So you’ve decided you want to forego a band and hire a DJ to keep the energy high at your reception. No, your cousin working an iPod with a sound system is not what we’re talking about. Creating an environment for your reception is a big responsibility; an art, really.
With “Glee” having proved to the world that a musical mash-up can bridge gaps of eras and genres, it’s important to recognize the significance of finding the perfect musical blend to make your sorority sisters and your grandparents all feel a pull to the dance floor. From the father and the bride dance, to the bride and groom’s first dance, lots of the magic of the memorable events of your day stem from the music being played. These are all things that you don’t know how a DJ will handle unless you ask (preferably before hiring them) and/or see them in action. The best way to do this is to request to see the video of them in action, and interview them about these situations.
Whatever vibe you’re wanting, communicate that to your DJ. If your reception will be full of people who want to dance, let them know to play lots of high energy fun music; if it’s going to be a task to get them on the dance floor, prepare your DJ for that and ask how they will overcome that awkwardness. Whether you’re giving them a playlist to choose from for the whole reception, or giving them a few songs, trusting their discretion and letting them take requests, it’s important to discuss.
Requests, by the way, are another thing you should ask about and give very specific instruction as to whether or not you want to allow. If you're agreeing for your DJ to take requests, talk about the balance you want between requested songs and the playlist you’ve selected, give specifications on the kinds of music to stay away from, and if there are specific songs to stay away from. Sounds silly, but you don’t want your conservative Great Aunt to be shamed because one of your groomsmen requested “Blow My Whistle”, or the love song you dedicated to your ex to be on the soundtrack of your big day. Talk it out. Also, don’t forget to include some slow songs in there. There are many people who are too uncomfortable with their less-than-stellar dance moves that will only venture out onto the floor for slow dances.
Most DJ’s will have a good ability to read the crowd, but don’t assume that they will unless you ask questions and get answers that make it clear, or see video of them in action. Don’t play loud music during dinner; keep it mellow so everyone can have conversations at their table. Save the big-energy dance music for the middle and end of the reception. In the moments where you might be feeling like a nag and not wanting to ask the DJ all of these questions, remember that this is the person with a microphone that you are entrusting with the responsibility of making sure your reception doesn’t turn out to be a dud. It is their responsibility to make sure that things don’t reach an awkward lull, to communicate with everyone in a way that motivates them to get out of their seats... so you’re gonna want to make sure that you hire a DJ who doesn’t clam up with an awkward moment or put their foot in their mouth, self destructing and taking your wedding with them.
Make sure to ask if this is their full-time gig and how long they’ve been doing this. Ask them if they’ve ever done an event at the venue you’ve chosen (if not, request that they visit the site beforehand to make sure that they have all they need for setup). Speaking of setup, make sure there are guarantees in your contract (if they are for any reason unable to be there, is there a replacement? Do they have backup equipment in case anything goes wrong?). This may sound exhausting, but will save you a lot of stress in the future, knowing that all your bases are covered and you don’t need to worry about incidentals.
Requests, by the way, are another thing you should ask about and give very specific instruction as to whether or not you want to allow. If you're agreeing for your DJ to take requests, talk about the balance you want between requested songs and the playlist you’ve selected, give specifications on the kinds of music to stay away from, and if there are specific songs to stay away from. Sounds silly, but you don’t want your conservative Great Aunt to be shamed because one of your groomsmen requested “Blow My Whistle”, or the love song you dedicated to your ex to be on the soundtrack of your big day. Talk it out. Also, don’t forget to include some slow songs in there. There are many people who are too uncomfortable with their less-than-stellar dance moves that will only venture out onto the floor for slow dances.
Most DJ’s will have a good ability to read the crowd, but don’t assume that they will unless you ask questions and get answers that make it clear, or see video of them in action. Don’t play loud music during dinner; keep it mellow so everyone can have conversations at their table. Save the big-energy dance music for the middle and end of the reception. In the moments where you might be feeling like a nag and not wanting to ask the DJ all of these questions, remember that this is the person with a microphone that you are entrusting with the responsibility of making sure your reception doesn’t turn out to be a dud. It is their responsibility to make sure that things don’t reach an awkward lull, to communicate with everyone in a way that motivates them to get out of their seats... so you’re gonna want to make sure that you hire a DJ who doesn’t clam up with an awkward moment or put their foot in their mouth, self destructing and taking your wedding with them.
Make sure to ask if this is their full-time gig and how long they’ve been doing this. Ask them if they’ve ever done an event at the venue you’ve chosen (if not, request that they visit the site beforehand to make sure that they have all they need for setup). Speaking of setup, make sure there are guarantees in your contract (if they are for any reason unable to be there, is there a replacement? Do they have backup equipment in case anything goes wrong?). This may sound exhausting, but will save you a lot of stress in the future, knowing that all your bases are covered and you don’t need to worry about incidentals.
No comments:
Post a Comment