Say “I Do” to good sound.
Here at Four Folk, we know A LOT goes into planning your wedding. We are saying goodbye to old traditions and saying hello to personalised and unique modern ways; whether this is through the stories your celebrant will tell, the vows that you create together, speeches from your father in law that has one too many “Dad Jokes” or curating a playlist for your day that you know will get your guests pumping (did someone say “Mr Brightside”?). All of these personalised details are beautiful but without sounding too upfront - if no one can hear these beautiful unique touches then what is the point!? In amongst the hustle and bustle of the florals, the food, the wedding attire (we feel exhausted just thinking about it!), sometimes there are little details that get put on the back burner that can actually make or break the experience of your wedding and one of these is sound! In our opinion, there is nothing worse than not being able to hear someone speak or having a sound system that just doesn’t cut the mustard and this goes for both the ceremony and reception.
So… Why is sound so important for your ceremony?
Without sounding too dramatic… It is the soundtrack to the biggest day of your life. There is so much planning and choosing that goes into the ceremony that requires good sound. From the celebrant you pick that just “gets who you are” as a couple, the readings you will have, the vows that you have chosen to declare to each other, and even down to the music you play in the processional, recessional or while you are signing your certificate. Whether you have a guest list of 20 or 200 we want to hear all of these special moments loud and clear, your guests want to share those moments with you, and to stand with you as you declare your love! Sound at your ceremony is important.
And what about the reception?
The embarrassing stories from the siblings + the tear-jerking speeches from the parents + the questionable content from your bridal party = SPEECHES. Sound with speeches will not only affect your guests but will also affect you as a couple. We understand that public speaking isn’t everyone’s cup of tea so a microphone allows you and your guests to hear the stories, engage in the jokes and it doesn’t matter if someone is softly spoken or if it is Uncle Joe who has a booming voice that you can hear halfway home - the point is, with good sound you can hear every speech!
And let’s not forget that good sound is NEEDED for the d-floor. Whether it is turning up the bass on “Single Ladies” to get the bridesmaids up, hearing the sweet twang of Neil Diamond’s guitar as you crank up the crowd favourite “Sweet Caroline”, getting sassy to TLC’s “No scrubs” or being able to turn up the music so you can scream at the top of your lungs “Now if she moves like this, will you move her like that? Come on, shake shake, shake shake, a-shake it” (Shake it, Metro Station). Good sound brings good vibes to the dancefloor. If dancefloor sound is one thing that you do NOT want to compromise on, consider hiring a Four Folk DJ for your wedding.
Now that we have convinced you that sound is important - let’s chat about your options and their pros and cons…
Battery PA with wireless microphone
This is one of our most cost-effective options available. Created as an all-in-one, the speaker houses a microphone as well as a way for you to connect music.
PROS:
Easy to chuck in the back of the car, and our Battery PA’s are perfect for small ceremonies, speeches and background music. They are also perfect for elopements or ceremonies in a remote location as it runs off a battery and doesn’t require to be plugged into the power (just remember to charge it the night before!)
CONS:
As this is one of our “dry hire” options (i.e. you pick it up before the wedding and drop it back afterward) we will give you a rundown on how to work the speaker, however, you will need to set it up and run it yourself which we understand could add more stress. We also do not recommend this speaker for the Dancefloor or if you need to play loud music.
Wired PA
All the bits and bobs required for a ceremony which you can also move for a reception - our wired PA options come with two speakers, microphones and we have other options available if you are needing a band or live music to plugin.
PROS:
By far the most versatile option in terms of sound capabilities. This is the perfect option if you are looking to hire something for not only the ceremony but also, this option is perfect for sound for the dancefloor.
CONS:
Again this is one of our dry hire options and it is slightly more complicated to set up yourself (though not impossible). This option also needs to be plugged into power.
Full service with PA system and a sound technician
Let us help you take the stress out of your big day and handle your sound for you! This option includes not only a PA but also one of our experienced Four Folk crew to help you out, and can be tailored to suit any wedding!
PROS:
We will set up, pack down and make sure things run smoothly for you. Includes individual lapel microphones for the groom and celebrant (and bride if logistics allow). They can even help by cueing music at the right time and this is a great option if you are thinking of having a live musician or band performing. This is the best way to ensure that everyone at your wedding can hear every word crystal clear.
CONS:
This is the most expensive option we offer - but it is one less thing for you to think about on your wedding day and who can put a price on that!? This system can not be battery powered, however, we have frequently provided this service where power is unavailable and used a small generator that we placed out of earshot of the service - which we can provide all in-house!
There are so many options available to make sure sound is great at your wedding - we are here to help make sure you make the right decision for your big day. Make sure you touch base with our Four Folk team today to find the best sound fit for you and say “I do” to good sound!