Booking the music for your wedding? Here's my Top 5 Tips!
Most people don’t realise it, but music is arguably one of THE MOST important parts of a wedding; it sets the right tone for the day and it elevates the mood of everyone around. Here are my Top 5 Tips for getting the music right for your big day:
Try before you buy – can you hear some demos?
You wouldn’t buy a car without a test drive, and you shouldn’t book a musician without getting to know them and their style either! Music is like handwriting – musicians may play the same piece, but their musical handwriting will be different.
Ask your musician to demo your favourite songs (this could be done informally over a call/Zoom, or even just a voice memo on their phone). If you get the opportunity to see them play live at a wedding fayre or gig, even better.
Check their socials and listen to as much of their material as you can, as it paints a clearer picture of what you will get on the day.
Pick music personal to you, and to make your guests smile!
Whilst you should definitely pick the music that is most personal to you for your ceremony, the song choices for the rest of the day should be about making sure your guests are having a great time too.
Make it memorable to them – a great tip is to ask guests to give you their favourite songs on the wedding invitations!
Let your musicians know if there’s any songs you definitely DON’T want!
A lot of couples are very clear on what tunes they definitely DO want, but it’s rare that they tell you the songs they DON’T want.
I ask all my couples for this, as the last thing any musician wants to do is bring the mood down by playing a song that gets on the bride’s nerves!
Take a moment to think if there’s any songs that may cause offence.
Logistics on the day and a Plan B
Do you know where you want your musicians to play? Is there access to power? If you want them to perform outside, what happens if it rains? Do you have a contingency? If you need your musician to move locations (i.e., between the ceremony and drinks reception), is there clear access?
These are things that a lot of couples don’t think about, but it’s imperative that you have a clear plan in place for your day to run smoothly.
A good musician will always liaise with both you and the venue to make sure the day runs smoothly, so create a clear plan with them to ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day.
Make sure your musicians have enough time to set up
Unless you’ve booked a flautist, musicians often carry a lot of equipment! This means lots of trips back and to the van to get everything in, and then more time to get everything into place and check everything works.
Make sure you ask your musicians how much time they need to set up and pack down so there are no surprises on the big day.
Don’t forget that your musicians are humans too and they may need a comfort break or two (especially if performing all day!) A bite to eat and a drink are always appreciated too 😊