Booking Wedding Entertainment

If you are like most people, chances are you'll remember the wedding entertainment more than anything at a party. Wedding entertainment leaves the most indelible memory after any affair. So it only stands to reason that the guests you invite to your wedding will have the same impression. Long after the memory of how your flowers looked has faded from their minds, long after they've forgotten about those invitations you sent out, they'll remember how great a time they had, dancing and celebrating with the Bride and Groom.

It is for this reason that you should book the entertainment for your wedding reception early. You should be very clear about what you want and how you want your day to run. You should shop around. You should call references. And if you're going to cut some financial corners at your reception, you should look somewhere else. Don't order special flower displays for example, or go with the open bar.

Spend your money wisely on your wedding day for entertainment, and you are virtually guaranteed to have a memorable, fun, exciting day. The following are some tips to help you for entertainment. Many of these suggestions apply for other services as well, your photographer or videographer for example, but for the purpose of this article we'll deal strictly with Entertainment services for your reception:

1 - How early should you book?
As a rule of thumb, 12 -18 months prior to your date. This varies based on the time of year and day of the week. If you are planning a Saturday in August, 12 months might be too late. If you are planning a Friday night wedding or even a Saturday in an off season month (January and February) then 6 -12 months is more appropriate. Most band you deal with will ask for a small deposit (about 20%) up front.

2- How can you see the band perform?
You should either be able to attend a showcase or watch a video demo. If a wedding band invites you to another person's wedding to "peek" in, be a little leery. Do you really want that to happen on your wedding day? And if that's how a wedding band displays its talents, chances are they'll do that when your reception comes up.

3- Is there a variety of entertainers and packages to choose from? (Is there someone for YOU?)
If an entertainments agency represents a number of bands, check each one out.

4- Make sure the entertainment agency will allow you to choose an entertainer or specific DJ.
If you fall in love with a band because of the lead singer, or if you are interested in a specific emcee from a DJ company, make sure they will guarantee that specific person by name. Most entertainment agencies will do this and it gives you the piece of mind that you know who you are getting.

5- Do not assume that all wedding bands use state of the art equipment.
The fact is, some wedding bands cut costs by purchasing cheaper equipment. This will come back to haunt their reputation but you don't want it costing you on your big day. You don't have to know brand names but you should check out the equipment to make sure it sounds good, looks new and is taken care of. If you are looking at a DJ company, ask if the DJs own their own equipment. This is actually a good thing because he or she probably takes better care of that equipment than he would company-owned gear.

6- Try to get a feel for whether the wedding band or DJ is truly professional.
A professional wedding band has many benefits. For one thing, there's a much better chance they'll still be in business 12 -18 months later when your wedding comes up. Many individuals, especially in the DJ business, get started part time, find out it's not all fun and games, and get out of the business quickly. Also, established bands will have backup musicians and backup equipment readily available and be fully insured (and many venues insist on this.)

7. Are you happy with the customer service you received?
If you do not feel like you are being treated well in the initial process of dealing with someone during the time when they are trying to "win" your business, how do you think they'll treat you once you've booked them? Will you get the one-on-one attention you deserve? You should insist that the band is flexible and will work with you to create the exact atmosphere you are looking for on your big day. If you hear things like "you can give us a few requests," or "Can you bring that CD along? I don't think I have it," you should see the warning signs. Answers like, "we want you to tell us everything you want to plan so we can fit in well is what you should hear.

8- How helpful will the entertainer be in planning the reception and music for special activities and dances?
This probably goes to experience more than anything. An entertainer who specializes in weddings and who has done many of them will be able to assist you in selecting music, creating the right atmosphere and finding the right song or songs for special moments in the reception (like dancing with a parent). You probably won't be able to truly judge this until right before your wedding but you should ask a few questions up front and pay careful attention to how informative the answers are.

9- Feel out the entertainers reputation by asking people about them.
Any entertainment company that does a decent amount of work will develop a reputation "in the industry." Photographers, videographers, and venuest people, just to name a few, will work with and see the same faces all the time and they are a great source of news, both good and bad. Get references from your band.

10 - When you're ready, book it.The process can be long and exhausting but once you've decided, do everything you can to reserve the company you've chosen as quickly as possible. Nothing will disappoint you more than going through the whole process, setting your heart on something and then waiting a week to call and finding out they are booked on your day. It happens, but don't let it happen to you. Once you've decided, pick up the phone, get the deposit transferred, sign a contract, reserve the date. And then don't second guess yourself. If you followed these steps, rest assured you'll have great entertainment for your reception.