Tuesday Tips: Choosing Entertainment for your event or wedding

Choosing entertainment for your event or wedding can feel like an overwhelming task with so many options to choose from. Here are a few tips to help you find the perfect entertainment option for your occasion.

Consider your event objectives

It may not be appropriate to have a full band at a breakfast event and likewise a quiz night at a wedding may not be your cup of tea. It’s important to try and match the entertainment with your event objectives as this help you to build on the whole guest experience.

Consider your budget

Knowing how much you willing to spend is a really good starting point. This can help you to decide if your funds will stretch to live music or perhaps you’re looking for something a little more interactive for your guests, such as a photo booth or a team challenge. Lawn games, quizzes and casino nights can be a great way for guests to be entertained, work together and network at the same time.

Consider your venue

Your venue size or location will often dictate the best style of entertainment for you event. For example if you don’t have a large staging area for live entertainment you may be better to book a duo rather than a full four or five piece band. If your venue has a large lawn area (and part of your event is in daylight hours or the area is well lit) you might consider putting on some outdoor lawn games to keep your guests entertained.

Consider your guests

Are you guests the type to get up and dance to a live band or are they business colleagues who are more interested in networking, so may find it more appropriate to have some live background music to create an ambiance that still allows guests to talk. Really consider your guests age bracket, tastes and expectations at this point.

Know what you’re paying for

Does your band bring all of the required equipment or will they need you to hire a PA system for them? Having this conversation right at the start, when you’re obtaining your quotes can help you ensure that you are considering the full cost of your entertainment from the outset. Don’t forget to ask about travel costs too.

Three money saving tips:

  • Where you can book local entertainment as it will help you keep the travel expenses down and they will hopefully be able to bring all of their own equipment with them to the venue. Booking local is also a little friendlier on the environment if that something you’re mindful of as part of your event.
  • Try to book early as this will give you a bigger range of entertainment options to consider and you may even find that you’re able to secure the current year’s rates for next year, as like most businesses, entertainers tend to raise their rates each year in line with inflation.
  • Consider the size of your lineup. Generally the more musicians you have on stage the more the entertainment will cost you, so if you have a limited budget consider hiring a duo or a trio rather than a full-size band. This is a great way to have live entertainment at your event while keeping the budget it check.

To talk entertainment options for your event, get in touch for a chat!

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