In the time period between booking a live band for your wedding or corporate functions there are 5 details you need to organize with the band. Get these sorted and your experience with your band should be smooth and run to plan!
1) Give the band the full postal address of the venue, plus a detailed map AND detailed directions at least a month before the big day.
2) Make sure the band have a copy of any music they need to learn for your event at least a month before the event. If you are getting married and a learning a specific dance to a specific song make sure you send the band the same version of the song that you are using!
3) Speak to the band a week or so before the big day and confirm the timings with them, from arrival and set up times right through to approximate start and finish times of the actual performance.
4) It’s usual to provide light refreshments for a band so make sure you’ve told the caterer – or other appropriate person – about the food arrangements for the band and check with the band to see what time they’d prefer to eat. And don’t forget to ask the band if they have any vegetarians.
5) Get an emergency contact number from the band. The mobile number of the band leader on the night is the best. Make sure that the band have the phone number of the venue, plus two or three mobile phone numbers of responsible people connected with the event. There’s a good chance there won’t be an emergency – making sure the lines of communications are open ensures that if there is then at least everyone is kept in the loop.
Get these 5 things sorted and you can sleep easily in the last few days before your event knowing that the band have all the information that they need to do the best performance that they can. And that all you need to do on the day is pay them (if that’s the contractual arrangement) and then kick off your shoes and enjoy yourself!