When two people get engaged and then begin planning a wedding it can at first seem extremely daunting, faced with the enormity of organizing such a huge event, and very often without any experience of organising anything this big.  It is very easy for it to get quite overwhelming especially with all the advice, much of it conflicting, that is offered by so many people. There is just so much to do and what to do first?  It can quickly get quite stressful.

 

With so much to do, the entertainment can easily get overlooked in the early stages.  Additionally as most people will never have booked entertainment before, that can be another reason to put it off because of not being sure how to go about finding the right entertainment.

 

In most cases the first decision will come down to choosing between having a band or a DJ for the wedding entertainment, and once that has been decided how do you then go about finding the right DJ or band?  What questions would you ask?  How much will it cost?  What things are standard?

 

If you haven’t got experience of booking this before you often won’t know where to start, or on what to base a decision?  Is it just a case of plucking a figure from the air with regards to what to spend? How should you decide what percentage of the total budget should be allocated to the entertainment? There’s so much to think about!

 

 

There is a service for all budgets.  From the guy that you book but never meet until they turn up on the night and they play music for 3 or 4 hours, to the other end of the scale, where they will meet with you 2 or 3 times before the wedding itself and even attend the rehearsals.  They’ll really get to know you, they will ensure they have a thorough understanding of the vision you want to create for your day.  They will also assist you throughout the wedding day, from the ceremony onwards, ensuring that the whole day is completely personalised and very unique.

 

A good rule of thumb is to allocate at least 10% of the total budget towards your entertainment.  If you would like me to send you information on my services please do get in touch, or why not subscribe to the weekly issues of Wedding Tips that I email, for lots of tips that you may find useful in planning your wedding, not just on entertainment, but on other areas of wedding planning too.

The last thing you need on your big day is confusion, but unfortunately it is something many couples must contend with because their vendors do not work well together. Vendor cohesion is as important as the individual vendors themselves. That is why I like to introduce myself to the vendors that I will be working with, and provide as much help as possible. “Not my job,” is not a phrase that I use when working a wedding. I have pitched in to help vendors in various areas who were shorthanded.

 

One of your best shots at vendor cohesion is hiring vendors recommended by other vendors. The group wedding industry professionals is relatively small. Many vendors work with each other over and over and have both developed a rapport and an educated opinion of the work quality of other vendors. It is also helpful to run vendors that have been suggested to you through other sources by your hired vendors to get their opinion.

 

Your chosen venue is also an excellent source for vendor recommendations that will foster cohesion. Venues that frequently host weddings will most likely have a list of preferred vendors, and often those vendors have worked together on other weddings and events. If they have not worked together, they have worked at the particular venue and are familiar with it which also gives you a better shot at vendor cohesion.

 

Whether you hire vendors who have previously worked together or not, it is a good idea to meet with your vendors at your venue, if possible, before hand. If it is not possible to meet at the venue or in person, a conference call is another option. The important thing is to make sure that everyone understands exactly what your expectations are, and how they fit into the grand scheme.