Looking for wedding entertainment inspiration and don't know where to start? Read on to discover musicians to perform the perfect romantic accompaniment to your wedding ceremony, entertainers to add cheer to your afternoon drinks and bands to get everyone dancing at your evening reception, plus a few unique ideas if you're after something a little different to surprise your guests.
Here at Entertainment Nation we've got years of experience in helping happy couples plan perfect entertainment for their wedding. We represent hundreds of the UK's best professional wedding entertainers, musicians and bands, so you're sure to discover your dream entertainment here.
So, sit back, pour yourself a glass of something cold (or make yourself a brew if you're at work...) and browse our recommendations. Our friendly, expert advisers are here when you need them - every day via email and phone. If you've got any questions or need any advice or suggestions, give us a shout and we'll be happy to help.
Looking for wedding entertainment inspiration and don't know where to start? Read on to discover musicians to perform the perfect romantic accompaniment to your wedding ceremony, entertainers to add cheer to your afternoon drinks and bands to get everyone dancing at your evening reception, plus a few unique ideas if you're after something a little different to surprise your guests.
Here at Entertainment Nation we've got years of experience in helping happy couples plan perfect entertainment for their wedding. We represent hundreds of the UK's best professional wedding entertainers, musicians and bands, so you're sure to discover your dream entertainment here.
So, sit back, pour yourself a glass of something cold (or make yourself a brew if you're at work...) and browse our recommendations. Our friendly, expert advisers are here when you need them - every day via email and phone. If you've got any questions or need any advice or suggestions, give us a shout and we'll be happy to help.
Dessert's been polished off and the speeches are done (breathe a sigh of relief) - all that's left to do now is dance your way into married life! Your choice of wedding reception entertainment should reflect what you're like as a couple: feel-good acoustic folk, raucous rock and indie, sparkling soul and Motown, cutting-edge chart tunes - there's a band or DJ to complement every occasion. The professional acts you'll find here at Entertainment Nation are not only exceptional performers, they also supply high quality equipment to ensure your wedding reception party looks and sounds spectacular.
Whether you're sticking with tradition or planning a more modern affair, your choice of wedding ceremony entertainment will enhance the romance of your big moment. Classical music from a string quartet, pianist, harpist or singer is a timelessly elegant choice, while a tender ballad from an acoustic singer-songwriter-style performer is perfect for contemporary couples. Why not blend the modern and traditional with a classical arrangement of your favourite romantic song?
The time between your ceremony and wedding breakfast is your chance to mingle with friends and family, glass of champagne in hand, free from the pre-ceremony jitters. Live music works well to maintain a mellow mood, with classical music, jazz and laid-back "live lounge" covers being popular choices. Magicians and caricaturists are great options to keep your wedding guests entertained before the main evening celebrations kick off.
In search of unique wedding ideas to make your reception stand out? Here's a few original and alternative wedding entertainment ideas that'll delight your guests and give your special day a quirky touch: interrupt your wedding breakfast with a surprise sing-along, astound your guests with a roaming performance from your band, summon the spirit of the swing years with a postmodern pop band or light up your evening party with an Ibiza-inspired DJ live act.
The average cost of wedding entertainment depends upon the style of wedding entertainment you choose and when and where you're getting married. Prices can range from a few hundred pounds for a solo act like a singer-acoustic-guitarist or magician to £1,000 upwards for a 4-5 piece wedding band. In general, the more members in the act, the more you can expect to pay. Hiring wedding entertainment near you can help you save money on travel expenses.
You should book your wedding entertainment as far in advance as possible! The most popular wedding bands and performers often fill their diaries up to two years in advance (sometimes even farther ahead), especially during the peak wedding season spring/summer weekends. If you find an act you love, snap them up as soon as possible to avoid missing out.
Plan your wedding entertainment with your guests and your venue in mind.
Ideally, you'll know the location of your wedding prior to planning the entertainment. Hiring your venue first means you'll be able to visualise the sort of entertainment that'll fit the setting and know about any performance or space restrictions the venue has in place. With a date and venue secured, you'll also be able to get the most accurate quotes if you're planning on hiring professional entertainment.
While it's important that you fall in love with your chosen entertainment, you also need to consider who'll be attending and what they'll be doing during each part of the day. Are you hiring wedding ceremony musicians? Consider keeping them on to perform for guests while you have photographs taken. Are there a couple of hours to spare between your ceremony and the wedding breakfast? A performance from an acoustic duo or a close-up magician could be just the thing to keep guests occupied during these quieter moments. Are you hiring a wedding band? Your evening wedding reception music is another decision where you should consider the ages and tastes of your guests - you'll want to add your personal touch while still giving everyone something to get down to on the dance floor!
If you've never planned live entertainment before (and who has?!), all this can seem daunting, but there's no need to fret - a good entertainment agency will have encountered almost any wedding planning pitfall possible and can offer you all the advice and guidance you need to plan wedding entertainment that runs smoothly and without fuss.
There are two school of thought on this one. The first is to spend hours meticulously viewing as many acts as possible so you can be certain you've found the perfect act to fit your wedding, your theme and your identity as a couple. The second is to go with your gut - sometimes you'll see a band, and like in love, you just know they're the one for you. Either approach works.
We'd always urge you to do a little extra research once you've found your ideal wedding entertainment; does the act have great reviews? How about the agency you're booking from? Is payment secure? Are there contracts in place tying the act to your event? A reputable act or agency will be able to reassure you on all these questions.
Whatever you can imagine, there's an act out there who can do it! Wedding entertainment has come a long way in recent years. Enormous demand for live entertainment at weddings has drawn the best young musicians into the industry, who've brought with them a melting pot of musical genres. The styles of wedding entertainment on offer include:
And that's just the bands! Other musicians and entertainers for you to consider include:
This all depends on you and your wedding!
Live bands bring spectacle, charisma and buckets of atmosphere; even the sounds of a band tuning up are enough to set the anticipation flowing for an evening of wild celebrations. Plus, most bands will put on a DJ service between their sets to keep up the energy on the dance floor.
DJs meanwhile are ideal if you want more control over the music you'll be hearing. A good band will know a decent number of songs, but a DJ has access to almost any song ever recorded... and they take requests, so you can customise your night on the fly. If your venue has limited space or a sound limiter set below 90DB, a DJ is a great choice to work around these restrictions while still giving an unforgettable night of entertainment.
Why not combine the best of both worlds with a DJ and Live Musician act? Bringing Balearic vibes, these exciting performers feature DJ sets enhanced with live sax, vocals, percussion, guitar, or horns for a thrilling superclub experience.
