The right music can make your wedding day even more memorable not just for you, but also for your guests. To get the right music, you need to make sure you hire an experienced wedding band with a good reputation, and more importantly, plays the type of sound that you prefer. Hire the right wedding band that suits your taste by asking your potential candidates the following essential questions:
Do you have my wedding date open?
Get their availability out of the way first. If they’re not available, you can move on to your next candidate and not spend precious time asking them more questions that won’t really matter anymore, anyway.
What style of music do you play the most?
This should be one of the earliest questions you should ask, as this gives you an idea if this band plays the type of music that you’d want to be played at your wedding.
How long do you take to set up?
Bands typically charge for extra hours needed for them to set up early.
What’s your policy on requests?
One advantage of hiring live musicians is that you and your guests can request for songs that they can play. So make sure to know your prospective wedding musicians’ policy on song requests during the event.
Could you learn a song for us?
While you might be happy with the type of music that your potential wedding band normally plays, you or your partner (or even your family) might request a special song to be played at a certain part of the ceremony or reception. A song that’s not exactly something your wedding band plays. So it’s important to know beforehand if they’re willing to learn something new for you.
Can we observe you playing at a wedding or other event?
Let’s say you’re getting married in Scotland, specifically in Glasgow. With the abundance of wedding bands Glasgow has to offer, you’re bound to find a band that fits both your music taste and budget. One way to do this is to check out your potential wedding band as they play a live event, which could be at another wedding.
What do you wear at wedding performances?
Wedding bands normally do suit up during wedding performances. It’s best to be sure so you won’t be shocked to find that they’ve arrived wearing something you don’t exactly think matches the vibe of your wedding.
What is included in your price?
Do they bring their own instruments? Do they have their own vehicle for transportation? If they don’t, do they expect you to shoulder the cost of getting them to your wedding venue by other modes of transportation? Hold off signing that contract until you clear all these up, that way, you’ll avoid possible “hidden” or “extra” charges.
Can you liaise with the wedding venue?
Most venues advise that wedding bands arrive early to set up before the guests start arriving, but this can also cost you as most bands charge extra for the additional waiting time. Ask if they can coordinate with the wedding venue, as it might not even be absolutely necessary for them to arrive early (the venue might have an extra entryway for them to use to set up nearer to the time of the wedding reception.
Do you have a contingency plan?
What would happen if a member falls sick on your wedding day? Or if, for some reason, they left one instrument at their studio? Ask them how they usually deal with such situations, and how they’ve dealt with unexpected roadblocks in the past, as well.
Avoid shying away or becoming intimidated to ask these questions. Remember, it’s your wedding day, and you should have a say on how you want things to be. Asking the right questions can definitely help you choose the right wedding band for your nuptials.