Music sets the mood for your day and helps create memories – so choosing the right blend is just as important as picking your menu or flowers. Here, award-winning ensemble Urban Soul Orchestra (USO) give their tips on ensuring you get the perfect wedding party soundtrack
Music is more than a background to your wedding party, it sets the tone for the whole day. Having worked across the music industry for over 25 years – offering everything from classical quartets to chill out sets, show bands and DJs – Urban Soul Orchestra (USO) know how to use music to make the party swing. Here they give five tips for ensuring you get the perfect wedding playlist.
1. Service and approach
The first way to judge if the music act is right for your wedding is to assess how quickly and efficiently they respond to your enquiry. Find out if they regularly provide entertainment at weddings – and if they’ve worked at your venue before. Check, too, if they have an on-site tour manager to provide one point of contact for you and ensure everything runs perfectly throughout the day. We would also suggest asking if the same team can provide music for the whole day (or day into evening) and if they provide their own sound system/tech team. Finally, you need to ensure the party flows between bands. Will they provide background playlists between sets to ensure seamless entertainment with no awkward gaps?
2. Right style, right music
This is your event, and your style so you need to be sure that the act/s will be well presented on the day and will appeal to all your guests, from youngest to oldest. Once you’ve explained what you want, find out if they can provide outfits to match your chosen theme and event atmosphere.
3. Pace and mood
The music needs to feel appropriate for all stages of your wedding. If yours is a traditional ceremony, ask if they can provide music for the Gathering, Processional, Recessional and Signing. If it’s a less traditional ceremony, check they can deliver a soundtrack that feels right. If you are hosting a drinks reception after the ceremony, the ideal music is uplifting so discuss appropriate choices. During dinner find out if they intend to provide a live performance or background playlist. Whichever options you choose for drinks and dinner, music should be at a comfortable level that enables guests to talk to and hear each other.
4. Dance floor stars
Ask if your chosen act has a wide repertoire, including both current songs and others that will chime with the guests’ tastes and age range. When it comes to the party dance floor, you want to encourage everyone to join in, so find out if your musicians will interact with guests – for instance, using wireless microphones so they can rove around the dance floor. If a DJ is part of your entertainment, ask about the styles and genres they will play. Critically, are they good at reading a room to know what track is required to keep the party flowing, and will they be prepared to take requests on the night?
5. Check references
Do your homework to check that reality matches the promises. The best way to do this is to look for independent reviews online and ask for other indications that they have a track record and reputation – for instance, previous client testimonials and industry awards. Beyond the reviews, decide if you can work with this band. You need to feel that they are understanding and flexible in matching your requests and – most importantly – will provide the choices of music that create memories and make your party come alive, from ceremony to dance floor.
About Urban Soul Orchestra
Urban Soul Orchestra (USO) provide varying entertainment to create the complete wedding soundtrack, and have multiple awards and plaudits. They are preferred suppliers at prestigious London venues, including Claridge’s, The Savoy, and St. Pancras Renaissance. urbansoulorchestra.co.uk
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 give their tips on ensuring you get the perfect wedding party soundtrack){kind=link}