Wedding band types to choose from

Live wedding bands add excitement and atmosphere to your wedding day and can be used throughout the day from the ceremony, through the wedding breakfast, to the evening reception. Here are some live wedding band types to choose from.

A swing band

A swing band is great for a formal wedding celebration, especially one with a 1950s theme. A fantastic mix of sophistication and fun, a Swing band can get guests in the mood during the wedding meal ready to get up and take to the floor afterwards. You’ll be surprised at how many classic swing hits you already know, from Frank Sinatra to Benny Goodman.

An instrumental ensemble

String quartets remain a sophisticated choice for an instrumental ensemble, with cello, flute, and harp ensembles also gaining in popularity. An instrumental ensemble can be used for the ceremony itself also during cocktails and the wedding meal.

A jazz band

Jazz bands can play easy listening, smooth jazz for the cocktail hour or wedding dinner, and then speed up the tempo and volume for the after dinner dancing. Jazz bands are a fabulous choice for an stylish yet laid back wedding reception.

A pop group

Pop music will always be a favourite choice, especially if you are having an evening reception with a disco, and are inviting a young group of guests. Carefully selected pop songs can also be played throughout the wedding meal just be sure to keep the volume on the low side and check the lyrics to make sure they don’t offend your elderly aunty. You can combine hits of the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s with more modern pop to make sure there’s something for everyone.

A Latin band

Latin bands can really turn the heat up on outdoor summer wedding and are a great choice for weddings where dancing is high on the agenda. Book the band to play for a couple of hours after dinner, when your guests still have enough energy for the salsa, the samba, and the cha cha cha, and try to hire a couple of dancers to show everyone the moves as well.

A rock band

A rock band may not seem like the most appropriate choice for a wedding, but if you are a rock chic at heart, nothing else will suffice. If you are intent on having heavy rock, try to start the dancing with something that all your guests can enjoy, followed by a session of heavy rock in the middle, and finish off the night on a lighter note. Again you can choose rock songs from various decades.

R&B band

R&B music covers a wide range of tempos so the band can play at any time during the wedding celebration, but this type of music usually works best during the evening. For a sultry modern wedding, especially one held in a contemporary reception venue like a night club, an R&B band can add some soul to your big day.