After the formalities of a wedding there is nothing better than when the couple let down their hair, kick of their shoes and hit the dance floor with their nearest and dearest! When it comes to reception music there are a few options, all of which come with differing price tags. There is something that will fit into everyone’s budget and of course where it features on their list of ‘must haves’.
Itunes / Spotify playlist
Such a great option for being able to play a range of music! You can load up a few different playlists in the months before ensuring all your favourite dance tunes are played. It is also incredibly easy to have different playlists for different aspects of the day, more relaxed tunes post ceremony with the party anthems coming out after dessert once the wines really start flowing. It is an excellent place to save money on your budget, you can allocate the money elsewhere if music is not one of your main priorities, it only costs your time to create the playlists and the subscription to Spotify, make sure you have Spotify premium, no one will appreciate ads being played! It has the capability to search and play most songs you can think of so that in the moment when you suddenly want to jam to S Club, you can just search for it. On the negative side, playlists make it really easy for any of your guests to just jump in and put any song they like on which may not be one you would choose, I have seen some interesting arguments over songs at weddings! A way to combat this is to have the device the music is playing from hidden behind the bar, with either your day of coordinator or venue manager in charge of it. It will stop your guests wanting to play DJ.
DJ
With a DJ you get all the benefits of Spotify with hundreds upon hundreds of song choices, but without the work of putting together a playlist. You don’t have to worry about someone hijacking the music, you can brief the DJ on what style of music you like and decide whether you will have requests or not. The number one reason why a DJ is an excellent choice is that they can read the crowd and select music accordingly. They can put on tunes that will get everyone up and dancing, encourage your friends onto the dance floor or perhaps put on a song that resonates with your parents age group. There are never lulls in the music, they keep the party going. Of course DJ’s will cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars upwards to a few thousand depending on what is offered, time spent at the wedding and experience. At the upper end of the price range you would expect them to bring all their own gear including speakers and lights. Make sure to check with the DJ what is included in their fee as there may be extra hire costs for any equipment they will need.
Bands / Live Music
Like DJ’s, live music artists are in a similar price bracket and can go higher based on number of hours involved, how well known they are and number of people in the group. A solo artist is more likely to be less expensive than an eight piece band mainly because of the hourly rate per person once the fee is broken down. One huge positive when it comes to live music is that it can be utilised throughout the day not just for the party portion of the evening. They can sing you down the aisle, or provide acoustic tunes throughout the post ceremony drinks. Of course this does bump the price up a bit as they are there for a longer period of time. Again, check what equipment they will be bringing with them as quite often you will be able to use their speaker and microphone system for the speeches which saves you having to hire a sound system. From my experience, nothing gets people on the dance floor quite like a live band, they are entertainers for a reason and can really make the end of an amazing day even better. Just remember to choose someone who sings the style of songs you like to listen to, there is no point hiring a country band if you prefer the top 50 hits. In saying that, I have heard a country band belt out Britney Spears ‘Hit me baby one more time’ and it was bloody fab!
Final Tips
No matter which option you go for, it will be perfect for your day. If you decide to go for a band or DJ one important tip is to do your research and that is not just on old mate google. Go to bars with your partner and friends, listen to people play and see how they are with the crowd, decide if they have the sound that you are after. If you hear someone awesome at another wedding or event, grab their details so you can chat at a later date. Get recommendations off others that have used someone great, and enjoy!