These five tips come from of three generations of entertainers and if you respect them it will almost guarantee a fantastic wedding reception!
1. The Venue
The most important aspect to the venue is the room capacity. If you are expecting 120 guests and the room holds 300 then prepare for a disaster. Extra capacity is definitely a bad thing. In this instance, your guests will be lost in the room and there will be no ambience whatsoever. Try to ensure that the number of seated guests is as close to room capacity as possible.
The golden rule of picking a venue is to never choose a room that accommodates more people than you expect to attend.
The Dance Floor should be about a quarter of the size of the room. Think about it: Your guests are only taking up a relatively small amount of floor space - tables take up most of the room. So, if the dance floor is the same size as the seating/table area, then there is no way that you guests will ever "fill" the dance floor!
Something else to bear in mind is that some hotels and venues generally request that music and entertainment stops strictly at 1am or 2am. Find out from your hotel what their policy is and talk to us.
2. Lighting
Lighting is of huge importance. When you visit the venue be sure to ask what their standard light setting is for dancing. Quite simply, if it’s too bright people will not dance. Low lighting and perhaps candles on tables makes for a really great atmosphere. When you’re in the room ask yourself; would I feel like dancing in this room?
Have you ever noticed the big light that some videographers use? Does it put you off dancing? I'm sure it does!
The Black Knights use a about EUR 5,000 of stage lighting. Your venue will then dim their lights to a really romantic setting accompanied by candles. Sounds like a nice setting doesn't it? Now imagine a big light being turned on making the room bright again! It completely ruins the mood and atmosphere!
Most good videographers use professional cameras which work in low lighting, and if needed they use a small camera light.
For the best of both worlds, we recommend Dundara Productions and the videography service from Ruth Foran Photography
Click here to listen to The Black Knights Band
3. Your Guests
Although it is your wedding day and evening, it is important to have a ‘fit’ between the musical preferences of your guests and the entertainment you provide. You wouldn’t provide roast beef dinners if most of your guests were vegetarian, so it is similarly important to hire a band suitable for your guests.
Most weddings are a gathering of a broad age group, who know each other quite well, and they are looking forward to the party. However, if your guests are not known for their dancing, then a party or dance band is not really the solution. They will be working hard to have everyone dancing while all your guests really want to do is talk. For this type of reception a jazz band or something light is best, as they will entertain a seated audience without being forceful.
Think about how your guests have reacted at other weddings and speak to your band as to how they plan to approach your reception.
4. Your Role
Remember this is your wedding reception; everyone will be there to see you, to wish you well and to celebrate with you. What you do will ultimately set the tone for the evening. If you leave the floor after the first dance and sit at the bar all evening then the chances are that your guests will do the same. Remember, they came to see you.
Alternatively, if you invest the first 20 minutes dancing (even if you can’t) then everybody will join you. The return on this investment of time means you can spend the next hour visiting each table to say hello while everyone else is dancing.
Sometimes people are a little reluctant to dance for one reason or another. If this is the case then split up and take people by the hand and take them up dancing. This works for the rest or the bridal party also. If you look like you want to have fun then the desired atmosphere is created.
5. Entertainment and Music
Hopefully by now you are starting to realise that while you may spend time deciding on the perfect band for your wedding, it is all for nothing if the room isn’t right and you’re not prepared to let your hair down and have a little fun.
I have seen 200 people dance to a one-man-band, but I have also seen the same crowd sit down as a Live 7 piece band played great music all night. The perfect wedding reception stretches way beyond simply choosing the right band.
Choose a band that plays music to suit the diverse age group found at a wedding, a band that is professional to deal with and a band with competent musicians. A good band will entertain those dancing with their choice of songs and those sitting down with their musicianship. After that it’s really up to you to have fun and enjoy your wedding.
It’s that simple really!
Alan Brereton
© 2008 Alan Brereton
No More Gatecrashing!!
See The Black Knights live EXACTLY as they will be for your wedding without having to gatecrash! Visit our next Showcase!
Go to Showcase page for details
Don't forget, we also provide
* Church Music (trio)
* Pre-Dinner Music (piano)
* Professional DJs
Contact us for more information!
