One style of wedding music we’re seeing explode in popularity is the authentic rock ‘n’ roll wedding band. We’re not talking Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, or The Killers here, we’re talking about the original pioneers of the genre – the Elvis Presleys, the Buddy Hollys, the Little Richards – the legends who blew away the stuffiness of the post-war era with their tumbling piano runs, slicked-back quiffs and jaunty, jangly guitar riffs.
Header image credit Nicola Norton Photography
We’ve talked extensively over the past few months about live wedding bands in their glorious diversity – pop and rock, soul and Motown, festival style, even vintage-inspired postmodern wedding bands – but about other forms of wedding entertainment? We’re talking wedding entertainment to make your special day unique, entertainment that’ll drop jaws and get people talking.
I couldn’t get married without live music – it’s just a very personal thing, and if you’re a music lover you will totally get what I mean. Whether you love jazz or pop, indie, swing or soul, you’ll know that the buzz of a live performance is uniquely and beautifully suited to a wedding – so imagine booking your venue, only to be told you can’t have live music… it would be heartbreaking.
A challenge for you: picture a dance floor heaving with guests ranging in age from bouncing toddlers to groovy grannies. What music is playing? Which artists immediately spring to mind? We’re betting you’ve pictured at least one legendary soul and Motown artist, someone like Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie, Otis Redding, Gladys Knight – the list is seemingly endless. There’s nothing quite like this enduringly popular style of music to encourage guests of all ages onto the dance floor at a wedding reception.
There is SO much to organising a wedding, isn’t there?!! And with each little item on your wedding checklist, there’s a small army of sub-items to check too! For example, planning when your band will start to play, or if you’ll need a DJ afterwards, and how all of that ties in with food! (Because as much as we love a dance, we really can’t wait for the meal, right?!) So here are some real couples’ top tips for getting the most from your wedding band, courtesy of our lovely friends at the fabulous Alive Network.
