Striking The Right Cord
Entertainment is a cornerstone of any memorable event and plays a pivotal role in setting the tone, engaging guests and creating lasting memories. So, on one of the most memorable days of your life, it’s important to have the right soundtrack! From the emotional walk down the aisle to the last dance of the evening, music embellishes the special moments of your day, and a live wedding band offers the perfect blend of energy, excitement and unforgettable atmosphere. Western Australia Wedding & Bride’s Emily Axford sits down with Rosabella Jordan, co-owner of Southern Sky Events, to discover why all you need is love and a live band for your wedding day entertainment.
Image courtesy of Southern Sky Events.
Rosabella and Brody Jordan have owned Southern Sky Events for four years now, but both bring more than fifteen years of experience in the entertainment industry with them. Southern Sky Events offers live DJ and MC services and live music in a duo, trio, quartet or band. It also offers extras like lighting, dance floors, media screens and more. At weddings, the company mostly plays popular music from the 80s to current hits so there is something in there every guest will love. “We of course play all the slow ballads for the aisle, signing, first dance, etc, however, we like to bring a more up-beat vibe to the rest of the day with our music,” Jordan explains.
To Spin or Strum
The debate of having a live band or a DJ is something that is all too common. “For us, the main difference is based off the music you want to hear for your reception,” Jordan notes. “DJs specialise in electronically produced music, can change sets and do song request on the fly and will have a broader range of music.” DJs are also great in a smaller space with a smaller crowd as their set up takes less room and the sound levels can be adjusted easier.
A band on the other hand will have a smaller style of music available, however, the energy brought in from the entire band has an infectious quality that transfers onto the dance floor. “Crowd involvement is easier, and we can even get that talented friend up for a sing with us,” Jordan explains. Due to bands working better in a larger space with a larger crowd, a live band can bring the same electricity as that of large concert, getting people up, grooving and having a good time. When employing a live band, it is important to consider that it requires time for the band to learn songs specifically for your wedding and more people and gear are used on the day so live wedding bands are not the most cost-effective. However, as Jordan explains, “live music is better than a track through a speaker as we can make sure the timing is perfect. Sometimes things are quicker or shorter when walking down the aisle and we can make sure that you arrive at the aisle while hearing your favourite part of your favourite song.”
All in all, live wedding bands or a DJ are both great options and it really comes down to “what you listen to and what gets you up faster to dance the night away!”
Tailored To You
A live wedding band isn’t just a musical performance—it’s a creative partnership with the couple. “We always meet with the couple prior to their big day to get a full understanding of what they want for their big day,” Jordan remarks. To get the information that they need – especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for – the team at Southern Sky Events will ask questions and prompts so that they can suggest songs. Through this process, Southern Sky Events can garner a solid understanding of your tastes and wishes so they can provide the best service for your wedding. “Lots of couples won’t know they can have different songs for every part of their wedding like cake cutting, entrances for the bridal party (having a song per couple), picking your opening dance floor song and closing dance floor song, etc,” Jordan details. This way couples can still have a personalised experience with a live band and make the day special for them.
Due to the pre-wedding meetings to make sure the style, genres and demographic of the night is right and build a setlist, it is harder to incorporate requests from the audience. However, Jordan explains that “the general majority of the guests are dancing and having fun to songs they know,” so this is usually not an issue!
Magic In The Air
Whether you prefer softer music or something a bit more upbeat, the choice of music can influence the overall atmosphere of your day. During the planning process, Jordan explains how Southern Sky Events uses music to build up the entire wedding: “A good way for building up the wedding would be slower music pre-ceremony, upbeat music for the pre-reception, then either bring it down again for dinner or keep it upbeat, depending on the style of dinner and crowd. Then when the DJ or live band starts, keep it all upbeat unless it’s a massive sing along song.”
The ceremony exit is a favourite moment for Jordan as “it’s upbeat and fun and everyone’s cheering and the smiles on the couple’s face is unforgettable as all the nerves and stress melt away as they take their first steps as a married couple.” It is important to remember though that when choosing songs for the main parts of the day, it’s always best to look at the lyrics of your favourite song to make sure they fit. Jordan also suggests that “sometime an upbeat dance song can be slowed down into the perfect wedding song.”
As the ultimate hype people, a live wedding band’s sole job is to get guests having fun, smiling and dancing. Using a formality such as the first dance or the father daughter dance is the best hack to get people up and moving. By inviting the guests to join the couple on the dance floor towards the end of the song, guests will be eager to join in and then “dropping a big dance song straight after creates instant hype and fun” while keeping people dancing. Other ideas to get people on the dance floor include the bouquet toss and fun games that have people having fun, laughing and out of their seats.