Music At Your Wedding – Questions To Ask Your Venue

Music at your wedding is probably very important to you. Who doesn’t love a boogie?! There are some questions that you should ask your venue before booking the entertainment of your choice. Or the venue come to that!

Is There A Sound Limit?

Some noise restrictions mean that sound limiters are increasingly common at wedding venues. If there are restrictions in plae at your chosen venue, make sure that you’re correctly informed as to what they are. Sound limiters work by cutting off the power to the band or DJ when the noise exceeds a certain volume. This can both kill the party vibe and damage equipment. So before booking the music at your wedding find out the limits set by the venue and discuss with your supplier. I was at a wedding years ago when the sound limited kept kicking in and it made for a very disjointed evening!

Here at Great Betley Farmhouse I do have a decibel checker. I do a sound test early on and then periodically during the evening. Whilst I’m all in favour of everyone having a wonderful time, I’m also aware that sound travels.

Is There Enough Space For A Band/DJ Set up?

A band takes up more space than you may think, and some DJ set ups can be quite large. Factor in space for band members, instruments and equipment such as PA speakers and lighting too. Your chosen performers will be able to tell you how much space they require so you are able to discuss this with your venue. Obviously you need to allow plenty of room for you and your guests to dance the night away!

What Time Do You Need To Turn Off The Music?

If a venue has a licence then they will be able to tell you what time the music curfew is. Often it’s 11pm or midnight. When you book a blank canvas venue such as Great Betley Farmhouse the cutoff time is determined by the TEN. A Temporary Event Notice is obtainable from Horsham District Council for events here and covers alcohol and entertainment. This is the responsibility of whoever is supplying or in charge of the alchohol.

Mostly the TEN covers licencable activities up to midnight but you can then switch to silent disco. This is great fun and means that the party doesn’t necessarily have to end at midnight. We’ve have several here and everyone loved them.

When Can The Band/DJ Set Up & Do Their Sound Check?

This needs to be co-ordinated with the venue, depending on where they’re going to be setting up. They generally need about an hour to set up.

Power For The Music At Your Wedding

Check that the area the band or DJ is going to be placed has enough power supply. You’ll need a generator for your power at a blank canvas venue. Ensure that the supplier is aware of how much power is required for the band/DJ. If you don’t allow for enough power for everything you could find equipment shorting out the system.

Whoever is providing the music at your wedding must have Public Liability Insurance. They also must have their electrical equipment PAT certificates.

Food For The Musos!

Check if your band or DJ need to be fed at your wedding. They can be there for hours at a time without a break. If you’re at a formal venue then you don’t need to provide the full wedding banquet meal. However, it is good practice to get the venue to provide something for them. A fed entertainer is a more energetic entertainer! Here there are usually food trucks supplying things like pizza and burgers in the evening. They’re always happy to send something over to the entertainers to keep them going.