Stay tuned to watch the amazing Get Ape acoustic duo perform live from No 6 Brasserie (time and date to be published shortly), or sign up and follow us here for more updates:  http://www.ustream.tv/themorrisagency

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We supply weddings and functions throughout the uk and nottinghamshire including beeston, bingham, eastwood, hucknall, mansfield, nottingham, retford, southwell, sutton in ashfield and worksop.Hullabaloo are are one of the premier wedding bands in london, performing at around 100 weddings a year.[7] Dj dlearious essex mobile dj offers disco services in east england for weddings and special events and is considered by many to be one of the top party djs in colchester. Elite weddings provides traditional wedding cars in bristol classic wedding cars and a professional chauffeur service for special ocassions. We supply weddings and functions throughout the uk and suffolk including beccles, felixstowe, ipswich, lowestoft, needham market, newmarket, southwold, stowmarket, sudbury and woodbridge.Themed weddings . Equally at home hired for parties, clubs, weddings and corporate events.[12] The elixir bar in london is the ideal venue to host any kind of event, so if you are looking to hire bars for weddings in camden, give us a ring and get the ideal wedding venue in north london![13] J & s bristol catering service can provides corporate events catering and catering for weddings in south west. This is a band with many years of experience of providing superb music at weddings and parties.[We supply weddings and functions throughout the uk and north yorkshire including harrogate, knaresborough, pickering, richmond, ripon, scarborough, selby, skipton, whitby and york. For more information about weddings in liverpool, merseyside & the wirral, please take a look at the following useful web sites . Seating arrangement for weddings is here - download a free, fully functioning copy today![18] With a decade of experience performing at weddings & parties all around the world, playing exquisite cover versions of classics songs from u2 to coldplay to the stones, from prince & james brown to oasis & the killers, they are the ideal wedding band to hire.[19] With over 5 years experience of performing at weddings and functions up and down the country, azure’s collective repertoire is a startling 100+ songs![20] We supply weddings and functions throughout the uk and west yorkshire including bradford, brighouse, dewsbury, halifax, huddersfield, ilkley, leeds, pontefract, wakefield and wetherby.[21] Bands who do weddings come dressed in formal attire.[22] Covering big band to pop, studio is a versatile party dance band specialising in ball’s, parties, weddings and dinner dances.[23] Ideal for weddings & parties![24] Based in east kent, we are well situated to play at weddings and parties in kent & east sussex.[25] Com offers pa hire in london for corporate events and weddings etc.[26] The band play at shows, parties, corporate events, weddings and functions in london, kent and europe – the perfect live music band hire for any party anywhere.[27] Home | musicians | ceilidhs | conferences & receptions | weddings | contact | email: info@northernlightsband.[28] Weddings (including ceremony & reception), corporate events, festivals, universities, night clubs.[29] — –home | weddings & corporate events | client feedback | play list | demo’s/schedule/contact us — –corporate events narrow gauge has performed at a private party for the the owner of the national hockey league columbus blue jackets, hewlett packard, progressive insurance and a host of other corporations.[30] from big budget, spare no expense weddings to the smaller intimate wedding.[31] A great choice for weddings and corporate events, when you hire threepio they make it their mission to ensure everyone has a fantastic night![32] Uk, wedding musicians, wedding party band, wedding party bands, fresh funk, weddingband , weddings norwich, weddings norfolk, http://freshfunk.[33] Our oxfordshire wedding band hire service is highly recommended in oxfordshire and amongst oxfordshire bands for hire.[34] Our buckinghamshire wedding band hire service is highly recommended in buckinghamshire and amongst buckingham bands for hire.[35] Wedding band hire enquiry form.[36]

By

Mike Watts

Michael D Watts Photography & Video Northamptonshire.
http://michaeldwatts.com/wedding.html

With the average wedding budget running between £17,000.00 and £25,000.00 (yes it looks more if you put the 0’s in) what can you do to save money on your wedding without compromising your day.

Generally the most expensive parts of the day are:-

The Church – usually costs around £500.00. Church decoration can cost anything up to £5,000.00 (believe me I produces the video for the wedding)

The Reception – the sky is the limit but at least £35.00 a head for the meal, £20.00 a head for the drinks plus another £25.00 a head for the evening buffet. That could be at least £80.00 for every guest – £800.00 for ten, £8,000.00 for 100.

The dress can cost £500.00 to £2,500.00 and more.

Bridesmaids outfits – usually at least £100.00 each.

The cake could be £500.00 to £1,500.00.

Photography normally costs £1500.00 to £3,000.00.

Wedding cars again can cost from £500.00 to £1,500.00

Stationary and postage for invitations at least £150.00

You are already well on the way to spending £17.250.00. Could that be the deposit on a fairly nice house?

So how can you save money on what should be the greatest day of your lives?

Talk to people – many suppliers will offer you special prices for “Off Peak” weddings – usually weekdays, Sundays or from October to April.
Ask for help to save money, get help from friends and family, search out any musician friends and ask them to perform, find a well spoken, confident friend who can be your toast master or master of ceremonies. Most of us know someone who is good with makeup, hairstyling, design, crafts and so on. Ask for help, most people will be more than happy to be a real part of your special day. Have a “DIY” party for your friends to help you with invitation, flowers, table decorations, favours and so on but be sure to give them some delicious snacks and drinks as a thank you.

Music. Contact your local college and ask if they have anyone who would perform at your wedding.

Make the most of EBAY and the Wonderful World Wide Web.

Church. Talk to the vicar at your church, if you are a regular church goer explain that you are on a really tight budget but want to get married in the Church and ask for his help. Do you really need the Bells?, or even a choir – find out about using a music CD, do you need a copyright or PRS licence or has the Church already got one?
Save on Church decoration by timing your day to coincide with a religious holiday or flower festival when the church will already be decorated.

Unless you have a good reason for getting married in Church consider using a Registry Office, wedding venue, Pub, Hotel, village hall and so on. Many farmers have diversified into offering facilities ranging from a field, to a designer venue with room for your reception, marquee, converted barns and so on.
Why not do the “Legal Bit” at a registry office and have a civil celebrant to conduct a relaxed and beautiful celebration of your marriage at home if you have space or at some other venue, field, tent, barn, marquee etc.

Reception. Trim your guest list, and then trim it again. You don’t need to feel pressured to invite cousins, colleagues from work or distant relatives. If you don’t invite anyone from a particular group none of them will feel left out. Don’t let your friends bring their children or feel pressured to let single friends bring a date. Every time you add a name you could be adding £50 to £100 or even more to the cost (that’s a cool £1000.00 for 10 people).
If your wedding and reception are in a hotel ask for a substantial discount on the room rate for guests.

Talk to your caterer, be honest and don’t be afraid to ask whether a buffet would be cheaper than a sit down meal, find out which are the least expensive entrees, nibbles and canapés. Ask if you can supply your own booze, find out if just beer and wine would be cheaper than a full bar.

Most of the major supermarkets produce “party platters” with a selection of canapés, snacks and nibbles. The Dress. Shop around, check out the Internet. Look for designer dress sample sales – if your size 6, 8 or 10 you could find an absolute bargain but the sales only happen once a year. If you buy second hand be sure that the dress has been properly cleaned and is really goo quality you should save up to 80% on the new price. Oxfam has a specialist shop for wedding dresses some of which are new, ask them for details. Consider buying a beautiful suit or outfit that you can wear again. The so called traditional White Wedding Dress is a Victorian invention along with all those expensive designer Christmas, birthday, get well soon and wedding invitation cards that we needlessly spend so much on.

Bridesmaids outfits. Will they but there own? Something that they might wear again for a party etc. Do you know anyone who could make the outfits, especially for little bridesmaids, or flower girls.

Invitations. Save postage and printing costs by keeping them simple, print your own using one of the excellent DIY design packages available on line, leave out the RSVP card and ask guests to reply by phone or e-mail.

The Cake. Can someone make a cake or decorate a shop bought cake for you. M&S and several other stores produce really lovely wedding cakes which you can decorate with fresh fruit, flowers, chocolate etc. Why not hire a cake stand and buy some “designer cup cakes” – again check out the web for suppliers.

Having said all of this you should consider those things where you really need professional help –
Large flower arrangements and centrepieces (do you really need them?).
Bride and Bridesmaid bouquets as photographers we see far too many fall apart on the day, usually because the flowers have just been stuck into oasis foam without wiring.
Your wedding Dress – see above.
Your wedding cake – again see above.
Catering – see above.
Photography – Obviously as I make my living from wedding photography I think that everyone should have a professional wedding photographer. I genuinely hear all sorts of horror stories about the pictures that “didn’t come out”, blurred, dodgy backgrounds, so if you want more information check out my other blogs.

With the average wedding budget running between £17,000.00 and £25,000.00 (yes it looks more if you put the 0’s in) what can you do to save money on your wedding without compromising your day.

Generally the most expensive parts of the day are:-

The Church – usually costs around £500.00. Church decoration can cost anything up to £5,000.00 (believe me I produces the video for the wedding)

The Reception – the sky is the limit but at least £35.00 a head for the meal, £20.00 a head for the drinks plus another £25.00 a head for the evening buffet. That could be at least £80.00 for every guest – £800.00 for ten, £8,000.00 for 100.

The dress can cost £500.00 to £2,500.00 and more.

Bridesmaids outfits – usually at least £100.00 each.

The cake could be £500.00 to £1,500.00.

Photography normally costs £1500.00 to £3,000.00.

Wedding cars again can cost from £500.00 to £1,500.00

Stationary and postage for invitations at least £150.00

You are already well on the way to spending £17.250.00. Could that be the deposit on a fairly nice house?

So how can you save money on what should be the greatest day of your lives?

Talk to people – many suppliers will offer you special prices for “Off Peak” weddings – usually weekdays, Sundays or from October to April.
Ask for help to save money, get help from friends and family, search out any musician friends and ask them to perform, find a well spoken, confident friend who can be your toast master or master of ceremonies. Most of us know someone who is good with makeup, hairstyling, design, crafts and so on. Ask for help, most people will be more than happy to be a real part of your special day. Have a “DIY” party for your friends to help you with invitation, flowers, table decorations, favours and so on but be sure to give them some delicious snacks and drinks as a thank you.

Music. Contact your local college and ask if they have anyone who would perform at your wedding.

Make the most of EBAY and the Wonderful World Wide Web.

Church. Talk to the vicar at your church, if you are a regular church goer explain that you are on a really tight budget but want to get married in the Church and ask for his help. Do you really need the Bells?, or even a choir – find out about using a music CD, do you need a copyright or PRS licence or has the Church already got one?
Save on Church decoration by timing your day to coincide with a religious holiday or flower festival when the church will already be decorated.

Unless you have a good reason for getting married in Church consider using a Registry Office, wedding venue, Pub, Hotel, village hall and so on. Many farmers have diversified into offering facilities ranging from a field, to a designer venue with room for your reception, marquee, converted barns and so on.

Guide to booking entertainment

From The Morris Agency

If you have been put in charge of looking after the music and entertainment for your next event, here is a definitive guide from entertainment industry guru, Daniel Morris of the Morris Agency.

“Initial fears that people have with planning the music and entertainment for their event are reasonable, as it is an integral part of the event and can even be part of the main focus. There are many factors to consider when planning your entertainment, not only whether the act you are booking for your event will suitably entertain your guests, or fit within your budget or them;, but you also need to consider whether they will be reliable and professional. In the worst case scenario we have heard of cases where artists have failed to turn up on time or cancelled without giving enough time to book another act in their place. Even if they do arrive, how do you know that they are going to be as good as their demo or showreel? And this is all on top of the rest of the event planning process of organizing catering, a venue or conference facility, florists, guest invitations, transportation, accommodation… need I go on? It can be a very daunting task.”

With this in mind, here are the key elements to think about to help get you started:

The Venue

When booking the venue it is important to check that they have the appropriate entertainment licence and the conditions of their licence including the type of entertainment they are allowed (some venues are not permitted to have amplified music), finishing/get out times, performance area size/space restrictions, if they have any noise restrictions (such as sound limiters), access times for the band/artist, power supply etc.

If you are considering a speciality act that uses fire or pyrotechnics, you also need to make sure that this is permitted in the venue.

These points are always good to know early on as this may dictate the kind of entertainment you can look for. For example, some venues have sound limiters that cut out sound automatically when it goes over a certain volume, so if you have booked a band, this can damage their equipment and most importantly can disrupt the whole evening.

However, all is not lost, even with a limitation on sound, there are still many acts that can be employed such as acoustic artists, but knowing this in advance will help you narrrow your search or review your venue.

Band Hunting

So you know have an idea of the kind of act your venue will accommodate, lets go and look for your entertainment.

Armed with the information acquired from the venue you can now approach the artists, but where do you look? Well, there are a few options available to you:

Option 1 – Search the internet. You can do a search for a certain type of artist/ band, listen to their website demos or watch their showreel and contact the artist directly. Although many artists have their own website, a great website does not necessarily mean a great artist. So not only can this method be quite simply mind numbing and time consuming, it is also a bit of a lottery if you are booking an artist you have never heard of.

Option 2 – Go on recommendation. This can narrow down your search quite fast, but do remember that colleagues may not have the same tastes and what one person may think is great might not be ideal for the guests attending your event.

Option 3 – Go to an agent. There are lots of agencies out there, (I should know, I am own one of them.) Obviously there is going to be a fee increase for this service, (normally between 15- 20 % ) but, if the agency is a reputable one they should be able to earn their commission by verifying the acts and their ability, negotiating their fee to meet your budget, contracting the artist (more on that later) and communicating to the artist exactly what you need.

A note on professionalism. Many people place an importance on the performance but it is important not to overlook the other elements involved with booking an act/band for example, the way they conduct themselves both on and off stage, their dress code and also making sure they turn up in plenty of time etc.

Things to ask the band/act

Whether you are going through an agent or directly to the artist, the questions are still the same.

Here is important information you need to know about the artist:

Availability:

You must first check that the artist is available on the date of your event and that they are happy to travel to the event location.

How long will the artist perform for:

Performance times will vary depending on the kind of act you are booking and the event you are holding.

There are so many different possibilities depending on your requirements, but to give you an example, a typical live performance by a function band would be something like the following:

2 x 1 hour live sets (I like to include CD music in between and up to 45 mins after the performance)

Or

3 x 45 mins live sets (again with the bands would be quite happy to provide CD music in the price)

Act/Band styles

Some artists are available as a ‘walkabout’ act as well as a stage act and some bands can perform as an acoustic duo or trio, as well as a full party band.

If you have a larger event then you may wish to have a reception performer when the guests arrive or are eating lunch/dinner. This could be a walkabout act, close-up magician or acoustic duo or trio band.

We have supplied many events with walkabout Mexican Mariachi bands, acoustic Hawaiian trio band, close-up magicians, human statues and Gypsy jazz musicians. It’s an upbeat and fun start to the evening before the main act, as well as a brilliant ice-breaker if your guests don’t know each other.

The latter part of the event can then incorporate a stage show or band for dancing, either using an artist from earlier or a different artist altogether.

Repertoire:

If you are booking a band, you should be able to get a sample set list from the band. I generally advise my clients to let the artist gauge the event as to what songs are played but within your initial enquiries it gives you a great idea of what they can do.

Fees:

Once the artist has all your requirements, they will then be able to quote you formally.

The fee you are quoted will be dependent on the location of the event, the performance you require, what day of the week your event is being held and the time of year your event is being held.

Barter!!

Don’t be afraid to barter, most artists/agents are happy to negotiate their fee, as every event is different.

The Booking

Let us assume you have narrowed down a selection of acts, what next?

If you have decided on the artist you wish to book, but you need to get the go ahead from your MD or person paying for the event, it would be recommended to ask the band to hold that date for you.

Most artists will be happy to pencil in a date for you if you require time to make a firm decision about booking. This ensures that they won’t take another booking while you’re in the decision making process.

Deposits and contracts

Any reputable band or artist will insist on a contract to be signed by all parties once you confirm your booking. This should include all of the information that both sides have agreed to.

More often than not, the contract will also include a requirement for you, as the client, to provide refreshments and lockable changing facilities/dressing room for the artist during their time spent at your event.

You may also be sent an artist rider with the contract which is a list of artist requirements that you will be expected to provide as a courtesy.

Things to confirm within the contract:

Artist Name (making sure that the performers are the same ones as the demo/showreel!)

Location for the artist to appear

Date of performance

Time for arrival and set up of the artist

Performance times

Fee and payment terms (i.e deposits and payment due dates)

Artist contact number

Cancellation terms

Any special requirements regarding the performance/venue/guests or artist rider

As soon as you have signed and returned the contract and paid your deposit, your booking is confirmed.

The artist should be able to contact you a week before the performance to confirm any changes that you might have and you can rest assured that you have done all you can to make your event a night to remember.

A word on the author

Daniel Morris owns and runs The Morris Agency Ltd, one the UK’s leading music and entertainment specialists. Previous clients include the BBC, Citi Group, NHS to name but a few. They are also the booking agents for Pizza Express, English Heritage and many more. You can contact them on 0871 890 1015 and info@themorrisagency.co.uk or visit their website at www.themorrisagency.co.uk

To book this band visit www.themorrisagency.co.uk or email us at ukbandhire@themorrisagency.co.uk

London Party band hire