Music for your Reception and Evening Party

Reception music can be of any variety, depending on the mood you want set - you may choose something soft and romantic for the reception itself, and then have the tempo pick up as you move onto the evening party.

The Reception

The music for your reception is intended to provide some romantic, or joyful background noise, and is not intended to drown out the conversation! Consider the size and style of your venue before making a decision - some music choices may seem out of place, and you will need to make sure that the group of musicians you choose are of a size appropriate to the acoustics and the number of guests.

Typical choices are:

• Classical Music: such as a harpist or a string quartet
• Jazz Bands: these bands can cover a wide variety of different styles. Some raucous and lively, others smooth and classy.

However, you can choose anything that will lend a romantic or happy air to the occasion - even a steel band or Andean panpipes - as long as any loud music is placed far away enough not to overwhelm the guests' conversation!

The Evening Party

The evening party is truly the time to let your hair down and enjoy yourself, and you have a huge range of music to choose from, with live or recorded music, or even a mixture of both.

One major advantage of hiring a DJ is that they can provide non-stop music in a variety of different musical styles over the course of the evening, whereas a band will typically need a 15 minute break for every 45 minutes of music they play. Breaks can spoil the atmosphere of a party, and it can be difficult to get guests back onto the dance floor.

One way of overcoming this is to have the band alternate with a DJ. This option will also help provide music for all tastes - your band might play one style, such as jazz or rock, whereas your DJ will play a wide range of dance music, and will usually take requests.

Finally, make sure you book your band or DJ in good time - as with all wedding services, the popular ones get booked up early - so plan well in advance, and try to secure your choice around 9-12 months before the big day.

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