The band
Live sets for the reception
The band plays the sets, from the entrances to the last song. Breaks are planned to land during dinner or the cake, not the middle of a full floor.
Band packages · Michigan
Live wedding band in Michigan
For a reception that feels like a concert: live musicians playing for the people in front of them, with a DJ between sets and closing out the night if you’d like.
- Planned with you directly, not through an agent
- A DJ between sets, to close the night, or both
- Receptions from Detroit to Petoskey
A reception that feels like a concert
Nine o’clock at a band wedding. The drummer counts in a song everyone knows, and the whole room turns toward the stage.
A live wedding band doesn’t mean giving up a DJ. Band packages can have a DJ playing between the band’s sets, closing out the night, or both, so the music keeps going in the breaks and the songs a band doesn’t play still get their moment.
- 01A band, with a DJ if you like
Band packages can have a DJ playing between sets, closing out the night, or both, so the floor doesn't go quiet in the breaks.
- 02Music people watch
Guests stand at the edge of the floor to see the musicians, and sing the chorus back. The reception becomes a show.
- 03Planned with you directly
Booked and planned with Menzo Weddings, not through an agent: your first dance, your must-plays and how the breaks are covered.
Watch the band
Music people watch, not just hear
Guests who never dance stand at the edge of the floor to see the musicians up close. Grandparents tap along from their seats. Your friends sing the chorus back at the singer.
Footage and stills from a band set in April 2026.
The night
The reception, set by set
Your venue and your planner set the real timing. These are the moments a band covers at most receptions.
- 01Your entrance
Your wedding party walks in to live music, and your own entrance gets a real fanfare. Announcements still need a voice on the microphone: see wedding MC.
- 02Dinner
A natural place for a break or a quieter set, at a level people can talk over.
- 03Your first dance
Some songs come alive with a band; others belong to the original recording. We’ll decide which yours is, and plan the parent dances around it.
- 04The sets
Sets that build, songs that run into each other, and a room that watches and dances at the same time. A DJ can play the breaks so the floor never goes cold.
- 05The last song
Played live with everyone on the floor, or a DJ closing out the night after the band’s last set, timed with your venue and photographer for the exit.
Band packages
A band, with a DJ if you like
Band + DJ between sets
No quiet breaks
Every band plays in sets. A DJ plays between them, so the music keeps going and the songs a band doesn’t play still get their moment.
Band + DJ to close
Every song in its original recording
The band plays the heart of the night; a DJ takes over after the last set and closes it out. It’s one plan, so the hand-offs are worked out before the day.
Love live music, but a full band doesn’t fit your room? Turn it around: book the Wedding DJ and MC and add DJ plus live music, with any combination of live drums, guitar, sax and violin on top of the DJ set. Our DJ, live band or both guide lays out the combinations side by side.
Before you book
Is a band right for your wedding?
A band is a good choice, and not always the right one. Here’s how we’d think about it.
Your venue
A band needs a stage area, room for amplifiers and a sound system, and access to power. Some reception rooms have that built in; smaller rooms, tents and barns can make it a squeeze. Ask your venue where a band would set up and how much dance floor it leaves.
Your guests
A crowd that goes to shows and sings along will love a band. A crowd that mostly wants the exact songs from the radio may be happier with a DJ, who can play the original of anything.
Ceremony and cocktail hour
A band usually covers the reception. For the ceremony and cocktail hour we play ceremony music and cocktail hour sets on acoustic guitar and vocals or piano.
Your first dance
Some songs translate beautifully to a band, and others are so tied to the original recording that the recording is better. Tell us your song early and we’ll be honest about which it is.
From the stage
Band weddings we’ve played
Dave Menzo has been performing since 2001 and has played Michigan weddings with a band as well as on his own. With The Groove Party, a Michigan wedding band, he played Patricia and Bryan’s wedding at The Masonic Temple in Detroit in July 2015, later featured as a Knot Real Wedding.
The next summer the band played Kara and Matt’s wedding at Bay Harbor Yacht Club and a wedding under a white tent at Hotel Perry in Petoskey, both in Northern Michigan.
See Patricia & Bryan’s wedding“Dave, you played great music and everyone was on the dance floor all night. Truly NO complaints at all!”
Planning
How planning a band works
- Check your date
Tell us your date, your venue, that you’re thinking about a band, and whether you’d like a DJ between sets or at the end of the night. Dave reads every inquiry and replies himself.
- We talk
About your guests, your room and what kind of night you picture, and we’ll tell you what’s available and how it would sound in your room.
- We plan the night
Entrances, first dance, the sets, what the DJ plays between them, must-plays and do-not-plays, lined up with your venue’s timeline.
- The day
The band plays the plan, and plays to the room.
Questions to ask any wedding band
- How many musicians, and which instruments?
- How long are the sets, and how many breaks?
- What plays during the breaks?
- How much space and power do you need, and how long is setup?
- Can you play our first dance, and how do you handle songs you don’t already know?
- Does our venue have a sound limit or an end time that affects you?
- Who’s our contact on the day?
We’ll answer all of them for your wedding when we talk. Many apply to a DJ too: see questions to ask your wedding DJ.
Menzo Weddings is based in Ann Arbor and Detroit and plays weddings across Michigan: Ann Arbor, Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids and Northern Michigan.
Pairs well with
Live music for the ceremony and cocktail hour
Common questions
How many musicians are in the band?
We don't list lineups on this page. When you check your date, tell us about your venue and your guest count, and we'll tell you what's available for your wedding and how it would sound in your room.
Has Dave Menzo played weddings with a band before?
Yes. Around 2015 and 2016 Dave played Michigan weddings with The Groove Party, a Michigan wedding band, including Patricia and Bryan's at The Masonic Temple in Detroit, Kara and Matt's at Bay Harbor Yacht Club, and a wedding at Hotel Perry in Petoskey.
How much space does a wedding band need?
More than a DJ. A band needs room for each musician, their instruments and amplifiers, the sound system, and safe access to power. Before you book any band, check with your venue where a band would set up and how much floor that leaves for dancing.
What happens when the band takes a break?
Every band plays in sets, so there are breaks, and the music shouldn't stop for them. With a Menzo Weddings band package, a DJ can play between sets. We'll plan when the breaks fall, so they land during dinner or cake rather than the middle of a full dance floor.
Can we have a DJ as well as the band?
Yes. Live band packages can have a DJ playing between the band's sets, closing out the night after the band's last set, or both. It's one plan, so the hand-offs between the band and the DJ are worked out with you before the day.
Can a live band play our first dance?
Often, yes, but it depends on the song. Some songs translate beautifully to a band; others are so tied to the original recording that the recording is better. Tell us your song early and we'll be honest about which it is.
Do we have to choose between a band and a DJ?
No. You can combine them. A band package can have a DJ between sets and at the end of the night, or you can start with the Wedding DJ and MC and add DJ plus live music, with live drums, guitar, sax or violin on top of the DJ set. Our DJ, live band or both guide walks through the combinations.
Can we have a band and acoustic ceremony music?
We play live ceremony music on acoustic guitar and vocals or piano, and cocktail hour sets. Most couples add these to a DJ booking; if you're booking a band, ask about them when you check your date.
Do you book bands for weddings outside Detroit?
Yes. Menzo Weddings plays weddings across Michigan, and Dave has played band weddings from Detroit to Petoskey and Bay Harbor. Tell us where you're getting married when you check your date.
Check your date
Is your date still open?
Tell us when and where. Dave replies personally.