Complete Guide To Booking A Wedding Band by Alive Network

Wedding Bands At A Glance

• Ceremony to evening party: One band can cover it all: ceremony music, drinks, dinner, first dance and evening party floor-fillers. Ask about 'All Day Wedding Packages' for the best value deals.

• Budgets: Trios from £850; 4–5 piece bands from £1,300; 6-7 piece bands from £1900, and large luxury wedding bands from £4,000+

• First dance & special requests: Bands will happily learn and perform your special song, and will work with you to tailor their set list to your musical preferences.

• Music styles: Wedding bands perform instantly recognisable hits from across the decades, from timeless classics to modern chart-toppers. Songs are carefully chosen to keep guests of all ages dancing, making their sets family-friendly and perfect for a mixed wedding crowd.

• Space & venue factors: The band will need parking at your venue, from 4 x 3 meters of space and 3-4 double plug sockets.

• Peace of mind: Book with Alive Network - the UK’s most trusted wedding entertainment agency (26 years, 186,000+ events, 60,000 five star reviews) - and get reliable artists, secure contracts, 24/7 emergency cover, and support whenever you need it.

Why Book a Wedding Band?

Hot Frenzy Wedding Band

Nothing else creates the incredible celebratory atmosphere that you get with a live band at a wedding. From the intimate vibe of an acoustic singer/guitarist during your ceremony, to a packed dance floor, hands in the air, singing your hearts out at midnight - live music adds a unique emotion and energy to your special day.

• Ceremony moments feel personal and magical when underscored by live musicians.
• Drinks receptions come alive with acoustic, jazz or roaming sets.
• Evening parties turn into unforgettable celebrations when a professional band brings everyone together.

Your wedding band isn’t just entertainment - they’re the creators of the memories you and your family will share forever.

Wedding Day Timeline (When the Band Plays)

Wedding bands aren’t just about the evening party - and you can find fantastic savings by having your band cover other parts of your day. Look out for all-day music packages on band profiles, specially tailored to each part of your wedding day.

Here’s how live music typically fits, where all options are provided by your band:

Ceremony

Usually performed by the lead singer with an acoustic guitar or keyboard, or as an acoustic duo

• Music as guests arrive
• Entrance of the bride (processional)
• Signing of the register
• Exit song (recessional)

Drinks Reception / Cocktail Hour

Common options include:

• Solo singer guitarist
• Acoustic duo, trio or quartet
• Roaming band
• Jazz trio or quartet
• DJ service (provided by a band member)

Wedding Breakfast

• Subtle background music during the meal, either acoustic / jazz - or from the band’s DJ service.

Evening Party

• First dance: performed live or played from a recording.
• Father–daughter or parent dances: optional but special.
• Live party sets: typically 2 × 60 minutes or 3 × 40 minutes.
• Cake cutting / bouquet toss: often coordinated around band breaks.
• Encores: you’re bound to want more, more, more!
• Finale song: big sing-along moment to close the night.

After Party

• The band’s DJ (or DJ and Sax option) keeps the music going past midnight - where venues allow.

Examples of bands who offer all-day wedding music packages:

The Most Popular Types Of Wedding Band

Small 3–4 Piece Bands

The most popular choice for weddings in the UK, they’re compact, affordable and versatile. Great for barns, hotels and intimate weddings. View 3-4 piece wedding bands

5–7 Piece Bands

More instruments, bigger harmonies, wider repertoire - ideal for larger weddings - and where you want more soul / funk and modern pop. View 5-7 piece bands

Luxury Show Bands (8–21+ Piece)

High-impact, glamorous stage shows for statement weddings - where the band is joined by multiple interactive lead vocalists, a brass section, electric strings, percussion and more! View luxury wedding bands

Acoustic & Roaming Bands

A popular choice for afternoon drinks receptions, lively music to interact with and serenade your guests. View acoustic bands

Jazz and Swing Bands

For refined weddings where you want great live music and a touch of vintage glamour. Expect music from the Rat Pack to Michael Bublé & Nat King Cole - as well as post-modern reimagining's of classic pop hits. View Jazz wedding bands

DJ-Live Hybrid

Club vibe and energy meets live performance. Live sax, percussion or vocals performing to a live DJ, or even an entire live band & DJ - where the DJ takes the role of the drummer mixing the beats! A modern performance style ideally suited to club music and modern dance / pop. View saxophonists and DJs with live instruments.

Song Requests & Personalisation

Our wedding bands expect and encourage requests to personalise their performance to match the music you love.

• First Dance: Many bands will have a list of first dance songs in their repertoire, so you could choose from their existing list. Alternatively, most bands will learn a special request for a small fee, but you should give at least 3 months notice.
  
  
• Parent dances: Father and daughter or mother and son dances can be built into the band’s set list. Again, special requests might incur a small cost, and 3 months notice should be given.
  
  
• Last song of the night: Pick a last song for everyone to sing together - a tradition many couples love. This is the one song of the entire night that everyone is most likely to remember - so make it a good one!
  
  
• Guest requests: Share favourites in advance. As long as they already know them, the band will take requests from guests and weave them into their set as the night progresses.

Remember: a live band isn’t a Spotify playlist. Keys, tempos and flow matter. Trust your band to create the perfect set list, based on your preferences. They’re experts at keeping the dance floor full and building their performance for maximum impact.

Mother and Bride dancing

How to Choose the Right Wedding Band

Style & Genre Fit

What’s your wedding vibe? Which music really hits the spot for you, your friends and your family? Is the dance floor going to go crazy for a festival-style indie rock band, or is a polished pop / soul vibe going to cut the mustard better? Or a mix of both? Match the band’s vibe to your vision.

Price range

On our website you can filter your search by price range (from and to), which will help you to narrow down your choices to match your budget. As with anything, the more you can stretch your budget, the better quality band you’ll get. To get a sense of what’s available at different price points, take a look at our most popular wedding bands first.

Promotional materials

Look for bands with good quality photos and promotional videos. It goes without saying that your band should look and sound really good, but the quality of their promotional materials will give you an idea of how seriously they take what they do. Also look for live event photos and videos from other weddings, so you can see them in action.

Reviews

You’re looking for plenty of evidence that your band is experienced performing at weddings. In particular - look for feedback that says the band were enthusiastic, and went out of their way to make each wedding feel special. Your wedding day is all about you - and the best bands understand what a privilege it is to be part of such a special occasion. You can find tens of thousand's of reviews for our wedding bands here

Presentation & Dress Code

Most bands will happily match your dress code or theme if told in advance, but you can get a good sense of the ‘vibe’ the band are most comfortable with by looking at what they’re wearing in their promo pics.

Agency Backing

Booking through a professional music agency like Alive Network ensures accountability. Not only are our artists hand-picked and monitored to ensure reliability, they’re accountable to us - and risk losing future work if they don’t meet expectations. You’ll also get a secure contract, 24/7 emergency cover - and support whenever you need it. Booking with Alive Network is the safest way to hire a band for your wedding.

Your ideal wedding band will match your style, musical tastes and budget

What to Expect on the Day (Evening Flow)

A typical evening with a wedding band:

• 18:00 - 19:30 - Band arrives, loads in and soundchecks (while guests are dining or in another space).
• 20:00 - DJ/background music playlist as evening guests arrive.
• 20:30 - First dance ? often the first live song.
• 20:35 - 21:35 - First live set (60 minutes).
• 21:35 - 22:15 - Break (buffet, cake cutting, DJ/background music).
• 22:15 - 23:15 - Second live set (60 minutes) plus encores.
• 23:30 - 00:00 - Playlist/DJ until curfew.
• 00:00 - 01:00 - Pack down and load out.

Breaks explained: Bands will provide playlists (or a DJ service) to keep the music flowing between sets. Breaks are often timed around other activities such as the buffet, cutting the cake etc).

Space, Sound & Venue Considerations

Compact Wedding Band Stage Set Up

Venue Considerations

• Power: 3–4 standard plug sockets near the stage.
• Sound limiters: If your venue has a sound limiter, tell us early. Some bands offer ‘sound limiter friendly’ set ups with electronic drum kits, amp sims and in-ear monitors. For bands who don’t, they can sometimes adapt by playing softly using hot rods or brushes on drums, but there’s a limit to how quietly a rock band can perform.
• Curfew: Confirm live music end times with your venue.
• Licensing: Venues which are open to the public and who host live entertainment for financial gain should have PRS/PPL licences for live and recorded music. However - venues (and private residences) that only host invitation-only private events - like weddings - generally do not need a license for live music.
• Insurance: Venues may ask for copies of your band’s Public Liability Insurance (PLI) and PAT Test certificates. We can provide these on request.
• Outdoor / Tipi / Marquee: Requires level staging, weatherproofing on all sides, and 3KW-4KW of exclusive power from a suitable generator (not domestic extensions). Always have a wet-weather contingency.

Tipi Wedding In Progress!

Costs & Budgeting for Wedding Bands

Extras That Affect Cost

• Travel & accommodation (built into the prices you’ll see on our website)
• Early arrival / late finish
• Food and soft drinks (you’ll need to feed the band)
• VAT (for some higher-earning bands)

Optional Extras That Can Affect Costs

• Larger line-ups
• Ceremony set (30–45 mins)
• Drinks reception set
• Additional party sets
• DJ add-on

Money Savings Tips

• Book local to avoid higher travel costs.
• Book a smaller band like a trio to reduce spend.
• Keep arrival to 6pm or later if possible.
• Book an all-day package or use the band’s DJ service instead of hiring separately.
• Book mid-week or off peak (Jan to March) for extra savings.

Also see 'Wedding Band Prices in 2025 / 2026', and 'Smart Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding Band'.

Luxury wedding bands can cost from £4,000 to £25,000 or more

Booking Process (Alive Network)

Timing: When to Book

Top wedding bands often get booked out 12-18 months in advance for peak summer Saturdays. For weekday or off-peak weddings, 6–9 months may be enough.

Step-by-Step

• Check availability and prices instantly online via our website, shortlist favourites to your enquiry basket
• Enquire online by submitting your basket or call 01782 740 839.
• Quotation - we will liaise with your selected bands to get a quotation based on your exact requirements, and you can review your quotes to make a final decision
• A deposit & contract secures your band when you’re ready to proceed.
• 5-day cooling off period to cancel without penalty
• Personal support from your Alive Network coordinator, whenever you need it
• Pre-event call with your band 4 weeks before to run through details.
• Wedding day - our team is on hand 24/7 if anything unexpected arises.

Cancellation Policy

Bookings through Alive Network are protected. Contracts clearly outline responsibilities and cancellation terms, so there are no surprises. If your band were ill or involved in an accident and were unable to perform - our emergency team would be on hand to source a suitable replacement, even at short notice. View our full terms and conditions here.

Entertainment when it matters most

What Your Band Needs from You

• Food & soft drinks: Hot meal preferred; bands are often on site for 8+ hours.
• Parking & access: Close to load-in point.
• Performance space: a safe area of suitable size, with 3-4 plug sockets
• Timings: First dance, first set, cake cut, second set, curfew.
• Announcements: Let the band know if you’d like them to act as MC for key moments.
• Music preferences: for the live sets and the dj/playlist between sets
• Emergency contacts: on-the-day contacts for your venue, best man, maid of honour
• Changing room: With chairs and a mirror are really appreciated.

Wedding Music Checklists

Before Booking

• Confirm the date, venue, guest count & curfew.
• Check if the venue has a noise limiter or any other restrictions.
• Decide band style (indie, soul, pop etc.).
• Watch promo videos & shortlist favourites.
• Review quotes and discuss booking options (ceremony/drinks/line-up/DJ).
• Secure booking

Three months before

• Confirm any special requests with the band, especially if they’re not part of the band’s existing set list

One Month Before

• Share any parent dances or last-song preferences.
• Provide must-play / do-not-play list.
• Finalise set start times with the band.

On the Day

• Assign someone to greet the band (best man, maid of honour).
• Ensure food, drinks & changing space.
• Keep stage area clear & power available.
• Sync cake/bouquet/photography moments with band breaks.
• Assign someone to pay the band (if paying on the night)

We make sure everything goes to plan on your big night!

Setlists & Floor-Fillers for Weddings

A two-hour wedding band set typically features 30–40 songs, spanning 6-7 decades of chart hits! Examples include:

• First dances: Perfect (Ed Sheeran), At Last (Etta James), Can’t Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley), All Of Me (John Legend)
• Dance-floor classics: Footloose (Kenny Loggins), Superstition (Stevie Wonder), Twist and Shout (The Beatles), Mr Brightside (The Killers), Don’t Stop Me Now (Queen)
• Sing-along finales: Hey Jude (The Beatles), Proud Mary (Tina Turner), Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond), Angles (Robbie Williams), Wonderwall (Oasis)

Wedding band set lists appeal to guests of all ages

Glossary (Wedding Music Edition)

• Processional: Music for walking down the aisle.
• Recessional: Music as you exit the ceremony.
• First Dance: Couple’s opening song.
• Parent Dance: Father–daughter or similar tradition.
• Encore: Extra songs performed at the end of the set, in response to audience demand.
• Sound Limiter: Venue device measuring and controlling sound levels.
• Sound check: Period of time when the band first sets up, when they check and balance the levels of their instruments through the PA system.
• PA system: the speakers, mixing desk and microphones used by the band
• PLI: Public Liability Insurance (often required by venues).
• PAT Test: Electrical safety certification for equipment.
• Rider: Band’s needs (meals, drinks, changing room).
• MC: Master of Ceremonies (or the band making announcements)

Next Steps: Finding Your Wedding Band

Incredible weddings start with Alive Network! Enquire via each artist’s profile or call 01782 740 839 to get the ball rolling.

Tell us your date, venue, budget and musical taste - and we’ll match you with brilliant local bands.

With over 26 years’ experience and thousands of five-star weddings reviews, Alive Network makes finding and securing your perfect wedding band simple.

Incredible weddings start with Alive Network