9. Band vs. DJ: Which Will Rock Your Wedding Reception?

It’s party time! We’re talking all about the pros, the cons, and best practices for both wedding DJs and bands! 

The decision to hire a DJ or a band for your wedding is always a big one. And honestly, there is no right answer because each wedding and each couple is so different! So what we’re going to do is talk through pros and cons with each and some personal opinions to help you decide which option is best for you! 

DJ:

What we love:

• Your music selection is more customizable
• Specific songs are guaranteed to be the versions that you love
• Usually, DJs are fantastic MC’s that know how to guide and maintain a dance floor
• They usually come with really cool lighting and uploading options that create a party vibe
• They leverage technology
• Have a ceremony and cocktail hour option
• They are more budget friendly!

What we don’t love:

• They can be over or under energetic or your specific party feel
• They can have terrible transition times
• They can control the party a little too much
• Sometimes their set-ups aren’t quite aesthetically pleasing 

When I recommend a DJ instead of a band:

• Tighter budget
• If the couple is super picky about the version of certain songs and is requesting a larger variety of genres
• If the couple is wanting more of a club feel
• If the guests need a lot of handholding to get on the dance floor
• If the venue does not have room for a band 

Bands:

What we love:

• They give a very grand and energetic vibe to the reception
• If you have a good one, they keep the dance floor packed
• They give a classic feel with live instruments
• Some bands can offer one or two musicians to play instruments for the ceremony and or cocktail hour
• The musicians make the guests feel like they are part of the performance

What we don’t love:

• They are expensive
• They take up a lot of room in the reception space.
• Sometimes they are not the best MCs
• They need to take breaks during your dance floor time
• Sometimes their versions of songs aren’t exactly like the originals
• Some bands are very set in their list and don’t offer a lot of customization
• Sometimes they can have a lot of requirements

When I recommend a band over a DJ:

• When the couple has the budget for it
• If the couple is a huge fan of live music
• If the couples guests are pretty self-sufficient in getting the party started
• If the couple is OK with a more traditional wedding reception set list 

Again, this is not a comprehensive list of pros and cons for bands and DJs, this is just a good starting point for you and your fiancé to have a discussion and weigh the options to help you ultimately make a decision!

We love them both and just want you to feel empowered to choose whatever option works best for your wedding. 

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