wedding couple having their first dance

Wedding and Party Blog

Make Your 2020 Wedding Reception Unforgettable with a Professional Live Band

Want to make your 2020 wedding unforgettable? We’ve made a list to ensure that your wedding is the most fun, most memorable wedding reception your guests will ever attend – and we do this every weekend, so you can trust us!

Your wedding should be an unforgettable day for you and your guests. The best memories involve the senses; sight, smell, taste, sound and touch. With the right band, the wedding procession, the reception and even the “after” party can capture the moments in sensual lasting memories. Your passion, happiness and love will shine through during a well-choreographed reception, and your guests will discuss every detail the morning after, and bring it up during every subsequent wedding they attend. These type of bands, the consummate professionals, make memories. Song lyrics express this sentiment; a professional band makes you want to Shout. They’ll have you Dancing in the dark and you’ll remember you Danced the night away!

CTO Wedding Band

A professional wedding band will orchestrate your reception, working closely with your other vendors, they will keep the event flowing, make sure people are having a good time, get them up on the dance floor, and bring those “memory moments” like the announcement of the newlyweds, speeches, spontaneous affection, special dances, cake cutting and more to fruition. How you choose the right band for your affair is more about experience, professionalism, a diversified playlist and full, tight sound than about the logistics and cost.

Is Your Wedding Band Diversified?

CTO Wedding Live Band

You’ll need a band that can cater to ALL your guests. Generations of relatives will be gathered together, requesting with your band bring home Sinatra and Santana back to back. Can they handle it? Wedding bands are unique in that they need to perform in a number of different styles and genres. It’s one thing to know the songs, but a professional band will make sure they feel “in the zone” no matter what genre they are playing.  

Is your Wedding Band Engaging?

CTO Wedding Band

A professional band is engaged in what they’re doing. You’ll know it when you see them perform.  Do they look happy? They will pass their energy onto your guests. Think about your guests and the type of band they would most appreciate. Just because you heard a local band play a sold set at your local pub, does not necessarily translate to the band you want to run your wedding reception. Perhaps your guests make for an eclectic crowd. Does the band do any culturally influenced pieces?  These factors are key before you can now pronounce them “reception and band”.  

Have you Seen the Wedding Band Perform?

Wedding Band

Have you heard them play?

If you Heard it through the grapevine (maybe a friend of a friend referred to a band) it might not be enough. Tastes can differ from person to person and it’s you that needs to feel comfortable with your band choice. Music is a personal choice that’s More than a feeling. You will know when the right band strikes a chord with your emotions. Most professional bands offer showcases where you can hear them play. Here they will run through a montage of song excerpts that give you a solid indication of their style, look and feel.

Add a Twist to Make your 2020 Wedding Reception Unforgettable

Most wedding trends seem to evolve over the years, and old “trends” never really disappear. As new ideas build, the options for your big day continue to grow, and you have more and more ways to personalize your event.  Here are a few trends we see beginning to take root in 2020 receptions.

A new twist for a wedding reception is to add games, all kinds of games. If the reception is outdoors, the games can include Corn hole, giant Jenga, Croquette, Bocce ball, and the like. You may also opt for personalized Mad Libs around a wedding theme, wedding inspired Crossword or Word search, Trivia, Poker and Darts. But if your band gets involved people will be on the dance floor, having fun all on their own and playing games like the Chicken Dance, Dollar Dance, and Horah.

Another new trend is to have one last “bride and groom only” dance as guests take time to get ready for your grand exit –  which could include something like guests throwing confetti or lighting sparklers as you exit while dancing.  You may or may not want to consider a choreographed dance to your favorite song that will leave your guests smiling.

Some pet-friendly couples want to include an ode to their furry friend during the reception or highlight something very personal to the couple with a party favor or photo montage.

Another trend is to steal a few private moments between the bride and groom where they can share a very private and personal hand-written vow without the entire room as a witness. Scheduling this moment beforehand is a must, as your wedding band is like a well-oiled machine, and will be looking for you if you steal away without their knowledge.

How Can I Make My Wedding Stand Out?

As wedding receptions become less and less traditional and more and more personal, the sky is the limit – as long as it is in your budget. You can really make a statement with your:

What Are The Wedding Colors for 2020?

Who cares what everyone else is doing? Your wedding should be all about what you like. Be a trend-setter!  Choose your favorite colors and Own them!  But your colors should probably go together so we found this link to help you out.

How Can I Surprise my Partner on Our Wedding?

Wedding Band

There are loads of gift ideas for pleasantly surprising your partner on your wedding day. Here are a few we see a lot:

How To Make Sure Guests Have Fun at Your Wedding Reception?

Anyone that has ever thrown a successful party knows it needs to be organized.  That’s where a professional bandleader really helps. Bands know how to keep the party moving, they take their cues from you and your partner, but they also know the timing for all the mini-events and they lead up to each one with a crescendo of music. They will get your guests up and dancing as soon as possible, and they will provide some moments of unexpected entertainment. As long as you have enough food and comfortable space, your band will ensure your guests have one of the best nights they remember.

What can CTO Music Artists Do to Make Your Wedding Reception Unforgettable?

If you want help with selection, CTO’s music consultants will help you choose the band for your special day. You’ll discuss the type of experience you want and receive a variety of recommendations. Experienced bands have performed weddings for many types of groups, themes and ceremonies and can handle all types of songs and events. You may want to have a different band or DJ for the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception. The right consultant can help step you through what’s best for you.

One sure sign that your wedding reception will be memorable in 2020 is that your guests won’t want the music to stop. That’s the sign of a great party, a great band, a great reception.