Wedding singers and bands are some of the most important pieces of the puzzle when planning a wedding. They set the scene and create an ambiance that truly dictates the vibe of the wedding. Music is a naturally wonderful way of ingraining memories, too. It’s a phenomenon well-recorded in science and easily backed up by happy couples years after their big day. Certain songs will automatically manifest the memory of tying the knot, with music being a more powerful means of recollection than any other medium.
With that, it’s become big business. Plenty of wedding musicians are able to charge upwards of $1,500 for every gig. Even more promising than the pay for each gig, there is a relatively stable audience because of how big the wedding industry has become.
People keep getting married, and they’re more often than not willing to shell out the big bucks to curate the perfect experience. There were 1.99 million new marriages in the United States in 2021 alone. Even “smaller” numbers like in the UK see upwards of 253,000.
With such a huge market, it’s no wonder that more musicians are looking to become party bands for hire. It also happens to be a great jumping off point to build experience, gain a following, and stay booked. You may be surprised just how many globally known artists started out in wedding bands.
5 World Famous Bands That Started As A Wedding Band
1. Maroon 5
Maroon 5 first started out as Kara’s Flowers, an alternative rock band formed in high school. Being so young, they started out doing a few gigs here and there. And sometimes, weddings were where the audience awaited. Of course, this would not last long as they would eventually be picked up by a label after a performance at the Whiskey-a–Go-Go club.
Eventually, things would come full circle with the release of their single, “Sugar.” In 2015, shortly after the song dropped, they put out the official music video that saw the band crashing different weddings. There’s much debate on whether this was scripted or truly spontaneous, but it’s quite heartwarming to see the surprise of different newlyweds upon seeing Maroon 5 appear and perform out of nowhere.
2. Karmin
Although no longer performing as a band, Karmin was one of the earliest instances of a group being able to pursue a music career thanks to becoming a viral sensation. They drew millions of views with their fun and quirky covers of popular songs across different genres. Their ability to make something new out of an existing and well-loved tune can largely be attributed to their experience in the wedding scene.
Vocalist Amy used to do tons of weddings in Boston with a separate group before going on YouTube with Nick. They now have their own solo efforts, but the music they created together still lives on. In fact, their breakout hit still stands with more than 51 million views after a decade. Theirs is another tale that shows the powerful psychological response people have to music, and how much this dictates the potential of a certain release becoming viral.
3. Florence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine is one of the most iconic indie bands to come from England. Their distinctive sound paired with the melodic vocals and lyricism of frontwoman Florence Welch make for an auditory experience like no other. They’ve been in the scene for so long that it’s hard to think of them as anything but the creators of timeless hits like “Dog Days Are Over” or “Shake It Out.”
Before forming the band, though, Welch made her rounds on the wedding circuit. This is actually where she got started out singing, though this fair share of weddings would also be muddled with funerals here and there. In fact, Welch has shared
that the nature of her performance and vocal style meant that she would usually end up doing funerals back then. Fast forward decades later, and she ends up harkening back to those days as she performs a few songs for Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively at their secret wedding.
4. Tedeschi Trucks Band
Before officially forming this band, Susan Tedeschi would sing with a different band. This isn’t even the Susan Tedeschi band that she would make some of her greatest hits with. In this initial iteration, she would perform at weddings across Boston. From there, she’d eventually start touring the United States for a new world of music as she opens for the likes of Bob Dylan. Today, the Tedeschi Trucks Band is an amalgamation of the respective bands led by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks.
5. Next
This may not be a band name that you recognize or would even deem as “world famous”, and this is likely because it didn’t really get much attention outside of the small town it was formed in. That said, the lead vocalist would eventually become the inimitable star we know as Taylor Dayne. Before belting out classics like “Tell It to My Heart”, Dayne would take the stage at weddings and sing for the bride and groom.
Looking for more cool and interesting things? Check out our post on some of the most unique things you can do in Vegas.
Featured photo via Pexels.
