When the excitement of the bride and groom after the emotional wedding ceremony and the beautiful photo session has passed, the festive dinner has been decided and the first wedding waltz has been danced, then it will be time to dance wildly with the wedding guests. In order for the dances to be energetic, the guests excited and the atmosphere to be great, you should book the wedding musicians well in advance. Edgars Zālītis, the soloist of the band The Originals , told about how long in advance it should be done and what should be taken into account when choosing musicians for a wedding.

WHEN TO BOOK?

There are not so many professional musicians who offer quality musical services at weddings and corporate events in Latvia, so the couple should start thinking about the choice of wedding music and book musicians at least a year before the big event. Music at a wedding is just as important a part of the event as a great photographer or the right wedding dress, so you shouldn't postpone this issue to conclude that there are no musicians a couple of months before the wedding.

“The earlier you book, the more likely you will get exactly the musicians you want

and if you book a year in advance, it will probably be more financially beneficial than if you do it at the last minute," advises Edgars.

WHERE TO LOOK?

You will be asking how and where best to look for potential wedding musicians, and that is indeed a valuable question. You can search by recommendations of friends and acquaintances, keywords in social networks or more popular bands and musicians - on the homepage of the Latvian Music Management Agency (lmma.lv). "Actually, I often wonder how couples find their wedding musicians, because what is vitally missing in Latvia is a place where all wedding and corporate event musicians would be collected in one place," said Edgars.

HOW TO CHOOSE?

Before choosing in favor of one or the other musician, you must familiarize yourself with the repertoire of the particular musician or group. Edgars advises to find out if the musicians have a quality audio recording - this aspect can often determine their professionalism. If, however, you are not sure of your choice, then the opportunity to go and listen to the rehearsal of the particular group will also be of great use. Edgar's group The Originals also offers such an opportunity, and he states that couples often use it.

" In a live performance, musicians can sound completely different, so I would definitely recommend going to a rehearsal.

In addition, there you will also see best how the musicians present themselves and their music, what is the communication with them like. For couples, I advise you to choose musicians that you do not have to worry about and can rely on for the most important event of your life. In order to realize this, the issue of choosing musicians must be approached responsibly, evaluating the market offer from various aspects, without determining the price as the decisive factor in the choice," Edgars is convinced.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

Wedding musicians, just like wedding photographers or wedding planners, vary in quality and cost. Edgars Zālītis points out that in this case there is a question of what a person defines with the concept of "live music". “I'm sure it's possible to hire two performers with synthesizers to play all night for a couple of hundred euros, but the question is, is that really what the bride and groom want?

The average cost of good groups, which already have four or five people with a live performance, could start from 1000 euros.

If the group also provides its own equipment, recording and a DJ who will play music in between, the amount could be around two thousand euros. On the other hand, higher costs, which can already reach several thousand euros, will be for musicians with a larger composition, their original repertoire and recognition in society," explains Edgars.

WHAT SHOULD BE RESERVED?

With wedding musicians, just like with other professionals in this field, you should still conclude an official contract and discuss your current issues so that there are no misunderstandings later.

The contract can also include and agree in advance both the repertoire and some special song orders, especially if we are talking about the first wedding waltz. "If the song is known and the musicians will not have to spend a lot of time or learn it completely anew due to the chosen song, then I don't think that an additional payment should be required for the first waltz song, even if it is not included in the musicians' traditional repertoire. Of course, if the couple wants to change almost the entire repertoire, then they should also expect that it will pay accordingly," admits Edgars. Wedding musicians have basically adapted to the established format of the event and most often include songs of various genres and styles in their repertoire, from popular Latvian songs to world hits. On average, wedding musicians play for 2.5-3 hours with small breaks. Of course, if the couple wants, the musicians can perform longer. "In my opinion, three hours of live music is absolutely enough at a wedding, because it is already an event saturated with various traditions and activities," says Edgars.

WHAT ELSE IS IMPORTANT?

Edgars advises young couples to avoid the visual image of musicians.

"I myself have been to weddings where guys perform in shorts and T-shirts and I find it unacceptable. Taking into account the style and specifics of the wedding, we should discuss how the musicians will look before the wedding. There have been cases when wedding organizers even give us pre-prepared bow ties so that we can adapt to the color of the particular wedding. The visual image of the musicians will also show the attitude towards both the music and the specific for the wedding

Likewise, the issue of catering for musicians should be discussed initially.

Artists often spend up to 10 hours at the venue, during which the main task is to provide quality service. Of course, whether the musicians will be served food remains up to the client, however, if the decision is not to do so, then it should be announced in advance," says the soloist of The Originals group.

See the offer of wedding musicians here: Wedding musicians