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You've said, 'I Do', had your first kiss and the group photo has just finished. Your guests will now be making their way to Canapés!
My honest thoughts are that this can be a true highlight experience for most people, and it's a part of your day you want to lean into.
People are feeling fresh, intoxication levels are low, conversations are happening, we're moving into dusk / golden hour and the vibe is buzzing. It's really important to have a sound experience that complements the atmosphere and is a value add.
Create a Memorable Canapés Experience
Live Music or DJ?
This largely depends on your budget, but my personal preference is live music all the way. It creates a 'real life' aspect and is more personable.
If you're looking around for a musician, make sure you know and like their selection of songs, and check their social channels for videos of what their style is like. Better yet, if you live in the same city as them, pop out and see them perform in person.
I play a live looping set, which is a one-man-band style performance. I personally think this is more interesting than just guitar and vocals - there's a bit more of a sound and vibe happening - but both options can work.
The goal here is not to create a dance floor, or be too overpowering - it's background, ambience and to add-on to the existing atmosphere of the people. You want someone who can read the crowd, connect with people when needed and be part of the day.
Prefer a DJ?
This works well too, and if I'm DJing for a wedding, I will generally put on a great playlist for Cocktail Hour. The music isn't the main focus and people mostly want to hear old classics and pop songs which work best in playlist format.
Think About Your Layout
Keep it simple here; have your bar and nibbles area next to or near the musician. Have your chairs and couches close by. Create a little hub and think about the size of your space compared to the number of guests you have confirmed.
The energy of a Cocktail Hour all depends on the people, and the proximity of everyone.
Cast your mind to a super large hall or space, with bar on one side, and live music on the other, and people walking back and forth all the time, and chunks of people hanging out by the bar chatting. The live music area is empty and there's little connection to the sound and ambience; this has nothing to do with the musician, but is more to do with poor layout and planning.
Think about your space, your layout and the reality of the situation that will unfold - make it obvious where people can congregate and create a memorable Canapés experience!
Sound Quality and Volume
Not all musicians carry the same equipment, and there's a chance the person you hire could have terrible speakers, and perhaps not enough speakers for the size of the venue. Or, the musician might be totally unaware of volume and be blasting Cocktail Hour Music way too loud for what's needed.
Working with me gives you access to industry best speakers and setup; I have multiple PA units that can be linked around your venue so there is always a sound to be heard! This means I can trust my volume levels to be just right, knowing there is a good spread of sound throughout the venue.
If you're keen to learn more about the equipment that I use, check out my blog post online:
Seamless Flow into Dinner Service
Having a musician that is experienced here makes a difference. Once Cocktail Hour music is over, your musician will put on some background music for the main dining area, ensure that a reliable wireless microphone is accessible and be ready to play the big Entrance Song for the wedding party.
This is a part of the day that can become quite dull and slow if there's no background music and if it takes a while to get the microphone sorted out.
Stu loves a seamless experience from start to finish, and he loves the challenge of ensuring the MC is good to go, the guests are happy and the wedding party are in good spirits as they walk into the dining area.
Grand Entrance for your Wedding Party!
This is exactly when the big, over-the-top, grand entrance happens. There are many options in how you can make this quite fun and engaging for your friends and family. Chat with Stu about different options you might want to consider here.
In terms of sound, a really upbeat and energetic song is great here! I'll play it really loud, and this can be a big moment in the day - make the most of it, milk it, smile and laugh!
Making the Most of your First Dance
I offer 24/7 support for any questions you might have in the lead-up to your big day.
Get in touch with me to see a quote and to talk more about making your wedding day a huge success!
Kindly,
