Band or DJ for Your Wedding/Event?

There are numerous things to consider when planning your wedding or special event (birthday party, holiday party, prom, etc). Many weddings and events are planned out months, or even a year, in advance. The first thing that should be secured is the venue. You can't have an event without a place to have it! After this, what's next? Most people set a budget and start planning. They'll search for a caterer, photographer, florist, decorator, church (if necessary for weddings), etc. Deposits are made, the budget is quickly diminishing and then someone remembers, "oh yeah, what about music?" This brings us to the next point, entertainment! Should you hire a band or DJ? The answer isn't too easy, but the short answer is, it depends on your preferences.

We'll start with the pros and cons of hiring a band. Pros: the band may be well-known in your area; they may play a variety of music; it's more fun/engaging to watch musicians play their instruments, live; they can MC the wedding and add a personal touch to the key songs; they may be very experienced at weddings and be able to play a variety of fun, wedding songs; they may even let your guests come up and sing along!

The cons: bands are generally more expensive, due to each member needing to be paid for their time; they may have a limited set-list, which forces you to only hear what they know and play; they may not be able to take requests, since they may not know the song; they may not "read the crowd" and switch the songs/genres, since they have a set-list to stick to; bands play their rendition of your favorite songs (which could be good or bad); bands often take breaks at your event (what do you do during that time?); the band may not be as experienced at MCing your event or coordinating the event to ensure your timeline is followed (if you don't have a coordinator).

Now, let's consider the pros and cons of hiring a DJ. Pros: a good DJ has a large library of a variety of music; DJs often bring lights, which add to the atmosphere; DJs costs less, since it's usually just 1-2 people; they'll play your favorite songs, sang by your favorite artists, not the band; they'll take requests, and if they don't have a song, it's as easy as pulling it up on your/their smart phone, to play it; they can MC; they can read the crowd and change the music genres/tempo, as needed; you can give your DJ a playlist well before the event and they'll play all your playlist and ideally play similar songs/genres; DJs don't take breaks and stop the music.

The cons: you have to decide which DJ Service to use and there are literally hundreds to choose from, online; some DJ Services charge a lot of money, similar to what it would cost for a band; DJs are in the business to make money, and many inexperienced DJs will book your gig, and then ditch your gig for a higher paying gig, at the last minute (get a contract); the DJ may charge you to "MC" (you can negotiate, however), because he/she doesn't MC and will have to hire someone to MC (any good DJ can do both, easily).

Overall, it comes down to your personal preference. If money is no object, opt for both! You may even save a little money by asking the band to play for 2 hours, and the DJ to play for 2 hours, plus the band break! This will give you the best of both worlds! We wish you a fun, successful, and memorable wedding or event!

Austin's Best DJs provides music and entertainment for hundreds of events, every year! Jason Rubio, owner/manager, has been in the DJ business since 1991, and has done thousands of events. If you need a DJ for your Austin, TX area wedding or event, contact us!


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