Do Your Research

In the modern age of the internet and social media, it can be challenging to discern what’s real—and what isn’t. The first step is to make a phone call and do some discovery. The best bands will offer personalized service. A phone conversation with the sales team can tell you much about who they are and why they are in the business. This type of interaction will teach you much more than you can get from an email or text communication.

Next, see the band live. Notice if they interact well with each other and with the audience. Meet the bandleader and find out if the band members perform together regularly. Your wedding reception is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a personal connection with your entertainment vendor can make all the difference.

Experience Makes A Difference

Research the company or band you are considering. How long have they been together? What is their performance history? Do they specialize in wedding receptions? What services do they offer? Reception entertainment? Dinner music? Cocktail musicians? How do they work with clients with and without wedding coordinators? Do they offer third-party testimonials? Don’t just take the word of website, social media, and marketing. Google Reviews can be a good window into the quality of an organization. Are the reviews specific? After this research, ask the sales team follow-up questions. We take great pride in offering white glove personalized service to our wedding couples. Even though we have played thousands of weddings, they all get special attention from us.

Song Lists/Repetoire

Do you have a genre theme at your reception? Most clients come to us based on our reputation of creating a party by packing the dance floor and keeping it that way all night. That’s why our bands play music from Sinatra in the 1950s all the way through current radio hits. However, our bands have performed certain genres (an 80s theme, for example) but still offer a variety of other genres. If this is important to you, make sure to ask about it.

Contracting

Once you’ve chosen, it’s time to sign the contract and move forward. This should be a professional, simple, and easy process. Quality bands will provide their sound and lights as well as crew for set up and strike. It’s standard for a signed contract and deposit to secure the band. The balance will likely be due at the performance or a few days before. If you’ve researched, you can feel confident it’s almost time for the best possible celebration on your big day!

About the Expert:

At Emerald City Presents, our bands perform together as a team night after night. In 2023, this added up to just north of 525 shows combined for our five family bands. This continuity allows us to develop unmatched musical chemistry, genuine flexibility, and customization, making each wedding performance unique! Being chosen to perform at a wedding reception is an incredible honor, privilege, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity we take very seriously. Over our 40+ year history, we have held ourselves to the highest standard of excellence. No matter who you choose, we hope your wedding reception is everything you want it to be.