So being a bride is no easy task and you learn very quickly that it's impossible to learn it all in time, so we aim to to be your guardian angel and make your life a lot easier when it comes to how to book a live wedding band or wedding singer for your big day.
Firstly,
What to expect a live wedding band to provide?
Not all acts are self contained or stay all night however at Mainstage Live we provide all acts with the following package:
1. Professional Sound Equipment
2. Lighting
3. Background music (between live music sets and all night if there isn't a DJ)
4. Stay on site up until midnight
Timings
Most bands will arrive around 5pm, set up while the room is being turned over and thus out of sight from you and your guests, ready for dinner music or for the first dance. The band will generally come with a sound engineer but if a smaller act they will provide background music as you enter, wherever there isn't a DJ to handle the background music. Bands will generally allow up to midnight to back down and leave the venues. During the pack down time, which may be a further hour, the act will provide background music up until midnight to ensure the room doesn't fall dead when the live music stops.
Set lengths
How long is too long and what is the standard?
Generally live wedding bands and wedding singers would perform 90 minutes - 2 hours of live music. Perhaps providing alternative packages to make it more affordable to have 90 minutes. These minutes are usually splits between 2 or 3 sets.
Standards
90 minutes split into 2 x 45 minute sets or sometimes 3 x 30 minutes
2 hours split into 2 x 1 hour sets or 3 x 40 minutes
It is possible to have different genres within each set and equally common to have (for example) a dinner set then a party set.
Pricing
Mainstage Live Entertainment has a large range of rates and production value. We aim to host medium to high end acts to ensure we can maintain the Mainstage Live Standard.
With regard to the set lengths above start prices you can expect are:
Solo performers starting at £450+
DJs starting at £500+
5 piece premium bands starting at £2800+
9 piece premium bands starting at £4600+
Show bands approximately £6000+
Alternative prices will be encountered for example expect to pay more than above for longer sets such as for Jewish Weddings or pay less for function bands. Please be aware we look after some selected function bands and smaller bands should you require further value for money, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.
Why are some bands more expensive?
Primarily the years of experience as you can imagine, with most professions experience leads to knowing short cuts, what not to do and confidence. To be specific, what songs not go into and how to plan a show to ensure you are taken on a journey. If a band can see that the crowd prefer one style of music than the other they can make the call to change their script and feed your audience more of what they want and of course with more experience comes more songs to choose from. Whereas a band or performer with less experience may not have the options to change or confidence to make that call and thus can result in an empty dance floor and guests passing comments about the act which as less favourable.
Aside from this, there is the part of whether the band take their role within wedding entertainment as a hobby or if they rehearse regularly, have the best equipment, look great, entertain not just play music. So with a band that doesn't take wedding entertainment as a serious profession to provide their main living, your risks are rapidly increased for an empty dance floor, partially battered/broken or cheap equipment and mistakes in the songs as they don't charge enough to replace and repair nor to take time out to rehearse to perfection.
Top bands however such as our premium bands or show bands will create their own arrangement and way to play parts of songs which makes for a professional concert feel. For example not necessarily changing the song so you can't recognise it but more so changing the ending, making a mysterious beginning or adding incredible solos in the middle. This adds to the excitement and the feel of the show and can get the whole room and band filled with even more energy.
Then there are the bands that are completely professional and are at the height of their game. They are called Show bands.
Show bands exist to provide 5 star entertainment when Beyonce and Bon Jovi are on tour and you need a high quality band. So you can expect a limitless pool of show production available for you. That is pyrotechnics, choreography, specially rehearsed songs, costumes, a super tight band and complete with experienced slick entertainers at the front encouraging all your guests to join them on the dance floor, if not joining them on the dance floor singing and dancing with you.
Are you ready to start booking with Mainstage Live?
Mainstage Live is the perfect place for the perfect party.
Use the form below to get a call from one of our reps and start your journey with us.