DRS Music: Chicago Wedding band winners of National Award for Chicago Wedding Band performances.

How to Choose a Wedding Band

Besides the venue, music is perhaps the most important decision you will be making for your wedding. It's what you and your guests will likely remember the most, for better or for worse. Choose carefully.

As you begin your search, you will find a number of bands range in both quality and price. There are bands that specialize in certain types of music, such as Jazz/Swing, Top 40, Latin, Klezmer Music, and so on. Unless a majority of your guests are specifically expecting to hear a full night of that music, you will want to find a versatile band that can keep all your guests dancing.

We invite you to compare us to
any music company in Chicago.
As you review other band's websites, you are welcome to print this page and use it as guide.

How to Evaluate the Quality of a Band
by reviewing their website:

1. Quality. Look at the overall quality of the site itself. Websites can be updated quickly and easily. What first impression does their site make to you?
   
   
2. Photos. Look for recent photos of their Orchestra performing at actual weddings. See if you can find photos of guests dancing, as opposed to individual pictures of their band members standing in front of a curtain. From speaking with brides for many years, I've found the most important to them is seeing the results of what the band can do for their wedding. If you want a packed dance floor, make sure you see that.
   
   
3. Videos. Ideally, the videos should be from a recent live wedding. This is far superior to something shot in a studio, which can be easily manipulated and edited. At your wedding, they won't be able to do that. They only get one chance to play the song. I also believe it's important to show the crowd's reaction to what the band is playing. If the band sounds incredible and no one is dancing, it doesn't really matter, does it? Do they provide a variety of videos or even narrated videos?
   
   
4. Reviews. Try to see as many reviews as possible. If they are dated, that's even better. Showing the specific dates tells you that the band is doing consistently highly quality work over a period of time and not just one fantastic wedding six years ago. Are the reviews detailed and enthusiastic or just a thank you?
   
   
5. List of Songs. How versatile is the band? Can they play a wide variety of music to keep all your guests dancing? Make sure the website shows an extensive list of their repertoire. It's also important to know if a band will be able to learn new songs for you, and whether they charge for this service.
   
   
6. Credibility. See what awards or honors the music company has achieved, as well as a list of prestigious clients. How long has the company been in business? Have they had to change personal or even change their name? Do you see their name on a variety of websites throughout the internet? Type their name into Google and see what comes up. See where they rank for keywords like, "Chicago Wedding Band" "Chicago Wedding Music" etc...
   
   
7. The Bandleader. See if you can find out some information on their site about the actual bandleader. Remember, this is the person you are going to be dealing with for the next year or so. You can get a better sense of his or her personality after speaking with them on the phone and certainly by meeting with them. It's very important that you connect with them. Remember you are trusting your wedding to them. You want someone that has your best interest at heart and not a guy with a giant ego that you should be so honored to have at your wedding.
   
   
8. Resources. What other special resources do they have to help you from the time you sign the contract until the day of your wedding? Do they have a Blog with helpful articles? Do they have additional resource centers to help you select the music? Do they have a Facebook Fan Page? Will they provide you with a template of your schedule to keep you organized?
   
   
9. Personal Touches. How will they make your wedding stand out from all their other weddings? Ask them to show you examples of how they have done that, as well as hearing stories of situations where they went above and beyond for their clients.
   
   
10. Pricing. Before you decide what your budget for music is going to be, try to get the actual pricing information from a variety of bands. Then, you can set your budget based on the level of quality you want and can afford. It's similar to buying a car. There are bands whose biggest feature is how cheap they are; but can they get, and keep, your guests dancing? I believe that 90% of the time you get exactly what you pay for. Think of a band, as well as all your vendors, as more of an investment than a cost. A quality band will be by far the best investment you can make for your wedding.
    
    
11. Customer Service. How fast did they get back to after you filled out the inquiry form or left a message? Do they have any office staff? Will you be able to speak with the bandleader or have to deal with assistants and consultants first? How fast have they responded to emails? Did they remember the details from your last conversation? Do they seem to care about you as a person or just an account number? How often do they meet with their clients?
    
    
12. Features/Benefits. Ask the bandleader what are the unique features that make their music stand out from the rest? Can this band give you everything you want and need for your wedding?
    

In summary, make sure you talk amongst yourselves first to get a clear idea of what would be the perfect band for your wedding. Do your research, ask questions, and keep these twelve principles in mind. Finding the band you really want can be a lot of work, but being prepared and having a clear vision will make the process much easier, and maybe even fun!

Best Wishes,

David Rothstein
David Rothstein Music, Inc.
1948 W. Fletcher St
Chicago, IL 60657
773.244.1239
773.719.7610 Cell
david@drsmusic.com
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www.drsmusic.com