The music is one of the most important aspects of your wedding reception. The best music will display your personal music tastes, show the love you and your partner have for each other and keep people on the dance floor all night long. Choosing between a DJ or a band can be a heated debate but both are popular choices for a reception. The decision doesn’t need to be difficult though if you consider the following as you choose your music.

Think About Your Big Day as a Whole

What type of event is your wedding going to be? A very formal ceremony and reception may require the formality of a beautiful string quartet or a jazz band. On the other hand, if your ceremony and reception is a casual event, a jazz band may seem out of place and might not offer enough variety to keep everyone dancing.

The budget and reception space are also important considerations. If you don’t want to spend above a certain amount, a DJ is usually a more economical option. Of course, this depends on the DJ. Those who are very popular will probably be more expensive. Even if you can afford to spend money on a band, consider the size of your space. The band will need room to spread out if you want it to play well, which may take away from vital areas such as table space or the dance floor.

The Pros and Cons of a Band

Hiring a live band for your wedding has advantages and disadvantages. A live band creates an elegant and sophisticated reception, especially if the bandleader can easily read the crowd’s vibe and understand which type of song to play and when. Live bands can be unpredictable, which can add to the excitement of the reception.

Again, live bands can be unpredictable, which means you never know exactly what will happen. Maybe the soloist will mess up his or her part or perhaps the bandleader won’t be good at interaction. Bands are often more expensive to hire because you must pay multiple people instead of one or two. Because a band often plays a limited type of music or number of songs, it probably wouldn’t work for a reception that had many people with different tastes or for a very long reception.

The Pros and Cons of a DJ

A DJ is a good choice if your reception will have guests of all ages and backgrounds. He or she will be able to play a wider range of music.

• Pop
• Jazz
• ’80s
• ’90s
• Rock
• Country
• R&B
• Hip-Hop
• Line Dances

Hiring a DJ also ensures you love what you hear. When you hire a band to play some of your favorite songs, there is no guarantee you’ll love its rendition of it. If you hire a DJ, you can play the version you fell in love with. A DJ will also take up less space, leaving more room for your guests to eat, drink, dance and mingle. DJs are trained to interact with the crowd, so he or she is more likely to keep your guests engaged and usually for a more affordable price than hiring a band.

Like hiring a band, hiring a DJ has a couple of disadvantages. If he or she is rude or has a boring personality, it will be harder to keep your guests happy and engaged. You should also consider the special wedding dances. If someone is off tempo, a DJ won’t be able to adjust as easily as a band could.

Do Your Research When Picking a DJ or a Band

Regardless of whether you choose to hire a DJ or a band for your wedding reception, do your research beforehand. Not only should you see the act in action to determine if the style meets your needs, but you should ask for references, look for online reviews and ensure the group or individual is comfortable working with a same-sex couple to prevent any unpleasant surprises on your wedding day.