Ceilidh Bands in Hertfordshire
Burns Night at Ashridge House, a 180-guest wedding at Ware Drill Hall, a 70th birthday ceilidh at Rothamsted in Harpenden - these are real events our ceilidh bands have played in Hertfordshire.
We've taken over 100 enquiries for ceilidh bands across the county, with confirmed bookings starting from £720.
Tell us your date and venue, and we'll send quotes from ceilidh bands who can be there.
Popular ceilidh bands in Hertfordshire
How it works
How Much Does a Ceilidh Band Cost in Hertfordshire?
Confirmed bookings in Hertfordshire show couples spending anywhere from £720 to £2,900.
At the lower end, The Wiltshire Ceilidh Band played a 40th birthday for £720. At the top, Ceilidh Twist were booked for £2,900 at a 180-guest wedding at Ware Drill Hall where the groom and several guests wore kilts.
The biggest price driver is how many musicians you book. Ceilidh Twist quoted £1,500 for a four-piece and £1,700 for a five-piece at a Hertfordshire event, with PA, lighting and travel all included.
The Kent Ceilidh Band quoted £950 for a three-piece with caller and PA. Paragon Ceilidh Band works to Musician's Union standard rates, starting at £969 for a trio and going up to £1,865 for a six-piece.
If you want music after the ceilidh, Ceilidh Twist can either lend you their PA and lights for your own Spotify playlist (£150) or provide a full DJ who takes requests (£350).
Hertfordshire Ceilidh Venues
Our bands have played ceilidhs at venues across the county. Here are the ones that come up most often in our booking data.
Ashridge House, Berkhamsted is a country house venue that has hosted Burns Night ceilidhs. One client arranged a piper from 6pm, then two ceilidh band sets from 8:30 to 10pm with Scottish dancing. Ashridge has also hosted pre-wedding BBQs where bands provided background music earlier in the day.
Rothamsted Conference Centre, Harpenden has a large hall (the Fowden Hall) with a stage and a separate outdoor area. A 70th birthday here was booked with Ceilidh Twist for "an enjoyable high-energy ceilidh set for all ages with some pop music in between."
Ware Drill Hall hosted a wedding for 180 guests where the groom and several others wore kilts. The ceilidh was the main focus of the evening, booked with Ceilidh Twist for £2,900.
The Five Bells, Stanbridge is a pub near Tring that hosted a ceilidh wedding in August, also booked with Ceilidh Twist.
Derby Road Baptist Church, Watford hosted a wedding ceilidh in September. The client described it as "classic beginner ceilidhs" with "no singer" and asked for a caller to be included.
Pendley Manor, near Tring, hosted a wedding with The Irish Rock Band in December.
Smaller venues like pubs and village halls work well for ceilidh, but you may need a trio rather than a full five-piece. The band needs roughly 3m by 5m for setup, plus a clear floor for dancing.
View our Hertfordshire ceilidh bands live
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Reviews from local events in Hertfordshire
“The ceilidh band were absolutely amazing maximal flexibility for us to fit around our dynamic schedule with an friendly understanding attitude and highly quality playing, also the section of dances was really fun and appropriate for the group we had. We were getting everyone involved and fitting the maximum amount of dancers into our space. Five stars.”
Booked Ceilidh Rising for a wedding at Derby Road Baptist Church, Watford, UK
“Hi Tristan, Just wanted to say thank you very much for playing on Friday. You really got everyone going on the floor! Best, George.”
“We are so glad we booked this band for their wedding. They were so quick to respond to any queries and we were able to choose a couple of our favourite dances to include on the day.”
“Hi Ali, I hope you are well. I just wanted to send you a note to thank your brilliant musicians on Saturday. They were truly fantastic. I hope we work together again and that we can show you Ashridge House! Thank you once more, Alex.”
FAQ About Hertfordshire Ceilidh Bands
Can we have a ceilidh for Burns Night in Hertfordshire?
Yes, Burns Night in January is one of the most popular times for ceilidh bookings. One client booked Ceilidh Twist for Burns Night at Ashridge House in Berkhamsted, arranging a piper from 6pm followed by two band sets from 8:30 to 10pm. Not all ceilidh bands offer a piper, so if you want one alongside the band, mention it when you enquire.
Can we book a ceilidh band for a pub or village hall in Hertfordshire?
Yes. A couple at Derby Road Baptist Church in Watford booked Ceilidh Rising and described it as "classic beginner ceilidhs." The band's caller got "everyone involved and fitting the maximum amount of dancers into our space." For smaller venues, a trio is usually more practical than a five-piece - the band needs about 3m by 5m to set up, and you need a clear floor for dancing.
How much should we budget for a ceilidh band in Hertfordshire?
Confirmed bookings in Hertfordshire range from £720 to £2,900, averaging around £2,380. A three-piece like The Kent Ceilidh Band costs around £950 including caller and PA. A five-piece like Ceilidh Twist costs £1,700. If you want a six-piece, Paragon Ceilidh Band charges £1,865 at standard MU rates. The biggest factor is how many musicians you book.
Do we need a large venue for ceilidh dancing?
Ceilidh dancing takes up more room than a disco because guests move in circles and lines. Most Hertfordshire wedding venues - Ashridge House, Rothamsted, Ware Drill Hall - have halls large enough, but you may need to ask the venue to stack tables and chairs to one side before the ceilidh starts. A minimum of 50 to 60 guests is recommended, with 25 to 30 on the floor at any one time.
Can the band play pop covers as well as ceilidh dances?
Yes. Ceilidh Twist and Paragon Ceilidh Band both switch between called ceilidh dances and pop or rock covers during the evening. A client at Rothamsted in Harpenden asked for "an enjoyable high energy ceilidh set for all ages with some pop music in between the sets." A couple at Ware Drill Hall wanted "ceilidh be the main focus but be good to hear what else available." If you want both, mention it in your enquiry so the band quotes for the right lineup - covers require drums, electric guitar and vocals on top of the traditional ceilidh instruments.
What time should the ceilidh start?
Most couples schedule the ceilidh after the wedding breakfast. The Burns Night at Ashridge House ran the ceilidh from 8:30 to 10pm, following a piper at 6pm. The 70th birthday at Rothamsted planned two 45 to 60-minute sets with pop music in between. At Ware Drill Hall, the ceilidh was the main focus for 180 guests. If you're adding a disco after the band finishes, check the band's end time so there's no gap.
Can we have music after the ceilidh finishes?
Ceilidh Twist offers two post-ceilidh options. For £150 they'll leave their PA and lights set up so you can play your own Spotify playlist for up to two hours. For £350 one of their DJs stays to mix music and take guest requests. The client who booked them for a 70th birthday at Rothamsted in Harpenden chose to have pop music mixed into the live sets instead, so you can also ask the band to blend covers into the ceilidh rather than adding a separate disco.
Will the caller teach the dances if none of our guests have done ceilidh before?
Yes, that's the caller's job. They walk everyone through each dance before the music starts and call out the moves as you go. The couple who booked Ceilidh Rising at Derby Road Baptist Church in Watford had "classic beginner ceilidhs" and the review confirmed "we were getting everyone involved." A couple booking Ceilidh It Up for a wedding in Harpenden "were able to choose a couple of our favourite dances to include on the day." No experience is needed - the caller adapts the dances to suit the room.