This can be a tricky one.
Everybody wants to have great music played at their party or wedding, but how to go about this?
You could compile your own list of favourite songs for the DJ to play, but bear in mind that if you have really eclectic, ‘out there’ tastes, your song selections may not cater for all your guests. Where you may love the music, your dancefloor may be left empty and your guests may not enjoy themselves as much as you.
On the flipside, if you leave it up to your DJ to select all the music, you run the risk of an inexperienced, self-centred DJ playing only the songs that he/she wants to hear.
However, if you hire a reputable DJ, you will find they are professional, experienced, can ‘read crowds’ well, know what song to play and ‘when’ to get the best response from guests, can cater for a wide range of ages and musical tastes and who are only more than happy to take requests.
Team this with selecting some of your favourite songs to be played and you get the best of both worlds!
It can be overwhelming when it comes to selecting music for your party, especially when your DJ/DJ company boasts to having upwards of 50,000 songs in their collection.
So where do you start when making a song list?
- Make sure your DJ/DJ company gives you their song list as this will give you an idea of what’s in their library
- Go through the list and tick your favourite songs which make for great party/dancing songs too (it might sound good to you to select all of your favourite songs, but if all these songs aren’t what most of your guests will enjoy too, you might end up with a poor atmosphere at your party with none of your guests dancing or enjoying themselves). Ticking your favourite songs also gives the DJ an idea of the kind of songs you like, so he/she will be able to mix in other songs on the night similar to the style/s you have already selected
- Share the list with your friends/family who can also select some of their favourite songs too – that way, you will have a list of music to please a wide range of your guests
- Bear in mind that for a typical 5 hour party, anywhere from 60-120 songs may be played, so if you select more than this, be prepared that some may not get played. With this in mind, make sure the songs you do select are the ones that you and your guests can really enjoy and dance to
- Alternatively, instead of selecting songs, give your DJ an idea of the genres/styles of music you enjoy and leave the rest up to him/her! That way, your DJ can select the best songs that people respond to from his/her experience, and you and your guests can make requests too!
These points might help you make a decision between hiring a DJ or a jukebox for your party:
By having a DJ:
- you instantly get that party ‘feel’ simply by just having the DJ and the DJ set-up, creating a great atmosphere
- you and your guests can interact with the DJ and request all of your favourite songs, as well as have the DJ respond to and ‘read your crowd’ to keep the dance-floor full
- the music will be seamless, that is, no pauses between songs, unlike the jukebox
- it may cost a little more than having a jukebox
If you decide to have a jukebox:
- it takes interaction from your guests: this can be fun, but if no-one chooses any songs, then none will be played. Alternatively, you can pre-select all of the songs to be played beforehand, but you do run the risk of nobody else enjoying your selections. On the flipside, if lots of your guests are selecting the same song/s, you could end up with these being played repeatedly throughout the night
- this may be a cheaper option than a DJ
A lot of factors contribute to ‘what makes a great DJ’. When trying to find the best DJ for your wedding, party or function/event, have the following information in the back of your mind, as it may help you ask questions of your DJ when making your initial enquiry:
- Arrives early/on time. A good DJ will arrive 60-30 minutes before the start of any function/event, will set-up in a timely manner and be ready to start playing BEFORE the function is to commence
- Comes dressed to suit the occasion. A good DJ will be neatly presented, and you should expect formal pants and a collared shirt for any wedding, black tie or corporate event
- Looks relaxed and comfortable behind the decks. A good DJ should be looking out at the crowd and responding to what the guests want played. This is ‘reading the crowd’ and the DJ should know what tracks to play and when to play them. The DJ should give the vibe that he is enjoying it, as your guests will feed off this energy
- Plays the music that YOU want played, and that of your guests. Not what he wants played for his own enjoyment. Period
- Understands that practice makes perfect. A good DJ will consistently practice and strive to perfect his beat matching, scratching, mixing and ‘mash-ups’ skills in order to be the best that he can be, for you
These are just some of the qualities that make a great DJ which might help you make a decision when looking for the best DJ to hire for your wedding, party, corporate event/function, school disco or formal, deb, valedictory or any function that you want fantastic music and entertainment for!
There are a number of venues that are subject to noise restrictions, largely due to the fact that they are located close to residential areas. I cannot put more emphasis on how important it is to check with the venue if any noise restrictions will apply, preferably before making a booking, as this can really affect the DJ’s performance (with respect to how loud he/she can play your music) and ultimately how your guests will respond to music played at such a low volume.
Some venues have in-house audio/sound systems that all DJs must use when DJ’ing there (thus DJs are not allowed to use their own equipment). These do not have the ability to let the music play loudly (nor allow a lot of ‘bass’) as the size and power of the system is so small, thus the volume is always kept markedly low.
Some venues will have this in the form of a ceiling system, which generally allow for a greater dispersion of sound, however it can be difficult for the DJ to balance the volume between enabling guests throughout the entire venue to hear the music at a comfortable level, whilst avoiding blasting the ears off those guests seated close to or directly under the speakers.
Other venues will also have what is called a ‘compressor’, or sound limiter, which essentially ‘cuts off’ the power when the volume reaches a certain level. This is often set a considerably low level, so the music is unable to be played much louder than the volume of a normal conversation. In such venues, DJs will generally be given 2 warnings, in that if music reaches the limit on more than 2 occasions, the music will terminated for the rest of the function/event.
As such, when considering booking a venue with an in-house audio system or one that has any sound restrictions, it is highly recommended that you ask the venue to demonstrate the system capabilities, or the maximum acceptable volume, bearing in mind that the system will also need to compete with the noise generated by a room full of guests.
Ultimately, music can really influence the success of a function/event, and if your guests are continually complaining about the low volume of the music, thus not getting into ‘party’ mode and not wanting to dance, this can really set a negative tone for your function/event, so please consider the venue and any sound restrictions carefully.
When booking a DJ for your wedding, party or event (whether this be through a DJ company or independent DJ), please consider the following questions/points to ensure you are booking the right DJ for you:
- Expect prompt return of any enquiries, phone calls and emails (usually within 24 hours)
- When making your enquiry with a DJ company, make sure that they can give you name for the DJ you would be allocated on the day, as well as their experience. If they cannot, be wary, as some companies will accept lots of bookings on a given date, and wait til the very last minute to allocate (or hire!) enough DJs to cover all of the gigs. If making an enquiry through a sole/independent DJ provider, needless to say that this will not be an issue
- Does the DJ you have been allocated have a demo CD to listen to, or references that you can contact?
- Be wary of any DJ company who will not allow you direct contact with the DJ you have been allocated. It makes sense to be able to discuss/plan your function/event with the person responsible for providing the entertainment. Not being able to do so, can lead to confusion, errors and ultimately disappointment. Once again, this will not be a problem if booking an independent DJ
- Expect some form of ‘kit’ which details packages, prices and inclusions. If they go not offer it, ask for it, as it is much better to have all of the information in front of you when comparing different company’s packages/prices whilst having a shop around
- Although most DJ company’s music lists will be similar, ask to view their list, as this will show you what sort of music they have available. Look particularly at the ‘latest songs’, as this will give you an idea of how regularly they update their collection. Also, ask them if you can request/add any song to the list, and if you can give them a list of ‘must plays’ and ‘do not plays’?
- Does the DJ use professional equipment? Request to see photos of the equipment and set-ups, so you can see what you will be getting for your money.
- Is the equipment tested and tagged? Do they have public liability insurance?
- What if the equipment fails at the function/event, or the DJ is sick/cannot attend on the day? What is their emergency back-up system?
- How will the DJ be dressed?
- How early will the DJ arrive to set-up? How long will it take? Will they be required to do sound checks?
- Will the DJ take breaks during the function/event? If so, will music be played during this time?
- Are you required to provide a meal for the DJ?
These are just some points to consider and I hope this helps when choosing a DJ!
Wedding planners can help take the stress away when planning the flow of your reception, however not everybody can afford this ‘luxury’. It can be a little daunting trying to figure out what order to do everything in, but bear in mind there really is no right or wrong, it is after all YOUR special day and you can plan as you see fit.
Some popular order of proceedings are as follows:
- entrance, cutting of the cake, speeches, bridal dance (and father/daughter dance), bouquet/garter toss, farewell circle
- entrance, cutting of the cake, bridal dance, speeches, bouquet/garter toss, farewell circle
- entrance, bridal dance, cutting of the cake, speeches, bouquet/garter toss, farewell circle
Here are some things to consider, especially when it comes to your first dance (bridal dance).
Some couples choose to have the bridal dance after the speeches, to ‘kick off’ the ‘fun’ part of the reception. That way, they have their first dance introduced right before the main dance bracket, as then everybody can be invited to the dance floor straight after to get the dancing (and partying!) underway.
Other couples choose to have their bridal dance following the cake cutting, which allows for a smooth transition from that tender (or sometimes ‘light-hearted’) moment to the romantic first dance.
Whilst other couples opt to have their bridal dance straight after their entrance to the reception (either to ensure that they have all their guests attention from the get go! or to ‘get it out of the way’ especially if they are nervous!).
In any case, there is no ‘wrong’ time, you just need to think about what will feel right for you. Your venue may be able to give you some ideas from their experience (but bear in mind that some venues may make suggestions based around what works best around their catering, as opposed to your best interests), as may friends, family or even other internet blogs.
Let’s be honest, the prices out there vary considerably.
You can go from paying just a few hundred dollars, up to the thousands. Bottom line is, however, you get what you pay for.
The reputation and experience of the DJ comes into play when it comes to price, as well as what is included in the service.
For example, if you book through a DJ company that employs many DJs on its books, you could probably get away with saving a few dollars by booking through them for a ‘standard, 5 hour service’. However, the experience of the DJs can vary widely in these companies (be it from ‘hobby’ DJs, to uni students who DJ part-time on the weekends, to the more experienced DJs who have been on the scene for years). You often will not get to meet the DJ beforehand either, which again poses another risk factor in that how do you know you will you be getting the ‘right’ DJ for you?
Compare this with booking through an independent DJ, the kind who owns his (or her) own business and takes the time to sit down and meet with all of his clients. Yes, you may pay more for this kind of service, but at least you know exactly what you’re getting yourself in for – read up on their DJ’ing experience, read their testimonials, meet with them and ask all the questions that you need/want to, look at the equipment that will be provided in their service etc.
Though booking an independent DJ seems to be a great, ‘safe’ and be it perhaps that little bit more expensive option, do not be put off by booking through a DJ company – just do your research!
Ask about the experience of their DJs, compare what it is included in their packages (look at the quality of the equipment!), enquire about who you will be dealing with throughout the whole process (will it be one person so then at least you know who you’re talking to, or will there be different people?) and look at their testimonials/feedback…take your time to make a decision so you can feel confident that every dollar you spend will be well worth it.
Wedding photographers always cost a pretty penny and these angry couples say despite paying thousands, they are yet to see a single frame.
Click here to watch the video of this group of brides who are furious with wedding services they say they paid for but which were never delivered, leaving them out of pocket and without photo memories of their special day.