Special Section

Picking the Music

a pros and cons list for live bands and deejays

Band

++ The Wow Factor: it’s much easier for the crowd to feed off their energy
+ Can improvise and slightly change songs you like
+ Can stretch songs people are really into or encourage sing-a-longs
+ A bad personality doesn’t kill the experience
+ Looks better than a dude with a laptop
+ Opportunity for wedding guests to do a hop-on cameo

– Limited playlist, sound, and styles
– Typically costs more
– Typically takes more space
– Tougher to change the mood/feel of the room
– Limited time/energy
– Can be louder than the ideal
–  Might have to deal with 4-5 people

DeeJay

+ Unlimited playlist, sound, and styles
+ Typically costs less
+ Typically takes less space
+ Can quickly change the mood/feel of the room
+ Can play all freakin’ night
+ Easier to adjust volume
+ Usually only deal with one person

– It’s much tougher to replicate the energy of live music
– One with a bad personality is a party killer
– Songs will be just as you hear them on the radio
– Doesn’t look as awesome as a band setup
– Harder to do sing-a-longs and “one more time!”
– Hard to get guests involved in “creating,” other than recommendations/dedications