4.8 out of 5 stars and 373 reviews
4.8
(373)Best of Weddings (11x).New Orleans and Louisiana Statewide
About this vendor
High Energy Live Music to Pack Your Dance Floor!
We're live music experts, wedding enthusiasts, and party starters, infusing every event with energy and full dance floors. We're here to make your wedding the greatest party of your life! The Nola Dukes are a premium, customizable 3 to 14 piece band specializing in high-energy music–at a sensible price. Our talented and professional musicians have performed regularly with touring and recording artists including Stevie Wonder, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Michael Bublé, Sturgill Simpson, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Temptations, and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra.
Visit our website for upcoming Showcase dates where you can see the band perform LIVE. You can tailor the dream band to suit your style and budget. Choose your band size then fully customize your booking with our Add-Ons, including a Cocktail Hour Band, DJ Services, Lighting & Sound services. You’ll benefit from a designated producer to help with planning and promptly answer any questions you may have along the way. We also provide you with your very own band planning page, making the experience a breeze. Reach out to get started!
We also offer Photo & Video services!
With Lightwave Event Artists, we provide Photography and Videography services that are fully customizable to your needs and style. We make it easy to capture your most precious moments by matching you with the perfect team based on your event, vision, and budget. Select your base package and choose Add-Ons from there to create a bespoke experience. Get in touch with us for a personal consultation! SPECIAL OFFER! Get 10% OFF on select Photo or Video options when you book with Nola Dukes Band & Lightwave Event Artists.
Event Lighting Services!
Elevate your event with our full range of customizable lighting options for every occasion. We offer room lighting to highlight your venue, cake lights, elegant uplighting, custom gobos with monograms, images, or designs, and stage and band lighting to keep your guests dancing all night long! Visit our website and make an inquiry to learn more. Plus! Get 10% Off your lighting package when you book multiple lighting services with the band. *T&C's Apply
Details
Instruments
- Accordion
- Bagpipes
- Banjo
- Bass
- Bugle
- Cello
Music Genres
- Bluegrass
- Classical
- Country
- Dance
- Disco
- Folk
Music Services
- Live Music
- MC Services
- Recorded Music
- Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
- Rehearsals & Parties
- After Party
- Wedding
- After Party
- Ceremony
- Reception
Awards and Affiliations
Pricing
See all the vendor’s pricing and services in this helpful guide.
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Reviews
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4.8
out of 5.0373 reviews
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
NOLA Dukes received glowing reviews for their exceptional performance at weddings, with multiple reviewers praising the band's high energy, professionalism, and ability to engage guests on the dance floor. The band members were commended for their talent and interactive nature, while Randi and the team were highlighted for their communication, helpfulness, and smooth planning process. Many guests continued to rave about the band long after the weddings, emphasizing their role in creating a fun and unforgettable atmosphere. Overall, NOLA Dukes was highly recommended for couples seeking lively and engaging live music for their special day.- Top reviews
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NOLA Dukes exceeded our expectations! Bryant was a gem to work with- professional and personable, he tailored the band to our event and helped us make everything seamless. The band itself was a blast! Fun, energetic, and tailored to the vibe that best matched our guests. Our dance floor was never empty and I still have guests raving about the band. Highly recommend booking them!
NOLA Dukes surpassed our expectations. During the booking process, Randi was helpful and communicative throughout. During the night of the our wedding, our guests were on the dance floor showering us with compliments about the band. Not only do they get your guests dancing, but also interact with them. If you want to dance the night away, this the band for you. They are an incredible value.
Choosing Nola Dukes was a great choice!
Booking, communication, punctuality and music were all great!
Any questions?
Extremely professional, informative, and communicative - Nola Dukes provided exactly what we wanted! WOW WOW WOW! No line dances necessary to get everyone out on the dance floor! Every compliment about our wedding included accolades for the band! They were FUN, AMAZING, ENTERTAINING - just perfect!
Nola Dukes is incredible! Bryant and Team were fabulous to work with and made our wedding night come to life even more.
Cannot say enough nice things! Highly recommend :)
We loved having Nola Dukes at our wedding! We went out to one of their sessions prior to booking per Randi’s suggestion and it was so nice to get a preview to make sure we were a good fit. They played for our reception and were phenomenal! My guests absolutely loved this band and are still talking about them weeks later. They were high energy and got people to the dance floor. When the audio glitched for the mother/son dance they quickly jumped into action and sang the rest of the song live on the spot. They were communicative and easy to coordinate with when we needed to change things. The band page made it easy to keep track of our details through the planning process. Highly recommend Nola Dukes!!!
We used the NOLA Dukes Band for our ENTIRE wedding and it was the best choice we could have made! Randi was super easy to talk to and extremely helpful. There's a planning page to keep track of everything as you go AND they have super helpful add-ons (mics, sound, DJ services, lighting).
We had a string trio for our ceremony - they were phenomenal, professional, and had a great list of songs to choose from.
We had a jazz trio for our cocktail hour- they were so fun and the perfect NOLA flair.
We had the 9-piece band for the whole dinner/reception and they were AMAZING! From our intro, to helping with speeches, to the music they chose and the ENERGY! WOW! People LOVED them. I saw so many folks during dinner just recording. Also- we had little kids there and the band was so good with them.
And here's the quote from the next day: "You know it was a good band when EVERYONE is out on the dance floor"
Highly, highly recommend the NOLA Dukes! Their recordings don't even do them justice.
Response from the Vendor on 08/28/2024
Oh Catalina. You guys were a dream to play for. Thanks so much for your lovely review and we wish you all of the happiness you can hold!
Very professional, easy to work with, and transparent with all pricing and setup details. They even learned a completely new song for my wife and I's first dance on request! Would absolutely hire again.
Wonderful band, engaging, wonderful talent!
Nola Dukes Band was FABULOUS! They asked what we wanted and they provided it! They were high energy and our guests danced all night!
You'll see hundreds of 5-star review for Nola Dukes, and for good reason - they are just incredible performers. They played for my sister's wedding, and I had the benefit of immediately knowing we'd hire them for ours! If you want a classic, New Orleans jazzy vibe but with a very wide range of genres and songs, hire these folks. We danced all night long and received so many compliments on how talented they were!
Randi and Nola Dukes were absolutely wonderful to work with. Randi was so responsive and helpful during the process. The band absolutely crushed it at our wedding and our guests could not stop gushing about them. Highly recommend!
Cannot recommend Nola Dukes enough! They were a blast and definitely the highlight of our wedding. Our guests had so much fun all night and raved about the band specifically. They were engaging, high-energy, and great to work with. Randi was communicative during the entire planning process as well and everything went so smoothly.
We HIGHLY recommend the NOLA Dukes for any couple getting married in the area. We continue to get so many compliments from our guests even months after our wedding about how great the band was and how talented all the performers were.
Randi did a great job of coordinating with us to understand music preferences and run of show to make sure everything ran smoothly and they played a mix of songs guaranteed to get folks on the dance floor. She even coordinated with us to make sure we had equipment for friends who were performing during our ceremony to use and set us up with a DJ when we decided to extend our reception an additional hour a couple of months before the wedding date. Planning and invoicing was so easy in the web portal but the human touch of talking things through over the phone really helped. Great people, great music, great experience!
Randi and her team were seriously fantastic. So professional and completely led the feel of the entire reception. They tailored their performance to our requests and did such an amazing job. If you need a live band in the New Orleans area - hire them!!! One of our best spends for our wedding.
Jon and his team were great! They were so much fun at the reception!! We were on the dance floor the whole night with all our guests. During the whole planning process, Jon communicated with me, and I knew everything that would happen on the day of the wedding. The band was very flexible. We ended up getting to the reception 20 minutes early and the band played 3.5 hours when originally booked for 3. I booked this band solely off of reviews & the promo video. I never heard them before, and I was not disappointed! If I ever need another new Orleans band, Nola Dukes is who I am going with!
Nola Dukes made my wedding so special. They were perfect. Superb musicians. I could not ask for a better band. They were exceptional!
Dear Randi,
I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the absolutely incredible music you provided at our wedding. The live band and the DJ were nothing short of phenomenal, and their contributions played a significant role in making our celebration truly unforgettable.
The live band's performance was not only lively and fun but surpassed all our expectations. The energy and talent they brought to the stage created an atmosphere of joy and celebration that resonated with everyone present. Our guests were thoroughly entertained, and I received countless compliments on the choice of music.
Equally, the DJ understood our preferences perfectly and played exactly what we had envisioned for our special day. The seamless transitions and the ability to gauge the crowd's energy kept the dance floor alive throughout the night. It was everything we had hoped for and more.
Your expertise and attention to detail were evident in every song selection, and I am genuinely grateful for the role you played in bringing my wedding music dreams to life. The positive feedback from our guests highlights the impact your music had on the overall atmosphere, and I couldn't have asked for a better soundtrack to our celebration.
Thank you, Randi, for your dedication, professionalism, and for going above and beyond to ensure that the music at our wedding was nothing short of perfect. Your passion for what you do shines through, and it made a world of difference on our special day.
Please extend our thanks to the live band and the DJ for their exceptional performances. Their talent and enthusiasm were key elements that contributed to the success of our wedding celebration.
Once again, thank you for being a crucial part of our wedding journey. We are truly grateful and will cherish the memories created through the music for years to come. I promise to leave Nola Dukes a raving review in the next couple weeks. Thank you again.
Cheers,
The Clarks
The Nola Dukes were the very first vendor we booked - if you're like us and know you want live music, look no further! Randi and team were an absolute joy to work without throughout the process. Her attention to detail, immense knowledge of the industry, and commitment to excellence shine through from day one. The band went ABOVE AND BEYOND our expectations and worked to ensure that all the pieces that made the day special and personal to us were included. Trust Randi to guide you through the process; the band creates so much of the guest experience at the wedding and she knows how to perfect the flow and vibe! Thank you, Randi and the Nola Dukes, for making our day so fun!
NOLA Dukes performed at our wedding on 12/2/23 at the New Orleans Museum of Art and exceeded our expectations at every moment. They coordinated the sound for our ceremony, coordinated a jazz trio to play cocktail hour and entertained our guests throughout the reception. From the first moment we met, Randi was so responsive, clear and asked lots of questions and was always willing to share her expertise. Finding a great band was a top priority for us and we greatly appreciated being able to see them perform live during one of their showcases in order to inform our decision. Their showcase validated everything we had heard about what incredible performers they are and the incredible range of music they can perform. The band learned an unknown song the week of the wedding to play for the mother-son dance which meant so much to my mother-in-law. In addition, Randi was meant to sing the hora- everyone was in awe and couldn't help but join in the dancing. Overall, I can't emphasize enough how much we would recommend NOLA Dukes to anyone looking to ensure your guests are raving about the band for days!
NOLA Dukes did a great job at our wedding! We got married at The Civic, and they had a truly great stage presence. They did a wonderful job at catering music for all guests (young and old.) Jon was incredibly organized and truly fantastic to work with in the months leading up to the wedding. We also had a somewhat absurd song request (Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,) and not only did they play it live, but also threw in a few other Billy Joel classics throughout the night. Truly great services, well beyond our expectations. Highly recommend to any other couples seeking the perfect band for their big day.
We had Nola Dukes for our wedding, 11/11/23, and they were GREAT!!! The band sounded amazing and they were so much fun. The music selection for the night was incredible and our dance floor was PACKED the entire night. Our guests loved them and everyone had only positive things to say. We worked with Randi from start to finish and she was great to work with. The entire process from start to finish was very smooth and easy. Nola Dukes took care of our ceremony sound, played piano during the ceremony, live band, live first dance song and a live DJ at the end- all that to say, they were essential for our big day and they were incredible. For so many moving parts, NDB did a great job and made it EASY! 10/10 for Nola Dukes Band and Randi!!
We don't even know WHERE to begin in recommending Nola Dukes for the absolutely perfect reception. Everyone raved about how incredible they were, and they kept the dance floor full the entire night. And on top of that, Randi was a dream to work with...so helpful and responsive (which is so appreciated for a neurotic bride like me!) Just book them and you'll thank me later.
Nola Dukes Band was absolutely phenomenal and we were thrilled to have them at our wedding! We got the most compliments on the band's performance from our guests. We were lucky to have Randi with us to perform our ceremony sound, emcee, and be our lead singer for the reception. Not only is she a lovely person and talented singer, she is also so wonderful to work with. After reviewing what kind of music we liked, she suggested bringing in a DJ at no extra cost for the last hour -- we were able to get the best of both worlds by having all types of music for our reception! The dance floor was packed the entire night. Additionally, their internal dashboard / planning tools are easy to use to stay organized. We absolutely loved this band and we definitely recommend Nola Dukes for any and all occasions for fantastic energy, high quality professionalism and amazing talent!
The Nola Dukes band playing at our reception was one of the best parts about the night! Everyone loved them and complimented us on how great they were. Their high energy was contagious! They catered to our specific taste of music, while still playing something for everyone there. I can't recommend them enough!
This band is a 10/10!!! We did not want any cheesy wedding songs or pop music, so we were thrilled when they came with all the classics! People spent so much time on the dance floor, they barely had a chance to eat!! Randi was so great to work with and was able to accommodate special requests for our ceremony music and first dance. The band made the night so special! Hiring Nola Dukes was the best choice we made in our wedding planning!!
NOLA Dukes band was truly awesome...10+! Our guests continue to rave about the band, stating "Best wedding band ever!", "Could have danced all night, didn't want it to end!", "Great band energy, absolutely infectious!," "Clearly professional musicians and singers-absolutely terrific entertainment-full dance floor!" Bryant, our band coordinator was efficient and effective. Great communication, easy flow of information, wonderful selection of music. Jenna, our band lead/singer/MC, did a fantastic job keeping the flow of the evening and seemed to be having a great time introducing people/activities, and singing. Such a
talented group of musicians! HIRE NOLA Dukes for your next event!
the band was amazing and they were very professional! I was lucky enough to see them live downtown and we never sat down bc the music had us dancing! I love the music choices and felt really heard when it came to what we wanted
Absolutely phenomenal. We hired the Dukes for our April wedding and they went above and beyond our hopes and expectations. Beginning with the initial phone consultation with Randi, we knew that we were in good hands. She got a feeling of what kind of party we wanted to throw, and gave us a general framework of how the band would help us accomplish this. Fast forward to the big day, The Dukes showed they were the real deal. Up until now, I had never been to a wedding where the dance floor was packed for the entire reception, but the band's energy and song selection kept the guests wanting more. Randi was a wonderful MC as well– she kept the party going between songs and facilitated the speeches and first dances masterfully (also, she has an amazing voice). We couldn’t have asked for a better band, and I look forward to seeing them around New Orleans soon.
We LOVED the NOLA Dukes. We hired the 7-piece band for our reception and also had the band facilitate the sound and recorded music for the ceremony, and everything was flawless. We felt so seen throughout the planning process and the attention to detail and organization was amazing. The band, comprised of incredibly talented and quality musicians, played the perfect mix of music and were such kind people. They got everyone moving on the dance floor and the guests couldn’t stop talking about how much they enjoyed it for weeks afterwards. We are so grateful we hired them!
NOLA Dukes was a wonderful addition to our April 2023 wedding vendor lineup — their 8-person lineup (their size can vary) was a huge hit with our guests, and they were very considerate about our requests and how we wanted the night to go. Definitely a big recommendation for them!
Mother of the bride here, we could not have asked for a better experience with Nola Dukes Band. From the initial Q&A to check-ins throughout the process to the actual event, outstanding. The high energy, incredible set list, gorgeous vocals along with amazing sound of this band, made for a truly memorable night for the bride & groom.. Magic!!
Wow...what can we say. Nola Dukes put together the most amazing band for our wedding reception!! Everyone KILLED IT on stage and our guests had a great time. Randi was amazing to work with as well and made me feel at ease throughout the whole planning process. Highly recommend!
This is the band you want for your wedding or other special event. They are so talented and clearly love what they do. The music was outstanding - we got compliments from guests all night about it - and the music is very customizable. Bryant worked with us weeks and months beforehand to ensure we had certain songs played, certain songs avoided, and music style suited to our liking - including my request to fill their (short) set breaks with Bollywood music. They handled special requests with ease, including a two song combo first dance and a one live song / one DJ played song combo for the father daughter dance. At one point I wanted to sing to my new husband, so I did, totally unplanned. The singer joyfully gave me the mic, which I thought was so sweet and generous of her because it was an unplanned moment and the band did not know I could sing. On rewatch of the video, the band actually did several things musically to help me out! They slowed down the second verse to give my groom time to get on stage for me to continue singing to him. They truly used their talent for improvisation and adaptation musically to make the night special for the two of us. We were incredibly lucky to work with these super talents, not just for their musical ability but also for their kindness, respect, and humility. They do a great job of hyping up the couple and the families without upstaging the event, too, which is a tricky balance to hit well for many wedding bands / DJs. I love that they played Nola staples that me and the groom knew well, but that the guests did not, and upon realizing this, the singer effortlessly taught the audience the chorus so we would not have that pressure. Could not thank them enough for their attentiveness and care. Book them for your ceremony music too. The singer and guitarist were outstanding and added so much positive emotion to my walk to my groom. THANK YOU!
We hired Nola Dukes for our destination wedding in New Orleans last week. We mainly hired them off of their good reviews. However, the "High Energy" band that keeps that dance floor packed is not who showed up. The band was extremely LOW energy and did not seem to care less. We had agreed to cocktail music during cocktail hour but it seemed to go on for several hours. After the first set we asked the band leader to please pick up the energy and play more music to get people dancing (which we had previously discussed). He assured me they would. However, they came back for the next set and again played low energy/slow music. In fact they cleared the dancefloor on several occasions. People were up and dancing to the music we requested to be played on the bands breaks. Upon their return they cleared the dance floor once again. The band was musically talented but simply playing slow music. In addition, there was no MC to get the crowd going like we were told. The band leader simply made a few announcements ( Introductions, speeches, dinner, ect.) To say we are disappointed would be and understatement. I would not recommend Nola Dukes to anyone personally. Save your money and go with a high energy band/DJ.
Response from the Vendor on 04/28/2023
Hi Bryan,
Thank you for your feedback. I'm very sorry this was your experience on the night but I'm glad you appreciated the band's talent. We strive to give every client an amazing live music experience so I do hope I can address some of your ...
concerns. As we discussed before the event, you booked an extra cocktail hour at a separate location the week of the event in addition to requesting that we perform a cocktail hour set at the reception location that was already planned for. I made sure to clarify the double cocktail hour as that is very atypical for us but we wanted to accommodate your requests when you confirmed. In addition, the ceremony ended 30 minutes early and the band tried to accommodate by starting their performance early so guests wouldn't be without music. All in, it was around 1.5 hours of cocktail music, but I'm sorry that it felt much longer to you. Regarding the MC, we provided our typical announcement services free of charge but a formal MC was not booked for this event. The band leader's role in this case is usually to keep the event timeline on track and make announcements for the first dance, cake cutting, etc. I'm very sorry that your expectations of the MC service were different than what was provided. I am glad that your guests enjoyed the evening – the dance floor seemed to stay crowded and our musicians received many kind compliments from your guests throughout the night which was greatly appreciated! Again, I'm truly sorry that you felt this way about the evening and for anything we could have done to improve it. Wishing you all the best!
We hired Nola Dukes Band to perform at our wedding and they were AMAZING!! Every single guest I spoke to could not stop raving about how great the band was and many asked for the band's information for their future events, as well. You could tell each musician was very talented, individually, in addition to the incredible show they performed as a whole. There was not a single moment that our dance floor was empty. Nola Dukes Band brought the energy and made the night spectacular for us!
NOLA Dukes was definitely some of the best money we spent on our wedding. We hired the nine-piece band. They kept everyone on their feet dancing the entire night. Randi was very helpful in organizing and booking; she did not perform at our wedding reception, but the female vocalist we had was amazing too! Trust their process! You give them ten songs that are sort of your favorites and what you want the music vibe to be, and then they use that song list to match the vibe you’ve given. They also do a great job reading the crowd when choosing what to play. You don’t need a set list; they will play what is needed to keep everybody on the dance floor! They even played “Signed Sealed Delivered” for our first dance and “The Way You Look Tonight” for our family dance because we didn’t want to dance to recorded music. That was extra special. Everyone was asking us who the band was throughout the reception! NOLA Dukes are so much fun and everything you need your wedding band to be!
I could not have asked for a better band! They were so wonderful, people were dancing the entire night! They even allowed one of my bridesmaids to sing a song while the other bridesmaids danced. It was so much fun and they were the best! 10/10 would recommend to anyone getting married!!
The band sounded good and the vocalist had a beautiful voice but they were not very lively and did not interact with our crowd. We were expecting a more upbeat band. We chose them because they had such a range of songs to play but the performance overall was very lackluster. The first producer that was initially assigned to us ignored all of my emails but ultimately we were reassigned to Jonathan. He was very timely with communication and very nice! There were no issues with setup and the band was on time. We did hire them to play our ceremony and the ceremony musicians did beautifully. Overall, I’m not sure if I’d recommend them.
Response from the Vendor on 02/24/2023
Hi Laura,
Thank you for your feedback. I'm so glad you and your guests enjoyed the ceremony music, band, and vocalist on your event! While the vocalist did walk around the dance floor to interact with the crowd on some songs, including the ann...
iversary dance, it seems like you were expecting more interaction and I'm sorry for anything we could have done differently on the night. As you know, after the band's first set, which included a few special requests, you requested that we play a playlist you had put together with mostly rap and line dances. We are, of course, there to cater to your event vision and were happy to do so. This did, however, limit the band's live performance time and opportunities for interaction with the crowd. I am glad that the dance floor was full when the band did perform! I truly apologize for the initial communication issues and I'm very glad you felt that was rectified once you started working directly with Jon. We strive to give every one of our couples an incredible experience and I'm sorry for anything we could have done differently to improve yours. We will certainly use your feedback to refine future events. Wishing you and Blake all the best!
NOLA Dukes Band performed for our Daughters Reception, in addition to all the usual moving parts, it was an outside tented reception, middle of December! NOLA Dukes was without a doubt the absolute BEST BAND EVER for the reception! Their professionalism, demeanor leading up to and during the event, talent, personable traits were Second to None! they gauged the audience and catered to the guests and of course Bride and Groom. they know their business and anyone not speaking to them prior to making a decision on a Band of their Talent would be selling themselves short! You will not regret hiring NOLA Dukes Band for your event. We cannot say enough good things about them and our guests of the evening still talk about how Great the band was and in fact some guests are currently speaking to them on future engagements because of their performance and music. That is the solid testimonial to their band.
We found Nola Dukes after attending a friend's wedding 5 years ago. When it came time for us to tie the knot we knew who we wanted! They were every bit as great as we remembered. Randi made the booking process and everything ahead of time go smoothly, and was a delight to chat with. She immediately latched on to our vibe and communicated clearly about what we could expect. The band has a huge repertoire, which meant that our wedding felt different than the wedding we saw the Dukes at in 2017, as they were able to tailor the music to the tastes of the couples. The consistent things were the quality of the music, and that these folks know how to lead a great party!!! Because they really paid attention to what we like, they ended with one of our absolute favorite songs. We had not requested it, and were so surprised and pleased. I couldn't recommend the Nola Dukes enough!
We knew we wanted a live band for our reception and Nola Dukes completely blew away our expectations!! Randi was so wonderful in helping us pick songs for important moments of the wedding (ceremony walk out song, first dance) and gave us honest feedback on which songs would and wouldn't work from her experience. She was also very accommodating and flexible and the band was able to learn our first dance song on somewhat short notice and we are so thankful since it was a special song to us. People were on the dance floor all night and our guests couldn't stop raving about the music the next day. Nola Dukes does an amazing job of curating a set list with your input without having to have rigid playlist and they have a diverse music catalog which we loved. We also had a string duo play our ceremony music live and it was so beautiful. If you want to make sure your reception is a guaranteed party, hire Nola Dukes!
My husband and I booked Nola Dukes for our wedding this November. We really loved that they could do a mix of oldies, classics, and modern music. Randi jumped on a call with us and was very personable. She quickly understood what we wanted and helped us navigate booking the band. They were very organized and had great communication leading up the event. Everyone who attended our wedding couldn't stop complimenting the band! They absolutely exceeded our expectations. They were friendly, high energy and engaged with the crowd! I couldn't not recommend them more!!!
I can't say enough about Nola Dukes and how amazing they are! We hired them for our ceremony music, cocktail hour and reception. The experience overall was such a great one. All of our guests gave us compliments on the music throughout the entire day and how much that set the tone for our event. Randi was so great in helping us coordinate the day and music and making sure we had music tailored to our tastes. The 8 piece band we had for the reception really knocked it out of the park! Our guests were on the dance floor from start to finish and did not want to leave at the end of the night! Vegas, the lead singer and emcee was great and did a fabulous job! Hire Nola Dukes - you won't regret it!
Randi was so helpful during the planning process. She helped us create a flow for the event that made sense and gave us everything we could have asked for. The band performed flawlessly on the night of the event and everyone mentioned how much the loved the live music versus a dj or playlist.
The band was awesome, our guests were happy and excited, loved the songs they played for us and we were really grateful. During preparing session Randi was super helpful and answered all our questions very fast and clear. And we ordered ceremony at the last second, but it went all great! Thanks again!
They knew exactly how to get the party started and keep it going.
Randi's voice was incredible and the band was tight!
Thanks for making the day incredible for my daughter and new son-in-law.
Nola Dukes were as close to a turn-key experience as we could have hoped for. Everything from their consultation prior to our event to the online contract to the end of our wedding was kicka$$. Couldn't recommend them enough!
BOOK NOLA DUKES BAND NOW! We have done our research from Vancouver on a live band and as soon as I talked to Randi, I just knew I hit the jackpot! She is warm and very knowledgeable and helped us through rescheduling 3 times due to COVID. Randi was true to her words in terms of their services and as we got closer to the date, she became a great partner to make sure we have everything we needed from tent, ceremony music etc.
The band is TOP NOTCH! Our guests kept raving about Nola Dukes Band (even 1 month after, I still get "wow this was the best band I have seen"). We put our trust in them to decide on the playlist and they truly dived into our guest experience and kept them dancing non stop!
I would highly recommend them for any events and thanks to them, we had the best day ever!
We booked Nola Dukes Band for a destination wedding in New Orleans and they were everything. SO many people came up to us after the wedding to tell us how amazing the band was and how they simply wished the wedding were longer because they "could have danced all night". Book them -you won't regret it!
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Hi Maria! We had such an incredible time performing at your wedding! Thank you so much for leaving this review and passing along the feedback from your guests.
I highly recommend The Nola Dukes. From beginning to end my experience was exceptional. They arrived in plenty of time to set up before the start of our event. They are a very professional and talented group. The night flowed seamlessly. Everyone was on their feet dancing, even people who I know never dance. It was a magical night!
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Hi Cathy! Oh, we love to hear it! There's no better feeling for us then getting everybody (even the guests you wouldn't expect) up on the dance floor dancing. Thank you so much for having us :)
My son & new daughter in law were married 2 weeks ago & Nola Dukes rocked the reception. They were professional, amazingly talented, really knew how to interact with & read the guests to see what got them on the dance floor. We hated for the night to end! Thanks Nola Dukes for making our newlyweds’ reception a night to remember & treasure! ❤️ (Mineo/Harrell family)
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Thank you so much, Shelly! What amazing party! So happy to hear that you had as much fun as we did. We are wishing your son and daughter in law a lifetime of happiness :) -NDB
Book this freaking band. The most important part of our wedding during planning had always been the band. My husband and I wanted people freaking partying and man, did they party; and that’s all due to NOLA Dukes. Randi was a great communicator and we felt taken care of throughout the entire process. She really listened to us when discussing the type of music we wanted played out our wedding. I was even surprised with some emo hits from my middle school days that were totally unexpected! My partner, family, friends and myself couldn’t get enough; hell, we even had some people on the dance floor who I didn’t expect to dance because the band was that freaking good.
Probably the best decision I made for my wedding.
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Wow! Thank you SO much Peyton. You really know how to throw an amazing party and we are beyond grateful to have been a part of it. So happy to hear you enjoyed the emo throwbacks and that you had some guests you weren't expecting dancing the n...
ight away. All the best to you!
Nola Dukes was one of the best parts of my wedding, and I'm so glad I chose them! We hired the Nola Dukes 6 piece band for the reception, as well as the second line band. Randi was so helpful and organized throughout the whole planning process and made it stress-free for me. The band clearly knows what they are doing at weddings- they read the crowd so well. They started with slower, easy-listening music and gradually pumped up the energy to match the crowd. Then we finished the night off with the second-line band. I've gotten more compliments on the second line band than anything else at the wedding! It was the perfect way to end the night. My only regret is that I was so busy dancing that I didn't get a chance to really sit down and listen to them! Hiring Nola Dukes was one of the best decisions I made for our wedding.
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Thank you so much for this review, Victoria! We had an absolute blast playing at your wedding and we LOVE to hear that everything went smoothly on your end. Thanks for throwing an amazing party and for trusting us to be a part of it.
I’ll keep this simple- stop looking for any other band. This is your band. I’ve gotten more compliments on the music than anything else, and honestly would pay to see them perform again, any day. Randi was so helpful to work with, and it’s clear the team listened to what we wanted/didn’t want. The band itself is insanely talented and will keep your guests talking about your event for years to come. Book them and count yourself lucky that you’ll have them!
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Awww thank you, Carly! What a wonderful night! We really appreciate your continued support and for passing along those compliments from your guests. We had so much fun working and celebrating with you! Cheers!
You should hire Nola Dukes Band right now! We hired a string trio for our ceremony and their 8-piece band for our reception. They also helped to connect us with Big Fun Brass band for our Second Line. Everything was wonderful. They played all of our first dance songs live and nailed each of them - especially our first dance song (It's Been a Long Long Time by Harry James; it was really important to us that it was played live since it has such a good jazz band feel to it).
Randi was absolutely wonderful to work with - her excitement and energy leading up to our wedding was infectious and her understanding and execution of our music vision was perfect - we don't love top 100 songs and we didn't hear any of them at the reception. Randi herself was one of the lead singers and helped to MC the night - keeping the crowd energized and engaged.
I was a bit nervous since there aren't a ton of videos available online of their live performances, but that is because other musicians have stolen their arrangements (if you ask, they will send you samples directly) and I shouldn't have been worried. Live music was the most important aspect of our wedding when planning and I would choose Nola Dukes a million times again.
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Hi Emily! Yay! We are so glad you enjoyed our string trio and reception performance. We are always eager to deliver on clients specific requests and it feels so good to know we got it right. Thank you for being so wonderful to work with and for...
throwing an excellent party. Wishing you all the best! -NDB
We could not be happier with Randi and the Nola Dukes. Randi was incredibly communicative and easy to work with before the event (including a couple very last minute changes!), wonderfully patient in helping plan each detail, and just put on a hell of a show. In reminiscing about our wedding, all of our guests immediately bring up the Dukes and how much fun they were. We cannot recommend this band enough, they very much made our wedding and provided so many amazing memories we will cherish forever.
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Hi Daniel! Thank you for this wonderful review and your continued support of our band. We had so much fun playing at your wedding and working with you in the months leading up to it. Cheers!
WOW! Nola Dukes Band is the best wedding band EVER! Our guests keep bringing up how perfect the music was! We even have an aunt who got their contact information for her daughter who isn't even engaged yet! The dance floor was packed for our entire 4 hour reception because Nola Dukes Band was just so great.
Randy was so easy to work with and made sure that all of our music preferences and styles were taken into account. For us, picking individual songs wasn't something we wanted or had time to do, so we let the band choose the set. This was a great decision!
They also played our first dance, mother/son, and father/daughter songs, which I totally recommend!
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Ahhh this is amazing to hear! We love it when the dance floor is packed! You and your guests made the night so much fun. We are always happy to help choose a set list and we are so glad to hear you liked what we picked :) Thanks for your contin...
ued support, Sarah Jane!
The two most important things to my husband and I on our wedding day was music and food. Nola Dukes brought the thunder and showed our guests the best time. They're still talking about how amazing the band was. Nola Dukes kept our guests dancing all night and had them demanding an encore after the last song (the band kindly obliged). If you want to impress your guests and keep them entertained all night, hire Nola Dukes.
If you want to be dancing all night long... This is the band for you.
Seriously- we begged them for more.
Randi is as excited about your event as you are. It made me really nervous to not know what they were going to play, as they really want to set the night up for you- I am so glad we put our trust in them as it was a blast and they paced things really well.
The musicians are amazing and they look like they are having fun which really adds to the party. They are respectful about what you want and don't. Their website for planning is extremely detailed and clear, and communication with Randi is easy and efficient. Their pricing is fair (honestly go for the 9 piece its worth it!!)
There are lots of bands around town- this is a music city after all. We wanted the big band, horns and all- and boy did they deliver.
Response from the Vendor on 08/05/2022
Thank you so much for trusting us on your big day, Charlotte! We love to hear that you were dancing all night long! That is always our goal :) It was really great working with you too! Cheers!
Honestly, the only regret of my wedding is that I didn't Dance more! The music was so on point for our vision for the wedding. Randi was helped us customize exactly what we wanted and they totally delivered. And we weren't easy, we wanted classic jazz, funk, MoTown and Rock and Roll, I think we even requested some country and they really were able to do it all. The prices were unbeatable. I am so glad they were the first and last band I talked to when planning.
INCREDIBLE! Thank you Nola Dukes for a fantastic experience. We had so much fun at our wedding reception… we never left the dance floor! We absolutely loved the horn! And Randi was awesome to work with leading up to our event. Hands down one of the single best decisions we made as part of our wedding planning process was hiring the Nola Dukes Band. FIVE STARS!
We booked the NOLA Dukes back in 2019, and then…pandemic.
The world turned to chaos, and all of our plans for our wedding in 2020 were cancelled.
However, NOLA Dukes was extremely kind, professional, and flexible. We were able to easily push back our plans to the summer of 2021, and by luck and chance, we were able to have the wedding celebration in the few weeks when things seemed to be back to normal. The band was incredible. They were super easy and fun to work with, and the sound was awesome. Having a good band was really important to us because our families like to dance, and this band provided the perfect music. They really catered the set list to our tastes. It was a great energy and a great sound, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a fun band!
Just stop your search now and hire Nola Dukes. They played and emceed our wedding and were phenomenal. During and after the wedding, numerous guests told us Nola Dukes was the best band they've seen play at a wedding (agreed). The band is full of absolute pros and it shows. Aside from one request, we left song selection totally up to the band and they put together a fantastic set list. The energy was always right. You can also arrange ceremony music through them with members of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Randi is great to work with and sets you up with a personalized portal where you can fill in all planning details and requests. Hire Nola Dukes—you'll be glad you did!
Nola Dukes did such a wonderful job! They played such fun, high energy music that kept our very eclectic guest list happy the entire time! I cannot recommend them enough.
The band was great, until they weren't - Randi was incredibly unprofessional and brought an end to the night, unlike anything we could have imagined. An over eager guest kept asking for a song, and she shut it down in a way that made everyone gasp in shock. Made claims that her band was threatened. A perfect night overshadowed by unprofessionalism. Not to mention, they were unprepared and very difficult to communicate with the entire time. Very sad - not worth the good music.
Response from the Vendor on 01/19/2022
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Randi and the Nola Dukes are just the best! They tailored everything perfectly to fit my event. Randi was always available to answer my questions/talk anything out with me and she made me feel comfortable and confident in the midst of rescheduled covid wedding craziness.
NOLA Dukes was the perfect band for our daughter’s wedding reception. The band knew when to kick the party into high gear and played fun dance music that everyone enjoyed.
This band was hands down the best band I have ever heard at a wedding and I have been to many weddings. From day one of talking to Randi, I knew they were going to be a show. And, they were! Our guests are still talking about how much fun they had. The dance floor was full all night and that's exactly what we wanted!
OMG is what I want to say about this band. From start of looking to hire them to finish with them singing at the wedding was an amazing experience. Randi couldn’t have been more helpful. We hired the 8 piece band because you can choose different options. Had a female and mail singer which we love and the were amazing singers and musicians and so much fun. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Best wedding band in New Orleans and maybe the South! They will get the party started and keep it going. Professional at all times and provide all services you could ask for. You won’t regret hiring them!!
I cannot recommend this band enough. First, Randi handled so much of the planning and really gave the best advice for the agenda/set list. Second, the band was unbelievable. They really matches the style we wanted and multiple guests asked for their contact information. People are still talking about the performance. The entire process was stress free and absolutely amazing
The NOLA Dukes Band is absolutely amazing!!! Not only did they make booking what we wanted incredibly easy (reception + second line), this band has TALENT! All of my guests were so impressed by the band and their ability to create the perfect New Orleans atmosphere. NOLA Dukes Band truly made our wedding a beautiful experience.
If you're looking for a band that will get all your guests on their feet and dance. This is the band for you. Randi helped us when COVID restrictions caused out dates and venue to change. All our guests had a fantastic time from beginning to end. The song choices were fantastic varying from old to new, songs everyone enjoyed. Nola Dukes Band by far was the best choice!
The Nola Dukes are the best in the business. I heard them play at a friend's wedding in 2018, and I knew I would hire them for my wedding when one of those wifes. So I spent the next year finding someone that I could marry so that I could hire the Dukes. I found my lovely (now) wife and started planning our wedding in 2020, pre-covid.
I had to push my wedding reception back year, so it was more of 1-year anniversary throwdown. The Dukes were extremely professional throughout COVID, and made the days leading up to our reception (2 weeks before Delta shutdown in nola) so easy.
Literally, I think everyone I talked to at the wedding and after has complimented the band. Almost every out-of-town guest was completely taken aback by how talented (they really do sound awesome) and fun (they bring the energy) The Dukes were. Many out-of-town couples (and even parents with daughters about to get engaged) said they want the Dukes at their weddings, and would actually consider doing a destination wedding in NOLA in order to book them (could be the alcohol talking but they were being serious).
What really sticks for me, as a Louisianian/NOLA guy, is that my family/friends - all locals - said The Dukes were absolutely amazing and they want to hire them for upcoming stuff. If you're from here, you know that great party bands are everywhere and it's hard for them to impress a local.
This band will get everyone dancing and keep them dancing all night. Randi for Mayor 2021
My daughter (the bride) heard Nola Dukes Band at another wedding last fall. She said they were awesome and the dance floor was packed the entire night. When she became engaged , there was no question as to who she wanted at her wedding. I can not say enough good things about this band. They are professionals and so you are going to have to pay them as such....but well worth the money spent!!!! They were extremely helpful leading up to the wedding in the planning, They give you a choice of the number in the band. We went with 7 people. Emily responded immediately with any questions I had. As for the performance....the live singing and music was incredible. They sounded amazing! They were highly skilled and worth every penny!!!!!! Old and young alike were on the dance floor the entire evening. I had many people ask me who the band was and where they were from. People continually commented that they had never seen that many people dance at a wedding before. You could not help but dance to the music....they were that good. On the wedding day, we are all there for the ceremony...but that is only about 30 minutes of the evening. We wanted to make sure that we had a GREAT party after the ceremony to celebrate. Nola Dukes Band did not disappoint!!! They were fantastic! It is a great feeling when your guests call you afterward and say....that is the most fun they have ever had at a wedding. I can wholeheartedly recommend them for any party!
Randi and all the band members were perfect! All of Elizabeth and Anderson’s wedding guest are still talking about how good the Nola Dukes were and how much fun they had ! If you are looking for a band that will keep all your guests on the dance floor don’t look any further than Randi with Nola Dukes
The band had everyone dancing until the very End. They are a great wedding band that I would recommend to every bride
Randy was a joy to work with. They were very happy to work with us on timing, as well as, learned a couple of songs specifically for our big day. They were very lively on stage and definitely made our wedding truly memorable.
Getting married in New Orleans? NOLA Dukes is an incredible wedding band. They far exceeded our expectations. Randy, the lead singer has an incredible voice and belted out jazz hits all night long. The dance floor was never empty.
Randi was amazing! Leading up to the wedding, she answered all my questions and was so communicative. I can't tell you how appreciative I am of that- as it can be stressful planning a destination wedding. She made it so easy and also had the best personality- Randi is definitely doing the right job :) So, the band itself for my wedding was amazing!! We wanted a true New Orleans style music and they brought it! Despite the rain and having a tent, they seemed to be so flexible and went with the flow and did everything that was planned- even when we had a few changes they pivoted perfectly. I am forever grateful. Don't think twice about booking NOLA Dukes for your event! Thank you so much!!
My wife and I decided early on we wanted live music for our wedding, originally scheduled for September of 2020. We booked NOLA Dukes early-on, before the pandemic really took hold in the US. Our original agreement was for a 7-piece reception band, a ceremony harpist, and a second-line through the French quarter.
Fast forward to 2021, and my wife and I had rescheduled the wedding for April. NOLA Dukes easily adjusted their schedule and timeline to meet our needs, and worked within the restrictions of the city of New Orleans to provide as much of their services as possible.
Leading up to the wedding, we had a backup DJ in place given the city of New Orleans wasn't allowing live music. In a divine turn of events, the mayor allowed live music indoors 3 weeks before our wedding. My wife and I decided to pivot away from the DJ and keep NOLA Dukes booked for our reception, assuming the risk that a rise in cases could sweep the rug out from under us. Ultimately we did host the 7-piece band, the harpist, and ended our night with second-line music as a replacement for having the actual parade.
Boy, did we luck out. NOLA Dukes absolutely owned the stage, and had our reception rocking well into the night. One of my groomsman stated, "I've danced more at your wedding the last hour than I did at my own entire wedding."
How's that for a ringing endorsement.