One of the best ways to turn your wedding into an unforgettable night is to make sure the soundtrack of the night is on point. Music can literally make or break a wedding ceremony and reception because it sets the tone for the type of energy you want flowing in the atmosphere. And when you hire a live band to provide music for your wedding reception, you have the ability to take the music to the next level. Here are seven reasons to hire a wedding band for your wedding reception:
Live Bands Create a One-of-A-Kind Experience
If you’ve ever attended a live concert, you can attest to the energy and excitement that fills the concert venue when the band or artist is about to perform. Live bands create a one-of-a-kind experience that so many people look forward to when they attend special events and weddings. This is because day-to-day, people live busy lives and most likely enjoy music by listening to Spotify or the radio; however, when they get the opportunity to dress up and go out (to a wedding perhaps), they will enjoy hearing some of their favorite tunes live. It’s no wonder that international artists like Beyoncė and Bruno Mars can fill stadiums and make millions from ticket sales – hearing their records are great but seeing them perform during a live show is next level.
A Live Band Can Bring a Nightclub Feel to an Ordinary Wedding Reception
While it may be tough (and expensive) to get Bruno Mars to perform during your wedding, the next best thing is getting a top-notch cover band to perform Bruno Mars’ records for you and your wedding guests. Hiring a live band will bring a nightclub feel to your wedding reception, and you can literally have three different feels throughout the night. Think about it – you can have an intimate and romantic feel for your wedding ceremony, hire a string quartet to add an elegant touch to your cocktail hour and dinner, then transition to dancing into the night with your guests. Your guests can relive the prime of their nightclubbing days (minus the $20 drinks) and dance the night away. There’s nothing better!
Professionals Musicians Will Have the Best Music Choices
Working with a professional live band will benefit from having the best mix of music choices – which should put you and your fiancėe at ease. GreenlightBooking.com says,
“Most good wedding music bands have a repertoire that includes today’s most popular dance hits as well as many classic hits from decades past. So the most requested songs will usually be included in their lists. And if there are two or three favorites that you just have to have at your wedding party, most bands will learn those for you at no extra cost.”
All Entertainment Exchange bands have a master setlist that showcases the band’s full repertoire. You can request the Master Set List early in the booking process and use this as a guide when choosing the type of band you want to hire. While it may be tempting to nitpick while viewing the list, trust the professionals to do what they do best. You may want to add songs that you love to hear for your wedding reception, but it may not go over the way you think it should if you’re trying to get 100+ people on the dance floor. You may need to save some songs for your personal time, so outside of adding a few “must-have” songs and deleting the songs you absolutely hate, have comfort in knowing that music professionals will have the best music choices. This is yet another reason to hire a wedding band – but hire the professionals!
Live Performances Can Energize the Crowd
You may be leaning towards the benefits of hiring a professional live band by now. Here’s another reason you can continue to lean into hiring a live band – live performances can energize the crowd! A great live band will make the right music choices and have the opportunity to add a visual and interactive element as well. Think about it – the singers and band can sound amazing, but if you choose the right band, the frontline singers will have dance moves to go with their amazing vocals and maybe even come off the stage to sing with you and your guests. There’s no doubt that the crowd will go crazy and even appreciate the live interaction with a live band. It’s worth mentioning that not only will a live band energize the crowd; a live band can also go with the flow and change the “tempo” of the night if needed.
Live Bands Can Go With the Flow
Being able to go with the flow is just as crucial as energizing the crowd. When you hire a live band, you simultaneously hire a Master of Ceremonies and, sometimes, a built-in rescue team if things go awry. Producing a live event means that you are at risk of human error, which is why you need vendors that can go with the flow, and a live band does just that. While we knock on wood with you, in the event that your wedding runs late or there’s a behind-the-scenes mishap, a live band can create a distraction or keep the party going while the wedding planner or caterer sorts issues out.
A Live Band Can Help Event Transitions
Another bonus to being able to go with the flow if something goes wrong – a live band can help with your transitions throughout the night. For example, during the cocktail hour, guests may gather in an adjacent room to the reception area. When you’re ready for guests to transition from cocktail hour to dinner, then catering staff usually opens the doors, and the band announces the change begins to play cocktail music as a signal and way to lure guests into the dining areas. It’s a classy way to say, “Move it folks!”
There may be moments throughout the night when you need to get your guests’ attention so they will pay attention to the best man toast or first dance. The band can announce this or play a particular type of music to get their attention. And when it’s time for guests to leave the venue, the perfect finale song and background music will give the signal for guests as well.
Live Bands Are Entertaining for All Types of Guests
Even if you hire the best band, older guests or non-dancing guests may feel a little less comfortable jumping on the dance floor to do the “Cha-Cha Slide” in front of a crowd. Don’t be discouraged though – at many weddings and events, we’ve seen many non-dancing guests enjoy watching other guests on the dance floor. They also enjoy watching the live band if they’re energetic and play familiar tunes. So you basically offer all guests the experience of dancing in a nightclub-like setting or viewing a live performance in a concert hall. It’s a win-win on all fronts! Want a final bonus? Since love is already in the air, the right live band may provide the soundtrack to helping the single, and shy non-dancers spark up a conversation, leading to the perfect wedding love connection. Maybe you’ll end up being a wedding guest next time – and we will gladly provide the live bands for both events!
Hiring a live band may seem like a daunting task and you may not know where to start, but it will be so worth it in the end. As always, Entertainment Exchange is always here to walk you through the process from start to finish.