| Let us Entertain You! Let's face it, ladies, it gets harder and harder to make your wedding stand out from everyone else. Unless you're one of those zany few who get married in Asda or underwater, then obviously your wedding will be remembered by everyone who attended or read about it in the papers. But if you're less keen on going wacky on your wedding day, how do you make yours a night to remember for you and your wedding guests? We asked girls all over the UK to recommend artists of all types who they had seen at a wedding and would recommend to couples planning their weddings. We were told about all sorts of acts from Burlesque dancers to Barbershop Quartets and chatted to three of them about what makes a wedding reception really sparkle. If you've had or been to a wedding where the entertainment really shone, then let us know about them and who knows, we might feature them on Wedding TV in the near future!
After magician Roger Lapin featured on Wedding breakfast recently, we were inundated with requests for information about the rather dashing and highly entertaining performer, in case you missed his interview, we've got it available here to view again. So why choose a magician for your Wedding Day? 'A Wedding is a long day with lots of people you may have not met before. A Magician is the ideal icebreaker to get people talking and to lift the quiet parts of the day' explains Roger, who has been performing his close up magic and cabaret shows for over five years now at events including swanky corporate dinners and private parties. He goes on: 'The tricky part is just getting the idea across to people when then they think about it they usually book you or have seen a magician at someone else's wedding. It's not the sort of thing people put on their list - but it should be. Entertaining your guests is one of the most important aspects to a memorable wedding'. So down to costs, how much does a magician charge to enthral and entertain your family and friends? We were pleasantly surprised by the reasonable costs Roger quoted; 'The going rate for a Wedding magician is from £300 upwards depending on how long you stay for - I charge £299 for 3 hours - and more if I do a stage or cabaret show in the evening'. If you would like to contact Roger about performing at your wedding, check out his website www.rogerlapin.co.uk or give him a call on 07813 799 672.
While you may not be able to afford the £250,000 that footballer John Terry forked out to have Lionel Ritchie play a set of love songs at his wedding reception, you could have the next best thing in the form of a tribute act to liven the mood and get people dancing. Andy Wilsher has been a performer for twenty years and 95% of his engagements are weddings, his current act combines the pop anthems of Robbie Williams and the Vegas appeal of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, and his diary is often full up to a year in advance... 'I suppose the fact I'm so popular is because I appeal to everyone, the Rat Pack show for the older members of the audience and the Robbie show for the younger people' he explains. 'My favourite part of the job is definitely when I come on the stage as Robbie (dressed to perfection with tattoos included!) and seeing the crowd's face light up! The Bride and Groom are always guaranteed a fantastic night for them and their guests...' Andy's prices depend on where in the country he's travelling to, so like many performers he'll have a chat with you and quote a price tailored to how long you want him to perform and where you're based. To get in touch with Andy's agent regarding bookings for 2008/2009 have a look at www.andywilshersings.co.uk or call Jackie on 01376 530377 or 07960 120119
If you're not the type of bride who wants black tie and tails and likes to keep things fun and fast paced, then a traditional Ceilidh band (pronounced Kay-Lee) or Barn Dance troupe could be right up your street. Barn Dance and Ceilidh specialist Fiona Maurice Smith and her band Jigabit have three decades of experience behind them, offering Brides and Grooms varying styles of music and callers to explain the dance steps to your guests. 'A Barn Dance or Ceilidh is the perfect entertainment for a wedding evening party! It's such a good way of celebrating the evening part of a wedding day celebration, as it gets people of all ages involved and having fun' she says. 'As long as people are willing to get stuck in and have a go, it is a winner, as no previous dancing experience is necessary, and the emphasis is on having a laugh rather than 'getting it right'. If you've never taken part in a hoe down or you're rather unsure as to whether it would fit in with the theme of your wedding, simply Fiona suggests looking at the glowing references from the people who have hired the band recently. 'We get cards, letters, emails galore from people who have had a fantastic evening and are so pleased that they went for something fun and original'. But surely hiring a large band and dance instructors for the night means a pretty hefty hire fee? Surprisingly it costs no more than you would expect for a regular DJ to play. Fiona explains: 'It all depends upon how many people you are booking. You can run a successful evening with a Caller using good quality pre-recorded music, or book a 5-piece band with Caller. Costs range from £150 - £800 and the average band will be about £500-£650'. To find out more about Fiona's band and many others like them in the UK, have a look at the website www.bandsandmusicians.co.uk or call Fiona directly on 01509 673867 |
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