Wedding bells How to plan the perfect wedding BOOKING YOUR ENTERTAINMENT Live musicians have a special way of exciting a crowd, and if you can find it in your budget to squeeze a band in, you shouldn’t think twice. An awesome live band will make your day, and a bad one can have quite the opposite effect. Our main advice would be to not leave booking your entertainment until the last minute. Live music will create an atmosphere that your guests will remember more than anything and it will lift your wedding to the next level. Professional bands are busy and can get booked up a few years in advance, especially on summer weekends, so if you find a band you love, snap them up early. Whatever band you go with, make sure you do your research. Look at previous couples’ reviews, check out their social media pages and look through their website and promotional materials. You’ll instantly see if the band are the correct calibre for your big day. We’re a big believer at Jukebox that all the music should be performed live. Some bands perform with backing tracks, which, to me, doesn’t allow performers to interact and adapt with a crowd to keep your guests on the dancefloor. Check they have the necessary certificates in place, especially PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) and PLI (Public Liability Insurance). Most venues will insist on seeing these and will stop your band from playing if they do not receive the documentation. Remember, quality music isn’t cheap, but it will make a great day even more memorable. The team at Jukebox Band www.jukebox-band.co.uk You’re engaged – congratulations! Whether you’re at the beginning or end of your wedding planning journey, it can be stressful trying to put everything together. There’s so much to consider from the venue and theme to the dress and accessories, and so you might be asking yourself where do I start? Before you start surfing the internet for venues and supplies, sit down together with a cuppa and discuss what you want your wedding day to be. Whatever you decide will have an impact on everything else you do from here on in. Think about your overall vision. Is rustic bliss your vibe, or are you more the modern chic kind of couple? Perhaps you want to keep it classic and traditional. You may even want to go completely your own way and host a festival-style wedding in a field with a temporary structure such as a marquee or tipi for cover. All of these aspects will guide you towards the style of venue you should be researching. Crucial to this process is the budget and guest numbers, as one will very much dictate the other. You may want to invite 300 people, but are you willing and able to fund 300 wedding breakfasts? Be realistic about what you want to spend, settle on a budget and above all, stick to it. Once you’ve booked your venue and have a date set, you’ll be thinking about your other suppliers. To help you create the wedding of your dreams, we’ve rounded up local companies and asked for their top planning tips. PLANNING SOS 55
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