So, you are organising your wedding and with so much choice, how do you know which band to book?

With the experience of hundreds of weddings and parties, we can offer you advice and tips to ensure you get what's right for you. As one of the best Motown/Soul Bands around we pride ourselves on providing an outstanding show and making sure you get a special evening of entertainment to cherish forever.

We have put together a brief guide to help you along your way. Please feel free to contact us for further information.

We are often asked if we can provide or know of anyone who can provide various extras such as a DJ to play when the band is not on stage, the first dance played live by the band or a Jazz trio to play during dinner. By arranging these extras with us, you can be sure that you get a better deal, we can avoid any unnecessary problems with setting up and we will more than likely save some space too. However, if you have already arranged other things, we can easily work together and discuss all the details prior to the big day to ensure everything runs smoothly. We would advise for us to contact your other suppliers in advance so that we can discuss the logistics to work out what's best for you and your special day.

Before you decide exactly what you want, please take some time to consider the following

(see our FAQ's for further information):

THE VENUE

ARRIVING/SETTING UP/PLAYING TIMES:

Depending on the time and set up of your wedding breakfast, we can arrange to set up earlier in the day before your guests arrive or during the break between the wedding breakfast and evening reception when using the same room. We always advise that we get in and set up before your guests arrive and that we have a minimum of 1hr 30mins to set up and sound check.

In our experience, it is always best for the band to play later in the evening. This means your guests will have plenty of time to chat and catch up while enjoying a few drinks early on and will then be ready to put on their dancing shoes and party the night away!

We recommend for example, an evening reception starting at 7.30pm - play background music until 9-9.30pm followed by the first dance and the bands first set.

We suggest a break for the band and opening of the buffet (if applicable), followed by the bands second set at approx. 11pm for a midnight finish.

We often find that one single 90mins set also works well. We can play background music for an hour or so, followed by disco music for an hour or so (pre-mixed from ipod/laptop free of charge or DJ for a little extra) then really bring the party to life with one sensational show. We can then play disco/background music as required to bring the evening to a close.
All these things can be discussed and we can advise the best set up to fit around your existing plans.

ARE THE MOTOWNERS THE RIGHT BAND FOR YOUR WEDDING?

Well - Soul and Motown is extremely popular and loved by all ages, so it's a pretty safe bet. We have played hundreds of Weddings all over the UK and know that our show works, it's entertaining for the whole family, you can be sure of no bad language, 100% professionalism at all times and all the members of the band are full-time professional musicians so you can also be sure that we will not let you down.

We even have understudies for each of the band members so if anyone needs a holiday or is taken ill, it's no problem, you still get an outstanding show, to be honest, you probably won't even notice as each of the band members and understudies have performed together on numerous occasions in various combinations and all know the show inside and out.

ROOM LAYOUT:

It's always a good idea to leave space between the band and the tables as it can be a little uncomfortable to sit directly in front of a large speaker. We suggest moving the tables around for the evening reception if the same room is being used as the wedding breakfast.

It's also a good idea to clear some tables for a dance floor/area in front of the band.

EQUIPMENT:

It is fairly common for bands to talk about how many watts of power they have which can often mean very little to you or perhaps even scare you. Generally speaking, when using professional equipment, the number of watts really indicates the quality of sound you get as opposed to how loud it is.

For example - a 6pc Band with only 1.5kw would probably be driving their sound system too hard, subsequently not producing a particularly good sound. We carry a 9kw Turbosound Concert Sound System which produces a very high quality, effortless sound with the power to fill a large room if required. Remember - there is always volume control. We find it's always better to have the extra power so that the overall sound is never compromised. The Turbsound rig is adequate for up to 500 guests.

We also have a smaller Mackie (also professional equipment) rig to cater for smaller venues.

All these options can be discussed and even arranged with the venue staff that will have a better idea of what bands usually use most effectively for their rooms. 

1st DANCE REQUESTS:

Can the Motowners play the first dance live?

Yes! We require a minimum of 6weeks notice to arrange and learn your special song. There is a small charge to cover rehearsal time if the song is not currently on our playlist. The charge will depend on the song and the line up you choose. We can often throw it in for free depending on suitability for your chosen line up and if the song is already known to our band members - just ask and we can give you some options.


ANNOUNCEMENTS:

We can announce the opening of the buffet/cutting of the cake/first dance etc. if required free of charge.

GUARANTEE/ASSURANCES:

As a professional band, we want to ensure you are completely satisfied with our services and that you and your guests have a great time. If you decide to book The Motowners, we will draw up an official contract for you to check, sign and return with a deposit to secure our services. We then ask that the remainder be paid on the night. This way, you can be sure that we turn up on time and give 100%, no excuses, guaranteed!

We also carry £5million Public Liability Insurance and all our equipment is PAT Tested for electrical safety.

For Specific Stage/Space and band requirements see FAQ's