5 Music Mistakes to Avoid at your Wedding
Here are 5 mistakes I see so many couples make when planning music for their wedding. You should avoid them!
Dessert
Ok. So imagine the scene. Entrees, done. Mains, done. Speeches, done. The first dance, done. Your band or DJ are just getting ready to fire up the party, and the wonderful kitchen staff at your event bring out the absolute most DELICIOUS looking dessert food imaginable right as “Uptown Funk” starts slamming. I’ve seen dessert kill a dancefloor - and hey, who could blame the crowd? Food is delicious. Dessert is delicious. Quite often, I would rather eat sugar than dance. So - if you want to avoid the sweet sweet buzzkill of wedding cake or tiramisu, consider planning out when dessert is served. Maybe there’s a break between dance sets that you can arrange for it to be served!
Too many niche songs
I love DJing and playing random songs that the client ADORES. Some of my favourite moments on gigs have been working together custom mixes on the fly with songs I’ve never even heard of before. These moments are so much fun. But, you can have too much of a good thing. When making requests of your DJ or band, consider this: Will my 6 year old niece, and my 80 year old grandma know this song? The hope is to get everyone involved in the party, not just you. I’ve written about this in other blogposts - there is room for niche music, but don’t kill the vibes by playing too many songs that few people attending know.
LOUD NOISES
Live music is loud. Drums are loud. A DJ can be whatever volume you want. A good drummer who is sensitive to the room can be whatever volume you want. All too often, I’ve seen people book a live band to play over dinner, and then struggle to talk to the person next to them because the band think they are the focus at that exact moment. Have a frank conversation with your band or DJ if volume is a concern for you. Typically, hard floors and windows will mean more reverberations, which will make conversation harder. Carpets and walls, or having an outdoor reception in a marquee will mean less loud noise. Ultimately though, any space is workable if you are booking a pro.
Booking an agency band or agency DJ
This is a hard one for me to write. I am so grateful for years and years and years of playing agency gigs. They have been really helpful as a professional musician. But it can bring challenges. When you book through an agency, “middle management” is taking a chunk of cash from the musicians, and from you, the client. They will often have very genuine expenses to pay, like advertising.. a website, etc. But there will be a slice of profit going through to the top. AND - you don’t even have clarity on whose face you will see at your event or on your special day, which means the quality of music is an unknown. Agencies are designed with profit as top priority - not the guest experience or the client’s wishes.
Opting for the “cheap” option
This is a fairly obvious one - you get what you pay for. I unashamedly charge a good rate in line with Australian standards for musicians, singers and DJs. All too often I hear of horror stories of people booking the cheapest band or DJ, only to be shocked when the experience doesn’t live up to their hopes. If someone is charging hobbyist rates, music is a hobby for them. You don’t want your special day sounding like someone’s side gig. If someone is a professional musician or DJ, they deserve to be paid for it well - AND it will hugely benefit your event.