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Live Music At Your Wedding: 6 Reasons Why You’re Making the Right Decision

No doubt your wedding planning has been full of magical moments. There are also a fair amount of stress-inducing debates to be handled and among the most important is what to do about the music for your wedding ceremony and reception. Do you go with a DJ or should you have a live band? Do you go all out and have both, or have none and just let your karaoke-loving cousin serenade everyone?

You are going to see plenty of opinions about it on the internet (though across the board the karaoke cousin is a hard “nope”), and the debate may rage hot, causing you ever more confusion. Have no fear, we’re swooping in to save you from a relationship-crushing argument and sooth the stress of making the decision by giving you a firm answer. Yes, you should have a live band at your wedding. Here’s why it’s the right decision.

1. It sets the tone and the mood like nothing else

There is no denying that live music brings energy and emotion to a room that even DJs have admitted are beyond compare, whereas listening to canned DJ jams is little different than listening to the radio. If you want your wedding to have a certain feel to it, finding the right musicians can create the perfect atmosphere and truly be the so-to-speak cherry on top of your ceremony or celebration.

Live musicians can change to mood of a room as it is needed. They can bring a grand level of elegance and sophistication to your wedding, especially to the ceremony, cocktail hour, or during dinner. Depending on what you want, they can bring a little energy or a ton of energy to the dance floor at your reception, making even the wallflowery-est of the bunch tap their toes and get moving.

2. It’s an encompassing experience

Ragemas-2017

Why do people go to concerts instead of staying home and listening to the radio in their bathrobes? Performance. People not only love listening to live music but also seeing and feeling it. A band makes music come to life and turns it into an experience for many senses, not just your ears.

Even those that can’t dance (like your Aunt Martha who just celebrated her 100th birthday—you go Aunt Martha!) can enjoy the experience of listening to and watching live musicians. A DJ just does not have the same showmanship or entertainment value as a live band.

3. Live music is a uniting factor

San Francisco brass band

Live music can bridge gaps and unite generations of people. A DJ may play dance music that is currently popular, or a list of typical songs played at every reception across America. You’re always going to have one or more generations that aren’t into what’s being played (“not my jam”, “music in my day was actual music!”, etc.) But live music seems to get everyone past their biases, even if the song is particular to a certain generation. The fun of watching and listening to musicians surpasses all that.

4. Live music is always a unique experience

Leading a Second Line Wedding Parade

You are going to get one first dance with your new spouse; do you want it to be exactly the same as thousands of other couples who have listened to the same exact pre-recorded song played in the same exact way for everyone? Or would you rather be able to say that is was something unique played just for the two of you?

Musicians are living, breathing people so there is going to be subtle variations in the way they play their instruments every time they play a song—even if they’ve played it a thousand times. Each band also has its own unique style and flavor that they add to their music. These elements combined make any song that is played totally unique to your wedding.

Songs that a DJ would use have been recorded for posterity and it will always sound exactly the same no matter how many times it is played (it has no autonomy, so it has no choice). It will sound exactly the same to your ears as to every other couple who has played it. With musicians you have an option that you don’t with pre-recorded music—you can ask for variations of style or tempo in the song and a great band will be better able to accommodate that request.

5. It creates a memorable experience for you and your guests

Holiday Party

Why are you going through all that trouble of planning your wedding down to the last gorgeous detail if not to make it an incredibly memorable event for you and everyone you love? If you’re fretting about how many leaves you want each baby’s breath stem to contain, you’d want to put even more care into something as big as the music and entertainment for your wedding, wouldn’t you? That’s why having a live band is such a great decision.

Do you remember the name of the DJ who spun at the last wedding you attended? Neither do we. Even though there are some great DJs out there, for the most part, they all start to blend together. Live bands have a memorable uniqueness to each of them. They not only make a great topic for conversation among strangers who are eating dinner at the same table, but it’s also an element that creates special memories to talk about later on.

6. Live musicians have flexibility

Billy Jo -- 9.24.17-0726

As far as being able to make adjustments on the fly, stop and restart without problems, or being able to react in the moment to anything the room throws at them—live musicians have the advantage. For instance, your young ring bearer starts walking down the aisle, freaks out when all eyes are on him and makes a run for it. The last thing you want to be worried about AV problems with stopping and starting the music. A live band can pause and restart exactly where they left off without an issue, and they will be more inclined to spot problems and adjust as soon as they start.

What the critics say and why they got it wrong

There’s not enough variety with live bands: Not true. Yes, it is true that a DJ can download a song you request if they don’t have it (though experience has taught that not all of them will bother doing it even when you ask). Live musicians need a little more lead time to learn a song. But at the same time, professional bands who play many different events have tons of music in their repertoire. In fact, they can often play many different genres of music from classical, to rock, to pop, to Latin, to current dance songs and more. If a particular band can’t produce the sound that you want, just move on to the next one who can.

Live music is too loud, especially for my elegant ceremony: Unless you are planning on hiring the local garage band that has one volume—obnoxious—this is also just not true. Many professional musicians are quite flexible and adept at controlling the volume of their music to meet the mood of the room. Bands who are experienced at playing ceremony or background music know how to avoid overpowering a room, whereas amps set up around the room by a DJ can be grating on those who sit near them.

Bands have to take breaks. Yup, that’s true. They are human and are prone to human needs. But should this be a deal-breaking issue? Bands don’t want to break up the flow of dancing or celebrating anymore than a DJ does. Find a band who has the means and know-how to play some recorded songs (songs you can pick out) during their downtime. That means no real break in dancing and the party can go on.

Live bands are more expensive. Like anything you pay for, it depends. They can be more expensive than some DJs or less expensive than others. If you find a band whose sound you love but their price is out of range for you, the bandleader or manager is likely open to discussing how they can make it an affordable option for you (like reducing the number of musicians that play).

The music is not as good as recorded songs. Wow, the critics were really off base with this one. Now we’ve all heard a favorite musician, singer, or and on the radio, but when we saw them live in concert thought “is this actually the same person? It sounds nothing like what I’ve heard!”. It’s not the same when it comes most professional musicians who play weddings and other events. In fact, many of them have had years of practice with degrees in musical arts. Even the ones without degrees have a passion for what they do and are excited to do what they love for people who appreciate it.

If you’ve listened to audio or video recordings of a band that you are considering but still have doubts, find out if there is a way to get a live sample of their music or speak to others who have heard them in person. In any case, it’s always a good idea to get a well-rounded idea of what any live band can do and how they’ve interacted with their clients and guests.

The band will upstage the bride and groom. Ridiculous. Once the bride starts walking down the aisle no one is thinking, “man, this band is the most gorgeous and amazing thing I’ve seen today!” All attention is on her and the band is just background to lead her down the aisle.

Of course, as mentioned, a band will bring that special, memorable element to the wedding–something that most couples want. The band leaders are not looking to steal the thunder from anyone’s special day and clearly communicating what you want or don’t want beforehand will prevent any unnecessary hiccups or distractions.

Flexible, skilled, and guaranteed to give a one-of-a-kind performance, live bands can add elegance to your affair or rock the party (even doing both in the same evening). You and your guests get the benefit of a private concert, so to speak, and create long lasting memories for everyone in attendance. And that is why hiring a live band for your wedding is the right decision.

How to Hire a Band for Your Wedding

Go ahead and give yourselves a big high five for making one of the smartest decisions when it comes to choosing your wedding entertainment—hiring a live band. Plenty of couples choose a DJ, and that might be fine for them, but you are choosing to “86” that played-out idea go exceptional. Even though you’ve made a great decision, there is more involved when it comes to choosing the right band. There is often little variation when it comes to DJs, but there is a lot more variety when it comes to living music. Often more detailed decision-making skills come into play when finding the right band. Wait, don’t leave! Don’t let that deter you. We’ve done some of the legwork for you. We’ll go over what to look for, what to ask about, and how to make the best choice for you and your event.

The tough questions

Before you even get on the phone or the internet, you have some choices to make. Ask yourself these questions:

  • What kind of party are you going to have?
  • What is your favorite music to celebrate? (If you are having a tough time deciding what you want, the Gigmasters website can help give you ideas and information on a variety of bands).
  • What kind of music will be best for your guests?
  • Are you looking for some light background music or do you want a band that can emcee your party and knows how to turn up the party all night long? Or maybe a little of both?

Knowing the answers to these questions will help steer you toward the right band. If you are having an elegant affair, a band who proclaims that they will “rock the pants off your party” might not be the best match. On the other hand, a wedding with a lot of older guests might do well with a band that can play music from a wide variety of eras.

Your entertainment is a very important part of the celebration. The music is often closely linked to some of the best memories of the event (aside from the ceremony, of course). The band you choose will help create and reflect the vision you have for your reception. That being the case, some things you will want to know about a live band:

  • What is their style?
  • What genres of music do they play (you might want a mix across a wide spectrum of genres or maybe you want them to focus on one or two specialties)?
  • What do they typically wear when they play receptions and are they willing to reasonably fit the style of your event if necessary?
  • What is their track record/turnover rate with band members?

Once you’ve found some likely candidates that might be able to help you have the party you want, there are some questions you’ll want to ask or know about them. Important things like:

  • Does anyone in the band know how to emcee? Are they willing to do so?
  • Do they know how to turn a shy crowd into dance floor party animals?
  • Are you able to see them play live?
  • How long has the band been together and how often do they perform in a professional setting? (local   garage bands might be fun in theory—supporting your community talent—but a band that occasionally plays     the local bar scene might not have the equipment or ability to make the leap to such an event as a wedding).
  • If not, what kind of samples of their work are available (CDs, DVDs, videos posted on their website, or even better, client/guest videos uploaded to YouTube or other places online)? Are you able to get a solid idea of their skills and style through one of these means?
  • Does the band know the venue where your reception is being held? If not, are they able to check it out beforehand to make sure they will have what they need or make adjustments/arrangements beforehand so that all runs smoothly the day of? (If they are not willing to check out the venue beforehand, this could be a giant red flag and has the potential for wedding day disaster).
  •  What is the plan when a musician leaves the group or can’t perform on that date?
  • What is the bandleader like to work with? How well does he interact with his musicians? How well does he interact with guests?


How to Hire a Band for Your Wedding

This last question is not really one for the band, but rather for others who have worked with them. They can be your eyes and ears. Previous clients, professional party planners, event or sales managers at the venue, photographers, caterers, and entertainment agencies can all lend valuable interpersonal information that you won’t find on the band’s website.

Checking out a band’s website or other info online can give you added insight into the band’s personality.

Even if they play some of the same songs as other bands, each band had its own distinct style and character, and one if them is your perfect match.

The contract and pricing

The first question that is probably going to be on your mind is, “how much will this set back my budget?” Well, that depends on a lot of factors. The number of musicians, how long you want the band to play, travel costs, and even the day of the week can all have an effect on the price. These and many other things should be discussed and clarified in your contract.

Since it’s not realistic to have a freshly written-from-scratch contract for each client, most contracts are going to contain standard boilerplate terms and conditions. It’s important to read it through to make sure you know what you are signing up for and if the contract provides you with what you need. Does that mean you’re stuck with exactly what they give you or you can’t hire a band because the contract isn’t specific to your requirements? Most likely not. There is often room to negotiate, add, and amend certain aspects of the contract to give you exactly what you need. Some things you might want to be spelled out in the contract?


How to Hire a Band for Your Wedding

  • The members performing—who and how many? The who part might be a little tricky—a band can’t always guarantee that all current members at the time of the contract will be available a year or more later at the time of your event. What you can have in the contract is the number of instruments and singers you want.
  • Clearly outline the number of hours the band will play, the location, and when during the event the band will play (cocktail hour, reception, etc.). This is also the time to work out an overtime rate in case you just don’t want the party to end and you need the band to extend their playing time (it’s a dance floor buzzkill to have to negotiate it while the band is just about to pack up at the end of the night).
  • What are the band requirements (often known as a rider)? Are there meals to be provided for the band members? Production costs? If the band is from out of the area, are you paying airfare and hotel expenses? Riders can be negotiated to an extent, but think carefully about a band that has big and possibly unreasonable stipulations in their contract riders and won’t negotiate.
  • Will the band need to rent extra equipment or lighting and if so, will it be an extra cost to you?
  • Who will set up and break down the sound system (will they or do they expect you or  the venue to do it?)
  •  What is the cancellation policy?
  • Is there a backup plan in case of equipment malfunction or another issue?
  • Is the payment schedule outlined? How much and are deposits due? (It’s not uncommon for a band to ask for a 50% initial deposit).
  •  Does the band have liability insurance? (Many bands will have a Force Majeure in the contract which removes liability in case they can’t fulfill their contractual obligations because of natural or unavoidable catastrophes).
  • In the end, you want to make sure your wants and requirements are clearly spelled out as well as costs—extra costs on your wedding day are not surprises you want to have to deal with.

Band breaks

Well, they are only human after all, so it’s natural that musicians will need some breaks from playing. It’s important to know what to expect beforehand and to go over if and when you want the band to play and when is a reasonable time to break.

  •         Outline when you absolutely want the band to play. Some prefer that the band take a full break when the entrée is served or during a formally served dessert course.
  •         When do you want to dance? Between courses? After the meal only?
  •         If you want the music to be continuous, find out if the band can rotate musicians or if they have any pre-recorded music they can play during their downtime.
  •         It’s common practice to provide band members with a vendor meal (same as guests) and water. This should be included in the contract/rider

Choosing the music

Picking your favorite party music can be a fun detail, but with a live band, you get the added bonus of being able to choose which type of musicians you want playing. How many musicians play can be regulated by what your budget allows, but the more musicians playing, the fuller the sound. There are 4 main sections that can be incorporated in a band: brass (trumpet, trombone, sax); rhythm (drummer and percussionist); harmony (keyboard, guitar, bass); and vocals (the singers). Not every band may contain all sections, but you definitely want to find out which options are available.


When it comes to picking the music, some couples like to leave it up to the band leader—trusting that he will play the appropriate music at the appropriate time, keeping a good flow going throughout the night. Others like a more hands-on approach, choosing specific songs and genres they want to be played. Some things you will want to discuss with the bandleader:

  •         Do they have any specialties? They could have some great songs that you haven’t thought of or knew about that they play well or know to be 100% certain crowd pleasers.
  •         If you have any special songs to request or a specific playlist, give the band plenty of advanced notice in case they need time to learn to play them.
  •         What kind of background music do you want (if you are choosing to have background music)?
  •         Will you walk down the aisle to live music and if so, which song? Will you walk into the reception to live music and if so, which song?
  •         Which song do you want to be played for the first dance, mother/son dance, and father/daughter dance?

Even though the task of finding a wedding band might seem a bit overwhelming, it’s good to know you don’t have to make a blind decision and hope for the best. The internet—such a marvelous invention—is full of people who have plenty to say (good or bad) about the wedding bands you are looking at. Don’t be afraid to read some solid reviews and get an overall picture of the band (you can’t just take one person’s word for it).

You can also ask for referrals and reviews from friends, family, colleagues, and event professionals who have worked with the band or seen them perform.  Check to see if a band has won any awards (Ok, not necessarily a Grammy but awards like Wedding Wire’s Couple’s Choice or other local and national awards). This can be an excellent indicator of a great band. Despite all the factors that need to be considered, the one thing you should know is that you made a good decision going with live music.

5 Tips to Make Your Wedding Extra Classy

Marriage is an important commitment, and the wedding ceremony is a highly anticipated moment for many couples. While there are a wide array of wedding themes and styles most couples opt for a day graced with elegance and class. Here are five tips for making your wedding day extra classy:

Ride in Style

For many couples, transportation plays a huge role in carrying out the wedding vision. Classy transportation options include stretch limos, horse-drawn carriages, or a luxury car. Choosing one of these trendy options can create a more elegant ambiance that won’t go unnoticed.

Employ a Band

The music at a wedding ceremony sets the tone and mood for the event. A disc jockey, recorded playlist or cover band is a great option for many couples, but a more classy alternative is a brass band. A brass band is a musical ensemble comprised mostly of brass and percussion instruments. The combo makes for a unique and romantic evening.

Shorten Cocktail Hour

Alcohol can sometimes ruin a moment. People lose their inhibitions if they’re over-served or if they consume too much alcohol before eating. In an effort to keep things classy it’s in the best interest of the wedding party to keep the cocktail hour short and sweet followed by a formal meal. It’s also a good idea to think wisely about the types of alcohol that will be served. Sticking to beer and wine keeps things a little more manageable compared to serving more hard liquors.

Alcohol can sometimes ruin a moment. People lose their inhibitions if they’re over-served or if they consume too much alcohol before eating. In an effort to keep things classy, it’s important to check your bartender’s qualifications before hiring them in order to make sure they can keep cocktail hour short and in control. It’s also a good idea to think wisely about the types of alcohol that will be served. Sticking to beer and wine keeps things a little more manageable compared to serving more hard liquors

Consider Wedding Attire

Wedding apparel definitely makes a statement for any couple. For a more classy and elegant look, brides should opt for a modest, floor-length gown. Modest dresses exist, even if it seems at times like they don’t. The groom should engage a tux, or other fine suit and the bridal parties should opt for more formal attire. Of course, each couple can put their personal spin on their wedding day wear, but it’s a good idea to pick a more timeless ensemble.

Honor Family

Family is everything, and it’s completely appropriate to honor immediate family in the wedding ceremony. Consider a special entrance for parents, grandparents, and siblings. You might also consider allowing each of your family members to be included in the wedding pictures or asked to give a speech at the reception. Regardless, it’s important to honor family members present and past.

These are just a few of the many ways to add a little more class to your special day. No matter how you choose to celebrate, your wedding day will be one for the memory books! What have you seen done to make a wedding a classy affair?

A Complete Guide to Planning Your Wedding Parade

Wedding Parade

I think you’ll agree with me when I say:

Having a wedding parade on your big day will definitely be one of those memorable moments that you and your wedding guests will never forget.

Well, it turns out, that putting together a wedding parade is easier to pull off than you might think.

To help you have an awesome experience, I’ve put together this handy guide of 11 insanely actionable tips to assist you through every step of the process.

The History of The Second Line March

second line march brass band

Wedding parades, which are more commonly called second-line marches, have been an important tradition in the United States since before the Civil War.

Can you believe that?

A second-line march consists of two lines:

The first line is made up of the bride, groom, and a brass band or grand marshall.

The second line is made up of the rest of the revelers (the wedding party and your guests).

Because of the excitement that married couples get when they’re dancing through their city with their loved ones, it’s easy to see why this tradition is as popular as it’s ever been.

These marches are thrilling, spontaneous-feeling celebrations.

But, to make sure everything goes smoothly, you’ll need to do a bit of advance planning.

You’ll want to get your route in order, get your guests well-prepared, and make sure everything, and everyone, is photo-ready.

1. Consider Your Parade Route Options and Permit Requirements

The first step in planning your wedding parade is figuring out your parade location.

There are two options for your procession:

Option 1 – You can get a permit and parade through the streets.

Option 2 – Have your parade on a sidewalk, in a park, on the beach, or in a more unique setting.

Have your wedding parade on the sidewalk

Parading in the street is the more traditional of the two options.

But that’s not always possible in every city or for every route, so using the sidewalk or one of the other recommended parade location ideas can be a great alternative.

If you do have your heart set on being in the middle of the street, then check with your city and make sure that permits are available for your planned route so you can get that party-in-the-street moment you’re dreaming of.

If you do need to get a permit, make sure you do so early.

Don’t wait.

The moment you’ve got your wedding and reception spots booked, decide on a parade route and get your permit.

Not only are there time requirements for getting permits, like 30-90 days for approvals, you may also need to comply with other laws specific to your city.

For example, wedding parades in New Orleans not only have be permitted, they also have to hire police escorts and pay a small city tax.

And in San Francisco, you’ll need to get your parade permit well in advance, pay for insurance, and pay an application fee that varies depending on how early to you requested your permit.

Planning ahead and getting your permit early allows you to comply with all your city’s requirements in plenty of time for your parade.

2. Avoid Route Roadblocks

After you have picked the type of parade you want to have, make sure you’re extremely familiar with the route you’ve decided on ahead of time.

You don’t want to take a wrong turn or get lost during the parade.

A day or two before your big day, make sure to check for any literal roadblocks like construction, or blocked streets, and identify if traffic, police, or other crowds of people will deter you from having your parade.

A Grand Marshall leading a second line parade

For this same reason, you should make sure your band also knows your route as well.

If you want to be even more confident that your parade route will stay on track, you could also consider hiring a grand marshall, which is a common choice in cities like New Orleans.

A grand marshall is an energetic parade leader, usually a relative or if you can swing it, a city local, who can help to both keep your parade en route and hype up your crowd.

3. Be Mindful of Distance

There’s one more thing you need to consider when planning your route:

Distance.

Choosing the right distance for your wedding parade is essential.

On average, a wedding parade takes place over 4-6 blocks, with longer parades taking place over 7-10 blocks.

Depending on pace and stops, this tends to translate to 15-30 minutes.

Here’s the deal:

Some people may not be able to walk quickly or over long distances.

Your grandparents or other elderly or disabled guests might not be able to march in your parade.

Use a pedi cab for a second line march

A great option for including anyone who can’t cover the parade distance is to hire a few pedicabs for these guests.

That way, they can still participate in the parade by holding down the back of the line, or joining you up in the front, and celebrating in a way that’s comfortable for them.

Pedicabs are extremely mobile, are good for off-roading (if you’re doing your parade somewhere other than a street) and typically cost $8-20.

4. Have Help For Any Crossings / Bring up the Rear

Now:

Make sure that you have some help on hand if your route includes any road crossings.

Guests will be giddy and excited during the parade— and some may have already started celebrating with a few drinks.

Enlisting some of your groomsmen or bridesmaids (or one of your cousins that always wants to lend a hand) to help your excited guests cross the street will keep things organized and safe.

Ask your helpers to wear easy-to-spot, bright crosswalk shirts so everyone knows that they’re there to direct traffic.

Additionally, your guides can help stop any back-of-the-line lagging.

As you know, everyone moves at a different pace.

Some of your guests, who will be more focused on talking to friends and family that they haven’t seen in a while, will probably linger back a bit too long.

Solve this by letting your helpers know that you want to keep things moving and they can ensure you won’t end up waiting for ages for these slow pokes to bring up the rear.

5. Get A Great Band

Traditionally, a brass band leads a wedding parade.

And it’s important to remember that, just like when you book live music for your wedding reception, you should book your band for your second-line march well in advance.

If the wedding reception band that you’re hiring can perform while walking, then this can be the same group.

Otherwise, you’ll need to find a brass band or marching band.

If you want to make sure that the brass band you’re about to hire is legit, you’ll want to first ask the band about their experience leading parades.

Brass animals leading a wedding parade

If leading a parade is something that they’ve never done before, then consider hiring someone that used to performing in parades.

You should also make sure that they know plenty of wedding parade songs.

When The Saints Go Marching In is the most classic second-line march song.

If your band is able to play knows this song, then you should give them the green light.

6. Recommend Comfortable Footwear

Here’s a simple but often-overlooked tip:

flip flops for a wedding parade

Recommend to your guests that they wear comfortable footwear.

Dancing through the streets or on the hard pavement or in the dirt in heels can be very uncomfortable.

Let your guests know about the parade in advance and recommend that they wear or bring comfortable shoes like flip-flops or tennis shoes.

Then, hopefully, even your die-hard stiletto wearers will have stashed some flats in their purses so they can enjoy your parade to the fullest.

7. Be The Leader of Your Own Parade

As we mentioned earlier, the brass band or the grand marshall typically leads every wedding parade or second-line march.

But having the happy newlyweds lead the procession for part of the parade is something you must not forget to do.

Why?

Because it makes for incredible pictures.

Think about it.

Would you rather have pictures where you are sandwiched between the band and your guests?

No!

You should be the center of attention…

This means that you’ll need to plan to have a few moments where you and your new bride or groom are leading the way.

Take a look at this picture to see what I mean.

brass animals wedding photo

Tell me that that picture isn’t worth framing.

Be sure to let your photographer and videographer know that you’ll be leading a portion of the parade and they can be ready, front and center, to get you some amazing shots.

8. Kick Up the Fun and Be Photo-Ready With Party Favors

To make the parade even more exciting for everyone, consider passing out fun party favors for your guests to wear and wave during the street party.

beads and handkerchiefs for a wedding second line march

You can pass out:

Not only will these make the experience more entertaining and engaging for your guests, they will also liven up all of the photos and video your photographer and videographer are going to take.

Plus, if you’re willing to part with these inexpensive props (less than $100 for everything listed above on Amazon), they can also be great keepsakes for your guests to take home.

You can even personalize these party favors by adding your name and wedding date.

9. What’s the Rush? Take a Breather

Planning to take some breaks during your parade is important and practical.

Breaks are important for multiple reasons.

First, your guests might need to catch their breath, especially if you’ve opted for a longer route.

Also, people travel at different paces and it’s important to let the back of the line catch up with the crowd.

You’ll want everyone to be able to interact with the rest of the line and enjoy being in the front of the group.

Plus, if it’s hot outside, your guests will get tired more easily.

It’s important to let people rest and recover in hot weather.

If you know it’s going to be hot outside during your parade, it’s also a good idea to provide your guests with bottles of water so they can stay hydrated.

If you’re traveling in a straight line, you can take a break by simply pausing your forward motion and waiting in place for a bit.

But if you’re in a safe space, like a closed-off street, you can form a big dance circle and party while you wait for the rest of your guests to catch up.

10. Capture the Moment

One of the best things about wedding parades is the incredible pictures and videos you’re going to get during the procession.

wedding parade

A newly married couple leading a second line marchTo make sure you capture every exciting moment, you should consider how much coverage you’ll want.

Ask yourself:

  • Do you want to have just one photographer?
  • Or do you want to have multiple photographers capturing every angle?
  • Do you want to invest in a videographer to make sure you get some amazingly shot live footage of your parade?
  • Or is video less important to you?

Remember, this is a moment you’ll never forget.

Wedding parades are not only memorable, but they’re also symbolic of the exciting new life you’re starting with your new partner.

Make sure you capture the moment exactly the way you dreamed of.

One cool way to capture the moment is to ask your guests to pull out their phones, download the Veri app, and do some of the filming themselves.

Want to know the best part?

Not only will you get tons of awesome videos, but they will be from different parts of the line and from different perspectives.


As you watch all of the videos your guests took for you, you will no doubt get the feeling that you were walking with everyone regardless of where they were in the line.

You can then make a video of all of the snippets that you were given and turn it into one big nostalgia moment for you and your husband or wife.

11. Consider Onlookers

You might be wondering:

“How do I handle the strangers that will undoubtedly be curious to find out what we’re up to?”

If you’re doing a permitted, closed-off walk through the street, those people will likely remain just as onlookers.

But if you’re having your parade on an open city sidewalk or in a park, then these spectators might try to join in on the excitement.

For example, people might begin to follow your parade or you might get some honks from passing cars.


Some people might not care about this.

Maybe, to you, that sounds like it would make the occasion even more thrilling.

But if you don’t like the idea of being honked at or followed, it might be best for you to make sure you look into getting a more controlled, enclosed, permitted environment for your wedding parade.

Conclusion

There you have it:

11 steps for having the best wedding parade!

Which of these ideas do you think is the hardest to pull off? Are there any that we left out that we should’ve included?