For many brides out there, most of their time and effort goes into creating the perfect wedding reception. That includes an excellent menu with elegant wedding reception decorations, wedding favors that are made to impress, and of course, the right wedding reception music to help set the mood and create the feel you’ve been looking for when planning your wedding reception. The right wedding reception music can help to put people at ease, get them excited, and make them fall in love again. Music just seems to have that effect on people. There are several ways that you can use to pump that wedding reception music into your reception venue. Granted, with those different methods of getting your music out, there are also numerous price differences between each one of these options. So be sure to check and see what your wedding budget will allow before choosing which venue to go with to get your wedding reception music done.
Wedding Reception Music – Hiring a DJ
Hiring a DJ is probably the most popular way to get your wedding reception music taken care of. They can typically be hired for a (high) hourly fee, but they have a huge selection of songs that you can use to help make your wedding reception music something you’ve always dreamed of. If you’re having a dance floor, this is probably the best route to take, as you’ll probably need a live person to choose the songs that you can dance to. Be sure to talk to the DJ before the wedding and give him a list of songs that you absolutely positively do NOT want as part of your wedding reception music, such as any offensive songs, the YMCA song, anything like that. Hiring a DJ can be an expensive proposition to have a way to play your wedding reception music, but you will know that the songs will be taken care of.
Wedding Reception Music – Hiring a Wedding Singer/Band/String Quartet
Personally, I’ve never seen one of these at a wedding, though I do know that bands and wedding singers can be hired to provide some great wedding reception music. A live band may give off some great sounds, but again, you could be looking at a huge hourly bill to pay the singer and everyone in the band. Also, another bad thing about having a live band is the noise. It could be hard for your guests to have a private, intimate conversation if they have to yell over your loud live music wedding reception music. If you are hiring a string quartet, you won’t have to worry about the loud noise that your guests can’t talk over, but be sure to check their prices.
Wedding Reception Music – Rigging Your Own
Perhaps the most economical way to arrange your wedding reception music is to take care of it yourself. Hook up your Ipod or computer play list to some speakers placed strategically around the room, and set the volume that you want. This option works best with a wedding reception without a dance floor, as you can’t control which songs will be played at a particular time. But this option will provide you with exactly the kind of wedding reception music that you want to help create your perfect day, and the only cost you may have is buying and downloading songs, and renting speakers if you don’t have your own.
Wedding reception music can be tricky. In most cases it needs to be economical, functional to your wedding reception music needs, and to set off the mood that you want your wedding reception to have. So be prudent in choosing what kind of wedding reception to have, as well as how you want to get your wedding reception music out.
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February 23rd, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Although the Ipod Wedding Reception can be more economical I would highly recommend not saving money here. It is the most problematic wedding cost savor I have found. I would recommend spending the money on the DJ or Live Band. The last thing you want is to not have music at your reception because of a busted or random Ipod.
March 3rd, 2008 at 7:54 pm
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March 6th, 2008 at 12:12 am
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April 18th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
This is a very half baked comparison of a band vs DJs.
DJs are far louder, cheesier and 100X less educated about music than any band. Of course a live band with 5 live singers, horn section and a rhythm section is going to cost more than a guy standing behind a table. Ever wonder music schools don’t offer a degree in DJ performance? Because they are not musicians! Don’t give wrong information to brides. Live music is always superior to any DJ for sophisticated weddings. If they can’t afford live music then DJs are better than nothing.
April 19th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
David – I understand that having a band will provide much better music without the cheese. My purpose in writing this article was to let brides know about their options and the difference in costs between their options. I am not misleading these ladies.
January 29th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I would have to contradict the band vs. dj theory from David. I for one believe most DJ’s have a far more diverse taste and greater knowledge about music. Bands tend to be more one-sided, their knowledge is usually centered on “their” preference and not society at large. It can work very well, but don’t discount the DJ just because compared to a band they are cheap.
February 4th, 2009 at 11:05 am
I have performed and attended numerous weddings, and I can tell you it all depends on the DJ themselves, or the caliber of the band. Sometimes DJ’s are great, sometimes not. Sometimes the band is phenomenal, sometimes they clear out the room. Song selection and style is critical, and it really depends on what sort of feel the bride and groom are hoping to create. Why not consider both? For someone having a smaller event (say less than 100 people), there are ways to get both live entertainment and DJ-style music for slightly more than what a DJ would charge, but less than a full band.
September 21st, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Having live music to play at a civil wedding ceremony or any ceremony outside of a church setting will make a huge difference. A solo harp, flute and guitar or a string quartet playing music suitable for walking down the aisle, signing the register and the bride and groom’s exit will be well worth the extra cost.