Are you having your wedding in the Windy City? Then you need the best entertainment you can get for this important day! But before you start looking into
Chicago wedding bands, you need to know how to choose the best one
for your ceremony. Choosing a wedding band is not easy, especially when you’re trying to include a variety of music styles to accommodate different music tastes. While it’s impossible to please all of your guests, you can still make your wedding day fun and filled with dancing, singing, and joy. And everything starts with
picking a professional band that’ll keep everyone on the dance floor. We put together a list of six useful tips to help you choose the right band for the best day of your life. So keep reading to learn what to look for in a band. And the red flags to keep an eye on.
1. Check the Band’s Website and Offer
The very first thing to do when you come across a wedding band you like is to check their website and social media profiles. A professional band will make the effort to have a website where they display their offer, style, genres, rates and testimonials. With this information, you can decide if a certain band is a good fit for your wedding. Typically, the band’s website and social media pages are a decent representation of the band’s work. This is where you’ll see good or bad reviews, live clips and their setup. Don’t hesitate to contact a band for an initial quote or meeting. You can
ask them any questions you may have or approach them with any concerns. If they’re professionals, they’ll be happy to clarify them.
2. Watch the Band’s Live Performances
Never book a band you haven’t seen perform live. Be it on video or in person, make sure to actually listen to the band, their performing style, the repertoire of songs they play and their on-stage behavior. Don’t rely completely on videos, because some bands go to great lengths to edit them for added appeal. How the band sounds in real life is more important. For example, look for wedding videos where you can hear the bands play. These clips are usually filmed by guests, but even professional wedding videos can show how a band sounds like. See if the people know the songs and are dancing to them. If you can, book an appointment to hear the band playing a few songs for you. This is the best way to assess them and see if they’re a good fit. After all, the wedding band is the main provider of entertainment on the wedding and the goal is for everyone to have fun.
3. Check the Band’s Reviews
Checking the band’s reputation and seeing how many
happy customers they’ve served can help you narrow down your choices. If you want to hire the best wedding bands in Chicago, you’ll need to do some research. Start by asking your family, friends or co-workers if they’ve had positive experiences with a band. Better yet, ask recently married people for recommendations. Also, if you like a few bands, but you’re not sure which one to hire, search for reviews on their service online. Both happy and unhappy customers are always glad to share their real experiences with others. If you’re meeting with the band members, ask them if they have references from previous customers that you can see.
4. Discuss Availability
Timing is everything when you’re planning a wedding. Everything has to be well-coordinated, including the band. Booking a band as early as possible will save you a lot of headaches down the road. You’ll have enough time to discuss the wedding agenda, decide on the playlists, organize food and drinks for the band and maybe even do a rehearsal with them. Consider booking a band around 10-18 months prior to the wedding. Make sure to discuss availability with the band before you sign any papers. You need to be sure the band won’t bail on you last minute. Finally, early booking can get you a great deal, so you can save some money and spend it on other wedding preparations.
5. Talk About Prices
When you’re looking into the
best wedding bands in Chicago, ask about their rates. The most popular bands will inevitably be more expensive than beginner bands. For example, the band’s quality, flexibility, and the number of members may influence the final price. They may raise the rates if you’re booking them in peak season and if they need travel to your venue. Some bands don’t specialize in weddings, so they’ll accept gigs in bars, clubs or birthdays. As such, they may be cheaper and more readily available than your other options. But, you never know if they’ll book something more lucrative than your wedding halfway through. And while it’s great to save money, reliability should be your number one priority. So if you want a peace of mind, always book a professional wedding band.
6. Talk About the Band’s Setup Needs
Once you’ve chosen your wedding band, it’s time to cover more technical topics like the band’s setup. Ask the band if they’ve played at your venue before. If they have, they’ll know right away how much space they need, whether the venue provides additional music equipment, and what the stage is like. For instance, if the band needs a particular piece of equipment that the venue doesn’t provide, you’ll want to discuss this ahead of time. This is also the time to talk about the duration of the program, playlists, and songs they shouldn’t play.
Find the Best Wedding Bands in Chicago
All brides and grooms want their wedding day to be perfect from beginning to end. And having the best music you can get for your ceremony will make your guests remember this day forever. Weddings are all about sharing your happiness with the people you love. We at David Rothstein Music would love to make your day even more special. We specialize in wedding music and are proud to be one of the best wedding bands in Chicago.
Contact us today to get a quote and to learn more about our personalized wedding music package.
