Booking Guide
Wedding Band Hire FAQs
Everything couples ask us before booking a live wedding band — costs, what is included, set times, sound limiters, custom first dance songs and destination weddings. Written by a working London wedding band that plays roughly seventy weddings a year across the UK and Europe.
How much does it cost to hire a live wedding band in the UK?
Most couples booking a professional eight to ten piece live wedding band in the UK should budget between £3,000 and £6,000, depending on the size of the line-up, the day of the week, the season and how far the band has to travel. Saturdays in June, July, August and September are the busiest dates of the year and price accordingly. Because Brother From Another take bookings directly rather than through an agency, there is no agency commission added to the fee, which typically saves couples between fifteen and twenty-five per cent on an equivalent line-up.
What is included in a standard wedding band booking?
A standard booking includes two live sets of sixty minutes each, a DJ service playing between and after the live sets, a full touring-grade PA system sized to your room, stage and dance floor lighting, all cabling and staging, and a soundcheck completed before your guests arrive. The band arrives in smart black stage dress unless you ask for something else, and the musicians are fully insured with public liability cover and PAT tested equipment, which most venues now ask to see before they will allow a band to load in.
How long does a wedding band need to set up?
Allow ninety minutes to two hours for load-in, setup and soundcheck. Ideally this happens while your guests are at drinks reception or during the meal in a separate room, so nobody hears the soundcheck. If the ceremony, meal and dancing all take place in the same room, we can set up behind a backdrop or arrive during the meal service and work quietly around it.
Can the band learn our first dance song?
Yes. One first dance request outside our repertoire is included at no extra cost, provided we have it confirmed at least eight weeks before the wedding. We will send you a rough reference recording so you know exactly how the arrangement will sound before the day. Additional custom songs can be arranged for an added fee.
What happens if our venue has a sound limiter?
Sound limiters are common in listed buildings and venues with nearby neighbours. Tell us the decibel limit when you enquire and we will adapt the line-up and the backline accordingly, using electronic drums, in-ear monitoring and a reduced stage volume so the set never trips the limiter mid-song. We have played successfully at venues limited to as low as ninety decibels.
Do you travel abroad for destination weddings?
Regularly. We play destination weddings across Italy, France, Spain, Greece and Portugal, and we handle flights, equipment shipping or local hire, and liaison with the venue's technical team ourselves so you are not coordinating suppliers in another language.
How far in advance should we book?
Peak Saturdays are often taken twelve to eighteen months ahead. If your date falls between May and September, enquire as early as you can. Midweek and off-season dates are usually available with far shorter notice, and we do sometimes hold late availability, so it is always worth asking.
Still have a question about live music for your wedding? Send us your date and venue and we will reply within twenty-four hours with availability and a full quote.
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