Why you shouldn’t DIY your DJ
Do it yourself weddings can seem like a cost-effective option for your wedding. But what do you sacrifice when you DIY? Read on to find out why you shouldn’t DIY your DJ.
Wedding experts
I met with a panel of three wedding experts to look at when to and not to DIY your DJ. In the first article we learned that weddings under 50 people are a good time to DIY your DJ. In this article Mark McDonald, DJ and owner of Complete Wedding Denver, along with Wendie Bass and Norie Hamilton wedding planners, will look at why the right DJ can make your wedding a memorable success.
Food & Fun
Like there are two guarantees in life, death and taxes, there are two essentials to a successful reception. Food and Fun. Your guests will always remember the food, and if they had a good time. Therefore, the DJ should not be on the DIY list. A good DJ will keep the flow of your party moving.
Importance of DJ
So why is the DJ so important? They are the public face of the party and master of ceremonies. They provide the sound equipment, set it up, bring spare gear for emergencies, and have the experience to run it well. This is not something you want uncle Burt to handle on your big day.
Master of Ceremonies
As master of ceremonies, they announce what is happening and direct your guests to important events. They announce the wedding party when it arrives, the best man and maid of honor, then the bride and groom. No one likes to stand in the never-ending line for buffet food. The DJ can dismiss tables in an orderly way so guests can enjoy socializing while waiting for their turn for food. Then they can announce the toasts, cake cutting and first dance, father daughter dance, and the garter and bouquet toss. They are the guide for your guests to the party you have planned.
Juggling requests
Once the formalities are taken care of, they fade into the background as they manage the ebb and flow of a successful dance floor. For example, an IPOD with all upbeat music will exhaust even the healthiest guest in 25 minutes. Managing the playlist and juggling guest requests to keep the dance floor full and energetic while avoiding having it empty like cockroaches when the lights come on is essential. A good DJ will have clean edits of song requests, so guests are not bombarded with foul words and other colorful phrases.
Communicates behind the scenes
Murphy’s law can strike at any time. And when one of those unexpected events happens, like a guest turns an ankle on the dance floor, the DJ is there to communicate with the behind the scenes staff. The DJ can work with the wedding planner and catering staff to keep the guests on track. If the caterer is ready to serve, your DJ is there to make the announcement. If your photos are running behind, the DJ can let guests know and help adjust the timeline.
Connecting to Guests
Your DJ knows how to communicate with your guests to provide the perfect ebb and flow for your reception. Providing them with a short list of 5 to 10 favorite songs 2 to 3 weeks in advance of your wedding is a great idea. Dictating the whole reception music list will handcuff your DJ from using his experience to keep the dancing rocking. It will also alienate him from your guests and make them feel left out because they can not make any song requests. A good DJ can juggle song requests with the suggested song list provided by the wedding couple.
Timing group dances
Do you hate line dances and mixers? Even if you may get nauseous over one more chicken dance, a well-timed line dance can pack your floor. Line dances give your single guests an opportunity to get up and dance without the awkwardness of asking someone they do not know to dance. All the aunts and closet John Travolta’s can jump up and get electric as they slide across the dance floor. Don’t eliminate line dance, just moderate and look at the ones that will create a memorable evening.
RSVP songs
What about the RSVP song request trend? Right now, it is popular to ask your guests for a guest song request with their RSVP. This is both good and bad. The good part is getting an idea of what your guests want to hear early. Bad because your guests’ favorite song may change daily, and what they sent in with the RSVP may not be their favorite three months later.
Another drawback is if everyone sends in slow ballads and love songs. These may work at the cocktail hour but will not pick up the energy for the dance time. Next, there will be more requests than there is time to play them. A four-hour reception will use 60 songs, and if you have 150 to 200 guests, then there is not enough time to play them all. Last, get these requests to your DJ two to three weeks in advance of your reception. Handing him a stack the day of the wedding will not give him enough time to sort them into a good party flow.
Lasting memories
At the end of the day you want your guests to say they had the best time ever. That your DJ really did a great job helping them party on. When you set your budget, plan for food and fun for a successful reception. You can DIY your gown, your cake, your flowers and it will all work fine. Be sure to hire a DJ to keep your party flowing.
6 Reasons Why You Should Not DIY Your DJ
- Master of Ceremonies
- Juggling Requests
- Communicates Behind the Scenes
- Connecting to Guests
- Timing Group Dances
- Creates Lasting Memories
Panel of Wedding Experts
Thank you to this wonderful panel of Experts. Need help? You can find contact information for each expert below.
Marc A McDonald
3915 S Federal Blvd
Sheridan CO 80110
303-756-7979
Norie Hamilton
Weddings by Norie
303-452-4802
303-263-4498 cell
Master Bridal Consultant TM
Member of the Association of Bridal Consultants
norham5@aol.com
Wendie Bass
Chief Curator, Wendie Bass, Weddings, Events & More
303-915-4346
wendie@wendiebass.com
www.wendiebass.com
Holly Collins
WEDDING DANCE instruction
DANCE LESSONS.
author of
Holly’s hot wedding tips,
Historically Accurate Princess Dances,
Winner of:
The Knot Hall of Fame best wedding dance instruction,
top 50 Dance Blogs
Champion Ballroom Dancer & Coach
owner of
Adventures in Dance
720-276-0562
info@adventuresindance.com
www.adventuresindance.com
For dance tips,
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