The Wedding Band Show

Brian Mc Dermott

A wedding podcast by The Brian Mc Dermott Wedding Band set up to help couples find the perfect wedding band for their big day! The show is hosted by Brian Mc Dermott and will include different wedding suppliers each week.

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Top 10 The Wedding Band Show Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Wedding Band Show episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Wedding Band Show for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Wedding Band Show episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Get More Bookings (With Alan Berg)

The Wedding Band Show

03/21/21 • 64 min

Get More Bookings (With Alan Berg)
This is a special episode of The Wedding Band Show because I have an international speaker who has helped countless wedding suppliers around the world improve their wedding businesses!
- Who is Alan Berg?
With more than 25 years in sales, marketing, and sales management, Alan Berg has been called “The Leading International Expert on the Business of Weddings & Events”. He’s the wedding and event industry’s only Certified Speaking ProfessionalTM and one of only 36 Global Speaking Fellows worldwide!
Alan has extensive sales, sales management, and marketing experience ranging from publishing two wedding magazines to Vice President of Sales at The Knot. He’s an Education Expert for WeddingPro and consults for major industry websites in Ireland, Dubai, India, Australia, the UK, as well as countless venues, hotels, bridal shops, planners, entertainers, and more.
Alan has presented in 14 countries, 5 of them in Spanish (which he taught himself), and is the author of 5 books. He speaks to thousands of entrepreneurs and business professionals every year through webinars, live presentations, and on-site sales training.
Here are Alan’s social handles and links:
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/alanberg1
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AlanBergspeaker/
Instagram: @alanberg
Twitter: @alanberg
LinkedIn: @alanberg https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanberg/
Alan’s Website: www.AlanBerg.com
Alan’s Online Shop: www.ShopAlanBerg.com
Alan’s Amazon.com Author’s Page: www.AlanBerg.guru
In this episode, Alan talks about the most common problems he finds with a wedding supplier's website. He explains the four important things you need in place on every website!
- Aspirational Image - You should have images that show the results of hiring you as a Wedding Band or Wedding Supplier
- Talk to a couple about the results - Use the words ‘you’ and ‘your’. What will your wedding band do for the couple that others won't?
- Social Proof - Show reviews from wedding couples who have already had your band perform at their wedding. It’s not always necessary to show the full review but instead use snippets throughout your website.
- Call to action - Nobody can see an entire website page on mobile so you should have a call to action on several parts of your page. Tell a wedding couple what to do after they have checked out your promotional material. Ask them to call you for a quote, email you for details, request a consultation etc.
Pricing On Your Website?
A large wedding website in the USA called WeddingWire recently did a survey and found out 88% of wedding couples are looking for a price before they reach out to a wedding professional! Alan gives advice on how to deal with the issues including the idea of a starting price or price range!
Wedding Advertising?
Every Wedding Industry Professional has suffered significant financial losses in 2020 and 2021 but Alan speaks to the importance of keeping your wedding advertising alive and possibly increasing your investment if possible on sites like WeddingsOnline.ie
How Alan Berg can help your business?
If you have found this episode helpful you really should check out Alan’s website and contact him about a consultation. He has several great offers including very affordable group consultations. His advice has helped me increase my sales and improve my website for new wedding clients!

Blue Moose

The Wedding Band Show

02/13/21 • 20 min

Who are Blue Moose?
On this week's episode of the wedding band show, I chatted with Tony Ward from the Blue Moose band. Tony started Bluemoose about 21 years ago with a friend called Bobby O'Hara. They met while working in a hotel in Wexford and quickly discovered they both had a love for playing music. Shortly after that, they entered a local music competition. They won the competition and left the hotel business behind! Even though the band started out as a covers band they also started to play at weddings from about 2007. Because the Blue Moose fanbase was getting older they now wanted them and as their wedding band!
- Cover band to wedding band?
In recent times there is a very thin line between a cover band and a wedding band, so Blue Moose didn't have to change their set too much. After one bad experience early on the band went into rehearsals and put a wedding set together that would suit all types of crowds. As Tony explains, some bands don't like to play waltzes because they think it's not cool, however, it's always great to have them in case the wedding guests want to waltz on any particular night.
As Brian says, a little waltz mix is always nice to give the rest of the guests a 5-minute break from dancing!
- What kind of music will you get with Blue Moose?
If a couple contacts Blue Moose and asks what type of music do you play, Tony’s answer is usually anything from Abba to AC/DC! The band doesn't have one set that they play every night and they change it up depending on the wedding guests. Tony goes on to say that a wedding band shouldn't hit the crowd hard for the first 30-minutes because then there will be a big lul. It's always better to keep the floor full all night instead of just some busy parts.
Bluemoose has a very broad setlist and in the initial consultation with a wedding couple, Tony or Bobby get a good feel for the music they want at their wedding. Tony and Brian both agree that one of the most important jobs for any wedding band is to read the crowd!
- Blue Moose Showcases?
Because of the current situation wedding couples are finding it hard to view wedding bands live. One great thing about Blue Moose is that they recorded some live wedding showcases a few years ago. This means that any bride or groom can hear precisely what the Band sounds like even without seeing them live!
- Blue Moose Wedding Packages?
As well as the live band Blue Moose now offers an all-day wedding package. They introduced this package in 2020 and it runs from the ceremony music up until the disco.
They bring in a female vocalist for the ceremony music. The drinks reception is an acoustic set with guitar, piano, sax, and clarinet. You can even add percussion and bass too if you’d prefer. Another option on the Bluemoose all-day package is to include a sax player with the DJ set.
- How to contact Blue Moose?
For information on Blue Moose use these links,
Website - https://www.bluemoose.ie/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr8uTwqw-Nt23WbxfdSf7-w
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bluemooseband
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bluemooseband/
To find out more information about The Brian Mc Dermott Band use these links,
Wedding Band - https://thebrianmcdermottband.ie/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebrianmcdermottband/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brian_mc_dermott/
Video Work - https://pixelproductions.ie/

Eilish Egan from Ballina Blossoms

The Wedding Band Show

11/10/20 • 25 min

Eilish Egan from VIP Weddings & Ballina Blossoms

In this episode of The Wedding Band show, I caught up with Eilish Egan from VIP weddings and the new Ballina Blossoms. Eilish is based in Enniscrone Co.Sligo and has been providing wedding decor in the area for several years. In June 2020 she opened a flower shop that caters to weddings, funerals, Christmas, and all special occasions.

How has the lockdown changed her business?

Because of the current lockdown, she explains that couples have cut back on the decor for the ceremony and reception. She is hopeful that it will come around again and she believes that people are going to spend more money on high-quality wedding items in the future.

Eilish has worked at several weddings under the current restrictions and is finding that bouquet preservation is extremely popular these days. This is where she takes back the bouquet the day after the wedding, dries it out, and gives it back to the bride in a frame that makes the perfect keepsake.

Most of Eilish's weddings for December 2020 have moved but she is actually booked out from March 2021.

Ballina Blossom's business model!

Her new business model with the flower shop is focused on delivery because she realised that some guys might be shy about collecting a bouquet of flowers in the middle of a town.

She also launched her handmade silk wreaths on the 1st of November.

Flower trend for 2021?

When it comes to wedding trends, Eilish believes that green and white may still be the most popular colour for another year and that blossom trees may not be as popular in 2021.

In her own opinion, she thinks that smaller weddings can do a lot more on the decor side and that sometimes with a bigger crowd couples have to stretch themselves too much. You really can have that amazing Pinterest wedding with a smaller guest list!

On a positive note,

The best thing to come out of 2020 for Eilish has been some extra time off especially in May and June when she could enjoy the sunshine!

For information on VIP Weddings or Ballina Blossoms use these links,

Wedding Decor - https://myvipwedding.ie/

Ballina Blossoms - https://ballinablossoms.ie/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ballinablossomsmayo/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ballina_blossoms/

To find out more information about The Brian Mc Dermott Band use these links,

Wedding Band - https://thebrianmcdermottband.ie/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebrianmcdermottband/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brian_mc_dermott/

Video Work - https://pixelproductions.ie/

A Christmas Message 2020

The Wedding Band Show

12/24/20 • 1 min

End of year message!

Hi everybody I hope you're keeping well just wanted to put out a short podcast to wish everybody Happy Christmas and a great New Year from everyone at The Brian Mc Dermott Band.

It's definitely been a weird year and has had a really bad effect on a lot of businesses especially in the wedding industry but hopefully, things will be back to normal in the next 6 months.

I want to say a big thank you to all the wedding couples who have us booked and in fairness, every one of the couples who has had to move their wedding has been super nice to deal with. To any of the couples who are having their wedding in the first half of 2021, my advice would be to see what January brings and get in touch then if you think you might need to move again. Hopefully, this Christmas lockdown and vaccine arriving will mean that bigger numbers can happen in early 2021.

We are still working away behind the scenes or a few projects and we have a new song that we're going to release in January, we're just trying to think of a video idea.

The wedding band show will also be back in January, I was hoping to get a few more episodes in before the end of the year but it’s just super busy on the video side with Pixel Productions.

I don't like putting out the episodes just for the sake of it...I prefer to plan the episodes so we get to learn more about the guests!
I want to also say a big thanks to the guys in the band Kiev, Mick, Marie & Miki...It's been a terrible year but they’re still always ready to help and do everything they can.

Have a great Christmas and here's to an amazing 2021, Brian

Scruffy Duffy of SD Entertainment

The Wedding Band Show

02/26/20 • 14 min

On this episode of The Wedding Band Show, I sat down with Scruffy Duffy (Martin Duffy) to chat about his wedding entertainment company SD Entertainment.

Scruffy Duffy is a well-known Wedding DJ based in Sligo, Ireland and has been performing for weddings for almost 25 years. He provides many different wedding packages and services including Celebrant, Wedding Meal Show, Full Wedding Disco and much more.

Martin Duffy is a fully qualified Marry Me Ireland Celebrant and goes under the name Martin Anthony Wedding Celebrant. He can provide the music for the ceremony and encourages couples to choose uplighting songs. He can also include the Wine Box Ceremony. This is where couples write down their feelings and thoughts on the run-up to the big day. They seal them in the box with a bottle of wine and open it on their first wedding anniversary!

The Scruffy Duffy Meal Show is a new concept created by Martin and he is the only entertainer in Ireland providing the service. Because Martin was once a Chef he has designed the show so it doesn’t affect the meal and is perfectly timed around each venue. This high energy show is a fun way to add something different to your wedding. It suits all ages and includes a Sing-Off, Love Quiz, Fun Fashion Show and Lip Sync Battle. Martin says it is like the wedding couple is watching a concert during the meal.

Scruffy Duffy also explains about the 4 ways in which you can do your wedding speeches including, before you enter the room, video speeches, after the first coarse or the more traditional way, after the meal! Because SD Entertainment always sets up the equipment before the meal all of these options are available to the wedding couple.

Another service offered by Scruffy Duffy and SD Entertainment is a Full Wedding DJ Package.

This is a longer disco starting from your first dance and replaces the need for a wedding band.

To find out more information about Scruffy Duffy & SD Entertainment you can visit these links;

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DJ-Scruffy-Duffy-104716809562265/

Website: http://scruffyentertainment.ie/

Phone: 0868216484

For more information about The Brian Mc Dermott Band;

Website: https://www.thebrianmcdermottband.ie/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian_mc_dermott/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebrianmcdermottband/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebrianmcdband

Booking A Wedding Band Online

The Wedding Band Show

03/11/21 • 19 min

Booking A Wedding Band Online?

On this episode of The Wedding band Show show, I talk about the best way to book a wedding band online and important things to look out for. I’m joined again by Aobh Pollard from Electric Blue Band.

Where to start your search?

Because wedding couples can't get to see bands in a live situation the next question is where should they start their search. Aobh thinks that if she was starting out her search for a wedding band the first place she would go would be Google. In general, Facebook is saturated with wedding bands and it's very hard to narrow down your search to find the best ones.

One thing that Brian has against the Facebook groups is that when somebody is looking for a band there are far too many replies. Aobh also has a social media and advertising background and she finds Facebook groups very frustrating.

Wedding Band Association
(https://weddingbandassociation.ie/)

The wedding band Association is another website that they would recommend as a starting point when looking for a band online. The Wedding Band Association also has a deposit transfer scheme in place which means other bands will take on a booking without the couple having to pay a second deposit.

Important things to look for!

All Wedding Bands look similar online so what are a few different things you should look for to find the best ones? Brian always tells couples to seek out live videos as much as possible and particularly videos that involve guests dancing on the dance floor. Aobh always prefers to get couples to an Electric Blue Showcase because she doesn't think videos do a live band any justice and can't capture the atmosphere. She understands that wedding bands need promo videos but in reality, bands can sound completely different live.

What about wedding industry awards?

Electric Blue also joined One Fab Day and Weddingsonline in 2021 and is actually up for an award with Weddingsonline. Aobh admits that they invested a lot in the media build but she is delighted with the way it has boosted the band's profile. Brian thinks that awards should be taken with a pinch of salt and they both agree that the only way to judge a band is by a live performance.

For information on the Electric Blue Wedding Band use these links,

Website - https://electricblue.ie/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4ETToWYhMWSyemgO-WmpHg

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ElectricBlueirl/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/electricblueirl/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/ElectricblueIRL

To find out more information about The Brian Mc Dermott Band use these links,

Wedding Band - https://thebrianmcdermottband.ie/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebrianmcdermottband/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brian_mc_dermott/

Video Work - https://pixelproductions.ie/

Moving Your Wedding Date

The Wedding Band Show

02/21/21 • 17 min

How to move your wedding suppliers to a new date...with Blue Moose
On this episode of The Wedding Band Show, I talked with Tony Ward from Blue Moose Wedding Band about the easiest way to move your wedding suppliers to a new date!
The first step?
So if you are a wedding couple that has to move your wedding because of restrictions what's the first thing you should do? Tony breaks down the three categories of wedding couples.
- 6 Wedding Guest
The first category is couples who want to go ahead with the wedding even if there are only 6 guests. In this case, they won’t want live music and should just contact their band to inform them of the cancellation. Usually, this means that you lose your deposit.
- 25 to 50 Wedding Guests
The second category is people who are waiting to see if 25 or 50 guests will be allowed. The best thing to do in this case is to wait until the next official announcement. It's not a bad idea to have a ‘Plan B’ in place in case the restrictions are not lifted in time.
- 100+ Wedding Guests
The third category is couples who just want to postpone and don't want the stress of worrying about their guest list numbers. In this situation, the best advice is to go to your venue first and get a list of four or five available dates. Once you have the available dates Tony suggests you send one email by cc’ing all your wedding suppliers on it.
Then all you have to do is sit back and wait for the replies. Once every supplier has emailed you back you can look at everybody's available dates and move to do date that most of your suppliers are available for. One major advantage to this is that you get to keep most of your preferred suppliers that you've already worked hard to source. You also won't lose as much money in terms of deposits which are usually non-refundable!
The wrong way to move a wedding date?
The alternative to this is to pick one date and then email every supplier individually to check they're available. In this case, there is a great chance that you are going to lose some of your preferred wedding suppliers and also deposits! It also means that you have to go back to stage 1 and research wedding suppliers who are available for your new date.
Wedding Band Association Deposit Scheme
Blue Moose is also a member of the Wedding Band Association which means that if they are not available for your new date your original deposit can be transferred over to another band in the WBA. https://weddingbandassociation.ie/
A Wedding Band For 25 Guests?
On the point of wedding couples worrying about having a band for 25 guests Tony still recommends that you should have bands when it's allowed. He explained that if it's a case of a budget problem because you're having a smaller wedding just talk to your suppliers and they might be able to help you out. He is also aware of the fact that everybody thinks of Blue Moose as a big rock band but they will adapt to suit a smaller crowd.
How to contact Blue Moose?
For information on Blue Moose use these links,
Website - https://www.bluemoose.ie/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr8uTwqw-Nt23WbxfdSf7-w
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bluemooseband
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bluemooseband/
To find out more information about The Brian Mc Dermott Band use these links,
Wedding Band - https://thebrianmcdermottband.ie/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebrianmcdermottband/
Instagram -

Wedding Band set up and start time?

The Wedding Band Show

03/04/20 • 12 min

What time should your Wedding Band start? (Irish Wedding)

On this week’s episode of The Wedding Band Show, I sat down with Dave & Gavan from the Hi-Fi Wedding Band to chat about Wedding Band set up times in Ireland.

If you are planning a wedding in Ireland it is great to have an idea of what to expect when it comes to your Wedding Band setting up and the expected start time.

Hi-fi wedding band arrives at 7:30 pm or 8 pm depending on how well they know the venue. If it’s a wedding venue the band hasn’t performed in before then they will arrive early to allow extra time for setting up and soundcheck.

Gavan explained that he would feel anxious not being at a venue early and he always wants to allow time to get into his ‘rockstar mode’ to put on the best show for the wedding couple!

He also mentioned that if a wedding band arrives at 9 pm but the room has been ready since about 8 pm there is almost an hour of silence which is not a nice situation at any wedding reception!

Dave says that the Hi-Fi Wedding Band can be set up in 25 minutes at an extreme rush but this would be only for an emergency. Because the band has no backline it means they can be ready for a first dance in about 45 minutes at a regular wedding. Also similar to The Brian Mc Dermott Band, Hi-Fi Wedding Band uses a digital mixing console which means each wedding venue’s sound requirements can be saved and recalled in seconds. This avoids the need for lengthy soundchecks!

One other factor that can delay a band from setting up is if the top table is on the floor and the venue needs to erect a stage. This is usually a safer option for the band so always allow time for this to happen.

Some tips to speed up your wedding bands set up time,

Ask your venue to make clearing the top table the main priority after the meal.
If your wedding photographer is still at the venue ask him to bring the guests from the top table to a different area for a few pictures.
Make sure the venue has good access for the band.
In general, we find speeches after the meal helps the kitchen run smoother and makes for a more definitive end to the meal.

To sum up, we recommend that you ask your Wedding Band to arrive for 8 pm and for you to allow 1 hour from standing up from the top table to walking back onto the Dance Floor for your first dance. Be very conscious that if your speeches run late your band will have a later start time!

To find out more information about the Hi-Fi wedding band you can visit these links;

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hifisligo/

Website: https://www.hifiband.ie/

For more information about The Brian Mc Dermott Band;

Website: https://www.thebrianmcdermottband.ie/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian_mc_dermott/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebrianmcdermottband/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebrianmcdband

How much does a wedding band cost?

The Wedding Band Show

02/04/20 • 6 min

How much does a wedding band cost in Ireland?
On today's episode of The Wedding Band Show I sat down with Allen Neilan from The Heebie Jeebies Band to discuss how much you should allow in your budget for a great wedding band.
Wedding surveys from 2018;
As a guide we looked at some recent wedding surveys in Ireland and found that Confetti.ie had the average price of a wedding band at €2041, Weddingsonline.ie had the average price at €2165 and OneFabDay had a guide price range from €2000 to €3000.
In our opinion, most great wedding bands are indeed averaging between €2000 to €3000 and there are many different factors which can change the price up or down.
What’s included in a wedding band quote?
Wedding bands in Ireland are all completely different so a few things to consider are;
How many members are in the band?
Some wedding bands might have 3 members and use backing tracks while other bands might have 8 members all performing live.
Does your quote include travel?
This is important when looking at quotes as sometimes it may be a hidden extra.
Does your wedding band have good quality equipment and backup?
Audio equipment can sometimes fail so you should always ask your wedding band about their backup equipment in the case of an emergency.
Has your band got public liability insurance?
Another factor which can sometimes increase the price is if a wedding band has public liability insurance. Most bands do and it is usually a sign of a professional band.
How long does the band perform?
Some wedding bands in Ireland have a strict cut off point so you need to make sure they will still perform even if your wedding runs a little later than planned.
Budgeting for a wedding band
When you’re planning your wedding we both agree you should allow approx €2000 for a great professional wedding band in Ireland.
One thing to remember is you can't always judge a band on price alone! Sometimes a few hundred euro can make a massive difference and guarantee a full dance floor on the night of your wedding!
The Brian Mc Dermott Band
Website: https://www.thebrianmcdermottband.ie/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brian_mc_dermott/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebrianmcdermottband/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebrianmcdband
The Heebie Jeebies Band
Website: http://theheebiejeebiesband.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theheebiejeebiesband

Hot Fuss Wedding Band

The Wedding Band Show

04/18/21 • 32 min

In this episode, I had a great chat with Mark Kennedy from the wedding band Hot Fuss.

Mark is the bass player in the band and also sings.
Hot Fuss is a Galway-based wedding band and most of the band live in Portumna. The band recently won an award from WeddingsOnline.ie and have been performing at weddings since about 2010. The band plays all over Ireland and Mark explains that their most regular area to cover is probably Cork & Kerry. The band was set up originally as a pub band and over the years have transformed into a wedding band.
As Mark claims, Hot Fuss really are Irelands Top Number One Premier Wedding Band 😁

Hot Fuss Set List Style
Mark talks about how Hot Fuss always tries to find a balance in their setlist so that they can appeal to crowds on the cover scene but also have full dancefloors when they perform at weddings. The band usually play about 30 minutes of Jives and Waltzes at the beginning of a wedding but this can always change depending on the crowd. Hot Fuss also has the ability to perform a 2-hour rock set if needed. Mark also says that you need to give the crowd credit because most of the older guests still appreciate well-performed rock and disco classics and they will enjoy them as much as jives and waltzes. The other thing to consider is that young people will Jive at weddings if the songs are played well!

Hot Fuss has performed at hundreds of weddings so Mark recommends that a couple should relax and let the band do what they do best which will keep the dancefloor full all night.

You can find the episode that Mark references about learning the first dance here!

Hot Fuss Band Wedding Packages 2021

Hot Fuss Band has several different wedding packages available. Because Mark also has a one-man show he can provide the music for the drinks reception at a wedding. The band can also include a disco and Johnny the guitar player is also a professional wedding DJ.

Another option which has become popular is Mark Kennedy performing his one-man show instead of a disco. In this scenario, all the wedding guests can move back to the hotel bar after the band, relax and join in on a singsong if they wish. It’s a great idea and would work great for Irish weddings with smaller crowd sizes.

Hot Fuss Wedding Band Reviews

You can check out real reviews from wedding couples of the Hot Fuss Wedding Band HERE

For information on the Hot Fuss Wedding Band use these links,

Website - https://www.hotfussband.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HotFussBand

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/hotfussband

Email - [email protected]

Call - 0868225296

To find out more information about The Brian Mc Dermott Band use these links,

Wedding Band - https://thebrianmcdermottband.ie/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebrianmcdermottband/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brian_mc_dermott/