There is one genuinely bayside name near the top of this list and the rest come down from central Melbourne, which is a real drive rather than a quick hop. That is worth knowing before you compare quotes, because an act crossing town on a Saturday afternoon prices that trip in even when they do not itemise it. None of them will refuse the job. They will just want to know the finishing time before they say yes.
What Mordialloc books is mostly outdoors or half outdoors: ceremonies near the creek and the pier, parties in backyards that back onto the bay, club functions with a deck. Wind and power are the two things that decide whether an act can play, and both are easy to sort if you raise them early.
Top picks are the nearby performers with the most visible reviews, then rating, then the closest; further afield the closest come first, and premium listings break remaining ties. Distances are straight-line from Mordialloc. Ask each act whether they travel to your venue and what that costs.
One near the top is genuinely from this side of the bay. The others are pinned to central Melbourne, roughly twenty minutes to half an hour up the highway depending on the day, so they are reachable but not local. The distance on each card is the honest number to work from.
They can, and plenty do, but only with a power plan and something to stop the wind eating the sound. A covered deck or a marquee makes a big difference and also protects the gear if the weather turns. Tell the act it is an open air site and let them tell you what they need.
Sometimes, and it usually shows as a travel line rather than a higher fee. Ask for the all in figure so you are comparing the same thing across three quotes. An act that is vague about travel at enquiry stage tends to be vague about it on the invoice too.
The city based acts on this list are crossing most of Melbourne to reach you. Ask straight out whether travel is in the quote, because the answer changes which of them are actually the same price.
A guitar and a voice disappear in a sea breeze, so anything outdoors near the water needs a small PA even for a short ceremony. Ask the act what they bring and whether it runs off a battery.
Reserves and jetty areas often have no accessible outlet, and a long lead across a public path is not a plan. Confirm the nearest powerpoint or agree on battery gear before the booking is made.