Book early for heaven’s sake! Any agent will tell you that wedding bands and artists start to get booked up from about 12 months in advance and in some cases, even earlier. It stands to reason that the best and most popular acts tend to get booked first.
That’s not to say that all the best bands will be booked up early but a good proportion will and of course the lower cost options nearly always get booked first. In the 8yrs we’ve been running this agency, we’ve been able to identify some very distinct seasonal fluctuations and the key trend seems to be that most folks want to wait until they get through Christmas before they start to think ahead to the summer. This is understandable of course as there’s a lot that goes into preparing for Christmas and it can be a rather expensive time of year for most folks so we tend to wait until January to take stock of our finances and start planning for the year ahead. Consequently, January through to mid-March is peak season for booking enquiries.
Inevitably, this means that the longer you leave it, the fewer choices you will have left and although there’s a good chance that there will still be some great bands and artists to choose from, they will very likely be in the higher price brackets. In fact, if you're wedding is this summer, then it's already getting a little late in the day as a lot of bands started to get booked up at the start of January. so, if you haven't already found your ideal entertainment then you need to start looking now!
Even if you're not entirely sure what you want, you need to start having a conversation with your agent so that they can offer you some guidance. An experienced agent can ask a few pertinent questions (what style of music you like, if you'd prefer a more modern repertoire, what sort of budget are you working with, if you're looking for something more appropriate for a drinks reception or if you want something more suited to an evening party, for example). They can then throw some initial ideas at you, which will at least help you to focus on what it is you really want or don't want. After that, it should be a simple process of elimination and hopefully, at the end, you'll have a nice selection of suitable acts to choose from.
Once you've found something you really like, let the agent know immediately. The agent can then ask the artist or the band to hold the date for a few days, in order to give you some time to ask any further questions, talk to your friends and family about your choices and also to complete the paperwork required to officially confirm the booking.
If you haven't already booked your entertainment and need some help then please pick up the phone and give us a call today - 08000 285 284. We're always happy to answer any questions you might have and offer any guidance where required. Plus, we can start getting the feelers out there for you immediately!