Bands, DJs, and Entertainment

Music is one of the vendor decisions couples tend to under-research relative to how much it actually shapes the evening - a good band or DJ genuinely makes a reception, and a poor one is remembered by guests longer than almost any other single element going wrong.

Band versus DJ isn't really a quality question, it's a different-experience question. A live band brings energy and a genuine "occasion" feel that recorded music can't quite replicate, but has a narrower repertoire than a DJ and needs a longer changeover between sets. A DJ can cover a far wider range of music, read the room and pivot in real time, and needs less physical space and setup - but doesn't bring the same live spectacle. Neither is objectively better; it depends on what atmosphere you're actually after.

Ask to see them perform live, or at minimum watch a full, unedited set recording, before booking either. A polished promotional reel tells you almost nothing about how they read a room or handle a quiet patch on the dance floor - the same questions raised in vetting a photographer about seeing full, unedited work rather than curated highlights apply just as much here.

Get specifics on equipment, setup time, and venue requirements confirmed early, not left until the week of the wedding. A band needs power, space, and often a specific arrival window to set up before guests arrive - confirm this directly with your venue, since a marquee or a listed building may have restrictions (see marquee power planning if that applies to you) that catch bands out more than they catch DJs, given the heavier equipment involved.

On playlists and "do not play" lists: a good DJ or band will ask for both, and it's worth actually providing them rather than assuming they'll just know your taste - a specific "please don't play" list is just as useful to hand over as a wishlist, and prevents an awkward moment nobody wanted.

If your venue isn't a normal licensed wedding venue - a marquee on private land, a barn, or any other space that doesn't already host events regularly - check who's responsible for music licensing (PRS and PPL cover the right to play copyrighted music publicly). Most established wedding venues already hold blanket cover and this is a non-issue, but for a genuinely private space it can fall to you or your entertainment supplier to sort out, so ask early rather than assume it's covered.

What I'd actually do: book entertainment earlier than feels necessary - the good ones get booked out well in advance for peak wedding season Saturdays, considerably earlier than a lot of couples expect relative to other vendors. See vendor booking order for how this fits against everything else you're booking.