The band I'm with now retired from the club scene some years ago where a good night would bring in close to £1000. However it was gruelling work and as a bunch of middle aged men we will now go out for anything ranging from £150 (if we like the gig/landlord/beer) to more usually £250-£300 (which is about all you can get a public house to stump up, and then they would expect to know the band and wether they can draw a crowd.
If approached, we would usually ask what/who the gig was for and the price would reflect. Recently we were asked to play at a wedding but our experience of weddings isn't great as we're a fairly loud band and although the young couple who booked you think it's a great idea, old Auntie Nellie and Great Grandad, who want to sit and have a chat, are sometimes less impressed.
I was making this point to the groom-to-be, who was most insistant we played, and he mistook my reluctance as an attempt to hike the price. Quite out of the blue he offered £750+travelling expenses+(and this was the clincher)"as much beer as the band can drink until they fall over"
I took him up on the offer, but not before he understood that we're NOT background music and that Mum and Dad (who presumably were paying for it all) were happy to have a live band in a marquee in their back garden.(It turns out they live on a farm so no neighbour problems)
The young man has since written to confirm the arrangements and I,for one, am looking forward to it!