What Does a Live Wedding Band Cost?

A live wedding band from Gemini Music costs between around €2,600 and €25,000 net, depending on line-up and playing time. A duo starts at around €2,600, a duo with DJ at around €3,800, and the full line-up with horns goes up to €25,000. Travel and accommodation are listed separately in the quote, which arrives within 24 hours.

At a wedding, the price question is a different one than at a corporate party. There, a company buys one item on a programme. For you it is about a day that begins with the ceremony and ends with the last encore — and about which part of that day the band should carry. That is what decides the price.

What explains the range from €2,600 to €25,000

Between the smallest and the largest quote lies almost a factor of ten. That is not a surcharge for the word wedding — the tiers are the same as for a corporate party. It comes down to four things you control yourself:

• Line-up: how many musicians are on stage — from a duo to a band with horns. For weddings we usually play with 7 to 10 musicians, for large celebrations with up to 14.
• Playing time: whether the band only plays the party or already accompanies the ceremony, drinks reception and dinner.
• Technical setup: the band brings its own backline and in-ear monitoring. PA, room sound and lighting are agreed with the venue and its in-house technicians; if the complete system should come from us, it appears as its own item in the quote.
• Travel and accommodation: they depend on the location and are listed separately as well — a wedding on Mallorca or Crete looks different from one in the next town.

Three sizes, three kinds of wedding

Roughly, there are three solutions. Which one fits depends less on the budget than on the guest count, the room and the evening you have in mind.

Duo — from around €2,600

Two musicians. The duo suits the ceremony, the drinks reception and dinner, small gatherings, and rooms where a large stage has no place. Carrying a packed dance floor for hours on its own is not its strength.

Duo with DJ — from around €3,800

Live vocals and an instrument where it matters, plus a DJ who carries the party into the night. A solution for couples who want live music but also a long party night across many styles.

Full line-up — up to €25,000

7 to 10 musicians with vocals and horns, up to 14 for large celebrations. This line-up plays the whole day: an acoustic line-up for the ceremony, lounge sets for the reception, dinner music, the first dance and the party, with a DJ handover on request. What you pay for here is the pressure on the dance floor that no playlist has — and a running order from a single source.

The day as a bill: ceremony, reception, dinner, party

Ask for the party only and you will get a quote for the party. At a wedding, that is often the wrong slice of the day: the music for the ceremony and the drinks reception shapes the photos, the first minutes with your guests and the transition into the evening.

• Ceremony: a small acoustic line-up, a short playing time, often at a different place from the celebration.
• Drinks reception: lounge sets, warm and easy to talk over, while photos are taken and guests arrive.
• Dinner: restrained, so people can talk at the tables.
• Party: the full line-up from the first dance onwards, with a DJ for the late hours on request.

One ensemble for all four parts means one contact, one running order, one setup. Whether that is cheaper than two separate providers depends on the day — it is almost always clearer.

What a quote should list

A price without content cannot be compared. Make sure these points are named explicitly:

• Line-up: how many musicians, which instruments, who sings
• Playing time: from when to when, with how many breaks
• Technical setup: what the band brings and what the venue has to provide — PA, lighting, power
• Travel and accommodation: as a separate item, not as a surprise afterwards
• Net or gross: our prices are net, plus VAT
• Special requests: whether the first dance and requested songs are arranged and rehearsed live
• Extension: what happens if the party runs longer

When to book

For Saturdays between May and September we recommend 12 to 18 months of lead time, for other dates 6 to 9 months. Booking early mainly means you get to choose the line-up rather than take what is left. We check short-notice inquiries at any time.

Weddings abroad

For a destination wedding on Mallorca, Crete, in the Algarve or on Santorini, the same tiers apply. Travel and accommodation come on top — they are listed separately in the quote, so you can see what the music costs and what the journey costs.

Send us the date, the venue and the guest count. Within 24 hours you will get a line-up recommendation and a quote that lists every item.

Frequently asked questions

• What does a live wedding band cost? Depending on line-up and playing time, between around €2,600 and €25,000 net: duo from around €2,600, duo with DJ from around €3,800, full line-up up to €25,000.
• Is a band more expensive for a wedding than for a corporate party? No. The tiers are the same; the difference lies in playing time and running order.
• Are technical setup, travel and accommodation included? The band brings its own backline and in-ear monitoring. PA and lighting are agreed with the venue or supplied by us on request; that appears as its own item in the quote, just like travel and accommodation.
• How early should we book? For Saturdays between May and September 12 to 18 months ahead, for other dates 6 to 9 months.