Should you hire a Band or Professional Wedding DJ

One of the biggest decisions facing a couple when planning their big day is entertainment. And to be more precise band or DJ or both. Here at the Irish wedding DJ association we  would like to point out a few tips to help couples make the best entertainment decisions. We will try to remain unbiased toward our own profession. There are good points for having a live band, or a DJ, and a few things to keep in mind when deciding. Sometimes couples choose to hire both a DJ and live musicians, and when your budget allows it, that can be a great option. We have worked with bands and live musicians many times, and now we’d like to offer some tips based on our experience.

Let’s start at the beginning (vows)

If you aren’t having a traditional wedding, and your venue does not have it’s own PA system (or it does and it sounds terrible), you will need someone to run the microphone sound levels for the officiant and vows to be heard. We have all been to a ceremony when we cant hear the vows. If the band offers a PA for your officiant and vows, make sure they will personally control the sound and not simply set it and forget it. Some people speak more softly than others and the person controlling the sound can adjust for this. If you book a professional DJ they will be next to audio mixer allowing him to adjust mic levels instantly

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make sure your DJ or Band does this to avoid any problems which could ruin your Ceremony. If the Band doesn’t have a PA system for the officiant and vows, you may need a DJ to provide the Ceremony sound system, which is usually an additional cost…If your budget is a concern, remember that the DJ can provide the sound support for the ceremony as well as play all of your ceremony music for a nominal additional cost, while bands/musicians can cost quite a bit more. Also, Bands often have multiple members who all come with many pieces of equipment that can take up quite a bit of space. The musicians may have several amps or instruments that require electrical outlets to be available while a DJ requires only 1 outlet. Also, many musicians play by reading sheet music which means between songs you may have a “gap of silence” while they prepare the next song. DJ’s come prepared with a full list of music selected by the couple or based on the DJ’s experience and the general wishes of the couple, and there is no gap in the music.

 DJs usually only need some speakers and a wireless microphone and laptop or iPad and mixer (and some backup equipment for emergencies), so they take up very little space and are not a focal point of attention. Finally, (this one is very important!) if you hire a musician or band, it is crucial that you hear them play live. You don’t have to hear a DJ play live, because a DJ is playing pre-recorded music that you know will sound great…as long as the sound system is a good one and the DJ is experienced with performing Ceremonies, but a live musician who provides a “demo” may have polished the recording to perfection but when it comes time to play live, they simply aren’t that good. Ask to see them play live, at least for those key Processional songs you’ve chosen. We don’t want to step on any toes, we simply want to caution our clients to make certain the musicians they hire are proficient players.