Let's be honest, recorded music played through a speaker can't really beat the rich and full sound of live music, that is why when it comes to wedding receptions it is an absolute must to get a live wedding band, but at what cost? An experienced wedding band can capture your guest's emotions from the very first notes played at you your reception, but how do you value their worth?
All couples want their wedding to be perfect and music is the food of love so, wedding’s need live music, that’s a given, but how much will it cost? Well to answer those questions there are a few things to consider, but if you're looking for a more general answer a good way to estimate the cost is to calculate per musician, each musician will cost between £350 and £500, but, the bands will also need to factor in additional charges for the hire of their equipment, transport, the hours of travel and performance hours, costumes, rehearsals, insurance, sound and lighting engineers and more, the list of a bands expenses goes on! It’s not as simple calculating the musicians fee multiplied b the number in the band but that would make life so much easier!
If you're looking to learn more about the cost of hiring a live wedding band, what factors to consider when hiring one, and what you can do to save a few extra pounds, you've come to the right place!
So let's dive in!
While it is true that you can save a little money by just hiring a DJ, you just can't beat the warm and personal feeling music played live can give you. Live music can turn a simple wedding into a spectacular event and provide the magical moments that no amount or type of recorded music can so, the wedding band cost is something you should factor into your budget at an early stage and accept it as a necessity.
To help you make the best decision for your big day, we've put together a list of 10 music entertainment options that are sure to wow your wedding guests and create a memorable experience for everyone involved.
In finding out the cost of hiring a live wedding band for your wedding, there are essentially seven main factors to consider, These are:
Duration is a significant factor to consider when looking at your wedding band cost. A typical wedding reception could last anywhere from 4 to 5 hours and most live wedding bands charge for a set number of hours, so a large portion of the cost can be attributed to how long a live band is required to perform during your wedding reception, not including the additional charges if you decide to extend their performance for your cocktail hour or the after-party.
You should also keep in mind that the wedding band will have to take a few breaks during the reception, they will usually play pre-recorded music whilst they take a break or some may even leave one member to perform while the rest take a break, these points need to be detailed in your contract so there’s no room for confusion or misinterpretation.
Another thing that will affect the wedding band cost is the day of the week you are getting married, some wedding bands will charge less on weekdays or Sundays as Fridays and Saturdays are the most in-demand days, so, f you are looking to save a little money then choose a weekday or a Sunday to get married.
In the wedding entertainment business, there is something called low-season and high-season. The high-season is the time of the year when a lot of weddings take place, this is typically between April and October during the height of summer. Low-season is during the winter months, November to March with the exception of Christmas which is another popular time for weddings.
Most wedding bands offer lower-season rates or discounted prices during the low-season, but during the high-season, when demand for live wedding bands is at its highest, prices will be considerably higher and the wedding band cost will increase.
As we said at the beginning, the more musicians, the higher the charge! But, the count of additional members doesn't stop at just the band, additional sound equipment and a sound technician or lighting gear and a lighting techie may also add to the total of your wedding band cost.
Typically bands from well-populated areas cost more to hire, and this tends to be because travel and living costs are higher in highly-populated urban areas than they are in rural locations. Everything costs more for a band, from vehicle costs, congestion charges, fuel, accommodation, rehearsal costs and even parking so, if you are looking to save on the overall cost of your band then choose to marry in a rural or less populated location.
Another thing to consider is the distance of your wedding venue. If the wedding band will have to travel a long distance to perform for your reception, you will have to pay for their milage, gas, airfare, and even accommodations. So if you're planning a destination wedding, you might have to think about hiring a local band.
If the band you're planning on hiring would need to bring in additional equipment outside the standard sound system to facilitate your requirements then any additional wedding band cost will be incurred and passed on to you. Some bands provide an adequate but basic sound and lighting spec within their price but will need to charge for anything additional requested.
Another extra thing you should look into is whether the band you're hiring knows your songs already, as some wedding bands require additional fees to learn songs but not all, so make sure to ask them! Many will learn one new song free of charge. You have to realise that adding a new song will involve writing new musical arrangement and new parts for all of the musicians, rehearsing and perfecting the song and all of these things take time and cost money that you will ultimately pay extra for.
No matter how you put it, a live wedding band will cost you money but, if you a shrewd you should be able to save a little money too.
As we said, some bands charge by the hour so, keeping the arrival, set-up and performance to times to the minimum can save you a few extra quid. Most bands will not charge anything extra if their arrival time is 5pm and their finish time is 12 midnight. Within that time they will set-up, sound-check, and perform for up to 2-hours split in to 2 or 3 sets, as required. Early arrival (before 5pm) and late finish (after midnight) will both attract additional costs as like most of us, we like to be paid for our time! Bands are businesses!
Discuss the performance set times with your band leader, discuss what else you may with to do in the evening like cutting the cake, or a party game and work in your band sets to fit in with the flow of the evening. For sure, you will want the band to finish the night so they need to play for the last hour or 40-minutes (if you are choosing to have three x 40-minute sets)
A large band with lots of instruments will no-doubt be expensive but, depending on the musicians skills and your chosen genre sometimes a smaller band can create the sound you want. For example if you like the sound of horns, trumpets, trombones and saxophones, but can’t afford a large band with a horn section then you may be able to find a band that has a capable synth player who can replicate those horn sounds all by himself!
Also, smaller bands have other tricks up their sleeve to create a bigger sound so it’s not always necessary to have a large band to create a big sound however, the more musicians on stage, the better the look, feel and sound overall. It all depends on your budget and what you want to achieve.
Wedding band cost drastically change during peak and off-seasons. so try to set a date around the low-season to get a lower charge and maybe even some discount.
While it is true that getting an agency will cost a little more than hiring a wedding band direct, there’s massive benefits in using an agency that’s experienced and well connected.
Directly hiring a wedding band can sometimes go badly wrong, either from mis-communication or even contract issues. Using an agency will lessen any hassle or potential issues when hiring a band, from choosing the ideal band for you, to selecting the songs to be played at the reception. As well as any of the legal matters you can't be bothered with like the band contracts.
In addition to providing you with helpful tips on hiring a live wedding band and its costs, we also have another exciting blog post about 12 Popular Vintage wedding music that you might find interesting. This article delves into the world of vintage tunes, perfect for couples who want to add a touch of nostalgia and timelessness to their special day.
Hiring an agency like ours UK Live Entertainment will give you the peace of mind you need, and will lessen the stress of planning a wedding by taking care of all of your wedding entertainment needs. Our extensive roster of handpicked professional bands, musicians, and entertainers will give you lots of options to find the perfect ones to create the atmosphere and party you're looking to create. Our personal one -to-one consultancy will ensure you get your ideal music and entertainment as well as save you money by making sure that your wedding entertainment goes as smoothly as possible without any problems that'll lead to you spending more than you should.
