The banquet starts: the first courses
From experience gained at many weddings, we do not recommend performing live music during meals.
The high volume disturbs, makes conversation impossible, and especially the poor guests who are seated next to the speakers must endure an annoying sound pressure.
For this reason we suggest our Music Menus, which consist of an extremely varied music compilation CD available in four main styles:
Pop Menu: this is a studied selection of successes, evergreens, varied in genres, styles and eras to meet the tastes of guests of any age. Extremely-pleasing to the ear, the Pop Menu is the perfect choice when the guests are particularly numerous and tastes are very uneven.
Jazz Menu: a fine selection of jazz songs, sung and instrumental, to create a magical and very soft atmosphere. This is suitable for smaller groups or for those that like the genre.
Classic Menu: the most famous arias of the classical repertoire, performed by orchestras or by the most prestigious chamber quartets. This menu is ideal for those who love classical music and want to create an extremely refined and prestigious atmosphere.
Lounge Menu: a unique and refined, modern and at times unconventional. Lounge, chillout, and ambient tracks, follow each other, creating a kind of new electronic age. The music is never invasive and always plays in a controlled background sound and helps to create a young and alternative atmosphere.
Between the first and main courses
At the end of the first course one often finds a break, more or less long, to allow waiters to clear and reset the tables, to replace missing cutlery, and to finish preparing the main courses. This break is when smokers head outside, the children run around the room and often the moment becomes a boring wait. At this stage we intervene musically, with a moment of involvement at a sustained volume, singing famous songs, involving people of all ages.
Time for the main course
For the main course we go back to subtle music; that is we continue with the CD compilation at a low volume and diners can resume eating without being disturbed. For those who want to create a moment of fun with karaoke, we get organised during this phase. During a wedding reception, looking at the layout of the tables and groups of guests, you can easily find natural aggregations that are created on the basis of relationships and friendships. A goal that we set for ourselves is to try to aggregate the guests. At this stage of the reception, an important task takes place: to set up groups of people, without forcing them, who wish to sing and dedicate songs to the newlyweds. We suggest fun songs that are easy to sing, trying to avoid singing soloists (unless specifically requested) and we set up the groups for the next phase: the group karaoke.
At the end of the main course
At the end of the main course the waiters return into action, as they not only have to clear the tables but also to set up for the cutting of the cake. This can last quite a while. Thus the music returns, as we play some famous songs in a more sustained volume. Then we continue with the previously organized group karaoke, which is fun for the sometimes-unusual choice of songs and for the spontaneous interpretations of certain tracks. It’s recreational and it aggregates people. The choice includes more than 400 songs, backing tracks recorded in high quality and available on our laptop, complete with printed lyrics. Sometimes even older relatives get together and sing a few songs from their youth. The result is hilarious.