Rhythm of the Nite

Make your event the talk of the town!

Greg's article (As published in The Scoop Newspaper)

Click here to read in the original Newspaper The Scoop

10 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Music for Your Wedding Reception

Congratulations, you have finally met the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. After all, you’ve always made good choices. Now that the most important choice has been made, it is time to choose live music for your reception, and to begin planning and communicating with the band that will be your entertainment.

It is very important that you are on the same page with every vendor at your wedding, and nothing will highlight your organization or lack thereof as much as the live entertainment on your big day.

Let’s briefly consider the 10 most common mistakes people make when hiring a wedding band.

Common mistake #1: Hiring a bar band instead of a specialized wedding band.

Once you have made the good decision to hire a band it is important to know what type of band to consider. Bands come in all shapes and sizes. Some have a large play list that can accommodate a demographically diverse guest list, while others specialize in a smaller, more focused genre.

The problem with a band that specializes in one genre is that it will not appeal to every guest. Remember, the primary goal of the wedding band is not to put on a concert but to keep your guests entertained, to provide music that they can dance to, and to keep the reception fun.

You and your fiancé may both absolutely love an alternative rock band that sings artsy, depressing songs about how much they hate life, but I guarantee you the band won’t connect with grandma and grandpa!

A good wedding band spends a great deal of time learning fun songs that everyone knows and can dance to no matter what their age.

Common mistake #2: Not going to hear the band live before hiring them.

With the internet now being the new way to find vendors, it is much easier to compare bands on your computer in the privacy of your own home. Once you have listened to sound samples and have watched video clips, make sure you talk to the band leader and see them in person. This is a good opportunity to see if you can connect with the person who will be entertaining your friends and family.

Some bands have elaborate websites with studio recordings that have been doctored to make them sound better than they really are. I know — shocking! Websites give almost no idea what a band really sounds like. If at all possible, try to see them in a wedding reception. This will give you a clear representation of the band, and you will learn a lot about their personality. You would certainly want to know if they don’t fit the “feel” you are going for before your special day.

In fairness to the band, they may be following specific directions from the bride and groom.

Common mistake #3: Hiring a band that uses different musicians and/or singers every time.

Every band has to hire a substitute every once in a while. People go on vacation, get sick, or have unforeseen conflicts, but if the core group is always the same, the band is going to be much better. Another advantage of using a band that always uses the same band members is you will get the same sound that you heard when you checked them out.

Common mistake #4: Picking songs that exclude a large demographic.

Once you have chosen your band it is time to start planning. Selecting songs is a personal thing, but keep in mind the role of the band. You can go to a concert any time, but your reception is all about having a party, so pick upbeat songs that your guests can dance to.

Consider the average age of your guests. If your playlist mirrors the demographic of your guests, you have planned well. For example, if 30 percent of your guest list is in their 40s and they like 80s rock, it would be a good idea to have your playlist include about 30 percent 80s rock. If 15 percent of your guest list is in their 70s, you might want to include 15 percent of American standards.

Don’t be overly concerned about this. It is just a guideline. Remember, if a wedding band is good, they will have songs from every genre that people of all ages will know and love. This brings me to the next common mistake people often make.

Common mistake #5: Over dictating the playlist.

Most bands have seen it all; they know what works and what doesn’t. Some people think every song has to be fast, or they have some formula they want the band to follow. This seems like good planning, however, it is usually a disaster. Sometimes the guests are just waiting for a slow song, and because the band has been instructed to play all fast songs, the guests get frustrated.

It is good to give the band instructions about the feel you are going for. Just keep in mind, once you have given them the target feel, it is best to give them the freedom to read the crowd and “do that thing they do.” You should not expect your final playlist to be played in any preset order. It should be a list of songs that the band can refer to that night.

Common mistake #6: Delegating the song selecting and planning to someone who is not on the same page as you.

It might surprise you to know that some brides and grooms delegate song selection to members of their family or close friends. This is fine if you have communicated with them and they know exactly what you want. Just make sure you get to see the chosen song list early enough to make changes if needed.

Common mistake #7: Having too many special dances.

I have been at weddings where, after the bride and groom’s first dance, there was a half hour of special dances. By the time the guests were invited to dance, they had been successfully turned into spectators! If you are going to have more than three dances, it is a good idea to break them up into two settings.

Common mistake #8: Not going over details for announcements.

Don’t wait till the week of the wedding to run through the announcements. You will have too much on your plate to be detail minded. If you have the band introduce the wedding party, it’s a good idea to listen to the announcer pronounce each name in order to avoid any embarrassment.

Have a well laid out timeline of the evening’s events, but once again, don’t worry if everything doesn’t go exactly as planned. Remember, it’s a party, have fun!

Common mistake #9: Sitting elderly people too close to the speakers.

The band needs to keep the volume down during the dinner, but once the party starts, it is common for the music to get a little louder. No one wants to dance to music they can’t hear. Keeping this in mind, it’s best to seat the elderly guests as far from the speakers as possible.

A good band knows how to place the speakers in such a way that the dance floor is well covered, but people who choose to remain seated will be able to hear each other speak even during the dance portion of the night. You should go over the details of where the band is going to set up and where the music needs to be directed.

Common mistake #10: Not feeding the band members.

It is not a requirement, but it is nice to provide food for the band. If the band is well fed they will have more energy. Obviously, the reverse is also true, and if the band is hungry, and they have been watching people eat in front of them all night…well, you get the picture!

On your special day all you need to think about is your new spouse and your dear friends and family. The more planning and time spent communicating your vision to the band, the better.

As a band leader, I want to leave a lasting impression on the bride and groom, and I know I have a much better chance of that happening if I get clear direction ahead of time. With a little planning and communication, your music will add greatly to the night of your life.

###