Wedding Planning Primer: Music
After 24 years of hosting and observing weddings here At The Skinner Barn, I have some insights on the music options available to couples. To establish a little cred as to my love of music, in addition to being the owner of this venue, I’m also a songwriter writing for TV/Film placements, have a degree in music theory and composition, and had a long career as a musical theatre actor, working at every level from summer stock to the Broadway stage. Suffice it to say that music is important to me!
There are three basic options here for music at your event: 1-Bands - 2-DJs - 3-Playlists on your device using the Skinner Barn sound system. Let’s go through all three options and consider four factors: Your Music Preferences, Versatility of the music provided, Adaptability of the provider, and most all - Affordability!
Bands
I literally have ONE ‘wedding’ band I recommend for our space. Wow! You’d think after all these years I would have quite a few! The reality is that ‘wedding’ bands are generally not a great option here. How come? Let’s look at the four criteria:
Music Preferences: I can’t tell you how many times a couple have said that they booked a ‘wedding’ band because they LOVED the way they played that fav song of theirs by Toto (for example) on the bands web site. Unfortunately, the rest of their repertoire was a disappointment during the reception. The exception to this observation are bands that focus on genres you love like: bluegrass-swing-celtic music, etc.
Versatility : ‘IF’ the band members have acoustic chops, they can be a great resource! They can provide music for your outside ceremony, and for the outside reception, prior to moving inside to the hayloft for dinner-dancing-speeches, etc. That’s a big plus, but comes with that ‘IF’. Why acoustic-only outside? There are no amplified instruments allowed outside at our venue by Town permit. This reflects the fact that we are located in an agricultural district between a Morgan horse farm to the S. and the Von Trapp dairy farm to our N.) Another plus is that a band will typically have mics for guest speeches and can also announce the wedding party when the guests transition inside.
Adaptability: Bands play in all sorts of venues, from Sheraton Inns, to lodges, to old barns. Very rarely have I heard a band adjust successfully to the VERY live acoustics of our beautiful hayloft level. Add to this challenge the fact that many of the players have old, burned out ears from years of loud music, and you end up with sound levels that are way too high. I can always tell when the band is too loud: there will be a small core of ear-abusers busting it out on the dance floor while the majority of the guests have retreated to the outside spaces so they can talk! It’s tough to find the volume knob on a band!
Affordability: You’re going to spend between $3500 and $5000 for a local 3-5 piece ‘wedding’ band, and that 7-piece funk band from Boston (we have one coming this year!) will cost $16,000, when overnight lodging and transportation are factored in. The ‘Net’ is that our typical couple is also paying off school debt, saving for that first house, etc., and want to keep their reception costs at a reasonable level. The fee for that $16,000 band is in the range of the TOTAL costs of many of our couples ENTIRE event with @100 guests!
DJs
Like ‘wedding’ bands, I can’t say I’ve been blown away by any of the local options. The biggest drawbacks are 1-typically way too much talking by the DJ, 2-uninspiring song selection and mixing, and 3-the false concept that louder = more fun.
Music Preferences: A DJ ‘should’ be able to play exactly the music you request. A good one will!
Versatility: A DJ can provide music for the outside reception, outside cocktail period and hayloft level for dinner-dancing-and mics for speeches, etc. For the outside portions of the day a speaker is simply pointed out one of the hayloft windows and the music can be heard perfectly at the ceremony and cocktail period meadows. A DJ can also announce the wedding party at the transition moment into the hayloft for couples that want that moment.
Adaptability: Like bands, DJs play in all sorts of venues. I find they often have the same challenge bands do at setting a great volume level that allows for a high-energy dance floor, while allowing the guests in the rest of the hayloft a reasonable volume level so they don’t have to yell at each other to be heard at their tables. It really is an art!
Affordability: DJs used to be an affordable option but the past few years have seen their fees skyrocket. It’s not unusual for me to hear that a couple payed from $2500 to $3500 for DJ services. To me that’s nuts!
Playlists
This is a good point to note the frequency that I see each of these three music options here at The Skinner Barn. Here’s the average frequency of each option for every (10) weddings here:
Bands = once DJs = twice Playlists using The Skinner Barn sound system = 7 times!!
Why is the Playlist option so popular? Let’s see:
Music Preferences: You, or the musical whiz in your group, selects EXACTLY the music you want for every moment of your day. They create a playlist (Spotify is very popular for this) for the Ceremony, Outside Reception, Wedding Party announcing, Dinner, and Dancing. Amazing!!
Versatility: Like the DJ option, a sound system speaker is pointed out one of the hayloft-level windows for the music for the outside portions of the day, and The Skinner Barn sound system in the hayloft is as good (or better) than that of any band or DJ. There is the ADDED benefit of a 16-channel mixing board, multiple mics and mic stands and plug-and-play convenience not only for your device, (iPhone-Android-laptop-iPad), but also for any musicians in your party who want to play at your event. I even have a digital piano keyboard available!
Adaptability: Volume levels are fully-controllable!
Affordability: You spend ZERO DOLLARS with this option!!!!
Granted, there are some generalizations in these thoughts, and any one of these options could be right for the vision you have for your day! I do often host couples who are looking for a beautiful, and relaxed event that also fits a modest budget, the Playlist option continues to be the big winner!