Most wedding tales end with, “…and we partied into the night!” This can instill fear into those planning a wedding as they know pressure put on them to find excellent entertainment that everyone will love. Most wedding guests need a lot of encouragement to get back up on their feet after a busy wedding day, so the decision normally settles on a DJ or a live band. The problem is that some brides don’t know which is going to end up being better for the party environment. Here are a few questions to ask at this stage:
What is the budget?
Wedding DJs almost always come in cheaper than live bands. This is a fact that has little bearing on the quality of the entertainment as the main reason for this is often that live bands have more costs to cover themselves. For those who are looking to cut costs, the reception is when they can get away with it, especially if there is going to be a open bar.
What is the wow factor for the guests?
When wedding planning, a pattern tends to emerge showing that only those things that ‘wow’ the guests will be allowed. This is no different for the reception, and the common choice for this is a live band as their equipment and stage presence can fill the room even if the dancefloor has poor attendance.
What and where is the venue?
Some venues are too small for full bands, others will have policies about what is and isn’t acceptable. Some will even have recommended DJs that cost less. Normally this won’t be an issue, but it is worth checking before any entertainment deposits are paid.
What is going to be played?
DJs can play personalized set lists, but live bands can cover songs and personalize the lyrics. Live bands may not be the answer for wedding parties that want to hear the Macarena or the Grease Megamix.
How likely are they to mess up?
This sounds like a strange thing to ask, but a bad DJ can be the talking point for all the wrong reasons. Bands are never as bad as a DJ from hell, but they run the risk of being incredibly dull instead.