- Personnel. Bands are made up of people, and people can get sick, break a leg, have a bad day, or even quit unexpectedly. You may have heard a band play terrifically at someone else’s wedding, but that’s no guarantee the same band will show up at yours, or that they’ll deliver the same product. DJs, on the other hand, don’t have all those people problems. In addition, they don’t take long breaks like a band.
- Flexibility and style. Bands usually have a certain style of music they play, and even if they are flexible enough to mix up the style a bit, they can’t duplicate the thousands of different songs a DJ has at his or her fingertips. DJs can vary song styles in an instant, which makes them much more adaptable.
- Equipment. The bigger the band, the more equipment they have to bring, and the more chance that something will go wrong with it. The last thing you want is for the bass player’s amp to conk out in the middle of your wedding. Of course, DJs can have equipment problems too, but the pros have plenty of backup equipment available. Plus, a DJ’s equipment allows much more control over sound quality and volume. If you’re in a small room, there’s nothing worse than being forced to dance right in front of the drum set while the drummer is pounding away at ear-splitting volume.
- Price. DJs win this category hands down. A wedding band can cost anywhere between $2,000 and $20,000, which is far more than you’d pay for a DJ.
Which is Better at a Wedding — A DJ or A Band?
There are many ingredients in a successful wedding, but music is certainly not the least of them. The music played at a wedding has the potential to make the day a memorable one, or it can go a long way toward ruining the mood of joy and celebration that a wedding is all about. Most couples know that music is a big factor in the success of their wedding day, and that's why they put a lot of time and effort into setting up a good musical atmosphere.
The big question when it comes to wedding music is: Should we have a band or a DJ? Bands used to be the standard at a wedding, and DJs were seen as tacky and unprofessional, but in the last 20 years DJs have risen dramatically in the wedding entertainment field. As DJs have become more professional, and their equipment has gotten better, they have built a solid reputation for delivering great service on a wedding day.
Of course, bands haven't gone away, and there are some bands who still have a robust business playing weddings.
For our money, though, DJs are clearly a better choice. Here are some reasons why.