If you love musicals, then you may recall La La Land’s main character, Sebastian, played by Ryan Gosling—an aspiring jazz singer who wasn’t beyond playing at small events like weddings and backyard parties as he worked his way to the top. In one of the film’s funniest scenes, Sebastian is taunted by his future lady love for playing 80s hits in one of these parties, but laugh if you will—Sebastian does eventually make it big, and he isn’t the only one. John Legend, Idina Menzel, Taylor Dane, and Michael Buble honed their singing chops as wedding singers. Indeed, Menzel was once known as ‘Long Island’s Number One Wedding Singer‘, and to this day, she says, “I’m still a wedding singer at heart—I’m just happy to have a gig once in a while.”

Covering Costs

Most artists starting out in the industry do exactly as Menzel says—accept any gig if it means being able to fund their profession. Weddings can be pretty lucrative compared to bar gigs, with bands getting paid no less than around $1,500. Of course, prices can rise up to around $15,000 or more, depending on your fame and the recommendations you receive. If you can book a wedding or two a week during wedding season (which runs from late spring to early fall), you can essentially buy time for leaner months, as well as meet the costs of equipment, marketing, and monthly bills.

Getting a Feel for Your Crowd

If you are planning your very first wedding gig, playing for friends at an intimate DIY engagement event is an excellent way to know what you can expect at an actual wedding reception. Engagement parties are considerably more informal than actual wedding events, and they are characterized by a smaller crowd, tinier space, and budget-friendly décor, staging, and the like. Accepting a gig for a small budget (or performing for free for friends or family at a DIY event) will allow you to be less than perfect while striving for an ever-smoother performance in bigger events. It will also hone your ability to adapt to requests and give you insight into the trending type of music in private events.

The Power of Recommendations

Networking is key for all self-employed people and in the case of musicians, performing at any gig—including weddings—is a powerful way to market your band and boost awareness. The larger the wedding, the better, the more people you are likely to access. However, don’t knock small weddings, as one of the guests could be a club owner, producer, or musician who can form part of an influential network. If you find that you are building a big demand as wedding musicians, capitalize on it and maximize your online presence by building a website and social channels that emphasize your speciality in this area.

Many seasoned stars first shined at weddings and engagement parties. Doing so enabled them to make a living and feel more comfortable performing before a crowd. In your case, bear in mind that you never know who you will be playing for—or where the event could lead.