How to Hire Reception Musicians for Your Wedding
First song after dinner is one of those things that can instantly change the entire temperature of a wedding. You can suddenly see guests start to abandon their polite conversation and migrate to the dance floor. You can see the parents start to smile. It’s one of those things that makes a wedding. Learning how to hire musicians for the reception is one of the biggest things you’ll do for your night.
Finding a premium wedding band or band ensemble that’s experienced at weddings is key. They won’t just work from a set playlist, they’ll read the room, know how to build the energy and respect the important parts, but most importantly, they’ll bring the energy to an incredible level that everyone will be talking about for years! It’s not just about finding a band, it’s about finding a polished act that’ll give you an incredible wedding reception!
Start With the Reception You Want Guests to Remember
When you start looking at bands, you need to think about what your vision for the wedding is. Are you thinking black tie, ballroom dancing with a sophisticated jazz band for cocktail hour and a powerhouse dance band after dinner? Are you thinking country and sing-a-long hits? A string quartet for the ceremony and then a show stopping party band playing everything from Motown to current pop for the reception?
It really depends on your guest list and your taste. A 6-piece band is great for a small wedding reception, and will definitely get the party started and make it feel vibrant and classy. A larger band, with multiple singers, horn sections, dancers, lights, etc., are great for a big reception hall, will really bring the energy to a huge venue. It’s really about matching your band to your wedding.
Think beyond styles as well. Do you want musicians to be a fancy form of background music at certain points? Or do you want entertainers? If you’re looking for a packed dance floor, you’re generally looking for a reception band with a lot of experience, dynamic singers, a wide range of styles, and the ability to take charge of a room.
How to Hire Reception Musicians With Confidence
The best way to get the best band is to give as much information as possible to the booking agency up front. Let them know the date, city, venue, number of guests, budget range and the style of music that you’re looking for. Give them an idea what you want music for (cocktail hour, dinner, grand entrance, first dance, parent dances, cake cutting, late night set, etc.).
Information to Share When Requesting a Quote from a Live Wedding Band
- Your wedding date, venue, and city
- Your estimated guest count
- Your preferred band or ensemble size
- The musical styles and eras you want performed
- Your approximate entertainment budget
- The portions of the wedding that need live music
- Your first-dance song and other special requests
- Any cultural traditions or important family moments
- Venue restrictions involving sound, space, or load-in times
This will help someone in the entertainment industry to be able to give you advice on the right musicians for your event, instead of just a generic list of acts. You may want a group that can do everything, or you may want to have a string quartet for a ceremony and then a punchy live wedding dance band for the reception.
Top Wedding Reception Bands
Liquid Blue
Say “I do” to the band that’s internationally acclaimed, and the official Guinness World Record holder as the “World’s Most Traveled Band” on the planet. Liquid Blue’s jaw-dropping repertoire will serenade your walk down the aisle, set the perfect mood during cocktail hour, and then proceed to light the dance floor on fire! No matter what your dream song is, Liquid Blue will do it! Book us to make your wedding the event of a lifetime for your guests!
Metro Music Club
Polished. Powerful. Impossible to sit standing to. Metro Music Club is your high energy party band packing the receptions with back to back to back dance floor hits and a stage presence that appeals to all generations. But they don’t just party, they’ll give you a beautiful ceremony band, a sophisticated cocktail hour, and then hit the gas pedal for the night! One band, one night, no boring moments!
Glitterati
Bring on the sparkle! Bring on the glamour! Glitterati is a live dance band that brings all the glamour and sparkle to your reception! They bring the energy and style to your biggest moments! Not just your reception, Glitterati will make your entire wedding shine! From the ceremony, to cocktail hour, they make it all beautiful, and they make that dance floor SHINE!
Choosing Musicians for Each Part of Your Wedding
| Wedding Moment | Recommended Musicians | Atmosphere Created |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremony | String quartet, harpist, pianist, or acoustic duo | Elegant, emotional, and romantic |
| Cocktail Hour | Jazz trio, acoustic ensemble, or strolling musicians | Sophisticated and conversational |
| Dinner | Jazz ensemble, pianist, or reduced band lineup | Polished background entertainment |
| Dancing | High-energy reception band | Interactive, exciting, and dance-focused |
| Late-Night Celebration | Full dance band or compact party ensemble | Energetic and celebratory |
Ask About Their Wedding Experience
Great concert musicians do not equal great wedding musicians. Weddings have a different timeline, there are family dynamics to consider, there are other vendors you’ll need your musicians to work well with, and it’s a one-day-only type of event. Your musicians should be experienced in working with wedding planners, photographers, caterers, etc., and should be able to focus on the guest experience.
You should ask how often they play weddings and high end events. Have they done destination wedding events? What about events with large production needs at luxury venues? You want a musical act that’s seasoned in the world of events. They’ll be much more professional during the event, even if things don’t go as planned or a speech runs long.
Questions to Ask Reception Musicians Before Booking
- How many weddings/private events do you perform each year? I’m curious how often you do them and if it’s something you enjoy doing or if you just do it to supplement your income.
- The Cool Factor – Will the band members you have featured in your videos actually be the ones performing at our wedding? It’s cool to see pre-recorded video clips of musicians rocking out, but we are paying YOU to be the live entertainment at our wedding, and we want to see who we’re actually getting.
- I’ve changed the timeline quite a bit, which makes me wonder how you deal with these changes. How do you adjust the music when the timeline changes?
- Can you play the song we want for our first dance live? This is a biggie for us, as it’s not a common wedding song and is, in our opinion, really hard to play – if you can play THAT song live, we assume you’ll be able to handle pretty much anything the weekend throws at you!
- How do you deal with must play and do not play requests? This is a big one. Do you accommodate these requests? How flexible are you with these requests?
- If you’ve scheduled band breaks, is music played during this time? It gives people a reason to stay and enjoy the music, and then get out on the dance floor once the band starts playing live music again. It also keeps the reception from dying down between sets and keeps energy up.
- Do you have a bandleader/MC? I would like to have someone that can run the show, keep things moving along in case of a hiccup, help the band with transitions, hype the audience, help with any problems, etc. This can be part of the band or a master of ceremonies type person.
- What happens when a musician calls in sick, gets an opportunity of a lifetime to play with another group, goes into labor, or has to attend a funeral? Every bandleader has to have a list of reliable substitutes for every instrument in the band.
- So you include the sound system? Lighting? Travel? Production?
Make Sure Their Repertoire Fits Your Guests
The best DJs are able to appeal to all generations so everyone feels included in the party. When you’re in college, all your buds hit the dance floor for the pop and hip-hop songs. But your parents and grandparents light up when classic soul, rock, and disco/dance songs come on. It’s about how you’re able to blend it all together to keep the party exciting.
Ask for example song lists. Talk about what genres and what eras they play. You don’t want to micromanage the entire list, and quite honestly the more you leave it to an experienced band to read the crowd the better the party will be. But there should be room for you to relay a few of your must-plays, some don’t plays, how you want the first dance to go, and any cultural stuff that’s important.
As far as customization goes, if you want a song that the band doesn’t normally do, make sure it’s a good fit for their instruments and voices if you’re asking them to learn a new song. It’s much better to have a band that does one requested song brilliantly than a band that’ll do anything you ask for but doesn’t nail the arrangement.
Confirm the Production Details Before You Sign
Music is the center piece here, but as we’ve seen, from backyard weddings to luxury destination weddings, it’s all about the logistics to protect the music! Inquire as to what is included in their quote (sound, microphones for speeches, lighting, sound engineer, set up time, travel, lodging, etc.) If your venue is large and your guest count is large, professional lighting and sound can really make the experience even more cinematic!
What to Look for in a Reception Music Quote
| Quote Item | Why It Matters | What to Confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Performance Time | Determines how long live music will be available | Set lengths, breaks, start time, and overtime rates |
| Sound Equipment | Ensures clear, balanced music throughout the venue | Speakers, mixing equipment, monitors, and sound engineer |
| Microphones | Allows guests to hear introductions, speeches, and toasts | Number of wireless microphones and who manages them |
| Lighting | Enhances the stage, dance floor, and overall presentation | Basic stage lighting versus upgraded production lighting |
| Travel and Lodging | Can significantly affect the final cost | Transportation, hotel rooms, mileage, flights, and parking |
| Break Music | Keeps the atmosphere moving while musicians rest | Whether curated recorded music is included |
| Setup and Breakdown | Affects venue access and the wedding-day schedule | Arrival time, load-in requirements, and additional labor fees |
Also confirm the venue’s rules. Make sure the venue doesn’t have sound restrictions, limitation on load-in time, too little power supply, or a stage large enough to fit a lot of people. This is another thing that an experienced agency (or band, for that matter) will go over with you so you’re not stuck finding out these things on the day.
Make sure you agree on the performance hours, and how you can take breaks outlined in your agreement (the better bands will have some music playing during the breaks so the atmosphere is not ruined – it keeps the reception lively). Also make sure you have an idea of how overtime will be calculated along with when you’ll need to pay for the overtime.
Budget for the Experience, Not Just the Number of Musicians
It’s important to remember that music for a reception is going to cost more or less depending on the size of the band, the market, how far they have to travel, the day of the week/year, how long they’re playing, how much production they bring, how well known/experienced they are, etc. An acoustic duo that doesn’t travel outside of their home market will charge differently than a dance band that’s known nationally or internationally.
When you compare the two, it’s about value for the money. Value being, do they have elite vocalists? Do they have a dedicated band leader / event manager? Are they polished enough to perform at a luxury wedding reception? Can they perform for multiple elements of your wedding? Are they known for filling dance floors?
If they’re quoting significantly less, but don’t have basic sound equipment and need to be paired with another vendor, or have a more limited repertoire and less experience at weddings, etc., they may not be the best choice. If you want to go top-tier and make a huge impact on all of your guests, and that’s important to you, then invest in it!
Book Early, Then Collaborate Closely
Great musicians can get booked out early for the hot wedding dates. As soon as you find something that you’re comfortable with style-wise for your guest count and your budget, you better lock them in or risk the best ones not being available. This is especially true for Saturday dates during the spring/fall, holiday weekends, and places that require travel.
After booking, send them your timeline for the night, pronunciation help for making intros, any requests you may have and contact info for your wedding planner. Alert them of any surprise performances or traditions you may be doing as well as any VIP guests that you’d like them to recognize. The more info you give them, the better they can help!
From elegant ceremony bands to world class wedding reception bands that’ll keep the dance floor packed with your guests, Wedding Music Bands can help you find the right live wedding band for the atmosphere you want to create at your wedding.
Trust the Band to Lead the Party
During the reception, try to remember that you hired a DJ for a reason. They know what to do when a song gets people dancing, how to calm the floor back down, and how to do one last run at the end of the night with all the hit songs.
Your job? To be there to celebrate! Provide the musicians with your priorities, and pick the songs that are important to you, and the rest will be taken care of because good musicians are fantastic live entertainers who will not only make your beautiful wedding beautiful, but will make it an experience that everyone will remember by the photos and the songs they sang and the squishing they did on the dance floor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hiring Reception Musicians
How far in advance should we be looking for musicians?
Most popular wedding bands for the most part will get their dates booked up around 9 to 18 months in advance, especially if you’re getting married on a Saturday, during the peak wedding season, a holiday weekend or if you’re getting married in a destination location. The sooner you book, the more likely you are to get the band(s) you want!
How many musicians do we need?
It depends on how many guests you have, the size of the venue, the type of music you like and how much of a production you want. Sometimes a small band is perfect for an intimate reception, other times you might want something bigger with multiple singers and some horns (like Modern Retrospect) to make for a bit of drama in a ballroom or large event space.
Can you guys learn some special songs just for our wedding?
Professional bands will usually be willing to learn a few special requests (first dance, parents’ dances, etc.), but you’ll need to ask them about their policy on learning songs, and how much advance rehearsal they need, and how much they charge to arrange songs, and when they need your list of songs by.
What should be put in a contract for a wedding band?
In the contract, it should state when the performances are, how many musicians are required, how and when you pay, how many breaks they get, how overtime is calculated (if they go over), who provides the production, who pays travel expenses, and how they work out playing special songs.
Should we have a say in what songs the band plays?
It’s important to give a few must-play songs, a few do not played songs, and a few important preferences when it comes to music. But the good reception bands should be able to gauge what songs are keeping people interested and adjust accordingly.
