Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Finding Your Wedding And Reception Band


On the most important day of your life, your wedding day, you want all of the details to be perfect. It is only natural for you to be worried about the reception details as well, including the entertainment. There are two choices for musical entertainment at a reception: a wedding band and a DJ. A DJ is someone who plays different tracks of music that you choose for your special day, and wedding band is live entertainment. The choice that many people choose is based on the overall budget of their wedding.

The best pictures taken at your reception will be of your loved ones and other guests dancing or enjoying the music. You need to choose accordingly and make sure that your choice will be the best for your wedding day. If you are video recording the entire event, then it is even more crucial that you take the wedding entertainment seriously.

Most people, especially women, already have a specific idea in mind for their reception when they are planning the wedding. However, if you and your spouse are completely stumped as to which choice to go about for the music, there are ways to decide. The Internet is a great place to start, and you can even compare prices for all of the local music entertainers in your area.

The choices are endless, especially for live wedding bands. There are group wedding bands, solo wedding musicians, classical wedding ensembles, and of course a wedding DJ. You then have to choose the specific genre. Group wedding bands usually have a much more vast choice of genres, such as cover bands, 80s bands, country bands, etc. Solo wedding musicians are those such as harpists, guitarists, a wedding singer, and a flutist.

Many couples hire a solo musician to play in the wedding and then have them play a set of music at the reception. Classical wedding ensembles are usually the same way, with a string quartet or chamber ensemble. The wedding DJ is often the easier choice because they can play whatever you want and they are a bit more affordable if you are on a tight budget. The basic price for a wedding music band or any other performer is around $300 to $1500. It depends on how long you want them to play, and many performers will calculate in how much it is to travel to your wedding event.

Keep in mind that if you are having your wedding and reception in a church or synagogue, you might have to stay within the appropriate guidelines that are set by the church. You should also plan your wedding music band early. The best talents are booked fast and you do not want to have to deal with finding another band at the last minute, especially those who are not as reputable. It is best to book your music at least a year in advance, but if not, try to have it planned six months before the wedding date.

In some cases, certain wedding locations have a person in charge of taking care of the wedding band music and you will not have to search for long periods of time. If the ceremony is outdoors, then you will also need to make sure that there are electrical hook-ups for the special equipment if it is needed. The key here is to have each band perform for you and decide if they are acceptable. You should check their references, and if there is a contract agreement, make sure that the both of you are in agreement. Find out what their cancellation policy is as well as a refund policy. While all of these insignificant details might be the farthest from your mind when it comes to the wedding, it is crucial for your special day.

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