Wedding Music: What To Expect
Read time = five-six minutes
So your big day is approaching – congrats! We understand that it can be a stressful time trying to organise the perfect celebration, so we’re here to help. With all our collective experience over the years, we’ve come to learn some great ways to structure the music for a perfect wedding atmosphere – trust us, we know our stuff! We decided to post this little blog to hopefully answer any questions you may have and help relieve some of those pre-wedding nerves.
If you book an Oberon Lane Trio wedding package, or any similar solo, duo or ceremony + reception package, here’s what to expect:
Ceremony
· The acoustic artist will learn the three key songs you’ve chosen in preparation for the day: 1) Down the aisle 2) Signing of the register 3) Celebration. (Our wedding detail coordinator sends you an amazing guided Google Doc to walk you through this process.
· The artist will arrive onsite well in advance of the ceremony to set up the PA system (included in the package) and make sure the sound is spot on.
· Your guests will arrive to the elegant sound of an instrumental acoustic guitar, setting the perfect tone for the magic that is about to unfold.
· When the bridal party is about to enter, the artist will begin to play the chosen ‘down the aisle’ song. (No need to stress about timing or volume; we are highly skilled at picking up on subtle cues and shortening/lengthening/softening/building at the appropriate moments for maximum effect.)
· As you sign the register, the artist will play your chosen song as guests mingle. This can sometimes take a little longer than expected (photos!!!), and if this is the case, we generally go back to instrumental guitar once your special song has finished to keep the atmosphere on point and beautiful music in the air.
· Now it’s time to celebrate and strut your stuff back down the aisle as a married couple! Woo hoo! Many people choose an iPod song here to pump the vibe (think ‘Crazy In Love’ or ‘Celebrate Good Times’), or the acoustic duo can of course play whatever you like. It’s a fun and upbeat moment – enjoy it!
Canapés
· As the bridal party is off taking some gorgeous snaps, Oberon Lane will entertain your guests with some chilled-out tunes.
· Canapés are often in a different location to the ceremony and reception, so after the ceremony, there’s some downtime while Oberon Lane transport the PA system to the second location.
· Then it’s usually one or two 40-minute sets until it’s time to start the reception!
Early reception (approx. 6-8pm)
· This is where most people like to knock over all their formalities (speeches, dinner, etc.).
· Speeches are normally in two blocks: one straight after the bridal party entrance, and one after the main meal is done.
· If this is in an entirely different location to the ceremony and canapés, the team will have another sound system set up in the third location in advance.
· Oberon Lane will play in between all formalities. The vibe is totally up to you: we can keep it quite laid back so your guests can chat and mingle, or we can pump it up and get the party started! And of course, we play it by ear and are led by you on the day.
· We come with all the gear and equipment you could possibly need for around 200 people. We can also supply wireless microphones for speeches if required.
Later reception (approx. 8-11pm)
· This is where most couples choose to switch into DJ mode.
· We have found it’s best to include your first dance + father/daughter dance (both totally optional, of course!) in this section of the evening. The party time is on – let your hair down!
· You can tell us the vibe you’re going for in advance so we can come up with a pumping playlist, but we know just what to do to get the d floor going so don’t stress.
To sum it up….
So there you have it! That’s exactly what you can expect when you book an Oberon Lane wedding package for your special day. Please also know that all the above is just a guideline; we are more than happy to customise in any way, shape, or form to suit your individual needs or preferences. We have bands, saxophones, DJ duos and everything in between to fill whatever you desire.
Before we love and leave you, we just want to remind all you future brides and grooms that you’re doing an AMAZING job!
Planning a wedding isn’t easy and no matter how organised you are, there will always be a few surprises. Some delightfully serendipitous, like two swans gracefully floating past on the lake behind you as your exchange vows; others not so ideal, like Aunty Carol spontaneously deciding that your first dance is an appropriate time for her 10-minute operatic rendition of ‘Sex Bomb’. (LOL!) But all jokes aside, if you’ve got a solid structure for your day and you know exactly what to expect from your suppliers, you can sit back and enjoy all the little surprises that come your way. Yes, these things are out of your control, but they are also the things that will make your day super special and memorable, so embrace them.
Any questions, please don’t hesitate to hit us up. We’re here to make the music on your big day perfect :)
Love, Team OL x