When you are looking for a band for your wedding you will have two choices - either trying to find a band yourself or going through a booking agent.
Obviously, if do it yourself you will have to find suitable bands, go and see them perform, Mister babache and then try to negotiate a fee which is acceptable to both of you. This can be quite time-consuming and hard work.
It may also be impossible to judge the reliability and disposition of the band. The last thing you need is a band that is not going to turn up because of internal bickering or one that does turn up but act like they are "God's gift to music" and they are doing you a favour by being there. Not exactly the kind of atmosphere you want at your wedding!
However, going to a reputable and established booking agent can make the process a whole lot easier and safer for you.
A good agent will have already vetted all the bands on his books and he will know these bands are good, friendly, professional, flexible, and, most importantly, reliable.
He will also know that the bands have public liability insurance and all of their equipment has been PAT tested. In addition, he will have enough experience to know if their sound system can give a quality performance at the venue you have chosen.
If the agent is local, then he will also have the advantage of knowing all the popular venues and the conditions at these venues. He will know which sizes of bands the venue will accommodate and any peculiar restrictions enforced by that venue e.g. "no loud music after 11:00 pm" or "the band must set up a 2:00 pm in the afternoon" etc. Unfortunately, many venues do not tend to make these restrictions known to the bride and groom when they are are booking the venue.
A good agent may also be able to get the band at a cheaper price for you. As the band is getting lots of bookings through the agent, then they are more likely to be flexible about their fees with him, than they are with you. You are only offering them "one" job, whereas the agent is obtaining "many" jobs for them.
Finally, and most importantly, if the band you have booked is involved in a accident which prevents them from performing, then the agent will use his extensive contacts to try and find you a replacement band at short notice. This facility alone is worth it's weight in gold for any serious booker.
So, what can a good agent do for you?
Advise you which bands are best for your wedding.
Obtain a fair and competitive price for you.
Send you free demo CDs of the bands.
Arrange dates where you can go and see the band.
Issue proper contracts to you and the band to make sure your booking is secure.
Deal with deposits and receipts for you.
Liaise with the venue about Public Liability.
Liaise with the venue about PAT testing.
Liaise with the venue about Risk Assessments.
Liaise with the venue about set up times.
Liaise with the band about your first dance.
Resolve any issues or problems that may arise.
Check last-minute details to ensure all goes smoothly on the day.
Find a replacement band, in emergencies.
Quite simply they can do all work for you and safeguard your booking. In a nutshell, it gives you less hassle and more peace of mind than doing it yourself.
Michael Breck is a professional Magician and Entertainment Agent in Scotland. He has been entertaining at weddings and booking entertainment for weddings for over twenty years. For more ideas about wedding entertainment go to Entertainment For Weddings and Events or Magical Entertainment For Weddings and Events
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