Hiring a band or entertainer for your big day can seem like just another task to check off on your wedding planning checklist; as simple as it seems, it’s still a wedding planning task that begets blunders if you don’t take advice from the pros to heart.
Procrastinating
We’ve seen many a couple wait too long (way too long) to consider their wedding entertainment. Don’t wait to start searching for a great wedding band or entertainer; the best wedding entertainers’ calendars fill up quickly. As soon as you reserve your wedding venue, start searching for bands or hire an entertainment agent who can find the right entertainer and manage all the important details.
Thinking that wedding entertainment is a low priority
Don’t think of your wedding band or entertainer as an isolated item not connected to your wedding atmosphere. To the contrary: wedding entertainment can be a powerful part of creating a vintage wedding, country picnic or any other wedding theme you are trying to create. Search for the entertainers that help you connect all the dots and tie all the details together.
Not asking for help
A typical wedding planning checklist is long. When you’re busy, vetting entertainers (for your ceremony and reception) to find the best and most reliable can seem like a huge undertaking. To ease your wedding planning stress, consider contacting an entertainment agent as a time-saving life saver (amid other excellent reasons). An entertainment agent can locate the right quality entertainers for your wedding, and handle all details and any needs the entertainers might have—decreasing your wedding planning workload and giving you the wedding you’ve always dreamed of.
Making price the only factor in your decision
It’s a common misconception: any amateur musician can play in a wedding ceremony. You shouldn’t have to settle for amateur musicians who haven’t touched an instrument since grade school (here’s how to choose a quality ceremony musician) or an inexperienced musician who has never played at a wedding before. Your guests shouldn’t have to settle for a mediocre band that doesn’t play together often or has the experience to keep your dance floor going all night. The lesson: use more than cost in your decision to hire a wedding entertainer, so you get the right entertainer for your big day.
Not considering the size of your venue
For your ceremony and reception, think about the size of your venue when screening potential musicians and entertainers. A small group or band that can’t hit the volume in a venue your size is going to leave your guests underwhelmed and waiting for the real entertainers to come out and play. Ask bands and musicians if they’ve performed at a venue your size before, and how many members of the group is going to be present at your ceremony or reception.
Ignoring advice
This doesn’t mean you have to listen to that advice from your aunt about your wedding dress, but it does mean to be open to advice from your wedding planner, venue consultant or entertainment agent. You’ve hired these wedding professionals for their experience; listen to them when setting a schedule, wedding entertainment line-up and placement. Remember, they are trying to make your vision a reality and work for you; now you can rely on their experience for the perfect wedding entertainment line-up.
Not sweating the details
Hiring an entertainer or band is more than just signing on the bottom line. If you want to make sure you have all your i’s dotted and t’s crossed, lean on the professionals who have experience and can sort through and coordinate all the details. You’ll be glad you did when you’re enjoying all the benefits of terrific wedding entertainment.
