The Ultimate Wedding Music Checklist: What to Book and When

Planning a wedding can feel like one enormous list of decisions.

Venue. Dress. Flowers. Food. Photography. Transport. Guest list.

And then there's the music.

Music plays such a huge part in the atmosphere of a wedding, but it's surprisingly easy to leave it until later because there are simply so many other things to organise.

The problem is that your wedding music isn't just one decision.

You may need music for your ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast and evening celebration — and each part of the day can require something completely different.

So, if you're planning your wedding, here's a simple wedding music checklist to help you stay organised.

1. Decide What You Want Your Music to Do

Before booking anyone, think about the atmosphere you're trying to create.

Do you want your wedding to feel elegant and romantic?

Relaxed and intimate?

Modern and stylish?

Or do you want a huge party with a packed dance floor?

Your answer will help you decide what type of entertainment works best.

You don't have to choose one form of entertainment for the entire day.

You might have a string ensemble for the ceremony, roaming entertainment during drinks and a live band or DJ for the evening.

2. Set Your Entertainment Budget

Decide early how much of your overall wedding budget you want to allocate to entertainment.

Prices can vary considerably depending on the number of musicians, length of performance, equipment and type of entertainment.

Remember to ask exactly what is included.

Does the price include:

●     Musicians

●     PA equipment

●     Sound engineer

●     Lighting

●     Set-up

●     Travel

●     DJ services

●     Background music between sets

Understanding what's included will make comparing quotes much easier.

3. Check Your Venue's Requirements

Before booking entertainment, speak to your venue.

Ask about:

●     Sound restrictions

●     Sound limiters

●     Music finishing times

●     Amplification

●     Performance space

●     Power supply

●     Supplier access

●     Set-up and soundcheck times

●     Parking

This is particularly important if you're planning a live band.

A band needs somewhere to perform and enough time to unload, set up and soundcheck.

4. Plan Your Ceremony Music

Your ceremony is one of the most meaningful parts of the day, so think carefully about the music.

You might need music for:

●     Guest arrival

●     The processional

●     The bride or groom's entrance

●     Signing the register

●     A special ceremony moment

●     The recessional

A string ensemble can be particularly beautiful for ceremonies.

Soulful Strings, for example, can perform contemporary arrangements of songs across pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop, giving couples the opportunity to choose music that feels personal to them.

You don't have to choose traditional classical music simply because it's a wedding.

Your ceremony music can reflect your relationship and your taste.

5. Plan Your Drinks Reception

Once the ceremony finishes, the atmosphere changes.

Guests are chatting, drinking, taking photographs and celebrating.

This is a great opportunity for live music.

You might choose:

●     Strings

●     Acoustic musicians

●     A roaming band

●     Background music

●     A DJ

Think about what you want your guests to be doing.

If you want them talking and mingling, the music should create atmosphere without overpowering conversations.

If you want something more interactive, roaming entertainment can bring the music directly to your guests.

6. Decide What Happens During the Wedding Breakfast

You don't necessarily need live music throughout dinner.

Background music can work perfectly well while guests are eating and talking.

You also need to consider speeches.

Make sure your musicians or DJ know when speeches are happening so they aren't caught off guard.

Your wedding planner, venue coordinator or designated person should ideally have a clear running order that includes all musical cues.

7. Choose Your First Dance

This is one of the most important musical decisions of the day.

You may already have “your song”.

Or perhaps you're looking for something completely different.

If you're booking live musicians, ask whether they can perform your chosen first dance.

Some bands will already have it in their repertoire, while others may be able to learn or arrange it specially.

Don't leave this until the week before.

Give your musicians plenty of time if you have a specific request.

8. Choose Your Evening Entertainment

Now comes the big question.

What do you want your evening reception to feel like?

You could have:

A live party band.

A DJ.

A DJ live act.

Or a combination of live music and DJ.

If you want a full live performance and have the space available, a larger party band can create a fantastic atmosphere.

If space is limited, a DJ live act can provide a high-energy experience without requiring the footprint of a large band.

The Disco Divas, for example, combine DJ performance with live soul and vocal elements.

Think about what fits your venue and your guests rather than simply choosing the biggest option available.

9. Don't Forget the Music Between Sets

If you've booked a live band, remember that they won't normally perform continuously throughout the evening.

They need breaks.

That doesn't mean the dance floor needs to stop.

Make sure you have a plan for music between sets.

This could be:

●     A DJ

●     A playlist

●     A DJ live act

●     Background music provided by your entertainment company

The important thing is that the transition feels seamless.

10. Think About Special Songs

Beyond your first dance, you might have other songs that are important to you.

Perhaps there's a song you'd like played as you enter the wedding breakfast.

Maybe you want a particular song for your parents.

Or perhaps there's a track that reminds you of someone special who couldn't be there.

Make a list early.

Give your entertainment provider plenty of notice and ask whether the songs can be accommodated.

11. Confirm Your Timings

A few weeks before the wedding, make sure everyone has the same schedule.

Your musicians should know:

●     Arrival time

●     Set-up time

●     Soundcheck time

●     Performance times

●     Break times

●     Meal arrangements

●     First dance timing

●     Finish time

Your venue should also have the same information.

This avoids unnecessary confusion on the day.

Your Wedding Music Checklist

Here's the quick version you can save:

☐ Decide what atmosphere you want  ☐ Set your entertainment budget  ☐ Check venue sound restrictions  ☐ Confirm performance space  ☐ Confirm supplier access  ☐ Book ceremony entertainment  ☐ Choose ceremony songs  ☐ Arrange drinks reception music  ☐ Decide on wedding breakfast music  ☐ Choose your first dance  ☐ Book evening entertainment  ☐ Plan music between live sets  ☐ Choose any special song requests  ☐ Confirm set-up and soundcheck times  ☐ Confirm the final running order  ☐ Send timings to all entertainment suppliers

Don't Leave Your Music Until the Last Minute

It's easy to think that music will be one of the simpler parts of your wedding.

But the best wedding entertainment is usually the result of good planning.

Your musicians need to know where they're going, when they're performing and what you expect from them.

Your venue needs to know what equipment is arriving.

And you need to know that the music you've chosen will create the atmosphere you've imagined.

The good news is that once those details are sorted, you can forget about them.

On the day, you won't be thinking about whether the musicians have arrived or whether someone has remembered the first dance.

You'll simply be enjoying the music.

And that's exactly how it should be.