Does anyone enjoy playing at weddings?

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 1 Nov 2009 12:01 pm

Jack,I couldn't get by her jab!!

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 1 Nov 2009 2:42 pm

Some of my most favorite and also some of my least favorite gigs have been weddings...just like clubs and most gigs

...

Barry Hyman · Post by **Barry Hyman** » 1 Nov 2009 5:37 pm

I've played lots of weddings. Sometimes there is a lot of tension when the wedding planners are trying to prove what a tightly scripted show they can put on, when they know nothing about bands or music. And sometimes they want you to learn some dumb song.

But weddings usually turn into fun parties after a while when the alcohol starts to percolate. Usually I get better than average food, and better than average drinks, and sometimes the females do start percolating as well.

I rather like playing weddings, but my fiddle player considers them a cause of high blood pressure, not worth the money... And if the soon-to-be-married couple call me to book the gig, I never ask for enough money because I am a softhearted and softheaded old hippie...

Duane Brown · Post by **Duane Brown** » 1 Nov 2009 7:39 pm

I played many weddings back when people wanted a live band and really enjoyed most of them. Good pay, good food and usually short hours. The funniest was at a truck show when a couple decided to get married suddenly. We didn't play the wedding march as a rule so had a crash course rehearsal and away we went. The whole thing was on the parking lot in a large tent around noon on a HOT August day.The preacher used our lead singer's microphone and the bride and groom were on the pavement in front of the Bandstand trailer. Needless to say, the bride nor anyone else looked stunning. They were married though and grateful to the band and had a free party for a reception. I miss those days.

Tony Kotula · Post by **Tony Kotula** » 1 Nov 2009 7:58 pm

personally i like playing a wedding. but the worst exprerience i've ever had was when the country band i was booked with showed up. and the reception was expecting some kind of techno hiphop disco band!!!
talk about crossed wires!! it was like when the blues bro's booked in to "bob's country bunker"...

Jim Hoke · Post by **Jim Hoke** » 1 Nov 2009 8:02 pm

Wedding gigs on steel are absolutely the most fun! Wish I could do 'em every week. First set, when they want to hear soft music, I get to play tunes like "It Had To Be You" and "Georgia" on C6th. Later, when they want to dance, you can play some pretty, E9 modern ones, like "Have I Told You Lately...". Of course sooner or later some fool wants to hear "Brick House", so I gotta pick up my sax for that. We need to make people realize that the steel isn't just a country thing - that they can really enjoy it in ALL types of music. That's where it's at for me.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 1 Nov 2009 10:34 pm

Love the buffets and the prime rib. Sometimes the mash potatoes are pretty good too.

Ryan McMahon · Post by **Ryan McMahon** » 2 Nov 2009 4:45 am

free food, and free booze!Get payed. Live bands are made for weddings. How sad is it when you have a DJ playing crap music, and the floor is empty, and the bar is full? The only ones dancing are children. When you have live, good, music , the dance floor stays packed, right up 'till the bitter end!imo

Bob Simons · Post by **Bob Simons** » 2 Nov 2009 9:27 am

YEH MAN!!!! BRIDESMAIDS!!!!

Brandon Ordoyne · Post by **Brandon Ordoyne** » 2 Nov 2009 9:58 am

weddings, divorces,...as long as I get paid!

oh and yes...I second the Bridesmaids! (especially weddings in the summer time here in Texas, when the dresses require less material

)

Brandon

Keith Murrow · Post by **Keith Murrow** » 2 Nov 2009 10:22 am

Nathan Golub · Post by **Nathan Golub** » 2 Nov 2009 11:10 am

They're usually not my favorite gigs to play, but I can't remember the last time I had a bad experience playing a wedding. You get paid well, good food, an open bar, and people are appreciative. Frat parties are the big $$$ gigs that I can't stand playing & usually turn down.

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 2 Nov 2009 2:41 pm

I played my fair share of weddings and I have to say, that, most were pretty good. The money, food, drinks, they're all a plus.
The best wedding was for an American Indian couple. I think they were Cree's or Blackfoot, I'm not sure which. The wedding party was all dressed out in authentic garb, that was fabulous. I didn't really think they were going to dig our music, but, we went over great and had to play overtime. It was a good time.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 2 Nov 2009 7:54 pm

I've played a bunch and I've shot video at a bunch. Guess which one I made 10 times the money doing and got just as drunk and ate just as much prime rib as the band...

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 4 Nov 2009 2:36 am

Jeff Hyman

Money talks, and BS walks. Everything has a price. Some of my friends argue this depending on what is expected for how much money. Let me say, that for USD$500,000,000.01, cash, after taxes, I'd kiss Mike Tyson on the 50 yard line, half time at the next Super Bowl. Let me remind you that's $500,000,000.01. Yes I'd be the talk of the world, but I would have bought my own little island with all the beautiful woman I wanted at by beck and call. There would be no TV or Radio to remind me how rich I'd be. Very Happy
I'd do weddings for a little less then that, and no kissing allowed.

Priceless

T. C. Furlong · Post by **T. C. Furlong** » 4 Nov 2009 6:55 am

To quote my former band mate Johnny Frigo - " There's no such thing as a bad gig" Johnny played professionally for more than 70 years. He appeared twice on the Tonight Show and was a favorite of Johnny Carson's. He headlined at the North Sea Jazz Festival many times. He enjoyed EVERY GIG including thousands of weddings. There is a great lesson to be learned from those who, like Johnny Frigo, came from nothing and made a great life with music.
TC

john widgren · Post by **john widgren** » 4 Nov 2009 7:15 am

Given the current situation (economically), any fairly priced gig is a good gig.(local standards vary greatly.) I'm with TC. As a paid musician I am happy to have the work. I don't view my job as being some kind of arbiter of peoples' musical tastes..only my own. I love to play, and I need to get paid. I'm grateful for both. Yes, sometimes gigs can be a #@*! sandwich,...so what?

Gus York · Post by **Gus York** » 20 Nov 2009 2:59 pm

I fell out of love playing at weddings after the band had a break for the speeches,
for when I wandered back in to the reception room the brides father who
incidentally was by then completely rat assed,trying to give a coherent speech, was sitting ON my guitar! Yes, On my guitar, Yes ON the strings! with his little legs swinging away in front of him !! SCREEEEEEEEECH !!
Now I'm not usually a violent person and I'm the first person to avoid a fight,
but it did take several people some time to detach my hands from his throat-
by which time he had turned a serious colour of grey!
After that episode it's purely the Money that makes me play at weddings,
and I never let the guitar out of my sight !!!

Gus York.

Don Discher · Post by **Don Discher** » 20 Nov 2009 5:18 pm

My band played a lot of weddings in the 30 years we've been playing and now we're getting the 25th anniversaries (for those that are still together).
What I like about weddings is that you can play to every age group. We play everything from Hank sr. to Brad Paisley,Elvis, Shania,Cheryl Crowe you name it.
The money and the food are always good too.Oh yeah, I forgot the boozed-up brides maids !

Brick Spieth · Post by **Brick Spieth** » 20 Nov 2009 8:20 pm

I have only played one. When my daughter was about 14 she said she dreamed my band played at her wedding, and who could have figured she would hold me to my promise that I would some 13 years later. Her Mother was quite miffed about it but eventually she came around.

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 20 Nov 2009 9:11 pm

I sometimes photographed weddings as a commercial photographer, but I would much rather play at one than photograph one. Most of the time, at receptions, people are too involved or inebriated to care what you play, or how you play. Of course, you may sometimes have to put up with the father of the bride sitting in on drums, but if the money's good, who cares?

I performed at my own wedding. My wife's Japanese Taiko drumming ensemble performed also. She played Taiko drums in her wedding gown, and I played Jump Blues in my white tux. It was held at an outdoor shelter in a large park, and I remember people coming from all the other nearby shelters to check it out. Many of the guests said it was the best wedding they ever attended.

Larry Bressington · Post by **Larry Bressington** » 20 Nov 2009 10:05 pm

We don't work wedding's anymore, too busy at present.
Answer to 'DO we like weddings?? Hell no!!

Roger Miller · Post by **Roger Miller** » 21 Nov 2009 8:03 am

The first post I couldn't read, my ADD kicked in.

The band I play in, we specialize in the weddings. If you look on Wedding Bands in google, look at thier song list, that is our list.

I always enjoyed wedding especially if the bridesmaids find the Tequila Bottle. When the dancefloor fills up with our disco tunes, and a woman trips over our monitors, oh yeah, gotta go set up and hope a wedding breaks out.

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 21 Nov 2009 8:19 am

I enjoy playing a wedding, that's why I got married at mine and her and I still play.

Terry

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 21 Nov 2009 9:10 am

Used to play lots of them.. Sometimes a couple a month.. DJ's have pretty much ended live bands at weddings in my area.. Some were awful, some great, .. Its just a gig..

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