TOP WEDDING MUSIC TIPS
- By Richie Robinson -
TO THE BRIDE, CONTINUED...
I hope that I can impart all you need to know with a minimum of hoo hah, and that this page makes a positive difference to the outcome of your wedding. Oh and by the way, I just LOVE doing weddings!! It may sound corny, but the love in the air, and all the positivity and happiness is a vibe I can't get enough of. I have never seen a bride that is not beautiful, if not stunning, and after doing it for so long, I still find myself listening intently to the speeches, and feeling magic in the air during the Bridal Waltz.
You can read a short paragraph on the experience I can draw on as a professional in order to best help you here.
Ok, now on to the nitty gritty.
WORK OUT YOUR MUSIC BUDGET EARLY IN YOUR PLANNING STAGES
There are many differences between entertainment options and just as many differences in price. Consider it similar to say, buying carpet. Imagine building a new home. You want your future life there to make you feel great, along with your family and your guests. Once the home is built and the furniture and paint are colour-coordinated and looking fabulous, and the budget is almost dry, can you imagine going to the carpet shop at the last minute and saying to the salesperson "Sell me your cheapest carpet"!!
Imagine!! Yet many brides and grooms shop for entertainment just like that. Then on the night of the wedding, the sound system sounds kind of tinny, the microphone squeals when Uncle Dave's making his speech, or people simply can't hear him, the celebrations end up stuck with a DJ who spins questionable song choices on "autopilot" while he's thinking about the footy, or a self-absorbed musician who is more interested in showing off his favourite licks than entertaining the bride and guests. It happens!!
If you can work out what your music budget is in the early stages, you need not be stuck with a scenario like that. After all, your music choices are a major part of the atmosphere for your ceremony and celebrations, just as your carpet is a major part of your interior design. It really is best to integrate it rather than think about it later.
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HOW TO OPTIMISE YOUR BUDGET - WHETHER YOU'VE ALREADY BLOWN IT OR NOT.
Whether you are looking for
your Ideal Wedding Music Choice, or if you are simply looking for the perfect entertainment package to suit your budget, we have a solution for you! Our professional musicians, MCs, sound systems, and joint expertise can cater for any mood you wish to create with all the experience and reliability you can ask for, and on a variety of budgets.
Read up on how to optimise your entertainment dollar.
Go straight to our entertainment packages page.
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If your budget is a little stretched, don't despair! there are a number of ways, as you can see below, that you can optimise your entertainment dollar, and be happily satisfied with the results. Here are some suggestions, and their positives and negatives...
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Supply all the music and sound yourself
POSITIVES
- You'll know exactly what to expect from your music.
- It'll cost you next to nothing in cash.
- You can plan your music to your heart's content.
NEGATIVES
- Unless you have a professional sound system you may be disappointed with the sound. The typical or even high quality home sound system will have trouble keeping up with the rigors of a large crowd in a large room, particularly when it comes to dancing.
- It'll cost you a lot of extra time, planning, and effort that may be better spent on other aspects of your wedding celebrations.
- Supply the entertainment yourself, and hire a professional sound system
POSITIVES
- This is a great option if you have a very limited budget. You can get the look and sound of a "DJ" at a fraction of the cost, as long as you have a trustworthy friend that can help you out on the night.
- Hiring a sound system from a wedding music professional such as Wedding Music SA will put you in touch with all the advice you need to ensure that your music mixes and microphone mixes (for speeches and announcements) keep you and your guests as comfortable and entertained as possible.
NEGATIVES
- It is a known fact that most people fear public speaking worse than death! - Having a professional entertainer on hand to help you with such things as announcements, or MC'ing your reception may take a lot of weight off your mind.
- Having a professional on hand may also be handy if you can't hear Uncle Dave on the microphone, or if there are any issues that arise from not knowing how to operate a professional sound rig. Still, this is a relatively minor issue if you already have professional advice from reliable professionals like Wedding Music SA.
- One of the main drawbacks with this option is the lack of interactivity that recorded music provides. As much as recorded music (whether you have a DJ or not) can give you the familiarity you want at times, it simply can't interact with you! For example, repeating the opening bars of a song until you are ready to walk on or dance. It can't follow your footsteps, or linger in a special moment during that first dance like a professional entertainer can, and recorded music will never be taken aback by the beauty of the bride and play sweetly in sympathy.
- Using recorded music at your ceremony may also require you to spend a lot of time rehearsing your walk down the isle at a particular pace, and/or editing your music so that it fits. This still won't guarantee that your timing will work out nicely on the day, simply because unpredictable things happen. With a professional musician this is not an issue, you simply act as you feel in the moment, and the music follows you.
- Hire one professional musician / entertainer to look after all your requirements
POSITIVES
- A professional wedding entertainer will take care of all your requirements such as, performing at your ceremony if required, to providing light entertainment through dinner, to assisting with the planning and formatting of the music for your special day, to setting up a great sound for you with professional equipment, and helping you on your way to enjoy all your recorded favourites later in the evening.
- You only pay for one musician along with the sound equipment.
- You can have your cake and eat it too with this one! At little more than the cost of a good DJ, you can have live solo classical-jazz guitar at your ceremony, stylish light jazz for cocktails and/or dining, and a top quality sound system for finishing the night out with party dance music!
NEGATIVES
- As far as we know, Wedding Music SA is the only place in South Australia where the level of professionalism you get with this package is available. So don't leave booking till it's too late and miss out on all those wonderful advantages. These musicians are all the best available, and getting in early is essential to secure a booking.
Go back to tips list.
HOW TO SPOT A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN AND WEDDING ENTERTAINER
When you choose to hire entertainment for your ceremony and/or reception, you will be well armed if you can tell the professional from the "not-so-professional". Though at first glance it may be hard to see, the differences can be astounding! You don't want to be working it out on the night of your wedding!! Here are some questions and points to get you thinking....
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First of all, is the band leader a full-time or part-time entertainer?
- Working with a full-time entertainer that depends on how happy you are with the entertainment for his/her income is a sure-fire way to ensure that they have your best interests at heart. Instead of returning to their day job Monday morning, their guarantee is that they have the motivation and the time to master all the tasks required to make your wedding entertainment a success. There is a lot more to being a professional than meets the eye, and the ability to play or sing is just the tip of the iceberg!
- Part-time or 'sometimes' entertainers, DJs, and musicians are rarely involved in coordinating the music for, and performing at weddings, and may very well be out of touch with the needs of the bride. They may also be unsure of wedding protocols and proceedings, and ill-equipped to meet the needs of wedding guests throughout the ceremony and reception.
- Have they got proven and checkable history in wedding entertainment?
- A proven history in entertainment means that you will be able to look them up or find out about them relatively easily. You should at least get them at number 1 by "Googling" their name. Try "Richie Robinson" for example. Better known and more established artists can handle a broader search even in the face of stiff competition. Try Googling "Richie Guitar Adelaide " now that the Adelaide International Guitar Festival has provided major competition.
- Experience and commitment in any field is often recognisable by the development of a unique product, service, or tool to assist the clientele. Knowing this will help you to see how your entertainer/s have gone out of their way to improve the quality of services available to you. Two sevices that we have developed are the Sortable Wedding Songlist, and the Wedding Music Planner. Moreover, we are the first music organisation in Australia (at the time of this writing) that can lead you through all you need to know to make your wedding music a complete success, where you deal directly with the musicians from the word "GO", and, to make it even easier for you, youcan now pay securely online! - You get a completely comprehensive service covering every aspect of your wedding music and entertainment without ever have to leave your computer!
- Testimonials are a great source of information. Clients need to feel satisfied enough to put their thoughts in writing.
- If you can trust your entertainer to know all the answers to your questions regarding wedding protocols associated with music, such as "Processional" or "Grand Entrance", or advice on song choices for any of these, then you are on a winner!
NEGATIVES
- An add in a wedding directory does not necessarily point out a professional wedding entertainer, it is simply a paid listing. It tells you no more the entertainer in real terms, than working out what a cake tastes like by looking at it. Check the written content, the MP3s, and cross referencing you'll find about them from there to get an indication of their experience and suitability.
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Can you chat with them directly on all matters regarding your wedding entertainment?
- It is likely to be very important to you to be able to chat with the entertainer or musical director leading up your big day. There can be a lot of stress for brides in this period, and being able to phone at any reasonable time to see if all is going as planned can be a welcome relief. A professional will let you know they are available, both by phone and by a legitimate business email address, and they will return any missed calls promptly.
- When you ring, you may possibly find them working on your song request and be able to hear the progress on the phone.
- Direct chat means that there is no communication breakdown. Always aim for this. To communicate with an established professional, simply type their name into google. If they are too hard to find they are probably not professional enough for your occasion. You can test this by googling "Richie Robinson".
NEGATIVES
- If your entertainer has only a Hotmail or Yahoo! email account, this is an indication of their commitment to providing a professional service. Professional in this day and age will have at the very minimum a website with sample MP3s for you to check out, and a professional email address associated with it.
- When you ring and you can't talk because the entertainer is "at work" doing their day job, you will know they're not working on your bridal request.....
- rather than through a third party or agent Some agents withhold contact information as a means of maintaining viability.
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Will the stage presentation be second-to-none with no messy instruments or cables running this way and that across the floor?
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Will the sound equipment be top-quality, commercial grade gear, set up by a professional for both sound and aesthetics?
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Will the musicians dress to compliment your theme?
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How do they interact with you and your guests?
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Are they sober, dignified, respectful and friendly individuals?
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HOW TO FORMAT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT TO SUIT YOUR WEDDING
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TESTIMONIALS
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“When planning the music for our wedding in December, 2006, we went looking for a high quality live act that could play cool tunes throughout dinner and then liven up for a party atmosphere later in the night. Richie Robinson's Duo delivered all we wanted and more. They were professional and talented, and their performance made our special day even more memorable”.
- Nadia & Matt -
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From the moment the music played we knew it was going to be an awesome night. Richie and Nicki did an exceptional job & we would recommend them to everyone we know. Absolutely great night had by all. Thanks!
- Dee & Ross -
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"Dear Richie, thank you for making our wedding
night so special”
- Olivia & Jamie -
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Hi I began playing music for an income at age 14, and have been a full-time professional entertainer all my adult life. As a guitarist and musical director, I have performed at many, many weddings, corporate functions, and for a growing number of Australian dignitaries. Currently I perform 3 to 4 times a week, though in peak periods have done 12 4-hour shows a week on a consistent basis. My professional studio background includes independent releases, audio productions for radio and television, and producing artists for record labels. My live production background includes working with stage and sound systems for Billy Joel, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Tool, Fat Boy Slim, and many more as they have passed through Adelaide.
So, in short, I can provide expert advice on wedding proceedings, music choices, sound systems, musicians and instrumentation. I'll provide links where ever I can so you can utilize my connections and experience, and if you need to know more, you can always contact me with a question.
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