If you are considering wedding band hire, it’s always advisable to go and see the band you’re thinking of booking for your wedding day entertainment. Seeing them ‘live’ first will provide a clear indication that they are a good choice for you and your guests - or indeed not. What looks attractive in the publicity or what your third cousin twice removed told you about them may not always be to your taste.
There are also bands that will bill themselves as ‘live’ performers when they’re actually just playing or singing along to backing tracks. Great recordings are one thing but having the talent and skill to play and sing live is totally different. It’s an art form.
So do be careful when it comes to wedding band hire in London. If it is impossible to see the band you've set your heart on before your wedding, get them to organise a live video recording or even a podcast of them performing, perhaps when they’re rehearsing. London’s own Sensation Band, a hugely popular choice for weddings will do this and more.
7 golden rules in band hire
There are 7 golden rules when it come to wedding band hire. These are:
- Give the entertainment as much thought as any other aspect of your wedding. Remember, it’s one of the main things people will remember most about it.
- Don’t just indulge yourself. While it is your special day, you want all your guests to enjoy themselves so try to take everyone's tastes into consideration - well at least as best you know them. You may be a fan of heavy metal but your granddad might not be too impressed by ear-blasting cover versions of their songs.
- It’s your responsibility to check that the reception venue is licensed for music prior to booking a band. Also check that the band has public liability insurance in case anyone is injured by them or their gear.
- Portable Appliance Testing - or PAT testing - is another requirement in law by venues. The electrical equipment you and the band bring to the wedding reception has to have been independently tested to ensure there are no safety risks. When you embark on wedding band hire, ensure your chosen band has this organised.
- Ensure that they can get all their equipment into the venue and that there are enough power points for all their equipment.
- Professional bands should be set up and perform sound checks prior to you and your guests arriving. Insist that yours does so. And finally…
- In the wedding band hire process, don't negotiate purely by phone. Get written confirmation of all the details, even if this is an email. Remember, if it all goes pear-shaped and they don't deliver, and if it’s not in writing, you’ll have far less of a chance to any financial redress.