Dallas Wedding Bands Guide, Dallas Wedding Guide Advice from OurWeddingDay.com

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Dallas Wedding Bands Guide

Booking a Live Band for a Metroplex Wedding

Music in Dallas is heavy on country, light on rock and roll. However, for your Texas wedding, you can have a 12-piece band to rival Glenn Miller. Finding the right performers for your big day is a matter of knowing where, and how, to look. Read on for advice you can tip your hat to.

Your Dallas wedding band search should begin about 8 months’ prior to your wedding, and after you’ve picked the site. Great bands are booked early on, so don’t wait until the last minute. When searching, ask friends and relatives, and other vendors. The price of bands varies tremendously, depending on the style of music you want, your location, and the length of your wedding. Expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000. Always get references and contact the Better Business Bureau for complaints.

When interviewing Dallas wedding bands, ask to check out a CD or a DVD of theirs, and be sure to catch a live performance (but never crash someone else’s wedding). Talk to the band leader about hosting; bands serve like DJ’s, in that they introduce couples, first dances, etc. A great band leader will have a feel for the audience, and know which songs “work” the crowd. However, you still need to go over favorite songs, and tunes you don’t want played. Make sure your band leader has a list of all wedding sections, and, if you’re also hiring a Dallas DJ, have them coordinate their schedules ahead of time.

When you’re ready to get serious about music, check out the OurWeddingDay.com Dallas & North Texas Local Vendor Section for a list of top-rated wedding bands in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

If you hire a band that is familiar with your site, they’ll know where the equipment can be set up, where the dance floor is, and any electrical challenges that might occur—some halls have back-up generators for wedding bands. If the band you hire does not know the site, take them on a guided tour so there are no last-minute surprises.

Wedding bands usually have a “day rate,” as well as overtime charges. If you are also hiring a DJ, find out if the band can work a smaller number of hours. The band generally takes two breaks, and they should be tipped 20%, provided the service is exceptional. You should serve the band members a meal. The contract should cover all fees, all overtime fees, and the names of substitute band members, should an emergency occur.

-David Toussaint