Booking A Wedding Band: How To Ensure Everything Runs Smoothly On Your Wedding Day An at-a-glance guide for Alive Network customers

1. Pre-Event Communication

Four weeks before your wedding, we’ll put you in direct contact with your band. We can do this sooner if you’d prefer, but we’ve found a month before works best so that important details are finalised (and don’t later get forgotten!)

When you touch base, you should confirm:

• Arrival and performance times
• Venue address and access info
• Set timings and background music preferences
• Your first dance, and your ‘must-haves and must-nots’ from the band’s set list
• Dress code and performance preferences
• Reconfirm any venue noise restrictions / sound limiter details (these should have been confirmed at point of booking)
• Emergency point of contact on the day (wedding planner, best man, maid of honour)
• How you will be making payment of the balance fee
• Details of the changing room, food and drinks
• Any restrictions on the band taking photos / videos for their socials

This quick chat is also your reminder to double-check with your venue that everything’s arranged for the band: parking, load-in access, power, food, soft drinks, and the band’s changing room (see our handy checklist at the bottom of this article).

2. Arrival & Setup Timing

Every venue is different, but almost every wedding band needs 60-90 minutes to load in, set up and sound-check before they can perform at their best.

Option A: Early Set-Up (Before Guests Arrive)

• Ideal when your band is playing in the same room used for your wedding breakfast and you don’t plan to ‘turn the room around’ for the evening party.
• Keeps your evening running on time even if speeches overrun.
• Higher fee (to cover extra waiting time) and you’ll need a room for the band to relax in before showtime.

Best for: one-room weddings and venues with tight turnarounds.

Option B: Setup After the Meal

• The most common choice - with the band setting up and sound checking whilst venue staff ‘turns the room’ after the meal.
• Guests can enjoy the bar or outdoor space during the changeover.
• Allow at least an hour after speeches for the band to set up without pressure.

Pro tip: If your schedule’s running late, please be mindful that the band will still need the same amount of time to set up and sound check – and this is as important for you as it is for them - a well-balanced setup is what makes the band sound incredible.

3. Performance Schedule & Timings

When it comes to live music, timing is everything. Most wedding music bands play two 60-minute sets, as this keeps the dancefloor energy high and gives guests time to recharge between performances.

Suggested schedule:

• 6:00pm to 7:30pm: load-in, set up and sound check
• 7.30-8.30pm: background / playlist music, band changes into stage attire
• 8.30-9.30pm: first dance, band set 1
• 9.30-10.30pm: buffet and background music
• 10.30-11.30pm: band set 2, plus encores!
• 11.30-midnight: background / DJ playlist
• Midnight-1am: pack down and load out

Avoid asking the band to play while food is being served - even the most enthusiastic guests won’t dance with a plate in hand!

Why it works: fewer, longer sets keep the flow natural and the energy consistent. Too many short sets can break momentum and empty the dancefloor.

4. Band Essentials on the Day

A happy band = a great performance. These small details make a huge difference:

• Hot meal & soft drinks - Most bands will be travelling for hours and working a 10-12 hour day. A simple, hot meal (nothing extravagant!) keeps energy and morale high.
• Changing room - Give the band a private space to freshen up and store gear. Toilets aren’t suitable unless there’s no alternative.
• Access & parking - Clear, direct access to the performance space saves time (and keeps heavy kit off polished floors).

If you look after your band, they’ll look after your night - with energy, smiles and a full dancefloor.

5. Guest Experience Tips

A few small tweaks can make a big difference in terms of how guests engage with and enjoy your band’s performance:

• Keep the dancefloor near the bar to avoid guests splitting off to get drinks in a different room.
• Turn down the overhead lights and let stage lighting set the mood.
• Have the band announce the first dance - it’s a great way to gather everyone in.
• Lead by example – if the newlyweds are having a good time on the dance floor - your guests are sure to follow.
• Prep your friends and family. If there’s any chance your guests will be wall flowers, let your friends and family know in advance that the band is a big part of your special day, and you can’t wait for them to join you on dance floor.

6. Contingencies & Flexibility

Even the best-planned weddings can drift off-schedule, and very occasionally things can get a bit boisterous. Build in a little flexibility so nothing feels rushed, and nominate a reliable guest to keep an eye on proceedings:

• Add buffer time between speeches and the first band set.
• If your venue has a sound limiter, tell your us or your band well in advance so they can plan accordingly.
• Ask a reliable guest to keep an eye out and help if other guests try to interfere with the band’s equipment or performance, or to help calm things down if the dance floor gets so enthusiastic that guests are banging into the band or their equipment.
• In term of contingencies provided by the band; if a band member falls ill, they will often have deputies who can stand in at short notice, or you have your 24/7 emergency cover provided by Alive Network, to help source a suitable replacement.
• Make sure you have noted our out-of-hours emergency number – it will be included on your booking contract!

7. Packing Down & Venue Close

After the final song, bands typically need 45-60 minutes to pack down and load out safely. Make sure your venue team knows this in advance so they can plan last orders and closing times accordingly.

8. Payment & Contract Logistics

Payment is one of those small details that can easily get forgotten once the party’s in full swing.

• The most common method of payment is by bank transfer, 1 week before the big day. If your band requests this, and if you’re happy to proceed on this basis, they will provide you with an invoice and their bank details.
• Next most common is to pay on the night by bank transfer or in cash, which gives you the peace of mind that the band have arrived before you hand over any money. It’s a good idea to settle payment before the first set so you can relax.
• Nominate a reliable guest (father of the bride, best man, planner) to handle it on your behalf.
• Some customers choose to pay the balance in advance to Alive Network, to be released to the band after their wedding. This can be arranged for a small fee to cover card processing charges.

Top 3 Pitfalls to Avoid

10. Wedding Band On-The-Day Checklist

Keep this handy (or hand it to your wedding coordinator):

• Confirm band arrival, parking and setup access.
• Allow at least 60–90 mins setup and soundcheck time.
• Provide a private room for changing and resting.
• Supply a hot meal and soft drinks.
• Settle payment before the first performance.
• Confirm the set schedule and background music plan.
• Avoid performances during food service.
• Leave 45–60 mins for pack-down after the final set.
• Keep Alive Network’s emergency contact number handy for support.

Plan the practical details now, communicate clearly, treat your band well - and they’ll give you a performance your guests will be talking about for a lifetime.

For further reading you might also like to see:

• Complete Guide To Booking A Wedding Band
• Wedding band Prices in 2025 / 2026
• Smart Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding Band

Thank you for booking your wedding entertainment with Alive Network.