An amazing statistic of the recession has been that wedding band bookings in London have stayed relatively constant compared to other business sectors.
You would expect couples to cut back on entertainment first but this doesn’t seem the case and most wedding bands in London have actually seen a substantial increase.
The question is why?
One reason could be that weddings are one cost that people refuse to cut back on, especially the bride! Would you tell you’re loved one that the day they have been dreaming about their whole life might not be as dazzling as they might hope.
One can imagine that most grooms to be would rather take on a part time job than face the fury of a mad bride to be, after all this is supposed to be the biggest day of your life!
Another interesting point is that it’s wedding bands in London that are performing well. Traditionally couples from the big smoke have tended to choose venues outside of London, often as far as Devon or Cornwall, partly because it’s cheaper and partly because it’s much more beautiful!
What we seem to be witnessing is a shift from couples getting married in a country church and having a reception at a country hall or a converted manor to staying in London, getting married at a registry office and then having the reception in a posh pub, bar or hotel. This shift is one that wasn’t expected but is very welcome especially from London wedding bands that have soaked up the business and now don’t have to travel to Cornwall every weekend!
Choosing a London Wedding Band
Picking a band to play at your wedding isn’t the easiest job in the world so here’s a few tips from an expert!
• Try and see the band live
Most members of professional wedding bands also perform at venues throughout the week. Even if you can’t see the full band you may be able to watch the singer and guitarist perform as a duo at a bar or hotel. This will give you a really good indication of how the whole band will sound.
• Bigger cost doesn’t mean bigger talent
If you go with an agency bear in mind that they will charge commission on top of what the band cost. This can be anything from 10% to 100%, so don’t be put off if you go directly to a band and they seem a lot cheaper.
• Go local
If you’re getting married in Bow try and find a band are based in Bow. Odds are they will probably know and will have played at the venue where you’re getting married. If so this will save lots of a time as they won’t need to investigate the venue before they play.
• Be hands on
Make sure you meet the band at the venue before your big day.
Talk to them about parking, food and try and get a set list too, don’t worry about bombarding them with questions as the more information they have about your wedding the easier it will be to get it right!
Remember you can usually ask the band to learn your first dance for free and this is so much classier than having the DJ play it!
About the Author
Simon Baum runs a successful, entertainment agency providing entertainment for both wedding and corporate clients.
If you need any help with your wedding entertainment or corporate entertainment he’d be happy to advise you.
Contact him on 0845 890 8525
e-mail YES Entertainment!
Visit the website
Wedding Bands London
