Music/Entertainment Options HELP ME!!!

[DisneyBride1207]

So, I have read all there is to read in Passporter, asked DFTW, etc. etc. and basically all they say is to wait until my PS to go over ideas...

I have this really interesting/weird concept for our reception music/entertainment. So, we have this place call Bobby McKey's in National Harbour, Maryland. It's a dueling piano bar - and I TOTALLY want to have this vibe for our wedding reception. We are having a small group of about 40-50 guests, and we are not traditional by any means...and we're not feeling the whole DJ vibe, but for maybe just a few fun dance songs....how do we go about this...? if DJ is $1500 and musician another bajillion...how do we work this out? Yes, we do need to have dance music for the later part of the reception...but what then do we do for the ceremony? have three separate music options?? I would love to hear ideas/opinions/thoughts/recommendations! the voices inside my head are arguing! We also want to mix in some "uninvited guests" as a surprise for our guests.

We prefer a guitar or some other non-traditional musician for the ceremony...any ideas?

We are Sea Breeze Point and Living Seas...followed by DP in Epcot...

 

[BecBennett]

Not really what you're asking, but Jelly Rolls is a duelling piano bar, we're planning on going there after our reception.

You could always have your guitar for your ceremony and pre-reception, DJ for your reception, and then head over to Jelly Rolls to finish the night

Could be a cheaper option...

 

[DisneyBride1207]

thanks BecBennett! We are trying to come up with a DJ alternative - we are having a "small" guest total for our wedding, so we are wanting to do more entertainment style music that has a more intimate feel to it.

So, I think I came up with a solution...but now I am hoping for some feedback from a bride that has done this before...

ukulele for our beachy theme ceremony at SBP, ukulele at the cocktail hour - then dueling pianos (or maybe just one) for the reception, followed by a DP in Epcot. I know ukulele and dueling pianos are like two totally different moods, but we are going to make it work! hehe

I am also curious about pricing of the option to have dueling pianos instead of the traditional one piano for weddings...

(we had to postpone our disney wedding so we haven't been given back over to a planner yet, so hopefully within the next month or two we will get down to the nitty gritty in details!)

 

[sambycat]

gather your ideas, read the boards and peruse the options disne presents in terms of generral pricing and all. i KNOW how freaky it is too have things (and budget!) all up in the air, but you can get more options figured out o bring to the PS. we knew yehaa bob, for example, from many park visits. because of this, when we had the idea, i sent him a message on facebook, then we started emailing - just trying to get an idea if it was something he would do and if it was something he could do.

we talked to him and he made some contacts with DFTW himself so that we had some informal plans in place way before our PS. i think this was partly due to him being a disney CM, but this could also work against it because i imagine there is some kind of description in the contracts of various disney CM that limits what they can and can't do on property, off property and probably as to what might constitute persuing a contract on property with a guest - if you can get what i am trying to say. so we were trying to check it out with him. he spoke to whomever, and what we ended up doing was paying him directy ourselves and renting/paying for disney to provide the piano and a couple other things he needed support wise. i believe it was less expensive then what it would have been if we went entirely through DFTW. i'm sure he got more $ than if we hired him through DFTW - i HOPE! so if that is what you are interested in, google is your friend and i would try and suss out my fave performers - maybe even hire one to do entertainment! i think it would be fun - but again, we went for bob as the main entertainment - or the reception would have been 8 hours long!!

anyway, as i said on your other post, investigate! can you find out if there is a paiano somewhere in the living seas! i think this is the part that will be tough! our room area already had a piano there! unless you want dueling keyboards in which case maybe the folks can bring their own and plug in! that pre-planning proposla deal (at least the one we got at the onset of things) has a lot of general pricing, but i would say it is generally inaccurate!! i like your ukelele idea, then what about just DJ option for reception, then desert party? now, i am old, but i don't know if i could fully enjoy jellyrolls after such a big and long day AND dessert party! but what about the night before (i would drink too much wine though because i am untrustworthy that way) or as a welcome event or the night after - assuming people are still around? jellyrolls does have a cover charge and no food though!

 

[DisneyBride1207]

wow, lots of helpful info! LSS does have a piano, so that helps a bit! I will definitely take your advice and use it to help me in planning this complex idea!

 

[princess lil]

What a great idea! I have to say, seeing this made me want to reconsider my own dinner music. And it sounds like you've got a lot good advice already. If you're still looking for some dancing music for the reception, you could always consider using an ipod. It is more time intensive since you have to make the playlist, but the rental fee is so much less then a DJ; and if the dueling pianos are the really important part to you guys, it could be worth it.