"The success of your wedding celebration greatly depends on your entertainment," says manager and lead vocalist Barbara LaValle. "When hiring a band for your wedding, be sure to ask the following questions."

1.How can I be sure that the group of musicians I hire will be the same musicians who perform at my affair?

"This is by far the greatest concern of my clients. It seems everyone has heard a horror story from friends who hired one band, and on the day of their reception had another band arrive bearing little resemblance to the one they had hired.

Heartbeat's Barbara and Bob (press photo)

"This problem seems to occur more frequently with large agencies who have many bands and contract many weddings per weekend. Whenever possible speak directly to the bandleader. He or she can tell you if the band is a ‘set’ group and whether or not you can count on having the same musicians in the band the day of your wedding. As a way of protection, you can ask that the names of the individual band members be included in your contract."

2. How many musicians are in the band?

"The price of the band varies according to the number of musicians you hire. Be sure to be specific about the number of musicians and the instruments they play. Include this information in your contract."

3. The ages of my guests vary considerably. How can I be sure the band will be able to play the different styles of music needed?

"Make sure you ask for and review the band’s song list carefully. This will tell you what kind of music they're capable of playing. Musicianship varies greatly from band to band. It’s important that the band you hire be adept at playing all styles of music. A competent band must be versatile and sound authentic playing all styles of music, from Cole Porter to Earth, Wind, & Fire. Again...hearing is believing."

"A standard wedding reception is five hours, the first hour being a cocktail hour followed by dinner and dancing for the next four hours. But most bands contract on a four-hour basis. So if you are having a cocktail hour before dinner, be sure to make arrangements for music to be played during your cocktails.

"Within four hours a band should play a minimum of four 45-minute sets with three 15 minute breaks. Music should also be provided during those breaks.

Heartbeat's Kevin and Tony (press photo)

"The band should supply music on CD at no additional cost. If you prefer ‘live’ music, most bands provide a continuous music package which is included in your fee or is an additional charge.

"Information regarding break time, length of sets, and music during breaks should all be included in your contract."

How can I be sure the band will perform at a volume that is comfortable for me and for my guests?
"An experienced band will perform music especially suited for the dinner hour which is background to conversation. As the party progresses the band leader should always be amenable to your requests to raise or lower the volume."

5. Can I expect the band to learn a special song for my first dance or for our dance with our parents?

"Bands vary greatly in this regard, so ask them. Some bands are comfortable learning and performing new material, others are not. Some bands will ask the bride and groom to choose a first dance from their song list, while others will agree to your request provided they are given enough time to prepare the new material. Talking to the bandleader will give you a good idea whether or not the band you’ve chosen is up to the task of learning your particular song."

6. Can I choose the material that is played by the band during my reception?

"Again, every band is different, so it’s important to ask. I encourage my clients to go through my song list and highlight selections they would like the band to play and to cross out anything they find objectionable. This gives my clients a lot of input into the music that will be played the day of their reception and helps me do the best job I can for them."

Heartbeat's Barbara and Bob (press photo)

7. What is the proper attire for the band?

"For any professional wedding band, the proper attire is always black tie."

8. Is it advisable to hire a band based on their video or CD?

"CD’s and videos are a good way to start. However, I always recommend seeing a band in action before booking them."

10. What should be included in a contract for band services?

"Your contract should include the name of the band, the date of your reception, and the name and address of your reception site.

"It should also include the exact hours the band is contracted for, whether or not music is provided for your cocktail hour and/or ceremony, the minimum length of time for each band set, the number of breaks, and the number of musicians (with their names and instruments, if necessary).

"The contract should state the full price agreed upon, how and when final payment should be made, how much of a deposit is required, and whether or not your deposit is refundable (most of the time it is not). The price for overtime if necessary (usually anything over four hours), also should be included."

Final thoughts...

"Choosing the right band for your wedding reception is extremely important," says Barbara. "A band can definitely ‘make or break’ a wedding. Not only is the band responsible for getting and keeping your guests on the dance floor, they are responsible for coordinating with the banquet manager, photographer, and videographer to make sure all of the evening’s events are handled properly.

"All this requires experience, talent, and commitment to making your day the best it can possibly be," she continues. "Our band is unique in that we offer five strong lead vocalists within the first six members of our band. Each one of our vocalists is different from the other, giving us the ability as a band to perform all styles of music and to have each song sound as close to the original artist as possible."

Heartbeat Dance Band
1.800.545.2825
barbara@HeartBeatDanceBand.com
www.HeartBeatDanceBand.com