It’s often said that people don’t buy what you sell, they buy what you believe. This is more than just a saying for our very own Sales Manager Katherine Williams. She took some time to tell us why booking her wedding entertainment was one of the first boxes she wanted ticking…
Tell us about your wedding and how you found the planning process?
We were lucky enough to tie the knot in the gorgeous Tuscan countryside last September. We had reservations about having a destination wedding because of the potential logistical nightmare (especially when we didn’t speak the language!) but we found a wonderful Italian planner who helped us liaise with all suppliers and took care of everything on the day. She and her team were a godsend!
What did you decide was priority for you when planning your wedding and what was the first supplier you ticked off the list?
For us it was important to first find a venue that ticked all the boxes and fit the style we wanted. Our guests had travelled far and wide to be there, so we decided to have a party the following day as well and make the most of it. The venue needed to suit our visions for the weekend and have the best set-up for what we wanted to do. We both love a party, so naturally the next thing we thought about was the music, entertainment and the booze!
You have helped clients plan their event entertainment for a living for years, so when it came to your own wedding, how important was entertainment for you?
I can honestly say, hand on heart, that the entertainment made our wedding! There are a few elements of any party that are essential; the venue, the food and the drink. Then there are the ‘non-essential’ elements that vary in importance for each individual dependant on what they value. So often, entertainment is thought of as an ‘add on’ luxury that isn’t worth the expense. For me, I would forego the flowers, the cake and the décor just to be able to invest in decent entertainment. I know how much of a difference it makes and it definitely shouldn’t be bumped to the bottom of the budget.
How easy was it to decide on the entertainment you wanted?
I think it’s safe to say, it’s something I thought about from the moment I said “Yes”! My husband and I both have similar tastes in music, so we knew pretty quickly which entertainment would be perfect for us. I think it probably helped having seen such a variety of amazing acts over the years as you start to ‘bookmark’ your favourites.
In your years of experience booking entertainment for thousands of events, what advice would you give to someone planning their wedding who is unsure about what entertainment to book?
I would advise they think about the atmosphere that they are trying to create. Music can evoke emotion as well as getting the party started! For each part of the event consider how do you want your guests to feel? Relaxed? Moved? Pumped and ready to party? Picking the right acts to create the right impact is key.
You ended up booking three different entertainment acts for your wedding (amazing!) – Which did you book and what was the highlight(s) of the day for you?
This is a hard question because I genuinely loved ALL of them, each act brought something completely different. We had Corcovado during the drinks reception outside on the wedding day and they came back again the next day and did a party/requests set! They definitely got the party re-started and everyone forgot about their sore heads pretty quickly.
On the wedding day we had our surprise entertainment act during the meal which literally transformed the room. So much fun! This is the part of the day that all our friends and family still talk about because the element of surprise made it so unique and memorable. Our tenors, Geoff and Tim, are so experienced at building a room’s atmosphere to fever pitch and had the whole marquee standing on their seats waving napkins and singing along to tunes I love, including The Greatest Showman; it was epic! We then had The Earth Lights party band take over for the rest of the evening who were absolutely incredible. The lead vocalist Spencer has the showmanship of Bruno Mars and moves like Jagger. They get down and amongst guests and it felt like a rock concert!
Your own wedding is pretty hard to beat, but imagine you’re planning your dream party – what entertainment would you book?
Beyonce…Obvs!
