Every couple wants to find a way to make their wedding unique and memorable. Sometimes, this touch is in the details like favors or the menu.
An unforgettable touch could be having celebrity entertainment at your wedding.
We spoke with Bonny Bailey-Finck, owner of P.S. I Love You Productions about their recent experience with having celebrity entertainment Dan & Shay at a Central Florida wedding. This is what Bonny shared:
I had a request from a recent Mother of the Bride.
“I want to do something special for my daughter that she will never expect.”
But she wasn’t sure where to start. “Can you help me?”
Yes, I can, and more than you will ever know.
The first step is always to work with someone who knows what to do and how to handle the booking process. This can include reaching out to agents, negotiating back and forth, and then contracting the talent.
Here are the most important things to know when having celebrity entertainment at your wedding.
How to handle the rider.
A what?
The rider is the requests that the talent wants on-hand during their experience for the client.
Yes, this can include everything from grapefruit water to black stage hand towels. And before you ask, these are important!
Celebrity talent can choose not to go on due to riders not being met. It is in the extremely long contract you probably signed.
Hotels and Transportation
You are responsible for all of it! Where they stay (which usually comes with detailing from the performer’s manager) and what vehicles get them from point A to point B. (If this includes air or water transit, make sure to check if they can be in Coach versus First Class ONLY.)
Dressing/Break Rooms
Yes, these HAVE to happen.
Talent needs a place where they can amp up for the event, change, etc. away from the hustle and bustle of the event itself.
Is this space that you’ve thought about when booking your venue? If not, you’ll need to work with your wedding location to find out what the options are.
Sound Checks
Sound checks are a MUST when dealing with celebrity musical talent.
There is nothing worse than spending money on an act that does not sound like itself. You have to consider this when creating the timeline of when they are going to perform at your wedding.
Equipment Requests
Very seldom, if a celebrity is doing a surprise appearance (or any appearance), they will bring their own gear. That, in turn, means you will be responsible for securing those items for the talent.
If you do not know what a particular item is, ask! There is nothing worse than getting to the sound check to find out you are missing a piece of equipment they need for the performance.
Be Prepared
Celebrities love to post their experience and have fun with it. They are people and people like to have fun!
Take photos, take videos, Instagram and Facebook the crap out of it, because you know they will too. It is good for their image! And they like being seen as the performers that CARE!
The last thing that you want to be worrying about on your wedding day is that the celebrity entertainment has everything that they need. Your friends and family will be busy enjoying your moments. Hire someone with the right experience to make sure the talent is happy and you get the perfect moments you’ve dreamed of.
Photography Provided by Katelynn Carlson Photography
Wedding Venue: Historic Dubsdread Ballroom
About Bonny Bailey-Finck
My career began as a Specialty Events Coordinator for Walt Disney World Entertainment. This included events such as Super Soap Weekends, Star Wars Weekends, and the opening of shows like Lights, Motors, Action & Cinderellabration. Then, I moved over to doing similar work with Universal Studios, assisting the Opening Team of Harry Potter/Hogsmeade and Seasonal Events such as Mardi Gras, Halloween Horror Nights, and Grinchmas. All of that experience has allowed me to meet and greet celebrities and know what goes into hosting them for ANY type of event, including—but not limited to—weddings.
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