Post # 1
Member
1595 posts
Bumble bee
We just booked the venue and even though we are NOT engaged yet, my Future Mother-In-Law wants to book a particular band for that date and she wants to do it SOON, like by the end of this week. Even though both of our parents are paying for the wedding, I feel like $9,000 for a 9 piece band is ALOT. Is this a normal cost for a band? How much did you pay?!
All responses are appreciated, especially from Bee’s who are from Long Island.
Post # 3
Member
1418 posts
Bumble bee
@Dell79: #1, Congrats!!! Where did you book? I’m in NY, too!
#2, We booked a DJ so I can’t help you there but just as some sort of a comparison we are paying $750 for a string quartet for our ceremony and then an additional $150 for a pianist during the cocktail hour. I think 9k sounds like a VERY high estimate, but we did not price out bands. Our DJ is costing $2,000.
Post # 4
Member
1346 posts
Bumble bee
We’re having a 5 piece for $1300 for entire reception. An had an option of an 8 piece for just under $2000
Post # 5
Member
1595 posts
Bumble bee
@Fallicious1012: Thank you!! I am so excited! and yayY!, a fellow long islander!! We booked at the Woodbury Jewish Center (my dad is requiring that the wedding be glatt kosher, and figured it would be best to have it at a temple so we don’t have to worry about bringing in an outside cateror!)…I really wanted a DJ, REALLY wanted one :(. My SO’s brother was engaged last summer and the wedding was called off so they have this deposit on a band and would like to take advantage of it (my SO’s brother would be getting his money back (the deposit was $1500, so we would pay whatever the balance is to the band and pay my SO’s brother the $1500) so it’s not like we will be saving anything from the deposit). I am so utterly disgusted that this will cost so much, I understand having great music is important, but nearly TEN THOUSAND dollars for 5 hours, is so upsetting 🙁
What DJ are you using? Have you heard them play before?
Post # 6
Member
1595 posts
Bumble bee
@lisha_1988: wow, I should move to australia!
Post # 7
Member
1418 posts
Bumble bee
@Dell79: Great! One of my friends just booked a wedding someplace that has a kosher kitchen as well, but I forget where! We are using Genesis Events, they are the house DJs at The Sand Castle & Jericho Terrace. We have not heard them before but loved the music on their website, and they were recommended by one of my work friends; her husband’s family uses them for all their parties. They seem very willing to work with us and play what we want (LI Sound told us they’re “not an ipod” and they didn’t want lists of songs we want played!).
To be honest, I think if your FBIL’s wedding was called off… too bad! They can lose the 1500. Them losing $1500 isn’t a huge deal compared to you or your parents paying $9000! I would keep looking before you commit.
Post # 8
Member
43 posts
Newbee
We have an 8 piece band for just under $3000 in Jacksonville, Florida. This was a big splurge for me but they are AWESOME and I know will be key to making our wedding unforgettable for our guests!
Post # 9
Member
942 posts
Busy bee
Our wedding is at the Swan Club and we have an 8 piece band. LOVE them! They are awesome. They had a huge hit in the 70s that they still play on CBSFM, but they have updated the band to include two women (singer and drummer) and some new guys.
Anyway, for their piano guy to do our ceremony music, cocktail hour and then the 8 piece band to do the entire reception we only paid $5500. WAY reasonable!
A friend of mine from HS is the singer for Big Shot, the Billy Joel tribute band and even with the “alumni/friend” discount they were over $2000 more–so we went with our band. They do everything from 40’s swing to Sinatra to 70s/80s to Jay-Z and Black Eyed Peas.
Check them out if you want:
http://www.alivenkickin.com
Here are some youtube links:
their hit Tighter, Tighter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BUryurRcV4
Band doing Sinatra The Way You Look Tonight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F89AdfaVUyU
Band doing Earth wind and Fire – September
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F108VH7WgU
Doing Adele Rolling in the Deep
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXxmiGnG4Ws
Post # 10
Member
150 posts
Blushing bee
That doesn’t sound unreasonable as long as the band is good. i’ve heard $1,000 a piece for a good band, which is especially true in the NYC area. We are paying about $800 a piece for a 7 piece band, comes out to just over $5,000. They will also be doing our ceremony and cocktail hour, as well as 5 hour reception.
A good band is SOOOOO worth it in my opinion! I cannot wait.
Post # 11
Member
659 posts
Busy bee
Luckily, I am a musician and my co-worker is in an 8 piece band that plays weddings/parties, etc. As a gift to me for my wedding, each musician is in the band is working for $100 a piece that night, so we will have a live band for only $800. Typically, they charge around $2500 to start and go up from there (depending on travel, length of reception, etc.) They do play in NY if you are interested in knowing more about them. They play standards (while dinner is finishing up) and then move to more lively, upbeat music for the remainder of the night.
Post # 12
Member
328 posts
Helper bee
That seems very high. We are having an 8 pc band and its costing us about $3000. They have been really accommodating and are even learning a song my Fiance wrote! I am very familiar with Long Island and know things there are expensive, but that seems very inflated. I talked with several bands, and the most was $6,000. Perhaps maybe you can cut it down to 7 or 8 pc to cut costs?
Post # 13
Member
29 posts
Newbee
We are having a 10 piece band called Skyline play at our wedding. We are paying $6800. I’m excited, they’re really good!
Post # 14
Member
95 posts
Worker bee
I’ve been quoted everything from $4k to over $10k, with the majority around $7-8k. I’ve found that the bands are cheaper if they specialize in one type of music, but those big “wedding variety bands” that sing Etta James and Black Eyed Peas charge the most by far.