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We're having a band. This was one of FI's (only) requests. My personal preference is bands. But I think DJs are fun as well! It all depends on what you can afford and what you think it's worth to spend!
We were both sure from the beginning that we wanted a band and we definitely feel we made the right decision. Our band was amazing and people danced the ENTIRE time. We are still getting calls and compliments about the band a month after the wedding. If you want people dancing, a band really does the trick, IMO!
This wasn't even up for discussion. My dad wanted a band and paid for it. The band was a heavy hit but, in his eyes, this is just as important as the food and the venue. The band we had, The Rythm Shop was just amazing and we were totally delighted. They were worth every penny.
I voted DJ because they can play anything. A good band should also be able to perform a range of music, but the only wedding I went to with a band only played swing music the entire evening. My friends and I are into dancing, but for the most part we waited until the after party to dance. On the other hand, the bride and her family had a wonderful time and it was great watching everyone who actually knew how to swing dance.
We are having a band, but I've been to weddings with a band and weddings with a DJ, and as long as each knows how to read the crowd, the guests had a blast. So you can't go too wrong either way. Good luck! 
I voted for DJ only because after trying to decide on this myself I went w/ the dj.
My FI is a musicaian and we are both VERY into Music. We love live music and going to concerts so it certainly seemed like the kind of thing we would want but we found ourselves being OVERLY critical of the bands out there becausee they all just weren't good enough, and we couldn't get on board with these bands butchering our favorite songs. And the "decent" bands seemed to run at least $4-6K which seemed like a lot of money to spend on bands we weren't in love with!
We finally found ONE band that we thought were really good but then we found out thta they wanted $15K and of course THAT wasn't going to happen! The second runner up wanted $10K and we realized then and there that we were NOT going to spend 10K let alone $4K for something we didn't really even want.
My parents were VERY set on the idea of us having a band and were of the mindset that a "truly nice" wedding "MUST" have a band but we disagreed and fought the battle for a dj and ultimately won. DJ's don't have to be cheesy or cheap so long as they are professional and play the right music!
The DJ will have a lot more range than a band would have had and we will now get a really nice mix of 80's music, Dance, Rock, Hip Hop, Old Standards and some newer stuff that we love that a band could NEVER do! I'm thrilled with the decision and even more happy to have that money to allocate to other areas!
I vote for a DJ. And it's more than just the money.
1. Dj will play the music by the original artists. (Of course a band is live. But to me that wasn't a big deal.) I would be more concerned with the way the band did the song would compare to the original song. If you have a DJ, if a guest doesn't like a song, they can always hope for the next song to be one they like. But if you have a band and they can't stand the singer's voice, even if the band plays a song they like, they might not like the band's version. They could be screwed for the whole night.
2. If a DJ gets sick, another Dj can easily replace him. If a band member, perhaps the lead singer, gets sick, who replaces him? How do you know that you'll like the replacement?
3. I think bands are louder, which I wouldn't like.
4. Bands take up more space. Depending on your venue, could be a problem.
5. If you get a band that has limited variety or specifically only plays, say jazz, I think that wouldn't please too many guests. But you know a Dj can play most anything.
Just my $.02
We're having a band. I would have been fine with a DJ though, it depends on your music preference (obviously a little less control with a band) and budget. I think live music is a little nicer and the 'top 40' songs sound 'softer' for the older crowd who have no idea who Lady Gaga is.
We're having a DJ. We have a smaller venue and were more interested in a DJ than a band. I think both are good times though! I think you should choose a DJ though if you don't want to drain your savings.
We had a DJ. I LOVE seeing fantastic bands at weddings, but there are also a lot of duds. Having a DJ gave us more control and saved us some money.
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Hmmm, hive seems to be split on this one...what to do, what to do...Every time I decide one way or another, I change my mind a few hours later...keep the opinions coming, weddingbee may end up being the deciding factor! :)
Neither! I'm on the iPod side of things. (But if I did have to vote, I'd go for DJ. Bands just don't offer enough variety....)
Haha this is the only disagreement my FI and I have had thus far in the planning process. He wants a band and I would prefer a DJ. I tend to like the original versions of songs - and this is especially important to me for first dance, father/daughter dance purposes - but he really wants a band. I basically said OK fine if you want the band then you are doing all the research and your parents are paying for it (not being a Bridezilla - they offered to pay for something and had no preference as to what it was). I didn't actually know that bands are a lot more $$$ so I might actually win this one now!
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Hi Hive! Help me out with this dilemma...Fi and I are truly undecided about having a band or a DJ at our wedding. We definitely want everyone out on the dance floor having a good time at our wedding, so it's a pretty important part of the equation. I've always wanted a band at my wedding but the difference in price is looking to be about $3000 ($1000 or less for a DJ, $4000 or more for a band)...We can afford it but it would mean more of a drain on my savings account and I'm just not sure if I want to do that...Soooooo, bees, give me your opinions: Which are you having at your wedding? Which one should we go with? Help!