my Kate Parker Wedding's Page

Kate - Congratulations! You are one of this week's Spotlight Members! You are featured in the Spotlight Membership section of our community homepage. Thank you for your ongoing enthusiasm!

Great topic....one which brides seem to be unsure about which way to go: Band....DJ. I agree that a combination of the two is the best entertainment you can bring to the party. This is why we started offering the combination package (band/dj) several years ago as an alternative for brides---you get it all this way! Great option....if you're budget permits. We work in the NY metro area and cover the tri-state region, but we travel anywhere in the country. We offer many options for brides. We have Live Band packages (anything from a single musician, a duo, a trio up to our full, 7 piece band). Then we offer DJ Services broken down into packages and then we offer the Ultimate Solution of the Band/DJ Combination. It is important to choose a band that works together consistently (not made up of free-lance members). A group, whether it's a band, a dj, or a combination of both, must be just that "A Group". If the members aren't synchronized with each other, it will show in the performance. This is the difference between an okay performance and a WOW! AWESOME! performance. You can achieve that WOW factor with either a band, a dj, or a combination of the two....the key is not what package you are picking.....it goes deeper than than. It's about the group's talent, their sync factor with each other, the group's ability to interact with the crowd, the leader's ability to "read" the crowd so it's tailored to your guests.....you don't want a "cookie-cutter" band or dj performing your party! It's about the excitement the leader and the group deliver. This is easily visible at the point of consultation or when you go visit the group performing at a venue. It's way more than Band vs. DJ.....it's about being a performer and a professional.

For some reason, my links didn't come up when I posted.

Our site is www.nite-time.com there's a lot more bio info there.

My blog is www.weddingsingersguide.com

Thanks Again,
Amy

Hi Kate,
Thanks for asking for my input, you've chosen a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Here's an excerpt from my blog that might help...

A live band brings an air of excitement to any event. There is something about watching and listening to live people making music right in front of you that takes the whole experience up a notch, and your wedding is a once in a lifetime event. A professional event band should be able to cover all types of music, but this is an especially great choice if you are into rock, swing, Motown, alternative, and genres generally utilizing live instruments to create their sound. If your fiance proposed to you at a Bruce Springsteen concert, trust me, you’re band people.

However, if you are into club music, hip hop or techno, and you and your fiance never miss a Saturday night out at the club, then a DJ might be a better fit for you. A great DJ can play his or her turntables like an instrument, and this way you will know exactly what the songs are going to sound like. If you practiced your first dance to the CD for all of those months, you can dance it exactly the same way that night.

I agree with Anne about price, a live band costs considerably more than a dj - we have more people to pay. However, I disagree with her statement that "most bands can't play from grandma's era to today's top hits" a professional event band can and has to play music from all eras. If you find one that can't, you should keep looking.

Of course, for the bride that wants it all, you can always hire one of each and have them trade off, or start with band, end with dj. I find that to be a fun night. We've been asked to "dj" certain songs or sets of songs. We can save people a little money that way too, by letting the musicians go early and then turning on the tunes through our system. We can custom design playlists and music packages for all tastes, styles and almost all budgets.

My husband and I started running Nite-Time - New York City's Premier Party Band! in 2002. We serve NYC and the tri-state area. We opened a Hudson Valley office in 2007 and are starting to get more work in that area as well as some in New England. We have a combined experience in the wedding/event music business of 42 years, and we're not even that old! We both got started very young, I guess.

For more info on us check out:

You can find my blog at

the band/dj post is from March. I hope this helps, and if you have any more questions, please let me know.
Best,
Amy Serrago
Nite-Time - New York City's Premier Party Band!

Hi Kate,

We always tell our brides and grooms that if they can afford a great wedding band, then go for it! A band offers a certain excitement that a DJ can't. But, at least in our area, a great wedding band can run 5 or 6 times the price of a DJ. It all depends on the size of your entertainment budget.

However, we hear more couples say that they want to hear songs they love at their wedding. When a great song starts to play, you see people rushing for the dance floor, and dancing and singing along with their friends and family to songs they love. Brides want to dance with their Dad to a song that has meaning for them, they way they remember it. And, of course, there's the variety. Most bands can't play from grandma's era to today's top hits. We can also provide those ethnic songs or specialty dance tunes that a band can't.

We are in Rhode Island, but we travel to Boston, Connecticut, etc. Last year we travelled to Austin, TX to do a wedding!

Hope that helps, and thank you for asking for my opinion!
Anne

Hello Kate,

It is great to have you here! Thank you for being one of the first members of this exciting new community. So let’s get this party started! Feel free to invite other Brides, Vendors, and Twitter Followers. You can promote your business by starting your own BridalTweet Blog, Discussion, or Group. Or just get to know your fellow BridalTweet members by browsing some profiles or by searching for members who share your interests. Add friends and start twittering with people who are truly passionate about weddings.

I'll do my absolute best to bring more people to the community over the next few weeks, so please keep checking back. If there is anything that I can do for you, please let me know.

Christine Dyer - Founder, BridalTweet.com

Didn't forget about you :-). Making a whole bunch of advertising decisions this week and will be in touch. Have a great Sunday!