Baltimore Wedding Bands Guide, Baltimore Wedding Guide Advice from OurWeddingDay.com

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Baltimore Wedding Bands Guide

Baltimore Wedding Bands Guide

Baltimore’s music is steeped in a combination of traditional jazz and cutting edge rock and roll—lots of up-and-comers play in the city’s funky clubs. For your wedding music, you can pick something classic, something contemporary, or something completely crazy. Regardless, read on for hip tips.

Your Baltimore wedding band search should begin about 8 months’ prior to your wedding, and after you’ve picked the site. Great bands are booked early on, so don’t wait until the last minute. When searching, ask friends and relatives, check out any clubs you like, and talk to other vendors. The price of wedding bands varies tremendously, depending on the size of the band, your location, and length of playing time. Expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000. Always get references, and contact the Better Business Bureau for complaints.

When interviewing Baltimore wedding bands, ask to listen to their DVDs, and be sure to catch a live performance (but never crash someone else’s wedding). If they have a CD from a previous wedding, check that out as well. Talk to the band’s leader about hosting duties, as they are similar to DJ’s, introducing the dances, cake-cutting, etc. A great band leader will have a feel for the audience, and know which songs work best, but you still need to go over favorite songs, and tunes you don’t want played. Make sure the band has a list of all wedding sections. If you’ve hired a DJ as well, have the two coordinate their schedules.

When you’re ready to get serious about music, visit the OurWeddingDay.com Local Vendor Section for a great list of top-rated wedding bands in the Baltimore area.

If the band you hire is familiar with your site, they will know where equipment can be set up, where the dance floor is, and any electrical challenges that might occur—some halls have back-up generators for wedding bands. If the band you hire doesn’t know the site, take them on a guided tour to avoid last-minute surprises.

Wedding bands usually have a “day rate,” as well as overtime charges. If you are also hiring a DJ, find out if the band can work a smaller number of hours. The band generally takes two breaks, and they should be tipped 20%, provided the service is exceptional. You should serve the band members a meal. The contract should cover all fees, overtime fees, and substitute band members, should an emergency occur.

-David Toussaint