Wedding Bands, DJ's and Function Bands to Hire
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How to organise a Vintage Wedding

'Vintage' has well and truly found it's way back into our hearts, it's out with the modern and in with the early 20th Century. From dusty rose palettes to lace fabrics, home-made stationary and quintessentially English bunting, there really is no end to it. Whether you're going for a distinct 1920's theme or perhaps a slightly more rock 'n 'roll 50's style, you'll need to start your wedding planning early. It's time to tear out those wedding magazine snippets and route out those local antique fairs; the planning starts here!

So where does it all begin? Below you'll find some of our top tips on how to organise a vintage wedding.

Choosing Your Wedding Venue

From a traditional village hall to an upmarket stately home, your wedding venue will need lots of character and heritage. Bear in mind that some of the popular venues book up to two years in advance so if you've got somewhere specific in mind you'll need to start your enquiries early. If you're flexible and have a number of venues in mind, you can relax, many venues still have availability a year in advance. If you're on a budget, why not consider a Friday or Sunday wedding when venues will more than likely offer package deals and cheaper rates.

Pick your Palette

When planning a vintage wedding, it's important to keep your colours subtle and to steer away from that bright, modern look. Think muted tones such as dusty reds and greens to give you that old school, elegant style. You'll want to use these colours throughout your wedding, from the bridesmaids dresses to invitations and wedding stationary.

Wedding Dress

With today's economic climate, many brides find themselves working to a budget and so it's not always essential to go spending thousands on a brand new hand-made wedding dress. Look around on the net and you're sure to find vintage wedding fairs where you can pick-up a beautiful vintage dress at a fraction of the price. These can then be tailored for that perfect fit and no-one will ever know the difference! To create that definitive look of elegance, you'll be opting for lace fabrics and ivory tones.

Bridesmaids

Where 'modern' is all about complementing and matching, 'vintage' is very much about that natural and home-made look and feel. Your bridesmaids could even each wear a different dress that fits in with the general theme but suits the individual personality and look of the girl. Think about their hair, you don't necessarily want to mimic that 20's look exactly so keep it subtle and think about what your bridesmaids will be wearing in their hair too - flowers are definitely something to consider!

Tables and Decoration

This is where the arts and crafts really begin! From hand made centerpieces and home-made name-tags to shabbby chic table plans and decoration. Think old wooden crates, worn down wooden boards and novelty post-boxes. Decorate your side tables with candles and Hessian fabrics, perhaps the odd ornament or even a retro typewriter for guests to type their own personal message. Consider a Polaroid camera next to the guest book as an alternative to the photo booths that are getting so popular these days. There are no rules, borrow your ideas from the web and put your own personality into it.

Live Music

A live band is the perfect way to finish off your day. Perhaps a swing band or authentic 1950's rock'n'roll band to really tie up your complete vintage wedding day. Check out the Flip Top Floozies; one of the UK's most popular rock'n'roll wedding bands.

If it's the 1930's that you love, you'll want to hire a swing band. Take a look at Swing Groove who offer a range of line-ups from a 4-piece to a 9-piece to suit any size venue and budget.

 
  • The Flip Top Floozies The Flip Top Floozies
    From £1000
    Dressed to the nines in authentic 1950's style, the Flip Top Floozies will bring the era of Rock 'n' Roll back to life. This young energetic band first leapt onto the stage in 2007 leaving toes tapping… Read more...
  • Swing Groove Swing Groove
    From £1500
    Swing Grooves is a Swing Band and a Soul Band, covering all the party classics from Sinatra, Buble and Elvis through to Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder and more! With an authentic swing and rat pack sound, as well as an extensive repertoire of… Read more...
  • Tuxedo Jazz Tuxedo Jazz
    From £1000
    Tuxedo Jazz are available as a 2/3/4/5-piece Jazz band, so whether it's ambient background music for your wedding reception or an evening band to get the crowd up on their feet, Tuxedo Jazz are the ideal choice. Members of the band are all regular faces on the British Jazz scene,… Read more...
  • Ain't That Jazz Ain't That Jazz
    From £495
    'Ain't That Jazz' are a professional group of Jazz musicians with an eclectic repertoire that spans from early Jazz standards and the Rat Pack area, right through to modern classics with a unique jazz twist. The bands standard trio line-up… Read more...
  • Jon - Singer / Pianist Jon - Singer / Pianist
    From £300
    Jon is an exceptional talent with a distinct vocal ability that is certain to delight and entertain. Performing solo piano / vocals, he is perfect for any function including wedding receptions, corporate events, birthday and house parties. Jon's soulful voice will be sure to give… Read more...
  • Frankie G Frankie G
    From £450
    Frankie G is a well known face on the London Jazz circuit and will undoubtedly add an extra layer of sophistication to your corporate drinks reception or wedding breakfast. Performing either as a Jazz Duo or alongside her band, there are a number of options available to suit your venue size and budget. Her… Read more...
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Live wedding music and wedding bands to hire

What's Right For You? When it comes to your big day, you'll want to book the right wedding music to suit you and your guests. Whether that's a String Quartet during the ceremony, Jazz Band throughout the wedding breakfast or a Function Band for the evening reception, finding the right balance can make your wedding day even more memorable. Perhaps you have a special song in mind that you would like for your First Dance or one song in particular that you would like to end the night with? All of the bands on our books will learn that track just for you, usually at no extra cost. Wedding reception music is always a nice touch to really add to...

Wedding Music

Function Bands For Hire

Booking a function band can be a difficult task, especially when overwhelmed with the vast number of bands on offer. Some entertainment agencies take on as many bands and acts as possible, but here at Bands for Hire, we believe it's our job to sort through those bands first. This means we do all the hard work and you can rest assured that all our function bands are of the highest quality and not just here to make up the numbers. A function band is a great choice of entertainment for any occasion, with set lists that often display a broad range of music suitable for everyone. From weddings and parties to formal events and corporate award ceremonies, our function bands are experienced in every area.

FUNCTION BANDS

Live Jazz Bands For Hire

Jazz Bands are ideal for corporate parties and wedding receptions. Perhaps you're looking for live background music as guests arrive, or something during your wedding breakfast. We provide Jazz bands big and small, for large Corporate Events to quiet dinner dances to large. Whatever your budget, Bands For Hire will find a solution that suits you. Jazz bands will often have a repertoire that ranges from familiar Jazz Standards to Contemporary Jazz and even Jazz versions of modern pop songs. Whatever type of Jazz band you're looking for, we can help. Take a listen to some of the bands in our Jazz and Swing Bands section...

JAZZ BANDS FOR HIRE

DJ's for Hire

Booking a DJ for your event is quite often the key to an evening that runs smoothly from start to finish. Most bands provide music between sets via ipod or CD's which is a great way of keeping the party going, but, If you really want to keep the crowd on the dance floor, then booking a DJ may be the way to go. We work with a number of DJ's, all experienced in Corporate events, Wedding receptions and Parties. Our DJ's can play a wide range of music, tailor made to suit your event. So whether it's Jive, Rock 'n' Roll and Sinatra, 80's disco classics or Contemporary Chart music, we can provide the right DJ for you. To enquire...

HIRE A DJ

Wedding Bands

We represent a wide range of wedding bands suitable for weddings, large and small. From 4-piece live wedding bands performing music from the 50's to modern day, there's something for everyone.

We represent bands all over England so whether you're looking for London wedding bands, Surrey Wedding Bands or something further afield, please get in touch. All of our bands have been carefully chosen based on previous experience, reliability and above all, their top class live show.

Wedding Bands

Live Music Agency

With 10 years experience in the entertainment business, we understand just how important your event is to you. We pride ourselves on our simple and straight forward approach to event organisation and client satisfaction. Organising an event can be a stressful process and the one thing you'll want to get right is your entertainment for the evening. At Bands for Hire, we're committed to only working with the most talented and reliable musicians in the UK today, so you can rest assured that you're in safe hands. We realise that there's an ever growing market for modern and contemporary function bands made up of professional musicians, active in every corner of the music industry...

Live Music Agency