One of the most difficult tasks in planning your wedding is in choosing your band. When your guests are on their way home, the thing they will be talking about is how awesome (or how awful) the band was. A great band will keep your guests dancing and having a good time all night long. There are many options out there. Some do a fine job. Others….. well, don’t. Utah Live Bands only manages and books the best of the best. There are four main things that separate a great wedding band from a terrible one. They are as follows:
1- Song Pacing – If a band can’t keep people dancing, it feels like a waist of time and money and you end up embarrassed at the lame party you are throwing. A great wedding band will move quickly between each song so people keep dancing. If there is space longer than a few seconds, people feel awkward and walk away. A really great band will actually sequence their tunes so one tune moves right into another. The Groove Merchants are especially good at this.
Choosing a Wedding Entrance Song(Opens in a new browser tab)
2- Experience – Great wedding bands consist of the best players and entertainers around and are made of career musicians, not people who are performing as a hobby. You want a band that will take things seriously. Experienced bands will play music that they know people will dance to and will keep the volume at the appropriate level.
3- A Great Look and Feel – Make sure the band you are hiring has good audio files and preferably some video footage. A great band is visual as well as aural.
4- Familiarity With What is Going On – When you speak with the band leader or booking agent, pay attention to the answers they are giving you. Are they familiar with the venue? Have they worked with your event coordinator before? Have they been doing this for a long time or are they just a bar band that is trying to get into the wedding business (not the same thing)? When you ask questions, do they know the answers? Do they seem confident in what they are doing?
The First Dance – Tip Video(Opens in a new browser tab)
Finally, go with your gut. Does the band look like they know what they are doing? Does the company you are working with have the credentials and experience to make you comfortable? Do you feel like you are working with professionals or a mom and pop operation? Are their promotional materials professional looking? Your gut will be your best indicator. Have fun!
See more great wedding bands, ceremony music, and our DJs here.
This article was written by Michael Tobian, owner of Utah Live Bands. Utah Live Bands offers the very best event bands in Utah and the surrounding states. They have won the Utah Best of State Award multiple times and are a preferred vendor with the Salt Lake City Visitors and Convention Bureau as well as many many other venues and wedding businesses. Contact Us