Don't leave the entertainer out-of-the-loop of professionals involved in shaping your reception. Entertainment can go a long way in helping you create a memorable meaningful event; so, don't treat it as an afterthought. Make sure your bandleader knows as much as possible about your music tastes, your guest demographics, the venue characteristics, timeline and your expectations. Discuss and review the type and style(s) of music to be played; the band breaks and the pacing of your reception. Understand their contract; and familiarize yourself both with their responsibilities and your responsibilities regarding load-in, set-up time, "Green Room", food and beverage, etc. Above all, make sure your other vendors provide your bandleader all the support he needs to deliver on his responsibilities to you.

What is the difference between Bacchus and a "band booking agency"?

First of all, at Bacchus Group Productions we are full-fledged professional producers, i.e., we have created (from the ground up) and exclusively manage all of the proprietary bands, orchestras, smaller ensembles and dance troupes which are on our roster. We carefully auditioned and selected every musician and dancer who works with us; and then painstakingly rehearsed every ensemble until it was ready to perform. As the creators, producers, managers and "owners" of all our ensembles, we are able to maintain strict quality controls. By dealing with Bacchus, you are going directly to "the source" (without the "middle-man") – which is exactly the same way savvy music entertainment bookers at major corporations, casinos, resorts, theme parks, performing arts series, international music festivals and famous music clubs purchase professional live music entertainment.

A "band booking agency" is basically a "middle-man". Although many booking agents have valid experience (and may even have your best interest at heart), the fact remains that they have absolutely nothing to do with the artists on their roster, other than to check on their availability for you and collect a commission or "kick-back" from the respective group, if and when you book them for your event. Booking agents are basically salesmen. At, Bacchus we are creators, producers and managers. It's the difference between buying at retail and buying at the wholesale level.

What is your general work ethic?

Everyone in the corporate entertainment industry acknowledges that Bacchus Group Productions runs the "tightest ship" in the bridal entertainment business. Quite simply, we set very high musical, professional and ethical standards for all of our musicians and employees. And it all revolves around our company motto: Non ut sibi minstretur sed ut ministret. ("Not to be served but to serve.")

Consequently, besides being highly talented professionals, all of our musicians are impeccable ladies and gentlemen. They clearly understand that they are an important part of a larger team whose sole purpose is to serve you, your family and your guests at one of the most important events in your life. To that end, all of our musicians have signed a contract with Bacchus whereby they agree to abide by the following company rules:

•	All musicians arrive and load-in their respective instruments, at least 1 hour before they are scheduled to perform. You will never see a Bacchus musician arriving 15 minutes before he or she is to perform; frantically loading in his or her equipment; desperately looking for a place to "plug in"; and upsetting the calm and flow of your reception. Caterers and Venue Banquet Managers appreciate our generous consideration and team spirit. And so will you.
•	There is no consumption of alcoholic beverages either prior to, during, or at the conclusion of your event. Musicians are working and are not guests at your party.
•	Musicians will not fraternize with any of your guests. Musicians are working and are not guests at your party.
•	No smoking on stage or other forbidden areas of the venue.
•	Foul, offensive or loud language is strictly forbidden.
•	Empty equipment and instrument cases are forbidden anywhere on or near the stage or performance area.
•	Eating from the guest buffets or drinking (even non-alcoholic beverages) from the guest bars is forbidden. Musicians are working and are not guests at your party.
•	Musicians are always impeccably dressed and groomed, according to our strict hygienic and fashion standards.

What is the difference between "non-continuous" and "continuous" music?

"Non-continuous" means the musicians take regularly scheduled intermissions. Our orchestras and ensembles follow the national guidelines established by the union of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) which mandates a 10-minute intermission, after every 50 minutes of performance time. The only exception to this rule is during the dancing portion of the evening. Our first dance set is usually 1 hour long and then we take our first 10-minute intermission. Thereafter, we take a 10-minute intermission, after every 50 minutes of performance time.

"Continuous" means the musicians perform non-stop, from start to finish, without any intermissions. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the entire orchestra or band remains on stage for the entire night, although it can mean that. However, it does mean that there is always at least 1 musician on stage performing at all times. Naturally, the "continuous" option is more expensive, since those musicians who perform non-stop without an intermission are paid a premium.

But, won’t the party "die" if the musicians take an intermission in the middle of the dancing portion of the evening?

Absolutely not. This is one of the greatest misconceptions perpetrated by unscrupulous bandleaders on a naive and unsuspecting public, in an effort to bilk them out of exhorbitant "continuous music" premium fees. The secret to keeping your guests dancing - while the orchestra takes an intermission - is to make sure the music never stops, i.e., that there is no "break" or "gap" in the music coming from the band and/or from the CD.

Our company's Managing Director and Executive Producer, Maximilian, is an internationally-recognized DJ whose credentials extend all the way back to "Studio 54" - the legendary New York City '70's disco dance club. He has personally trained all of our Sound Engineer/DJ's in the art of the seamless segué from live to recorded CD music and back again.

During the orchestra intermissions, our Sound Engineer/DJ keeps the dance floor jumping by playing preproduced custom dance CD's at the exact same volume level as the band. Basically, there is never any "dead time" on the dance floor and your guests don’t even realize the band has taken a break. This continuous flow of "live" to "recorded" to "live" music is professionally produced, seamless and guaranteed.

These intermissions are also a great opportunity to play specialized music, e.g., Irish, Polish, Middle Eastern, Klezmer, Greek, Indian, Bangra, Banda, Tejano, Hip Hop, Rap, etc., or any other style of music which you and your guests may want to hear; but, which the orchestra may not necessarily perform.

What is a "New York-style" wedding reception?

In a "New York-style" reception, the full orchestra performs as the doors open into the main reception ballroom (for the dinner portion of the evening) and continues playing for dancing between courses. The music oscillates from soft background music while your guests eat to more spirited dance music between courses. With this type of reception, it is imperative that the caterer or hotel Banquet Manager gives the bandleader specific ongoing directions, so that he knows which type of music to perform at exactly the right moment. Communication with the bandleader is essential for this type of reception to be successful.

Who from the orchestra can serve as our Master of Ceremony?

Usually, one of our lead vocalists gladly serves as your Master of Ceremony for the evening, at no additional charge. All of our lead vocalists are also professional voice actors and can be heard on countless national radio commercials. Consequently, they have the poise, charm and articulate voice to animate any proceedings. At the time of the signing of your contract, simply advise us if you'll need this service and we'll gladly arrange it for you.

What is the size and instrumentation of your orchestras?

There is no standard size to any of our orchestras and we are flexible regarding size - offering our clients a 6-piece to a full 12-piece orchestra. However, instrumentation is another story.

The essence of any band is what is called the Rhythm Section, i.e., keyboards; electric and acoustic bass guitar; drums; and electric and acoustic guitar. These 4 musicians are the core of any band - without which we are seriously hampered in our ability to perform a wide variety of music styles. To this foursome, add a female and a male lead vocalist, and you now have the minimum size for any of our orchestras – the Sextet or 6-piece version.

Next you have the Horn Section. The bare minimum Horn Section is trumpet, tenor sax and trombone. All of our original and proprietary horn arrangements require at least these 3 horn "voices". However, in order for an orchestra to perform our more intricate and beautiful horn arrangements, e.g., big band, swing, Ellington, Basie, Sinatra, Blood Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Earth, Wind & Fire, James Brown, Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz, et al., you'll need the full 5-piece Horn Section, i.e., lead trumpet, solo trumpet, trombone, tenor sax and baritone sax.

Last but not least is the Percussion Section. All modern North American dance music (e.g., R&B, soul, Motown, funk, disco, hip hop, pop, etc.) as well as all Caribbean and South American dance music (e.g., Santana, Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz, Gipsy Kings, Shakira, Tito Puente, etc.) is very percussion intensive. Percussion is the essence of the "modern sound". To authentically perform any of these music styles, we highly recommend at least one 1 percussionist who plays the congas, bongos, timbales, and all of the other wonderful, exotic, colorful bells, whistles, wood blocks, chimes and gourds.

To recap, our orchestras are available as a minimum 6-piece version; a deluxe 12-piece version; any size in between; or larger, if you'd like additional vocalists or percussionists.

May we see a list of current and former clients for whom your orchestras have performed?

Absolutely. Please go to our Selected List of Association, Corporate, Government and Private Clients. If our discussion progresses to the level where you are seriously interested in having us produce the music entertainment for your wedding reception, we can certainly give you exact referrals with contact names and telephone numbers.

Will you learn any special songs for our event?

Even though our current repertoire list currently stands at 1500+ songs (and growing), we are always willing to learn new songs for your "First Dance", the "Father/Daughter Dance" and the "Mother/Son Dance". We will gladly learn up to 3 custom songs for you, under the following conditions: a) you provide us the sheet music and a CD copy of the songs, at least 5-6 months in advance; and b) if they are songs which are especially difficult and require a lot of rehearsals, you are willing to pay the cost of the musicians' rehearsal time. In addition, if you do not have the sheet music or a CD copy of the song(s), you must be willing to incur the additional cost for us to research, find and purchase these materials for you.

Are you willing to travel?

In 2004, Bacchus Group Productions produced the live music entertainment for over 250 events worldwide. We possess the necessary work permits, diplomatic documents and logistical experience for our orchestras to perform anywhere in the world. We'll gladly go wherever you need us and handle all of the details for you with one simple invoice.

In addition, since all of our musicians are professional studio and touring musicians, they are used to travelling the world backing some of the biggest names in the entertainment business. As we say in the business, have "ax" (i.e., music instrument) and passport … will travel.

What is your price range?

Our Performance Fees are based on several factors: the size of the music ensemble(s) which you select; in which city your event will take place; the total number of performance hours; the number of guests, etc., and if applicable, travel premiums, airfare, hotel accommodations, additional sound reinforcement equipment for larger venues and guests counts, etc. Our experienced event producers will gladly prepare a detailed custom proposal for you, without any commitment on your part or cost to you. You can find our online "Request for Proposal" by clicking on the Contact Us button at the top of this page.

How much performance space does the orchestra require? Do you require a stage?

For the full 12-piece version of any of our orchesras, we require an optimum performance space of 16' deep by 32' wide. For any smaller version of our groups, we can work within a smaller space. However, keep in mind, that we are flexible (within reason) and will work with you and the venue if you need us to make do with less space. As part of our extensive customer service, we'll visit your venue and give you our honest opinion regarding the maximum amount of space required for a specific ensemble.

Furthermore, we do not require a stage for any of our performances. However, if you'd like us to perform on a stage, then you must assume the cost of providing professional staging and risers, fully-functioning, and in a safe and good condition, per our specifications.

What are your electric power requirements?

For the smaller ensembles, we require 2 dedicated 20-amp circuits. For the full orchestras, we will need 3 dedicated 20-amp circuits. Depending on how large a stage lighting system you’d like for your event, we will need 1 to 2 additional 20-amp circuits.

How much load-in and set-up time does the orchestra require?

In order to be fully loaded-in, set-up and sound-checked by the time your cocktail reception begins, we require 3-4 hours.

However, sometimes, the ceremony and dinner/dancing are in the same room. This usually gives us only 1 hour to load-in, set-up and sound check, while your party is in another room for the cocktail reception. We are more than willing to accommodate such a tight time frame; however, we do reserve the right to charge a premium, because of the additional labor required to properly accomplish this task within the 1 hour time frame.

Do you carry General Liability and Workmans Compensation insurance?

Absolutely. We carry US $2 million in General Liability insurance as well as Workman’s Compensation insurance for our musicians.

Do your orchestras perform ethnic music?

Absolutely. As we all know, contemporary North America and Europe are multicultural societies. We provide the music entertainment for 100+ weddings a year - half of which include some element of ethnic music, be it Irish, Italian, Jewish, Polish, German, French, Spanish, Greek, Eastern European, African-American, Indian (Asian), Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Phillipine, Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Central American, South American, et al.

For advice on including ethnic music in your ceremony or reception, please feel free to consult with any of our wedding coordinators. Whether it's a Scottish/Irish bagpiper, a Mexican mariachi group, an Italian mandolin wedding ensemble, African drummers, traditional Jewish klezmer hora melodies, Spanish gypsy flamenco rhythms, a romantic South American vocal guitar trio, a French chanteuse or any other traditional ethnic music, we have the experience and the musicians to help you introduce an authentic touch of the "old country" into your reception.

What is the dress code for your orchestras?

We take great pride in our always fashionably attired and impeccably groomed musicians. Normally, the male musicians perform in classic black wool tuxedos - no shiny polyester please - with elegant silk brocade vests. The females are either in elegant long sleek black gowns or tasteful short black cocktail dresses. If the client desires, instead of tuxedos, the males can wear their elegant black or navy blue "euro" suits by Armani, Versace, Gucci or Hugo Boss, with a powder blue shirt and tasteful silk tie.

As you travel through our website, you’ll see many photos of our male and female musicians. Besides talent, poise, charm and personality, we sincerely believe our artists are some of the most physically attractive musicians in the music entertainment industry.

How do you select the list of songs you’ll perform at my event and can I have any input into the creation of that list?

By all means, yes. Once you contract us to produce the music entertainment for your event, we'll ask you to review our repertoire list of 1500+ songs; select your favorites, your parents favorites, etc.; and cross out any songs which do not want to hear. We will also elicit demographic information from you, e.g., what are the ages of your guests, percentage of males to females, what are the ethnicities (if any), etc. We then take all of your input and generate a custom play list created specifically to reflect your personal taste in music.

In addition, the night of your event, the bandleader discretely mingles with your guests during the cocktail hour; and based on any last minute requests from your guests, he’ll fine tune, i.e., tweak, the play list yet again.

Finally, he’ll continue to fine tune the list, during the dance portion of the evening. The mix of music styles performed by the orchestra is always guided by what your guests are responding to. Every wedding party is unique and the band’s "radar" instantaneously picks-up on your guests’ music "hot points".

Please keep in mind that – after all is said and done - it is important for you to let the bandleader do what he does best, i.e., utilize his years of experience to intuitively "read" your crowd the night of the event and perform a fun, diverse repertoire of music which will appeal to everyone in attendance.

What are your deposit requirements?

Upon signing of our non-cancelable Production Services Contract, we require a 50% deposit of the total value of the contract. The balance is due two (2) weeks prior to your event.

What is your cancellation policy?

Our contract is non-cancelable by either party, except for cases of force majeure, i.e., a major catastrophic event beyond your or our control.

Please note that when you sign a contract with us, we will not cancel on you for any reason - except in the case of the above mentioned force majeure. In other words, you have a 100% ironclad guarantee that our orchestra we will be there for you as promised. So, once we sign on the dotted line, our company and musicians will turn down any future opportunities for your date – even if it means passing on a lucrative contract to play for the Sultan of Qatar on his private island in the Mediterranean!

What is your policy regarding the reservation of a date?

Our policy is first come, first served. For example, let's say you are the first person to ask us to "hold" a particular date for you. We'll place a "courtesy hold" on the date, pending our meeting you in person. If someone else calls regarding this same date, they will have the second "courtesy hold" after you. However, if during the time that we are continuing our discussions with you, client # 2 decides that they want to move forward with us and are ready to give us a deposit, we will contact you and give you 48 hours to make a decision. If you want the date, then we require a signed contract with a deposit within 48 hours. If you don't want the date or are not ready to commit, then - after 48 hours - we move forward with client # 2.

What is the proper etiquette regarding a gratuity for the band?

First of all, a gratuity for the orchestra or any of our company’s support personnel the night of your event is completely optional. If you decide to honor us with a gratuity, the amount is at your discretion. However, proper etiquette dictates that you give it directly to the bandleader, in a sealed envelope, anytime during the evening.

Are we expected to provide food and beverages to the orchestra?

Although traditionally, in many societies – including the USA and Europe – clients always feed the orchestra, we certainly do not expect or require you to feed the entire orchestra.

However, we do request that you kindly provide continuous non-alcoholic beverage service, i.e., coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices and bottled water, for the orchestra for the duration of the contract. Furthermore, we request that you kindly provide dinner entrees for the sound engineer, the bandleader, the production coordinator, and any musicians who are performing for the ceremony, cocktails and/or dinner portions of the evening. Since these are the personnel who are logging in the longest hours at your event - without an opportunity to go off premises for a meal – we think it only fair that you provide them a decent dinner.

What else can we do to ensure a fun, interesting and memorable event?

Over the past 25 years, we’ve produced the music entertainment for thousands of events worldwide. Based on this first-hand experience, we’ve created a list of "Things That Can Stifle Your Party". Although it’s common sense to us, we find that many prospective clients have not given much thought to many of these issues. It would be worthwhile for you to study this list and heed its advice.

Things That Can Stifle A Party

•	Too many speeches and very long rambling speeches.
•	Micromanagement of music by client or bridal consultant. (This inhibits the bandleader from using his considerable experience, expertise and professional intuition to select the music which will result in a memorable evening.)
•	Client insists on personally selecting every song which the band will perform. (This is a surefire recipe for disaster. There's an old adage in the business, "Let the baker bake the cake". Your input is always welcomed; but, let the pros do their job.)
•	A guest, a friend or family member who performs a song and then won't leave the stage.
•	A guest, a friend or family member who's had a little too much to drink and insists on performing with the band, even though he can't remember the name of the song, the lyrics or how it goes.
•	Disorganization and/or bad timing by the caterer or the hotel Banquet Manager, e.g., stopping the band for a speech, the serving of food, a champagne march, a presentation video, etc., while everyone stands on the dance floor in confusion and the aforementioned event doesn't happen. Always include your bandleader in the planning process - especially when planning significant events during the evening which require the band's participation.
•	Instructing your photographer to take group photos in the middle of the dancing portion of the evening, forcing the bandleader to constantly clear the dance floor. Always include your bandleader in the planning process - especially when planning significant events during the evening which require the band's participation.
•	Placing your main bar and/or sweets table outside of the main dancing room. (Guests will leave the room, congregate around the bar and/or sweets table, start up conversations, and the majority of them will not return to the dance floor.)
•	Booking a venue which has many different rooms. (Guests will roam and many will not return to the main dancing room.)
•	If your reception is on a Sunday, don't start it too late. (Guests always leave early, due to work and school commitments on Monday.)
•	Don't insist that the dance floor always be full. Some clients panic because the dance floor is not packed all night. However, a "full" dance floor is not the barometer of a successful dance party - a happy content audience is. (The dance floor has an "ebb and flow". Sometimes the floor is packed with one segment of your audience who responds to a certain style of music. At other times, the floor is not as full, as a smaller segment of your audience responds to a different style of music. If the band is concert quality, sometimes guests simply grab a drink, sit down and enjoy the music. A confident professional quality band will not pressure your guests into constantly dancing by performing one song after another in a long monotonous robotic drone with a constant beat - similar to what a dj does. The better bands have the confidence and professionalism to vary the pace, tempo and music style, even if it means that sometimes the dance floor is not "packed".)

Once we’ve decided that we want you to produce the music entertainment for our reception, what is our next step and what are the important guideposts leading up to the reception?

First of all, we will generate a detailed non-cancelable Production Services Contract and snailmail, fax or email it to you. You will then have 10-14 days to return it to us signed and with a deposit for 50% of the the full value of the contract. Once we receive your signed contract with the deposit, we too will generate contracts with all of the musicians, thereby locking them in for your event.

Approximately 5-6 months before your date, we will need your special request songs, e.g., the "First Dance", the "Father/Daughter Dance" and the "Mother/Son Dance".

About 1 month before your wedding, we will schedule a venue site visit with you and the venue manager. At this meeting, we will discuss your guest demographics, the music flow, your music likes and dislikes, the schedule for the evening, and finalize the playlist.

The night of your event, an experienced production coordinator from our company will be on-site the entire evening to coordinate all aspects of the music with you, the catering company, the Banquet Manager, et al.