Will you have music during cocktail hour? Necessary?

We will have music, supplied through an Ipad, Ipod or an MP3 player through speakers. Not really uptight about it.

Thanks @Jennifer!

Yeah we picked songs for our dj... not dancing music, but good background music to set the mood.

We have a 7 person band playing for the reception, and they included in our package that the guitarist would play acoustic for our ceremony, and the keyboardist would play some jazz during the cocktail hour. I think that having music in the background is really nice, but if you didn't have it I don't think people would miss it too much, especially since you've got some lawn games going on to keep people busy and having fun.

Our band is actually DJ'ing our cocktail hour but I am also bringing my iPod and dock--it's nice to have some background music.. and if you do that, it won't cost you anything.

He'll play some low key songs for background noise.

We hired a pianist for our ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner.

She will play classical background music that won't prevent people from talking/socializing during the cocktail hour and dinner, but creates a nice mood. No dance music until the DJ starts after dinner.

Yep, same as VM - spotify and a little speaker. The DJ will be setup IN the reception and we didnt really feel the need to pay for an additional setup.

Thanks everyone. so it seems most people have some music for cocktail hour. My cocktail hour is outside in an garden so there is nothing to hook up speaker to so I can't do a playlist or anything which would be the easiest to do. I might have to suck it up and extend my ceremony instrumentalist. I can't think of any other option.

Yes, music is necessary

We are having a string trio play for the ceremony and cocktail time. I found that most musicians quote for 75 minutes. We are having them play from 6:15 to 7:30 which covers prelude, ceremony, and cocktails. Dinner begins at 7:30 and we will switch to our playlist on Spotify. Maybe you won't have to actually extend by much? How long do you have them for? What is your timeline?

I will have music during cocktail hour- just an ipod set up by our DJ

I think music is needed.

We are! We've got a blues duo playing for our cocktail hour. It's not necessarily necessary, but we think it'll be a nice touch.

Our DJ is covering cocktail hour as part of his basic package and I am going to choose some nice background music... nothing overbearing or too elevator-like. However, I don't think it's necessary and I don't think I'd pay extra for it.

The keyboard and sax players, for our band, performed during our cocktail hour. It's a standard part of the band contract. With 225 people in the room, I don't think I even heard them.

Our DJ played Hawaiian music that we gave him, picture a happy hour on Waikiki beach and the type of music you'd hear there...that's what we had. But it went with our theme, I think it just sort of set the mood. I wouldn't really mind if there was no music though.

Our DJ will just play music during the cocktail hour.

Our DJ is doing all of our music, ceremony/ch/reception as part of our package. We just picked a "genre" of music for cocktail hour, not specific songs. Honesty OP if you want some musoc but don't want to pay to extend your live performers, see if anyone has a small wireless speaker and an ipod you could use. No power outlets required. We have a small JBL bluetooth speaker that puts out a good amount of volume and lasts at least a few hours on a single charge.

We are having a piano player. It was won through our dj company.