In college, it’s easy to plan a party: you only choose a simple menu and organise music from your MP3 player. But weddings require a detailed plan, better entertainment and a bigger budget. According to a wedding survey, the average cost of the ceremony in the UK was £26,989 in 2018, which was a 12% increase from the previous year. The statistics reveal that supplier costs are constantly increasing, thus making wedding bands more expensive to hire.
Wedding bands cater to a variety of tastes for your special day; covering a variety of genres such as rock, pop, soul, jazz and classical. The quoted prices may be high at times, but here are some ways to save money:
1) Book off-peak
There are 52 weekends in a year, and most of them are considered ‘peak’ time for events
such as weddings. October is actually the most popular month for weddings in the US at the moment, followed by September and June. This does not mean that you’ll not be able to get a spot in these months, but be prepared to pay more as you’re less likely to get extras, discounts and deals. Book the band during off-peak times – for example, midweek or the winter season.
2) Explore versatility
Bands play different types of music through the entire wedding ceremony, including when the bride walks down the aisle and when entertaining guests at the reception. To save money, you can hire a band for the main ceremony and a DJ for the afterparty. If the band members are versatile, you could ask one of them to act as the DJ. Also, bands with numerous instrumentalists are often expensive, so trim it down to a 4 or 5 piece band.
3) Book a fully self-contained venue
Choose a venue that has its own PA system and musical instruments. Bands will often charge less when they don’t have to carry their equipment to the venue. If the venue does not have all the essential equipment, you can negotiate price cuts and hire the missing equipment from the band.
4) Get a local band
If the venue is close by, inform the band as they may be willing to give you a discount for the convenience of not travelling far. The process of selecting or auditioning can be fairly complex as well, especially if you want to hire the best band to make your wedding day memorable. You’ll be able to browse several professional profiles with ease if you hire a local wedding band.
5) Implement a streamlined process
Wedding bands charge for their time, which includes travelling, setting up equipment, sound checking, etc. Cut down the band’s working time by streamlining the process. This includes examining your itinerary and liaising with the venue to ensure all the equipment is ready. You’ll save money when the band can get to the venue, set up, soundcheck, perform and leave without any unnecessary delays.
Your wedding is one of the most special days in your life, so don’t risk hiring an incompetent band just to save money. Take your time during the selection process to get the right band for your desired style and budget. The above tips will help you to get entertainment services at affordable prices, without compromising on quality.
By Ellen Wise
