Wedding Music

Live Wedding Band Types

There are many different types of live band you can choose from depending on the style and theme of your wedding. If your budget can run to it, why not mix and match two or three bands to provide variety throughout the day? Here are ten types of wedding band to consider:

1. Instrumental ensemble

An instrumental ensemble is an elegant choice, and is usually most suitable for before and after the ceremony itself, the cocktail hour and the wedding breakfast. String quartets continue to be a stylish choice, although cello, flute, and harp ensembles are also gaining popularity.

2. Jazz and Blues band

Jazz bands are perfect for a sophisticated yet laid back wedding reception. They can play easy listening, slow jazz for the cocktail hour or wedding breakfast, and then up the tempo and the volume for dancing after dinner.

3. Latin band

A fashionable choice for weddings where dancing is a high priority, Latin bands can really heat up an outdoor summer wedding. Book the band to play for a couple of hours after dinner, when your guests still have plenty of energy for the salsa, the samba and the cha cha cha.

4. Swing band

The perfect mix of glamour and fun, a Swing band can keep guests’ feet tapping during the wedding breakfast ready to get up and take to the floor afterwards. A swing band is great for a formal black tie event, especially one with a 1950s flavour. You’ll be amazed how many classic swing hits you already know, from Benny Goodman to Frank Sinatra.

5. Celtic band

Whether you are having a Celtic themed wedding or not, hiring a Celtic band to play for a celidh or barn dance as your wedding can really liven up the day. Most suitable for an outdoor wedding in a rural setting, the lilting melodies and lively jigs will make your wedding a day to remember.

6. Steel drum band

For something totally different, a Caribbean style steel drum band, playing various styles including calypso, soca, bossa nova, and merengue, can really make your reception unique. A steel drum band might be most appropriate for the cocktail hour, or to entertain the guests between the courses of the wedding breakfast, although the music is also great for dancing after dinner as well.

7. Pop group

If you are having an evening reception with a disco, and are inviting largely a young crowd, pop music will always be a good choice. You can combine hits of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s with more contemporary pop to make sure there’s something for everyone. Well chosen pop songs can also be played throughout the wedding breakfast, just be sure to keep the volume quite low and check the lyrics carefully to make sure they don’t offend Great Aunt Sophie.

8. Rock band

A rock band may not seem the obvious choice for a wedding, but if you are a rock chic nothing else will do. See if the band can tailor their set to a wedding so that the songs included are fairly light and uplifting, and again you can choose rock songs from across the decades. If you must have heavy rock, try to start the dancing with something that all your guests can enjoy, have a session of heavy rock in the middle, and finish the party on a lighter note.

9. Reggae band

Ideal for a laid back, informal wedding, or one with a Caribbean theme, a reggae band will make it feel like the sun is shining even on the cloudiest of days and is guaranteed to get your guests swaying to the addictive rhythm.

10. R&B band

For a sultry modern wedding, especially one held in a modern reception venue like a night club, an R&B band can add a little extra soul to your big day. R&B music covers a wide range of tempos so the band can play at any time during the reception, but this type of music usually works best in the evening.