BAND OR DJ

I'm trying to decide between having a DJ or a BAND for the wedding.

Here is what I have come up with:

DJ:
PROS:
More cost efficient choice of the two
More flexibility when it comes to song selection

CONS:
Can become somewhat CHEEZY if the DJ ends up lacking in taste

BANDS:
PROS:
Sets a different tone (obviously in a good way)
Lively, gets crowd going... Live music is always keeps the attention of people, i think.. right?

CONS:
Song selection limited, only so many songs you can ask the band to LEARN, right?
Told that some have tough time dancing to it (esp if they like hip hop)
Bands are usually pretty specific to a certain GENRE... so might get stuck in one feel the entire time.

I dont know.. are there any more reasons? What were your reasons for choosing one of the other? What made you decide that you HAD to have one or the other? And In your experience as a wedding guest, have you noticed the difference in crowds, bands vs. dj?

And lastly, any recommendations for both bands and djs would really be helpful!

I kind of want a jazz feel band who can play the more pop/r&b/hiphop songs that people can dance to. Is that impossible?

I did not think about this choice even for a second.

Bands are NOT our thing.

The best weddings I have been to have had a dj.

To me a dj just gives it more of a party feel and that is what we ultimately wanted

we went with a dj becaue we wanted the songs played by the original artists...and some songs we wanted don't sound right when played by a band.

we are using a DJ. I listened to a ton of the bands that advertise on this site. Even went to a showcase for one of them... I just think the music is difficult for everyone to dance to. They do a fantastic job but I think its a little awkward to try dancing to it. I did want some live music though so I got a string quartet for the CH.

Everyone has different taste though. I think you should pick what you like more. Don't worry about anyone else. Its what you and FH like that matters the most.

we went with a DJ...i am not a fan of bands. Yes there are some good ones out there but i like to hear the people who actually sing the songs...sing them! your right about song choice being limited too with a band.

My DJ let me pick any songs i must have played and do not want played. then pick what genres i want to hear so as long as your DJ respects what you want...you shouldnt have a problem with them being too 'cheezy:

also on bands...it always worried me that what if you go to see them...love them and book.......then your wedding comes along and the lead singer has a cold or something and sounds horrible??? thats what always worried me about bands. At least with a DJ you know the song will always sounf the same!

I have a very eclectic taste in music...and my guests are of all different ages so I chose to go with a dj...in my opinion some songs just dont sound the same when a cover band plays them...especially some genres I like such as hip hop and reggaeton good luck !!!

eta a few more lines...lol

its definitely a personal preference. I dont think there is a right or wrong answer. FOr me i picked a dj bc the music i want, a band wont be able to play all my choices, maybe half if that. I also am a person who likes to hear the original. But this is just my preference and what i want for MY own wedding. When i go to other weddings either or is fine with me.

i have rock songs, i have reggae, reggaeton, hip-hop, spanish, italian and will also have to play romanian music. Plus will throw in house music too, of course there will be doo wop, pop music along with those choices but the first things i mentioned, i dont know a band who can play ALL of those. I would've had to hired a couple of bands lol

i have to say before the planning, i had in my mind those bands from many years ago at weddings so i really had no interest BUT i went to showcases recently and there are amazing jobs now and very different than they used to be. One band i saw that was amazing was heart & soul. I also went to a wedding last year and the band was great

I picked a band, i agree with all your cons, but i really wanted that live music feel. My band has 5 singers and a total of 9 people.

Cost is definately a factor, i know my sister got a dj for her wedding, and it was very reasonable, around 800 dollars.
He is a vendor on here.

The band i believe is about 6400, and then you have to feed 9 people, so the cost is about 7k

Some bands are more some are less, but i feel the reason they are so expensive is because of all the people they have to pay. so keep that in mind

I would not say one is better than the other, i went to an amazing wedding and the dj was incredible!!!

I have never been to a wedding with a band before, but i knew i wanted one.

HTH

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Posted by TheFutureMrsM

I picked a band, i agree with all your cons, but i really wanted that live music feel. My band has 5 singers and a total of 9 people.

Cost is definately a factor, i know my sister got a dj for her wedding, and it was very reasonable, around 800 dollars.
He is a vendor on here.

The band i believe is about 6400, and then you have to feed 9 people, so the cost is about 7k

Some bands are more some are less, but i feel the reason they are so expensive is because of all the people they have to pay. so keep that in mind

I would not say one is better than the other, i went to an amazing wedding and the dj was incredible!!!

I have never been to a wedding with a band before, but i knew i wanted one.

HTH

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some dj's are more money. My dj wasnt that far off from a bands cost, but i won the lighting from them at a showcase so came out to less but i know what others have spent for a package with all the extras and it was just a little bit less than what you are paying for the band. But yes most are alot less.

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Posted by TheFutureMrsM

I picked a band, i agree with all your cons, but i really wanted that live music feel. My band has 5 singers and a total of 9 people.

Cost is definately a factor, i know my sister got a dj for her wedding, and it was very reasonable, around 800 dollars.
He is a vendor on here.

The band i believe is about 6400, and then you have to feed 9 people, so the cost is about 7k

Some bands are more some are less, but i feel the reason they are so expensive is because of all the people they have to pay. so keep that in mind

I would not say one is better than the other, i went to an amazing wedding and the dj was incredible!!!

I have never been to a wedding with a band before, but i knew i wanted one.

HTH

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it will be great, i went to a wedding last year that had such an amazing band and we danced all night. But hey if you go out to have fun then you can dance all night to anything, someone can put on their ipod and ill dance all night to it hahahaha. Fun guests will be up partying, and miserable guests would sit down no matter what lol

actually i had both, but everytime i thought the DJ was playing, it was the band

i kept turning to DH and saying 'why is the DJ on again' and it wasnt

their song selection is only limited if they are not such a great bad JMO

This is my first real post on liwedding.com. Wow, such great feedback. Thanks guys!

Another question: Does the DJ fill the role of 'MC-ing' the event? Or do people generally have someone else make the announcements (toasts, time to do certain things).... I have no idea what the general order of things are, and how/who would make sure that things flow the way they're supposed to.....

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Posted by inkgirl33

This is my first real post on liwedding.com. Wow, such great feedback. Thanks guys!

Another question: Does the DJ fill the role of 'MC-ing' the event? Or do people generally have someone else make the announcements (toasts, time to do certain things).... I have no idea what the general order of things are, and how/who would make sure that things flow the way they're supposed to.....

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you can pick whatever you want. They let you choose an MC or to have the DJ act as MC also. I am having a dj and a MC, but ive seen it done both ways.

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Posted by missK

Have you considered a DJ that also has musicians playing instuments?

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Hmm, explain!! hehe :)