For the first post on our brand new blog I’m going to answer one of the questions that we are asked most frequently here at San Entertainment:  Should I hire a DJ or a full band to play at my wedding reception?  Your wedding day will undoubtedly be one of the biggest and most memorable days of your life, but before you get there there are hundreds of decisions you will need to make about how you want the day to go.  As an agency we are constantly asked by our clients whether we would recommend that they hire a live party band or a wedding reception DJ to entertain their guests.  The truth is there is no right or wrong answer for this and it will always vary depending on the couple, the scale of the wedding and their guests.  Hopefully the advice I offer will help you to decide what approach to take on your big day.

Live Wedding Bands

Positives:

• If your wedding is heavily themed then having a band that matches the intended tone can really help to create ambience and atmosphere.
• Wedding Bands will typically adjust the pacing and tempo of songs to match the energy levels of the dancers on the floor.  In addition to this they will often be able to take some of the bride and grooms favourite songs and adjust them to match the weddings theme (playing a swing cover of a pop song for example).
• In terms of atmosphere there really is no beating the sound and aesthetics of having a live band in the room.

Negatives:

• The majority of wedding bands specialise in a single style of music; while this is perfect for a strongly themed wedding if you want a wide and eclectic range of music played a band might prove to be too limited.
• Wedding bands can be expensive.  If you are trying to plan your wedding on a budget the cost of a live band could prove to be prohibitive.
• If the wedding reception is small and intimate then a live and loud band can sometimes seem a little out of place.

Wedding Reception DJ

Positives:

• A well established DJ will carry a library of thousands of songs, and will no doubt be able to acquire any further songs in advance of the wedding with ease.  This means that you and your guests will be able to request songs and have the music adapted to the mood of the event on the night.
• As you step out onto the dance floor for your first dance, a DJ will be able to play the exact version of the song you choose (rather than having a live band play a cover of it).
• Most DJ’s will play for the whole evening rather than playing sets with breaks in between.
• Even a high end DJ will usually cost less than a full wedding band.

Negatives:

• A DJ will usually act as an emcee and if their personality doesn’t gel with the tone you want from the wedding it can be very jarring.  It is vital when looking for a DJ to meet and discuss the event with them beforehand to ensure that they are on the same wavelength as you.
• Many wedding DJ’s are used to playing very similar party songs at a variety of different weddings and can slip into “autopilot” mode with generic comments and music.  Again, if you want to avoid this you should make sure to seek out DJ’s with great testimonials and meet with them in advance of the wedding to discuss how you want the event to flow.

Ultimately the best choice will depend on the type of wedding you are planning.  One of the best solutions, which many people are opting for these days, is to hire a band to play a couple of short sets early in the evening with a DJ to play between sets and once the band have packed up.