Picking Your Wedding Band

As a veteran musician for over 25 years, I have played
literally thousands of weddings. Based on my experiences,
I offer these tips on successfully choosing a band for
your big day:

Get their Promo Kit - The promo kit is
a good indicator of the level of professionalism of the
band. This is their calling card. Pros will have invested
a good amount of time and money in creating this vehicle
of first impression. The kit should contain a quality
recording. Chances are that not everyone involved in the
wedding-planning process (i.e., parents) will be able
to see a live performance, so you'll want to have a good
demo tape (or CD) to play for them. The kit should also
include bios of the band members. You'll know if you're
getting experienced players and who they've worked with
in the past. Most groups already have a reputation in
the area they work.

Go see the band perform live - The best way to
know if you like a band is to see them actually perform.
Videos, tapes and promo kits are great, but the way to
see what you're really getting is to go to a gig. A professional
organization will do periodic showcases for prospective
clients if they do not perform in nightclubs.

Check out their Song List - Make sure you like
the band's basic repertoire. A song list should be made
available to you. Most bands will learn 2 or 3 special
request tunes for you, but make sure you give them plenty
of notice. Choose a band that can cover a wide range of
styles from different time periods, and whatever ethnic
specialty music you need. Your grandparents probably love
40's music and you'll want to make them happy, too.

Details, Details, Details! - Try not to leave
things until the last minute. For instance, I've been
on many jobs where the M.C. (Master of Ceremonies) is
running around trying to find out who's who in the bridal
party, as they're lining up for the procession. A professional
band will send you a form to fill out well in advance
where you can list all of these details. Take care of
it promptly. Things will go much more smoothly for everyone.
Here is a list of other details you'll want to work out
beforehand:

• Is the band available for overtime? (Also check with
  your banquet / reception facility to find out how late
  you are allowed to stay)


• The cost per hour of overtime?


• Basic time table of the event (i.e., when dinner will
  be served, when does the band break, when will the cake
  be cut, etc.)


• Will the band be fed?


• Payment method (i.e., cash or check, full payment
  on day of the wedding?)


• Which traditional or special songs you require (i.e.,
  garter and bouquet, dances with mother and father, cutting
  the cake music, etc.)



• Can the band incorporate a DJ?


• Ask that the band remain in full uniform (tuxedos)
  for the duration of the affair. Non-pros have a tendency
  to lose their ties and jackets halfway through the job
  and this looks sloppy.

My best advice is to go with the pros. It takes experience
to successfully run a wedding. You may like the sound
of a band that you hear at a club, but can they keep 100
or more people of different generations entertained for
four or more hours? The most successful weddings I've
played are the ones that have a sense of "rhythmic
flow". This only happens with seasoned professionals.
Use these guidelines and I'm sure the band you choose
will make your celebration one to remember.