Wedding Music Checklist

The music you choose for your wedding will play a vital role in setting the mood of the event. We’ve compiled this guideline to make the process a little easier.

Keep in mind that some musicians book up faster than others, so you might have to adjust this timeline, according to your band’s terms.

One Year to Go

• If you’re planning on hiring a popular band or musician, they book up fast, so you may need to put down a deposit now. If you’re in this boat, skip down to the ‘2 months’ marker on this checklist.

9 Months

• Start thinking about what type of music you’d like for your wedding – a full band, string quartet, DJ or something entirely different. Important things to keep in mind when deciding include your budget, the space available at the venue and the overall tone you’d like to set throughout the reception.

• Start researching bands and musicians in your area. Ask around for recommendations, read reviews, and attend live music gigs, to get a feel for the style and calibre of musicians available in your area (note: we are not endorsing wedding crashing here).

6 Months

• Sit down for a consultation with the musicians on your short list. It’s perfectly acceptable to request a music sample from them, such as a CD, video link, or even a short audition. Don’t worry, you’re not turning into a tyrannical bridezilla – you’re just making sure that they’re as good as they claim to be.

• Ask each band for referrals from previous clients, and call them. The band might sound great, but you won’t know if they’re difficult to work with, until you get a firsthand account from brides, who have actually dealt with them in the past.

4 Months

• If haven’t already done so, choose which band you’d like to hire and put down a deposit. Don’t leave it too late, or you might end up with your future-father-in-law offering to sing karaoke.

2 Months

• If you have some special songs you’d like played on the day, send them to the musicians now, so they have time to learn the chords and lyrics. If you’re hiring a DJ, he/she will need plenty of time to get a hold of all of the tracks, too.

2 Weeks

• Check in with the band/DJ and make sure that the necessary equipment is arranged – if they’re bringing it, make sure they’ve got everything. If it’s your responsibility, make sure you’re on top of things.

The Day Before

• If you have access to the venue to set up, ask the band to bring all of their equipment and make sure that everything fits in the space. Set everything up and make sure they do a sound check.

The Big Day

• Dance your pre-married lif