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Attributes highlighted by couples

DJ quality
Music selection
Unique party atmosphere

About

On Hitched.co.uk since 2022

Last update: July 2026

Wedding Bands for Hire is a musician-led wedding entertainment service, personally run by professional DJ, drummer and band leader James Malcolm. Three-time back-to-back Hitched award winner and North of England Wedding awards winner.

James works directly with every couple from first enquiry through to the final song, providing a seamless combination of live band and DJ entertainment that feels relaxed, well-organised and completely tailored to the wedding. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, each celebration is planned around the couple, their guests and the atmosphere they want to create.

The live band offering is centred around The Crescendos — an high-energy function band known for packed dancefloors and a natural, feel-good performance style. This can be paired with a professional DJ service, allowing couples to enjoy live music and a full evening party without the stress of booking multiple suppliers.

What couples value most is the personal approach. James is present, involved and accountable, ensuring timings run smoothly, transitions feel natural and the evening builds perfectly from the first dance through to the final track. With years of experience performing at weddings across Yorkshire and the North, Wedding Bands for Hire is trusted for creating evenings that feel effortless, enjoyable and genuinely memorable.

Frequently asked questions

What services do you offer?

Dance music
Entertainment
Karaoke
DJ
Other (Musician-led band & DJ service, personally run by James Malcolm. One supplier providing live band performance and a professionally managed DJ set for a seamless evening celebration)

What is included in the wedding package?

Personal planning with James Malcolm, a high-energy live band, professionally managed DJ music, full sound & lighting, setup and pack-down — all handled by one experienced supplier

How far in advance should I contact you?

Most couples get in touch 9–18 months before their wedding, especially for peak dates. That said, availability can sometimes change, so it’s always worth checking even if your date is sooner

What style of music do you offer?

Disco
Rock
Latest hits
Pop
Other (Pop-rock, indie and feel-good party anthems — from modern hits to soul, Motown and disco — tailored to the couple and mixed seamlessly between live band and DJ sets)

Type of musical group:

DJ
Band
Choir

Size of group:

Medium (4 - 6 musicians)
Large (7 or more musicians)

Repertoire:

A broad, party-focused repertoire covering pop, rock and indie anthems alongside soul, Motown and disco classics. Music is chosen to suit the couple and their guests, with the flexibility to adapt

Is it possible to request something that's not in the repertoire?

Couples can request songs in advance for DJ music and key moments. Live band sets are carefully curated for the best atmosphere, with all details planned together during the lead-up to the wedding

What's your experience?

Over 12 years’ experience performing at weddings across Yorkshire and the North. James Malcolm is a professional drummer, band leader and DJ, trusted to deliver well-run, memorable wedding evenings

Do you have your own equipment?

Yes

Do you need specific materials or conditions to offer your service?

Yes, just a suitable, dry performance space and access to standard power

Can you travel?

Yes, wedding Bands for Hire regularly travels across Yorkshire and the North of England, with travel discussed clearly in advance so everything is agreed upfront

Is there a charge for travelling?

Yes, travel within the local area is usually included. For weddings further afield, any travel costs are discussed clearly in advance so there are no surprises

Do you cover more than one wedding a day?

Yes

Do you work alone or do you have a team of professionals?

With a team

What is the length of time of the act?

Performance lengths vary depending on the package, with live band sets and DJ music planned to cover the full evening celebration. Timings are agreed in advance and managed on the night

How much time do you need to prepare for an act?

Very little is required on the day. All planning is done in advance, with setup completed efficiently before guests arrive so everything runs smoothly

Do you do open-air acts?

Yes

Do you charge per hour or per event?

Per event

If needed, would you be able to work extra hours?

Yes

How do you charge extra time?

Any additional time is agreed in advance where possible and charged at a clear, fixed rate. This is discussed upfront so couples can plan the evening without any pressure or surprises

What are the forms of payment?

Bank transfer is the usual form of payment, with a booking deposit and the balance due closer to the wedding date. All details are confirmed clearly in advance

Served in

Greater Manchester, Lancashire, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire

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Do you have any questions?

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Reviews for Wedding Bands for Hire

K
Katie Sent on 01/08/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing band and super friendly, made our night!!

From the minute I spoke to James I knew we were in good hands. He understood exactly what we were looking for and was really transparent and helpful immediately. The band were excellent. Everyone at the wedding has since commented on how good they were, how amazing the songs sounded, and how good the energy was that they brought. If you are considering a band gor your wedding, I definitley recommend you go for it, and especially with these guys. Very professional, so talented and overall a pleasure to watch!
Ashleigh
Ashleigh Sent on 29/07/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Incredible wedding DJ and Sax player

We booked for a wedding DJ and Sax player to perform at our wedding and they were incredible!
The DJ (John) not only played the songs requested but had clearly taken time beforehand to create a playlist which included remixes of our favourite songs - he wasn't just hitting play but did a "proper" DJ set. He even sourced additional songs that were requested and made announcements for the first dance, last song, encouraging guests to get up and dance etc.
The dance floor was full all through the wedding and everyone got up for a song and dance at some point.
At the end of the DJ set, our guests were even asking him to stay and continue performing as they were having such a brillaint time!
The Sax player (Lola) was an amazing addition. She and the DJ worked together to perform songs and add an extra fun element to the evening.
All our guests commented on how great they were both individually and together.
Communication was brilliant throughout and on the day, everyone got set up and packed away without any problems or hassle.
I would highly recommend booking a DJ and Sax set for your wedding, they were brilliant.
Oliver
Oliver Sent on 27/07/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Mr & Mrs Wilson - Solberge Wedding

The team were brilliant throughout. They arrived and performed as described with no issues.
All guest’s and ourselves loved the team being part of our celebration.
We would highly recommend them to anyone debating the choice of a band.
They even allowed the new Mrs Wilson to join them for a song on stage, which our guests loved.
G
Gemma Sent on 26/07/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Band, karaoke and DJ - amazing!

James and the Band were absolutely amazing from start to finish. Their flexibility on the set list, willingness to learn new songs for us and expertise with timings and vibes were all so appreciated. Can’t recommend them enough for a packed dance floor all night long!! Special shout out to James who really helped us out and paid attention to all of the finer details which made the night so special.
N
Nicole Sent on 23/07/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Best band on the circuit!

James and the band stepped in and saved our big day!
Having been let down very last minute (6 weeks away from big day) James and the band not only stepped in, they were also really competitively priced for the service they offer, they mixed a first dance song for us, took care of playlists etc and were so flexible on the day itself, they got everyone up and the dancefloor was never empty! Can’t thank the guys enough they really made the day special.
A
Alicia Sent on 29/06/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Wedding Bands for hire - THE BEST!!

Where do I even begin?

We hired wedding bands for hire for our evening do/party on Friday (26.6.2026) and what a night it was! Ben and James absolutely made our wedding night and we truly wouldn’t have wanted any other entertainment for our evening. We first met Ben and James a couple of years ago at my best friends wedding and we always said, whenever we get married, we will 10000% hire them. Bens sax playing skills are next level, our guests couldn’t stop talking about him and James’ mixing skills for music are fantastic. Just when you thought they’d played the best, they dropped another and got everybody up! Absolutely fantastic and so so talented. James and Ben make such a duo! You guys have been great fun, so attentive throughout the whole wedding planning, relaxed as hell and they will definitely create you a true PARTY! Thanks again guys, see you at our next event!
Caroline
Caroline Sent on 23/06/2026
5 out of 5 rating

The best band you could wish for!

From start to finish, communication, information and ideas flowed between us and we were able to create the bandioke and full music experience for our special event that we wanted. They guys are really friendly, immensely talented, zero egos and all our guests said how great they were. The songs played by the band were real crowd pleasers, totally appropriate to the guest profile and the venue. We could simply relax and enjoy. I couldn’t reccomend highly enough!
R
Rebecca Sent on 20/06/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Unbelievable band!

We booked The Crescendos and had James also manage the DJ sets in between band sets. We are so so happy we chose this team as everything exceeded all our expectations! The band were amazing, the music and song choices were spot on and they interacted with our dance floor so much, the guests loved it! The DJ sections were equally as fab, both the and DJ kept the dance floor utterly packed right until the last second of the night. James was fantastic to work with, he communicated so quickly with us, no question or request was too big or small. He was more than happy to facilitate any requests or specific we wanted - like first dance, second song, last song (s), must plays and gave us as much or as little control over the songs played as we wanted - this was perfect! Thank you so much for your hard work and effort in making our dance floor as amazing as you did!!
Dan
Dan Sent on 02/06/2026
5 out of 5 rating

The Best Wedding Band We Could Have Asked For!

We would 100% recommend The Crescendos to anyone planning a wedding or event. They were absolutely incredible from start to finish and created such an amazing atmosphere on the night. All of our guests have been talking about the band ever since the wedding — the dance floor was full all night! Professional, talented, and a huge part of making our day so memorable.
N
Nathan Sent on 17/05/2026
5 out of 5 rating

The best DJ 🎉

We had the privilege of using Wedding Bands For Hire at our wedding, specifically James the DJ. When booking a DJ the choice is endless yet hard to know exactly what you are getting. With James he was so helpful, sent photos of his set up and explained how he operates. We had a pre wedding call to finalise everything and James handled the rest which really took the pressure off. It was the best night of our lives, so much happiness and good vibes which in large part was down to James and the music he chose. The quality of his equipment is tip top! We recommend him to anyone who needs a DJ no matter the occasion. Thank you so much for making our big day so special!
Beth
Beth Sent on 22/02/2026
5 out of 5 rating

WOW! 11/10 service!!

Where to start. James was recommended to us by our photographer and we can see why, he is a super warm and friendly guy and brilliant at his job. From the get go, James was open to anything we wanted and he played every song on our list with great additions. The dancefloor wasn't empty once!! Our unique request for a metal/punk hour went down a storm with our guests, but James was sure to check in with us on the night that this was still definitely what we wanted to do! He was also flexible with a last minute song change in the last 20 minutes of the evening. Finally, James blew us away with some beautiful, very professional photos and videos of us dancing together and with our loved ones, a huge bonus and not expected at all! Thank you so much, we will cherish these memories forever!
Eleanor
Eleanor Sent on 09/01/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing people!

Our wedding evening was absolutely perfect thanks to these amazing people! They played our first dance live, and a week later, completely to our surprise, James sent us a video to keep. The biggest thank you ❤️ El & Tom
L
Lisa Sent on 06/01/2026
5 out of 5 rating

Brilliant Band!!

We booked the band after seeing them online and reading their reviews and we are so glad we did!!
The band were absolutely FANTASTIC!!!!!

James kept in contact from the moment we booked right up to the wedding and response to emails/calls was really quick.
We were given a vast number of songs to choose from that it was difficult to choose just the number allowed 😂
The band were super accommodating and even included some Irish songs for our family who had travelled over to Leeds. All our guest commented on how brilliant they were and they had everyone was up dancing!!!

If you’re unsure and looking for a band then get these booked you will not be disappointed they are brilliant!!
Thanks James and the band for a fabulous evening!!!!
T
Tom Sent on 13/08/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Get them booked

Absolutely fantastic! Such a an amazing band, every single member were amazing.So so talented. The dance floor was rammed the entire time they were on. Really easy to talk to and communicate with prior to the wedding and they even let me play with them which I am so grateful for.
Rachel
Rachel Sent on 13/08/2025
5 out of 5 rating

UNREAL from start to finish.

The Crescendos were INCREDIBLE. The talent of ALL members of the band was insane. James, was brilliant to communicate with and so lovely on the day too. The two sets were unreal and our guests did not leave the dancefloor from 730pm-12am. They took requests which kept up the vibe and atmosphere of the day and night. SO many of our guests commented on how amazing they were and asked for their details. My husband surprising me playing Purple Rain with you was so incredibly special and we all will never forget that. You will absolutely not be disappointed. Highly recommend and could talk about how incredible they were all day. Thank you for adding so beautifully to our perfect day. R&T 09.08.25
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Badges

Hitched Wedding Awards 2026 Winner
Hitched Wedding Awards 2025 Winner
Hitched Wedding Awards 2024 Winner
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Meet the team

James Malcolm
James Malcolm
Booking manager, DJ, drummer

I’m incredibly passionate about delivering unforgettable wedding entertainment and specialise exclusively in weddings. With over 12 years’ experience and hundreds of weddings personally performed, I know how to read a room, build the perfect atmosphere and guide the evening with calm confidence.

As a professional DJ and live drummer, I bring a musician-led approach to every celebration. This allows me to shape the energy of the night naturally — from the first dance through to a packed dancefloor — blending live performance and DJ music into one seamless experience.

What truly sets my service apart is the care and planning that happens long before the wedding day. I work closely with every couple to understand their vision, plan key moments and make sure everything runs smoothly on the night. If you read through my reviews, you’ll see the same themes come up again and again: personal service, attention to detail and a genuine commitment to getting it right.

For larger setups or specific requirements, I work with a small group of trusted musicians and DJs who share the same standards of professionalism and reliability. Whether performing myself or overseeing the evening, couples always deal directly with me and can be confident their wedding is in safe hands.

If you’re looking for wedding entertainment that feels personal, well organised and genuinely invested in your day, I’d love to be part of your celebration.

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Map

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