Money Saving tips for your music event by The Morris Agency
If you are feeling the pinch and the credit crunch has bitten into your Entertainment or Music budget, don’t panic! here are some cost saving options from The Morris Agency that look and sound great and doesnt take you over that budget.
Less can be more
Many of our clients find that a combination of solo or duo musicians and a DJ and if budget will allow can go a lot further than just a main band in the evening.
Look at themed musicans such as a Mexican or other Latin bands:
These artists give a big sound for less than you think (and you can go from solo, duo, trio and up)
They can play from 45 mins and more which can also help with costings
Live Music Early:
If you book the bands earlier in the day then you can usually get a better deal as they can go and perform at another location in the evening still and this can really help to slash the fee.
Barter:
We don’t always ask for money off and these things are not always set in stone, if you don’t ask, you don’t get! failing that, speak to us and we will do it for you!
Are a perfect new option for anyone who is restricted on budget, space and sound volume. Performing large repertoires, dynamic and roaming, they are brilliant when you want an unusual band to entertain your guests.
If you are having a party or having your wedding reception with a live band, you may find that the venue you visit mentions a sound limiter to you. They may not, and this is always a good question to ask them. The thing is that, most venues are reluctant to tell you as they either don’t know much about it or feel that you might not book with them as a result. as you can see below:
What is a Sound limiter?
Its a device that is set at circa 95 db and limits the sound that is used to restrict noise pollution. See https://aquietrefuge.com/decibel-noise-level-chart/ where regulatory noise limits are specified. Normally positioned on a wall, it cuts out the power to the unit that the band would plug their equipment into.( looking a bit like this: http://www.sound-light-company.co.uk/soundlimiters.php )
What are the issues?
Besides the potential cutting of power resulting in possible equipment damage, the main area for concern for you is this; if you can picture the scene:
The band are in the middle of a song and the power cuts out, the band lights and equipment goes off and you then have to wait for it to reset and then they can restart. Pretty disruptive for you and annoying when it happens more than once.
The other side effect to sound limiters on a performance is that the band might be conscious of keeping the sound down that they are not giving it their all and also have to keep an eye on the limiter.
Can you get around it?
As it is the local council enforcing the installation it is not even possible to bypass by going through another power source. It would be helpful to find out where the band are likely to be positioned in relation to the limiter as this can make a difference.
Below is a guide to db ratings that might put it into perspective:
Near total silence – 0 dBA whisper – 15 dB
Normal conversation – 60 dB
A lawnmower – 90 dB
A car horn – 110 dB
A rock concert or a jet engine – 120 dB
A gunshot or firecracker – 140 dB
Other options for bands that have no issues with sound limiters can be found here
When you are looking at hiring a band for your wedding you might be thinking that maybe don’t need to stretch the budget that much really. I mean, is it that important?
Well the answer to that is yes it is pretty important.
If you have ever been to a wedding before then do you honestly remember the wedding cake or the favours or the flowers? I imagine, not really.
The amount of times I do hear from people that they remember the music if it was good or bad!
I make a lot of bookings for the same bands due to seeing them at a wedding.
I would put it to you all that it is something that fills up such a large percentage of the day and evening, it is something that your evening guests experience as well as the day ones. On average this is from 3 to 4 hours and is what the day ends on.
So with the average cost of a wedding cake being £500 or more maybe there should be more consideration to a lasting memory and the cost of that?
Here is an introduction into how to choose your live wedding band first dance…..
Is your favourite here? The final Top 10 went like this:
Aerosmith – Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing
Bryan Adams – Everything I Do (I Do It For You)
Lonestar – Amazed
Shania Twain – You’re Still The One
Shania Twain – From This Moment
Van Morrison – Have I Told You Lately
James Blunt – You’re Beautiful
Savage Garden – Truly Madly Deeply
Robbie Williams – Angels
Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You
Is old-fashioned best when it comes to your first dance song? Only three of the top 10 wedding songs date from the past few years: James Blunt’s ‘You’re Beautiful’, Robbie’s ‘Angels’ and Savage Garden’s ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply’.
Unusual Choices
Looking for something a little less predictable? Our complete Popular Wedding Songs list contains a wide range of songs with something to suit every taste. Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Elton John bring classic romance to the list, with tunes that were simply made to be popular wedding songs .
But there are also plenty of unusual choices for your first dance song. Cool couples are choosing Snow Patrol (Chasing Cars), Jack Johnson (Better Together), or David Gray (Sail Away). And there’s the mother’s choice – Ronan Keating, Westlife or Robbie have plenty of tracks simply made to be first dance songs.
Father / Daughter Wedding Songs
Traditionally, the bride and groom will be alone on the dancefloor for the first dance song. Sometimes the bride’s father will cut in and dance with the bride halfway through, but sometimes the second dance is reserved for the bride and her father. Brides who have more than one father figure may wish to dance with both during the song. If the father of the bride wants to choose a song, you might want to direct him to this page!
Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings
Bob Carlisle – Butterfly Kisses
Charlie Rich – The Most Beautiful Girl
Luther Vandross – Dance With My Father
Nat ‘King’ Cole – Unforgettable
Paul Simon – Father and Daughter
Temptations – My Girl
Mother / Son Wedding Songs
Shortly after the bride and her father take to the floor, they are traditionally followed by the groom and his mother. Finally, the newlyweds dance with their in-laws, and bridesmaids and ushers join the dancing.
Boyz II Men – A Song For Mama
Boyzone – No Matter What
Commodores – Three Times a Lady
Deniece Williams – Let’s Hear It For The Boy
Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight
Queen – You’re My Best Friend
Robbie Williams – She’s The One
First Dance Tips
The very thought of their fiancé throwing his best moves on the dancefloor is enough to give most brides palpitations. If you or your beloved spouse are lacking in the disco department, it may be a good idea to take a couple of dance lessons. Many dance tutors and schools offer short wedding dance courses to couples who want to pick up some moves – fast…
Visit UK-Jive to find your nearest modern jive / LeRoc / Ceroc class.
Alternatively, how about live dance lessons – at the wedding? “We hired a big band and a swing-style singer for our wedding reception,” explains Anna Hollisey, who married last year in South Wales. “We wanted to get everyone dancing but we didn’t want to embarrass ourselves! So we hired two dance tutors to come and provide an hour’s dance lesson at the start of the evening. I think we were the slowest to learn, but it had everyone crying with laughter!”
NEED HELP HIRING A LOCAL BAND IN KENT OR SOUTH EAST?
We understand what it is like to face the decision on hiring a band locally. So, our team over at the Kent Band Agency have come up with a fabulous guide for helping you understand what is involved.
Planning a wedding is a serious affair and too many people tend to take it like it is some sort of a corporate meeting. When logistics of the wedding become the main theme, you might just want to step back and reconsider the entire thing. After all, while it’s really easy to get lost in the details of who sits where and from where to get flowers and how to synchronise the booking of the venue with the time when most guests are available, it only means your wedding will run like a well-oiled machine, which is anything but memorable. –
We have just started a great section on Cabaret and vintage bands for your event.
Perfect for that retro Wedding entertainment and club nights. Our agency have a large selection of cabaret including 20’s bands and other themed genres, plus, a wide range of walk about artists that work the tables like close up magicians and bands that work table to table performing songs.
We are pleased to be able to provide you a fabulous Kent based Soul and Motown Hammond lead band
Ideal for that Mod party or 60s tribute event you are planning
The band are well accustomed to performing for major outside events such as VW and retro events, bike shows and exhibitions as well as many Kent parties and weddings in the area.
If you are looking for that atlantic soul feel at your event, contact us today for more information and demos
Looking for the ultimate Mumford and Son Tribute Band to hire?
We have a great new addition to our agency in the form of a band that is dedicated to bringing you the best Mumford and Son style folk with a lot of other music thrown in.
WOW Its that time again.We are into the final 3 months of 2013 and if like a lot of people you are tasked with sorting out the office party and the christmas tree… It might seem a little early, but a lot of our bands are already getting their xmas performances dusted off as some new enquiries are coming in from us.
So….
Whats going to be popular this winter 2013 for live music?
We are still seeing a lot of requests for christmas Mariachi performances
These guys are looking to take over where Doritos Mariachi left off
We are the tailor made music and entertainment agency
We tailor make your music packages for all kinds of events in Kent,UK. We have acts for all your events and locations, and a wing of our business specialises in pub and restaurant solutions and therefore we have acts to suit every budget.
As well as providing entertainment for large multiple pubs and restaurant chains like Pizza Express, we are regularly called on to supply last minute band bookings for independent venues.
Large and small, we can provide it all for you.
Contact our dedicated sales agents today for more information on how we can help you.
info@themorrisagency.co.uk
PizzaExpress restaurant in London (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
