The question I should really ask you is this – “How much information do you have?” The birth of the ‘Wedding file' has probably been largely due to 2 things, 1, The rise of the internet and the mass of choices and options we can now easily access, and 2, That little business person inside all of us that says “I'm not going to trust my 1st choice, let's do some research!”

In the area of entertainment the choices are vast. Firstly you must choose what sort of musical entertainment you would like (Singer, band, guitarist etc) and then you must make a choice within that choice. To cut to the point, the questions you ask are far more important than what you are told in the brochures and glossy promotional material.

Here are 10 things that you should consider before making a booking and handing over that deposit:

1. TALENT

Each person's subjective opinion will differ slightly; however, I think we all know when we hear something that sounds bad. The only way to truly grade a person's talent is to compare it against the majority. What I would do, for example, is to find as many pop bands as I can, listen to all of their demos, then compare them, eventually finding my favourite sound. To do this effectively you will need to close yourself off to the shiny promotional banners, and just listen.

2. IMAGE

If you're having a black tie event, you don't want to be dazzled by the sparkles of a cheesy male soloist, twirling 360 degrees on one foot and flashing his Jazz hands at you. Your entertainment has to be consistent and compliment the style of your wedding.

By listening to or seeing a singer/band/DJ you can generally get a feel for the atmosphere they would create each time they perform. How they dress and present themselves speaks volumes.

3. COST

You pay for what you get!….Don't you?

Justifying a price is really the last task, after asking all of the right questions and seeing/ hearing everything there is to see/hear. If you can justify spending £5000 on a band because they are that good then do it, but make sure that you are 100% sure that they will make your wedding day. In most cases, yes, you pay for what you get, but in some cases they see you coming!

4. PERFORMANCE DETAILS

It is important that you know exactly what you're paying for. Here are the sorts of questions you will need to ask:

• What time will you arrive/ be set up by/ start?

• How long will you perform for?

• Will you provide background music?

• Will you perform the 1st dance/ last dance?

• What time will you finish?

5. TESTIMONIALS & REFERRALS

It's always a good sign when you see lots of happy customers' comments. Look for testimonials on their websites. You can even go so far as asking for references. There's nothing wrong with digging a little deeper with your research. The wedding forums & chat rooms can be good sources of reference.

6. CO – OPERATION

I'm sure we have all experienced the classic DJ who refuses to play requests. When it comes to weddings, this doesn't fly! You always have to have a say in the music used for your wedding day, after all, it IS your wedding, not theirs. Obviously, there is a certain amount that a professional must do to ensure a good show, but you should ask them whether they would be willing to incorporate your requests. Does the DJ accept full play lists & pre-requests or only individual requests on the night? All of this is very important in determining whether their type of show is for you. Flexibility is something learnt and not every musician will be willing to compromise.

7. WHERE ARE THEY BASED?

Location doesn't always matter, so don't limit yourselves to local research. Some musicians and singers won't charge the earth for travel expenses and accommodation but then again some will. You only have to ask.

8. INSURANCE & SAFETY

There are 2 questions you need to ask here.

Q1. Do you have public liability Insurance? Many venues now insist that Musicians, singers and DJ's must have public liability Insurance to the value of £5 million!

Q2. Is your sound equipment PAT Certified? PAT stands for Portable Appliance Testing. Their equipment should be tested for electrical safety per year.

9. RECEIPTS/ INVOICES/ CONTRACTS

All of the above are quite necessary to secure a booking. You don't want to be handing over deposits to random Singer's with no records or security that the performance will take place. A confirmation contract should always be provided, stating any information about the performance date, times etc.

Entertainment agencies will always provide you with this information, but some individual musicians and singers may not be very business minded and neglect these essential documents. It is important to make sure that you insist upon any paper work you may require for your records.

10. THE 1ST MEET

Last, but not least, and certainly not always possible is meeting with your Musician, DJ or singer, especially if you have booked them from the other end of the country.

Personally I think that it is always best to see an actual live performance before making any commitment to book, however, this can prove extremely difficult if they have no public performances and only work privately.

It is always a good sign however, if they are willing to meet with you before the event takes place. There is something quite unsettling about corresponding through emails for a whole year and having minimal contact with the person who will be responsible for making your wedding day unique and special.

On a final note, I'd like to add that there are many fantastic musicians, bands, DJ's and singers out there, who will provide you with the very best performances. You just need to lead the right sort of interview in order to find the best person(s) for the job.

Good luck and have an incredible day!