Will you have music during cocktail hour? Necessary?

We're having Flamenco guitar players during cocktail hour. As far as the "norm" I think every wedding I've been to had some form of background music but is it totally necessary? Probably not but I think if you can afford something it's worth it.

If it is outside than I don't think music is necessary. Like Nilou said pretty much. Otherwise you have portable speakers that you can buy very affordable ones and hook up with your iPod or other devise to play soft background music.

Our dj will be playing Irish pub music during our cocktail hour

You need music, can you have your dj start at cocktail hour?

Our venue plays pandora during cocktail hour

We weren't going to (our cocktail hour is also outside with lawn games and hors d'oeuvres) , but our planner convinced us that it was worth the money. So we are now having someone play acoustic guitar.

I posted about this a few weeks ago and got some great responses: https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-forums/cocktail-hour-music/31450fd1a0d49f26.html

We're indoors, though-- just setting up some speakers and putting together a playlist. I was going to hire our ceremony musician, but we would have needed to pay an additional $150 in insurance for him to "perform," which put it out of budget. I'd see how much it costs to have your duo stay-- they're already there, after all.

Thanks @Nicola! My cocktail hour sounds similar to yours with the lawn games. I guess I should consider having some music during cocktail hour!

Yes. A lawn game is not a conversation with nice music in the background, and I have to tell you that the only people I've ever seen playing any kind of game during cocktail hour are groomsmen and people with little kids. It's just not that compelling...

Most of the musicians I see do the ceremony and then cocktail hour; sometimes they are part of a larger band that plays the reception; sometimes independent people. I've also had a lot of steel drum bands (in the right venue, they go over great), mariachi bands (again, not for everyone but it's a lot of fun for the summer, Klezmer bands and vintage type jazz trios.

For the money it will cost, I think it really enhances the atmosphere.

Our band did the music during the cocktail hour and the reception (we had a string duo at the ceremony site). We did this only b/c the band had to be booked for so many hours and it was nice for guests to mill around while the band played. Set the mood.

I have seen both. I think if people are inside (where they'll sit during the reception) then I've usually seen the DJ playing music from the start, and if people are outside/not where the reception will happen, then there's no music.

I had my DJ play music during cocktail hour. I didn't want it to be silent.