Event Hollow caught up with Kyle Caprista of Mercy & The Heartbeats about how to choose the right band for your wedding. A beloved San Francisco based wedding band performing upbeat and unique covers that keep the party alive, Mercy and The Heartbeats are widely popular. As a lead singer and guitarist, Kyle Caprista has much to say when it comes to offering advice to couples to start out on the journey of looking for and hiring vendors to perform at their wedding. Read on to learn more!

EH: What kind of couples should get a band?

Kyle: Any couple that prioritizes music and energy should consider a band. A band really becomes the center of gravity during the reception, which draws everyone to the dance floor.

There’s just something about multiple people performing together that drives a fun experience - it’s why live music is still so popular, even as recorded music has become less profitable.

So I would say that if you’re a couple that wants everybody on the dance floor dancing and singing together, and you like seeing live music, then you really can't go wrong hiring a band.

Kyle Caprista—Lead singer and guitarist for Mercy and the Heartbeats — Photography by: Mark Kitaoka

EH: What’s the difference in the experience between a band and a DJ both for the couple and guests?

Kyle: A DJ can jump from song to song immediately if they feel like something isn’t working, can mix and mashup songs, and have the advantage of being able to play the original song.

A band has a sound all their own, and there is a visual component added when you have six people on stage jumping around, dancing, and engaging the crowd. Plus, there’s just something special about people making live music together. An energy that can’t be denied.

EH: Is there a big financial difference between a band and a DJ?

Kyle: There is no way around it; DJ's are cheaper. They have less equipment and it's usually just one person. DJ's are certainly a more budget-friendly option.

EH: What kinds of couples do you like to work with the most?

Kyle: Couples that are really excited about music being a centerpiece of their event are our ideal clients. Those couples get really enthusiastic about going through your song list and designing their ideal reception.

We're a band that's very accessible and our personality is a huge part of our brand and product. So when you get couples like that, we end up having these really fun emails, texts and phone calls where you feel like you’re hanging out with your buddies.

We’re really passionate and proud of what we do, so that kind of relationship really fuels us.

Mercy and the Heartbeats — Photography by: Mark Kitaoka

EH: Are there any mistakes couples make when booking a band?

Kyle: A common mistake couples make is thinking all bands are created equal. Having a band is not the same thing as having the right band. And it can be really difficult finding the right band because there are a lot of them out there to wade through. It’s important to find the band with the personality, look, and sound that matches your vision.

The other mistake is not looking into how the band will be positioned at their venue. There are venues out there that have decibel limits and have restrictions on live music. It’s important to be aware of that.

Especially because it’s pretty common that people choose their venue before choosing a band. So it’s really important to get a clear picture from the start what their policies and restrictions are to make sure they aren’t going to conflict with the musical experience that you’re after.

EH: What’s the difference between a good band and a bad band?

Kyle: There are bands out there that take their job and their industry very seriously, they want to be there and they're passionate about it — you can tell when you see that.

Personally, we put thought into just about every part of how Mercy & The Heartbeats shows up to potential clients. We spent a lot of time on how the band dresses, how the band looks on video, our song list, the way our website is laid out, into the clarity and professionalism we communicate with when clients contact us. We did this with a lot of intention because we want people to feel confident in their decision when they choose us.

So if you see a bunch of bands that look the same and sound the same and then you see a few bands that stick out from the rest, I would contact the bands that go the extra mile.

EH: What are the most important things to look for in finding the right band?

Kyle: There are bands that are more high fashion; there are bands that are more retro old school; and there are bands that are really safe. Some people don't really want a super high-fashion energetic, in-your-face kind of band, and that’s ok!

You need to find the personality that matches yours. If you want a fun, outgoing, fashionable band, don't hire the band that doesn't show that to you in their promotional video or in their photos.

You really have to be intentional about what it is that you're looking for and then not settle until you find it.

EH: What are the risks of booking a non-wedding band to play at your wedding?

Kyle: For Mercy & The Heartbeats, we work just about every week through wedding season, and that's in addition to corporate events, public dates, fundraisers and other events.

That means we know how to prepare for a wedding gig. We have a lot of experience putting together setlists that take the couple’s requests into account, while thinking about what their best friends from college and their grandparents might want to hear. Plus, we have a deep enough song list that we can call songs on the fly if the crowd is responding well to particular genres and decades.

Say your buddy has an original band that gigs around town, but doesn’t necessarily do many corporate/wedding style gigs — they may not think about the little details and redundancies that can save you if something goes wrong on site.

And they may have learned some covers for your event, but they’re likely not going to have a deep back catalogue of popular songs to pull from if they need to make adjustments to their set during the show.

That’s not to suggest having a non-traditional wedding band can’t be great, it definitely can. It just means it’s going to likely take a bit more of a hands-on approach from the couple to make sure all the details, big and small, are accounted for.

EH: How do you choose a band based on your wedding style?

Kyle: We want clients to take an extra moment to look into us, go to our Instagram, and get a feel for the personality of the band. It’s important to us that potential clients have the opportunity to get to know what the personality of our band is.

That doesn’t mean we’re the right band for everyone, but we wanted to make it as easy as possible for people that are looking for a band like Mercy & The Heartbeats to know immediately that they found us and should invest time and energy into getting us hired on to their event.

If you’re wondering if a band matches your style. Don’t worry, you’ll know it when you hear it — when you see it. I’d say get on the phone with the band. For example, with Jaque and I, we’re always more than happy to meet you for coffee or for a happy hour beer. We’ll sit down and talk to you about your event, what you want and how we can help you get there.

When you’re planning music for a wedding you have to be intentional about it. You have to know that's what you want. Don't shop just on price or availability! Check out the band’s promo video. Does it speak to you? How about their song list? Does it have songs that you want to hear, that are special to you?

EH: What are some of the questions that couples should be asking bands when interviewing to find the right one?

Kyle: Ask what’s included in the pricing and make sure you’re in agreement. If something that you want isn’t included, can you add it and how much will that cost?

I would pay very close attention to people's song lists. Do you see a lot of songs on there that you want to hear? And if you don't, you should find out what their policy is as far as requests. How many meals will they need? What are their dietary restrictions?

I would also ask if you are guaranteed the musicians that you see in their videos and promo. It can be disappointing if you hire a band based on the vocalists in their promo material and then someone else shows up on event day.

You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're having to negotiate or deal with things a week or two out before your wedding. Any details that you have, any comments or concerns, you should write down and make sure that you address those with the band before you sign a contract. I wouldn’t leave anything up to chance.

EH: If a couple knows they’re going to have a band? What should they look for in a venue?

Kyle: Start by asking the venue if they have had live music before. How often do they have live music? Do they have any restrictions? You want to make sure you have all of that information before you decide to invest in a venue or invest in a band.

If it's really important to you that your wedding reception goes until midnight and you want a live band, then you need to make sure that nothing will stand in the way of that experience.

You're going to pay a lot of money for a venue and you're going to pay a lot of money for a band so you want to make sure the two are on the same page. If you're talking to a venue, you should make sure you are clear with them about how important it is to you to have live music and see where they land there, because it’s possible they might not be the right venue for your event.

San Francisco wedding singer reveals truths about hiring musicians for your wedding