Before arranging any music for your wedding, we recommend talking with the venue to find out what their policy is on entertainment. The practical aspects of the venue are important such as atmosphere, décor, lighting, access, departure times and the venue’s location.The food, service and entertainment are the most important aspects of the function and you need to ensure you’re happy and that you’ve chosen the best suppliers within your budget. Always brief the venue on your entertainment requirements to get some feedback. You are under no obligation to use the venues preferred suppliers, as some make commissions from forcing you to use them. This practice is illegal and is third party enforcement. Always negotiate direct with the suppliers and take advice from the venue as to their top 3 recommendations. Refuse to pay any penalties a venue may demand for not using their suppliers, as this is also illegal. Remember nothing is for free……you’re paying for it in the package price!
Do your due diligence, research and check references
The planning team at Middleton Events want you to have the best experience on your wedding day and to ensure your wedding will be talked about for years to come! We’ve put together this entertainment planning guide to provide the right information to help you through the process of selecting the right entertainment for your wedding.
Whomever you end up choosing for your entertainment, please don’t choose them solely based on price. The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten. We quite often experience clients shopping and making their decisions purely based on price and price alone. This is dangerous, as in most cases you don’t know what you don’t know, and clients quite often don’t understand how good the entertainment can be and what a difference it makes to your wedding.
Consider these interesting statistics of brides polled after their wedding.
72% OF ALL BRIDES SAY THEY WOULD HAVE SPENT MORE TIME CHOOSING THEIR RECEPTION ENTERTAINMENT.
ALMOST 100% SAY THEY WOULD HAVE SPENT MORE OF THEIR BUDGET ON THE ENTERTAINMENT.
WITHIN ONE WEEK AFTER THEIR RECEPTION, 78% OF BRIDES SAY THEY WOULD HAVE MADE THE ENTERTAINMENT THEIR HIGHEST PRIORITY!
WHEN ASKED, 81% OF GUESTS SAY THE THING THEY REMEMBER MOST ABOUT A WEDDING IS THE ENTERTAINMENT.
The average wedding lasts nearly 10 hours so there is plenty of opportunity to add different musical flavours throughout the day so choosing the right balance of entertainment, is key to the best day of your lives and Middleton Events has the expertise and experience to make this happen! Many venues within residential areas and/or provided accommodation may have a sound limiter which can restrict the type of band or entertainment you have on the day. Make sure the volume levels of music are not too loud. There’s nothing more annoying than being at a function and not being able to talk through dinner. Discuss this prior to the start of the function with the Entertainment Company and ask that they keep the levels reasonable throughout dinner and increase the volume later when the celebration is in full swing.
Wedding music for the Ceremony and Service
Middleton Events can provide the perfect accompaniment for your Ceremony and provide string quartet or music production which will include;
- Pre-Ceremony music
- Entrance music
- Signing of the register
- Recessional
- After Ceremony music
There are generally 3 options to choose from:
1. String Ensemble – price range – $760 – $1260
2. Garden PA System with Operator – price range – $395 – $595
3. Acoustic Guitarist/Singer – price range – $395- $595
Wedding Entertainment for the Reception Party
Choosing the right entertainment for your wedding is crucial. Consider the needs of your guests and the variety of music and played. Is a DJ or Live Band or both suited to the demographic of the guests? Pre-determine the music mix before the function, and make sure you and the Entertainment Company fully understands the music directive prior to the function. Also be sure to know who you are booking, are they experienced, what attire will they wear? Make sure if booking a DJ they can talk, most DJ’s are scared to use the microphone and simply don’t talk or know how to build an atmosphere. On the other hand, you don’t want a DJ who ruins your night and is embarrassing. Entertainers, comedians and guest speakers should also be considered carefully as you need to fully understand their pitch and delivery. We have seen so many failed presenters due to the wrong demographic suitability. Ask to see their content before booking and be sure to get a proposal in writing before booking. Ask for testimonials, email addresses and phone numbers of their last 3 shows.
There are generally 3 options to choose from:
1. Professional DJ/MC – price range – $795 – $2,000
2. Live Band (4 piece wedding band) – price range – $1800 – $3,000
3. Solo artists or Duo – price range – $500 – $1500
Wedding Entertainment on a budget
Plan your event well in advance so that you secure the service providers and venue ahead of time. Pay service providers a deposit and ask about payment plans and early bird payment discounts. Most suppliers will offer you a discount if you’re in a position to pay the full amount upfront. Always negotiate. Events booked other than Friday and Saturday nights, should be negotiable and most suppliers offer reduced rates for events planned outside these peak nights.
Sometimes our budget won’t stretch to having our dream wedding.
Here are a few ideas to keep costs down:
• Avoid the peak days. The majority of couples tie the knot on a Saturday between September and March. You can save $$$’s by getting married on any other day, and if your celebrations are not in the peak seasons you may find discounts on all your wedding suppliers.
• Let your guests contribute towards the evening entertainment. Add the band/DJ to your wedding gift list – a novel way to have a memorable night plus all your guests benefit.
• If you’re in a position to make full payment on booking, ask for a further early bird payment discount.
• Book early. Hiring entertainment 12-18 months in advance can save you around 10% on the total cost and it will also avoid any problems with availability.
• Use a respected Entertainment provider with a proven track record.
We don’t recommend
• Using a friend’s Band, DJ or MC. This can often lead to disappointment because they will be missing out on a paid gig plus they won’t be able to enjoy your wedding as much because they are ‘working’. This is the second most common reason that brides contact us after being let down. (The first being that an un-contracted Band/DJ has cancelled).
• Leaving it until the last minute.
• Hiring the cheapest act you can find. You pay for what you get! And there’s no second chance. Hiring cheap entertainment is at a big risk and the chances are you’re setting yourself up for a disastrous night and guests will leave early. You may be able to find someone that will entertain you and your guests for as low as $300 but:
• Do they provide a service support system with a guarantee of service?
• Do they provide and online planning portal, so all of your planning, formalities and selections are backed up and stored on multiple servers, so no matter where you are information cannot be lost and always accessible?
• Do they allow guests to login to your planning portal and request and dedicate songs?
• Will they provide a contract/agreement – they may not even turn up without one?
• Is their equipment tested and suitable for your event?
• Are they insured and licensed?
• Are they an accomplished MC and can talk on a microphone?
• Can they entertain an audience?
• Do they have the programming and music expertise to fill a dance floor for all ages?
• Will they make your event memorable?
• Do they have the expertise and experience to perform in front of your family and friends?
Can I go and see the Band/DJ before I book?
We are unable to arrange for any prospective client to go and see a band/DJ at someone else’s wedding or private party. We are happy to provide testimonials, videoes, demos at your meeting, and telephone numbers of recent clients who have agreed to act as a referee for Middleton Events.
How does payment work?
A 25% deposit is due at the point of booking. Middleton Events can accept payments by Cash, Credit Cards, Cheque or Bank Transfer via your very own Wedding Planning Portal. Balance payments should be settled no less 2 weeks prior to your event. You can even lay-by your payments!
Why should I book wedding entertainment with Middleton Events?
Middleton Events is one of the Australia’s most respected entertainment companies. Our personnel are the most experienced in Australia and have been an integral pioneer in the Events, Weddings and Entertainment industry, being invited to over 30,000 events. We’ve entertained over 5 million people!! Simply put…..you have ‘Peace of Mind’ knowing you’ve partnered with the very best service provider with credibility, integrity and experience, all backed by our exclusive Buyer’s Guarantee!
All events are directed and managed by John Middleton. John is regarded as one of Australia most awarded and respected DJ’s and MC’s and has a wealth of experience. John provides regular updates and training sessions, whilst carefully handpicking, coaching and mentoring our team of entertainers.
Middleton Events prides itself on exceeding expectations and ensuring that every detail has been taken care of for your event. Pre event planning is critical and at Middleton Events we leave nothing to chance. Once you’ve confirmed our services, you’ll be sent an exclusive password for you to access your very own event planning site for your event. No more wayward emails, phone calls, or lost messages – everything is in one place leaving no room for error! The portal allows you to log into your event where you can view all your event details, make changes if needed, update music requests, timeline events, contact us, make payments, sign documents and much more… It will even allow your guests to log in and request and dedicate songs!
Public Liability Insurance on request for any performances.
All bookings are secured by and agreement with both the client and Middleton Events for complete peace of mind.
We provide a 24/7 emergency number should you need to talk with us.
Full 24/7 back up and support in the event of illness or technical failure.
We wish you well during the planning stages, and we share your excitement, as it’s a fun time. Our advisory service is free to you, so please call our office at any time and feel free to ask any questions or seek further advice via our email enquiries@middletonevents.com, or call us during office hours on 0400 416 991.
Happy Planning! …We LOVE what we do and it SHOWS!
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