Hosting a wedding abroad can be a truly enchanting experience. Whether you’re seeking an irresistible destination setting or are planning a wedding close to an international family, traveling to get married is a big planning experience. One of the details you’ll want to plan carefully is your wedding band when getting married abroad. If you’re having your wedding abroad, it’s important to consider planning your live wedding band.
We can help you get ready for booking a wedding band abroad, whether you plan to hire a local band or bring a band from home.
The Style of Music You Want
The first step for booking any wedding band is to decide the type of music that you want. Classical musicians can be found all over the world, while some sounds are best found at the source. For a formal wedding, you might want a few instrumentalists playing classical music for the ceremony and a quietly elegant reception. If your wedding is more contemporary, you may be looking for the perfect jazz band, wedding rock band, or even blues musicians. Folk wedding bands are also popular and bring a comfortable hometown feel to any wedding.
Decide the type of music you want and then seek musicians who can achieve that sound, either at your destination or brought with you.
Consider and Work With Your Venue
The second most important consideration is your venue. If you have already chosen the perfect place, ask them about their policies for wedding bands. You might be surprised what they have to say. Some venues have a few bands they’d prefer that you choose from, but many will be welcome to any wedding band you bring – provided they can work within the space and follow the house rules.
Consider the space that is available for your band including how many people and instruments can fit into the stage or performance area. Don’t forget to ask your venue when and where your band should arrive and where they can plug in their instruments and/or microphones.
Local Band or Bring a Band With You
One of the biggest decisions you will make is whether to hire a band at your destination or bring a band with you. In general, it is more affordable to hire a local band than to transport your band with you.
If you choose to bring your band with you, be prepared to plan for their travel, transport of their instruments, and to make sure they make it home safely as well. If you hire a local band, you will need to do most of your coordination from a distance and likely won’t have time to view them live before making your choice.
Booking a Destination Wedding Band: Attend Performances Online
Let’s say you choose a wedding band that is local to your destination. This will be more affordable in almost all cases because you don’t have to worry about arranging travel and lodgings for your band. They will likely have an easier time making it to and from the venue, and will know their way around the area.
The only downside is that you won’t get a chance to hear them in person. To solve this, arrange live video meetings where you can watch and listen to the band perform live to get a feel for whether each option is the right fit for your wedding.
Traveling With Your Band: Prepare to Play Abroad
If you are bringing a band with you for a destination wedding, travel and lodgings should be part of the arrangements. More importantly, however, is that your band is prepared to play abroad. This is not just a matter of properly packing their instruments and gear. Depending on the destination, your band might need a temporary working visa or a special arrangement with the venue to be able to set up, play abroad, and do work for you according to all relevant regulations.
Hold Rehearsals Before the Big Event
There’s a reason that the rehearsal dinner has this name. Good wedding planning includes a few trial runs to make sure everything works right. This is true of any big event or show, something your band can easily understand. Whether you choose a local wedding performer or brought your wedding band from home, doing a few rehearsals and a trial run will help to make sure that every instrument is ready and that your band is focused on your big day.
Finding the Perfect Band for Your Destination Wedding
Getting the ideal band for your wedding is an important decision for any nuptials, and planning ahead is especially important if you are getting married abroad. Brass Animals can help you find, plan, and rehearse with just the right group of performers to make your magical day truly complete. Contact us today to learn more about best practices for hiring a wedding band and achieving the performance you’ve been dreaming of.