OH wants a band, I want a DJ for the wedding reception? which would you prefer at a wedding? I was thinking if the budget permits maybe having some live music during the drinks reception, string quartet maybe? But I've designed a playlist for the evening reception in the hope to get everyone up dancing & I'm not sure a band would have the same affect - what do you think?

If funds allow i think both.  A live band is lovely at the start of the evening when people are talking and a few want to dance, but later on in the evening (when people have had a few drinks) and the mingling has been done people just love to dance around to the classics - grease megamix, oops upside your head etc :-)

ETA I went to a wedding recently that had a band which was nice to begin with but didnt get many people up dancing the same as a DJ seems to.

I've been to plenty of weddings who have hired a band, honest opinion you can't beat a good band, they are great, bring forward a great atmosphere and they just give a wedding that extra special touch.some live music during the drinks reception, string quartet maybe? That would be beautiful. :-)

But, I have to be honest they never quite tick the box for me for the evening reception part of a wedding. I never quite enjoy dancing to well known songs not sung by the original artists, lets face it we all get used to the music and vocals and incorporate them into our dancing, (good or bad :-D) when someone else does the arrangements and vocals it just doesn't feel right when dancing to them, for me at least. :-)  Yes, we all get up and dance, but give me the original anyday.

I agree with Freds Mum if you can do both your wedding would be extra special.  From 8pm onwards I would have the DJ.

> From 8pm onwards I would have the DJ.

We had a disco for our eveing reception. The DJ had strict instructions on what tracks to play & in what order. We had some love songs playing while everybody was arriving, followed by 'our song' which we danced to, a couple more balads that got lots of people up on the dance floor with thier partners. As the evening went on I had the songs get more up-beat, so once everybody had a few drinks in them they all joined in bopping the night away :)

Me & OH spent ages working out the order of the music and made sure we included tracks that really meant something special to us, just compiling the play-list was romantic, sat on the floor, in candle-light going through our music over a glass of wine. Ahhhhhh, bless :)

>I never quite enjoy dancing to well known songs not sung by the original artists,

I always feel like I should be sat down and listening to a live band rather than making a fool of myelf with my horrendous dance mooves!

band........live music every time!!!! I have just been photographing at a posh ball and they had a fab band....if you want their details.... proper band with bass, sax, drums....not a synthesiser in sight!!!

If you can I would do both, nothing worse I think than a live band all night!!! I think we all like a bit of cheese when we are celebrating something!!!

a bit of cheese always gets people dancing :)

Agree with ClaireyS !!!

Personally I think the DJ is almost essential, live music is optional if the budget permits.  Ive played at numerous weddings over the past few years, and everyone has booked a DJ aswell, never had a band play all night. Live music for the first half, DJ until the early hours. It got so common that our drummer would often DJ for the remainder of the evening! We had a repertoire of 100's of songs but it usually ended up with the same songs being requested, any special requests were listed at the time of booking and added to the repertoire if they werent already there, so a good band will be able to cater for your event and pull off what you want, but you are likely to pay extra for the quality. Ideally, if you do look towards any live music, always see them live first....Demo CDs that most musicians send out will most likely be mixed and mastered, and not always a true reflection on their live capabilities.

Yes I'm all for a live band too. We had one at our wedding and the dance floor was full all night, in fact the bar closed and we were still dancing! lol

> a bit of cheese always gets people dancing

Couldn't agree more & the playlist I've done is pure cheddar!!

Mixed reviews then, but I think I agree with a few of you live band or music for the drinks reception (swing band maybe?) & maybe throughout the wedding breakfast too & then a DJ to see us through our first dance & hopefully into the early hours on Sunday morning! Will have to see what the budget allows.

Do you think you can hire bands by the hour?!