Friday 10 July 2015

Inject a 'special feel' to your wedding with some Gospel Singers

Having a gospel singer or choir performing during a wedding or civil ceremony has become a popular trend which has grown steadily over the last few years.

Gospel singers are renowned for their positive, heartfelt and emotional performances, bringing a ‘special feel’ to ceremonies as they perform traditional hymns and gospel songs.

For those of you who prefer more of a contemporary feel, or perhaps just variety, you will also find that the modern day singer, will if asked, also happily accommodate requests to perform your favourite soul, pop or rock song.  

If you have not had an opportunity to experience a team of gospel singers performing live, then you have certainly missed out.

Over the last twenty years I have had the privilege of working with a number of gospel singers within the UK and Europe and one of the most memorable experiences I remember is the interaction backstage as the performers mingle, then there was the conversation, laughter and also a chance to network with other like minded performers.  Eventually, there would be a collective emphasis to focus and work as a team to ensure that the performance was no less than perfect.

These experiences were priceless.

Like many other performers, gospel singers work to an extremely high standard, and are motivated by the opportunity they have to positively impact their audience. In addition, gospel singers have an unrivalled drive and commitment towards the preparation and readiness for their performance, and from my experience, you will have difficulty finding a team of singers who will consistency perform with energy, beaming smiles and powerful, heartfelt vocals.
 
Having attended a number of weddings over the last two decades I am still amazed how gospel singers can effortlessly;   
 
·   Capture the full attention of the audience, large or small;
·   Perform skilfully with soul, zeal and confidence; and
·   Positively transform the ambience of an event
 
But do not just take my word for it, like I have already shared, having worked with a number of artistes in the UK and Europe, I have been privy to some positive feedback over the years.  The following are extracts of some of these comments;-
 
'The gospel singers were fantastic' 
‘That was such a touching performance’
'The singers and musicians were great!'
 
If you require wedding entertainment for your ceremony or drinks reception which 'hits the mark' then you should certainly consider hiring a gospel singer or choir.
Not only will the singers give you their full attention, you and your guests will have an experience which will be remembered for many years to come. For those of you who will dare to take the plunge to hire some of these amazing performers, I am sure you will be glad you did. 
 
 
 
 
 

Thursday 12 March 2015

Entertainment for Your Wedding Ceremony - Three Essential Technical Tips



As far back as I can remember, musical entertainment has always been an important feature of a marriage ceremony. Whilst there are no set rules as to the genre of music which should be selected it could be said that the choice (amongst other things) is influenced by culture and/or life experiences. This said, the rule of thumb or shall I say 'the norm' is that the theme for the final choices are usually centred around love, romance and relationships.

Having been privy to a number weddings over the last few years I have had the opportunity to discuss, advise and guide clients about the preparations for their special day. Contrary to what you may think, selecting the best repertoire for your wedding isn't always an easy task; there are a number of points that need to be considered including;

·         Agreeing suitable junctures where the repertoire will be performed;
·         Getting the technical requirements right so that the performance goes to plan; and
·         Setting the ambience to create the right atmosphere

Selecting the most suitable junctures where the repertoire will be performed is definitely worthy of a mention here. Balance the content of the ceremony, inject variety and fill those unfilled gaps, by placing your repertoire at that points which allow the ceremony to 'flow' rather than the 'stop and start' approach, which is often encountered. Some of the most appropriate junctures include the point where your guests arrive, are being seated and the signing of the register.

Secondly, If you want the entertainment to 'hit the mark' and have the desired effect, do not forget to consider the technical detail which is so often missed during the planning stage. When I say 'technical detail' I mean 'the pre determined requirements which need to be satisfied for the event to be a success' so in terms of the venue the technical detail will include the height of the ceilings, position of the power sockets and the most suitable position for the singers and musicians to perform. To ensure that you fully understand the context and importance of this point, consider the following;

·         During a wedding ceremony the singers and musicians were positioned at the back of the church behind the bride, groom and wedding guests. As the singers performed, the guests (who were seated) had to physically turn their heads to observe the performance;

·         At a drinks reception the singers and musicians were positioned in a public area of a well known hotel which has very high ceilings, during the performance the guests who were mingling below the mezzanine, seemed less engaged with the performance as the sound was being lost mid air.

These real life examples are the result of poor planning; consequently, the full effect of the performance was not realised.

The third point - as your plans progress you should be thinking about the 'ambience' you want to create at each of the junctures; by ambience i mean 'the mood a place or setting has' it is one of joy, laughter, tears, reflection or one of boredom? The choice is yours, so choose your repertoire carefully.  

Finally, you may have come across the saying 'a failure to plan is a plan to fail' therefore utilise the time during the planning stage carefully. Preparation is key; use the tips in this article to get started and as you go along you will understand the 'bigger picture', you will then be able to make informed decisions which help you to create entertainment for your wedding day, just as you always dreamed it would be. Perfect.