A Band is a Business – they should be legitimate and trustworthy
Professionalism is the most important trait for any wedding vendor. This may seem strikingly obvious, but we’ve heard some pretty surprising stories from clients in the past. If your band doesn’t get back to you within a reasonable time frame, or shows up late for meetings, that’s red flag #1 – they don’t take things seriously and they’re not professionals. You don’t want the band showing up late for your wedding, right?
If there’s no contract, how do you feel about that?
If they don’t have a contract for you to sign or don’t require a deposit, that’s red flag #2. Contracts don’t exist solely to protect the vendor; they’re also there to protect you, the client. A good contract should outline ALL of the details of your engagement, from when the band needs to load-in and setup right until they need to tear down and vacate the venue. Because they’re not contracted with the venue, YOU as the client need to make sure that this timing works with the other vendors you’ve engaged with.
Also, keep an eye out for bands who insist on getting paid in cash. See above if the band is a legitimate business (i.e. they need to collect taxes) if they are!
You’re hiring the people in the band
And finally, if you catch your band live and it’s a completely different lineup than the videos you’ve seen online, that’s red flag #3. A high turnover amongst band members says a lot about the solidarity of the group. You don’t want to risk having a substitute player or two when it comes time for your special day as that could impede the quality of your event. The longer musicians play together, the better they get at anticipating things, and ultimately giving a flawless performance.
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