Live Music for 2021 Weddings?

Will you be able to have live music at your wedding in 2021? If you want to know the answer to a question, ask the experts! There is probably no one better qualified to help answer this question about live music for 2021 weddings than Ben Rogers. Not only does Ben run the popular wedding music agency, Earcandy, he is due to get married later this year to a doctor so is following all the advances with vaccines and testing to be able to have confidence in his own wedding plans!

Here are his views and tips on planning for live music for 2021 weddings. 

 

Live Music at Weddings before March 2021

The chances are that if your wedding can go ahead during this period, you are going to have limited guests. For this we'd recommend more intimate entertainment options such as a string quartet. If you want something a little more upbeat, you might consider a DJ & Sax which can provide a bit more atmosphere going into the evening.

A benefit of the DJ & Sax option is that if the restrictions remain, you can have a more subtle, sophisticated background lounge music atmosphere, however if restrictions are lifted and you are able to invite more guests, or have more of a dance - the DJ & Sax will be able to instantly adapt to this, so you are covered no matter what. 

Having live music at a small wedding will make a very significant difference to the atmosphere; even more so than for a large weddings. Current guidelines encourage music to be played at a background volume that allows for easy conversation amongst guests.

 

There may still be some restrictions on the number of wedding guests allowed, so there's a chance that a 300+ person wedding wedding will need to be slimmed down as current plans for vaccinations to be fully distributed across the whole population of the UK aren't planned until summer, with priority given to those who are most vulnerable who will receive it in the first few months.

 

1. If you are considering a bigger band like Motown Gold, think about booking them in a smaller line-up size, then as the date approaches, you can consider upgrading them to a larger band as we start to get more clarity about wedding numbers. 

 

2. Check that your band comes with a sound engineer. In addition to ensuring you get the most from having a live band, a sound engineer will help ensure that whatever COVID rules are in place can be adhered to in a safe and secure way, for example using drum shields and making sure that the band are set up in the right location to prevent mixing. This is a stress free way to adhere to whatever rules and restrictions are set by the government, and/or your particular venue. 

 

 

3. Book via a wedding music agency. A credible agency will have contracts in place that will protect you should a member of the band become unwell and is unable to perform for the event. A credible agency will also ensure that COVID policies are in place and that artists are vetted to ensure that they adhere to these policies. This is important as some venues may be required to ensure that suppliers meet certain criteria to be able to work with the venue. 

 

4. Keep up to date with the information provided by the UK Weddings Taskforce and the Guides for Brides live Facebook update videos to know what is allowed at your wedding.

 

Live Music at Weddings after June 2021.