Wedding Tips
Ray and the Road

Solo vs Band

If your wedding is small--250 or under then you'll probably be using a smaller venue: A small venue is more conducive to solo for a few reasons:

  1. Add drums and big speakers in a small room and it will be WAY too loud. 
  2. The main purpose of the night at a wedding is for family and friends to converse, enjoy each other's company, and celebrate. When people want to talk, a solo entertainer can adapt to it and become background music; a band simply cannot do that--one volume: loud.
  3. Sing-a-longs: An acoustic guitar invites impromtu singing with many of your favorite songs.  
  4. Less gear, more of a dance floor, more seating. People don't have to sit next to a blaring sound speaker.
  5. A typical wedding morphs into a DJ towards the end of the night: ie dance music via Ipod. Why pay for a band when the end of the night is a DJ? (I'm the DJ too...)
  6. Solo is cheaper. Less gear, less band people to pay=cost savings for you. Save your money and take a trip!
  7. Weddings are the most challenging gig because the music has to be palatable to people from 12-90 years old. Different songs and genres are MUCH easier to switch via solo; many bands are limited to one genre.   

Typical pricing

  • Local gig (4 hours-ish): $600
  • Local gig (out-of-town:lake): $650
  • Local wedding/funeral: $800 (reception/dinner music, speeches, dance, special dances) 
  • If you need songs to be played live (solo) at a different location for the ceremony then add $200 (I have to charge for this because it's an extra setup and tear down).
  • If you need me to play specific songs live then add $150 for the first song and $50 for each subsequent song. If I know the song already then it's free! I can also download the song via Ipod (free). 
  • Keep in mind that a typical DJ will cost between $700-1200

I use a premium Bose tower system which is perfect for background pre-show music at the start of a night, to a full party sound later on. Don't let the solo act fool you--it can definitely get the toes tapping!    

I realize that different engagements come with different budgets depending on your placement in life. I play for everyone and if you cannot afford the pricing then contact me and we’ll see what we can do! Every event deserves live music!