Everybody has a different taste in almost everything. Music is no exception and in fact is probably the best example of how people differ. While some people may like a wedding singer that is very low key and plays well in the background, others may like the wedding to feel like a bit of a party. Especially if itʼs a cocktail wedding. They may want a wedding singer to engage with their guests and put on a bit of a show. But the last thing you want is a singer and guitarist with a microphone who thinks he is a bit of a star. The job of a wedding entertainer is to read the situation and play accordingly. Every single one of those guests are not there to see you. Some egos may forget that and Iʼm sure that would be quite annoying for the bride, and in fact everybody. But when you are dealing with creative people, you often find large egos and in some cases, delusions of grandeur. This is why itʼs very important to make contact with your wedding singer so you can get a feel for them. If you find they talk a lot without listening, you may run the risk of booking the deluded dude. Fortunately, most entertainers have a grip on reality and realize what situation they are in and how to best play to a wedding audience. But I would still call them up just in case.

So back to the different tastes. There are many different sounds you will get from different players. Some may be particularly quiet and introverted when playing but are good musicians. Who knows, maybe this is perfect for you. You may get the musician who has cut his or her teeth on the pub scene, therefore are pretty rocky with a considerable amount of energy to them. But which ever musician or group you choose, I think it is a very good idea to go and see them play live. Especially if they only have one or two videos online. If a musician has a whole bunch of videos you can get a feel for them and they are more likely to be experienced. But if you like someone who only has one or two, make sure you put that on your To-Do list. There is a lot of software out there that can make a singer sound considerably better than they actually are so do your homework.

Being predominantly a wedding singer in Perth for over a decade, I have come to learn many things. But I think the one thing that I have learnt that is the most valuable, is what NOT to do. The set list or repertoire that I have is very vast and covers a lot of different styles and areas of music. This did not come from my common sense early on, although it seems it should have. But years ago I did not have a large repertoire to choose from. This limits you terribly and if you only have one or two styles, it won’t be long before you find a bride or crowd that doesn’t like either, so someone who is prepared for that is the more logical choice. This is just inexperience and only comes with making mistakes and learning from them. But who wants to book a rookie for their big day? If your budget is not realistic that’s exactly what you will get.

To finish off I would say that you want someone experienced, that is a must, but also someone who is still in love with their passion and seems enthusiastic about what they do. Some people can get burnt out and will come across boring because they are bored. You want you and your guests to feel like this is a very special occasion, even if it is just another day for the wedding singer. Wedding Singers and DJ’s need to check the ego at the door and realize we are not superstars, we are there to feel the mood and play to it.