The great wedding debate: Band or DJ?

Band. Live music is always a great way of making an ordinary gathering lively and memorable. However, it can be difficult to find the right band, while with a DJ it is much easier to provide song lists and requests.

Looking back at the catalogue of events in my memory, those in which there was live music present are much more vivid than any event that had a DJ.

The most fun I’ve ever had at a wedding was where they had a live bluegrass band and a caller and we did traditional folk and square dances. I got to dance with the ten-year-old niece of the bride, the groom’s 72 year-old grandfather, and of course all of the handsome young friends of both, ha ha…it was way more fun than I would ever have imagined.

I agree that there is something really special about a live band. If you can afford it, go for it.

Well, I’m far from a wedding, but I would prefer a jazz band. :-) That’s because of my taste.

If you have a difference of taste about music, get a band who plays both.

Later you can say: “Do you remember that great band played our favorite song?”. That’s something you’ll always remember.

I got married pretty recently. We had a live jazz band play during dinner, for the first dance etc, and then maybe 1.5 hours after that. We then had the bandleader stick around with his sound system and played a mix that I had made on an IPod. The combination seemed to work well. The jazz band classed it up and enabled the older people to have a good time, while the IPod mix (classic rock segueing into indie rock) enabled the younger to middle-aged people to let loose, without which a wedding feels unsatisfying IMO.

Elope….Then make your own music.

DJ. Everyone there will not only recognize the songs being played, they will also be able to request songs. (i.e. – A big band can’t play Eminem, while a rap group can’t play Bach No.41(???).). I think, so long as your wedding party is quite diverse, choose a DJ. He/She can cater to anyone requesting any type of music. Thus making the night that much special for everyone and most likley more enjoyable. I hope you have a wonderful wedding and a marriage to match.

Best Wishes!!!!!!!

I think a big band that can play swing or jazz renditions of popular songs would be perfect. Classical dances are really great at weddings, but recognizable songs are good anytime.

Bands are classy. Everyone wants a classy wedding.
Leave the DJs to the bar mitzvahs.

For my sister’s wedding, she and her partner just made a really long mix, put it into a good order, and then played it on the sound system at the reception hall. It was fun and free. I don’t really understand the point of a DJ.

I’m definitely in favor of live music – but if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a band, a really good pianist is a good way to go too. You can find someone who plays a lot of your kind of music (be it jazz, swing, whatever), and that can be just as much fun as having a whole band there.

We went with a DJ because we didn’t have a strong preference for a specific style of music. Then we could get what song when we wanted it.

You take a chance either way. The safest thing is to make sure you get a good reference no matter wich way you go.

Congratulations!!!!!

Band, live music is great, especially if the sound is good, and not too loud.

if money is no issue, then I say go with a band. live music is more enjoyable and DJ’s are usually cheesy. i guess it can also depend on style. if you want a wide range of music styles, then you have to go with a DJ.

we had Stillwater play at our wedding and they rocked man. Everyone said how great it was to have a known live band play our wedding and they played a ton of covers also.

uhhh… DJ? I DJ’d my own wedding….. very cool. My friends got into the mix. Very nice. But now geting divorced. Any relation? probably not. would have to do some research on that. Somebody here may have data?

62% of weddings with a DJ end in divorce, as opposed to 58% of weddings with a live band…

no, I just made up that statistic, I really have no idea

too funny. For a moment there I thought I had found the solution to my problems

When I think of a band playing for a wedding, I think of the corny bands in the movie The Wedding Singer. I think you would have a bigger selection and less cheese with a DJ.

I’m getting married in October. We are choosing a band over a dj because most dj’s give and air of cheezy-ness. Besides with Ipods now-a-days why pay someone to play the music you could personalize and preprogram. No chicken dance and hokey-pokey for this girl!

i’d opt for a disc jockey. then they can play all kinds of music. and if you get a good one they can really liven up a party.

Band is better than a DJ. But we went with a DJ because bands are freaking expensive!

Band! DJ’s are on their way out.

DJ because they can play songs bands can’t.

Why do DJs think they have to play the music so loudly that you’d better learn to lip-read before going to the reception?