So, You're Getting Married!

Congratulations on getting engaged and now the planning begins for your big day. So, before you put selecting your wedding music at the bottom of your list, let me share a few insights from an event planning perspective.

There are three things that people will go away from a wedding talking about ... 1) The bride's dress; 2) the food and 3) the music. Yes, you read right ... the music. But what is it, after the dress and food, that brides typically fret about? Flowers, the cake, the venue and then the music becomes an afterthought, a footnote in the planning process.

For the wedding ceremony, choose music that really means something to you as a couple, whether you hire a singer or an instrumentalist. For the bride, that all important song that you walk down the aisle too will be the foundation of that amazing moment when the groom first sees his bride. The music leading up to the brides entrance whether it's secular or religious is equally important because a tone is being set for your entire day. And don't forget to have music planned for signing the registry. This can sometimes take up to 20 minutes so you'll need about five songs ready for this (with a couple in reserve). I have sung at many wedding ceremonies and I have always had to pull on those reserve songs during the registry signing. These songs should also have personal meaning to the couple.

For the wedding breakfast there are a few routes you can go: 1) Playlist on a device; 2) solo performer (singer or instrumentalist); 3) Acoustic Duo or 4) Small band (3-5 pieces, with or without a singer). Having some sort of entertainment to occupy your guests during this time is crucial to keep the mood of your day festive. While the bridal party is occupied with taking photos, your guests are sort of hanging around. I suggest using the same Act for your drinks reception that you used for the ceremony (solo, duo or instrumental act). Another viable option is to have your reception band do the wedding breakfast. If you have a large band scheduled for the evening do, more than 5 pieces, then ask the band if they can perform as a trio or quartet for the breakfast. And, the couple will want to put their stamp on the music here too.

Last year my band, Move On Up, did a Disney themed wedding and the bride and groom handpicked the Disney songs they wanted included in the ceremony, breakfast and reception. Whenever we got to one of those songs, especially during the breakfast, I would catch a little reaction of delight from the bride or groom at hearing something that really meant something to them.

Then there's the big event ... the evening reception. This is where you pull out all the stops when it comes to entertainment, whether you decided to just have a DJ or to have both DJ and band. It's important to get this bit absolutely spot on as far as what type of band you hire. Let's say the groom is a fan of heavy metal? (I just booked a wedding where this was the case.) That's great, and I appreciate all sorts of music, but hiring a heavy metal band for the wedding reception would not be the best idea. This is where the bride and groom have to consider who will be attending the evening do and what type of music would have the most appeal across the age groups who will make up your reception. Working with an entertainment agency or experience wedding band will help you get this right. You want to hire a band with a diverse repertoire of music covering many genres and eras.

I once attended a wedding reception where a Rock n Roll band had been hired for the occasion and the dance floor was pretty much empty throughout the night because the bands song selections didn't have a broad appeal. As soon as a playlist was put on with songs that everybody knew and loved playing, the dance floor was full.

For the wedding that I just booked for the heavy metal lover, we are going to perform a mix of songs covering Motown, Soul, Pop, Blues, Disco and Classic Rock n Roll, for the groom. Basically, we are going to do floor fillers to ensure that each guests has the chance to shake their groove thing, if they so desire. We will send our set lists to the bride and groom for their approval a few weeks before their wedding to ensure they are happy with our choices.

If you're using just a DJ for the reception, make sure he or she is prepared to interact with the guests and not just playing track after track. What's exciting about having a live band is that interaction that naturally happens with a good band … they just know what to do to make sure your guests are engaged. Your DJ needs to have this same type of insight and be prepared to switch gears in their planned playlist if necessary to make sure the dance floor is full.

When you're in the early stages of planning your wedding and setting the budget for this all important day, make sure you set a decent amount aside for your music. Many agencies and bands offer package deals to cover the ceremony through to the evening reception, which could save you some money. A DJ can also be included in a package deal. I suggest working with an agency for your wedding because they can do all the leg work to vet the entertainers and make sure you get exactly what you want. Many agencies also offer other services such as photo booths, LED flooring, table magic (another great option to have during the drinks reception) and toastmasters.

Please contact GME to book a free 30-minute phone consultation to discuss your wedding entertainment and to learn about the packages we offer. We would love to be a part of your special day. Just tell us what you want and let us handle the details!

Five Tips for Booking Entertainment!

Do you need to hire star-quality entertainment for your Wedding, Venue or Event? Here are some tips to make finding the perfect entertainment a little less daunting:

1.                 Make sure the agency has vetted all of their Acts. When working with Gloria Miller Entertainment (GME), you can rest assured that each Act on our roster is vetted for quality of talent, professionalism and service.

2.                   Only work with agencies that have updated audio and video samples of their Acts. GME offers a search facility on our website for ease of finding the type of Act you’re looking for, and we have the artists’ most recent audio and/or video demos on their pages, including sample set lists.

3.                 When requesting a quote, provide as much information about the entertainment you want as possible, including your budget. At GME, you can request a free, no-obligation entertainment quote through our website, and by simply filling in the required fields, we’ll have everything we need to give you the best quote possible. If applicable, we will also include the deposit amount due to secure the booking in the written quote.

4.                 Contact the entertainment agency well ahead of your event wherever possible. At GME we have several Acts who are available for last minute bookings, but if you are able to plan ahead we can insure that you get your first choice of Acts; offer ideas for your event; and put together an entire entertainment package, if required.

5.                 Make sure the agency issues a contract for your Wedding, Venue or Event. Once you have decided to confirm your booking, GME will verify all of the details of your event and issue a contract which can either be signed electronically on-line, or you can email or post a signed hard copy to our office.

Finding quality entertainment in your area has never been easier. If you have internet access, just get on your PC, Tablet or Phone and visit www.gloriamillerentertainment.com to preview the UK’s best Solo, Duo & Tribute Acts plus dynamic Party Bands and Variety Acts. We can also provide full DJ/Disco services and Themed Entertainment such as Vegas Nights, Double Tribute Shows, Motown Nights and more!

Contact us today for star-quality entertainment for your Wedding, Venue or Event and let us handle the details!

Week in Review - 8 June 2015

The problem with having a 'marriage' anniversary and a 'wedding' anniversary is that inevitably, one of these dates will be forgotten ... and that's exactly what's happened. On 5 June 2010 Neal and I had a wedding the the States. However, we had already been married on 23 November 2009 and up until this year we have celebrated both dates. Does it mean that the honeymoon is over since we forgot our June anniversary? If my friend Andrea hadn't posted something on Facebook, I wouldn't have realized that 5 June had come and gone. So, happy belated wedding anniversary to the hubs.

Last week I started running again and I had such good intentions to get out for a long walk/run on Saturday since the weather is finally getting nice in England, but it just didn't happen. To be honest, after having had a late night performing with Mayfield on the Friday night, I was having difficulty wrapping my brain around the idea of exercising on Saturday, so it didn't take much to lead me to distraction. So I ended up spending the whole afternoon at Mayfield Studios working with a lovely Gospel singer from London called Keisha Cook.

My plan was to pop in for an hour or so and then head off for that walk; but once I got there I started coaching Keisha on vocals and then I arranged and recorded some backing vocal harmonies and before I knew it, 6pm had rolled around and I was still at the studio. Good thing, because I was just in time for a meeting with the band leader from Moonbomb who have asked me to do some backing vocals on their project. Watch this space.

Sunday I had a power rehearsal with Move On Up as we prep for our appearance at the Isle of Wight festival on Saturday. We will be performing our Simply, Tina Turner Tribute Show on the ElectroLove 80's Stage. Also on Sunday I picked up a last minute gig to cover vocals with Beau at The Phoenix in Copnor. There was a fantastic atmosphere in this venue and we had a great time singing and dancing together. That was a lot of singing for me this weekend so needless to say, I was quite tired when I finally got home Sunday night, but I was also invigorated because I remembered that as a young person just starting out with my musical dreams, my main dream was to do music full time. And now, music is all I do ... either booking it and/or performing it! Dreams do come true!

My weekly ExpressFM show, Glo's Music for the Soul, aired on Sunday night at 10pm and that show was all about 'Blue-Eyed Soul.' I featured Soul music from around the world from Artists who are not Black. I will post that show in next week's update. If you'd like to listen to previous shows, please click here.

Everyday Sunshine

Finally, a big shout out to Everyday Sunshine, one of GME's top Acts who were out doing me proud at a corporate event on Friday afternoon. This Duo is in great demand because of their high-energy performance, diverse repertoire and natural ability to make sure their audience is having a great time. They have some availability left this year, and we are also booking 2016. Please get in touch if you would like to book this or any GME Acts for your next event. We do private parties too.

That's it for this edition. If you're going to the Isle of Wight Festival, I hope to see you at the 80's stage. Otherwise, have a great week.

Artist of the Month - Everyday Sunshine

This dynamic duo gives you a big-band sound, in an affordable two-person act and are in great demand for Weddings, Venues, Corporate and Private Events and Festivals!  

Choosing a band for your special occasion can be difficult so Everyday Sunshine purposely set out to make it easy for you by tailor making each set to your specific environment and audience.

After playing together over a 25 year period, and having success on TV, radio and touring across Europe, Ed and Paul have the experience and know-how to provide the ultimate in musical entertainment.

Everyday Sunshine have painstakingly created and produced each song to make them sound like nothing you've ever heard before and to give that "full band" experience from an exciting and energetic duo. They provide entertainment of the highest standard with one goal in mind - to make everyone, from every generation, get up and dance, and most importantly leave with a smile.

Whether you want a set of up-to-date hits or classic party tunes we are confident that Everyday Sunshine have the songs to ensure that your event will never be forgotten. They can put on a show in any type or size venue. Between performances they can also provide recorded music for a full night's entertainment.

Call Gloria Miller Entertainment today on 02392 280829 to book them for your next event.

Week in Review - 21 November 2014

I am so thankful for a much needed easy week! Not that much to report, so let's dig in! On Monday I attended the Shaping Portsmouth Conference held at The Pyramids in Southsea featuring a fantastic lineup of speakers including the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr. Steven Wylie, Jonathan Goring of Ben Ainslie Racing and Stef Nienaltowski, Chair of Business & Enterprise with Shaping Portsmouth to name a few.

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday of this week I was in the office getting caught up on paperwork, working on Marketing with Creative Click and putting the finishing touches on my radio show, Glo's Music for the Soul, which will be aired on One World Radio next week! Speaking of radio shows, I've been in talks with ExpressFM to start a weekly radio show beginning in January! Watch this space for more details on my new terrestrial show as well as the on-line version!

Also, on Tuesday I had a great rehearsal with my original Soul band, Mayfield in preparation for our show at The Jolly Sailor on Saturday! We'll be debuting our latest song, 'Do What You Want With Me' along with performing songs from our current release, Tempo of Your Soul. I have featured our single, 'Ready, Set, Go!' on the radio show which is one of the new songs going on our second CD, Keep On!

Also thanks to having a light week, I've been able to put the finishing touches on the 60's version of Supremely, Diana Ross which I will be performing on Friday at Rock Zombie in Dudley with Jacqui Carroll of Ready Steady Go! If you're going to be in the Dudley area and you're looking for something to do, why not join us! Click here for more info.

Red Embers

On Saturday, one of Gloria Miller Entertainment's top bands, Red Embers, will be performing at a private event at The Lake Yard Club in Poole. Formed in August 2012, Red Embers are a group of musicians who have a real passion and intimate sensibility for jazz. Still a young band, Red Embers have that passion to succeed, and to make music that moves people by taking old and new tunes and making them their own. I am now taking bookings for Red Embers as well as all of the amazing performers I am blessed to book for! Contact me at 07504 611 173 or email me at gloria@gloriamillermusic.com today to discuss your entertainment for 2015!

Wedding Day 2009

Lastly, I will be exhibiting and performing at the Portsmouth Wedding Show on Sunday at The Pyramids. Sunday is also my 5th Wedding Anniversary ... Neal doesn't know yet that I'm working on our anniversary ... Shhhhh!!

That's it for this week ... have an amazing weekend!