What are your standard performance times?

8pm till 12 midnight, with a break about halfway through. If you require an early start or a late finish, this can be arranged. If you wish us to play longer than the standard four hours, we can do this for an additional fee, charged in multiples of half an hour. Please see "Additional Charges" below for our current rates.

How long is your break and do you provide background music during this time?

Our break is 30 minutes and we will take this generally to coincide with your evening buffet, or alternatively to tie in with your wishes. During the break, we provide background music for your guests through our PA, at a volume conducive to your guests chatting. If you wish to provide your own recorded music for during the break, please provide this as a playlist on an iPod (or similar) as we do not carry a CD player in our equipment. Please note, we do not provide a DJ service.

What if someone in the band is ill/has to take a night off?

Every member of Cut the Cake has a fully rehearsed stand-in to cover incase of illness, injury, unforseen circumstances or general life committments! We work to an extremely high professional standard and will never put anyone on a gig who doesn't meet this. Even if one of the faces you recognise is missing, you won't be disappointed.

When will you arrive and how long does it take you to set up?

We will arrive generally about 90 - 120 minutes before our contracted start time so that we can set up as soon as the venue is ready for us. It takes 45 - 60 minutes to set up in most venues, dependent on ease of access. In some cases, events can run late, and although we will try to make up time if this happens, we cannot be held responsible if we are unable to start at our contracted time as a result of this delay. Please see "Additional Charges" for early set-up.

Where are you based, and will you travel for our wedding?

We are all based in and around West Fife and traditionally cover the central belt of Scotland. However, if your wedding is more than 40 miles from our base in Dunfermline, we would reserve the right to charge additionally to cover our travel costs. You will be quoted for this at the time of your enquiry. You can see details of our current charges in the "Additional Charges" below, but please bear in mind that this mileage rate includes our 4 vehicles, and is not "per vehicle".

Do we get a contract?

Of course. This provides you and us with all the important details relating to your wedding, such as venue, date, performance times payment and contact details. It also lets you know what you can expect from us. Please keep a copy of our terms and conditions for yourself, as most FAQ answers can be found in these or on this page.

How will we pay you?

When you make your initial booking of Cut the Cake, you return your signed contract together with a deposit cheque/bank transfer for £150 to secure your date. The balance of the agreed contract price is payable by cash/cheque/bank transfer at least fourteen days in advance of the event. We regret that we are not able to accept payment by credit/debit card. Also, please note that we are unable to accept payment by cheque on the night.

What kind of music do you play?

Our songlist includes pop from the 60s up to the latest chart hits, jazz/swing, ceilidh and even rock music. We will tailor our set to both your requirements and those of your guests.

Do you play ceilidh music and call the dances?

Yes, we find that three or four over the course of your evening is enough in most circumstances. We call the dances if required by your guests. However, please remember that if you would prefer to exclude ceilidh, this is not a problem – just let us know in advance that it is not required.

Will you learn a specific song for our first dance?

Without a doubt. If it is at all possible for us to cover your chosen special song, we will undertake to learn that for you. All we would ask is that you give us 8 weeks notice of this song so that we can practise and learn it for you to our high standards. Please see "Additional Charges" if you would wish us to learn more than 1 song for you.

Can we choose your playlist?

You can let us know if there are any songs you definitely DO NOT want us to play. However, we are very experienced at choosing the right song for the right time to keep the party going and the party has to cater for al your guests, who will all have differing tastes, so we would prefer to be left to do our job as well as we can by having the freedom to choose our set as we go without limitiation if possible. This knowledge and experience is partly what you're paying us for.

My friend/family member is a singer. Can he/she join you for a song?

Yes, but ONLY if it's ok with the client. If we are approached on the night, we are under no obligation to agree. It will depend on whether we think it is appropriate to do so, and also whether the person asking is confident enough to sing with a live band and potentially without lyrics.

Are there long gaps between songs when you play live?

Not if we can help it. As we play, we assess the mood of your guests and tailor our song choices accordingly. These are communicated through the band so that we can commence the following song seamlessly.

My venue has a sound limiter. Have you played / can you play with one of these present?

Yes, we have played in venues where there have been sound limiters, some of them set at quite a low level. If you know your venue has one of these, you should let us know in advance. If the limiter is set to below 93db then unfortunately, this would be too low for a 5-piece band and we would potentially be unable to accept. This could cause frequent cut-outs disrupting your evening, and potentially damaging expensive equipment. Please check with your venue.

Do you have your own lights?

We have lights for the stage and for the dance floor.

Do you have public liability insurance and is your equipment PAT-tested?

Yes to both points. We have public liability insurance covering up to £2million and our equipment is PAT tested annually.

Can I provisionally book the band?

Unfortunately not. We operate on a 'first come, first served' basis. If you wish to book, we would advise you to return your signed contract and deposit as quickly as possible, as this is the only way we can guarantee your booking.

Can I keep in touch with you in the lead up to my wedding?

Of course! However, due to the large amount of clients we are in contact with, if you have any questions, we would greatly appreciate if you could check for the answer in the Terms and Conditions or here on the FAQs page before making contact. If you would still like to get in touch, then please do. Email contact is preferred.

Additional Charges

a) Travel charges, where distance is in excess of 40 miles from Dunfermline. Our mileage rate is currently 80p per mile, but please remember this covers 4 vehicles carrying personnel and equipment. We reserve the right to amend this for changes in petrol prices.

b) If you wish us to play longer than our standard performance times, this is charged at £150 per half hour. The band may not agree to additional time if our travelling distance is extensive. Please ask at the time of your enquiry.

c) Setting up early. We can sometimes arrange to arrive at your venue early for set-up prior to the start of your reception, but we would charge a fee for the additional time involved in doing so. Please ask for a quotation.

d) Additional songs beyond the 1 song we offer to learn. If you wish us to learn more than 1 new song for you, we will do so at an additional cost of £50 per song.

If you know that any of these will apply to you prior to booking the band, please discuss this with us before we send out your contract as then we can keep your information up to date. If you decide you would like to make contractual changes after you've returned the contract, please inform us by email, as we can ensure we have a 'written' record of all your wedding information.