Surrey is undoubtedly a fantastic place to get married. From stunning rural locations to bustling towns with convenient links to the capital, this beautiful county has much to offer happy couples.
Whether you’ve gone for a country golf club, historic house, quirky village hall, or busy luxury hotel – once you’ve secured your venue – it’s time to make some crucial decisions.
While catering, venue design, and photography are all important, your choice of live music is one aspect of your wedding that can help transform your evening party into something guests will be talking about for years to come.
However, booking the right musicians is not always plain sailing.
There are several essential factors to consider when making your decision to ensure you book the perfect act for your big day.
Here is how to find great wedding bands in Surrey.
Check your venue’s policy on live entertainment
If you are considering having live entertainment on your wedding day, it’s vital to check what provisions your venue has for accommodating this.
Ideally, this will have been done while booking the venue.
However, there can be many reasons why this might not have happened – perhaps you only just decided that having live music is for you or discovered more room in your budget than first thought.
Your venue can influence your choice of live music in several ways. As such, consider asking your venue contact the following questions to get started:
- Do you regularly have live music here?
- Where do you usually have the bands set up?
- Is there a curfew for live music?
- Do you have any noise restrictions?
If your venue is particularly historic or in a built-up area, then they may restrict volume levels. This means that, sadly, your Nirvana tribute might not be the best idea!
If your venue has particularly severe noise restrictions, consider opting for an acoustic band, which will be able to mitigate any volume obligations much more effectively.
Similarly, if your venue is very tight on space, it might be best to book a solo musician or small group. Unfortunately, asking a 9-piece soul band to fit under some stairs in the hallway might not be practical!
Remember, you can ask any prospective acts for advice during the booking process and get their take on suitability – just make sure to include any relevant information in your initial enquiry.
Use an entertainment directory
While trawling the internet for hours and hours can eventually lead you to a suitable group for your Surrey wedding, using an entertainment directory like Gig Heaven can be much more time-effective.
Entertainment directories put thousands of unique wedding bands at your fingertips, allowing you to filter them by budget, location, genre, and more to find the perfect wedding band in Surrey.
Consider the schedule of your day
When deciding which act to book, it’s worth considering your plan for the day and where live music might be most appropriate.
While an evening booking for a wedding band is pretty traditional, you might consider other choices in addition, such as:
- A harpist or string quartet playing during the ceremony.
- A jazz singer performing during your drinks reception for evening arrivals.
- A cocktail pianist or classical guitarist performing during dinner.
- Singing waiters performing as the meal is served.
- A late-night DJ and Ibiza sax combo performing after your wedding band has finished.
Pop/rock cover bands sometimes offer “whole day” packages that include acoustic performances at various intervals during the day, as well as a full-band performance for the party in the evening. This option can be more cost-effective than booking individual acts.
Consider the weather and the time of year, and book accordingly
Though Surrey might enjoy a slightly better climate than, say, the Hebrides, even the best-laid plans can still fall victim to the good ol’ British weather.
If you are planning to have your musicians perform outside, it is vital that you convey this intention to them in advance in order to make sure they have the facility to do so.
Acoustic acts and solo musicians like string players may be able to perform without amplification, depending on the size of the event.
However, it is crucial you discuss this requirement with any musicians you are considering booking, as not all acts will have the ability to change their set up, should the weather turn.
Should the worst happen on the day, having a plan B will be essential, so make sure both your musicians and venue are aware of any backup plans to avoid any disappointments due to logistical problems.
On the other hand, if you are planning a summer wedding, it might be worth considering what will happen should a heatwave strike. Asking guests and musicians to wait around for long periods in direct sun during extreme temperatures without shade or access to water is unlikely to make you particularly popular with either!
If in doubt, ask.
If you aren’t sure about anything to do with your choice of band, you should feel free to ask plenty of questions before confirming the booking.
Wedding musicians are often highly experienced and should be able to advise you on their group’s suitability for the show.
Some may even recommend alternative groups they know to be reliable if they better fit your requirements.
This post was written by Last Minute Musicians. They are an exhibitor on the WeddingShow247 Music floor of the Music Hall. You can visit their WeddingShow247 exhibition stand here.
