The music and entertainment at your wedding reception should be organized based on the ages, tastes, and preferences of the guest who will be in attendance. And, depending on the type of reception you want to have, you may only want to spend money on music?or you may not need to spend too much on entertainment at all. Here are the top ways to save on music and entertainment for your wedding reception that will keep you within budget, and keep your guests entertained.

Hire a live band.

Having live music at your wedding reception is a very classy way to set the mood for the event, and the sound quality is much better than recorded music. You may also save money when you hire a live band-- depending on the band's experience and number of opportunities to play, they may be more willing to accept a lower payment than a disc jockey or accomplished soloist. A band can also vary the speed or variation of songs, depending on the type of atmosphere you want for the reception. There are times when a band will cost considerably more than a DJ, but you may be able to work around this if you agree to feed the band and allow them the amount of breaks they request.

Ask a "qualified" friend or family member to be the DJ for the reception.

Many couples shy away from having a DJ at the wedding reception, since a disc jockey may create a casual atmosphere. If you don't mind this and want your reception to be more of a party than a formal celebration, you may consider hiring a DJ to handle the music for the reception. However, you may not like all the music that is being played with a DJ, and depending on the contract, you may not be able to change the music during the ceremony. So, why not ask a qualified friend or family member to DJ? Make sure that you know the songs that are going to be played, and that your family member feels comfortable with the job in front of a lot of people. You can also create a CD of songs you'll want at the reception to use as background music while people are talking and having dinner, as well as a CD with songs you'll use for dancing during the reception.

Decide whether or not you want live entertainment.

You may want more than just music at the reception, and if so, you'll need to make sure that you book the live entertainment as soon as you can. If you want to have someone sing, dance, or emcee the reception, make these arrangements while you're planning the wedding ceremony. You may want to ask for the help of friends and family members when it comes to entertainment as well, since they will probably be more than happy to perform at your reception as a wedding gift. Live entertainment is a great way to make your reception entertaining, and depending on how far in advance you can book the entertainment, you can save a considerable amount of money on your wedding celebration, and your guest will be talking about the fun they had at your wedding for years to come.