Should you hire a Band or
Professional Wedding DJ? A Wedding Entertainment Dilemma: The
Original Mr. DJ Pro’s weigh in on the topic.
When a couple
is searching for entertainment for their wedding, they are faced with a few
major decisions; whether to hire a live band or DJ? Our expert Chicago Wedding
DJs at The Original Mr. DJ would
like to point out a few tips to help couples make the best entertainment
decisions. We will try to remain
unbiased toward our own profession. There are good points for having a live
band, or a DJ, and a few things to keep in mind when deciding. Sometimes
couples choose to hire both a DJ and live musicians, and when your budget
allows it that can be a great option. We have worked with bands and live
musicians many times, and now we’d like to offer some tips based on our
experience.
We'll break
down each portion of a wedding, and offer pros and cons for Bands/live
musicians and DJ/Emcees:
The Ceremony Music - Band OR DJ?
THE PRO’S: A band offers a live
version of songs chosen by the couple or based on a theme designed by the
couple that the band follows. It certainly offers a nice “look” and “feel” when
you have a guitarist, a violinist & cellist, or a saxophonist , harpist,
and/or flutist playing the prelude and ceremony music. The live musicians offer
a wow factor and it looks great in pictures.
The sound they provide, when they’re really good, is hard to compare
with pre-recorded music, it’s just much more intimate and personal.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND: If you aren't getting married in a Church, and your venue does not have its
own PA system, you will still need someone to run the microphone sound levels
for the officiant and vows to be heard.
When we consult with clients, the number one complaint we hear with
regard to Ceremonies is “we couldn't hear the vows”. If the band offers a PA for your officiant
and vows, make sure they will personally control the sound and not simply set
it and forget it. Some people speak more
softly than others and the person controlling the sound can adjust for this.
Our professional Chicago DJs meet with the officiant just prior to the ceremony
to make sure they understand the proper use of the mic and what to do in the
case of an equipment failure…make sure your DJ or Band does this to avoid any
problems which could ruin your Ceremony.
If the Band doesn't have a PA system for the officiant and vows, you may
need a DJ to provide the Ceremony sound system, which is usually an additional
cost…If your
budget is a concern, remember that the DJ can provide the sound support for the
ceremony as well as play all of your prelude and ceremony music for a nominal
additional cost, while bands/musicians can cost quite a bit more. Also, Bands often have multiple members who
all come with many pieces of equipment that can take up quite a bit of space.
The musicians may have several amps or instruments that require electrical
outlets to be available while a DJ requires only 1 outlet. Also, many musicians
play by reading sheet music which means between songs you may have a “gap of
silence” while they prepare the next song.
DJ’s come prepared with a full list of music selected by the couple or
based on the DJ’s experience and the general wishes of the couple, and there is
no gap in the music. DJs usually only
need one speaker and a wireless microphone and laptop (and some backup
equipment for emergencies), so they take up very little space and are not a
focal point of attention.
Finally, (this
one is very important!) If you hire a
musician or band, it is crucial that you hear them play live. You don’t have to hear a DJ play live,
because a DJ is playing pre-recorded music that you know will sound great…as
long as the sound system is a good one and the DJ is experienced with
performing Ceremonies, but a live musician who provides a “demo” may have
polished the recording to perfection but when it comes time to play live, they
simply aren't that good. Ask to see them
play live, at least for those key Processional songs you've chosen. We don’t want to step on any toes; we simply
want to caution our potential clients to make certain the musicians they hire
are proficient players.
Cocktail Hour/Dinner Music - Band OR DJ?
THE PRO’s: Again, a band has the look of a classic
wedding long before there were DJ’s with CD’s or laptops. Bands create a
tangible atmosphere and an interactive experience which people take a mental
picture of throughout the day, Bands generally bring a lot of energy to an
event, BUT, DJs can also have a wow factor when they run an event flawlessly,
can be as interactive as the clients want them to be, especially if they have a
great personality, aren't obnoxious or cheesy, and play great music.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND: Bands might have an awesome set list to choose from, but they usually
have a limited number of songs and styles they can play. Should you want to
change the feel of your cocktail or dinner music on the fly, this may be
impossible for them in most cases. And remember, if the band uses sheet music
they may have that “gap of silence” between each song that can be very
josseling for your guests. A Great band
will have a fixed set of music which they've memorized and prepared for and
generally there is little to no gap between songs…but those bands cost a lot
more money. Great bands memorize their
music, it’s just that simple. The good DJs will usually have gone
over music with the clients and have arranged a list of songs that fit the
couple’s idea for the feel of cocktail and dinner. This music list can include
popular hits everyone can sing and tap their toes to, or favorite bands that
the couples love. The theme can be changed at any moment using
a giant library of music already installed in the DJ’s computer. It will
run on a loop and have a fading effect that makes song transitions seamlessly
and with no “gap of silence.” By using computers for cocktail and dinner music,
this also allows the DJ to be free to help wherever they are needed and talk to
the wedding party and the important people involved in the Grand
Entrances, Special
Dances, Toasts, etc. This is very useful when you’re trying to keep the
schedule moving and rely on the DJ to MC the event. While many bands have Emcee’s who can be
working to arrange and execute the schedule while the band continues playing,
the less expensive bands are generally not as prepared, experienced or
interactive behind the scenes as a professional wedding DJ.
Also, with a
band it may be hard to control the volume levels unless they have a
professional sound technician with them. Without a sound technician, a
guitarist’s amp may be too loud while a singer or trumpet player is getting
louder trying to compensate, this isn't ideal.
DJ’s control their sound by walking around during a song and checking
levels to make sure the music isn't too loud or is just loud enough…or in some
cases, meets the noise ordinance requirements set by a Venue.
Something else
to consider: if you are providing vendor meals, with a band you might have many
mouths to feed which will increase your catering bill, while a DJ may only be 1
individual or 2 at the most when there is a DJ and Emcee combo.
Dance Music - Band or DJ?
Bands are
lively, fun, loud, and energetic…the good ones are, anyway. DJs can be all of
those things too. Really great wedding
bands cost anywhere from $4000-15,000 while really Great DJs in the Chicago market can
cost anywhere between $700-$1200. These prices are based on location,
experience, talent, reputation, number of musicians, and of course, supply and
demand. Keeping in mind many DJ’s can cost considerably less and even more. See the
Truth about Chicago-Suburbs Wedding DJ Pricing and Types of DJ’s for
Weddings. For the dancing portion of your wedding,
you have to ask yourself “do I want all styles of music?” including the latest
pop hits, hip-hop, jazz, rock, oldies, etc… and if so, “do I want a band that
plays their own rendition of those songs?
Or do I want to hear the Actual Original Recorded version song itself? “That’s
what it really boils down to. Beyond
that, keep in mind that DJ’s can act as the Emcee and provide all of the music
across tens of thousands of songs plus have internet capability to obtain even
more songs, prearranged or on the fly, while bands may have an Emcee, to assure
that you're getting a good one, you'll have to pay for it!
It’s important to interview DJs and determine how they will Look, Sound, and “feel” in front of all of
your guests. You can tell if that person
has the right personality, experience, and expertise you are looking for to
provide the right music and be a great Emcee for your most special day. With a Band, you need to interview them to
determine their Emceeing abilities and just how involved they will be with the
execution of the timeline and announcements, and you absolutely need to hear
them play live so you know exactly what you’re getting ahead of time. We’ve actually had people tell us they hired
expensive bands for previous events and when they attended a wedding that we
DJ-Emceed, they wish they had hired us. So,
just because a band or DJ costs a lot, that may not be a full indication of
whether they are really good or fit your desires for a great event.
You can see
that there are many reasons why you should or should not hire a band and/or a
DJ. Bands are NOT our competition and we love to work together with them side
by side, sharing the entertainment responsibilities while we usually act as the
Emcee. Its comparing apples to oranges when you really consider everything you
get from both types of entertainment. Your decision should be about what will
make your night fun, entertaining, stress-free, and an event that you and your
guests will never forget. We hope you always make confident choices and
consider all the details. We wish you love, happiness, an awesome wedding and a
beautiful future. See
exactly what we have to offer. Also see our DJ wedding
pricing and Military Discounts.