Wedding musicians and bands come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. With so many different types of musicians out there, how do you know which will suit your wedding the best? Your big day will be unique and you’ll need to find a wedding musician or band which will be able to match your theme otherwise it just won’t feel right.

This guide will help you to find the perfect wedding musician or band for your big day. Not only that, you’ll also discover various ways to save money whilst still getting the very best musician or band.  Not only will you find a brief description of each point, you’ll also find step by step instructions for the most important points.

Please note, this list is HUGE so go ahead and bookmark it now, because you’ll most likely want to refer back to it. Better yet, share it with your friends on Facebook and ask them to help you choose the music for your wedding!

How To Book Your Wedding Musician/Band

This list contains over 20 top tips straight from an active wedding musician who is currently working on the UK wedding circuit.  What you’re looking at are insider tips from an industry professional.  Take your time to read through them all before going on the search for your perfect wedding musician or band!

1. Go direct to save money

This one seems obvious but do you know the best ways to find wedding musicians and bands directly?  Going direct to the musician you want to book will allow you to get the very best price. Agencies, fixers and even some venue’s recommended supplier lists add on a commission for putting you in touch with the musician or band. If you can find a great sounding wedding musician directly, you’re guaranteed to save money.

So how do you find great wedding musicians without the help of agencies and recommended supplier lists?

Method 1

Use ‘direct directories’ to find a list of wedding musicians. These are directories that musicians themselves usually pay to be listed on. They do this because it puts their contact details in front of you (the client) without having to go through commission taking agencies. So how do you find these so called ‘direct directories’? It can be tricky to tell them apart from agencies, however luckily for you I’ve already done the hard work for you. Check out the following list of musician directories which will put you in touch with the musician you want to book without any middlemen (or middlewomen!).

Wedding exhibitions are another great source of finding musicians and bands directly.  Some musicians/bands don't have any success with internet listings and some simply don't have their own websites, so they turn to wedding exhibitions as a way of showcasing their talents.  This means that if you attend lots of wedding exhibitions you're likely to encounter some musicians who you won't find on the internet.  This isn't a hard and fast rule that exhibitors at wedding shows don't advertise on the internet, but you will find the odd gem who don't.  Little tip, the more obscure the wedding fayre, the more likely you are to find a unique musician or band.

2. Send Requests for Songs in your Wedding Invitations

Many couples really struggle with choosing a band/DJ for the evening reception because they don’t know what style of music their guests will enjoy. Nobody wants an empty dance floor so choosing an appropriate band/DJ is so important. So how do you know what songs you guests will want to dance to? Easy, just ask them!

On your wedding invitation put something like:

“I will definitely get up to dance if the band/DJ plays ___________________ .”

Let your guests fill in the blank and once your guests have all RSVP’d you’ve got a tailored set list which is guaranteed to get feet on the dance floor.

Once you’ve done this you and got your replies you can start contacting bands or DJs who fit the bill. If you have to book a band or DJ before your wedding invitations are returned, go with a band who boast a versatile set list to be safe. 

I read this tip somewhere on another wedding blog or forum but I can't remember where.  If this was your idea please get in touch so I can give you the credit you deserve!

3. Book the same musician/band for multiple parts of the wedding

Why? Because wedding musicians have a ‘call out fee’; a minimum amount of money they will go and play for. Adding time on top of this call out fee works out significantly cheaper than booking another musician (who will charge you another call out fee).

Based on this example, if you were to book two separate musicians to do a 60 minute set each it would cost you £400. If you use the same musician to play both 60 minute sets it works out at £245. That's a saving of £155 by using the same musician.

Here’s a typical example of a musicians fees:

*Please note: this is an example only, not a binding quote for services!

You can’t always recycle the ceremony musician to play at the drinks reception because they may not be a suitable fit. Versatile musicians such as wedding guitarists (classical and otherwise) are a good option because they can adapt to both. You will have to make a judgment call and decide whether the harpist you have your eye on can also cut it at the drinks reception. If not then just be prepared to increase your wedding music budget to accommodate another musician for the drinks reception etc.

4. Add up the exact time you require to save even more money

Most people ask for way too much time because they haven’t really thought about how much music they need. The standard quote from wedding musicians is for 2 x 45 minute sets or 2 x 60 minute sets. If you look on agency websites that show a guide price, many musicians’ prices will be based on 2 x 45/60 minute sets. This is because most wedding bands play in the evening and the minimum you’re going to want for the evening reception is 2 x 45 minute sets.

If you only need music for the wedding ceremony then in reality you only need around 45-60 mins of the musician’s time. If you tell a musician exactly what you want they will give you a quote for that exact amount of time.

5. Go Local

When booking a wedding musician or band it’s often good to look local first before you spread your net further afield. There are a couple of good reasons to do this. First of all it will reduce travel costs and save you a bit of money. Travel costs vary greatly however if you want an idea of how much you could save you can look at the current recommended rates for travel expenses.

At the time of writing the recommended rate is 45p per mile (return journey). The rate of 45p per mile is set out by HMRC and supported by the Musicians Union so it’s a pretty standard figure.

The second reason for booking a local wedding musician is that you reduce the chance of them getting stuck in traffic and missing your wedding. This is very important if you’re booking a musician for your wedding ceremony, as the absence of music will be very noticeable as you walk down the aisle! If you want to book a musician who is based further afield ask them what time they plan to leave/arrive. Alive Network recommends that all of their musicians add on 50% of the expected journey time to account for traffic. Ask your musician to do the same if you’re worried about their punctuality.

6. Check testimonials

A musician or band with lots of satisfied clients is likely to be a good choice. Those with none or very few might just be starting out and therefore lack experience. Have a read of what former clients are saying about each musician or band to get an idea of the level of service they offer.

The best kind of testimonials is a video testimonial. Not every musician or band will have these, as it’s difficult to obtain. If you do find a musician or band with video testimonials you know for sure that they’re not just writing nice things about themselves on their websites! Just gives you a bit of peace of mind if you can actually see and hear from a former client.

7. Prioritise daytime/evening music to avoid compromises

What’s more important to you, the ceremony or the evening reception? Start by booking the best musician for that particular part of your wedding. If you prioritise ceremony music then you may end up having to settle for a DJ instead of a band in the evening, but at least the most important part will be exactly as you envisioned. Alternatively, if the evening reception is most important to you then you may have to settle for music played through an iPod for the ceremony and drinks reception. Everybody has different priorities so just be sure you know where yours lie before you start looking at musicians and bands.

If you don’t prioritise then you might end up compromising and getting an average musician/band for every part of your wedding.

8. Decide on style of music

Before you start looking at musicians for your wedding, decide on the style of music you want to have. If it’s the ceremony do you want classical, jazz, pop? For the evening is it swing, pop, indie? You’ll save yourself a lot of time if you decide what you want in advance. There are so many different wedding musicians out there it’s easy to lose focus and end up booking any old musician because you’re tired of searching! You’ll still be spoilt for choice no matter what style of music you’re looking for.

9. Think about space restrictions to avoid overcrowding

If your wedding venue is small then you might struggle to fit in that 8 piece band with a full brass section. A better choice might be an acoustic duo or a 3 piece band.

The same is true for the ceremony. If your ceremony venue is quite small then a string quartet is probably not the wisest choice. Go for a soloist or a duo. There are plenty of options out there. Guitarists and harpists are both excellent choices.

10. Check the venue’s rules on PA systems and amplifiers

Some musicians require PA systems or amplifiers in order to perform. This is true of all bands and even for some acoustic musicians. Guitarists will need to be amplified in order to be heard in a medium sized room. Any guitarist who tells you differently is either lying or very inexperienced. Violinists can make a big noise without an amplifier so if your venue has strict rules then a violinist for the ceremony is a safe bet.

11. Decide on your budget and stick to it

Be honest about your wedding music budget. If you’ve only got £500 to spend then think about how you can best spend that money. £500 is not enough for a top of the range wedding band, but it would easily cover a top notch soloist for the ceremony, drinks and a possibly a DJ in the evening. If ceremony music isn’t top of your list and you only want music for the evening reception then look at upbeat acoustic duos rather than full scale 3-4 piece bands.

12. Use agencies to find the best talent

Hang on, earlier I was telling you to go direct! What gives? Although they charge a commission which bumps up the price, agencies provide a vital service. They have hundreds of suitable bands at their fingertips along with prices and availability for each one. If you’re in a rush, don’t know who to book and you don’t mind paying a little extra then booking with an agency is a great way to go. There are other benefits too such as reducing the likelihood of a last minute cancellation (as musicians are tied into contracts and would be liable to pay the booking fee). You also all but eliminate the chance of the musician being total rubbish. Agencies all vet their acts carefully to make sure they’re up to scratch. The best agencies are very discerning about which musicians they take on.

Here are a few of the most popular entertainment agencies in the UK:

13. Check whether bands/groups use ‘deps'

A dep is a musician who can stand in for a band member in an emergency. Ideally you will want the original band line up to play at your wedding as they will be well rehearsed and put on a good show. It’s possible however that the lead guitarist or singer might get ill or have some other emergency that prevents them from performing on the day. Some bands are prepared for this eventuality and have a list of deps who can stand in should a band member become unavailable. This is a good safety net to have because it means the band will still be able to perform even if one member can’t make it.

Be careful though because some bands have an ever-changing line up and this will affect the sound. The sound you heard on the bands website might suddenly be very different if they’ve replaced two members with deps without telling you.

To avoid this problem, talk to the band before you book them and ask them if they have any deps. If they do, ask how often they use them.

If you’re not too fussed about who turns up to play at your wedding then this shouldn’t bother you. Simply asking if the band has a back up plan should suffice.

14. Communicate with your shortlisted musicians frequently prior to booking

Communicate frequently with your shortlisted musicians to see how fast they respond and whether their replies are helpful or not. When planning a wedding you will have a LOT of different suppliers to deal with. It makes such a difference knowing you can get in touch with one of them easily to discuss any changes of plan. Chasing down a wedding supplier when you’re on a tight schedule is not a fun game to play.

15. Ask your musician/band for advice

Treat your musician/band as your wedding music experts. After all they are professional wedding musicians! One of the most common sticking points when it comes to wedding music is choosing the right songs. Talk to your musician or band and ask for their opinion and advice. They might be able to suggest some great ideas which you wouldn’t otherwise have thought of.

They can also advise you on all sorts of other fine details which would only occur to someone who attends weddings week in week out. Your musician or band are your personal wedding music experts. Make sure you use them. 

16. Choose smaller bands or soloists if you’re on a budget

This was touched on earlier but it’s worth expanding on it here. Booking fewer musicians to play at your wedding will always work out cheaper. Unless you’re absolutely set on a large band, consider booking a smaller group and you’ll be amazed at how much you could save.

Speaking personally, my average fee for the last 12 months was around £265 per wedding. That’s approximately the figure you would be paying for each musician at your wedding. A 3 piece band instead of a 4 piece band could therefore save you a significant amount of money.

17. Make sure your musicians’ look fits your theme

This might only be applicable to those who have set a strict theme but it’s definitely worth mentioning. Every musician and band has their own look and sound. If your theme is elegant, then a casually dressed musician might look out of place. If your theme is vintage, then a group covering 1920’s jazz music would be right at home and really set the mood.

Not every couples sets a strict theme, but it’s worth thinking about how you’d like your musician to dress at the very least. It’s not a given that they will turn up smartly dressed.

18. Start looking early

The best wedding musicians tend to get booked up quickly. Many book gigs up to 2 years in advance. Just because you read somewhere on the internet that you should book around 6 months in advance doesn’t mean you can’t book earlier. The sooner you find a musician you like, the more likely it is that they are available on your date. This is especially true if you’re getting married on a Saturday. Saturday is far and away the most popular day to get married so a musician's gig diary gets very busy with bookings on this particular day.

19. Get value for money

Many musicians will be able to offer a variety of perks to help give you the best value for money. Some offer a free DJ service where as others can learn your favourite song. If you’ve booked a musician for your wedding breakfast, why not see if you can use their PA system and microphone for the speeches? The best man’s speech is always funnier if you can actually hear it!

20. Request ‘Preferred Suppliers’ list from your venue

Preferred suppliers (or recommended suppliers) are wedding service providers who have worked at the venue previously. The venue trusts them and knows they will do a good job. Not every venue has such a list but it’s worth asking, because if nothing else it gives you some options which you might not have found via the internet. Do your homework and check them out first before blindly booking through the venue. Also see if you can find their website and book them direct. Venues may charge a fixers fee if you ask them to deal with the musicians on your behalf. It’s far from being common practice but I’ve heard that it does happen.

21. Options for those on a super tight budget

If you don’t have much of a budget for wedding music but still want some live music then talk to your local music college or university. Some universities offer a service whereby they will provide a musician for your wedding and charge a small fee. Others might just send out an email to see if any music students are interested and available. Students love to make a bit of money so they will most likely jump at the chance.   They probably won’t charge as much as a professional wedding musician, however they will be far less experienced so there is a downside. That being said this might be better than nothing if your budget is super tight.

22. No Budget? - Ask a Friend

If you’ve overspent in other areas before you got around to booking a wedding musician then don’t panic! There is another option. If you have a musical friend or family member then why not ask them to provide a little entertainment. You can’t really ask them to perform for very long as it’s not really fair on them, but they might be kind enough to sing at your ceremony. I’ve actually written an article on whether to choose a professional wedding musician or musical friend. Be sure to check it out before you decide whether it's the right move for you.

In Conclusion

There you have it; 22 top tips to help you book the best wedding musician or band for the best price. If you found this article useful please support me by sharing it on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ etc.  You can find easy share buttons underneath this article.  It makes such a difference and helps me a lot.

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I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you have anything to add which you think might be useful please feel free to post a comment below.

One Last Thing...

* Whilst I do use most of the agencies and directories listed in this article, I'm not in receipt of any payment for publishing their details in this article.  I've linked to them because I believe they are a useful resource.  I have published their details impartially for your convenience.