Frankie and Charles

Frankie and Charles

You can certainly ask to see if a band/dj is playing any shows so you can watch them live, however, it's unlikely that you'll be able to attend a wedding to watch them perform. In our case, we can do a high-quality live streamed performance for you to give an idea of what to expect.  Thanks, Frances.

Frankie and Charles

Are you referring to live music or music in general? Live acts usually play recorded music during their breaks and don't charge for this. DJ's usually have background music playing the entire time which is included in their fee. Does this answer your question?

Frances

Frankie and Charles

Doing the music yourself is definitely an option if budget is in question and it will do a sufficient job of maintaining an energetic atmosphere, especially if you have a good playlist. This will take some amount of preparation beforehand, making sure that songs during dinner aren't overpowering as your guests are talking and eating, and that you have enough material to keep the dancefloor alive throughout the night.

You may find, however, that the experience becomes clunky if you do not also involve someone else. You'll want to make sure that someone is in charge of queuing songs for the ceremony - aisle walk, register signing and exit as well as Bridal Party entrance songs for the reception. Someone will need to be in charge of music also during canapes as you go off and have your photos taken. 

Another thing to think about is audio production. A huge part making your DIY music successful is a high-quality sound system (a portable speaker such as the JBL Boombox will not do, unfortunately). You'll want to look into hiring a PA System. A company like DJ Warehouse can provide the right equipment and help you choose what's best for you. If the venue does not have an in-house system that can play your background music, someone will need to set-up this equipment in the different locations and especially for the reception location if there is dancing involved. Venue's in-house systems are generally not sufficient for the dancefloor. 

You'll also want to consider hiring a wireless microphone for speeches. Many venues provide wireless microphones, and their in-house systems are sufficient for this.

All-in-all, it takes a huge amount of preparation to DIY music. The first and most obvious benefit of hiring a band or DJ is the fact that you can remove the stress of doing it yourself. Wedding bands and DJ's generally have a lot of experience and will make this seamless for you. Having live music is significantly more enjoyable for yourself and your guests than having recorded background music and having a good DJ who knows how to read a crowd is invaluable to keep your guests entertained.

Either option will work. The question is whether you are willing to spend the time to plan and prepare the music aspect of your wedding yourself.

I hope this helps! 

Frances (Sydney Live Soloists providing solo musicians and DJ's)