The best of times, the worst of times……

In many respects television has taken over from newspapers the role of exposing unfair business practices, rogue traders, corporate rip-offs etc, yet examples still crop up from time to time.

Finding wedding suppliers who offer genuine good value is sometimes as difficult as locating a good plumber or a competent painter and decorator.  One solution is to commission the services of a wedding planner but these people will often demand both a fee from the bridal client and a commission from the various wedding suppliers they recommend.  Both mean extra cost for the bridal couple and there’s enough evidence to show that even then, you’re not certain of a trouble-free event.

Of course, planning a wedding is hard work, not rocket science, and our advice is always to do your own research and to decide for yourself which supplier offers good value and reliable service.  Don’t rely on testimonials (when did you ever read a bad one?) or on recommendations of people you don’t know well; after all, one person’s dance band is another person’s ear ache!

Think twice also about recommended suppliers.  Recently we’ve come across well-known and popular wedding venues which not only charge a lot of money for their venues – but they then make even more by demanding substantial commissions from photographers and others whose services they “recommend”.  Actually this gets worse because some popular private houses also demand commissions for allowing photographers to even work on their premises.  And you already know who really pays this commission – you do, in the form of higher prices.

So what’s the solution?  It’s easy, though it does involve some time and research – ask the questions and compare the prices and service you’re offered.  If you’re in any doubt, avoid all recommended suppliers and choose one that suits you best.

Now, bearing in mind what you’ve just read, you might be surprised that we’re going to close by offering you a recommendation – but it’s a recommendation we suggest you consider for yourself.

Francesca Spedding is a singer; in our opinion, a very good and attractive singer.  She’s experienced, versatile and, very important for a wedding singer, knows the role she plays as part of your wedding.  She sang for one of our recent clients, not only at the ceremony but during the drinks reception, for the First Dance and, later in the evening as the cabaret entertainment.

Singers have to do much more than sing in tune, they have to “know their place” as well.  What impressed us especially was the way Francesca adapted her performance and style to each part of the day.  During the ceremony she performed the clients’ favourite songs, providing a unique musical background to the formality; during the drinks reception her music added gentle style and harmony behind the conversation between old friends and family, then in the evening she took centre stage and became the star turn of the party and dance.

But, as we’ve said throughout this piece, don’t take our word for it.  Listen to the songs she sings on her website (www.femalesoloartist.co.uk) and arrange to meet her yourself.  We don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Better than a chocolate fountain

The day of the DJ – and I mean Disk Jockey, not Dinner Jacket or any other variation – has passed. No more the heavy boxes of records or even CDs, no more enough equipment to start a radio station. Today’s recorded music “introducer” comes equipped with two I-Pods, a minute mixer and a couple of speakers.

In fact, even this DJ is becoming a thing of the past. Not a few couples are creating their own playlists on their I-Pods, hiring an amplifier and providing precisely their own music.

At the same time other entertainers are appearing at weddings. Clowns and Balloon Benders for the children, casino tables with professional croupiers for the Las Vegas theme and even live bands playing everything from the hits of the 60s to the current chart music.

For my money the best value are the Singing Waiters – and I use the term generically, just in case there’s an act by that name.

We recorded one group of three tenors at a wedding we recorded at Elvetham Hall in Hampshire last summer. The singing was good, the choice of music ideal, in fact only an occasional lapse in microphone technique made the group anything but perfect.

What impressed us particularly was the way the waiters/tenors made sure they were seen and identified as serving staff before their act started. They wore the hotel’s uniform neckties and helped to serve the wedding breakfast and clear the empty dishes along with the regular staff. Thus when the leader introduced himself as Signor Barberoi, the Catering Manager, the guests, who knew nothing of the surprise, were ready to believe.

Twenty five minutes later the audience had been transformed from a polite wedding winding down after a dignified and beautifully staged wedding into party people ready to dance the night away.

Obviously a big part of the act depends on keeping the audience wondering as long as possible whether they are real waiters or real tenors. A measure of their success occurred in the kitchen as the cooking staff handed five plated meals to each server to take to the tables. So convincing was the ruse that the kitchen staff were taken aback when a waiter protested that he was a tenor not silver service and carrying only two plates was his limit.