Tips for Choosing your wedding band compiled by Ian Hendrick of the Ian Hendrick Band
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FIND A VERSATILE BAND
If you are inviting your extended family ie all your aunts & uncles , grandparents cousins & friends, your band needs to be able to play music from the charts right back to the 60’s, and all genres, ie Irish Sets, waltz’s, jives, rock n roll, 90’s dance etc.
A good band will read the crowd and try keep everyone happy giving each generation a few dances of the music they love.
SONG LISTS
I personally love if a couple sends me a long list of songs they love. I will then take note of the songs on that list that we know already and play those live! The rest I will try and slot into the Dj set later.
Probably one of the biggest mistakes couples can make is sending a list of songs they don’t want played. This can restrict the band when they are reading the crowd. For example a number of times in the past we have been asked not to play any waltz’s. And more often than not that’s exactly what a good percentage of the guests that evening want.
SITTING DOWN EARLY
Try to get seated for your meal before 6pm. Even before 5:30pm. Although most hotels can nearly tell you to the minute how long the meal will be, the speeches can take up loads of time. The average is 40 mins, but from experience a lot of speeches can go well past an hour. And if you sit for the meal at 6pm, the meal will usually be two hours, that’s at least 9pm before everything is finished and then the hotel needs to turn the room around and the band needs to set up. So more often than not it’s gone 10pm before the music starts. So sitting down early can make a huge difference.
FIRST DANCE
We learn new first dances every week and most of the time the first dance is a song that’s special to the couple. However when I am asked to give a couple suggestions for a first dance I always encourage them to go with a fast song. Fast songs just get the night off to a good start, especially if it’s a song your guests will know and love. It gets them clapping & singing straight away.
SEATING PLAN
If you can, try and seat the older guests as far back form where the band will be set up, a good band will watch their volume but they still need to be loud enough to keep the people on the floor dancing. And if the older guests table is next to the speakers they won’t be able to talk.
ROOM SIZE & DANCE FLOOR
Find a room that only just fits. ie It’s better that your guests tables are close to each other rather than spread out, you want people to mingle, almost bumping off each other as they go to the bar. This gets families that haven’t seen each other in a while , chatting and reminiscing. And as the day goes on the atmosphere gets better.
The same with the dance floor. The smaller the better, it means people will interact more on the floor.
RELAX & HAVE FUN
Lastly, just relax & enjoy the day. If you’ve picked the right band they will keep your guests entertained all night!
