And why should you pay out for a pro band when you can get an amateur band to play your event for a much smaller fee? We all know people who play music in their spare time, who might even do it for free!

There are actually two reasons that this approach can be a recipe for disaster. The first is that an amateur band may pull out of your gig at short notice. You trust your mate who's in the band, what what about the rest. It's not uncommon for us to get desperate calls from clients who've been let down at the last minute. There are all sorts of reasons that this might happen, ranging from family problems, holidays, and unexpected work commitments. We've even had situations where a band member has been offered a better gig and pulled out. A professional band needs to protect their reputation and will have backup musicians in the case that one member is not available due to some extraordinary situation.

When you book an AMS band you get a written contractsto confirm the agreement made when we accept a booking. In common with any agreement between two parties, it can only be legally cancelled with the consent of both parties. Please note that all the musicians in the band are members of the Musicians' Union and we have used its legal department to vet the contract to ensure that it is fair and binding on both parties.

A more prosaic reason for using professionals is that they will have the appropriate Public Liability Insurance (PLI) cover. Many venues will insist that the band presents a valid PLI certificate before they will be allowed to set up. Using professionals you will be assured that your entertainers not only turn up and put on a good show, but will have the experience and expertise to make sure the their part of the event is safe and you don't get landed with an expensive legal bill if something goes wrong.

For peace of mind it pays to stick with the professionals.

you need to give yourself enough time to find the performers you want, performers who are in-sync with the kind of music you and your guests enjoy. Like most things in life, the good ones get booked early, as much as a year or more in advance for a good band in the prime wedding period (April through October). There are also other times when you may find it a good idea to book early such as around St Patrick's night (March 17), Burns' Night (the end of January) and of course on New Years Eve,

You can begin by setting and then searching by geographical criteria. Book early. Eight to twelve months ahead of time will give you a good chance of getting the group you want. You can book the entertainment as soon as you have decided on a date and venue. If you haven't confirmed the venue booking, you can also ask the band to hold your date for a limited period of time.

cei·lidh - noun (pronounced kay-lee) - [hear it spoken]

Definition - Celtic, Irish, Scot., and Canadian (chiefly Prince Edward Island). a party, gathering, or the like, at which dancing, singing and storytelling are the usual forms of entertainment. [Origin: Ir céilidhe, ScotGael cèilidh, MIr célide, deriv. of OIr céile companion]

ceilidh or ceili (pronounced kay-lee) are celtic or gaelic words which refer to a family party or gathering where music and dancing are the main form of entertainment. In North America the same thing is called a 'barn dance' or 'Hoe down' and Australians call it 'bush dance'. The music MoonDance plays is a combination of English and Celtic influenced music and is designed for dancing, ideal to stave off the cold and wet of the British mid-winter weather. The repertoire is based firmly in the tradition with influences from all over the world, just as it always was - and should be. The music has a great feel, in fact the international world music magazine fROOTS pointed out in October 2003; "it’s often hard to tell who’s having the most fun - the dancers or the musicians". This is what dance music should be all about; dynamic movement and having fun. It's all about the dancing, not the dances.

Weddings, parties, anniversaries, festivals, corporate entertainment, fund-raising events and children's parties. No-one is excluded because the dances are demonstrated before the music starts, and are easy enough for everyone to do. No previous dance experience is required.

The music is so funky that everyone gets into it without feeling embarrassed or awkward. The dancing can be done to your own level, and for as long or short as you wish. If you specify exactly for whom your event is being held, we will select a caller who will be ideally suited to your audience. According to research from Brides Magazine, ceilidhs (or barn dances) are the second most popular form of wedding entertainment in the country.

Essentially not very much. Both are traditional English dance forms, using a caller and folk music to generate an evening's dancing. The caller walks the audience through the dance, then, when the music starts, calls the figures the first few times through the tune, and lets everyone get on and enjoy it.

A ceilidh tends to be more lively than a barn dance: it is not like being taught folk dances at school, but rather about enjoying yourselves. People do not walk through the dances but step through them; the bands' energy forces them to. You are likely to encounter a wider range of music at a ceilidh. Barn dances tend to mainly use jigs and reels, whereas at a ceilidh you could well hear polkas, waltzes or schottisches.

Everyone can get into ceilidhs, be they young or old. MoonDance selects our music and dances, not just for beginners', but frequently for experienced dancers at regular ceilidhs or folk festivals. But most of our work is for social functions where the lively music and easy steps are a great way to get all your guests dancing and enjoying themselves. It breaks the ice when the audience may not know each other, which is especially importantant at weddings.

MoonDance's selection of instruments mixes the more traditional sound of violin with the punchy sound of keyboards, electric guitar, bass and drums and appeals to all ages from student balls to retirement parties. The music may be based on traditional English and/or Celtic tunes, but also has tunes composed by members of the band, or French, Scandinavian, American, or even Eastern European tunes.

Not much, really. Ceilidhs take place anywhere there are dancers. They are normally indoors, though they have also been done in marquees, barns, and occasionally even something as seemingly unsuitable as a car park! No matter where it is, you must make sure you can provide a power supply consisting of at least one safe mains socket (13 Amp). Space to dance is also required which is level, relatively smooth and free from obstacles so the dancers don't trip over.

MoonDance is entirely 'self-contained' which means that we can provide our own PA (amplification) systems and lighting (if that is required). Just make sure your guests know what they are coming to so that they can select suitable footwear, and they are sure to have a great time.

Well, we would recommend that you have live music for your event wouldn't we, but it's not just us, most brides agreed that live music is best as well. Statistics* that we found on the web recently, from brides surveyed after the date of their wedding, show that this is the case.

• 72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
• Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
• During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities. Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority!
• When asked 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
• "Feedback from our clients indicates that the bride and groom consider the entertainment to be between 70 and 90% responsible for the success of their receptions"