Music for the Wedding Reception

Live Entertainment Versus A DJThis will depend upon who’s available in your area and how much you want to spend. For the first part of the reception it’s nice to have soft background music, so a solo musician or string quartet is perfect for this section.

Book Well AheadA lot of the really popular bands, wedding entertainers and DJs are booked out for months, so make sure you book as soon as you can.

The Cocktail Hour

After the ceremony and before the meal, there is the “Cocktail” or “Social Hour.” This is when the bridal party are busy having their photos taken and while the guests mingle. Since the guests will want to talk with each other, the music should be in the background, so don’t have it too loud. Having a soloist wedding entertainer playing here, like a harpist, works really well.

Finding the Right Wedding Entertainment

First of all, make sure they have a repertoire that you just love.

Entertainers and DJs who provide music for weddings need to know exactly what you’re after. Planning ahead will enable you to ask the right questions when approaching them, as well as letting them know what you expect from them.

Ask to see their customer testimonials, find out where they’ve worked before, and ask to see demos. This will give you a good idea of how much experience they have and how good they are.

Remember, if you don’t have someone else allocated to be your M.C. (Master of Ceremonies.), then the band leader or DJ is going to be the one with the microphone, so they need to be a fantastic M.C.

Questions to Ask

Can the audience ask for requests?

Do they include audience participation?

Will they play longer if required and how much will that be per hour?

Do they have a light-show available and will you have to pay extra for it?

Requirements For The Wedding Entertainers / DJ

They’ll need time to set up, so make sure the venue is open when they arrive.

You may be requested to provide them with meals?

They’ll need breaks, so find out from them how often and how long each one will be.