What does a jazz band play at a wedding?
A jazz band fits the parts of a wedding when guests are arriving, mingling and eating. Here is how Dream City Jazz fits into your day.
Dream City Jazz plays three parts of a wedding: the ceremony, cocktail hour, and background sets through dinner. We're not a dance band, so pair us with a DJ who handles dancing and the microphone for toasts. The signature lineup is a trio of piano, upright bass and drums.
Your wedding day, part by part
| Part of the day | What the band does |
|---|---|
| Ceremony | Live jazz for your ceremony |
| Cocktail hour | Standards, bossa nova and jazz versions of pop, soul and R&B songs while guests mingle |
| Dinner | Background sets through the meal |
| Toasts and announcements | The DJ's microphone; the band doesn't bring a toast mic |
| Dancing | Your DJ takes over |
Booking the band for the ceremony and cocktail hour costs more than cocktail hour alone, because there is more music to prepare and more time on site. Cocktail hour jazz.
Jazz and a DJ, together
Already booked a DJ? Good. We partner with DJs. The band plays the ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner, and the DJ runs the dance floor later in the night. For toasts and announcements, we use the DJ's microphone. Jazz band or DJ?
Want strings for the ceremony instead? Our sister act, Dream City Strings, is a string quartet. Couples often book strings for the ceremony and jazz for cocktail hour. Jazz band or string quartet?
Weddings we've played
The band has played weddings at the Milwaukee Art Museum, Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, the Harley-Davidson Museum, The George & Madcap Lounge and The Barn at Homestead Hollow in Germantown. We've played wedding cocktail hours at The Pfister Hotel, Boerner Botanical Gardens and the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh, and the end of a ceremony plus the cocktail reception at Boxed and Burlap in Delavan.
Dream City Music, the company behind the band, has played over 300 weddings since 2018.
What couples say
★★★★★“So glad we found them. Very easy to work with, great communication. Showed up on time and played perfect music for our cocktail hour. It was a special touch that many guests commented on.”
★★★★★“It was amazing working with Dream City Jazz. From the first contact, to the pre-wedding meetings, to the day of, everything was easy and professional. Their performance and capabilities were great and set a perfect tone for the end of our ceremony and the cocktail reception. They were even willing to accommodate a move from outside to inside, mid-performance. All in all, they were fantastic and I would recommend them to anyone who is looking for jazz music for any occasion.”
★★★★★“They made our wedding something special that people won't forget.”
Wedding questions
Do you play dance sets?
No. Dream City Jazz plays the ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner. A DJ is the right call for dancing.
Do you bring a microphone for toasts?
No. For toasts and announcements, the band uses your DJ's microphone.
Can we pick our songs?
Yes. Song picks happen in your BookLive client portal, along with your contract and payments.
What does the band wear?
Suits and ties for the men and black dresses for the women.