Q Branch Archive for posts tagged ‘wedding bands bristol’
Wedding Music
Wedding music is such a personal choice and many couples don’t know where to start.
Working in the wedding industry we are often asked by couples What music do we choose for the wedding ceremony? Do we need a wedding music playlist? I want music for my wedding but need some wedding entertainment ideas? I want to choose the best wedding music but don’t know where to start?
Well, music is a personal choice but its also an extremely important part of any celebration.
The Wedding Ceremony – Church or Civil
If you are having a Church wedding ceremony then you’ll need to choose entrance music for the bride, hymns to sing during the service, music for signing the register and exit music.
ENTRY MUSIC
You can choose classical wedding music for your entry/exit or pick a song that means something to you – perhaps a song that was playing when you first met – as long as it’s also suitable for playing in a church!
You’ll need an organist to play the hymns for your service but the rest of the music can be played by a small band, solo vocalist with backing tracks, harpist or why not opt for an acoustic guitarist who would sound fantastic in a church acoustic.
You will need to choose hymns though – so pick hymns that are popular if you can. There’s nothing worse than choosing a hymn with a melody that nobody knows – they won’t sing along and the Vicar may feel a little vulnerable singing on their own!
Choose a entrance song that is beautiful, serene and gentle – this is the arrival of the bride after all. Be clear in your choice when you relay the song to the organist – if you want the theme tune for Robin Hood – stress that you want “Everything I do” by Bryan Adams not THE theme tune for the 50’s TV show – believe us – we’ve heard this one played before! You don’t want the bride galloping down the aisle to the wrong song!
If you are having a civil reception – then you have a wider choice of songs to play for your entrance, recessional and exit music – but you can’t have anything played that has a religious side to it – so no hymns or similar.
Here are a few suggestions for entrance music – a few classical and a few modern:
They Long To Be Close To You – Carpenters
Songbird – Eva Cassidy
Make You Feel My Love – Adele
Bella’s Lullaby – Twilight
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Bridal Chorus (Here Comes The Bride) – Wagner
Clare de Lune – Claude Debussy
Canon in D
Nocturne – Chopin
You’ll need music for signing of the Register too. Something classical, emotive, wonderful lyrics and reflective music. If you are in a church then perhaps choose something classical or have a vocalist singing Ave Maria. If you are having a civil ceremony then you are likely to remain in the same room whilst you sign the register – so choose something romantic that sums the pair of you up.
After signing of the register it’s time to leave the venue as a married couple. This will be your first song you hear after the official side of the ceremony so pick something that is lively, fun and has amazing lyrics.
Here are a few exit suggestions:
Signed, Sealed Delivered I’m Yours – Stevie Wonder
Now That We’ve Found Love – Heavy D & The Boys
Better Together – Jack Johnson
Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
From This Moment On – Shania Twaine
Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Lion King
After the formalities are over it’s time for the Wedding Reception.
Lots of wedding entertainment ideas here! Perhaps a steel band in the garden for a drinks reception, or a jazz trio, easy listening band? A harpist is always popular or for something a little different a brass quintet! There’s also singing waiters which seem to be a popular addition these days – choose wisely though – there are some that should really stick to waiting on tables rather than singing! Go by recommendation or ask to see videos of them in action to make sure you hire the best ones!
Although Doctor Chocolate are a 9piece band we can also provide music for your wedding reception earlier in the day if required by scaling down to a 3/4 piece playing easy listening and soft jazz classics such as Fly Me To The Moon, Zing Went the Strings, Autumn Leaves, My Funny Valentine, Besame Mucho, Dream a Little Dream and lots of other hits by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Andy Williams and all the other great crooners!Lots of ideas here for reception music.
The Evening Party
This is where your imagination can run and run! You need to pick your evening entertainment based on your guests! You may both absolutely love hard core Jazz, House Music, A Michael Buble tribute etc. These are great for adding atmosphere to the evening and be exactly what you as a couple are totally into and you’ll love it! Remember however that you are inviting guests along to the evening to celebrate with you and they will be of mixed age groups. Remember also that not all your guests will also love extreme jazz – not everyone will be into hard house music – and a Michael Buble tribute may be excellent but you can’t dance along to it! If your guests are not entertained or if they have their ears bashed with hard core jazz or house music – you’ll find they will start to leave the wedding venue early. If budget is no option then book a tribute for part of the evening and get a live band in playing covers for the remainder of the evening.
If budget is a problem and you can’t afford to have lots of different entertainment – then we would recommend going for a party covers band who will play music that your whole wedding party will enjoy, dance and get involved with. They will know the songs played, they can sing and dance along, they will have a great night dancing no matter what age group they are and most importantly everyone will have a brilliant evening.
Doctor Chocolate are a fantastic party covers band and we are experienced at celebrations where there is a mix in age groups and musical tastes. The key is bringing everyone together to have a great night and help you celebrate one of the biggest nights of your lives!
The First Dance
This is definitely one that is super-personal. It needs to be a song that you both love, that means something to you both. Perhaps the song that was playing when you first met, had your first date, came on the radio when you had a special evening, was your holiday song or is just something a little different or it has lyrics in that just touch the very heart of you and sums up your relationship perfectly. Remember you also have to dance to it in front of your guests so pick a song that you are comfortable with. If you can’t dance – pick a song where you just have to shuffle together and hold each other, encourage your guests to join you on the dance floor after the first 20 bars of the song. If you can dance – pick something where you can bust out some moves and impress everyone with your dance prowess!
Moon River – Frank Sinatra
The Way You Look Tonight – Tony Bennett
All Of Me Loves All Of You – John Legend
Use Somebody – Kings Of Leon
Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
1000 years – Christina Perry
Falling In Love with You Again – Imelda May
Better Together – Jack Johnson
For Once In My Life – Stevie Wonder
Read more articles on Wedding entertainment here:
Wedding Entrance Music
Wedding Recessional Music
Wedding Exit Music
Wedding Receptions – Music
Wedding Music – First Dance
Wedding Evening Celebrations
Can I see the Band before I book?
Doctor Chocolate have had a very busy summer bursting with some amazing weddings, parties, celebrations, proms, officers mess events and festivals! Visit our Main Website here!
Doctor Chocolate receive requests from clients who are asking about booking the band for their wedding, party or corporate event as booking a band for such an important occasion can be a minefield. There are lots of bands on the circuit and not all of them are great! As we are always out working some fantastic private events it means we don’t have the chance to play for many open events where people can just pop along and see/hear the band.
If you are booking a band for your event you should really go and see them live first – to get a feel of whether they suit your event and theme. You need to be sure they are experienced, reliable, professional, adaptable and most of all – they know how to interact with the guests you have attending for your event! Thankfully Doctor Chocolate are all these things!
Websites can look great! Recordings can sound amazing! But you need to know that the band you are booking are just as good live. Doctor Chocolate have uploaded 22 videos to our website – they were not recorded in a studio, they were not filmed under studio conditions! Any band can walk into a studio and record their performance. They often sound great as the sound engineer who works in the studio can work miracles! Hear them live – that’s a different story altogether!
Doctor Chocolate’s videos on our website were recorded whilst we were playing for 200 people at a charity event in November 2013. If you look you’ll see some guests on the dance floor busting out some moves! The videos and recording are 100% live – we don’t need to go into a studio to look or sound good – we ARE good! See for yourself by watching our videos on the website!
As Doctor Chocolate are out most weekends performing for weddings, celebrations, parties, corporate events and everything inbetween, we don’t get the opportunity to play at open events very often. When we do we publish the information on our Facebook page – join us on Facebook and find out all the latest news and information first! Check out the events page on Facebook and come along to see the band – we do about 4-5 open events a year. Sadly it’s not possible to come along to a wedding to see us – but at least you’ll be assured we won’t bring anyone along to your private event!
Come and see Doctor Chocolate
Looking for a wedding, covers, party, function band for your event? Doctor Chocolate have many years experience at playing for all events all over the UK.
We are often asked if it’s possible to come and see/hear us perform live. And – the answer is: Yes of course you can!
This may be the only time you have to book a live band for your event and you want to be sure you book wisely! If you haven’t been recommended a band then you MUST go and see/hear them! So we try and book in open/public events throughout the year and there’s a few in 2014 that you are more than welcome to come along to.
21st June – Burtle Village Hall for their Midsummer Ball – Tickets £10 and include a ploughmans
25th July – The Thunderbolt Public House, Bath Road, Bristol – tickets £5 on the door
31st October – Royal Hotel, WSM, Halloween Ball
1st November – Charity Fundraiser for Weston Hospicecare – £35 to include 3 course meal.
All our other fabulous events are private events such as weddings and corporate so it won’t be possible to come along to any of those and heckle the band. However you can be assured that if you book us for your private event we won’t bring anyone along to your event either!
If you can’t make any of these dates then check our website – we’ve 22 videos on there that are 100% Fully LIVE! They were recorded at a charity event in 2013 – this is how we look/sound for each event. These videos were not recorded in a studio – they were fully live.
So, get in contact and find out more about how you can book Doctor Chocolate! We’d love to hear from you!
All quotes are fully inclusive, with no hidden charges or extras to pay!
All our other events throughout the year are private: weddings, corporate, charity events and it’s not possible to invite you along to these events. However, you can be assured that, when you book Doctor Chocolate for your event – we won’t be inviting anyone along to listen on that night either. We only bring along band members!
Wedding and Party Band
Doctor Chocolate perform songs from all eras and genres so there is always something for everyone in our sets. Doctor Chocolate perform for two x one hour sets and provide recorded music via ipod for the times when the live band are not performing. Doctor Chocolate are experienced at events of all times, functions, parties, weddings, festivals, corporate events, fundraisers and proms to name a few.
Doctor Chocolate only ever perform as a 9-piece band and always fully live. Ideally we would need space of 12’x15′ to perform in but this is a very rare occurrence and we can fit into smaller spaces as needed – we just don’t fling our elbows out with the dance moves as much!
As an experienced and reliable band we have the knowledge of performing at different events for different age groups and know exactly what is required of us at events and how to get every crowd involved in the evening. As an experienced and professional band people are often surprised at how affordable we are. We are hugely competitive for a band of our size – sometimes a lot less than a 5/6 piece band would charge you! However, we are not “cheap”. We always say you get what you pay for – if you pay peanuts… well, you know the rest!
Book a reliable, experienced and excellent band for your event – book Doctor Chocolate for a vibrant, full and explosive performance that will leave the competition standing….! Visit our main website or like our Facebook page to keep updated on the latest news and events. Contact us for a quote or more information
Wedding Venues
Doctor Chocolate have been performing for 25 years. We are an experienced and entertaining live band and have performed at thousands of weddings, charity event, parties, school proms, college university balls, military events and celebrations over the years.
This means that we’ve played at some amazing venues all over the UK and the South West as well as internationally! From private houses, hotels, country houses, village halls and military establishments – you name it – we’ve probably played in something similar previously.
This experience gives us a real insight in what makes a good reception venue.
Having worked with private clients, corporate agents, agencies, wedding coordinators, Events Managers and venues the length and breadth of the country we also know what the client wants and what the venues expect and we work really hard to make sure everyone is happy!
Here are a few things to consider when you are looking at venues
ACCESS
How easy is the venue to access? Doctor Chocolate have arrived at venues and been able to park right outside the room we are due to perform in. This is lovely and speeds up the set up of all the equipment but it’s not always quite so easy! Other venues are not quite so easy and we’ve had to climb 3-4 flights of stairs, navigate narrow corridors or wade through 8″ of mud to set up in a marquee. This could delay the allocated time for setting up all the equipment and may mean a later start than planned in the evening. Thankfully with 10 people in Doctor Chocolate (9 band members and 1 sound engineer) we can set up super fast but please do consider the access for entertainment when you are looking at venues and advise the band if there are any difficulties.
WEDDING RECEPTION
Another point to consider when booking a live band is the amount of time they need to set up. Doctor Chocolate have this down to a fine art but we do have an awful lot of equipment so always recommend a minimum of 90 minutes in case of any problems at the venue. Our PA is top of the range and there are 9 of us in the band plus a sound engineer, lighting and instruments, so a fair bit of space is needed. If you are having your wedding breakfast/wedding reception in the same room as the band you may want to consider a couple of options: is there enough space for the band to set up and seat all your guests? Do you want the band to set up earlier in the daytime before anyone arrives? Can the band set up after the wedding breakfast/reception allowing your guests to move out of the room and allow the venue and the band time to crack on with the entertainment? Is there another room or outdoor space for your guests to move into whilst the set up is carried out? Any problems then please just ask – we’ve lots of experience and can help you with the schedule for the day/evening.
BAR
Parties work best if the bar is located in the same room as the entertainment. Although the band can still be heard, down the corridor and around the corner, down a flight of stairs etc, having everything in the same room or as near as possible makes for a better atmosphere! Don’t worry though – Doctor Chocolate are an interactive band and with most of the band members on wire-free microphones we will go and get guests and bring them back through to the dance floor if they spend too long at the bar! It’s not a problem for our band but can limit other bands who may not quite as flexible, confident or experienced as well as their being restricted to the stage space.
NOISE LIMITERS
Many venues have had a change of use to allow music and have had to install a sound limiter. Sometimes the sound limit set is really low so only suitable for acoustic performers (no speakers). We have, and we will continue to work at venues with a sound limiter installed but we would need to know the decibel level prior to confirming the event. Sometimes the noise limiter set at a venue is enough for us to be able to perform and still loud enough to create a great atmosphere for you. Our sound engineer keeps a close eye on the limit levels to make sure we don’t go over. Just check the decibel level allowed at the venue before you ring for a quote and we can advise you if it is within the limits we can work in. Sadly if we turn up on the night and a limiter is in place, if the band was not informed in advance, then we maybe unable to play. Find out more on our Frequently Asked Questions page on the website.
EVENING FOOD
If you are planning on feeding your guests in the evening then please do think about the timings and where they could fit well. Doctor Chocolate perform for two x one hour sets and we find guests are more likely to party a little later in the evening, especially when attending weddings as it gives guests time to catch up and have a natter with relatives and friends that they may not have seen for a while. A lot of venues insist on serving an evening buffet at 9:30pm – which is the ideal time for the band to get everyone going. If possible a better time to serve food is before the band start so at about 8:45pm or in the bands break at about 10:30pm. Doctor Chocolate would suggest sets starting at 9:30pm until 10:30pm and the buffet served at this time – bacon butties often go down really well at this time of the evening and keep the energy levels of your guests going – with our second set would start again at 11:00pm and finishing at midnight.
ROOM FOR THE BAND
The band need a bit of space to set up the equipment although Doctor Chocolate have squeezed into some really small spaces in the past. Ideally a 12′ x 15′ space is needed – with or without a stage – we’re not that fussy! Also, please consider where the band will go once everything has been set up – normally we require a room somewhere to get changed, leave our belongings whilst we are performing, and somewhere to sit before we go on and during the break. It doesn’t have to be fancy – a simple meeting room or a spare reception room would be great. With many marquee weddings a private room isn’t always available so we’ve had to change into stage outfits in the back of the van or mobile toilets – it’s not ideal – but we always adapt!
For more information on Doctor Chocolate please visit our website.
We’ve also got 25 videos that were recorded LIVE at a charity event in Weston. The videos are 100% live and give you the opportunity to see/hear the band before you book us if we haven’t got a public event where you can come along and heckle.
Follow us on Facebook to keep updated with our shenanigans and hear our latest news!
Contact us for a quote or more information on the band. We’d love to hear from you.
Unique Selling Points
Doctor Chocolate is a live 9-piece wedding and party band that specialises in playing for ANY event where a full-on party is needed.
We’ve performed at thousands of events all over the UK and we are a seasoned, highly professional live band guaranteed to make your event one to remember – and for all the right reasons!
The majority of the band use wireless microphones and have the freedom of movement. This means we have a unique USP (unique selling point) as we are not confined to the stage area. Our performance is lively, fun and interactive and we like to get involved with the guests at your event, including them in the evening from the moment we start performing to the very end of the evening. Guests have sent thank you notes through on our facebook page telling us that they were dancing and watching the bride dance with the band on stage only to find a trombone, trumpet or saxophone beside them.
So, if you want an experienced and lively band to perform for your event – get in contact! We’d love to hear from you!
Wedding, Party, Corporate and Function Band
Who are Doctor Chocolate?
Doctor Chocolate are a 9-piece live party band based in the Bristol area. We are a group of seasoned, highly professional musicians who are guaranteed to make your event one to remember – and for all the right reasons!
We specialise in weddings, parties and corporate events but are also available for birthday parties, private events, charity fundraisers, proms, university balls, clubs, hotels and holiday parks. If you are planning an event – then contact us for a quote! You won’t be disappointed as we are one of the hardest working, professional and fun bands in the South West.
Although we are based in and around the South West region we are always ready to travel anywhere within the UK or internationally. We can make sure your event comes alive and the dance-floor is packed all night long with our carefully selected floor fillers!
Doctor Chocolate is male and female fronted, we are a 9-piece band comprising of: Female vocalist, Male vocalist, Saxophone, Trombone, Trumpet, Drums, Keys, Bass, Guitar and we come with our own sound engineer.
Doctor Chocolate are fully self contained with our own PA system and lighting so you don’t need to worry about sourcing this separately. We also provide recorded music during the time the band is not performing – and can offer a DJ too if you want one!
Our one priority is to ensure your party is amazing and that everyone has a great evening and we have lots of testimonials from satisfied customers with most of our bookings coming via recommendation.
Get in contact with Doctor Chocolate to find out more. Visit our website or Follow us on Facebook
Bristol Wedding Band
Weddings are the best! Weddings are also one of Doctor Chocolate’s specialities! We are always asked to perform at weddings and we love them! Based in and around the South West, members of the band will travel all over the UK and arrive in good time to set up and sound check prior to any wedding.
From the moment you contact us we will be with you every step of the way. Doctor Chocolate can help you with your timings for the day so that we can fit in with your evening but also advise you on the length of time that we perform and the best times for the sets! Doctor Chocolate play for two x one hour sets and can work alongside any other entertainment that you have arranged.
We have our own stage and dance floor lighting and have the BEST sound equipment so that we always sound amazing! With our own sound engineer on hand we can also work within the constraints of the size of the venue too.
With over 25 years experience of performing at weddings – and we’ve done more than a few in that time! – we know how unique and special your event is! Evening entertainment is a big part of your wedding and we can certainly show your guests how to work that dance floor!
Check our our 100% LIVE videos on the website – these were all recorded at a charity event – there’s no studio trickery/miming here – watch and listen to the band – if you can’t come and see us performing live this is the next best thing!