Music

DJ

Hiring a DJ is the most common choice for music at an Israeli wedding. The DJ plays a central role in the event: setting the scene during the Kabbalat Panim, making sure that the Chuppah song is perfectly aligned with you walking down the aisle, ensuring that the celebratory song is played just as the glass is smashed, and of course, getting the party started and keeping it going for the guests and happy couple.

I would argue that picking the right DJ is one of the most critical aspects in making sure that you have the wedding you want. It’s normal in Israel to meet with the DJ at least once or twice before the wedding to make sure that they’re a good fit and understand the vibe you’re aiming for. The DJ may also ask you to create a YouTube playlist of songs you like and share it with them before the event.

Oftentimes, the venue will recommend you a DJ that they work with regularly and you may get a better deal by working with that DJ. The DJ typically costs between 5000 – 8000 shekels, depending on the season and how in-demand the DJ is.

If you’re getting married in the slow winter months, you’re more likely to successfully bargain and score a good deal – if it’s the middle of the summer, the DJ may be working nearly every night and probably won’t hook you up with a discount.

More well-known DJs who play at clubs regularly may charge around 15,000 shekels for the night.

LIVE BAND

Adding a live band to your wedding can bring a thrilling energy to the event that’s dramatically different from a DJ. This choice seems to be more popular with the religious community, but can be an excellent choice for a secular wedding as well. In terms of how much a live band will cost, there’s a huge range depending on how well-known the group is.

You can expect an average price of around 10,000 – 12,000 shekels for the evening– but again, this can go much higher depending on the band. You can also feel free to mix and match – you might have a band perform for an hour and a DJ for the rest of the night.

SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMER

If you truly want to go all out and make your event unforgettable, you can hire an Israeli pop star to sing at your wedding. One amazing thing about Israel is that even big name performers are more than happy to sing at private events – of course, for the right price. B-list or older performers will charge from 30,000 – 50,000 shekels, and the hottest artists of the moment can charge 80,000 shekels and up.

You can contact their managers (who are usually listed on their websites and social media profiles) to get exact prices and availability. Special guests typically perform for around 45 minutes.