1. Have you played at my venue before?
With over 25 years of experience, The Sid Miller Dance Band, led by veteran wedding band leader Sid Miller, has received the prestigious National Bridal Magazine Award for one of the top wedding bands in the United States. The band has performed in pretty much every upscale venue in Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley and from Jupiter Island, Florida to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
Some bands have a geographical limit. The Sid Miller Band doesn’t have any restrictions on travel. SMDB would be pleased to travel anywhere to your wedding reception venue.
2. How long has your band been around?
Nothing compares to an established Philadelphia wedding band with a well-earned reputation. The give and take among the band members create a natural ease that makes it easier to play to the guests on the dance floor as well as making it comfortable for everyone attending the wedding reception.
Ask if the band uses the same musicians at each wedding reception as you see on the video or at a wedding band showcase. This means the band is consistent with vested musicians, not a revolving door as many bands have.
3. Who is Your Wedding Band Leader?
The wedding band leader sets the tone for the entire evening. Experience, musicianship, and personality matter. Ask for the band leader’s bio. It may be on the wedding band’s website.
If that’s not the case, speak with the band leader, which is even better than just reading about him or her. Is the band leader likable? Is he or she enthusiastic about creating a memorable event for you and your guests? Does the wedding band leader have the experience needed to create a successful wedding reception or company event? Sid Miller has been leading his award-winning dance band for over twenty-five years. He has been selected to be the guest lecturer at many bridal fairs as well as
Border’s Book Store. Sid is also a published author in several wedding publications including the Jewish Exponent and Modern Bride magazine.
4. How Does Your Wedding Band Leader Coordinate with Event Planners?
Good communication and a detailed timeline are essential because there are many items that will influence the flow of the evening.
For example, when will the first dance take place? Usually, this happens right after the introductions. The duration of the introductions is dependent on who will be announced. The choice would be just the bride and groom, or the parents, bridal party and bride and groom, or just the bridal party and bride and groom.
Another factor that will influence the flow of the wedding reception is whether the father of the bride or the parents of the bride will do a welcome speech. If the salad is pre-set, a blessing may be given prior to any welcome by the parents of the bride.
The timing of the toasts by the best man and maid and or matron of honor must also be considered. I like to have that happen when all the guests have been served their first course. The first course usually takes place after the welcome and blessing. We also have to consider the timing of the parent dances. I usually recommend doing these special dances right after the toasts. Lastly, do you want the wedding cake cutting to be announced? If you do, I would recommend doing the cake cutting immediately after the entre’.
5. How many wedding band members are in your band, and is the wedding band leader included?
Twelve or thirteen band members not including my two sound engineers. We can’t provide our dynamic and authentic state-of-the-art sound with fewer pieces.
My rhythm section is made up of the keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, drummer, and percussionist. My horn section, which includes the wedding band leader consists of an alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, and trombone. I have three to four vocalists, including my male vocalist and two or three female vocalists.
6. What is the cost of the Sid Miller Dance Band?
The cost of the Sid Miller Dance Band varies depending on the night and month. For example, we discount during the months of January and February.
Friday and Sunday evenings are discounted unless there’s considerable travel involved. January and February wedding receptions and company events can also be discounted. We always discount fundraisers.
7. What does your band wear to my wedding event?
The men always wear black tuxedos with pocket squares, black bow ties, white shirts with cufflinks, and black dress shoes at any formal wedding reception. The women wear long black dresses with black heeled dress shoes.
If your wedding reception is not a formal event, the men wear black tuxedos with pocket squares, black shirts, long black ties, and black dress shoes. The women wear black cocktail dresses with black-heeled shoes.
Here are some photos and videos of what the Sid Miller Dance Band wears to the events.
8. What songs do you play?
A diverse song list is critical to any outstanding wedding band. You want to get every age group in attendance out on the dance floor – from older folks to millennials.
The band needs to perform Frank Sinatra and Motown with Bruno Mars and Dua Lipa. However, the key is authenticity. Does the band sound as good or better than the original recording? This is why musicianship and experience performing together are so important for a live wedding band.
The Sid Miller Dance Band plays everything from timeless classics to the latest dance hits! We usually perform about 40-45 songs during your event. You can choose as many songs as you want from our extensive list of over 1200 songs. We have the songs categorized into genres. For example Dance, Oldies, Big Band, Country, and Rock. We also have a list of bride/father songs as well as groom/mother songs. If you have special requests, we’ll be happy to learn a few songs.
9. Do you use tracks?
Many bands play pre-recorded music. While tracks are Ok if a song has too many parts for a smaller band to play live, tracks should be the exception, not the rule.
Too many larger-piece wedding bands (9 or more pieces) play to tracks because they either don’t have the musicianship or don’t want to spend time learning the parts. The Sid Miller Dance Band plays live. In my opinion, if you pay for a live band, you should get a live band and not get a band that pretends that they’re playing live but some, many or most members are faking it.
10. Do you take breaks?
We play continuous music throughout your wedding reception. Even during the entrée, vocalists in the Sid Miller Dance Band sing with the keyboardist or guitarist. The horn players also perform during the entrée.
This adds a sophisticated ambiance to your wedding reception. After all, it’s the little details that help make your day so special.
11. We’re having an outdoor wedding reception in a tented area. Can your wedding band leader help me with anything I should know?
Outdoor weddings with live music are a sure sign that spring has arrived and summer is just around the corner. These wedding receptions can be great fun if they’re planned correctly.
ELECTRICITY
It’s crucial to have the right number of electrical outlets and generators. Three separate outlets, each with 120-volt amp circuits, are advisable. They should be grounded for the safety of guests and staff.
FANS
When it’s hot outside, have enough fans to keep your guests comfortable. We want them to feel cool enough to dance!
INCLEMENT WEATHER
If Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate and it starts to rain, make sure the venue has umbrellas on site and the staff closes the sides of the tent quickly.
LIGHTING
Make sure that you have enough lighting to create the right ambiance. If you’re working with tent professionals, they will likely take care of that, but check to make sure.
SET UP
With all of the variables involved in outdoor weddings, pay careful attention to the details. Make sure that the musicians are in a flat area to avoid any mishaps. It’s very difficult to perform at your best if you’re not on a level surface. Also, make sure that the band has access to electrical outlets and cables long enough to reach any outlets.
Outdoor wedding receptions are beautiful, and with some practical planning, they can go off without a hitch.
Here is an article from the Knot about everything you need to plan an outdoor wedding