Wedding band hire, Auckland
First dance to last song
The full five-piece band, from your first dance to a packed floor at midnight. We work with your MC and planner and hit the first-dance cue on the nose. Ceremony music is an optional extra.
01Cue sheet
What you get
- Cue 01
The full five-piece
Drums, bass, guitar, keys and vocals: the standard Hands Off wedding band, built for a night of dancing.
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Tailored to your day
Must-play and do-not-play lists welcome. We build the set around your crowd and your key moments.
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Set up before guests arrive
Sound-checked well before the first guest walks in. No cables being run during canapés.
- Cue 04
Ceremony & canapés, if you want them
An acoustic duo or trio can play the aisle and cocktail hour as an optional extra, before the five-piece takes over.
- Cue 05
Sound, lights and mics
6,000W PA, stage lighting and wireless mics for your celebrant, MC and speeches, all included.
- Cue 06
Background music
We can play your playlist through our system, or provide suitable background music for any part of the day.
02The run of the night
Run of the day
The five-piece plays the evening: dinner, your first dance and the party. Live music earlier in the day is an optional extra, with an acoustic duo or trio for the ceremony and canapés.
- CeremonyDown the aisleProcessional, signing of the register, recessional. Acoustic and unhurried.Duo · optional
- CanapésCocktail hourChill vibes for the canapés. Soul and Motown at conversation level.Trio · optional
- DinnerSeated & speechesBackground sets that know when to drop out for the toasts.Five-piece
- First danceYour songTimed to your cue. Planned with you on the call 6–8 weeks out.Five-piece
- The partyFloor opensFrom zero to packed in three songs, and kept there.Five-piece
- BreaksYour playlistYour playlist through our system, or background music to suit.Background music
03Reviews
After the show
“HANDS OFF NAILED IT! Totally professional & sounded amazing. So much so, that we had guests asking us where did we find them.”
04The detail
The
long version
Why couples choose Hands Off
Ask any couple six months after the day and they'll talk about the dance floor before anything else. Over 3,000 shows we've learned what makes that floor work: reading the room, hitting the right tempo at the right moment, and building an arc from the first slow dance to the last encore of the night.
We handle the music so you don't have to. We coordinate with your celebrant, MC, planner and venue coordinator from the booking call onwards. When speeches run long we ride it out. When it's time for the first dance we hit the exact cue.
Auckland wedding venues we play
Vineyards like Mudbrick, Cable Bay and Peacock Sky on Waiheke; The Hunting Lodge, Kumeu Valley Estate, Markovina and Soljans; garden weddings across the North Shore and West Auckland; CBD and waterfront venues at Hilton, The Cordis, Pullman, Shed 10 and Sapphire Point; and destination weddings in Matakana, the Coromandel, Hawke's Bay and Queenstown.
What's included
A planning call 6–8 weeks before the day to lock in your run sheet, first-dance song and must-play / do-not-play lists; a 6,000W PA system; stage lighting; wireless radio mics for your celebrant, MC and speeches; your playlist through our system, or suitable background music, for any part of the day; public liability insurance documentation for your venue; and email support from booking through to the big day.
For a first-dance song outside our repertoire, bring it up on the planning call. We can't guarantee every song, but we'll be straight with you and do our best to make your moment happen.
05Questions
Asked
& answered
Something not covered? Send it through the booking form and a real person will reply.
01How far in advance should we book an Auckland wedding band?
We recommend booking your Auckland wedding band 6–12 months ahead, especially for peak season (October – March). Popular Saturday dates and long weekends book out well in advance, so the earlier you get in touch, the better chance we have of locking in your date.
02How much does it cost to hire a wedding band in Auckland?
Pricing for a wedding band in Auckland depends on total performance length, venue location, season, and any extras, such as an acoustic duo or trio for your ceremony. Weddings in Auckland CBD or the North Shore cost less than destination weddings in Waiheke, Matakana, Coromandel, or the Bay of Islands because of travel. Get in touch with your date, venue, and rough run sheet and we'll send a detailed quote within 24 hours.
03Can you play during the ceremony as well as the reception?
Yes, as an optional extra. Our standard wedding booking is the full five-piece band for the reception and dance floor. If you'd like live music earlier in the day, we can add an acoustic duo or trio for the ceremony and cocktail hour (processional, signing-of-the-register music, canapé background music) before the five-piece takes over. One trusted supplier instead of juggling three.
04What songs do you play at weddings?
We draw from a huge repertoire of wedding-friendly covers across the 60s through to today: classic soul and Motown for the cocktail hour, a mix of rock, pop, and disco for the dance floor. Whether your crowd loves Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac, Bruno Mars, or Dua Lipa, we've got them covered. Send us a must-play list and a do-not-play list and we'll build the set around you. If there's a specific first-dance song outside our repertoire you'd love us to play, let's chat about it during the planning call — we can't promise every request, but we'll be honest up front and do our best to make your moment happen.
05How do you plan the music for our wedding day?
After you book, we run a structured planning call 6–8 weeks out. We walk through your run sheet with you, time every set to your key moments (ceremony, cocktail hour, entry, speeches, first dance, cake cutting, final dance), confirm first-dance and parent-dance song choices, and coordinate directly with your celebrant, MC, and venue coordinator so nothing is left to chance on the day.
06Do you provide your own PA, lighting, and wireless mics?
Yes. Every Hands Off wedding booking includes a professional 6,000W PA system, stage lighting rig, and wireless radio mics for speeches and your MC — no extra hire required. For larger venues or marquees we can coordinate with your AV provider to scale up. Speeches, announcements, celebrant mic, and ceremony audio are all handled.
07Do you travel outside Auckland for destination weddings?
Yes — we regularly play destination weddings in Waiheke Island, Matakana, Coromandel, Bay of Islands, Hawke's Bay, Queenstown, and across the North Island. Travel fees, accommodation, and ferry costs (for Waiheke) are folded into a single transparent quote.
08Can we hire just a duo or trio if we have a smaller wedding?
Yes, if you need to. The full five-piece is our standard wedding band, but for intimate weddings, micro-weddings, elopements, or venues with tight space or noise restrictions we can provide an acoustic duo or trio instead. You still get the same vocalist-led Hands Off sound, just scaled down. We'll advise on what suits your venue, guest count, and budget.
09Are you insured and do venues accept your documentation?
Yes, we carry full public liability insurance and can provide a certificate of currency to your venue coordinator. Most Auckland wedding venues (including The Hunting Lodge, Kumeu Valley Estate, Cable Bay, Mudbrick, Markovina, and others) require this as part of their vendor sign-off — we have all the documentation on hand and can turn it around the same day.
Also playing
Other ways to book Hands Off
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Corporate eventsGala to Christmas partyGalas, awards nights, Christmas parties and launches. Tasteful through dinner, flat out once the speeches wrap, and on every cue your MC calls. - 03
Private functionsBackyard to function centreMilestone birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, festivals. Tell us the guest of honour's era and we'll build the night around it.