Picking the Perfect Musical Pros

Your wedding day music can hit all the right notes if you make sure you hire wisely.

Music is a key factor in creating the mood at your wedding reception. A classical quartet can sweeten an afternoon tea and a salsa band can spice up a late-night bash. Check out our suggestions for finding just the right sound.

Scour the countryside. Scouting for bands takes ingenuity and time. Check out showcases where bands play to attract business. Ask your friends if they've seen any great acts. Get band and DJ recommendations from your other vendors. Search the Web and sample band music online. Call music agencies from the phone book or regional wedding-magazine classifieds to get demo tapes or set up meetings.

Meet and greet. Take note of the band leader's or DJ's personality. Does he have a pleasant manner or does he grate on your nerves? Remember-you'll be listening to this voice for hours on your wedding day. Also, find out what the band or DJ usually wears. It should be a tux or a suit. No "Born to be Wild" T-shirts, please.

Get to the bottom line. Ask about fees-including overtime. Make sure the band members you're hearing are the same ones who will show up that night—and include their names in the contract. See if they have liability insurance to protect both you and them in case a speaker falls on a guest.

Determine how big the crowd will be. A ten-piece orchestra will drown out an intimate party for 50, but will work perfectly for a 300-guest event. (A six-piece band is best with a 100-plus guest list.)

Check out the site. If the band or DJ hasn't worked at your site before, make sure they'll have everything they need. You don't want your band blowing a fuse halfway through a song. Let your band leader or DJ know about decorations that might affect acoustics, such as draped fabric, so he can plan accordingly.

Pick the playlist. If you are having an '80s flashback theme, then Rick Springfield may be perfect, but for non-theme events, a mix of old and new is more likely to get—and keep-people on the dance floor.

The band or DJ should tell you what songs get everyone hopping, (as well as the songs they play during cocktail and dinner hours). If you have a special request, ask (but don't expect a blues band to start rapping for you). Also, find out if the band intends to play taped music to keep the dance floor alive during its breaks.

Make a "no" list. Include songs or music styles you hate (like the chicken dance) and tell the band to skip them. Also, decide whether the band should take requests from the guests.

Reconfirm dates and times a week before the big day, then relax. Your entertainment is set. However, you might want to think about breaking in those brand-new dancing shoes.