ADVICE
How Much Does a Wedding Band Cost in Boston?
The aisle song that gives you goosebumps. A dance floor that's packed all night. That's what you're investing in, and here's what it costs in Boston in 2026: ceremony music, bands, DJ combos and packages, with no surprises.
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How much does ceremony music cost in Boston?
Your ceremony is where the feeling of the day begins. Choose something gentle and familiar for the prelude, and your guests settle in smiling. Then your song begins, and it builds with every step toward the person waiting for you. Ceremony music covers your prelude, your entrance and your exit. Ceremony music starts from $550, DJ combos from $2,150 and bands from $3,400.
| Ceremony option | Good to know | From (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic Singer | Brings their own sound system | $550 |
| Instrumental Harp | Suits up to around 100 guests | $650 |
| Violin + Cello Duo | Up to about 50 guests | $700 |
| Acoustic Singer + Violin | Vocals with a violin line | $850 |
| Acoustic Vocal Duo | Two singers with guitar | $880 |
| String Trio | Two violins and a cello, up to about 80 guests | $950 |
| Harp + Vocals | Harp with a singer | $1,030 |
| String Quartet | About 80 to 100+ guests | $1,190 |
| String Trio + Vocals | Strings with a singer | $1,330 |
| Acoustic Duo + Violin & Bass | Our biggest acoustic line-up | $1,350 |
These are our 2026 prices for venues within about 18 miles of Boston, and the price you see in the Package Builder is the price you pay.
Good to know: Strings and harp play unamplified. Singers bring their own sound system and need power within 10 feet. Strings arrive up to 20 minutes before your booking starts.
What if we want music for cocktail hour too?
You've just said "I do", your guests are spilling out with a drink in hand, and the same musicians who played you down the aisle are still playing. Cocktail hour is where the feeling of your ceremony gets to linger a little longer.
It's the perfect time for hearing your favorite songs on strings, or an acoustic singer playing the songs your friends know every word to. Guests drift between conversations, the photos are happening outside, and the music sets the tone for the night ahead without ever getting in the way.
Adding cocktail hour is simple. Choose your ceremony option in the Package Builder, add cocktail hour, and you'll see your price instantly. One booking, one set of musicians, and the same faces from the aisle to the first toast.
Your Band Manager plans cocktail hour around your photos, so the music is playing when the two of you walk back in.
How much does a reception band cost in Boston?
This is the part of the night your guests are still talking about weeks later: your first dance played live, the sax kicking in, and a dance floor that's full from beginning to end. Reception music starts from $2,150 for a One-Piece DJ Combo and $3,400 for a Three-Piece Band. A reception booking covers 5 hours, with up to 180 minutes of live music for cocktail hour, dinner, your first dance and the dance floor.
| Reception option | Line-up | From (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| One-Piece DJ Combo | A singer on guitar or piano plays live, then DJs | $2,150 |
| Two-Piece DJ Combo | Adds live sax or electric violin on the dance floor | $3,400 |
| Three-Piece Band | Singer on guitar, bass, drums | $3,400 |
| Four-Piece Band | Adds keys | $3,950 |
| Five-Piece Band | Adds a second singer | $4,700 |
| Six-Piece Band | Adds sax | $5,300 |
| Seven-Piece Band | Adds guitar solos or horns | $5,950 |
| Eight-Piece Band | More energy and presence | $6,550 |
We play live all night. A Nine-Piece Band is available on request, and so is a Three-Piece DJ Combo (a DJ with sax and trumpet or electric violin). Ask your Band Manager about either. See every band size in our band size guide.
What does ceremony and reception music cost together?
We play you down the aisle, then we're the ones getting your guests dancing that night, so the feeling of the day carries all the way through. The people who saw you cry at the ceremony are the same people who get the party started.
Book ceremony and reception together and you get a package discount, applied automatically in the Package Builder. Here are some popular combinations at Boston base prices.
| Combination | Ceremony + reception | Package discount | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acoustic Singer + One-Piece DJ Combo | $550 + $2,150 | −$250 | $2,450 |
| String Quartet + Two-Piece DJ Combo | $1,190 + $3,400 | −$160 | $4,430 |
| Violin + Cello Duo + Four-Piece Band | $700 + $3,950 | −$160 | $4,490 |
| String Trio + Six-Piece Band | $950 + $5,300 | −$180 | $6,070 |
| String Quartet + Eight-Piece Band | $1,190 + $6,550 | −$180 | $7,560 |
Many of us play more than one role, so your acoustic singer can become your DJ later in the night. It's one team from your first step down the aisle to your last song.
How does travel distance change the price?
Wherever you say your vows in New England, you get the same band and the same full dance floor. The further your venue is from Boston, the more it costs, because we travel further to get to you.
| Option | 0–18 mi | 32–43 mi | 55–80 mi | 110–133 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acoustic Singer | $550 | $620 | $650 | $760 |
| String Quartet | $1,190 | $1,440 | $1,570 | $2,030 |
| Two-Piece DJ Combo | $3,400 | $3,530 | $3,590 | $3,820 |
| Six-Piece Band | $5,300 | $5,680 | $5,860 | $6,560 |
| Eight-Piece Band | $6,550 | $7,050 | $7,300 | $8,230 |
- Extra: ferries and accommodation, for example for an island wedding. Ferry travel time is part of the quote.
- Extra: parking, unless your venue has free parking. It's added before your wedding.
Enter your venue in the Package Builder and the price you see is for your venue, so there are no surprises later. Same band, same energy, wherever you are.
What affects the cost of a wedding band?
Every choice you make shapes how the night feels, and five things set the price of your wedding music.
- How many musicians. Every player adds a new layer to the sound, and to the cost. That's why a Three-Piece Band starts at $3,400 and an Eight-Piece Band at $6,550.
- How far we travel. See the distance table above.
- Which moments you cover. Ceremony options are priced for your ceremony, with cocktail hour as an add-on. Bands and DJ combos are priced as a 5-hour reception booking.
- Amplified or unplugged. Strings and harp set up quickly with no sound system. Bands need time to set up and sound check before your guests arrive.
- Extras. Ferries, accommodation and parking where they apply.
Thinking of a band "just for the last couple of hours"? We still need to set up and sound check before your guests arrive, so it usually doesn't save money. Every band and DJ combo is a 5-hour booking. If budget is tight, a DJ combo is often the better fit, and you still get your first dance played live.
Is a DJ cheaper than a live band?
With us, yes, and you don't have to give up live music to get there. Our DJs are live musicians first. We play the big moments live, then hit the decks.
Our One-Piece DJ Combo starts from $2,150, compared with $3,400 for a Three-Piece Band. You still get live music for cocktail hour, dinner and your first dance, played just for the two of you. Then the dance floor is yours: any song you can name, in the version you know.
Want a little more of a show? The Two-Piece DJ Combo adds live sax or electric violin out on the dance floor, playing over the DJ and right among your guests. Couples tell us the sax was a huge hit.
It's the same price as a Three-Piece Band, so watch both in the Package Builder and see which one makes you want to dance. Weighing it up? Our band or DJ guide walks you through it.
How do I get a price for my date?
Start with the fun part: watching us perform. Open the Package Builder, watch the videos, choose the options you love and enter your venue. There are over 30 hours of video in there, so you can hear every band, singer and string group before you decide. You'll see an instant price.
The Package Builder never shows availability. Your Band Manager confirms we're available for your date and answers every question. We're degree-qualified Berklee and New England Conservatory musicians, we've performed with Stevie Wonder and Ed Sheeran, and Boston couples give us 4.9 stars from 37 reviews.
Saturdays and fall foliage weekends are always snapped up first.
We're often booked up to 12 months ahead, so if you've found your date, start tonight. Prefer to talk it through? Call us on (617) 865 2929.
Boston Wedding Band Cost: Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a wedding band in Boston?
A Three-Piece Band starts from $3,400 and an Eight-Piece Band from $6,550, within about 18 miles of Boston, and a little more further out across New England. Our DJ combos, which mix live music with a DJ, start from $2,150, and the Package Builder shows your price for your venue instantly.
How much does a string quartet cost for a wedding in Boston?
A String Quartet starts from $1,190 within about 18 miles of Boston. That's four players, your songs arranged for them, and a ceremony your guests hear before they see anything. A new arrangement may involve a small music preparation fee. You can add cocktail hour in the Package Builder and see your price instantly.
How much is a DJ with a sax player?
Our Two-Piece DJ Combo starts from $3,400. We play live through cocktail hour, dinner and your first dance, then switch to DJ, while a live sax player (or electric violinist) joins the dance floor and plays right among your guests. It's the same starting price as a Three-Piece Band.
Is travel included in the price?
Yes. Travel within about 18 miles of Boston is included in every Package Builder price, and beyond that the price rises with distance. The Package Builder works it out when you enter your venue. Ferries and accommodation are extra, and parking is charged unless your venue has free parking.
Do you offer a discount for ceremony and reception together?
Yes. A package discount is applied automatically when you book both, from $130 to $310 depending on the options you choose. You'll see it in the Package Builder as soon as you add a ceremony option and a reception option, and it's already taken off the total you see.
Can we book a band for just two hours?
Bands and DJ combos are always a 5-hour reception booking, because we set up and sound check before your guests arrive whether we play for two hours or five. For a smaller budget, a DJ combo is often the better fit, and your first dance is still played live.
How long does a wedding band play?
Live music from your first drink to the last song, across a five-hour reception: cocktail hour, dinner, your first dance and the dance floor. Where the sets fall is planned around your timeline with your Band Manager, and between them we play our Spotify playlist, or yours, so the room never goes quiet.
When do we choose our songs?
Song choices are due 8 weeks before your wedding, and your timeline 14 days before. That's when you choose your first dance, your entrance song and the songs you'd love on the dance floor, plus any you'd rather skip. If you have a special request, just ask.
What happens during the band's breaks?
Between sets, we play our Spotify playlist, or your own playlist if you give us one, so the music keeps going. Strings and harp play unplugged, so there's a pause in the music while we take a break.
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We come highly recommended
COUPLES SAY WE'RE WORTH EVERY DOLLAR FOR THE QUALITY YOU GET
“Such an amazing band and worth every dollar spent! The band was well organized and professional, and kept me updated on any recommendations, changes or confirmations. All the music was well rehearsed. Thank you for making my day so memorable.”
Janet
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