Q: Are you guys reliable?
Q: What experience do you have?
Q: Have you received any formal training as a DJ?
.
Q: How many songs do you have in your library?8000
Q: Do you offer a wireless mic for speeches?Q: What equipment do you use?
Q: How about volunteer work?
Q: What if the volume is too loud or you play music I don't like?
Q: I am the bride and this is MY day, if I supply him with a list of music that I like will the dj play my music all night?
Q: I don't care about my guests, I want to hear MY music and the guests will enjoy it because they are all close to me and they know this is MY day and they will dance to it anyway, that's the way they are.
Q: Do you take requests?
Q: Will the DJ be dressed appropriately?
Q: Why are you more expensive than most other disc jockeys in this town?
Q: What's the difference between a dj and a live band?
It depends, both bands and djs bring some
advantages to the table.
Here are the differences:
BANDS
ADVANTAGES
|
DISADVANTAGES
|
Disc Jockeys
ADVANTAGES
|
DISADVANTAGES
|
Finally, a word from us
The Challenge
He's a little bit country, she's a little bit rock 'n roll.
Mom's big on Sinatra, but she married the original doo-wop daddy.
The aunts and uncles prefer polkas, chicken dances and similar spectacles.
And then there are the friends from college...
How do you select wedding reception music that fits everybody? It's an intimidating
question, since entertainment plays a key role in the success of a wedding reception.
Years from now, your wedding reception guests will remember few details of your reception,
but they'll certainly recall whether they danced, laughed and enjoyed themselves. The
entertainment is the make-or-break factor in producing a memorable special occasion.
After fifteen years of entertaining at wedding receptions, we've found that there are very few rules that apply to all wedding receptions. Each assembly of guests takes on a distinct personality.
There are some song titles that you'll
specify by name to your dj. These "special songs" include your bride &
groom first dance, father/bride dance, mother/groom dance, wedding party dance, cake
cutting, departure dance, and others, depending upon which traditional agenda items you
include in your reception.
Often, what makes a song special is the memory associated with it. A great bride & groom first-dance song might be the one that played on the car radio during the couple's first date. The father/bride dance could be performed to the song dad sang when he tucked in a five-year-old future bride. Even if the meaning is lost on the rest of the group, a special moment forms on the dancefloor. And that is apparent to the guests.
For true sentimentality, there are several songs intended specifically for such events as father/bride and mother/groom dance songs.
Aside from your special songs, it's important for
you to work with your dj to set a tone for your wedding.
A reputable DJ will study your guests and produce a music program that reflects their guests preferences, rather than working from a standard playlist that works most of the time.
Obviously, planning is essential. You should work closely with an entertainment provider whose insights you trust. Together, you can produce an entertainment program that balances your taste and the desires of your audience.
Some flexibility is essential in the planning process. Let's take an extreme (but true) example to illustrate the point.
Maggie was a 24-year-old bride-to-be with a strong musical interest. Her tastes ran toward alternative rock, and she was considered an expert on the format. Her wedding reception, she decided, would be pre-planned, song-by-song, to reflect her tastes.
We worked with Maggie to gently soften her intractable position regarding the music list, but Maggie was the customer, and she invariably rejected each of our suggestions.
We almost refused to play at her wedding once we heard she wanted alternative music all
night, but this was a challenge that we could not turn down.
Only while setting-up for the wedding reception did we realize something truly bothersome:
The reception was being staged far from Maggie's home and friends, and was attended almost
exclusively by the groom's family. It was a large gathering of a conservative, old-world
family, none of whom was vaguely familiar with alternative rock.
We were almost continuously verbally assaulted by members of the audience for (Maggie's)alternative musical selections. Guests began filtering out of the hall a few minutes after the first dance. Even Maggie recognized that the Fugees' Killing Me Softly with This Song would've been more appropriately named Killing My Party with This Song.
With a scant few close family members left in attendance, Maggie started wondering why
her guests were leaving so early(duh!).
We explained to Maggie that her music is annoying everyone and they can't stand it!,
reluctantly she allowed the DJ to play his selections of music. A few people finally
brushed the top layer of dust from the dancefloor and the night was saved.
Agreed, the above is an extreme example of how a wedding reception can be "over-produced." But in lesser forms, it's common for us to see a lopsided balance between host preferences and guest expectations.
Let's get to the big question: How much music do you need to select?
From a purely chronological standpoint, somewhere between 50 and 60 songs will fit into a four-hour wedding reception.
But chronology fails to consider the most important issue you face as a wedding planner:
How much of the wedding dance are you willing to give to your guests?
90% of it!
We're told not to play The Macarena, the Chicken Dance, Mony Mony, etc.
Such exclusions are quite understandable, since those songs are so overplayed that they audibly illustrate the word "trite."
It's also understandable that many guests will want to dance to those songs. They expect them
An associated issue is how much you trust your entertainment provider to gauge the crowd reaction and adapt the program to their tastes. A skilled DJ will be able to select music that motivates the crowd without turning a classy affair into a truck pull.
For that reason, you need to work closely with your dj to share a common vision.
It's wise to consider your preferences, your guests' expectations and your entertainment provider's insights to produce an entertainment program that makes your reception a memorable event.
"Think about your guests"
Choose wisely, and best wishes.
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