FAQ - Weddings
Live Band
What is the planning process leading up to the big day?
Not only do we want to help you personalize your celebration, but we also want to be one of the easiest vendors you work with. About 2 months before your big day, we will send you your planning documents through your Client Portal. Here, you can share your song selections, plan your music timeline, and provide notes on special announcements for our emcee. Throughout the planning process, one of our friendly talent coordinators will be here to guide you each step of the way!
What is the song planning process?
The band will learn several special song requests of your choice specifically for your wedding! As for the remainder of the music played, we like to strike a balance between client customization and flexibility for our bands to "read the room" and assemble a great song list. Ultimately, we want to make sure your dance floor experience is unforgettable! In your questionnaire, let us know some of your favorite genres and artists, and the band’s music director will tailor a great song list just for your wedding. You’ll also be able to pick a selection of “must play” songs and “don’t play” songs.
How many songs can we pick from the band’s list?
We try to limit client selections to 10 “must play” songs and 10 “don’t play” songs, and the rest of your song list would be built around your stylistic preferences. The more you trust our team’s expertise, the better the dance floor experience will be! In our experience, we’ve seen dance floors fall flat when clients choose every song that will be played by the band. Firstly, there is no way of predicting the exact number of songs that will be played on your big day, as each timeline is unique and subject to slight changes on the day of. Additionally, our music directors are very experienced performing at weddings and can build a fantastic setlist that flows seamlessly and is based on your general input. They’ll also need some flexibility to “read the room” and gauge what types of music are working best for the audience. Our expert advice: follow the prompts as they’re presented in your Song Planning Form for the best live music experience.
How do the band’s sets work?
A 4 hour timeframe of live music is often divided into 3 45-minute sets and 1 60-minute set, including 3 15-minute breaks in between (minimum). This is highly customizable, though!
We will work closely with you on tailoring the band’s set times in a way that works best with your unique timeline. For example, some couples like to kick things off with a short 20 minute dance set right after their grand entrance. Others like to start with their first dance, followed by mellow dinner music, and then continue with dance music later in the night.
Whenever the band is not performing, our sound team can play custom MP3 playlists or you can add one of our DJs to integrate with the band. Either way, you will get continuous music throughout the night, only pausing for special moments like toasts / speeches. We are here to help you personalize your music experience for the big day!
Can we choose the MP3 playlists that are played during the band’s breaks?
Absolutely! We encourage our clients to send us their own custom-made Spotify playlist links, which we will share with our sound team. Please add your custom MP3 playlist links to your planning forms on your client portal, so that the rest of our team can access it.
What about walkthroughs?
We do not offer walkthroughs. However, please feel free to send event floor plans, maps, and photos of the space - these resources are always helpful! Please reference our Event Rider for information on our power and performance space requirements.
What are your rider requirements?
Please review our full list of Rider Requirements here. Some important items to note below:
We ask for hot meals and water for each of our crew members (normally, the number of musicians in your band plus 2 sound technicians), and a 30-minute dinner break for our crew at any time that is most convenient for your timeline.
Although a vendor green room is always appreciated, we understand that this isn't always feasible. A designated area with a table and chairs for our crew works great in most cases.
We also ask that parking is made available for all of our musicians and crew members.
What are your technical requirements?
We ask for access to reliable power sources for each of our sound system setups. 3 20-amp dedicated circuits works great for receptions. 1-2 20-amp dedicated circuits works great for ceremonies and cocktail hours. Feel free to put us in touch with your venue so we can discuss electrical needs with them directly.
We do not require a stage, but we strongly recommend one for aesthetic reasons. Minimum stage dimensions varies by band size. You can learn more my reviewing our Event Rider here.
When are the deposit and balance payments due?
Please reference your contract for due dates. Reminder: final payments must be remitted in advance of your wedding in order for our team to receive final confirmation. Please do not bring a check on the day of.
Can we see the band live?
You can find great live footage from past events by scrolling down on each of our bands' pages to the "Additional Videos" section. We only work with the top pros. What you see in our videos is what you can expect on your big day. Many of our clients say that our bands sound even better live than they do in their videos!
Our bands perform almost exclusively for private events and destination events, so there aren’t many opportunities to see our bands in person. In the event that we have a scheduled performance that is open to the public, you are absolutely welcome to attend! On occasion, there may be an opportunity to watch our bands from a discreet public area at a private event. Our live videos, however, are our most reliable and convenient resource for seeing our bands live.
What makes Crowd Theory Entertainment different?
Quality. Camaraderie. Consistency. Originality. These are the values we focus on most. We offer premium-quality sound systems, operated by trained sound technicians who are at the top of their class. We also have a coveted company culture and a close-knit family of trusted musicians who love to work with one another, creating an irresistible chemistry on stage. Finally, all of our bands were developed to sound and look like original artists, so it feels like you are getting your own personal concert! No carbon-copy wedding bands here. We strive to set your celebration apart with a truly exceptional entertainment experience.
Are all travel costs included?
Yes! There are no hidden fees. We will cover all travel/lodging costs and arrangements on our end, so you can sit back, relax, and look forward to a memorable night of music!