Need help with wedding entertainment? Come and visit us!

Planning your wedding? Come down to these wedding fayres to get inspiring ideas and great wedding advice. It's a great way to speak to various suppliers and find the best wedding deals.

We will be exhibiting and on hand to help with any entertainment needs. Come down to either of these fayres to visit us and you can pick up your £50 off voucher for any entertainment that you book with us!

Uckfield Civic Centre - Saturday 21st February 2015
The Civic Centre, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 1AE

The wedding fayre is open from 11am - 2:30pm. There will also be goody bags for bride to be's. Free entry. For more information you can call 01825 747791.

East Sussex National Golf Resort - Sunday 22nd February 2015
Little Horsted, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 5ES

We will be there along with over 30 local exhibitors. You can enjoy a glass of free bubbly and canapes when you arrive. The wedding fayre is open from 11am - 3pm. Free entry.

For further information you can email weddings@eastsussexnational.co.uk

www.loadstarentertainment.co.uk

Ways to propose on Valentines Day!

With Valentines Day fast approaching you might be thinking of popping the question to your loved one. Here are a few ways to help you get inspired for the occasion!

Go full circle

Do you have a place where you first met? Take you partner along on a surprise date and remind them of how you first met. Then all you have to do is get down on one knee and pop the question!

Get back to nature

Sometimes it's great to get away from it all and find a local beauty spot to visit. You could take a romantic picnic with champagne, strawberries or favourite treat. You can relax, talk, take in the view and when you are ready...

Get on the big screen!

Cinemas usually display ads before films. You can see if your local cinema will play a 'will you marry me?' ad before the screening you are going to see. This probably means spending some money so just make sure you aren't late!

Sky is the limit

If you are going away on holiday over Valentines you can ask to make an announcement on the plane and then celebrate all the way to your destination!

Early riser!

While your partner is still asleep you can quietly slip the ring on their finger and then wake them with a romantic breakfast. When they notice the ring you can then propose!

Life is like a box of chocolates...

Get your partner their favourite box of chocolates and creatively remove a few pieces and place the ring box in its place. They will get a lovely surprise and also a great tasting desert!

For the bookworm

Another hidden surprise idea. Get a copy of the book your partner is currently reading and cut out a space in the pages to hide the ring box and write your message across the page.

Plain and simple

A straightforward but romantic way is to make your partner an amazing home cooked meal and when they arrive home have your message spelled out in rose petals or even candles. Just don't burn everything down!

A trail of love

Send your partner on a treasure hunt which visits places you have both been to. At the end of the hunt you are waiting for them on one knee!

Hopefully these ideas will help make your proposal something to remember!

www.loadstarentertainment.co.uk

How much does a wedding band cost?

With so many choices you can end up with a whole bunch of different quotes for wedding bands. Weddings can be very expensive so we have put together a handy price guide on bands to help you manage your entertainment budget.

What affects the price?

Several things affect the price of hiring a wedding band. Size is often the main factor as it is generally more expensive for a bigger line-up than a smaller one. Also the location, performance times and reputation can affect the price.

What should you expect to pay for wedding bands?

6+ piece bands - £1300 upwards
3 - 5 piece bands - between £600 - £1100
Solo & Duos - between £250 - £400

You may find bands that charge as low as £300 for a wedding. This is usually a sign of an amateur band that aren't made up of professional musicians. It may sound great at first but as with most things you do get what you pay for. With professional bands you get experienced, quality musicians who do play for a living. This makes sure you are guaranteed the best live music on your big day.

Location

The location of the band will determine what travel costs there are (if any). If the band is travelling a long way to get to you then there will be costs of travel and even costs for overnight accommodation. It makes sense to book a band that is within a reasonable distance to save on any travel costs.

Timings and Reputation

With most wedding receptions being in the evening typical prices for bands are based around this. The most common timings are a band arriving at 6pm and finishing before or at midnight with their performance happening between 8-11pm. Some bands will charge more for a later finish or an early arrival. There are bands that have gained a reputation for being at the top of their profession which means you may find they are slightly more than a comparable band.

So we hope this has helped you, especially for when you are putting together your wedding budget and avoid any nasty surprises when booking your wedding band.

www.loadstarentertainment.co.uk

Getting married in Sussex? Check out some of these great wedding venues.

With 2015 just around the corner it is a time most people are starting to think about their wedding plans. Sussex has a range of beautiful country venues and surrounding the county are the coastal highlights such as Brighton and the Seven Sisters.

Depending on what type of wedding you are thinking of Sussex has plenty of options whether its a country barn or a 5 star hotel. We have put together a few to help inspire your search for your perfect wedding venue.

Follow Loadstar Entertainment 's board Wedding Venues in Sussex on Pinterest.

www.loadstarentertainment.co.uk

10 things to think about when booking your wedding band.

Book Early

Most bands will get booked up over 12 months in advance so booking early will ensure that your entertainment is secured. Take advantage of our 5% discount when you book a year ahead.

Budget

With weddings costing from £10,000 to £50,000 top wedding planners suggest that you budget around 10% for your entertainment. We can cater for large or small budgets whether its a solo act for your ceremony or a full 10 piece band for your evening reception.

Sound

All bands are equipment with professional sound and lighting to create the best sound and atmosphere. If your venue has a sound limiter our acts are able to adjust their sound to suit the venues requirements.

Style

Which band do you book? You may want a jazz band to suit your 1940's style themed wedding? A tribute of your favourite singer? One of the most popular options is a band that has a cross section of popular music to suit everyone's taste and ensure that your guests are up and on the dance floor. 

Space

Does the venue have a suitable space for the band to perform in? For a 4-5 piece band you would typically need a space of around 8m x 4m. For larger line-ups you would need more. As part of our service we can liase with the venue to make sure there is adequate space for your band.

Interval Music
Bands are able to provide interval music through their system to fill in the breaks, before and after their performance. This is a great way to include some of your favourite songs in addition to the bands repertoire. You can get together a playlist and have the band include this or you can plug your own ipod or music player into the bands system to be used instead.

Arrival & Setup
Most bands will need 1.5hrs to setup and soundcheck. It is worth thinking about timings for when the band can access the venue so they are setup and ready before guests arrive. 

First Dance
Depending on your choice of band most can learn and perform your chosen song making your first dance extra special. 

Hospitality
Wedding bands normally require somewhere to change and have some food provided for each member as they are there for the duration of the evening, especially if they are required to arrive early.

Communication

It is vital to let the band know if there are any changes e.g change in timings, performance lengths etc. Our service ensures all the small details are taken care of so that you wedding entertainment runs smoothly.

www.loadstarentertainment.co.uk