How To Pick The Perfect Wedding Band To Perform At Your Reception

The Perfect Wedding Band | Bride And Groom Celebrating With Guests At Reception

Did you know music is one of the most important parts of your wedding? Read on to learn how to pick the perfect wedding band for your reception. It’s pretty widely agreed that live music beats having a DJ on your wedding day every time. Among many regrets couples have about their wedding is that they booked a DJ instead of a band.

A Chicago wedding band definitely plays a part in adding a fresh energy and ‘wow factor’ to your special day. A live band adds pizzazz, and you can bet that if you pick the right one, your guests will be on their feet dancing the night away. So you want to nail the right party atmosphere, but finding the right band for your day is a more difficult job than hiring a DJ.

You want to make sure the band is the right fit for you and your partner, and the vibe you’re going for on your wedding day. One of the biggest mistakes couples make when planning their wedding is hiring a cheap band. Doing this can lead to awkward silences, bad song choices, and general eye-roll inducing behavior when they don’t know what to do when something unexpected occurs, or can’t interact well with your guests.

To avoid this kind of embarrassments, here are our quick tips on how to pick the perfect wedding band to perform at your reception.

No matter what kind of music you’re imagining your dream for the perfect wedding band to play, whether it be pop, jazz, classical, or an eclectic mix, be sure to sample some online demos. Most respectable bands will have demos on SoundCloud or Last.fm. Failing that, you can always check bands out on YouTube. Better yet, try and catch your band playing live. If you’ve already sorted out your venue, you can also try and ask them if they have any band recommendations.

Ask The Right Questions

So you’ve found a couple of Chicago wedding bands or even the band you’re considering for your big day. Whether you’re meeting them face to face or contacting them via email correspondence, you need to make sure you’re asking the right questions.

1. Is this your full-time job?

You want to ensure your wedding band won’t bail last minute due to other working commitments.

2. Which other venues have you played at? Have you played at ours?

You want to know they have experience in a variety of different venues. The day will go much more smoothly if they have lots of experience and know the overall set up and unloading procedures.

If they haven’t played your venue before, be sure to fill them in on this information in advance and make sure they’re familiar with the site, as well as where and how they’ll be unloading.

3. Can I see your references?

This one is super important. You want to know other brides have had good experiences with the band at their wedding. If possible, try and get in touch with these references. Also be sure to ask the band if they’re able to learn any new songs at your request ahead of the wedding. With this in mind, be sure to leave lots of time and plan ahead when hiring your Chicago wedding band.

Don’t Sign ‘Til You’ve Seen Them Live

As we mentioned before, it’s important to hear examples of the band playing. Once you’ve found the band you know you want for your wedding, it’s imperative you see them play live for you at least once. Online demos and footage can be edited, and you want to make sure they’re the real deal and can really engage you in a fun way, while also being professional. Don’t sign off on anything official until you’ve seen them live and know for certain that they’re the right fit for you. Get them to play your first dance song or your bridal party entrance song.

Also, make sure they’re aware of your likes and dislikes. Try and write up a request list, including songs you definitely want them to play, as well as the songs you absolutely don’t want to hear. Make this list a part of any contract you sign to avoid any misunderstandings, and most importantly so your most disliked songs don’t ruin your special day.

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