The right band can really set the tone of your wedding, but with so many different styles out there at the moment how can you be sure that you’re getting the right one?

Image Credit: Fleet & Family Support Centers via Flickr, under CC by SA 2.0Here are some top tips for finding the right wedding band for you.

1. Chat with the venue beforehand

Many venues these days have restrictions on noise and space, especially if they are old buildings. It’s key to chat with them first to find out what sort of music you can and cannot have before you begin your musical search.
You might even need to extend your thoughts into when you choose your venue in the first place. Some venues will insist on using the house band if you’re going to have music at your wedding, but what happens if the house band isn’t to your taste?

2. Plan a budget

Like any other part of the wedding process, it is good to set aside a budget for your wedding entertainment. However,it’s also important to have an element of flexibility with pricing – you wouldn’t want to miss out on your favourite band for the sake of a few quid!
Make sure you discuss the payment arrangements with the band, too. There are plenty of horror stories about bands not turning up to weddings after requesting money upfront, make sure they’ll honour the booking! There’s more on this at the end.

3. Makes sure the band appeal to your audience

There’s nothing worse than bored guests, so it’s a good idea to choose a band that will appeal to all of your guests rather than just your musical taste. You and your partner may love Death Metal, but your granny may not!

Image Credit: Dave Ferguson via Flickr, under CC by SA 2.0 
Make your music memorable and your guests will remember your wedding party for all the right reasons.

4. Make a shortlist of bands

It’s a good idea to make a list of bands to compare before making your final decision. Booking agencies such as Freak Music allow you to browse through their list of acts and add those that you like to shortlist – from there you can compare music samples, set lists and evening pricing to ensure you find the right band for you.
If some of your potential wedding bands are based locally, it might even be a good idea to try and see them in the flesh. We’re not suggesting you should be gatecrashing anyone’s wedding, but many bands don’t exclusively work weddings, though naturally a set in your local pub is probably different to what they perform at receptions.

5. Book up!

Once you’ve found the perfect act, it’s a good idea to secure them for the wedding with an official contract. This will give you security and peace of mind that everything runs smoothly.

Image Credit: operabug via Flickr, under CC by SA 2.0 
Most music agencies will provide contracts for you and the band. Remember what we said earlier about payments, and make sure you’re covered in the event of them not turning up.