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Try to remember the
last wedding you attended. Was it six months ago?
A year? Perfect. Now try to remember
what hors'douvres were served during cocktail hour.
Tough one, right? How about this, do you remember
the favor you got? Maybe, maybe not. Now here's an
easy one: Did you have a good time? Did you dance
all night? Was the entertainment great? Or was it
horrible?
If you are like most people, chances are you'll
remember the entertainment more than anything at
a party. Entertainment leaves the most indelible
memory after any affair. So it only stands to reason
that the guests you invite to your wedding will have
the same impression. Long after the memory of how
your flowers looked has faded from their minds, long
after they've forgotten about those invitations you
sent out, they'll remember how great a time they
had, dancing and celebrating with the Bride and Groom.
It is for this reason that you should book the entertainment
for your wedding reception early. You should be very
clear about what you want and how you want your day
to run. You should shop around. You should call references.
You should see your Band or DJ live, not just on
videotape. You should insist on guaranteeing a specific
person or specific players once you reserve your
entertainment. And, it is for this reason, that if
you're going to cut some financial corners at your
reception, you should try someplace else. Don't order
match books for example, or go with the three hour
open bar instead of five.
Spend your money wisely on your wedding day for
entertainment, and you are virtually guaranteed to
have a memorable, fun, exciting day. The following
are some tips to help you when "shopping around" for
entertainment. Many of these suggestions apply for
other services as well, your photographer or videographer
for example, but for the purpose of this article
we'll deal strictly with Entertainment services for
your reception:
1 - How early should you book?
As a rule of thumb, 12 -18 months prior to your
date. This varies based on the time of year and day
of the week. If you are planning a Saturday in the
Spring or Fall, 12 months might be too late. If you
are planning a Friday night wedding or even a Saturday
in an off month (January and February) then 6 -12
months is more appropriate. Most companies you deal
with will ask for a small deposit (about a third)
up front.
2- How can you see the company perform?
You should either be able to attend a showcase or
watch a video demo. If a company invites you to another
person's wedding to "peek" in, be a little
leery. Do you really want that to happen on your
wedding day? And if that's how a company displays
its talents, chances are they'll do that when your
reception comes up. Any company that's professional
and experienced will have many opportunities for
you to see them.
3- Is there a variety of entertainers and packages
to choose from? (Is there someone for YOU?)
If a band company represents a number of bands or
if a DJ company has a few entertainers on staff,
chances are they are all a little different. Check
each one out. Once you're happy with a company's
reputation, find out who in that company is perfect
for you.
4- Make sure the company will allow you to choose
an entertainer or specific players.
If you fall in love with a band because of the lead
singer, or if you are interested in a specific emcee
from a DJ company, make sure the company will guarantee
that specific person by name. Most companies will
do this and it gives you the piece of mind that you
know who you are getting.
5- Do not assume that all companies use state of
the art equipment.
The fact is, some companies cut costs by purchasing
cheaper equipment. This will come back to haunt their
reputation but you don't want it costing you on your
big day. You don't have to know brand names but you
should check out the equipment to make sure it sounds
good, looks new and is taken care of. If you are
looking at a DJ company, ask if the DJs own their
own equipment. This is actually a good thing because
he or she probably takes better care of that equipment
than he would company-owned gear.
6- Try to get a feel for whether the company is
truly a company.
A true entertainment "company" (and not
a small operation that works out of a home or a "mom
and pop" company) has many benefits. For one
thing, there's a much better chance they'll still
be in business 12 -18 months later when your wedding
comes up. Many individuals, especially in the DJ
business, get started part time, find out it's not
all fun and games, and get out of the business quickly.
Also, companies will have backup entertainers on
staff and backup equipment readily available. Companies
will be fully insured (and many banquet halls insist
on this.) And finally, more than likely, a company
is a company because they are good. Most entertainment
companies grow from a smaller, very talented core
and as long as they maintain their reputation with
quality they will continue to grow.
7. Are you happy with the customer service you received?
If you do not feel like you are being treated well
in the initial process of getting to see a company,
during the time when they are trying to "win" your
business, how do you think they'll treat you once
you've booked them? Will you get the one-on-one attention
you deserve? You should insist that a company is
flexible and work with you to create the exact atmosphere
you are looking for on your big day. If you hear
things like "you can give us a few requests," or "Can
you bring that CD along? I don't think I have it," you
should see the warning signs. Answers like, "we
want you to tell us everything you want to hear," or "We
can learn to play that, no problem" are what
you should hear.
8- How helpful will the entertainer be in planning
the reception and music for special activities and
dances?
This probably goes to experience more than anything.
An entertainer who specializes in weddings and who
has done many of them will be able to assist you
in selecting music, creating the right atmosphere
and finding the right song or songs for special moments
in the reception (like dancing with a parent). You
probably won't be able to truly judge this until
right before your wedding when you meet with your
entertainment company to discuss specifics but you
should ask a few questions up front and pay careful
attention to how informative the answers are.
9- Feel out the company's reputation by asking people
in the wedding industry about that company.
Any entertainment company that does a decent amount
of work will develop a reputation "in the industry." Photographers,
videographers, and banquet people, just to name a
few, will work with and see the same faces all the
time and they are a great source of news, both good
and bad. Ask the people at your reception site (and
not just the banquet manager who may receive a commission
for referring a certain company but also servers
and bartenders) what they think of a certain entertainment
company. Try this with photographers and videographers
and you'll probably begin to see a company's reputation,
whether good or bad, develop before your eyes.
10 - When you're ready, book it.
The process can be long and exhausting but once
you've decided, do everything you can to reserve
the company you've chosen as quickly as possible.
Nothing will disappoint you more than going through
the whole process, setting your heart on something
and then waiting a week to call and finding out they
are booked on your day. It happens, but don't let
it happen to you. Once you've decided, pick up the
phone, get a check in the mail, sign a contract,
reserve the date. And then don't second guess yourself.
If you followed these steps, rest assured you'll
have great entertainment for your reception.
Mike Walter, Elite Entertainment
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