Getting the Most from Your DJ {Wedding Wednesday: Affordable Music and Sound}
Over the last 10 years, I’ve witnessed many DJs: some very, very good; some reasonable; and some expensive, obnoxious, and loud! Here are some tips to help you set things up so you can relax and enjoy the music you want to hear on your big day!
1) Look for good Customer Service. The DJ should communicate timely and courtesously. After all, you are the client and it is your big day! If possible, meet with your DJ to get a feeling for him or her. Find out how flexible they are with changing timelines and circumstance. Believe me, things can change and the more smoothly the DJ can adapt with you and for you, the happier everyone will be.
2) Be clear up front that you are the CLIENT. Think about what you want for your music and entertainment experience at your wedding and reception and communicate it clearly to the DJ. Let them know if you don’t like a talker or how much room they have for independent judgment. If you don’t want to hear a single song that isn’t on your personal playlist, let them know. Lay out the ground rules and put it writing, asking them to acknowledge your requests. Many DJs prefer you be upfront and direct. There’s a way to set expectations without being Bridezilla.
3) Be very specific about your playlist. Hopefully, the DJ will provide you with a professional planning guide to help you. If they don’t, create your own and include the following categories:
Ceremony
- Prelude music
- Music for seating the mothers
- Music for the bridesmaids’ processional
- Music for the bride’s processional
- Recessional music
Reception
- Cocktail music pre-entrance
- Cocktail music post-entrance
- Entrance song
- Dinner music
- Cake cutting song
- First dance song
- Daddy/daughter dance song
- Mother/son dance song
- Bouquet/garter toss songs
- Last dance
4) Decide whether you’re going to let the DJ take requests or not, and make sure you’re clear on the system with the DJ. If you’d prefer they not take requests, you can ask them to tell people that they don’t have the music being requested up to a certain point. If somebody gets aggressive, they might have to explain that the bride and groom have requested no spontaneous requests. Keep in mind that if you only select a certain type of music, others at the reception may respond well to other types of music.
5) Be VERY SPECIFIC about your “Do Not Play” list. Those are the songs you really, really don’t want to hear at your wedding. You never know what your friends may request, and you’re better off making sure the DJ knows at the outset exactly how you feel about those songs.
6) Get your playlist to your DJ as early as possible. Every DJ has a different system or method, and many of them have to pull your playlist from their master systems. Some of them need time to make sure they have all your music ready in time for your wedding. At the very latest, have all song selections to your music master no less than two weeks prior to your wedding date. Thirty to sixty days is even better.
RW Smith
Affordable Entertainment
https://www.affordablemusicandsound.com/
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