Choosing Between a Band or Deejay for your Wedding Entertainment
Wedding entertainment
Music is such an important part of your wedding day, from the first notes of your processional song to the song you choose for your First Dance to the music that keeps your dance floor filled all night long. The big question for you is: do you want a live band or a deejay as the entertainment at your wedding?
It all depends on the style of entertainment you prefer, which many of our wedding couples say they decide during other weddings they’ve attended. If they have been guests at a wedding that had an energetic, talented live band, they may decide that a live band is the style of entertainment for them. If they’ve experienced the hip, clublike energy of a great deejay, they may choose that style of entertainer to fill their wedding venue with fabulous music that sets the tone for each stage of their wedding celebration.
Here are some points to consider for both live bands and deejays as you discuss which style of entertainers will be perfect for your dream wedding:
- Talented musicians within the band very often play more than one instrument, and may sing more than one style of music, so your band can perform a wide range of song styles.
- The combinations of live singers’ voices and musical performances allow for the experience of getting a concert just for your celebration, and bands can add unique and creative twists to the best-known songs – including a guitar solo or a singer’s soaring voice that fills the wedding venue with crowd-pleasing power.
- Live bands can transition from song to song with unique musical talent, for a fresh take on wedding entertainment; they don’t stop after each song waiting for applause.
- Since so many wedding couples on budgets are hiring less expensive deejays, your live band can be an extra-special and extra-exciting wedding feature that makes your event unforgettable.
- Live bands can interact with your guests, such as the singer serenading you or a bridesmaid, or inviting guests (or your groom) to come up on stage and sing with them.
- The look of a live band dressed up for your formal wedding is upscale and chic, and you’ll have something in common with celebrity weddings where bands and live performers have made the reception even more fabulous.
- A live band is often more expensive than a deejay, since there are a larger number of performers, and you have to feed all of them as a matter of proper wedding etiquette.
Deejay
- A deejay will play the original version of songs, so if you love a particular famous recording artist’s rendition of your song, this is the entertainer who will deliver the music as you know it.
- A deejay can be subdued during the earlier parts of the night, then he or she will rev up the energy and interact more with your crowd during the later dancing hours that fill your reception ballroom with partying, dancing guests.
- A deejay subscribes to music databases, so there is no limit to the types of songs you can have on your playlist. A band might specialize in certain types of songs, or might not have a particular, unique song you love in their repertoire.
- One deejay means a lower cost in many instances, and you’ll only need to feed one vendor.
Quality music is quality music, and great entertainers can make each portion of your wedding celebration wonderful with subtle background music during the cocktail hour, romantic dinner music during the dinner hour, and more upbeat music during the dancing hours.
A top trend now is to have both types of entertainers at weddings. The deejay plays for a while, and then musicians or singers come out to surprise your guests with a few live song performances. Or, the deejay plays the cocktail and dinner hour, with a band stepping in to take on the high-energy music and lighting for the dancing hours in your wedding venue. Any combination can be arranged.
Professional wedding entertainers have years of experience working all types of weddings and special events, and can put on a great show for your guests. Be sure to see them in action at a live event as you’re interviewing vendors, to get the best sense of their performing style, and assess their wedding package details carefully when you’re ready to book the ideal entertainers for you.
