We’ve all seen the Adam Sandler movie, and it’s funny, but if you’re looking to hire a singer for your wedding ceremony or reception you should know that it’s fiction. Wedding singers are professional musicians, they run the gamut from opera singers to band leaders. No one blog post is going to cover everything you need to know about hiring a singer, but as part of our 5 Questions series, here are 5 questions for wedding singers to get you started.
1. What sort of training do you have as a singer?
Not all professional singers are professionally trained, and that’s ok. But, if you’re looking for someone to sing an aria or hymn at your wedding ceremony, you want to know that the person you’re hiring has the chops and the background to pull it off. If you’re looking for a rocker to front a wedding band at your reception, you want to know that you aren’t hiring a church singer.
2. What sort of accompaniment do you need OR Do you have a band OR Do you do solos?
If you’re talking to a singer about your wedding ceremony you want to make sure you understand whether you’re hiring a soloist and will also need to hire a pianist or provide other music. You may also want to determine if the singer has a band and might be interested in doing your wedding reception as well. On the other hand, if you’re talking to a singer about your reception, you may want to determine if he or she is available to sing at your ceremony as well.
3. What is your favorite music to sing?
There’s no right or wrong answer to this question, but if you’re hiring someone to be the voice and soundtrack of your wedding, you want to make sure they’re going to enjoy themselves. Questions like this will also give you a good sense of the personality of the person you’re hiring.
4. What is your backup plan for emergencies?
Every professional should have a backup plan. Emergencies happen and you don’t want to find yourself without a singer on your wedding day.
5. Do you have video of you performing at a wedding?
Back in the old days, people were advised to ask if they could attend a performance of a band or singer. That was always a little weird since who wants strangers showing up at their wedding to scope out their entertainment? With video, you can see a live performance without being there. Look not just for the singer and how he or she sounds, but watch crowd reactions and see if the singer is delivering what’s needed.