Live Wedding Band v DJ: Which is the Best Choice for Your Wedding?
The music played at your wedding will gain huge significance in your life from that day onwards. It should be a representation of yours and your future husband’s style and personality, and in addition to appealing to your guests, needs to transcend the inevitable variation in age ranges usually seen at a wedding reception. So the decision as to whether you want a live wedding band to play at your reception, or whether you would prefer the services of a DJ, can be a tricky one.
Live wedding band
The atmosphere provided by a band playing live at your reception is unique. If you decided on a particular theme for your wedding, for example 1930s, Scottish, or fairytale, then a live wedding band that complements that theme will enhance the day, and add much to the experience for yourself and your guests. The added advantage of this is that a suitable band should not be too hard to find, as the options are narrowed by the theme chosen.
Whether or not you hire a live wedding band for your reception can often be dictated by the size of the venue. Make sure that the venue for your wedding reception is capable of housing a live band, and that there is sufficient power available for all their equipment.
The band members will need to take breaks during the course of the evening, so it is important that recorded music is available to play at these times. No music at all might signal to guests that they need to go home – not the best outcome in the middle of your wedding reception!
DJ
An alternative to booking a live wedding band for your reception is hiring a DJ to play the music. This needs careful consideration as the DJ sets the tone for the evening, and can either make or break this part of your wedding. There is a huge difference between a club DJ who creates a party atmosphere, and a wedding DJ whose main role is just to play the agreed type of music without too much conversation.
Agreeing a specific playlist with your DJ can avoid problems regarding music taste, and is a way of making sure that older generation relatives and guests also enjoy the evening. If it is important to you that your special song for the first dance is performed by the original artist, hiring a DJ is a good idea.
The style of a wedding often makes the process of choosing either a live wedding band or a DJ a little easier, and clear communication between you and your band/DJ will ensure that your wedding reception is remembered for all the right reasons.