1
00:10:19,768 --> 00:10:26,408
 So yeah, the best way to stretch the budget is to go with companies like myself where you just come

2
00:10:26,408 --> 00:10:33,608
 to one person to get a whole music package. So rather than going to this vendor that vendor that vendor

3
00:10:33,608 --> 00:10:38,568
 that vendor to, so if you're all the music you come to us, we saw everything for you,

4
00:10:38,568 --> 00:10:45,128
 so it's agey time and it's at money. Also, if you don't have much of a budget, so if it's not,

5
00:10:46,408 --> 00:10:51,288
 you don't have a lot to spend on music, just then think about those key moments, so the ceremony,

6
00:10:51,288 --> 00:10:56,648
 that's always a really key moment to have live music, because it's just so emotional and you know,

7
00:10:56,648 --> 00:11:02,488
 the music will help with that. Or maybe in the evening, if you don't have the budget for a whole band,

8
00:11:02,488 --> 00:11:08,008
 you can do a smaller setup, you can have a DJ with a saxophone player, if you still want that live

9
00:11:08,008 --> 00:11:13,848
 feel, or even a singer, so you're just a smaller setup, so you can still have that live element,

10
00:11:13,848 --> 00:11:19,128
 but it doesn't break your bank, you know. Using like the same musicians like from you through

11
00:11:19,128 --> 00:11:25,928
 out of the day, would you try and work it and does it help to utilise the budget in the best way

12
00:11:25,928 --> 00:11:32,648
 by having, say, your band to the evening and then selecting some of those people to perform,

13
00:11:32,648 --> 00:11:38,168
 maybe either smaller group during dinner, a duo or a trio during the drinks reception,

14
00:11:38,168 --> 00:11:43,368
 is that how that benefits couples by sort of helping them stretch their budget because you utilise

15
00:11:43,768 --> 00:11:49,688
 sort of one musician through various points in the day. Yeah absolutely, and it's nice because it

16
00:11:49,688 --> 00:11:55,448
 just gains familiarity as well, so everyone's seen that person during the day, and oh they're in the band,

17
00:11:55,448 --> 00:12:00,648
 so soon gets to know that person throughout the whole day, and then you're celebrating with them

18
00:12:00,648 --> 00:12:05,448
 in the end, so it's really, really nice for people to be on that journey with you as well as

19
00:12:05,448 --> 00:12:10,808
 be a cheaper option for giving you live music throughout the day, so yeah, definitely.

20
00:12:10,808 --> 00:12:16,168
 And logistically, you can get your soundcheck done before the guests are there as well,

21
00:12:16,168 --> 00:12:21,688
 which I always think it's one of those moments where you've got the bands start coming in during dinner

22
00:12:21,688 --> 00:12:27,448
 and you're like oh no, we're going to have lots of客 one, check two, mic mic mic, yeah one, two, three,

23
00:12:27,448 --> 00:12:33,128
 you're like no, please don't do this during dinner, and I always advise my couples if they've

24
00:12:33,128 --> 00:12:38,088
 got the budget and they can get the band there earlier to do that because it just, I think it takes a

25
00:12:38,088 --> 00:12:44,648
 spark out of it almost, well sometimes, and we have had it once where it got the guests really excited

26
00:12:44,648 --> 00:12:49,448
 about the band for that evening because they got to hear snippets of the kind of music like that is true,

27
00:12:49,448 --> 00:12:54,888
 but most of the time it's that there's a surprise, there's the wow factor that we're going to hear later,

28
00:12:54,888 --> 00:13:00,808
 but we've already heard what it's going to sound like. It surprises me actually that not more bands

29
00:13:00,808 --> 00:13:07,528
 suggest this as a either upsell or a standard package with couples is to say okay, we'll perform

30
00:13:07,528 --> 00:13:12,328
 later, but like what time you have in dinner because just pay for us to be there earlier because surely

31
00:13:12,328 --> 00:13:18,168
 they enjoy being there, I mean I don't know, but surely they enjoy being there earlier setting up with

32
00:13:18,168 --> 00:13:23,768
 less stress and then they can have some downtime, have their band meal and then get ready and change

33
00:13:23,768 --> 00:13:28,088
 ready to go later instead of them, you know, I've heard reddings where a band member's been

34
00:13:28,088 --> 00:13:33,208
 trafficked on the M25 and it's just stressful. I was if like everyone plans to be there earlier and

35
00:13:33,208 --> 00:13:38,568
 charges accordingly for that obviously, but it just makes everyone's life a bit easier as well,

36
00:13:38,568 --> 00:13:44,648
 but is that the same from sort of your perspective? Yeah absolutely, because also I've found a lot of

37
00:13:44,648 --> 00:13:53,368
 weddings run slightly later than scheduled, so it's always a fath if say the coordinators said oh 5pm

38
00:13:53,368 --> 00:13:57,768
 that's when you can start loading in, you know, but it comes to 5pm they're still eating so you

39
00:13:57,768 --> 00:14:02,488
 have a car park waiting to load in, and you're like oh and you're just going wait another 10 minutes,

40
00:14:02,488 --> 00:14:07,208
 another 10 minutes, so it turns into like six o'clock, you've got the first dance at seven and you,

41
00:14:07,208 --> 00:14:11,448
 you know, you've allocated actually an hour and a half or two hours to get in there and set up

42
00:14:11,448 --> 00:14:16,808
 sound check, so yeah it's nice that if you are there from earlier, all of that is done, you're just

43
00:14:16,808 --> 00:14:23,448
 there waiting to then perform. Yeah, how do you deal with that lol that you get when you have a room

44
00:14:23,448 --> 00:14:28,968
 change round, if you just come across to you as much as it does to like it's one of my absolute fears

45
00:14:28,968 --> 00:14:35,128
 and paranoias is the lull most inner when everyone's asked to move out of the room whilst it's change

46
00:14:35,128 --> 00:14:39,288
 round ready for the evening and all the guests come back in having had their cup of tea and they're all

47
00:14:39,288 --> 00:14:46,728
 a bit full and feeling nostalgic, sleepy, do you notice that as a band how much you've got to bring

48
00:14:46,728 --> 00:14:52,568
 those guests back up? No, I think because they're already excited now because they're never coming

49
00:14:52,568 --> 00:14:59,688
 like what's next and like we're hey we're here, you know, so we are, yeah we're there to bring them

50
00:14:59,688 --> 00:15:05,448
 back up, so it's not very, we don't feel the lull, right? Yeah, the lulls happen in the other room and

51
00:15:05,448 --> 00:15:10,248
 then they're all the fun with it. We're there to just build it up and normally when they come back in

52
00:15:10,248 --> 00:15:14,808
 they're there to cut the cake, do the first dance, so it's just, so it just keeps moving, you know,

53
00:15:14,808 --> 00:15:18,808
 until the party and then the party, so yeah, we don't really feel that lull thank goodness.

54
00:15:21,128 --> 00:15:25,128
 Any advice on how couples can combat it in the other room whilst you're doing that?

55
00:15:25,128 --> 00:15:32,248
 Have live musician, have a live musician. Yeah I've got drinks, I've got a couple of people this year

56
00:15:32,248 --> 00:15:38,008
 are having like a second drinks reception when their evening guests arrive, so with some music,

57
00:15:38,008 --> 00:15:44,648
 so that it's sort of like a mini entrance, yeah, and starts to build it back up again, ready to

58
00:15:44,648 --> 00:15:50,088
 go straight in and hit the dance floor. Oh absolutely, I think it's just a pre-cursor to what's

59
00:15:50,088 --> 00:15:56,888
 going to happen in the next room. Yeah, build it up nicely. What considerations should couples

60
00:15:56,888 --> 00:16:01,768
 make when looking to choose their live music? Like what are things that they need to think about

61
00:16:01,768 --> 00:16:09,368
 when looking to book musicians for their wedding day? Yeah, I think the first thing we ask couples is

62
00:16:09,368 --> 00:16:13,608
 what vibe are you trying to create? Because a lot of people are like, oh you want to live music? Okay,

63
00:16:13,608 --> 00:16:19,608
 but what do you want? Like what are you trying to, because otherwise it's such an array and a lot of people

64
00:16:19,608 --> 00:16:25,208
 put on like on Facebook groups are looking for a live band. Okay, what genre is your favorite? You know,

65
00:16:25,208 --> 00:16:29,448
 what kind of style do you want to chill acoustic? Do you want it upbeat in your face? Like people

66
00:16:29,448 --> 00:16:35,048
 need to really be specific with what it is they need first, so left up instead of all those things.

67
00:16:35,048 --> 00:16:39,288
 I mean we can present them with options, but we like to present them with options that they are

68
00:16:39,288 --> 00:16:44,328
 likely to be like yes otherwise it's just kind of wasting time be like oh what about this? And they're

69
00:16:44,328 --> 00:16:50,008
 like oh no, you know, it's so common though. It's so common that you come across couples that

70
00:16:50,008 --> 00:16:55,768
 just like we want a live band for you thing. Yeah, that is you've got it at the minute, how you

71
00:16:55,768 --> 00:17:01,048
 where you've got a client who literally can't decide between three or four different genres. Yeah,

72
00:17:01,048 --> 00:17:07,288
 what vibe they want for the evening and it makes it so difficult. Yeah, it's such a wide range.

73
00:17:07,288 --> 00:17:12,008
 You have no way to narrow down your research if you don't know these basic things. Exactly. Yeah,

74
00:17:12,008 --> 00:17:16,088
 absolutely because it'll just take so much more time if they don't have these things.

75
00:17:16,088 --> 00:17:26,648
 Definitely so it's number one. Number two sound limiters. Yeah, it's really with the band that it

76
00:17:26,648 --> 00:17:32,408
 makes like was with like a solo singer string quartet acoustic soul singer like in the corner. It

77
00:17:32,408 --> 00:17:37,608
 doesn't matter but with a band and with a DJ in the eager and the sound limiter has yeah,

78
00:17:37,608 --> 00:17:44,488
 there's a few venues actually where there's a sound limiter and you have to go through their speakers.

79
00:17:44,488 --> 00:17:51,128
 So sometimes their speakers are above the dance floor. So when you're walking around your microphone,

80
00:17:51,128 --> 00:17:56,648
 your microphone is speeding back because the speakers are directly above you and it's just like all

81
00:17:56,648 --> 00:18:03,288
 these things but clients wouldn't know and venues don't necessarily tell clients until they're like

82
00:18:03,288 --> 00:18:09,768
 I'm bringing in a band or I've got a DJ and sometimes they don't even do that. So there's always

83
00:18:09,768 --> 00:18:14,968
 a question you should ask your venues is like do you have a sound limiter? Do they have to use your

84
00:18:14,968 --> 00:18:19,208
 speakers or can they bring equipment in? So obviously we would prefer to bring our own equipment. We

85
00:18:19,208 --> 00:18:25,128
 use it all the time and now her works when you're going to a venue especially if you haven't been

86
00:18:25,128 --> 00:18:31,848
 there before and your sound check's going to take longer because you need to get the sound on point

87
00:18:31,848 --> 00:18:36,168
 and make sure there isn't any feedback and that just takes longer and you're not quite sure how

88
00:18:36,168 --> 00:18:47,528
 their equipment works. I've learned over the years quite naively for someone who isn't in music.

89
00:18:47,528 --> 00:18:51,928
 You think it's a simple case of someone singing, someone's playing the instrument and it all just

90
00:18:51,928 --> 00:18:56,808
 comes out beautifully. It's not, it's so much more technical than that and they're never leaving

91
00:18:56,808 --> 00:19:02,568
 everything like that. The layers that you guys have to put in to make sure that that sound sounds

92
00:19:02,568 --> 00:19:12,568
 like perfect is unreal and so beyond what you think it might be. It's good for couples to know and

93
00:19:12,568 --> 00:19:17,768
 be able to understand that so like knowing about a sound limiter in things like that because otherwise

94
00:19:17,768 --> 00:19:22,168
 we're going to have a flat dance loop because the sound doesn't sound good. And also with the sound

95
00:19:22,168 --> 00:19:26,968
 limiters you have some that just warn you and others that actually just cut out, don't you? Like some

96
00:19:26,968 --> 00:19:35,928
 just be anxiety because this was like oh my goodness and you're not really going to know

97
00:19:35,928 --> 00:19:40,968
 until you've done the sound check if that's going to happen and then sometimes on the gig it happens

98
00:19:40,968 --> 00:19:45,368
 as well. We had that one time literally and it is when we did the medley of four songs

99
00:19:46,008 --> 00:19:52,408
 and the first dance it cut out but because everyone was singing along and they're having a saxophone

100
00:19:52,408 --> 00:19:58,488
 player as well who didn't rely on the sound being on any electricity. Everyone just kept going

101
00:19:58,488 --> 00:20:03,848
 until it came back up again towards the end so it happened but we worked with it.

102
00:20:03,848 --> 00:20:13,768
 Yeah, my god. Well done yes, it's not. Yeah, so anxious. Seeing live recordings of acts is really

103
00:20:13,768 --> 00:20:19,208
 important as well because sometimes as especially in the wedding industry we only do weddings or

104
00:20:19,208 --> 00:20:27,048
 only private events. Sometimes people don't actually do public events so it's always good to ask

105
00:20:27,048 --> 00:20:32,488
 or a live recording or just check all their live performances because people send you their polished

106
00:20:32,488 --> 00:20:40,008
 promo videos and it's polished for a reason. So if you can hear how they sound live that is

107
00:20:40,008 --> 00:20:47,288
 the absolute go-to. Yeah, you have a few showcases. No, but I'm trying to. Definitely trying to.

108
00:20:47,288 --> 00:20:52,168
 I do, I personally do a lot of wedding fairs. I do wedding fairs on behalf of everybody in the

109
00:20:52,168 --> 00:20:58,488
 company because it's so difficult to get people available free. It's also about to make people

110
00:20:58,488 --> 00:21:04,568
 to come and showcase themselves so that they they get work, go for a run down the line and where I do

111
00:21:04,568 --> 00:21:11,928
 the wedding fairs, people are like oh I saw you and I want you. I'm trying to get work for everybody

112
00:21:11,928 --> 00:21:17,928
 so it's so important to do showcases. I think how we'll put something together to just show all

113
00:21:17,928 --> 00:21:23,688
 of my singers, all the musicians because that'll be fun as well then itself. Yeah, we spoke about it on

114
00:21:23,688 --> 00:21:28,888
 our one-year anniversary podcast. We had our husbands on from one year anniversary and Chris, my husband,

115
00:21:28,888 --> 00:21:36,008
 was saying about how he managed to convince my mum into booking our band was because they held

116
00:21:36,008 --> 00:21:42,008
 a showcase up in London and we'd had a call with them beforehand and we told them what our first

117
00:21:42,008 --> 00:21:47,768
 dance was going to be. They'd learn our first dance and then performed it back to us and my mum literally

118
00:21:47,768 --> 00:21:54,008
 she was just like I'm sold. Sign me up. Yeah, double the budget I wanted to spend but I don't care

119
00:21:54,008 --> 00:22:00,408
 I'm sorry. Yeah and it just and I have lots of couples come to me and they're like can we see the band

120
00:22:00,408 --> 00:22:07,608
 and you're like well we can look at videos yeah but that live experience I think has yeah holds so

121
00:22:07,608 --> 00:22:14,968
 much gravitas. Yeah absolutely absolutely yeah she's getting everybody I mean one same day, same time.

122
00:22:14,968 --> 00:22:22,088
 Yeah hard work. Yeah don't envy you there. We spoke about sound limiters a bit. What other

123
00:22:22,088 --> 00:22:27,288
 challenges have you experienced while performing events and so what can couples do to prevent

124
00:22:27,288 --> 00:22:33,688
 them from happening at their own weddings? Timing like I mentioned before just keeping on schedule

125
00:22:33,688 --> 00:22:39,768
 so I always say to people if you haven't got an event planner and a wedding planner get one

126
00:22:39,768 --> 00:22:47,208
 because it's so difficult to keep everything going on tracking on time and we rely on time so much

127
00:22:47,208 --> 00:22:55,208
 as musicians and so yeah everybody just have a wedding planner please. Yeah it just yeah helps us out

128
00:22:55,208 --> 00:23:00,568
 so much and I think even to the little details like for me and when I got married this was like

129
00:23:00,568 --> 00:23:08,968
 13 years ago now I got married and I was my wedding planner and I was right it was just so stressful

130
00:23:08,968 --> 00:23:14,248
 at the end I cried because everyone was coming to me with all these questions and I just wanted to

131
00:23:14,248 --> 00:23:19,048
 enjoy myself. My mum said whoa I can't find the bars that I need to take back where do we put the

132
00:23:19,048 --> 00:23:24,568
 rubbish to like the things I don't even need to concern myself with but I ended up concerning myself

133
00:23:24,568 --> 00:23:31,368
 because I didn't have a wedding planner so yeah I think it's challenging when people think they can

134
00:23:31,368 --> 00:23:38,408
 do it all themselves be where all the hats yeah and all of the other vendors are just like kind of

135
00:23:38,408 --> 00:23:43,448
 flailing in the wind because there's no plan and there's no structure and something. But they always

136
00:23:43,448 --> 00:23:48,248
 you look for the person in the white dress because that is typical yeah they're the easiest way to start

137
00:23:48,248 --> 00:23:54,088
 aren't they yeah they are they will just they will go to unless I mean we've advised couples that

138
00:23:54,088 --> 00:24:02,728
 don't have planners to have person a contact person from the day isn't the bride for those exact

139
00:24:02,728 --> 00:24:07,288
 reasons that they can just go to and be like what do I do with this what do I do with that because

140
00:24:07,288 --> 00:24:16,648
 you're right like yeah it's it's so hard to manage all of that and try and be present yeah exactly

141
00:24:16,648 --> 00:24:23,368
 it's too stressful so yeah I'm a big fan of having someone other than the brides of contact

142
00:24:23,368 --> 00:24:32,408
 however if I was a bride and I wanted to come and speak to you about music tell us about how the

143
00:24:32,408 --> 00:24:40,808
 process works with okles when they approach you for music yeah so we get people to fill in an inquiry

144
00:24:40,808 --> 00:24:46,168
 form so that we've got all the details so we can actually make an accurate quote because a lot a lot

145
00:24:46,168 --> 00:24:51,288
 of the time people are if they if they're not getting married to say 2020 they don't have all the

146
00:24:51,288 --> 00:24:57,848
 details but if it's like a more recent one a one that's coming up we we just have all the details

147
00:24:57,848 --> 00:25:02,408
 that we like okay we will say that this is the price for that what I hate doing is giving the price

148
00:25:02,408 --> 00:25:07,208
 and then things change that oh well now it's going to be this you know so I like to really have as

149
00:25:07,208 --> 00:25:14,248
 much information as possible in that inquiry form and then we send back an accurate quote with options

150
00:25:14,248 --> 00:25:19,208
 as well we like to give like then few options not too much like so if I mean to give people

151
00:25:19,208 --> 00:25:23,448
 way too much options they get overwhelmed that always overwhelmed anyway and then you're like

152
00:25:23,448 --> 00:25:29,208
 okay there's ten singers too to look through like no we don't yeah we just pick what what we think

153
00:25:29,208 --> 00:25:37,448
 would suit the requirements that you've been specified and then I yeah give them a call and see

154
00:25:37,448 --> 00:25:42,568
 just find out a little bit about about them and their love story I love people's love stories how

155
00:25:42,568 --> 00:25:48,888
 they got together you know how they how they proposed like I love all of that because I think that

156
00:25:48,888 --> 00:25:55,368
 then feeds into who I'm gonna choose and like who I know seems that some really well or you know

157
00:25:55,368 --> 00:26:00,008
 in that kind of thing so that's really good and then yeah further down the line when they book

158
00:26:00,008 --> 00:26:06,568
 to book we always ask for a 20% deposit and then they remain in your mouth six weeks before the

159
00:26:06,568 --> 00:26:11,528
 event and then we have like a dissertation I love meeting up with the couples again to find out

160
00:26:11,528 --> 00:26:18,248
 their stories and yeah you're all planning with all the plans together I get all the the artists

161
00:26:18,248 --> 00:26:26,088
 what they need and then yeah the day just goes pretty well yeah do you ever have couples come to you

162
00:26:26,088 --> 00:26:33,208
 and want to completely and utterly control the setlist how do you deal with that yeah great question

163
00:26:33,208 --> 00:26:42,168
 yeah do you know what and I I do it to a certain degree because sometimes they have so many requests

164
00:26:42,168 --> 00:26:47,928
 maybe outside of our repertoire that I'm like it's actually impossible for us to like run the whole

165
00:26:47,928 --> 00:26:54,328
 of the wedding season and learn your 15 songs as well but I do I do make them aware that we do have

166
00:26:54,328 --> 00:27:01,928
 limited time if they give us a good like three two three months in advance then I do allow about

167
00:27:01,928 --> 00:27:08,888
 four or five requests but at the end of the day like I send them our Spotify playlist these are the

168
00:27:08,888 --> 00:27:13,928
 songs that we normally do pick some out of these let me know which ones you definitely don't want if

169
00:27:13,928 --> 00:27:19,928
 they like your ex partner or something yeah I don't like that one you know what they what they like

170
00:27:19,928 --> 00:27:26,008
 what they don't like and then yeah go from there because a lot of the time people have their idea

171
00:27:26,008 --> 00:27:32,568
 of what they love but they also have the cater to everybody yet your audience is your party if you

172
00:27:32,568 --> 00:27:37,848
 want people to then your friends and your family and it has to roll together as well doesn't it

173
00:27:37,848 --> 00:27:44,248
 one song needs to roll into the next song nicely it can't be like a love song into suddenly a proper

174
00:27:44,248 --> 00:27:49,928
 high song yeah that just doesn't work yeah so then the first time so that's the time that you have

175
00:27:49,928 --> 00:27:56,888
 those two minutes yeah together but exactly yeah it's got a flow yeah yeah but most of our

176
00:27:56,888 --> 00:28:02,808
 our words and rooms they trust us to yeah right and make it work so yeah they don't mind requests here

177
00:28:02,808 --> 00:28:09,208
 and everything but the whole set list I'm like well then why don't you just play your playlist yeah

178
00:28:09,208 --> 00:28:16,728
 what is your most memorable event that you've done so far you're most memorable wedding or

179
00:28:16,728 --> 00:28:22,808
 celebration I think definitely the one where we provided live music all day that was the the one

180
00:28:22,808 --> 00:28:29,368
 where we chose the music from country and to me so because she had myself singing as people

181
00:28:30,168 --> 00:28:35,608
 walked in so as yeah as people were entering and sitting down and they showed me singing for the

182
00:28:35,608 --> 00:28:41,768
 ceremony and they shared a sax player for the drinks reception so that was quite nice and then

183
00:28:41,768 --> 00:28:49,368
 for yeah the wedding breakfast in between every every meal she had a eight-piece band just come

184
00:28:49,368 --> 00:28:55,368
 out and they were like oh wow so they had this star then they have someone's table and have their

185
00:28:55,368 --> 00:29:00,488
 mates that was beautiful it just built up so nicely towards the end because everybody was just

186
00:29:00,488 --> 00:29:05,208
 up dancing ready for the evening reception we kind of had to bring them down a little bit

187
00:29:05,208 --> 00:29:11,768
 for the first dance yeah and then built back up again for the evening and I just think it was memorable

188
00:29:11,768 --> 00:29:18,088
 because she trusted me to do the whole day you know and saw all of that out and that was the first

189
00:29:18,088 --> 00:29:26,648
 time I had my band featuring in every single part of her wedding so putting it all together and we

190
00:29:26,648 --> 00:29:31,368
 just felt like a real team effort and I loved that because it's like we've all got one goal and that's

191
00:29:31,368 --> 00:29:37,368
 just to make it incredible and amazing and memorable and so everyone is just on the same page and

192
00:29:37,368 --> 00:29:44,408
 yeah musicians are incredible so that's definitely one of my memorable ones another one is I went to

193
00:29:44,408 --> 00:29:52,808
 Cypress last year my first international well international by myself yeah wedding and they they

194
00:29:52,808 --> 00:29:57,928
 had met me in a place called the Rudy May in May I was and they were like well you come and do

195
00:29:57,928 --> 00:30:06,648
 our wedding it's in Cypress I'm like definitely yeah you days away from the kids as well yeah exactly

196
00:30:06,648 --> 00:30:13,688
 why not so yeah that might that being my first international wedding by myself was so memorable

197
00:30:13,688 --> 00:30:21,288
 because it was just so warm just being on yeah being on the islands and just having a great time with

198
00:30:21,288 --> 00:30:27,288
 them yeah I loved it five feels totally different as well doesn't it with an abroad wedding yeah they're

199
00:30:27,288 --> 00:30:32,728
 just chill that's chill and I love that the DJ because I don't have only had to take my microphone

200
00:30:32,728 --> 00:30:40,168
 and my music plug into their DJ and I was off in a way yeah yeah it was really simple really really

201
00:30:40,168 --> 00:30:45,928
 simple do the really quick sound check and yeah do two one hour sets of party music and it's pretty

202
00:30:45,928 --> 00:30:55,528
 I'm just on a beach it's great it's great so we kind of doubled a little bit about um Blackbird

203
00:30:55,528 --> 00:31:00,808
 Entertainment but tell us give us an overview of what who you are and who your business is and

204
00:31:00,808 --> 00:31:06,328
 what you're about where you sort of cover and things because you go internationally it would be

205
00:31:06,328 --> 00:31:14,088
 good for all listeners to know sort of may you perform yeah so we are this may we'll be 18 years

206
00:31:14,088 --> 00:31:22,568
 in McGay what crazy is like have nearly have an adult company yeah um but yeah well based in Kent

207
00:31:22,568 --> 00:31:28,968
 and we um yeah obviously we have loads of singers we have bands musicians DJs and it's not just for

208
00:31:28,968 --> 00:31:33,608
 weekends we do any events I love a birthday party at the moment we can do a lot of 40th birthday

209
00:31:33,608 --> 00:31:41,528
 parties which is my era yeah my kind of music just like the R&B the garage that kind of thing is just

210
00:31:41,528 --> 00:31:48,648
 yeah yeah so much but we just love to like I say tell a story through people's weddings and that

211
00:31:48,648 --> 00:31:54,008
 I love to get to know the couples I think that's really really key and and different I will not just

212
00:31:54,008 --> 00:31:59,528
 providing live music we're providing your sound your whole soundtrack you know just tying in your

213
00:31:59,528 --> 00:32:06,328
 love story with the music and just making it yeah it's making it work so that's what I love to do you

214
00:32:06,328 --> 00:32:14,728
 do a range of like obviously we touch on how you can convert styles from country to neo but do you

215
00:32:14,728 --> 00:32:21,208
 do you kind of put yourself into a genre like or are you totally broad and someone can come to you

216
00:32:21,208 --> 00:32:29,208
 for anything yeah I think for me personally I'm very much solo town R&B disco party style but we have

217
00:32:29,208 --> 00:32:35,688
 other acts that do like country rock you know the string quartet with the classical but with a R&B

218
00:32:35,688 --> 00:32:40,728
 soul twist which is like really unique and different and a very Bridgerton-esque which we love

219
00:32:40,728 --> 00:32:47,608
 yeah that's very in at the minute isn't it yeah it is I can't wait to see the next part

220
00:32:47,608 --> 00:32:53,368
 now I'm waiting yeah other guys this is going out a lot later oh it is yeah we want to do it

221
00:32:53,368 --> 00:33:03,368
 if we might see R&B for season four part two by the time this is going out but yeah we do a wide range

222
00:33:03,368 --> 00:33:08,648
 and we all the time we're adding to our roster as well and if I see someone that I'm like oh you're

223
00:33:08,648 --> 00:33:15,208
 amazing and then I'm like can you like to join to be part of it you've got on your roster at the

224
00:33:15,208 --> 00:33:24,568
 minute at the moment 37 oh wow yeah so it's growing all the time which is it's fun but I always like to

225
00:33:24,568 --> 00:33:30,168
 get again get to know the acts because you could have the most fantastic voice but if you're not

226
00:33:30,168 --> 00:33:38,008
 a great person it's like yeah you know that's always have to have like a meetup just like in

227
00:33:38,008 --> 00:33:44,248
 feel your vibe do we you know do we click do we clash you know that kind of thing because that's

228
00:33:44,248 --> 00:33:48,488
 really important if I'm if you're going out there representing Blackbird Entertainment I need to know

229
00:33:48,488 --> 00:33:54,568
 you're going to go out there correctly professionally you know all those things so yeah we choose our

230
00:33:54,568 --> 00:33:59,768
 people very carefully because let's say we're with a small company so yeah everything comes back

231
00:33:59,768 --> 00:34:05,128
 on us you know so it's really really important to have just good human beings being with us

232
00:34:05,128 --> 00:34:10,488
 so where can our listeners get hold of you if they want to get in touch or find out more about

233
00:34:10,488 --> 00:34:16,248
 Blackbird Entertainment are you online we'll put everything in the show notes but just handy to

234
00:34:16,248 --> 00:34:25,688
 to share where we can get hold of you so you can find us online our website is www.blackhyphen

235
00:34:25,688 --> 00:34:34,328
 birdhyphen entertainment.com and you'll find us on Instagram and you'll find us on TikTok at the

236
00:34:34,328 --> 00:34:43,368
 minute you're in the TikTok group yeah well done yeah that was a challenge with it and this goes going

237
00:34:43,368 --> 00:34:48,648
 well I was going really well so yeah Instagram, Facebook and TikTok you'll find this as well

238
00:34:48,648 --> 00:34:59,368
 perfect we like to end each episode with top tip for our listeners so what is your top tip your

239
00:34:59,368 --> 00:35:10,808
 general wedding top tip for all this is my top tip is you do you boo yeah love it you do you boo because

240
00:35:10,808 --> 00:35:16,008
 it was a bit like I could say when I got married there were so many voices so many voices in my head

241
00:35:16,008 --> 00:35:20,328
 you should do this you should do that oh I wouldn't do that you sure you want to get married there

242
00:35:20,328 --> 00:35:28,648
 yeah like let me do what me and my husband wanted to do okay yeah you wait so long and you save up

243
00:35:28,648 --> 00:35:33,448
 for so long for this day and just to have people be like well I'm not sitting with that person

244
00:35:33,448 --> 00:35:41,048
 because you know past trauma or past whatever like come on like let's make it simple we're not

245
00:35:41,048 --> 00:35:46,248
 spending crazy amounts of money for people just to turn off on the day and start fighting you know

246
00:35:46,248 --> 00:35:53,368
 so do what you want to do is you don't have to be traditional you don't have to you know do everything

247
00:35:53,368 --> 00:36:01,528
 like everybody normally does it you do you boo that's brilliant great hit thank you so much and thank

248
00:36:01,528 --> 00:36:07,448
 you for joining us and me it's been so lovely to speak to you and next week we're talking about

249
00:36:07,448 --> 00:36:16,488
 managing RSVPs yes done done done done fun time thank you so much we will see you then bye thank you

250
00:36:16,488 --> 00:36:17,488
 Bye. Bye.

1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,160


2
00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:14,240
 

3
00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:29,880
 Hello and welcome to this week's episode of the Wedding Lounge podcast.

4
00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:35,040
 This week we have got the lovely Ebonie from Blackbird Entertainment who is here talking

5
00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,080
 for us about all things musical. Hi Ebonie

6
00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:40,280
 Hello. How are you doing?

7
00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,960
 Yeah, it's lovely to have you. Thank you so much for coming on today.

8
00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,360
 Yeah, thanks for having me.

9
00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:54,160
 So we would like to ask you, Evony, how pupils can incorporate live music into their wedding.

10
00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,680
 How would you suggest people do it?

11
00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:03,680
 I would suggest that they have it all day, but I agree.

12
00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:08,760
 I love music so much and I just think it's so important the way that music can just bring

13
00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,080
 people together and actually make you feel something.

14
00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:18,440
 For the ceremony, we normally say you can have music where people are getting seated.

15
00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:23,000
 So as soon as people come in they've got some kind of feelings, some kind of atmosphere

16
00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,160
 of love and joy and you know it's right from the get-go.

17
00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,080
 So we normally say about 30 minutes of music as guests have been seated and then of course

18
00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,880
 you've got the bridal party in the bridal green walking down the aisle and then you've

19
00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:37,640
 got the signing of the register.

20
00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:42,240
 So those little bits where people are just sitting around not really doing much is really

21
00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,520
 nice to put music in there for people to have focal point or so it's a concentrate on

22
00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:51,840
 or even just something in the background while they catch up in chat which is really nice.

23
00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,360
 And then obviously you've got the walking back up the aisle.

24
00:01:55,360 --> 00:02:00,680
 This reception is always an amazing place to put live music because it's either nice in

25
00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:09,240
 the background or again if you want to entertain your guests, people like have a band where they

26
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:10,960
 can just walk around with a roaming band.

27
00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:17,880
 If you want to entertain your guests like that or it could just be just something simple

28
00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:22,640
 in the background like a string quartet, solo singing a nice chill acoustic vibe so there's

29
00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:26,200
 so much variety for a drinks reception.

30
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,440
 And then the next part for the wedding breakfast.

31
00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:35,320
 I think wedding breakfasts are notoriously long, like all the three courses if you're having

32
00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:36,920
 the three courses.

33
00:02:36,920 --> 00:02:44,240
 So just having a bit of music there in the background is amazing to lighten the mood and

34
00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:48,600
 again if you just want it to be backbone or if you want it to entertain, we did an amazing

35
00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:54,560
 wedding where we had our eight-piece band performing in-between the meals.

36
00:02:54,560 --> 00:03:00,500
 So no one was ever bored, it was literally like, I'm going to eat now and now we're going

37
00:03:00,500 --> 00:03:01,500
 to have some entertainment.

38
00:03:01,500 --> 00:03:02,500
 Oh, that's cool.

39
00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:04,000
 I'm going to eat some more and more entertainment.

40
00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,640
 Like there's always something to look at, something to do, you know, which I absolutely

41
00:03:08,640 --> 00:03:09,640
 enjoy.

42
00:03:09,640 --> 00:03:12,960
 That's such a nice thing to do because usually people think to put the speeches between

43
00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:13,960
 courses.

44
00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:14,960
 Which is lovely.

45
00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:24,940
 Yeah, I love it when people, I have seen one wedding where someone had a mariachi band just

46
00:03:24,940 --> 00:03:29,640
 as they went into the meal and then none of the guests wanted to sit down and eat food.

47
00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:34,040
 So the caterers were like, okay, we need to bring the food out, it's ready but everyone was

48
00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:35,040
 up.

49
00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,760
 That was too much of a vibe that people didn't want to miss out.

50
00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:42,680
 You've got to think carefully about how the people have got to think how the music fits

51
00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,720
 in with like actual services of the, I guess you nailed it on the head though, really.

52
00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,080
 When you say it creates the atmosphere, doesn't it?

53
00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:54,480
 Like you are, you can control the narrative of the whole entire day through the music.

54
00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:55,480
 Yeah.

55
00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:56,480
 Yeah, absolutely.

56
00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:01,040
 It just tells like a whole story and you want that story to reflect the couple and their

57
00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:02,040
 love story.

58
00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,840
 It's literally like just playing out in front of you, you know, just accordingly.

59
00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:06,840
 So yeah, definitely.

60
00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:13,720
 And I think the last part, obviously the big evening, yeah, with like an amazing DJ, with

61
00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,120
 like an epic band alongside them.

62
00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:20,460
 That's always my favourite go to because again, there you've got variety, it's not just a

63
00:04:20,460 --> 00:04:27,040
 DJ, it's not just a band, but if you have both, you've got that flexibility of, you know,

64
00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,360
 if the musicians don't know a song or haven't got a song, the DJ will definitely have that

65
00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:32,360
 song, you know.

66
00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:37,680
 So you've got variety there and it's just a nice way to close the night, go out on a bang.

67
00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,880
 Yeah, exactly, exactly.

68
00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:42,200
 Music all day.

69
00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:43,200
 Yeah.

70
00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:48,360
 I think you've kind of mentioned some of them there, but what are the benefits of people having

71
00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:50,000
 live musicians at weddings?

72
00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:54,880
 I mean, for me, I prefer live musicians, so I'm not there having to press play on like a

73
00:04:54,880 --> 00:05:00,000
 list or for five hundred or five hundred and I hate doing that.

74
00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,720
 You know, what are the reasons why people live for live music?

75
00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:07,000
 Like, what are the benefits of having live music, I guess, over sort of a PA system of the

76
00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:08,000
 phone?

77
00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:09,000
 Yeah.

78
00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,520
 So get, like you said, you don't have to rely on someone, press and play at the right point.

79
00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:16,800
 Like, the musicians would have been briefed specifically on what to start and when to

80
00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:22,440
 start and when to, you know, and I think having live musicians is so unique because not

81
00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:27,440
 everybody performs songs the second way as you hear on a track, so you're literally getting

82
00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,760
 a unique performance, you know, on your special day.

83
00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:33,320
 And what are five songs even?

84
00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:38,880
 We had, oh, we had a, we had a bride who loved this country song, but she was like, can you

85
00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,040
 turn it to a neo-soul version because I hate country music?

86
00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:43,840
 Oh, the lyrics.

87
00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:47,800
 And I looked to her and I was like, that's such a genius idea.

88
00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:53,320
 And I heard some, I was like, oh my goodness, what a beautiful song it literally wants me to

89
00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:54,320
 tears.

90
00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,280
 But I understood the whole, like the country vibe wasn't my vibe either.

91
00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:00,280
 So the fact she said, can you do a neo-soul version?

92
00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:01,280
 I'm like, yeah.

93
00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:04,040
 You got a video of that on your Instagram?

94
00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,960
 Ah, I've done, but you know what, I'm going to put it out.

95
00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:07,960
 I will put it out.

96
00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:08,960
 Yeah.

97
00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:11,960
 I'd love to see what, because I quite like country music, but I'm also used to love a

98
00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:12,960
 bit of neo back in the day.

99
00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,440
 So I would love to see how that works.

100
00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:19,280
 We've got like a clip of it, I'll definitely put that out at some point, because it's just

101
00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:20,880
 so beautifully done.

102
00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,240
 And that was for her father, daughter dance.

103
00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:24,240
 So that was...

104
00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:25,240
 Oh.

105
00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,360
 Oh my gosh, the word, I just wanted to cry.

106
00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:29,360
 Yes.

107
00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:30,360
 That's so cute.

108
00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:31,360
 So, so cute.

109
00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:36,720
 And like another couple actually wanted us to do a medley of four songs.

110
00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:41,000
 And they gave us the songs and we were like, they, how are we going to do this?

111
00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:46,160
 Because they are so different, like the songs were so different from each other, but we got

112
00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:51,400
 the band together, we worked out different keys and, you know, different time signatures and

113
00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,480
 just how to make it fit.

114
00:06:53,480 --> 00:07:00,060
 And eventually we made it fit, and it flowed so well, but that's something you can't do,

115
00:07:00,060 --> 00:07:01,840
 you know, without live musicians.

116
00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:06,680
 You can't, you can't, well, I guess you could press one song after another, but it just

117
00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:07,680
 wouldn't flow, you know.

118
00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:08,680
 Yeah.

119
00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:12,440
 You can't, you can't, you can't, you can't give it the same beat, can you, you can't give

120
00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:13,440
 it the same tempo.

121
00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:14,440
 That's what I'm looking at.

122
00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:15,440
 Beautiful.

123
00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,560
 To then make one flow into the other.

124
00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:18,560
 Exactly.

125
00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:22,760
 You have to do with live musicians and we, we've made it work and made the couple absolutely

126
00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:23,760
 loved it.

127
00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:25,720
 So I love to mash up.

128
00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:26,720
 Yeah.

129
00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:27,720
 Absolutely.

130
00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:28,720
 You love a mash up.

131
00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:30,800
 You're a fan of like the seven minute, what is it?

132
00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,520
 Is it the seven minutes out of today's mash up?

133
00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:33,520
 Have you heard that one?

134
00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:34,520
 No.

135
00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:44,420
 I remember at my brother's wedding, I commented the DJ and asked him to wind up my stepdad because

136
00:07:44,420 --> 00:07:49,320
 there's a song Richard Marx right here waiting for you, winds up my stepdad like so much.

137
00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:53,560
 It was his wedding song to his ex-boyfriend.

138
00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,640
 And he absolutely loves, beauty love, boogie tonight, which totally different.

139
00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:58,640
 So I've got the DJ.

140
00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:03,440
 I said, can you just start playing Richard Marx to wind up and then like partway through

141
00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:07,200
 just like switch it up to beauty love and I literally just asked him there on the evening

142
00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:11,280
 when I was drunk and sprites made and he did it and I was like, this is amazing.

143
00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:15,840
 No one else got it but my stepdad and I and my mum and my brother were like, this is brilliant

144
00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,480
 because his reaction went from, oh my gosh, what is this?

145
00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:19,480
 I hate this song too.

146
00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:20,480
 Oh my god.

147
00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:21,480
 Oh my god.

148
00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:26,720
 Yeah, live musicians like doing that in advance which just speak, yeah.

149
00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:27,720
 Yeah.

150
00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:31,640
 And there's those little moments just that you will remember for a project.

151
00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:36,360
 I mean it's like, yeah, so I'm going to speak to the situation, is that inside joke that

152
00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:40,520
 no one else gets but you'll do that?

153
00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:47,160
 And also like in a world full of AI now and artificial, that human element of a musical

154
00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:51,520
 performance is just, it just creates like a wonder like people are drawn to it.

155
00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,720
 People often might stop and listen, you know, and take in the sounds and stuff.

156
00:08:55,720 --> 00:09:00,160
 It's just, yeah, it's just nice to have human, humans do the job.

157
00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:01,160
 But interacting.

158
00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:06,640
 Yeah, like you can pull people onto the dance floor physically, you can go out and you

159
00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,080
 can engage with the crowd.

160
00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:14,520
 You can get them on the dance floor and that's something that you can't do with just played

161
00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:15,520
 music.

162
00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:16,520
 No.

163
00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:20,680
 So you need to have the people there and that's what creates the atmosphere, that's what creates

164
00:09:20,680 --> 00:09:22,000
 the magic, isn't it, really?

165
00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:27,400
 Yeah, whether that's a live DJ who's like interacting, like did an MC or a saxophonist

166
00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:32,600
 or, but it's just having, having that interaction with guests and it makes it more of an entertainment

167
00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:33,600
 for the guests.

168
00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:34,600
 It's the same.

169
00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,960
 Like during the drinks reception, people might have it as background music or you can do

170
00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:42,720
 roaming artists or things that are a bit more interactive and it becomes more, because

171
00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:48,000
 we did a Q&A session a few weeks ago and one of the questions was sort of about how much

172
00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:53,480
 entertainment they need and we said if you've got good music, like that is like, you know,

173
00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:54,480
 is brilliant entertainment.

174
00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,520
 If you've got your live music and that sort of element, it just sets the tone.

175
00:09:58,520 --> 00:09:59,520
 Yeah.

176
00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:00,520
 People remember it as well.

177
00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:01,520
 Yeah.

178
00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:02,520
 Yeah.

179
00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:07,600
 How would you advise couples make the most, I mean I personally, and lots of my clients that

180
00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:14,600
 come to me, entertainment's quite a big important factor in their day, but how would you advise

181
00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:19,360
 couples to make the most out of their entertainment budget that they set aside for their wedding?