written by Wyatt Roberts
Choosing the right entertainment for your wedding can be a stressful decision. There are so many possibilities to consider. The first step after booking your wedding venue should be reaching out to entertainment vendors that are somewhat local to the area. For example, say you’re getting married in Saratoga Springs, New York, searching for “DJ’s or bands in Albany, NY” (the closest major city to Saratoga Springs) will help you save on travel costs and you’ll likely find a vendor who is familiar with your venue. Once you see a few vendors you like, you’ll want to ask if they are available on your wedding date, and if so, what types of entertainment services they offer. This phase, otherwise known as the “information gathering phase” will give you an idea of the people you’d potentially be working with, what they offer, and how much of an investment you’ll need to make to secure them. Understanding the available options and services is key in helping decide which entertainment service will be best for your wedding.
In terms of a band, you’ll want to consider the available space in your venue. Will your venue be able to professionally accommodate a band? Also bands require far more power than a DJ so you’ll want to make sure the venue even has that capability. In the Albany NY area, bands can cost on average anywhere from $3500-$7500 for a typical 5 or 7 piece band. Great bands are a really unforgettable live experience. If you go with a band, make sure you read all their reviews, browse social media for content of their previous work, and check with them to make sure they can also provide all the services you need. Weddings require a large amount of planning to make sure everything is perfect. These planning sessions are much smoother if you vibe well with the person in charge of planning, so if possible try to get on a phone call, facetime, etc to feel out the person ahead of time. Make sure they are organized, sharp and punctual.
If you’re considering a DJ for your wedding, you’ll also want someone organized, sharp and punctual but you may ask a DJ different questions than you’d ask a band. For example, asking a DJ “how many team/staff members do you work with?” In Albany, Saratoga Springs, and surrounding areas, there are only a handful of DJ companies that arrive at your wedding with a team of two or more people to ensure your wedding goes off without a hitch. Weddings are a huge task to handle successfully and the top DJ companies that understand this always bring a team of reliable and well trained team members. Reliable DJ companies in Upstate New York range from $2000-$5500 depending on what services you book. If you’re looking for photo booths, dry sparks, monograms, etc you can expect to pay more than if you’re simply looking for a DJ/MC service during your reception. DJ’s can typically be more cost friendly, require less space for their setup, and are usually very comfortable mixing songs so that your guests stay on the dance floor all night long!
Some companies (such as our own) offer “fusion entertainment” where they combine the best aspects of both a band and a deejay/emcee. Live musicians can be sprinkled in tastefully throughout a wedding celebration while a DJ leads dance time and a polished MC takes care of all announcements and formalities. Some fun examples are having a (stand up) bass player at your ceremony, a live saxophonist to liven up your cocktail hour, electronic violinist as your guests enter your reception space and get ready to sit for intros/dinner, we’ve even had a live percussionist perform beside our DJ during dance time. Guests remember these moments because they are fun and different from what they see at every other wedding.
If you’re looking for a fun and upbeat entertainment company based out of the Albany area in upstate NY who can handle all of your requests and provide the perfect experience for you and all your guests, click here.