Sandy Vine And The Midnights - FAQ Weddings & Private Events

Brides, (Grooms, Partners, Parents and Wedding Planning Professionals) - please take a moment to read this as it may answer some of your questions about booking Sandy Vine And The Midnights for your wedding reception: 

  • "How long have you been performing?  How much experience do you have playing at weddings?"

I was 13 when I first started performing and 15 when I turned professional and started performing at weddings. At that time, I auditioned for a local band and brought something to it that helped us all become a very popular group in our wedding market. After 7 years I decided to go out on my own as a bandleader and have not looked back since. Sandy Vine And The Midnights is now in its 34th year of performance having done thousands of events over the years. 

  • "We love your services and your portfolio. Everything looks and sounds fantastic…Can you tell me what sets you apart from all the other bands?"

Part of what sets us apart from other bands in the area is our positive attitude and commitment to a great evening for our clients and their guests. There is truth in the fact that the entertainment you hire will MAKE or BREAK your party so we always have to be at the top of our game. With weddings you get one crack at it. 

Weddings are also our specialty and not every band can say that. A great wedding band has to be able to please all types of people with all styles of music and also have the experience to do it in a way that works to keep everyone happy. Ever been to a wedding where the music played left the dance floor empty? Did you feel like getting up to dance with nobody there? Probably not. Nothing kills a reception faster than an empty dance floor so we don’t let that happen to you. We can quickly change our musical direction on the fly so that the floor is always busy. A full dance floor creates energy in the room and helps to give momentum to the party so that guests WANT to stay longer. 

Being able to give the wedding couple and their families and friends a fun and positive experience at this wonderful celebration in their lives is very important to us. Although the band really does enjoy doing what we do, the wedding reception is not about us - it’s about YOUR experience for the day.  We are there to help make your night one to remember.

  • "This all sounds so wonderful, but it all seems so expensive. Are we going to be able to afford this?" 

In the overall budget of a wedding, our band is one of those expenses that pays for itself many times over by the fact that your guests are going to want to stay longer with our music to celebrate and to dance the night away with you. To be honest, you may not realize what our real value is until AFTER you’ve had the experience of using us at your reception so we suggest you visit our testimonials page to get a feel from clients who have hired us in the past.  

If nothing else just remember two things:  

1. Our live music can be involved in 80% (or more) of your reception evening and you will be getting a customized live music concert experience to share together with your guests. A full dance floor in front of the band with EVERYONE enjoying themselves will be priceless.  

2. All the elements of a wedding are important in their own way, especially if they are important to you. But let’s face it, no one ever had a good time dancing to a cake. Live music at your wedding is special and who wouldn’t want something special on their wedding day? 

  • "With whom do you work best?"

Our favourite weddings are those that have a wide variety of age groups attending. If the music needs to please everyone from your youngest friends right up to your oldest relatives then this is the band for you. We love crowds who like to dance to everything because we perform a variety of songs that will please all. It is very satisfying to see 3 or 4 generations of people all dancing together on the same songs. 

We are also very sensitive to audiences who appreciate not getting hit with extremely loud volume levels. Our approach is to perform in a way that creates enough energy for the dance floor, but still allows for normal conversation at the guest table. The party then stays in the room and guests stay longer because they can enjoy the comfortable volume. 

  • "Do you have backup equipment? What happens if one of your musicians gets sick?"

We have access to a backup audio system if for some reason something were to go wrong. Rest assured that we do maintain our quality equipment and in 30+ years of performing have never had a system go down. 

Our band carries the same tight group of musicians to all functions. However musicians are human and can become ill, or have rare unavoidable matters come up that may prohibit them from performing. We have access to the best musicians in our area and if necessary will replace a sick musician with another experienced performer who will do an excellent job and fit in seamlessly. 

In all the years of performing I have never cancelled due to my own sickness. I once had to hire a replacement vocalist (at my own cost) due to the severe laryngitis I contracted, but I still performed the evening on keyboards and led the band as normal. 

  • "Will you work well with the other vendors at our wedding?"

In our Niagara area we’ve had the pleasure to work with some of the finest professionals in the wedding business. Photographers, videographers, wedding planners, officiants, catering and venue staff interact with us directly in order to help coordinate your reception in the best way. I personally make it a point to touch base with all involved on site so that we can work together to create the best possible flow for the evening.

It’s also a privilege to be featured on many wedding venue pages as a preferred supplier. We go out of our way to ensure that the trust from another vendor is made good in our performance and representation to their clients.

  • "Do you carry liability insurance?"

Yes we do. Most reception venues insist on it from the outside vendors. 

  • "Do you take requests?"

Of course - in fact, we encourage it! There is nothing more satisfying to us than being able to belt out a request that fills the dance floor. If we don't know a particular request, then we'll at least try to perform something along the same style or from the same artist. 

  • "How long do you play? How many breaks do you take?"

Usually, clients will book a four hour block of time for the dance portion of an evening (e.g. 9pm-1am, 8pm-12am). We prefer to do longer sets to get everyone pumped on the dance floor, and they typically last between 90 -120 minutes in a NON STOP format. "NON STOP" music means that we perform songs seamlessly - one into another so that the dance floor is always moving. No awkward pauses - no idle chatter - just lots of dance music! 

One or two (max.) breaks are the norm for the dance portion. The scheduling of your evening will dictate when a break is taken. We can provide recorded music for all breaks. 

You are not limited to a four hour block by any means. Music is available through dinner and the cocktail hour if needed. If preferred, the entire band can be hired to perform music for dancing through the dinner hour. We can customize an evening of music based on your specific requirements. 

  • "How does the band dress?"

Some events (weddings, for example) require us to dress formally. Others may assume a business-casual approach (e.g. button down shirt and slacks). Yet other more casual events may prefer us in jeans and loud Hawaiian shirts. 

Be ASSURED that the band will be dressed appropriately for your event. We will confirm all of these details when you book an event with us. 

  • "This sounds like everything we’ve been looking for. What is the next step to start the booking process?"

Next step is to call or email us to set up a complimentary consultation. I want to hear more about your needs to see if we are a good match and to fit the best package that suits your personality, style and budget. You can also get an online quote and if all looks good, we can do the entire contract process online.

  • "Can we get references of past weddings to see what it’s like to work with you?"

You can view some client testimonials and wedding reviews here. 

  • "We still have a few more questions to ask. Can I call you to discuss further questions I may have?"

Absolutely, in fact we prefer a phone call so that we can get all your questions answered quickly and most importantly make sure that we are a great fit for one another. Contact info is below and you can also email me to discuss your needs.