Weddingbee

Choosing whether to use a band or dj was one of the more difficult choices we thought we would make. Little did we know that once we chose to go with live music, the search for the perfect band would be intense! It’s really difficult from a thousand miles away to choose a band that will both fit our budget and our reception style. Sure, bands can say that they love to be energetic and get folks on the dance floor, but it’s REALLY tough to judge without actually seeing the band interact with the crowd.

Another tough thing about finding a band for our wedding is that we’re getting married in a small mountain town. I grew up there, and I know a few local bands. In fact, I went to high school with at least one of the band members of nearly every popular local band. They’re not exactly your typical wedding bands here in the good ole mountain towns, and most of the time they’re playing bar shows or “groove fests” in the winter. So the selection is very limited if you’re only willing to hire locally. The other option for us was to look at bands in Denver that would be willing to trek through the snowy mountains to entertain our guests. This is where I found Gigmaster to be so helpful.

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My first experience with a band was about 8 or 9 years ago, when I attended my very first wedding. It was for one of my BM’s older sisters, and it was a lavish NYC affair. I remember walking into the reception hall and seeing a swing band perform for the first time. I had so much fun listening to the band that from then on, I knew that one day when I got married, I would want a band too.

Fast forward a few years to when I attended a wedding for a friend. It was the first wedding I attended that wasn’t for a sibling of a friend or family friend (yes, she was the first of my friends to go). It was a gorgeous NYC wedding in a loft, and when I walked in I was pleasantly surprised to see a band playing as well! They were just soooo good and it just reconfirmed my hopes in having a band (although the whole “swing” phase has long since died off).

If you know me you know that I’m a huge fan of concerts and live music. Years ago my friends and I would spend our weekends cheering for local bands at nearby bars, and I’ve even been to Bon Jovi concerts FOUR times, among many others.
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( The Foggy Mountain Boys bluegrass band )

I had a difficult time figuring out what to do about music and dancing. For me, music is essential at a wedding and one of the more important items on a list. I feel that even more than the food, it can make or break a celebration.

I’ve been to a few weddings with good DJs, some with horrible DJs, and others where the music was fully automated with some sort of playlist. Hiring a DJ to play in the middle of BFE in Montana didn’t seem entirely mood-appropriate to me. Can you imagine us dancing outside, kicking up some dust to the Macarena or She’s a Brick House? Montana-style Chicken Dance anyone?
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