clients should be enough to allow you to go ahead and make a booking. The very best wedding bands in London tend only to play at private events like weddings, parties and corporate or company events. They have enough private work coming in not to have to slog around the pubs and clubs circuits. These are usually professional or semi-professional musicians and singers.
- Be absolutely clear as to what you want the musicians to do. Don’t leave it open-ended, or you could see a lot of bored faces around the room with little movement on the dance floor. You may OK requests from guests, but don’t let this get out of hand or it could get very confusing and even embarrassing for the band members – you may also have guests arguing among each other! There is the embarrassing story of a bride who wanted what she thought was the slower version of Blue Moon as rendered by the likes of Mel Torme and Cliff Richard. The wedding musicians' keyboard player, having just been supplied with song title, played the speeded up version of the classic by The Marcels. Instead of a slow romantic dance with her no partner, she found herself swamped by guests leaping about to the 'bomp-baba-bomp' and 'dip-da-dip' of the revised, re-energised pop hit!
- Get everything in writing, asking for confirmation from the performers in wedding bands London you book. It could be wise to draw up a contract or letter of engagement, signed both by you and the musicians.
- Be exact on timings, so everyone knows what's happening and when - although wedding receptions can run notoriously late.
- Don't part with any money until you’re completely satisfied the band can make their commitments.
- The week before the wedding call to reconfirm that everything’s OK for your big day.
and finally...
Lastly, but very importantly, look after the band when they’re there. By providing food and refreshments and a private area to relax on their break, they’ll always appreciate such gestures and give their performance that extra something which will make it a truly memorable occasion.