Thinking about hiring musicians for your wedding ceremony? Here’s a practical article that can guide you in the process of hiring wedding musicians who are excellent.

As I attended parties, events and weddings in Orlando and Tampa, I noticed that there was a real lack of quality entertainment at most functions.  Often all of the other vendors of a wedding or event were of superior quality but brides, grooms and party hosts were not able to find professional music ensembles and bands.  Most of the ensembles and bands consisted of amateurs, part-time musicians without the full knowledge of performing for these functions, high school students and college musicians.  This can cause several problems.

1. The music does not sound good
2. The musicians do not understand all the event needs and their functions.  Here are some examples of of problems caused by this lack of knowledge.  A wedding reception band leader does not coordinate with the other vendors to ensure the dinner music is timed with dinner, the dance music starts immediately after dinner and the cake cutting and other festivities are timed correctly.  There is no mic available for speeches and MCing activities.  The power needs have not been anticipated for the sound system and a fuse is blown.  For wedding ceremonies, inexperienced musicians may not know how to end the music for the bridal processional and there will be long delays in-between the bridal party and the bridal processional waiting for a song to end.

Orlando and Tampa party and event hosts, brides and grooms often find it difficult hiring professional entertainment. I found that the reasons for this are varied.  The top quality professional musicians often do not market themselves.  There are many wedding and event music consultants that have wonderful web sites but send young or inexperienced musicians to events because they can pay them a lower fee.  I have found that some wedding and event entertainment consultants keep 50% or more of what the clients pay.

Here are some tips on hiring excellent professional musicians.

1. Ask the wedding music consultant how much the musicians get paid or for a break down of costs.
2. Ask if the musicians are full-time professional musicians.
3. Don’t ask if the musicians are the same musicians on the web site  One thing that surprises most people is that you should not expect the musicians will always be the same musicians on the web site.  Musicians may have moved, taken full time shows or have orchestra commitments.  A good wedding consultant will have a large pool of full-time professional musicians that they put together that all know the music.  Any time that  a group claims you always get the same musicians is usually a red flag.  This usually means the musicians do not have any other gig conflicts which means they are not superior in-demand musicians and do this part time.
4. Ask your friends if any of them know a full-time jazz or classical musician.  These musicians usually know who the top party and wedding musicians are.

After you receive the cost breakdown from your Orlando wedding and event music consultant remember that, in music and in hiring wedding musicians, you often get what you pay for.  Full-time professional musicians have spent their lives in the practice room to perfect their craft and the ones that have done this charge accordingly.  With this information I’m sure that you will have a great wedding, party or event with excellent music and without unexpected problems.

Tip: The best way to save money on your wedding music and most of your wedding costs is to have your wedding during a slow season and day.