Choosing a Wedding Band

Having the right music at your wedding reception is essential to setting the mood and making sure your guests have a fantastic time. The vast majority of people are after one main thing when booking a wedding band; they want a band that will get people up and dancing. Several styles of music will achieve this if your guests like what's being played, so to decide what type of band to go for, it's important to work out what musical genre you like, what your guests will like, and what will fit in with the theme of your wedding reception.

Funk/Disco/Soul/Motown Band

This is one of the most popular types of wedding band mainly because the songs are lively, well known and great for dancing. These bands tend to be quite large, usually including keyboards and sometimes a brass section and the music can range from the funk of James Brown to motown from Stevie Wonder and disco classics from Chic and Sister Sledge. Bands can include various vocalist line-ups including a solo singer, female and male vocals, or two female vocalists as in the case of the Cosy Jacks.

Pop/Rock Band

Bands playing pop/rock are also a popular choice. Playing songs from The Beatles onwards, this material is familiar to most of the audience and great at filling the dance floor. Band's in this category can line up as anything from a three piece band, with a drummer, bassist and guitarist, and vocals often shared, to a six piece band with a keyboard player, vocalist and extra guitarist added in.

Swing/Jazz Band

Not quite as popular as the above types jazz/swing bands can nevertheless provide great entertainment. Just bear in mind that jazz/swing bands will usually only play jazz/swing, and will not be able play more well known pop music. So if you want some pop too, then you might want to hire a DJ as well as the band.

Ceilidh Band

If you don’t want any of these, but still want something that will get everyone dancing, then a popular alternative is a ceilidh or barn dance band. Experienced callers will demonstrate the dances and this is great for getting everyone involved. Ceilidh bands are a good option if you have noise restrictions at your chosen venue.

Whatever your choice, just remember, it's all about what type of music you and your guests will love on the night!