Wedding Entertainment Checklist
Review this checklist well in advance of your wedding day to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible.
Contracts- We recommend that all clients and performers sign a contract which covers the details of the event and helps plan for surprises. Whether you use GigMasters’ contract template or create your own, be sure you have copies of the dated and signed contract at the event. We recommend that you bring a copy of the contract with you to the event just in case.
Directions- Performers are not mind readers (well, our psychics are), the better directions you provide the more likely that they’ll arrive on time. Make sure to give your performer your cell phone number, the event address, the venue’s phone number, contact name, and website URL well in advance.
- Venue Specifics
- Venue specifics such as outlet locations, stage setup, etc. should be discussed in detail well in advance of the event. It’s important that you discuss these event logistics with both the venue and your entertainer. We encourage you to meet with the venue and the entertainer in advance so that they can ask each other the right questions to ensure a smooth set-up and show.
- Weather
- Nobody wants to think about it, but rain/weather contingencies should be discussed and agreed upon if applicable. No performer wants to risk damaging their expensive and beloved equipment, so it’s important that you talk about the worst case weather scenarios, as scary as they may be.
- Song List
- If you are hiring musicians it is important for them to know what songs you would like them to play ahead of time so that they can rehearse and create a wedding song set list.
- Event Day Schedule
- Be sure to review the details of the day — what is happening when and how does the entertainment fit into the schedule? Also, it’s especially important to review every little detail of the event schedule when the entertainer has a role as the emcee or announcer.
- Attire
- Tuxes or T-shirts? Performer attire should be discussed and agreed upon in advance. Do you want their attire to coordinate with a color scheme?
- Food/Drink
- Are you providing food and drinks for your entertainer? Are you ok with them consuming alcohol? At what point in the event will they be served hors d’oeuvres or a meal?
- Overtime
- Overtime rates should be discussed and agreed upon in advance in case you are not ready for the fun to stop.
- Final Payment
- Final payment arrangements including method of payment (cash, cashier’s check, etc.) should be discussed and agreed upon in advance. While you can pay your deposit on GigMasters.com, you must pay the final balance directly to your performer. To avoid any confusion and potential embarrassment be sure to discuss payment ahead of time.
- Contact Info
- You should already have it by now, but just to be sure, GigMasters sends the performer’s contact information to the client and vice versa five days prior to the event. Make sure you provide any additional contact information that may be relevant the day of the event — cell phone numbers for any key people that they may need to reach, etc.