Is a Band More Expensive Than a DJ?

A live band is almost always more expensive than a wedding DJ (more people and more equipment involved), so take a good look at your budget and decide how much you can spend on your music. According to the WeddingWire Cost Guide, the average cost for a live wedding band in the U.S. is $4,500, and a DJ costs an average of $1,000. If you really want live music at your wedding but can’t afford a full band for the duration of your day, consider having a band play at your ceremony or a cocktail hour only, and then have a DJ spin at the wedding reception.

Why Should You Have Live Music at Your Wedding?

It Sets the Tone and the Mood Like Nothing Else There is no denying that live music brings energy and emotion to a room that even DJs have admitted are beyond compare, whereas listening to canned DJ jams is a little different than listening to the radio. If you want your wedding to have a certain feel to it, finding the right musicians can create the perfect atmosphere and truly be the so-to-speak cherry on top of your ceremony or celebration. Live musicians can change to mood of a room as it is needed. They can bring a great level of elegance and sophistication to your wedding, especially to the ceremony, cocktail hour, or during dinner. Depending on what you want, they can bring a little energy or a ton of energy to the dance floor at your reception, making even the wallflowers-est of the bunch tap their toes and get moving. It’s an Encompassing Experience Why do people go to concerts instead of staying home and listening to the radio in their bathrobes? Performance. People love listening to live music and seeing and feeling it. A band makes music come to life and turns it into an experience for many senses, not just your ears. Even those that can’t dance (like your Aunt Martha, who just celebrated her 100th birthday—you go, Aunt Martha!) can enjoy the experience of listening to and watching live musicians. But unfortunately, a DJ just does not have the same showmanship or entertainment value as a live band. Live Music Is a Uniting Factor Live music can bridge gaps and unite generations of people. A DJ may play dance music that is currently popular, or a list of typical songs played at every reception across America. Of course, you’re always going to have one or more generations that aren’t into what’s being played (“not my jam”, “music in my day was actual music!”, etc.) But live music seems to get everyone past their biases, even if the song is particular to a certain generation. The fun of watching and listening to musicians surpasses all that. Live Music Is Always a Unique Experience You will get one first dance with your new spouse; do you want it to be the same as thousands of other couples who have listened to the same pre-recorded song played in the same way for everyone? Or would you rather be able to say that it was something unique played just for the two of you? Musicians are living, breathing people, so there will be subtle variations in how they play their instruments every time they play a song—even if they’ve played it a thousand times. Each band also has its unique style and flavour to their music. These elements combined make any song that is played unique to your wedding. Songs that a DJ would use have been recorded for posterity, and they will always sound the same no matter how many times it is played (it has no autonomy, so it has no choice). It will sound the same to your ears as to every other couple who has played it. With musicians, you have an option that you don’t with pre-recorded music—you can ask for variations of style or tempo in the song, and a great band will be better able to accommodate that request. It Creates a Memorable Experience for You and Your Guests Why are you going through all that trouble of planning your wedding down to the last gorgeous detail if not to make it an incredibly memorable event for you and everyone you love? If you’re fretting about how many leaves you want each baby’s breath stem to contain, you’d want to put even more care into something as big as the music and entertainment for your wedding, wouldn’t you? That’s why having a live band is such a great decision. Do you remember the name of the DJ who spun at the last wedding you attended? Neither do we. Even though there are some great DJs out there, they all start to blend for the most part. Live bands have a special uniqueness to each of them. They not only make a great topic for conversation among strangers who are eating dinner at the same table, but it’s also an element that creates special memories to talk about later on. Live Musicians Have Flexibility As far as being able to make adjustments on the fly, stop and restart without problems, or being able to react at the moment to anything the room throws at them—live musicians have the advantage. For instance, your young ring bearer starts walking down the aisle, freaks out when all eyes are on him and makes a run for it. The last thing you want to be worried about is AV problems with stopping and starting the music. A live band can pause and restart exactly where they left off without an issue, and they will be more inclined to spot problems and adjust as soon as they start.

How to Choose Wedding Bands and Singers?

Talk to Your Wedding Venue Before you even think about booking a wedding band, you need to have a frank conversation with your wedding venue. For varying reasons, many wedding venues enforce restrictions on live music. Therefore, you must check whether your venue allows live music and, if they do, whether they impose any volume restrictions. If there are any restrictions in place, it’s your responsibility to inform your band before you book to ensure they are happy to work within limits. Many venues use a sound limiter to ensure volume restrictions are adhered to. If your venue uses a sounds limiter, you must determine the decibel limit and inform your chosen band of the limit before you book. Most bands can modify their performance to fit within all but the strictest decibel limits, but they’ll need to know in advance so that they can bring along appropriate equipment. If all this talk of sound limiters leaves you puzzled, don’t worry, entertainment agencies are experienced in working with venues with sound limiters and can answer any questions you may have. Book Through a Trusted Agency Booking your wedding band through a reputable wedding entertainment agency brings with it a host of benefits. First, a good agency gathers a wide range of quality-controlled wedding bands in one place, making it easier for you to contrast and compare different acts all at once, whilst being safe in the knowledge that each band is a professional outfit you can rely upon to deliver high-quality performance on your big day. Entertainment agencies are also a godsend if you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for in a band. Experienced advisers will speak to you to know all about your wedding and then make expert suggestions based on your specific requirements. These advisers will also talk to bands on your behalf, so you only have to communicate with a single named contact even if you inquire about multiple acts. Another area in which agencies excel is in the security of the booking process. Established entertainment agencies offer online payment through secure third-party payment systems. In addition, they will draw up legally binding contracts between you and your chosen act, giving you the peace of mind that your booking is set in stone. Always make sure you find reviews of both the agency and your chosen wedding band on independent review sites like Trustpilot, Facebook and Google. Set Your Budget The price you can expect to pay for a live wedding band varies dramatically, ranging from the hundreds of pounds up to the tens of thousands. In general, the more band members in a band, the more you should expect to pay. Other factors included the experience and popularity of your favoured band and how far they’ll need to travel to perform at your wedding - travel expenses and accommodation fees soon add up. The average cost of a 4-piece band is around �900 to �1300. If this doesn’t fall within your budget, you can still secure top-class live musicians for your big day. Many bands will be happy to offer a reduced lineup to bring their fee more in line with your budget, or you could opt for a solo or duo act. With clever loop pedals and professional backing tracks, solo and duo performers can skilfully replicate a full band sound for a much lower fee. Select Your Sound No matter how out there your musical tastes are, there’s a band out there who can deliver a performance to suit your style. If you’re browsing an entertainment agency website, you’ll find that bands are conveniently split into different genres and styles, doing your search for the perfect act all the simpler. So if you’re struggling to find a band that fits the bill, get in touch with the agency - after a quick chat about your preferences, they should be able to reel off a host of suitable acts. When choosing your wedding band, do spare a thought for your family and friends. If a full dance floor is your priority, consider a band with the ability to perform songs from various genres. That way, everyone gets their turn to let loose to a favourite tune.

How Long Should a Band Play At a Wedding?

We find 2 sets usually works the best, often 2 x 45 minutes or 2 x 60 minutes, depending on the band’s packages. You may even find you prefer to split your sets up into 3 x 40 minutes to spread it out over the evening. However, some bands will offer additional seats for an extra fee, and this can either be another live set (3 x 60 minutes or 3 x 45 minutes) or a warm acoustic upset. Depending on their acoustic repertoire, an acoustic set can consist of the whole band performing or a trio/duo. If your venue has the option of staying open until 1 am, then you may find that an additional set is worth investing in. However, staying later often incurs an additional cost and may even result in the band requiring accommodation depending on your wedding location. However, most bands offer a DJ service or an add on DJ, which would be a more cost-effective way of keeping the party soaring into the late hours. Every wedding is different, so, whatever your plans, the band will do their absolute best to work around you and your guests.

How Many Songs Will a Band Play At a Wedding?

Assuming a four-hour reception party and 15 songs per hour, you could have a wedding reception playlist of up to 60 songs. How many songs should you pick in advance? We recommend preparing a list of up to 20 “Must Play” songs, plus another 20 “Play If Possible” tracks.

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