Just like the catering, décor and everything else, the wedding music will set the tone for your wedding day. Entertainment provides us with so many options. Finding the right fit for your wedding day can be a little challenging. Ultimately, deciding whether you appreciate the immersive live entertainment experience or the continuous vibe that cross-fades between songs will be decided by the vision you have for your wedding day. Let’s talk wedding music to help you create the magical experience you really want.
Budgeting for the Experience
The wedding entertainment you choose will create the experience you want on your wedding day. Unfortunately, the budget always wins. On average, couples allocate about ten percent of their budget on the wedding music. A live band exists on the opposite end of the cost spectrum as the DJ. They both play the same music, with a very different experience and associated price tag. Talent, popularity and time can drive the cost up or down for both. The average DJ costs between $800 and $2,000. In contrast, the average cost of a live band is between $2,500 and $6,000. Keep in mind that you can pay more or less for your talent. It is important to know whether there is a minimum number of hours required to book your talent. It can be cheaper to book talent through your wedding venue or a planner. There is so much more to consider than the cost of your wedding music.
Live Wedding Music
Live wedding music can set the mood like nothing else. There is no comparison to the live band when it comes to crowd motivation, sophistication and charisma. It can be an experience beyond sophistication and elegance that can offer energy and flexibility. Live wedding music adds life to the occasion. It takes the observer back in awe and grabs attention. It breaks down the barriers between genre and decade, and can be entertaining and appreciated as an art by all. If you choose live wedding music, you appreciate the art of music and that there is a living person with the ability to infiltrate their uniqueness into their rendition of your playlist.
Choosing a Wedding DJ
A wedding DJ is not pressing play on the radio. They provide a unique mixing of tracks and fading between them with special effects. Every wedding DJ will have a different style that can include light shows and sometimes live performers. While a band might take breaks between sets, the DJ doesn’t stop until the party does. The DJ has the ability to create a club-style feeling that can maintain the energy of the room.
Wedding Music for the Ceremony
When couples are planning their wedding music, they think about the celebration first. There is more to the music than the reception party on the dance floor. You will need to choose your ceremony music, and decide whether you want a live musician or a DJ to create that unique experience. You could choose a choir, string duo, flute trio, piano, sax, violin, harp or quartet. You could also choose a DJ to create the experience. Keep in mind that a live musician will create a very different vibe during the ceremony. Music usually plays during the seating and the entire time leading up to the processional. Think about the experience and whether you envision Chopin, mellow jazz or the organ in the back playing the traditional wedding march.
Cocktail Hour Music
Everywhere you want to create a vibe and energy, you should plan to have wedding music. The music might play at a different level and be of a different style, but it should be present. The cocktail hour calls for special entertainment. You could choose to keep a mellow atmosphere for mingling or you might choose a mariachi band. The music should match the décor and the vibe of the venue. Classy jazz or classical might be appropriate for an upscale cocktail hour with a sophisticated tone. Martinis and candlelight call for something very different than a rustic outdoor vibe. The wedding music for the cocktail hour should be low key and slightly less powerful than the reception. Try to avoid starting the energized party too early.
Wedding Music for the Reception
The wedding music that plays during the reception is what we start thinking about and planning first. This is the big celebration that is full of events on a timeline that require a unique playlist that will be tied to each event. You should plan songs for the grand entrance, the spotlight dance, the first dance, the parent spotlight dances, open dance floor, cake cutting ceremony, bouquet toss and any other special rituals. Think about the vibe you want to create during your reception, and plan the wedding music that creates it.
Crystal Ballroom on the Lake
Crystal Ballroom on the Lake is an all-inclusive wedding venue with an in-house design team that is dedicated to bringing your vision to life. Weddings at Crystal Ballroom include all of the furnishings, décor and staff services to make your dream wedding possible. Relationships with vendors provide access to professional services at reduced rates to save couples even more. Bring imagination and your love story to a ballroom designed just for you.
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