Just as the popularity of wedding dress styles vary from year to year, there are always new trends in the area of wedding entertainment. As one of the busiest wedding bands in Ireland, The Best Men band are in a prime position to spot those latest entertainment trends. The band spoke to Weddings Ireland.com about what to expect in 2008! And guess what: it’s not The Birdie Song.
RSVP Guests’ Favourite Songs
In an effort to embrace the tastes of all of the guests on the big day, couples have begun to include a favourite song request on their Wedding Day Invitations. When a guest replies to the R.S.V.P., they also name their favourite song.
When the invites are answered, somebody makes a list of all of the songs that were nominated. (This sounds like a job for a young brother who desperately wants to help out with the wedding plans. If you have a young brother who is extremely obliging, congratulations, as it would be the 1st time in recorded history such a person existed).
Because The Best Men co-ordinate music entertainment throughout the wedding day, from afternoon reception until last orders, the guests’ favourites can be played at appropriate times of the day. “As Time Goes By” (from “Casablanca”) could be performed by the jazz duo in the afternoon, “Ever Fallen In Love With Someone” by The Buzzcocks might get a spin by the DJ.
The Best Men can endeavour to entertain the guests with as many of the selected favourite songs as possible. If a guest’s favourite song is “F*ck Tha Police” by N.W.A., they may find themselves disappointed on the day.
Cocktail Reception
Many of this year’s couples opt for some form of background music performance to take place during the afternoon drinks reception. Without it, the initial get-together after the ceremony can sometimes begin quietly, especially before the bride & groom arrive. The Best Men offer a jazz trio, duo or solo piano service for this part of the day. The presence of a performing double bass player, saxophonist and pianist enhances the warm atmosphere, adds an additional note of sophistication and if necessary, ‘breaks the ice’, ‘fills silences’ and any other euphemism for managing the interaction between his and her relatives!
Not Just The Classics
With so many television programmes and magazines exploring the area of wedding planning, it’s not surprising that today’s brides-and-grooms-to-be have become increasingly aware of what is standard at weddings. Couples know what they want and don’t want on their big day. Applied to music, this savvy discernment means that while it was once acceptable for wedding bands to play a standard set of classic songs, this is not still the case in 2008.
While the classics are an essential part of the experience, a lot of couples are seeking that little bit extra from their band; for example, the inclusion of recent chart hits, slightly left-of-centre choices, lots of variety in style, something different. (“Hey Cliff Richard, welcome to Dumpsville. Population: YOU!”)
The Best Men constantly update their set to provide a live experience that hits every mark. This means covering the proven areas of swing, rock ‘n roll, disco, rock, 70s, 80s, Irish (modern and waltzes) but also recent pop songs that people will dance to (Amy Winehouse, Mika, Scissor Sisters).
As a step further, the band also play popular “mash-ups” or “bootlegs” (singing one song over the music of another). Successful mash-ups of recent years include Snow Patrol + The Police “Chasing Cars/Every Breath You Take”, Radiohead + Marvin Gaye “High & Dry/Sexual Healing” and Sugababes “Freak Like Me” (which is a mash-up of Adina Howard + Tubeway Army).
Having said that, you just can’t beat ‘New York New York’!
For more details on The Best Men, check out www.thebestmen.ie or call Niamh on 0861061282.
If you would like to see The Best Men Live, please come along to our Wedding Open Evening, as follows:
Sunday, 27th April 2008
at Dunboyne Castle Hotel
from 5pm – 7pm
Listen to The Best Men band
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Stella Bass Church Soloist
