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Dj's, Bands, and Entertainment Tips

Dance your night away with the perfect wedding entertainment.

Many ceremony sites have in-house musicians that they will probably want you to use. This can save you money.

When doing outdoor ceremonies, check with the city or proper authorities whether there are any noise level or time-of-day restrictions on playing your music. Also make sure there is a place for the band or dj to set up his equipment with power outlets.

If you choose to hire musicians with harps, violins, or other delicate instruments for an outdoor wedding, make sure they play under a protective canopy. Their instruments need to be protected from rain and snow or the show cannot go on for fear of damaging the instruments.

BAND VS. DJ

A good band can really get the crowd moving as well as play

More Wedding Tips

great pieces during the cocktail and dinner hour. A live band can also add that special touch. The downside of a band is that they are more expensive than a DJ and they tire out a lot quicker than a DJ’s sound system. So while the band is taking a break, you need to provide some sort of entertainment to avoid the silence. The band members need to be fed and that adds to the cost if you have to feed a six or eight member band.



Djs are usually cheaper than bands. They have a larger selection of music and while on break their system will still provide music. On the downside, Dj’s seem less personal since they cannot slow the song down or personalize it especially for you. The worst of them may even be too cheesy playing the cheesiest party songs. Some have been known to be blabbermouths and the worst of them just outright make the worst jokes and/or comments.

When choosing a band or DJ, ask to sit in on a similar event that they may be working at to get a feel of how well they entertain the crowd.

The best way to find a DJ is by way of mouth, through references from local night clubs or radio stations.

Find a DJ that is the “play what YOU want type”. Print out a list of must-play tunes. Let the DJ know when to play those special songs. Write it down for him. The more specific your notes are the less likely he will mess up.

>When hiring a band, ask questions such as; what is your specialty? Can you play music styles other than your specialty? Can you play tunes that are important to me if I provide the piece? How long do you need to master the piece(s)? Is there an extra charge for that? How many musicians and vocalists are in the band? Do I need to rent any instruments? Do you have a sound system? Who will do the set up and how early can you do it? Do you have any other events you will attend before or after ours? Can you do overtime?

The prelude is the time before your ceremony begins when your guests arrive. Having background music can break the uncomfortable silence for guests who don’t know each other. The music can range from classical to jazz and soft R&B.

The doors to the ceremony should open 15 to 20 minutes before the ceremony time on invites.

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