Best Bands for Destination Weddings

A sunset ceremony in Tuscany, beach wedding in Cabo San Lucas, private villa in the Caribbean – destination weddings have a certain magic to them already built in. But what makes them truly special is the entertainment. If you’re looking for the best bands for destination weddings, then a world class band like Modern Retrospect is a great option – it’s all about the energy, the types of music, the logistics, the professionalism and the ability to read the room of traveling wedding guests who are ready to party!

Music at a destination wedding is more important than at your run of the mill wedding. Your guests have not just come to a venue for a few hours, they have bought plane tickets, packed their suits and dresses and have gone on a bit of a trip for your wedding weekend. They expect a certain standard, and a great destination wedding band like Red Hot Revolution will give them an experience that they’ll be talking about for years to come when they get home.

What Makes the Best Bands for Destination Weddings?

Generally speaking, the best wedding bands for destination weddings are those that have done it many times before. There are many, many more considerations to make, logistics to sort out, and issues to iron out for a destination wedding than there are for a local wedding.

First things first: Not all good local bands are good destination bands. It’s very rare that you’ll find a great wedding band in an exotic location, so flying the good ones in is always the best option. There’s a whole different level of being a destination band vs. a local band. These bands are used to travelling for work, have portable equipment and international experience. They also communicate extremely professionally and are adept at problem solving when it comes to putting on a great show in any environment. You’ll want to take a look at Liquid Blue, the world’s official most travelled band.

Liquid Blue Band Performing at a Costa Rica Destination Wedding

That means you’re not getting a band that just does some weddings and covers songs for other shows. You’re going to be looking for a band that has experience at these types of events like Rhinestone Rodeo. The elite bands have a set list that’s refined and the band members are seasoned pros that know how to be elegant and then transition to a rowdy party band that’ll get everyone on the dance floor. They also know how to deal with the pace of a destination wedding vs the ball room wedding back home.

Qualities the Best Destination Wedding Bands Should Have

Experience: You want to make sure that the band you’re considering has experience traveling to resorts, private estates or outdoors. If you’re traveling abroad, you want to make sure that the band has experience performing in that country or overseas in general.
Flexible setup options: They can work with you on a setup that works for the venue. A good destination band will be able to work with different setups, and can adapt to any limitations you might have in terms of sound and the ability to put a sound system in a certain place.
Musical range: The best bands have the ability to appeal to all of your guests, regardless of age, background, and musical preference. It’s a skill that not many bands have, the ability to be able to play a wide variety of genres.
Communication: Wedding Music Bands books a lot of destination events, so it’s very important that you’re able to communicate well with your coordinator, have a plan in place for everything very quickly, and that they communicate well with vendors.
Good dance floor instincts: This can’t be stressed enough. You want a band that knows how to work a wedding, and how to energize the dance floor portion of your wedding. They should know how to get people on the floor, how to keep them on the floor, how to transition from one type of song to the next, etc.
They bring the heat, every time: This is probably the most important quality for a band that plays destination weddings. You’re going to want a group that’s very professional and that’ll bring a very polished and fun performance for you and your guests.

The Band Styles that Work Best at Destination Weddings

There isn’t one “best” type of band for all destination weddings, as it really depends on the location, the guest list and the vibe of the wedding weekend in general, but there are some formats of bands that work really well for destination weddings.

High-Energy Dance Bands

If you want a dance floor that will rip the roof off the joint (assuming it’s not an outdoor wedding where there is no roof), then a premium dance band will be the front runner. These guys are trained to keep the energy high. They have incredible vocalists, incredible stage presence and will appeal to all ages. This is important because most destination weddings will have a wider age range/guest list for longer than a local 1 night wedding.

A Top Dance Band will be able to play Motown, Pop, Classic Wedding Songs, Current Songs, all in the same set and never miss a beat. This will make your wedding feel special and a little bit more classy than usual. If you want the dance floor packed the whole night and want a big party, go for a dance band.

Party Bands with Production Value

Now, some couples (mainly destination weddings) want a bit more than that. They want a SHOW. This is where a fancy party wedding band with some extra fringe benefits really changes the vibe of the whole room. We’re talking choreographed dancers/singers, multiple singers, and even some light shows to go along with it… like a concert.

The premium band is going to appeal to the luxury wedding market, celebrity weddings and large budget private party market – basically anywhere that wants to wow their guests with an amazing experience. The downside is that these more elaborate bands will likely need more space and planning, as well as a venue that can handle the technical side. But when the venue can handle it, the payoff is massive!

Jazz Bands and Elegant Ensembles

Not all destination weddings are high impact party weddings that need a high impact party band from the get go. Some are more classy and chic. For those weddings, there are some very nice and experienced jazz bands and acoustic, classy bands that would fit the vibe of those weddings more, whether it’s for a welcome party, rehearsal dinner or even the actual reception.

Live bands also add atmosphere that simply can’t be replicated by a CD or playlist. A great jazz band will add glamour, a string quartet will add instant sophistication to a wedding ceremony, and an acoustic band will add warmth and intimacy to a dinner on the beach. Some couples go for both, by having a band for the wedding and reception, and then a big party band for the main event!

Genre-Specific Bands

If you have a theme in regards to music, go for it! Country wedding bands are awesome for ranch weddings or even high end, southern weddings. Latin bands are great for weddings in Mexico, or Miami, or the Caribbean. The bands can really help you feel connected to the location without tipping over into themed wedding.

The key with a band like that is that, despite the niche sound, they still have broad appeal with crowds. They will still be able to play a variety of music to keep the entire guest list happy; the really good ones with a specialty can play that style and still give everyone a great party.

Why Professionalism Matters Even More When Guests are Traveling

There is also less room for error in regards to entertainment! If you’ve crossed time zones, and really gone ALL IN on a wedding, you’re NOT going to be okay with a ‘meh’ reception! Professionalism is the most important commodity when it comes to a destination wedding band!

You want musicians that respond to you before the event. You want musicians that are calm and collected upon arrival. You want performers that are accustomed to working with planners. You want a live destination wedding band accustomed to working with hotel and private staff and vendors from around the world. You want a band that knows how work with and coordinate: arriving times, rider needs, sound check time and set transitions. You want musicians that aren’t going add stress to your event!

This is why good bands cost so much more than all of the knock-off bands. You aren’t just paying for the music. You’re paying for peace of mind. You’re paying for the band that knows how to work with large events and makes sure that things go smoothly, that knows how to work within the rules of the venue and STILL knock it out of the park.

How to Choose the Right Destination Wedding Band

The best way for you to be able to narrow down what it is you’re looking for is to try and work out what you want your guests to experience. Are you looking for a black tie dance party to break out after the dinner? Are you looking for a chic coastal wedding that has lots of live music throughout the weekend? A glittering wedding reception that has a show band vibe?

From there, ask about the band’s “destination” experience. Do they travel? Do they have experience doing weddings in other places? Ask about their production abilities. Can they scale up/down based on the venue? A band that’s great in a ballroom in the city might not be the right fit for a cliff side terrace, or an island.

Ask about repertoire. What do you want to dance to? The best destination bands are musically versatile because the guest list for a destination wedding will be the most spread out by age and musical taste. You want to please your college friends, your grandparents, the people you flew in from another country, and the family friends. There’s value in a band that’s best at doing that over a band that’s good at just one genre or decade.

Questions to Ask Before Booking a Destination Wedding Band

Experience: Has the band played at destination weddings before? They should have, and be able to give you an idea of what their experience is like, how long they can stay and play for, do they have to go back home the next day or can they stay a few extra days and still play at other weddings.
Are they able to travel? If you’re getting married somewhere and want the band to travel to the location, you should ask if they’re able to travel, and whether or not you’ll be paying for their travel expenses and how much that is.
Sound, lights and production: Does the band come with a sound engineer, lighting tech or any sort of production support? Some bands are great at this, some can’t. If they are, how much extra does it cost? If they can’t, do they recommend any production companies?
Does the band have the ability to scale their sound and lighting system to accommodate the many various venues found in the islands from resort, villa, beach, terrace or estate events? (i. e. can they scale their system to the venue and the event).
How do you work with wedding planners? I want to make sure that you would be easy to work with for the people planning the wedding and other vendors, as I know that the band can sometimes be the most difficult vendor to work with when trying to coordinate everything for a wedding.
Are they able to play multiple parts of the wedding weekend? Some bands will only play the wedding rehearsal, the wedding ceremony, or the wedding reception. Others are able to play multiple, if not all, parts of the wedding. This can be great if you’re looking to hire the same band for multiple parts of the wedding to save money.
Guest List – Is it appropriate for everyone invited? You may have guests of various ages and music preferences, so make sure the band has a good mixed list of songs that will appeal to all. Or at least enough songs that people can dance to that won’t turn anyone else off!
What if we run into some delays or weather issues getting to/from the venue? What is your policy on start times and how much time we are allowed to use the venue? (i. e. We paid for 4 hours at the park but they kick us out at two because they have to clean up for another event).
Check out these frequently asked questions about destination weddings

The Value of Understanding the Booking Approach

With destination weddings, the booking process is just as important as the actual performance. Our concierge service saves a lot of time and will help you avoid costly mistakes. Rather than trying to track down acts and trying to compare the different packages that wedding bands offer (they’re all so different), it’s better to rely on the help of experienced professionals in the wedding entertainment field, who are used to working with destination weddings.

That’s where an agency approach can be so valuable. A booking agency like Wedding Music Bands can assist with finding the right group for you and how to customize the act. They can streamline the process from inquiry to show time. When you’re planning and spending money on a premium event like a wedding, this kind of service isn’t a luxury. It’s protection for your event!

When the Cheapest Band is the Wrong Choice

It’s all relative to how much you’re willing to spend, but a destination wedding is really the only time that you can’t skimp on the entertainment. You’re going to spend a fortune getting people there and back, and the venue, design, and hospitality of the guests – guests will not forgive a boring wedding, but they will absolutely forgive the linen selection.

The best band is never going to be the cheapest; they’re going to bang out some serious value for the money in terms of the quality of the performance, the effect they’ll have on your guests, and how hassle-free they’ll be to work with. That might be a bigger band with plenty of experience, or it might be a smaller group who are real slick and will be perfect for your venue. The idea is to have an amazing day!

Remember that if you’re getting married at a destination, you want people to feel like they were glad they made that trip. That’s the type of band you want. You want the band that’s right for your setting, and knows the importance of making sure all of your guests have an amazing time and talk about it for the rest of their lives.

Frequently Asked Questions about Destination Wedding Bands

What type of band is best for a destination wedding?

It really depends on the style of your wedding and what you want the atmosphere to be like and where you’re having the wedding. There are great dance bands that will pack the dance floor, there are jazz bands/acoustic bands and elegant bands that are perfect for the ceremony, cocktail hour, rehearsal dinner or an elegant destination wedding. It should also be noted most of the top bands also offer their band’s members (guitarist, keyboardist, singers, etc.) for elegant music for dinners, cocktail parties and ceremonies which can save money over having different groups to do the various segments.

Do destination wedding bands travel internationally?

Many of the better wedding bands do destination weddings – weddings at resorts, villas, on beaches, at estates, overseas, etc. You have to ask them about travel policies, if they require you to pay for lodging, make sure they have a passport, and ask a lot of questions about how they handle the production side of things.

Is it better to hire a local band or bring in a destination wedding band?

You can go with a local band, which in some locations is better than nothing, but if you want the quality, professionalism and consistency of a proven wedding band in a destination location, it’s almost always worth the investment, especially for a luxury wedding. The band is such a huge part of the wedding experience!

How far in advance should I book a destination wedding band?

You should book as early as possible, especially if you’re getting married during a popular travel time, or you’re having your wedding at a luxury resort or in another country! The earlier you book, the more options you’ll have and the more time you’ll have to plan and coordinate for the wedding! (Travel, production, song requests, etc.)

Can I get away with having the same band for the Friday night dance, the wedding itself and the send off, or is that asking a little too much?

Some bands offer services for multiple aspects of your wedding weekend: welcome party, ceremony, cocktail hour, rehearsal dinner, and, of course, the reception. Some of them will have smaller ensembles for the events leading up to the wedding, then a larger party band configuration for the main event.