Fall Out Boy

I honestly believe that there is a Fall Out Boy song that matches every mood.

I would want them to play every single song, because Fall Out Boy is life <3. But my top requests are these:

• Fourth of July
• It could be a Category 5 Hurricane outside, but if I heard this song, it would be like I’m transported to like Kansas, at sunset. Slowly watching the sun go down, but at the same time I get to see billions of stars. Riding through the night, with the person I love sitting next to me. Just me and him against the world.
• The Kids Aren’t Alright
• In the end, I’d do it all again, I think you’re my best friend. I know it isn’t supposed to be taken literally, but thats how I am going to take it. Everytime I hear that song it makes me want to sing it to the person I love the most in life.
• What A Catch, Donnie
• I’ve got troubled thoughts and the self esteem to match. But yet you’re still here. You still married me. You still love me, despite my fucked upness
• The Phoenix
• This is the perfect song to jam out to at the end of the night, or whenever. lol

Yes, why not? Movies leave a better impact on us if they have a good soundtrack. Then don’t you think the special event that your wedding is will be far more unforgettable if accompanied by live music?

Get a band that plays light, mainstream songs. Give them a setlist if you have one in advance so that you can have your favorite songs played live. You can even ask them to play certain songs at certain points in the function, songs that fit the mood then. Bands at a wedding usually have a playlist ready for the occasion. You can get a band that plays all originals, if you’re family and the other attendees are familiar with the idea and enjoy original music. However, most of the guests are there to have fun and dance, so they are more likely to enjoy the songs they know and not something they have to actually listen and pay attention to.

It’s wonderful to have live music - especially if f you get a great one that can play music that will please older folks as well as the younger crowd. It’s classy, fun and you can’t beat the vibe - more people will get up and dance.

The reason most people get a DJ and play recorded music is cost. A live band is very expensive.

I had live music at my ceremony and the early part of my reception - just flute and piano - but that was because friends who were professionals volunteered as a wedding gift. A live band for post dinner dancing would have been too expensive for us. We just had a good DJ recommended by the venue.

I was a band manager for a number of years and I have an answer to this.

When playing a wedding, you are effectively working for only two people: the bride and her father (one of those two is going to pay you). When the bride’s dad, after a half-magnum of champagne, staggers over to you and says, “Turn it up!” or “Play ‘Monkey man’ again,” the appropriate response is slightly concerned look out over the dance floor and something like, “Mr. Brewster, my guys seem to have this party rocking pretty hard. Why don’t we let them play their show?”

At this point, dad will pull out his wallet and drop a C-note in your hand and say, “Play ‘Monkey man’ again!”

“Hey Steve! ‘Monkey Man’ again!”

Or, “Turn it up!”

Whenever any member of the crowd asked us to turn it down, especially at a wedding, I was prepared to get pretty shitty with my guys to make that happen. But given that they were focused like lasers on the bridesmaids, it all worked out pretty easily.

Personally, I don't think so. I've been to weddings with DJs and with bands, and I've also been to weddings with a pre-mixed playlist for the disco. All of them were memorable in their own way, because of the people there, the couple getting married, the atmosphere of the rest of the day.

A band can, however, make or break a wedding - if it's an exceptionally great one playing music for all tastes then fantastic, but that will come at a cost. If it's a terrible band that you got on the cheap because your cousin's friend is the drummer and they only play one genre, then you could have ruined what would otherwise have been a fantastic day.

Often a band is a nice but unnecessary expense. If there's good music, people will get up and dance, whether it's performed live or on a recording. If you've got the cash and know a truly FANTASTIC band that’s guaranteed to be a hit with everyone coming, go for it. Otherwise, save your money.

Yes! As a wedding DJ I can (and have) destroy a band. Here is why:

1. I have an unlimited song choice. If a song is on a record label it is available to me and I can play it. A band on the other hand can’t not play songs they don’t know.
2. I can separate songs into 4 or more parts and play parts of each one simultaneously. A band can’t do this, especially on the fly in real-time.
3. I can do all kinds of effects with digital music (I have 42 sound effects). A band is extremely limited with sound effects.
4. I can play a six-hour DJ set outside in Phoenix Arizona in August. The band member's performance degrades in the Phoenix heat (115 in the shade) after one hour.
5. I don’t need to do sound checks when I am done setting up. The band must do sound checks to make sure all the instruments can be heard.
6. Bands cost more. At least a good band.

The list goes on and on.

The best and safest way to find a live wedding band is by looking at them on trusted and established wedding entertainment websites such as ours and others. It's easy to pick a band that fits your musical tastes and is affordable on these kinds of sites. They offer booking security and guarantee quality which is very important and will give you peace of mind come wedding day.

There are quite a few perks of having a live band instead of a DJ including:

1. The unbeatable visual and audio experience of musicians performing live
2. Live wedding bands can cover very specific musical themes or cover a wide range of music to suit everyone
3. Live bands usually excel at crowd interaction and keeping dancefloors full
4. A live wedding band brings a touch of exclusivity and uniqueness to any wedding
5. First dances performed by a live band can sound amazing and highly personal
6. Wedding bands can tailor setlists including first dances just for you
7. Live wedding bands will sometimes let you or your friends perform with them
8. Live wedding bands can fit into most wedding venues
9. Wedding bands can add or remove musicians to adapt exactly to the theme of your wedding
10. Some live wedding bands can offer DJ services
11. Live wedding bands are made up of professional musicians meaning you can leave them to sort the entertainment side of your wedding
12. They can perform throughout your wedding day and evening, inside and outside
13. You can usually use their PA system for speeches etc

There's a few other things id point out too.

Wedding theme

If you are looking for authentic musical entertainment that complements your wedding theme, live wedding bands are hard to beat. If for example, your wedding theme is the stylish 1920s, there are loads of fantastic bands out there that look and sound the part. A DJ can't enhance the look, sound and feel of a wedding like a live band can.

Do you even need a DJ?

Some live wedding bands offer full, professional DJ services in between their sets and late into the night to save you money and keep the party going. Many wedding bands will offer it for free. It could solve your dilemma and save you money.

A different type of wedding band

For clients who are struggling to pick between a DJ and live wedding band we and other wedding entertainment websites have acts that fuse DJ’ing with live music. These kinds of bands could be perfect for you as they have all the best attributes of a live wedding band and fuse it with all the best aspects of a DJ.

For me, it's simple though. Live music has a special place in everyone's hearts. Why do we all still love to see the Rolling Stones or Coldplay perform? It’s not just the music, it’s the whole atmosphere they create. The huge trend of old bands reuniting has been fuelled by a desire from the masses to see them live once again, to see a visual and sonic show that can’t be beaten or replicated by anyone, not even DJ’s.

There are a load of reasons you should book a live band for your wedding. I’ve listed what I think are the key reasons after performing in such bands for 15 years worldwide.

You simply can't beat the look, sound and feel of live music performed and more importantly, performed just for you! Live wedding bands offer an unparalleled musical experience so if you want vibrant, exciting, authentic live musical entertainment at your wedding, book a live band.

Wedding bands come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and this means you can pick a live band that suits your musical tastes or wedding theme down to a tee. Wedding bands really do appear in all musical forms and because they dress accordingly too, they really do look the part. Even if you want wedding entertainment that spans all genres, eras and tastes, multi-genre wedding bands can do that. There will always be a wedding band out there for you.

Some wedding entertainment out there can demonstrate great crowd interaction skills but nothing quite beats a live bands ability to get your dancefloor pumping, that wedding venue or wedding barn bouncing and you and your guests shouting/screaming/singing song lyrics at the top of your voice until late into the night. Just like the best live acts at Glastonbury, live wedding bands know how to get a wedding crowd going wild and enjoying themselves.

Also, unless you prefer the original song to be played over the PA system, I can't think of a more romantic, more personalised way to celebrate your marriage and your first dance as a married couple than by having a live band perform it for you.

Weddings can be stressful too, so why not bring some experts in who can plan and coordinate of all your wedding entertainment needs so you have one less thing to organise and worry about? Like all ours do, wedding bands usually bring everything to your wedding that’s needed to perform to the max. Relax and enjoy your wedding, live bands know what they are doing.

Lastly, wedding bands can morph from full-on live acts into intimate acoustic acts at the drop of a hat. From Folk to Rock in the blink of an eye. This means, that unlike pretty much any other wedding entertainment out there, they can perform for you all day, during any part of your wedding, whether its inside or outside.

Ring. A circle of, usually precious metal. Gold, silver, platinum traditionally. It wraps around one finger. Usually, the finger next to your pinky on your left hand. Why you ask? Because it’s the closest Vein or artery closest to the heart as the blood pumps through the body. In American culture the heart is a sign for love the ring, because it’s never ending structure, no edges, no corners continuous loop, acts as a symbol of eternity. Though that ring and metal will likely last far longer than any marriage.

women’s wedding bands will come in a set of two. One Dazzling and hopefully with a giant stone. The other a complementary band. Traditionally the one with the rock on it is presented when the groom or bride ask the question. Again, Traditionally, the bride can wear her flashy new ring to let everybody know of the impending wedding. Here’s where the other band comes into play, the groom receives his band during the ceremony. In the true fashion of life he gives her another ring. You so she doesn’t feel left out and to solidify what has just happened. That for the rest of your natural life that you have to make sure she gets more than the groom. Perpetuating that never ending cycle of men passing away before their female counterpart Don’t ever forget that. Happy wife happy life.

Disclaimer: I’m a DJ.

Some people prefer the sound and the appearance of a live band over having a DJ playing recorded music. This tends to be the case more often at high-end, high-budget weddings where everything is really extravagant, but the hosts feel that a DJ might “pull down” the overall ambience of the wedding. Even as a DJ, I’ll concede that guests may be more impressed when they walk in and see a 5-piece or 7-piece band rather than a single DJ standing behind a table or a facade.

That being said, there are plenty of high-end DJs who put on a really good presentation and have a slick looking setup. They really can be just as impressive as a band, if not better. But depending on where you’re getting married, there may or may not be very many options in the area… and if those high-end DJs are already booked, the idea of a live band might become more appealing than “settling” for whatever cheaper, less-polished DJs are still available for your wedding date.

Now, I’ll argue the DJ’s side of things: a DJ, even a high-end DJ, is usually going to be cheaper because most DJs work alone, or maybe bring one assistant. If you get a band, you’re paying and feeding all the members of the band, and some bands also bring a “roadie” to set up / tear down all of the equipment, cables, etc.

Bands get tired, and sometimes take breaks between sets. Bands can only play the songs they know well through lots of rehearsing. If you have a lot of specific song requests that the band doesn’t know, they might charge you extra for the hours they’ll need to rehearse the song prior to your wedding. Some bands do a great job with certain genres of music, and might just be “so-so” at other types of music. If the band has only one lead singer, you might get tired of hearing the same person singing every single song all night.

By contrast, the DJ can play music non-stop, they can play whatever songs you want (if you request anything they don’t already have, they can just buy and download those). Even if the DJ needs to step away for a few minutes to use the restroom or something, the music can keep playing. And you’ll hear the actual songs by the original artists, rather than one or two people doing covers of all those songs.

Look up ‘event entertainment’, ‘talent agency’ or similar searches on Google. (Obviously, include your location. If you live in a small town, regional acts will come play but the fee will include travel expense. And of course, any fee also includes the Agency’s percentage.)

I think a good band will make your event more memorable than a DJ, but a good DJ will have all the current music & obvious classic ‘hits’ that are fine/expected for dancing, plus DJ’s are usually very comfortable with the various cheesy ‘emcee’ announcing duties that come with working a wedding reception.

The best wedding receptions I ever attended as a guest:

1. A big swing jazz band (at least 10–15 musicians) playing all of the classic American Pop Standards

2. A ‘James Brown’ type of band, very high-energy rock band plus a horn section.

(You would have to have some serious money for either type of ensemble!)

Another common choice is to have a solo musician or small combo play during the cocktail hour/dinner, and then have a DJ for the dancing and MC portion of the evening. (I’ve been a cocktail hour musician many times, playing events where a DJ takes over after my work is done.)