How Much Does A Wedding Band Cost In Sydney?

Your wedding is one of the most memorable moments in your life. However, you might not appreciate how much of a significant role music plays on your big day.

The average cost for live wedding bands in Sydney varies considerably! It starts from around $500 for a small string duo at an hour long wedding ceremony - however, depending on how many musicians you book, the location of your wedding and how long you need them for, the price can significantly be higher. An investment from around $5000 should get you an 8 piece party band for 5 hours and have your dance floor pumping all night long.

If you’d like to get an instant online quote to find out exactly how much a live band will cost for your wedding in and around Sydney, you should use our package builder.

Should I Pay to have Live Music at My Wedding?

Live music is absolutely essential for setting the atmosphere of any wedding. Think about the beautiful live music that will be performed as guests arrive for your wedding ceremony. Then the roaring dance floor at your reception with live musicians reading the crowd and playing all your favourite party tunes.

Degree qualified musicians who have years playing music at weddings are the professionals that you want playing music for your once in a lifetime celebration.

Professional musicians like this will cost you more, but this is the only way you can be sure that they will deliver top-notch performances that are seamless and entertaining for everyone.

Another thing that could also affect the cost of your wedding entertainment in Sydney is the location of your wedding, how many musicians you need and how long the band is expected to perform.

When do I Need to Book My Live Wedding Band?

When it comes to Wedding Entertainment in Sydney, you should book your preferred live wedding band in advance. There are over 40,000 weddings every year across Sydney and NSW – there are not enough experienced musicians available to play at all those weddings… so get in early or you will miss out on the best bands in Sydney!

Securing your wedding musicians as early as possible will also help you be organised for things on your big day. This is because you will have time to determine how long the band will perform, how many sets will be played, and the type of music you want.

I’ve Booked My Band – What Wedding Songs Will They Play?

Like always, nobody wants a boring wedding, so you should carefully consider the choice of music before the actual date of the wedding. It would be best if you also chose music pieces that appeal to all your guests and family.

When booking music to cover your entire wedding celebration (ceremony, cocktails and reception), we recommend organising your song choices as follows (and leaving the rest up to the experienced musicians)

Key Ceremony Songs:

• Entrance Processional
• Register Signing
• Exit Recessional

Key Reception Songs:

• Wedding Party Entrance
• Cake Cutting
• First Dance
• Bouquet Throw
• Garter Throw
• Farewell Song

Importantly, the band won’t be playing live the entire time – they will need to have a few quick breaks in between their sets. This is where you can have extra input into the music played at your wedding.

You should make two Spotify playlists (and share these with the band). One for the band to play through their sound system early on as quiet background music so guests can still talk, and a second one for later on in the evening to keep the dance floor pumping.

Is A Live Wedding Band More Expensive Than A DJ?

In most cases, the cost of a wedding band in Sydney is more likely to be higher than that of your typical DJ. One of the reasons for this is that when you hire a wedding band, you will be getting several professional musicians performing at your wedding, whereas, with a DJ, it will be just one individual on the decks.

Both options are great. Some couples go with a DJ along with a live sax player to interact with guests on the dance floor, other couples might go with a solo singer/guitarist who can play live music for the ceremony, cocktails and first dance – before then turning into your DJ.

If budget allows though, nothing beats a live band - which simply has more to offer in terms of options and performances, which are very important for any wedding.

Is It Worth Having A Live Band At Your Wedding?

One of the best things about having a live band play at your wedding is that you will have professional performers who can read the room and seamlessly jazz things up when needed.

Having a live band play at your wedding will also ensure that even the guests who don’t enjoy dancing have some fun as they see them perform. Never underestimate the visual impact of live musicians in your reception hall. Remember, live band performers, tend to have infectious personalities, which in some cases helps get everybody on the dance floor or just generally ensures they have a good time.

How Long Do Wedding Bands Play For?

You’ll want to book in your live band for between 5-6 hours to cover your cocktails and reception. The band will generally play a series of live music “sets” throughout the evening. In between these sets, you’ll be having speeches, announcements and several other formalities that you will need to fit in as well. Ultimately every wedding is unique, so share your wedding timeline (itinerary of events) with your band as early on as possible so that they can make suggestions as to how to fit in all their amazing live music.

How can you save money on your live wedding band?

Sydney Wedding bands can be very expensive (although in our completely unbiased opinion – totally worth it!) but there are several ways that you can save money on your live wedding band.

The biggest impact on the price of a wedding band is typically:

• the number of musicians you book
• how far the musicians need to travel to get to your wedding
• how long you need the musicians to play
• the type of musicians you book (String Quartet VS a Live Band with a Singer)

If you’re after a band to get the party started on your dance floor “just for a couple of hours later on in the evening” or a singer to perform your special song for your first dance (even if it’s just for 5 minutes), keep in mind that they will need to set up their equipment and sound check before guests arrive – so you’re not actually going to be saving any money in these two scenarios because the musicians will still be needed for the whole evening.

Generally speaking however, string musicians playing background music – like a String Duo, Trio or a String Quartet will be happy to charge by the hour… and because they are not amplified, if you want them from 8pm – 9pm, they don’t need to arrive at 5pm for a sound check and thus will be a cheaper wedding music option for you to consider instead of a Live Band with a singer. A String Quartet VS a Live Band with guitars, singers, drums, sax and keyboard is a totally different vibe, but you’re trying to save money right?

What We Think

A wedding is never complete without good entertainment and the excitement that only a live band can deliver. Having a band play at your wedding is the best experience one can ever dream of. Live bands make the experience unique. So reach out to us today for all your wedding entertainment in Sydney.