Submitted by celticclan on

If you're reading this - chances are you're thinking of booking a wedding band. And no matter what your budget, you're probably looking for a bargain.

As a member and bandleader of Irish party band Celtic Clan, it's an opportunity to tell brides and grooms to be, just what they're paying for - you may be surprised what your fee actually covers.

Let's take a recent wedding in Skegness:
The couple Chris and Kerry got in touch almost a year ago. Everything was in place, and the band was the final touch. They'd not much budget left, but really wanted a live feel to the evening. (I can say here - if your budget will stand it - do get a live band. They add so much more atmosphere and potential to mingle than just a DJ alone).

Although prices are negotiable (sometimes it's easier to give a better price if it's not the only gig of the weekend, or off-peak), for example, the couple hadn't much to spend. And we couldn't possibly have travelled to Skegness for what they had. We came to a middle ground and the date was fixed. Over the next year to their wedding, their £750 paid for

  1. Three new backing tracks for songs they'd specifically requested
  2. Four hours of rehearsal time to get these songs right (plus travel time and petrol to the rehearsals)
  3. Paper and ink costs for printing off words and set lists
  4. Gift CD to bride and groom
  5. Four hours of loading and unloading before and after the gigs
  6. Six hours of travelling
  7. Petrol - 270 miles
  8. Four hours of waiting around at the gig
  9. Parking fees outside the gig
  10. Takeaway food at the gig (we didn't like to assume the buffet included us)
  11. Hire of lighting that they'd specifically asked for
  12. 2 1/2 hours of performance

............... and that's before the new strings on the guitar and violin, cleaning costs for outfits (every 10 shows they're rank from all the sweat under the lights) and wear and tear costs on the car (it has to be serviced every 8 weeks from all the travelling).

So there you have it - what your money goes towards when you hire a band! Hope you find this informative, and please do look at our website if you fancy a band that really knows how to give a good time.

http://www.whiteweddingpages.co.uk/directory/celtic-clan

Cheers, Ruth