The size of your wedding band budget is dependent on the number of guests you intend to invite and the limitations of the overall sum set aside to pay for all aspects of the wedding. It stands to reason that a smaller band will be sufficient to entertain a smaller group of guests!

Keeping tight control of the size of the wedding party is the key to controlling the size of the budget required in all areas – including the budget for the evening wedding band.

Expect to pay betweem £185 - £250 for the services of each professional musician you engage. For that princely sum, look forward to around two hours of live music, iusually n the form of either 2 x 1 hour sets or 3 x 40 minute sets in a three to four hour overall performance window. Most performers come equipped to play CDs through their PA system, thus providing good quality background music during the breaks.

A fully live pop party band usually has four to six members. On average, you can expect to pay between £1000 - £2000. Bands in the higher price bracket will bring a dedicated sound engineer, full lighting for the stage and dancefloor and a large, sophisticated PA system.

If overall funding is tight, you can stretch the music budget by using either a soloist or duo that performs with the musical accompaniment of guitar, piano, bass and drums on backing track, thus gaining a ‘two for the price of one’ budgetary advantage. Do be aware, however, that backing tracks take some of the spontaneity out of the live performance. A better way forward may be to find a versatile and talented trio, each of whom both sing and play their own instrument. Between them, it’s possible to create an effective immediate live pop sound without resorting to the constrictions of backing tracks.

If you need to keep the price down and have up to 100 guests to cater for, a talented local trio is often the way forward. If the band is local, there will be no additional travel costs to add to the price. Stretch the budget by paying a little extra for a longer performance window. Use the first set of live music to provide background atmosphere during the drinks reception before the wedding breakfast. Make sure the band is well looked after while the wedding breakfast takes place and the guys will be back refreshed, once the meal is over and the tables are cleared, to provide two further sets of dance music to complete the party.

You may well be able to negotiate the provision of relaxed background music on CD through the band's PA system during the wedding breakfast and the use of a microphone for speeches after the meal as part of the deal. How’s that for value?

Here's a very different scenario. You're lucky enough to have the band of your dreams booked for the evening party. However, your sit-down meal is taking place in the same room as the later part of the celebration and you require the band to set up their equipment during the afternoon. You are incurring a considerable additional charge for this service.

Do be aware that you can mitigate this cost by making use of the band's PA to provide background music during the meal and to provide sound facilities during the speeches. Additionally (for a moderate extra cost) many wedding bands will be very happy to provide a duo or trio to play laid-back cocktail jazz that will enhance the atmosphere during the drinks reception and create excellent atmosphere during the formal meal.

If the venue package includes a DJ to provide full-on dance music to finish the party, you gain a great deal of flexibility over the use of your wedding band budget.

You can use the wedding band for a variety of purposes. The first set of live music can be used to create atmosphere during the drinks reception, the second set can be performed during the meal itself and the final set (to include the first dance) can put a stamp of class on the proceedings before the disco takes over. Salsa, Samba, Latin Jazz, Caribbean Steel Band, Irish, African – there are lots of options. The list is endless and the choice is yours. Get ready to party!

Jennie Evans manages Hop Till You Drop, a company that provides music of all styles and types for weddings, birthday parties and corporate events in the UK. To find out more about all aspects of wedding music planning and to get up-to-date info on live music for weddings in the UK, why don't you check out Hop Till You Drop Wedding Music Services? Hop Till You Drop is a company run by musicians, so you can be sure that all the important aspects of your live wedding music will be attended to by knowledgeable, experienced professionals.