The food? The flowers? The cake? None of the above.

They'll remember if they had a fantastic time at the wedding, which is directly related to how much time they spend on the dance floor!

This is one of the most important benefits of having a great band for your South Florida wedding music. Not only must the music be great, but you must have a bandleader that knows how to get people on the dance floor and keep them there!

You could have the greatest musicians on the planet at your wedding, but if they're not playing the right music at the right time, the dance floor will be empty. That's a concert, not a party!

You see, the bandleader is similar to the quarterback on a football team, and the rest of the band is like the team. The bandleader needs to call the right "plays," getting more and more people up to dance, and working the crowd for maximum fun!

This can also be observerd in DJs. The music is the original recordings, so musicians' talent is not a factor. Two DJs can have the same stack of CDs, however one party will rock, and the other will be a bore. It's WHAT music is played WHEN, that keeps the crowd dancing.

A DJ also blends one song into another, so there's no break in the action on the dance floor. A professional South Florida wedding band will perform medleys, to accomplish the same thing.

Manhattan Music, Inc., based in Pompano Beach, Florida, uses this concept at all their performances.

Many couples make the mistake of basing their choice of band based solely on the band's talent, rather than their ability to skillfully work the dance floor. This can result in what I call "the concert effect."

How do you know if the band understands this concept?

If the band sends you an audio CD of their music, (recorded in a home studio, and polished to "perfection") you can bet they don't get it. They're featuring their talent, not their ability to create a hot party. Considering most weddings are professionally videotaped, it raises questions as to why they aren't presenting any live footage.

If they send you a "staged" video, (lip-synced in an empty room; typically with edits to a crowd dancing at some other event), they don't get it. In fact, they're hoping YOU don't get it!

If the band shows up with a "set list," they more than likely will just play the songs in the play list order, and whatever happens on the dance floor is left to chance.

Live video footage demonstrating the talents, musical styles, as well as how the band works the crowd is the best way to determine if the group can make the party sizzle, second only to being a guest for four hours at someone else's affair.

Most couples want an amazing dance party for their wedding, not a concert. It's the difference between an unforgettable event and a "nice time."