The first step to finding a good wedding singer is knowing what you don't want. Your great cousin Bob crooning along to Frank Sinatra may be a passable singer at the annual family reunion, but that doesn't make him capable of commanding the crowd's respect like a trained professional would.
Sadly, due to the large amounts of shysters and talentless hacks advertising on the internet, the only way to find a truly great singer is either to have seen him yourself, or have heard of him through word of mouth.
The next step is to research him thoroughly. Many singers now include MP3's of their performances on their website, allowing you to decide if they're the singer for you.
Another factor to consider is the cost of the singer. It’s all very well hiring a singer that has a full pyrotechnic show complete with dancing bears and a full roadie crew, but if they cost too much it could potentially take money away from really important stuff like flowers and drinks. Most singers offer tailored packages to suit your pocket and these are worth checking out.
Once you have found a singer, contact them. Explain honestly the size of the event and your budget for the event and then discuss your options.
Many couples also choose to marry out of season to save money and many wedding singers present reduced rates for particular times of the year.
If you have preferences regarding music, now is the time to bring them up. Ask the singer to provide a playlist and then work around that. talk about the timing of the evening and what songs and entertainment you would like to go where.
On the day of the event, make room for the singer to set up their equipment, offer the assistance of your friends and family and ensure that you have adequate plug points for them to plug their equipment in.
Another important thing to discuss with the singer is whether or not they do requests. Most wedding singers are happy to accommodate a certain amount of requests but draw the line at being drunkenly harangued to sing Michael Bolton 16 times in a row.
You might also want him to coordinate the evening. Most wedding singers will happily MC the reception. Ensuring that you have a seasoned veteran manning the microphone will both take the pressure off you and help the reception to run smoothly.
All in all, a wedding singer is a very useful thing to have at any wedding, and while not a necessity, they will certainly help to make your wedding unforgettable.
Karen De Villiers is the owner and operator of http://www.olivelli.co.za. Stockists of beautiful Wedding Dresses, Wedding Invitations and Wedding Gowns.