How to Choose a Wedding Band

Choose great performers, not just great musicians

You’ll need a band who are not only musically competent but also great performers, who can engage the crowd and get everyone dancing.

So look for promotional material that gives you a sense of their energy and how they interact with the crowd.

Choose a band who can double up on DJ duties

If you're worried about keeping the dancefloor full between the band's sets, consider hiring a wedding band who can provide their own DJ service.

For a small extra fee, a band member will man a laptop running virtual DJ software before, between and after sets, saving you on the cost, extra space and hassle of organising a separate DJ. They can also make announcements and take requests.

Smaller line-ups for smaller spaces

If you’d like the versatility of a rock and pop band for your evening reception, but you have a small space or noise restrictions, consider hiring an acoustic duo or a solo singer with backing tracks.

Many live wedding bands can play with fewer members, perform with backing tracks or pair down to acoustic guitar and percussion – so you can have a spectacular soundtrack without annoying the neighbours!

Use your wedding band earlier on in the day

If you'd like live music to feature throughout your day, hire a rock and pop wedding band who can also provide acoustic background sets earlier in the day – ideal for your drinks reception, photos or wedding meal.

Using the same band for all parts of the day saves on travel costs, as well as the hassle of organising and accommodating two or more separate acts.

Likewise, if you've booked a swing band for your evening party, the chances are they'll be able to provide jazz sets by a duo or trio, or even cocktail piano during your drinks reception, photos or wedding meal. The height of sophistication!

Most jazz bands play standards that jazz aficionados appreciate, as well as mainstream rock and pop tunes in a jazz style.

Consider other genres

There’s more to wedding bands than bands playing rock and pop covers. Live ceilidh bands make great family entertainment for people who love dancing, especially when there are a lot of children to entertain.

Most ceilidh bands come with a caller, who will show you the steps. For those who love dancing, Latin and salsa bands are a must!

If you’d like a focal point for your evening’s entertainment, how about hiring a live tribute act or tribute singer?

Tribute bands for certain artists (such as The Beatles), or eras (most popular are 60s tributes and 80s tributes are great entertainment for guests from a single age group, and make your wedding particularly memorable.

OK, we're biased but here are a few reasons to book through an agency:

• No hassle.
  The agency handles all the admin for you – you just need to choose a band for your wedding and they’ll handle the organisation and paperwork, insurance certificates and portable appliance testing (PAT) certificates.
  

• Quality control.
  We can’t speak for other agencies, but Function Central only uses the highest calibre musicians who use the best equipment. All our bands are hand picked for their ability to handle even the most demanding crowd and their reliability.
  

• A wider choice.
  As agencies have so many bands on their books, they’ll always have something to suit every taste and budget.
  

• Competitive pricing.
  Agencies compete with each other to offer the lowest prices and the best value.
  

• A great show – guaranteed!
  If there is a problem with your wedding band or party band on the day of your event – for example, sickness, a family emergency, a broken down van – you’ll still get your band, as most agencies will have instant access to a replacement band.
  

• Book your whole day through the same agency – and save.
  They might be able to give you a discount for booking multiple musicians for the same event – for example, if you’re booking both a rock and pop covers band for your wedding reception and a string quartet for your wedding ceremony.
  

• Politics.
  Asking friends and relatives to play at your wedding can be a minefield. It can lead to hurt feelings on both sides when your idea of the perfect first dance is very different to your friend’s band’s idea!

Ready to start browsing? Head on over to Function Central's wedding bands page, where you can check out videos and read reviews from previous customers.

If you like the look of a band, have a glance at their song list to see if it would suit your guests – and remember that most of our bands are happy to learn a first dance or special song just for you.