Get Ready to Hit the Dance Floor! 27 Wedding Bands to Hire for Your Big Day

All of your wedding details should reflect your style—and reception music is no exception. Whether booking a sultry soloist, bluegrass band, or 12-piece orchestra as the soundtrack to your big day, you'll find your match here.

Creations Music, Featuring Kim Sozzi

What you should know: Bandleader Kim Sozzi draws upon her experience as a recording artist in order to perform songs exactly how they sound on the radio. In addition to playing an instrument, each member of Creations sings lead (two can do so in Italian and Spanish), giving clients a wide variety. Seeking an experienced crew? This one performs at about 85 weddings annually.

Location: New York City

Offerings: Cocktail hour and reception entertainment

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 212-579-0096

When to book: 12 to 14 months before Saturday celebrations, with less notice required for other days

Additional discounts: Pricing is most affordable and negotiable for weeknight and daytime bookings

Travel fees: Charges added to performances outside of New York City

Music breaks: None; performs a nonstop show with rotating breaks among musicians for continuous live music

Song fees: Will learn new selections at no additional cost

Debbie Reifer

What you should know: This leading lady's serenading vocals have been compared to those of Colbie Caillat and Norah Jones.

Location: St. George, Barbados

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 246-831-7911

When to book: 4 to 6 months in advance

Travel fees: Negotiable; may include round-trip airfare for gigs outside of Barbados, unless she is already in the country where the wedding is scheduled, in which case, Debbie will travel up to two hours round-trip at no extra cost

Music breaks: Length and amount vary per performance but are outlined in the contract and typically allow for two to three rests, during which time prerecorded music provided by the couple or the band will play

Song fees: Will learn eight new songs for free, with additional selections negotiable with a fee

Party on the Moon

What you should know: You may recognize this band's look and sound if you watched media coverage for one of the following high-profile events: Eli Manning's wedding, Donald Trump's New Year's Eve party (four years in a row), or President Obama's Inaugural Ball.

Location: Atlanta

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a 15 percent discount offered to couples that book more than one ensemble for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 770-262-1060

When to book: 12 to 18 months in advance

Additional discounts: Discount offered to couples that book entertainment for any night other than Saturday

Music breaks: None; performs a nonstop show with continuous live music

Song fees: Will typically learn three songs for free, with additional selections negotiable

The Ultraviolets

What you should know: This group first played in 1996 and has yet to cancel a single performance in their 18-year run.

Location: St. Louis

Offerings: Reception entertainment, with discounts negotiable

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 314-737-7700

When to book: 6 months in advance

Travel fees: Fees apply when travel exceeds 50 miles (100 miles round-trip)

Song fees: The band will learn one song for free, with each additional selection costing $250

Michael Lucarelli

What you should know: This classic, solo guitarist has an expansive repertoire of aisle-worthy tunes and can effortlessly shift partygoers from ceremony to cocktail hour to dinner with his well-informed selections.

Location: Salt Lake City and Las Vegas

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a $200 discount on the standard rate offered to couples for every hour booked beyond the first two hours

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 801-699-9810

When to book: 6 to 12 months in advance

Travel fees: Fees apply when travel exceeds 100 miles round-trip

Music breaks: Not outlined in the contract, but he typically takes one to two rests, during which prerecorded music provided by the couple will play

Song fees: Negotiable; will learn one song for free, with each additional song costing $50

JimBo Trout and the Fishpeople

What you should know: This versatile group plays 7 to 15 weddings each year and can be booked as a solo act all the way up to a nine-piece band. Their musical genre spans danceable bluegrass, swingy honky-tonk, and early rock 'n' roll, and the spontaneous bunch has been known to lead a party-wide parade (and even a square dance).

Location: San Francisco

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book more than one ensemble for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website or email

When to book: 12 to 18 months before your celebration

Additional discounts: It's more affordable to book them for performances Monday to Wednesday

Travel fees: Fees apply when travel exceeds 60 miles from San Francisco

Music breaks: Outlined in contract and typically entails one 15- to 20-minute rest for every 50 minutes of music played, during which prerecorded music provided by the couple or band plays

Song fees: Will learn two songs at no charge, with each additional song costing $100

Carte Blanche

What you should know: Carte Blanche keeps vintage classics white-hot with classic French, Latin, and American jazz standards from the 1920s, '30s, and '40s—and they even write originals.

Location: New York City

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book multiple ensembles for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 888-800-3526

When to book: 12 to 18 months in advance

Additional discounts: Pricing is most affordable and negotiable during non-peak wedding season (November to March)

Travel fees: For performances farther than a one-hour drive from NYC, travel fees covering airfare, ground transportation, and accommodations will be added

Music breaks: None; performs a nonstop show with rotating breaks among musicians for continuous live music (provided it's a four-hour reception and that the full six-piece band is booked)

Song fees: Negotiable

Nova

What you should know: "We are artists. We're not a throw-together wedding band," says the four-member group comprising a guitarist, singer, bassist, and drummer. "This is not a job for us. It is a passion."

Location: Los Angeles

Offerings: Ceremony (occasional), cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a 75 percent discount off the ceremony music price tag offered to couples that book ensembles for all three

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 818-395-7212

When to book: 2 to 4 months before your celebration

Travel fees: Fees added to distances farther than 30 miles from Los Angeles's Silver Lake area

Music breaks: Included in the contract; one 10- to 15-minute break for every 50 minutes of music played

Song fees: Will learn three songs for free, with a negotiable fee for each additional selection

Hudson Project

What you should know: Hudson Project's high-energy performances will keep your dance floor packed all night!

Location: New York City

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book multiple ensembles for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 888-800-3526

When to book: 12 to 18 months in advance

Additional discounts: Pricing is most affordable and negotiable during non-peak wedding season (November to March) and on Sunday to Friday nights

Travel fees: Travel and overnight fees added for performances farther than a one-hour drive from NYC

Music breaks: None; performs a nonstop show with rotating breaks among musicians for continuous live music

Song fees: Will learn six songs for free, with the cost for each additional selection negotiable

The Sultans of Swing

What you should know: Over the 20 years that The Sultans of Swing have been performing, the likes of political celebs Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, and President Obama have all boogied to their tunes.

Location: Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

Offerings: Cocktail hour and reception entertainment

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 508-246-9071

When to book: 6 to 12 months in advance

Additional discounts: 25 percent discount offered to couples that book for day celebrations and Sunday to Friday nights

Travel fees: Negotiable

Music breaks: Included in the contract, and typically outlines two 10-minute breaks; for an additional fee, the band will play continuously with no breaks

Song fees: Negotiable; will learn one to three selections, with fee added depending on complexity

Les Nubians

What you should know: This French-African band describes themselves as "magical, sensual, romantic, sophisticated, and exotic."

Location: New York City

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book multiple ensembles for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 303-444-1554

When to book: 3 to 6 months in advance

Additional discounts: Pricing is most affordable and negotiable for weeknight and daytime performances

Travel fees: Charges apply for distances farther than 30 miles from NYC

Music breaks: Included in the contract and typically outlines one 15- to 30-minute break per performance, during which prerecorded music provided by the band, couple, or planner is played; continuous live music can be negotiated with a fee

Song fees: Will learn six songs, with each selection costing $500

Eric Culberson Band

What you should know: "What's special about us is that we feel extremely honored to be a part of something as intimate as a wedding and have maintained friendships with all of the couples who book us to perform," says the bandleader.

Location: Savannah, Georgia

Offerings: Cocktail hour and reception entertainment, with a 15 percent discount offered to couples that book more than one ensemble for their wedding

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 912-484-4362

When to book: 3 months in advance

Travel fees: Will drive up to 20 miles before adding travel charges

Music breaks: Outlined in the contract; takes two 30-minute breaks during a four-hour reception, during which prerecorded music provided by the band or couple is played

Song fees: Will learn new selections at no cost, if they belong to the blues or rock 'n' roll genres

NexCyx

What you should know: Hailing from Barbados, NexCyx brings a natural Caribbean flair and energy to any stage, and their definitive festival vibe has been known to get a crowd moving.

Location: Barbados

Offerings: Cocktail hour and reception entertainment

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 246-836-7373

When to book: 12 to 14 months in advance

Travel fees: Charges applied to performances outside of Barbados

Music breaks: Number and length is negotiable and included in the contract; typically, three hours of music would require 30 minutes of rest total

Song fees: Will learn new selections at no cost

Attraction

What you should know: Attraction's versatile group of musicians includes five singers, which allows them to perform anything from "At Last" by Etta James to "Wagon Wheel" by Darius Rucker. "Couples hire us because we get it," explains the bandleader. "We keep the couple the star of the night, rather than shifting the limelight on us." Although the band has performed in France, in Puerto Rico, across the U.S., and in many backyards, what they like best is that a wedding reception is a celebration that cuts loose from formalities. "We love to see people dancing and love to see a bride and groom rocking it out, smiling all night. Their happiness is contagious."

Location: Richmond, Virginia

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book multiple ensembles for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 866-726-4455

When to book: 8 to 10 months in advance but earlier for Saturday bookings in May, June, September, and October

Additional discounts: Friday and Sunday bookings are discounted by 25 to 35 percent

Travel fees: Will travel for free up to two hours (or to Washington D.C., Virginia Beach, Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, and more) before charges are added

Music breaks: Negotiable, flexible, and outlined in the contract; typically allots for two 20-minute rests, in which a member of the band deejays a playlist customized by the couple; will play nonstop live music for an additional charge

Song fees: Negotiable; typically includes learning one new song at no charge, with each additional song costing $100

Infinity Show Band

What you should know: Infinity Show Band focuses on satisfying every client's desire to have the best party and does so by playing a two-hour, nonstop set with maximum guest interaction, outstanding vocals, and musical presentation.

Location: Atlanta

Offerings: Cocktail hour and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book multiple ensembles for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 678-525-9540

When to book: 12 to 14 months in advance

Additional discounts: Cheaper to book for day celebrations (excluding Saturdays) and for Sunday to Friday nights

Travel fees: Will travel for free up to 75 miles

Music breaks: Not included in the contract, but typically the band takes one 20-minute break during a four-hour event

Song fees: Will learn three selections at no charge

The Marco Cantarella Band

What you should know: Hailing from Southern Italy's beautiful Amalfi Coast, the members of The Marco Cantarella Band often take the stage for destination wedding clients.

Location: Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a 10 to 25 percent discount offered to couples that book for multiple events

Contact: Visit the website or email

When to book: 6 to 12 months in advance

Travel fees: Will travel for free up to 31 miles

Music breaks: One 15-minute break for each hour played for a maximum of four hours

Song fees: Negotiable but will always learn two to three selections at no charge

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish

What you should know: "What I tell clients is that we're not a good wedding band, but we're a good band for a wedding," explains the bandleader. "If they get that, then there's a likely chance that we're a solid match!"

Location: West Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book for multiple events

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 508-696-3007

When to book: Varies; as soon as possible

Additional discounts: Cheaper to book for Sunday to Friday nights

Travel fees: Travel fees are included in the quote and typically add only about $200 to $300

Music breaks: Not included in the contract, but the band usually takes two 20-minute breaks during a four-hour reception, and couples provide a playlist and device for the band to play music during rests

Song fees: Will learn one to two selections at no charge

Big City Revue

What you should know: Although Big City Revue ranges in size from as small as a 6-piece ensemble to as large as a 12-piece, clients are guaranteed the same great vocals and musicianship every time. The band always travels with at least one sound controller that monitors the band's output and controls the overall volume for the maximum guest experience.

Location: San Francisco

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book for multiple events

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 650-348-7972

When to book: 4 to 6 months in advance

Additional discounts: Discount of up to 20 percent offered to couples that book for Sunday to Friday nights

Travel fees: Will travel up to two hours at no additional charge

Music breaks: Negotiable and flexible; in a four-hour booking, the band generally takes two 15-minute breaks and provides playlists and devices to play prerecorded music

Song fees: Negotiable; will learn up to two selections at no charge, with each additional new song costing $200, unless the song is popular and can likely be performed at future events

Bobby J. and Stuff Like That Cover Band

What you should know: Bobby J. is a one-man show with a talented group of musicians and singers to play up his talents, creating a memorable entertainment experience.

Location: New Orleans

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book multiple ensembles for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 504-460-7811

When to book: 6 to 12 months in advance

Additional discounts: Discount extended to couples that book for day celebrations and Monday to Thursday nights

Travel fees: Will travel up to 50 miles at no additional charge

Music breaks: Negotiable and included in the contract; during a three-hour event, the band takes one short break, and for a four-hour event, two breaks; prerecorded music always plays during rests

Song fees: Negotiable; will learn any number of selections (within reason) at no charge

Jacqui Naylor

What you should know: "We play all over the world for audiences large and small, but I feel it's a particular honor to play for two people in love on their special day and those closest to them," says Jacqui Naylor.

Location: San Francisco

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount offered to couples that book multiple ensembles for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 415-621-8237

When to book: 6 to 9 months in advance

Travel fees: Will travel up to 100 miles at no additional charge

Music breaks: Included in the contract; usually outlines a 15- to 20-minute break for every hour of live music, during which prerecorded music plays

Song fees: Will learn one song at no charge, with each additional selection costing $250

The Stingers Band

What you should know: This Big Apple band delivers a high-energy performance that could easily lead to an all-night dance party.

Location: New York City

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a discount of one free ensemble offered to couples that book both ceremony and cocktail hour entertainment

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 212-337-2123, ext. 4

When to book: 9 to 12 months in advance

Additional discounts: 15 percent discount offered to couples that book for day celebrations or for Sunday to Thursday nights

Travel fees: Will travel up to 75 miles at no charge

Music breaks: None; performs a nonstop show with rotating breaks among musicians for continuous live music

Song fees: Will learn any number of selections at no charge

Omaha Big Band

What you should know: Omaha Big Band's clients rave time and time again about the band's ability to exceed expectations.

Location: Omaha, Nebraska

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception entertainment, with a 10 percent discount offered to couples that book ensembles for both the ceremony and reception

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 402-968-6768

When to book: 3 to 12 months in advance, with occasional last-minute bookings available

Additional discounts: 10 percent discount offered to couples that book for a daytime wedding, while couples with a celebration on any night other than Saturday can save 10 to 25 percent

Travel fees: Will travel for free up to 75 miles before adding fees to cover lodging and expenses

Music breaks: For a three-hour celebration, the band takes two 15-minute breaks or one 30-minute break; continuous live music can also be negotiated for an additional charge of 15 percent of the standard rate

Song fees: Will learn one new song for free; additional songs are negotiable and typically cost $50 to $100 each

Bonus: If the group is booked, give the reception group, Extra Space Jazz, and the ceremony group, Solid Brass Quartet, a try. The same management company operates all three!

Music to Go! Of San Francisco Conservatory of Music

What you should know: Couples may choose from a variety of groups, like a solo pianist, jazz trio, string quartet, or brass quintet, among any other combination imaginable, for their big day. A full-time staff member consults clients on which group will work best for their celebration and facilitates the entire booking, contract, and payment process.

Location: San Francisco

Offerings: Ceremony and cocktail hour music, with a two-hour minimum requirement for events outside of San Francisco city limits

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 415-503-6258

When to book: 1 to 3 months in advance

Travel fees: Travel fees applied to all celebrations outside of San Francisco city limits

Music breaks: No break required for two-hour bookings; typically a 10-minute break is scheduled for each hour of continuous playing, during which prerecorded music provided by the couple plays

Song fees: Each new selection costs $70 on average

Quique Talavera

What you should know: Quique Talavera hits the stage in a classic getup—a white dinner jacket or black tuxedo—and pulls from the 600-song vault that touches on all genres of music (with big nods toward his Puerto Rican roots) for an outstanding show. Whether you book the band's full 14-piece orchestra or a smaller 11-piece combination, you'll enjoy hearing them as much as locals do!

Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception music

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 787-760-7376

When to book: 1 to 3 months in advance

Travel fees: Travel fees applied to all celebrations outside of the island of Puerto Rico

Music breaks: Flexible on timing, but includes two 25-minute breaks or one 50-minute break for a four-hour reception

Song fees: The charge for new selections is negotiable and occasionally free of charge

Leroy Jones Quartet

What you should know: Investing in high-quality music for your event is a decision you won't regret—and years later, this band will surely be one of your and your guests' best reception memories, insists their managing company, Spirit of New Orleans Productions. Consisting of some of New Orleans's best and most renowned traditional jazz musicians, the Leroy Jones Quartet delivers first-class music time after time.

Location: New Orleans

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception music, with a 25 percent discount offered to couples that book more than one ensemble for their wedding day

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 504-432-3286

When to book: 2 to 12 months in advance

Travel fees: Travel fees applied to all wedding venues outside of the New Orleans metro area

Additional discounts: Negotiable for daytime celebrations and for Sunday to Friday nights not during peak wedding season

Music breaks: Flexible; contract states there will be a 15-minute break for every 45 minutes of music played, at which time the band or couple can provide a playlist and device for playing prerecorded music

Song fees: Negotiable

Love Canon

What you should know: Love Canon exclusively plays bluegrass '80s hits and is composed of six well-studied string musicians who perform for more than 50 weddings annually.

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception music

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 804-313-0815

When to book: 6 to 12 months in advance

Travel fees: Travel fees and accommodation expenses are added when venues are located 200 miles or more away from Charlottesville

Additional discounts: 15 to 20 percent discount offered to couples that book entertainment for Sunday to Friday evenings

Music breaks: Typically one break is taken between two longer sets

Song fees: Will learn two new selections at no charge

New York City Swing

What you should know: If New York City Swing is booked, consider hiring Uptown Swing, Big City Swing, or 52nd Street Swing, which are all managed by the same company. The four groups have hit the stage for Fortune 500 companies, Heisman Trophy Award dinners, Bill Clinton's and George Bush's Presidential Inaugurations—and for Oprah Winfrey.

Location: New York City

Offerings: Ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception music, with two hours of music (for the ceremony and cocktail hour) complimentary if booking reception music too

Contact: Visit the website, email, or call 718-807-6106

When to book: 18 months in advance

Travel fees: Will travel within a 90-mile radius of the New York City area at no charge (after that, a small fee is added)

Additional discounts: 25 percent discount offered to couples that book entertainment for Sunday to Friday evenings or for daytime celebrations

Music breaks: None; performs a nonstop show with rotating breaks among musicians for continuous live music

Song fees: Will learn new selections at no charge