Band set-up timings

Hi Milly,

As a professional musician myself I hope I can be helpful.

Getting them to set up in the hour and a half gap seems like the best option here. Most bands should be able to load in, soundcheck and be sorted in that time.

If you are thinking of getting them in super-early, it is not unreasonable to ask your band to set up particularly early if logistics are an issue. Most musicians understand these kinds of problems.

However, the flipside of this is that they may charge a small fee for the extra time. Similarly, they would likely expect somewhere to go for that 4 hours and for you to possibly provide food/ drinks too.

I hope this helps,

Dave Sanders

www.davesandersmusic.com

Thanks for the advice! My only worry is that although an hour and a half seems like a long time, if the ceremony runs over at all it will be cut down and I don't really want them traipsing a bunch of equipment past the ceremony room while we are getting married! The venue is pretty small and it might be tricky for them to move their equipment between the guests mingling after the ceremony, set it all up and soundcheck in that time.

Perhaps I could see if they would be able to arrive and move all their equipment in before 4pm, then soundcheck between say, 5 and 6. Does that sound reasonable?

Oh and if anyone has had their band set up in the same room as the wedding breakfast and it was no problem please let me know!! Maybe I'm worrying about nothing...

Of course, timing changes are worth bearing in mind.

That sounds pretty reasonable to me, as long as they have somewhere to go out of the way during the wait otherwise you may end up with a band loitering outside.

Hi,

We are having the ceremony in the same room as the wedding breakfast, we get married at 3pm, we are having the same as you food then staight into the dancing no night guests. We have told the band to come for between 3-3.30 and they will hang around in reception then move into the room to set up the minute the ceremony finishes. They are then going to sing a song as me and the groom walk into the room at 5pm. An hour and a half should be plenty of time for them to set up.

xx

Hmm good point! I have visions of them staring in through the windows during the ceremony hehe They could just chill out in the marquee with the bar/catering staff, or there's a pub around the corner they could have a quiet drink in. As long as all the equipment is in the marquee by 15 mins or so before the ceremony they could get on with setting it up while that's happening.

Thanks suedave - what are your band doing between 5pm and when they play later on?

Well they are going to play music for about 20 min before the food then I am not really sure I havnt really thought about that. I think they wil just hang about. I met up with the band last week and we went through all the timings and they seemed fine with it.

Hi,

I would advise the 1.5 hour would be the best time for the band to setup.

Our band setup is pretty involved but we can do it in an hour so even a little bit of overun from the ceremony shouldn't be a problem. Then you can tie the band setting up with the room change.

Speak to the band though... they might prefer to get there early and setup at an easier pace.

A professional band shouldn't be 'lurking' around disturbing your breakfast and it's part of being in a band to sometimes have to kill a few hours, so try not to worry. Offering them some refreshments though will help!

Have a great wedding!

James x