As a saxophone player for events and weddings I get booked for ceremony performances, cocktail hour lounge music, dinner entertainment and for getting the party started for the evening DJ (sometimes that DJ is me!)… and sometimes I do them all.
When you are booking your saxophonist for your wedding or event it can be quite daunting. What to ask for? When should the saxophonist play? What sort of musical style? After all, it is unlikely that you have organised loads of weddings before! My first piece of advice there is to ask the saxophonist - they will be able to help you with the best choices of music that are most suitable for the time of day or particular vibe that you are trying to catch. If you have specific tastes or particular musical passions then do tell your performer before the day so that they can prepare for it. It’s also worth mentioning to be as specific as possible; one saxophone player’s interpretation of ‘play something jazzy’ will differ wildly from another saxophonists idea and both of those ideas will definitely be different to what the wedding guests might want!
The music at your wedding should be specific to you or be there to maximise enjoyment for your guests but it’s often worth leaving it up to the saxophonist to do what is best for your party, this might mean changing tracks on the fly if their current choice is clearly not landing with the crowd.
The two main parts to perform in (from my point of view) is the afternoon cocktail hour and the evening reception where the proper dancing is beginning. Generally, these are two quite different types of energies…
The afternoon cocktails or champagne, possibly outside in the sun will want to have relaxed background music or vibe, chilled dance. I flip and flop, depending on the taste of the couples, between Tropical House, vibey, latin-infused covers of pop songs (think Coldplay done by a samba band etc.) and some of the more famous big band jazz tunes (Michael Buble etc.). This end of the day should be fairly classy where all your guests are catered to.
The other end of the day is the evening reception where the party reaches its zenith and things get dancey. Evening receptions come in many shapes and sizes, your guests might be milling about needing a focal point, they might be waiting for the first dance, they might be too full from aa late running wedding breakfast; regardless, they’ll want a bit of geeing up. Some crowds can’t wait to get on the dance floor but some can be a little more conservative and need some encouragement to get them to party energy. Enter the saxophonist.
Kickstart Your Wedding Party with Live Sax! 🎷
Get your guests on the dancefloor with the unforgettable, smooth, soulful sound of live saxophone! Get in touch today to add a unique touch to your wedding or event.
Nick Pike Saxophone
A talented and versatile saxophonist, Nick plays iconic pop, funk and soul songs reworked with his unique touch. Nick Pike Saxophone is available throughout London, Essex, Surrey, Hampshire, Sussex, Kent and Berkshire. Book now >
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