Music is the vendor category where the gap between "looked great in the video" and "great on the night" is widest — because a polished highlight reel hides weak vocals, and because the person running your reception's energy matters as much as the setlist.
Band vs. DJ vs. hybrid — the honest framing
It's a budget and vibe question, not a quality question. US typical ranges: a DJ runs $1k–3k, a live band $3k–10k+ (scaling with how many musicians are on stage), and the increasingly popular hybrid — DJ plus live sax or percussion — lands around $2.5k–5k. Ceremony musicians (a string duo for the aisle) typically run $400–1,200 separately.
Great DJs read rooms and pivot instantly. Great bands create moments a playlist can't. Neither is the "cheap option" done well.
The questions that separate great from risky
- "Is the exact lineup we're seeing the lineup we get?" Bands swap members. If the vocalist you loved is the draw, get the names in the contract.
- "Can we see you live, or watch a full unedited multi-song video?" One polished clip is marketing. Three unedited songs is evidence.
- "Who MCs?" Someone announces your entrance, the toasts, the first dance. Ask who, and how they do it — an MC who loves the mic too much is its own risk.
- "How do you read a dead dance floor?" Every floor dies at some point around hour three. The answer tells you whether they've noticed.
- "Who plays during your breaks?" Bands take breaks. The right answer involves a curated playlist or a DJ set — not silence.
- "What's the backup plan?" Equipment fails and singers get sick. No backup performer or equipment plan is a red flag.
- "Will you honor a do-not-play list?" A professional says yes without hesitation. Hesitation is your answer.
- "What's the overtime rate?" Typically $150–400/hr — get it in writing before the night you'll want it.
Two logistics checks
Confirm your venue's power, space, and noise limits before booking a 9-piece band, and if your ceremony is outdoors, confirm the PA for it is included — "the band has speakers" and "the ceremony has sound" are different sentences.
Timing
Good bands book 9–12 months out; DJs 6–9. If music matters to you, it goes near the top of your planning timeline, right behind the venue and photographer.
Compare them properly
The Genie finds bands and DJs in your city with sources cited, tracks them on your shortlist, and drafts outreach that asks every act the same questions above — so the quotes that come back are actually comparable.
