Wedding Planning: Don’t Skimp on the DJ!
If finding a DJ is low on your wedding priority list, you may want to read this first.
You may have heard something along these lines before: “Meh, you don’t need a good DJ, they’re just playing music.”
In fact, according to statistics*, DJs are near the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to wedding expenses (11th down the list, to be precise). On average, couples spend more on photographers, wedding planners and rehearsal dinners than they do on a DJ. They even spend more on flowers! Granted, these are all important components to an amazing wedding. But allow me to make a case for the DJ, the unsung hero of every successful wedding.
Let’s consider your wedding day as a whole. While there is much that goes on behind the scenes on the day of the wedding, the wedding itself -from ceremony to reception- begins and ends with the DJ. In the past, many people got married in a church or chapel of some sort. Nowadays, most wedding ceremonies take place onsite at the same venue as the reception. Most venues do not have adequate (or any) audio equipment to handle your wedding ceremony. Enter the DJ.
A good DJ will be able to arrive onsite early and set up sound for your ceremony. You can expect to have a professional sound system, as well as microphones for the officiant, bride and groom so all the guests can hear the ceremony and vows with crystal clear sound. The DJ plays music handpicked by the couple for the bride and bridal party entrance, and processional music for the exit. While this may not seem all that important, an experienced DJ knows when to cue music, fade it in and out, and have the sound properly amplified so all in the audience can hear and the ceremony can go off without a hitch (pun intended).
Following the ceremony, a good DJ will get the good vibes going by expertly mixing uptempo music during cocktail/appetizer hour. This is important, especially if you want your guests to get on the dance floor later on in the evening. A good cocktail hour mix gets the heads nodding, the toes tapping, and the drinks flowing to ensure that everyone has a great time at the reception. A good DJ will also be your MC, making all the important announcements throughout the night. He utilizes professional sound equipment so that the music and audio quality is top notch.
Next, the DJ keeps the evening going by getting the wedding party and the bride and groom ready for the grand entrance. This is a massive moment because this is the first time the bride and groom enter a room as a married couple. With an inexperienced or unprepared DJ, many things can go wrong. The wrong song can be played, the music or audio might not be clear or loud enough, or the wrong names can be announced (trust me, this does happen!). A good DJ has all the right music cued and ready, and coordinates with the couple ahead of time to get all the names of the bridal party correct - especially the bride and groom! He will also coordinate with the photographer and videographer to make sure the timing is just right and they get all the right shots.
He announces all the dances (first dance, parent dances, and all other formalities), dismisses tables for dinner, and hands the microphones to everyone making a toast or speech. Once the dinner hour is over and all the important events have occurred, the DJ gets the party started by rocking the crowd with an incredible dance hour (or hours, if he is good at his job). This is far more than just hitting play on a Spotify playlist. A good DJ curates a unique sound tailored the musical tastes of each couple. Love indie music? It’s there! Hate Bruno Mars? Gone! Whatever music you love, he plays. After all, it’s your day, and you should hear all the music you love and not hear the music you can’t stand. Just like cocktail and dinner hour, the music expertly mixed, keeping the dance floor packed and you looking back and saying, “wow, that was so much fun!”
As you can see, the DJ is much more than just a glorified iPod. He spends hours behind the scenes meeting and coordinating with the couple, wedding planner, and venue to ensure the logistics are taken care of. He also spends much time preparing your music and going over the itinerary. He is the first to show up at the wedding venue, and the last to leave. The buck stops with the DJ. Without him, there is no ceremony, no reception, no party. A good DJ can be the difference between a wedding and an experience that will last a lifetime.
A bad DJ will always be remembered for the wrong reasons, and can potentially ruin your entire wedding. And while it’s important to find a DJ that will fit your budget, remember that you get what you pay for. With a good DJ, you’re not just paying for music; you're paying for peace of mind, knowing that the biggest day of your life is in the best hands and you are trusting an experienced professional who puts your needs first and foremost. Happy wedding planning!