DEBELLIS ENTERTAINMENT

No doubt about it: Music can make or break a wedding celebration—think of it as the heart and soul of a reception. Hiring a talented Band or Dj is a given. But how do you find exactly what you want? It starts with asking yourself some basic questions, specifically what type of entertainment suits your personal taste, budget, space allowances, guest demographics and killer dance moves best. Here, we list some things to consider while you make your music choice.

There's nothing like a live wedding band to get a crowd excited and create a sense of sophistication. A good bandleader will play the master of ceremonies at your reception, interacting with folks on the dance floor, paying attention to the "feel" of the room and selecting music accordingly.

• Live music is, well, live. You and your guests will experience the pleasure of a performance. Anything can happen to raise the excitement level, by interaction by the band.

Why You Want to Know: If you're interviewing a DJ, you want to know if they work with a partner, and if it's a band, who exactly would be there on the day of. Note: Hiring only a portion of an amazing band is a smart way to stick to a strict budget.

The day of the wedding, someone needs to set up the sound system—usually a person from the company supplying the music. You'll need to give the name of the person to the venue coordinator and arrange a time that works for everyone.

Some musicians and DJs will have a minimum amount of time they'll play. But beyond that, you'll also want to know how many breaks they'll need (and how long they'll be), and the backup plan for those breaks (such as approved filler music). Tip: Build in these breaks and offer food to your musicians—you don't want their energy to flag before the last dance.

We Offer a 4-5 hour package which the band is at the reception for the whole event. unless requested only for a certain period of time

You're trying to determine how experienced they are—not only how long they've been doing weddings, but also how often. Both are important to understanding how well they can handle your dance floor. Ask to speak to some previous couples. Online reviews tell some of the story, but being able to chat directly with couples who used this band or DJ can give you a clearer picture of what they're like to work with.