Wedding bands say they are absorbing additional costs for couples, but prices will have to increase from now on because musicians "are getting hit really hard on fuel costs".
It comes as the Wedding Band Association (WBA) lobbies the government for a reduction in the 23% VAT rate applied to the industry, which could offset’ the increasing cost of diesel.
In a recent letter to ministers Paschal Donohoe and Michael McGrath, the WBA said the threshold of income for VAT is too low for a ‘decent income return’ which is making it an "unattractive prospect" for new bands.
A wedding band costs between €2,000 and €3,000 depending on the number of people in the band.
Tony Ward, of the Blue Moose Wedding Band, said they have been incredibly busy in the past few months catching up on weddings that were postponed due to Covid, but the prices are still as agreed.
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"The biggest issue really is we’re playing weddings that were booked three or four years ago because of postponements. At the price we were booked at three or four years ago, we obviously couldn’t foresee the huge cost increases in fuel. So we’re kind of taking a hit on it, he said.
"Maybe some bands recontact the couple. We don’t. We just take the hit on the fuel and insurance costs. It affects everybody. ‘Any new bookings coming in, we’ve added on a little bit to make up for the extra cost."
Ward added that last week his band played three weddings in Wicklow as well as weddings in Galway, Sligo, and Limerick.
"‘You are talking €1,500 in diesel costs if you are going from the top end of the country to the bottom end of the country. Most wedding bands do that," he said.
‘I’ve five guys full-time on the road and one guy full-time in the office. It is a very legitimate and serious business. This is how I pay my mortgage and feed my kids."
Cathal Molloy of the WBA commented: "Musicians in general are getting hit really hard on fuel costs. What we do would be more in line with the 13.5% rate than 23%, or look at what the hospitality sector has got. They’ve got 9%."
Molloy added that the 23% VAT rate is creating a barrier for wedding bands to form, as they must register for VAT if they earn over €37,500 a year.
