One thing’s for sure, music plays an all important role at your wedding. Couples put great thought in to song choices for the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. Clearly, you want to find the best-of-the-best, the cream-of-the-crop (insert your own cheesy metaphorical phrase here). Bad music can put a real damper on your event, leaving the dance floor empty and your guests disappointed. And sometimes couples fail to realize that there is actually a lot more to look at than just the talent of the musicians or the quality of the song list. When searching for the perfect wedding reception band, you really need to look for the whole package.
2012 marks our 40th year in business! In 1972, Lorio Ross Entertainment opened her doors and has been successfully bookings bands ever since. This week I sat down with one of the founders of our company to ask him for his tips and advice for couples looking to book music for their big day. As both a Lorio Ross Entertainment agent and the leader of a very prominent Michigan party band, he really has the inside scoop on how it all comes together.
Give us some examples of details a bride and groom may not think about when booking a band.
Couples may not give a second thought to a band having only one lead singer, but I think it is really important to hire a band with at least 2 lead singers, preferably more. A band with only 1 lead singer can get a little boring. When you’re covering many eras of music, as you so often do at a wedding, you really need that vocal variety. Also, make sure the vocalists are really strong. Even if the musicians are fantastic, if the vocalists are so-so, the band will be so-so. But… if the musicians are so-so and the vocalists are strong, the band will be spectacular.
Sometimes brides will call the agency, ask for a particular band’s song-list and then book that band based on their song-list. Couples should remember that, while a song-list may give you an idea of the type of the music the band general plays, most bands are willing to work with their clients to create a song-list specially suited to the event. Additionally, just because a song-list is full of your favorite tunes, that really doesn’t reflect the quality of the band.
What is the biggest mistake that couples make when it comes to music?
Quite often people might book a classical quartet (or something similar) for cocktail music and, in my opinion, that’s a big mistake. That sort of music is great when people are sitting during the ceremony but when your guests are mingling and talking, soft, classical music gets lost. Cocktail music needs to be a bit more energetic. Why not consider light jazz?
What are some characteristics of a really great wedding band?
A really good band will, by what they say and do, pack the dance floor the entire night. They’ll be able to call out tunes based on who is and isn’t dancing. This involves paying a lot of attention to the demographic on the dance floor. Who is still sitting? What song will get those people up and out of their seats? There is a lot of thought that goes in to that and a really good band will know how to keep the party going from beginning to the very last song.
When somebody hires my band – bottom line, my job is to show them and their guests a really great, fun time! No matter how great a band is, if they just play tune after tune, that’s not going to make it a fun party for your guests. It isn’t just about hiring a group of great musicians, it’s just as important to have a really talented MC within the band that can interact with the guests to get them involved. For example, I’ve seen bands play great party songs but people are still reluctant to get out on the dance floor. Maybe some of the guests are shy… but a good band, one with lots of experience, will know just what to say to get EVERYONE out there. I’m not going to give away my secrets but we know just what to say to make it happen!
How important are the acoustics of the couple’s wedding venue?
It seems like most contemporary builders don’t think about acoustics. I can’t tell you the number of new halls I’ve gone to with terrible acoustics. When you have poor acoustics, any band is going to sound really, very loud. This makes it difficult when you’ve got guests at 8 tops or larger. You want your guests to be able to hear one another. This isn’t to say that older halls are the better option. Most of the historic venues were built to showcase bands without any electronic amplification. So many couples book a property based on its outside beauty or historical character but, the party is inside and I think it’s important to consider the acoustics if you’re going to be booking a band. And if you have any doubts, ask your band leader!
Don’t miss Part 2 coming soon…
Lisa @ Lorio Ross
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