Wedding entertainment- it’s such an important part of your day! Whether you love a good DJ or have your heart set on a live band, it is a sure way to set the vibe of your wedding. There are so many options and we find some of our couples aren’t sure where to begin! That is why we love the entertainment collective Hey Jack! So we sat down with them to find out more about their story, their team, their amazing musicians, and how they are changing the entertainment game in the wedding industry!
Who are the people behind Hey Jack?
Jordyn- ‘Hi I’m Jordyn! I founded Hey Jack three years ago. Hey Jack the name I guess was born from my acoustic duo. My guitarist and I were Hey Jack the duo. We gigged at various events doing a few weddings, and I realised performing a wedding was like nothing else. I wanted to do that, and only that! So I decided to focus on weddings because I love how rewarding it is working with couples and planning their big day. I spend most of my time working face to face with our couples and I work closely with a number of our exclusive artists.’
Rich- ‘I’m Rich, a couple of years ago I joined Hey Jack to help Jordyn run and ultimately scale the business. I come from a marketing and film background and I wear a few different hats behind the scenes. Including website, marketing partnerships, and all the boring stuff I guess! And I also look after the creative arm of the business which includes photography and film.’
Check out that romance with Cass and Vin playing by candlelight at Gather & Tailor!
What entertainment do you guys specialise in?
Jordyn- ‘Over the past few years I have been a part of so many memorable weddings and I know how much pressure it is to nail the entertainment on your wedding day. And sometimes a stressful one too! To simplify the process we’ve created three all-day set packages. So we’ve got Mic and Base which is your two hours live music and five hours DJ. Then you’ve got Perfect Combo which is four hours live music and three hours DJ. Then you’ve got your All-day Live, which is 7 hours of live music from start to finish!’
Rich- ‘We work with a really diverse bunch of musos from acoustic duos, cello, violin, five-piece bands to even DJ and sax.’
Jordyn- ‘If you have a vision in your mind we want to make that a reality! We love those bespoke weddings where we tailor the music experience to suit the couples.’
The Cooper’s Trio creating some absolute magic at The Wool Mill.
What makes Hey Jack unique?
Rich- ‘Well we only do weddings! We live and breathe in the wedding industry. That’s what really separates us from other comparable businesses really. I guess we are an all-stop shop for all things music, film and photo which is really so handy for couples who are time-poor and would prefer to deal with one point of contact over the three services. We are also a united creative team and it makes for a stress-free planning experience.’
Jordyn- ‘You’ll be surprised how much pre-planning there can be with the venue and artist. We take the hassle out and look after it all included assisting with most of the song choices as well. What most of our couples don’t realise is how music plays such a huge part in every moment of the wedding day. You’ve got walking down the aisle, signing the registry, reception entrance, first dance, father-daughter dance, the party starter, bouquet toss, and farewell circle. And heaps more! Having that industry experience really differentiates us from anyone else.’
There is something so special about an acoustic artist singing as you walk down the aisle. Charlie from the Hey Jack collective is no exception!
What advice do you have for couples when it comes to entertainment for their wedding day?
Jordyn- ‘No. playlist. on. an. iPod! We do get a few clients who insist on a music playlist for their reception. We’ve heard some horror stories! One of the last weddings I was at- It feels so long ago now- we had a playlist and guests kept changing the songs. The volume was getting cranked up and then down, distorted speakers, it just killed the vibe!’
Rich- ‘Look we may be slightly biased here but you only get married once. So leave it to the professionals. We do a tonne of pre-planning before the day based on the music you like, the age demographics, the guest’s, cultural considerations, and a tonne of back and forth with the venue.’
Jordyn- ‘Speaking to other couples on other quotes they’ve received the base price seemed ok for them but then they didn’t realise they had to add on all the extras. Like the lighting, sound system, good-quality speakers, a wireless mic, and then travel costs! And then quickly you’re up for a decent additional chunk of money. But away from price more importantly you will have a musician and season performer that will read the crowd and play the music that will keep every dancing.’
Hey Jack can create an amazing ambiance with their lighting options! This dance floor at Gather & Tailor is calling our name.
How do you select the musicians that make up the Hey Jack team?
Rich- ‘Well we are very selective with who we work with at Hey Jack. While natural talent is so important and there are a lot of outstanding performers out there, having the right attitude and persona is equally as important. Weddings are really different from corporate events so making sure our team is well presented, punctual, and reliable is really important.’
Jordyn- ‘Yep and it’s super unique to find as well so I feel like we’ve got a good bunch! We really are like a family and we all get along so well. It takes a unique artist to work well within the wedding environment. We keep a relatively tight roster. I find couples hate decision fatigue and we’d rather have quality seasoned wedding performers over quantity.’
Sigma absolutely bringing those live band feels. Also how beautiful is this backdrop set up by Anatomy of Flowers?
If you could put together the perfect entertainment for a wedding from start to finish, what would it look like?
Jordyn- ‘Every single couple is so different! However, in my opinion, being a musician myself, you can’t go past live music. So whether it’s violin and cello or an acoustic duo as you walk down the aisle, it really just sets the tone for the day.’
Rich- ‘It also elevates your photos and films to another level. ‘
Jordyn- ‘So as you’re getting your photos taken live music is played during canape hour and we also suggest for this to lead into the start of the reception as well. It just gives you the opportunity to have your first dance played live too! One of our DJ’s would come in just as expected and as you finish your first dance the formalities are out of the way, the dance floor opens and the sax and vocalist join the DJ. Sort of a bit like a surprise entrance, and gets everyone up onto the dance floor.’
Rich- ‘To add to that while a DJ only for the reception can be amazing, that added extra element of surprise when the dance floor opens and you have a sax, bongos and a vocalist on the dance floor it’s incredible! It gets everyone up out of their seats and onto the dance floor.’
Nothing we love more than a live sax on the dance floor! It’s sure to get even the shyest of guests up on their feet!
As you can see the options are endless when it comes to entertainment for your wedding! While it can seem overwhelming, if you’re working with a great team (like Hey Jack), things just become simple! Whether you are keen for a DJ or live band, their extremely talented collective of musicians are here to deliver the absolute musical goods on your big day. So if you are on the lookout for the perfect entertainment for your wedding, be sure to reach out to the Hey Jack team and start creating some magic! They’ll bring the music, you bring the moves, and together you’ll make everlasting memories!
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Nudo acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to the land. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders both past, present and emerging.
Nudo is a dynamic team of planners and designers (and shoulders to lean on), effortlessly guiding you through your wedding journey step by step. Taking the time to understand your vision and what matters most, whilst also taking care of the million small (and sometimes tedious) details that you don’t have the time for. And when the day comes, we bring it all together to create the kind of experience your guests will rave about for years.
If you’re looking for a wedding planner and stylist in Melbourne and would love a team of dreamers and doers on your side to guide you through the journey step by step, drinking glasses of bubbles, and making wedding planning fun, then head to our contact page to chat to one of our friendly team.