December 23, 2008

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Music is one part of your reception people will remember, so you want to get it right, starting with your choice of live band or deejay. And while it seems like Garden State couples are now opting for deejays, a trend driven by tight budgets, there’s nothing quite like live music.

Images by Berit.

There’s nothing quite like the energy and sound of a live band. Here, the Eternity band from Barry Herman Entertainment plays at the Pleasantdale Chateau.

“So where has all the class gone?” asks Ian Witthoeft of From Bach to Broadway in Wayne (973-694-0100; frombach2broadway.com). “Bands offer thousands of songs, a range of styles, more sophistication—but people are favoring deejays because they’re affordable.”

According to Julian Romero of Majestic Entertainment in Short Hills (973-296-0016; majestic-music.com), “the economy is definitely affecting the wedding entertainment industry. People are cutting costs wherever they can.” A top-notch band runs $4,000 to $7,000, while a deejay might cost $1,500.

“You get what you pay for,” adds Peter MacDonald of the Smokin’ Section (973-283-0658 or 732-906-9184; smokinsection.com). “Ask yourself where you want to allocate your budget. Are the flowers or location or menu most critical, or is it the music and mood of the party?”

There’s more to the band-versus-deejay debate than your bottom line. MacDonald believes live music will never die. “There’s no match to the performance energy of nine live musicians. A band can easily switch gears to match the audience’s mood and keep everyone up and dancing.”

A professional band adds visual as well as audio energy. Live performers will improvise, repeating a chorus for a full dance floor or singing a quiet ballad to relax the crowd. And live music certainly contributes to a memorable evening.

But for couples who prefer to hear their favorite songs exactly as they remember them, a deejay makes sense. “Most bands cannot precisely mimic every genre, from Frank Sinatra to Black-Eyed Peas,” Romero admits. With a deejay, you get a more varied repertoire, along with more dancing room.

Still trying to decide? Many couples combine the best of both worlds, contracting with a live jazz combo for the cocktail hour, for instance, followed by a deejay for dinner and dancing.

As for the wedding ceremony itself, Romero tells us “it’s maintained a strong tradition for live music, often a string trio, harpist, or guitar player. Even with a budget crunch, there’s nothing like live music to create the right ambiance.”